• Vintage Michigan pins and buttons

    The Michigan Union Button: A Lost Tradition

    The recent discovery of an 1892 Athletic Association pin clarified the deep history of this lost Michigan tradition. I view this tradition as a bit of a historic puzzle, and this find provided a huge tangible piece of evidence on its origins. This post shares the latest history as I understand it today.

  • Post-Harbaugh NFL Dalliance Fanbase Temp Check

    In summary, the announcement that Jim Harbaugh is staying left the majority of the Michigan fanbase relieved. But even the most open-minded supporters feel a level of damage control, or at least reassurances, around his commitment to U-M need to be made by Harbaugh, certainly inside Schembechler Hall. Throwing out those who are outright thrilled, and those totally outraged, most fans had The Mood in the lower 90s or 80s following this latest postseason drama.

  • From Disaster to the 501 Barbeque (1900-1901)

    Has there been a bigger jump in fan sentiment season-to-season than 2020 to 2021? I don’t need to remind you of the mess that was last season, and granted COVID had something to do with that. But it’s fair to say the program was in full-on crisis mode. Future jeopardized. Dogs and cats living together. Twelve months later we were drowning in Lucas Oil confetti and passing around a silver pigskin. One possible candidate? 1900 to 1901:

  • Creating A Buzz (1917)

    Digging through the Michigan Daily archives yielded an interesting find, and certainly news to me. According to multiple accounts in the U-M student fishwrap, your Wolverines issued a special midseason uniform change for the October 20, 1917 game against Michigan Agricultural College (M.A.C, of course later MSU). Here's the story: