So sad to get the news this week that Bob Chappuis, a true Michigan football legend passed away. I have many thoughts on this, but mainly a big regret. I was working on doing an interview with Mr. Chappuis this spring, already did the prep work, and had the questions and materials ready– it just needed to happen. For a few different reasons, it didn’t happen and obviously, that’s something I can’t get back. Michigan announcing they are unretiring the jerseys of Oosterbaan, Kramer and Ford brought to mind Chappuis to me this week, because I was hoping U-M would honor his #49 while he was still with us. (I think I said as much on WTKA last year but can’t find the clip). It will happen someday. Chappuis was a frequent visitor to the press box for games, often sitting with fellow legend Don Lund and family near the south side. Here’s a pic from 2010 before the UMass game: He could have occupied a chapter in Brokaw’s ‘Greatest Generation’: a sports legend, WWII airman, businessman, family man. Truly a great life. Speaking of his exploits in WWII, check out this once-classified report on the crash of his plane “Idiots Delight” (naturally, via U-M Bentley Historical Library) over Italy: For U-M fans, may Mr. Chappuis live on in diagrammed…
-
-
Unretired – #47, #48, #87 – Official Release
Via Media Relations last night. And a few of my questions answered: Michigan to Recognize Ford, Kramer and Oosterbaan as Michigan Football Legends in 2012 ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The University of Michigan Athletic Department will recognize three of its all-time great football players – center Gerald Ford and ends Ron Kramer and Bennie Oosterbaan – with the “Michigan Football Legend” distinction during the 2012 season, announced today (June 12) by Dave Brandon, the Donald R. Shepherd Director of Athletics. The Oosterbaan, Ford and Kramer families fully support the return the famed No. 47, No. 48 and No. 87 jerseys into circulation starting this fall. Oosterbaan, Ford and Kramer will be honored in perpetuity with their names always affixed to the No. 47, No. 48 and No. 87 jerseys, respectively. A patch over the left upper chest will be affixed to the jersey of all future players donning the jersey numbers. The football staff has not determined which current players will wear the jerseys honoring the former legends. “The success and acceptance of the Desmond Howard Legend recognition led to conversations with the family members who had retired jerseys, several of whom were never recognized or celebrated in the appropriate manner,” said Dave Brandon. “The Ford, Kramer and Oosterbaan families want to see their family member honored in this way.…
-
#48 Returns. Questions Emerge.
Mark Snyder reports today that Hoke confirmed that Michigan will unretire Gerald Ford’s #48 jersey this season: “I think (the No. 1 will be brought out) in the near future, but I can’t tell you it will be this season,” Hoke said. “That’s something that we’re doing a lot of thinking about. We’re honoring Desmond Howard now with one of our players who really deserves it, and that’s (receiver) Roy Roundtree wearing No. 21. We’re going to do the same with Gerald Ford’s jersey this year. We’re looking at doing it.” Funny, Ira and Sam brought up the topic of unretiring jerseys on my visit to WTKA last week and as mentioned in studio and a couple times before, I’m a big fan of doing this. So it looks like Ford will be the next member of the Legends club, joining Desmond Howard. For what it’s worth I thought the #48 was the one number they might just leave retired since it’s obviously a special honorary distinction, not solely tied to performance on the gridiron (although Ford was MVP of the miserable 1934 squad). So many questions: 1. Why is Ford’s #48 next to be honored? The timing question – I have no idea. I assume they want to honor one former player each year for the next few years,…
-
Instant Michigan Football Program Collection
A slice of Briegel’s basement Local uber-U-M memorabilia collector Jack Briegel is offering a portion of his collection to the public. You know Briegel as the man who owns a ticket stub from every game played at Michigan Stadium, dating back to the opener in 1927. It turns out he’s working to clean out a small portion of his collection and is offering a program from each of the 233 home games since 1975, stored in a clear polyethylene holder, for $1165 (that’s $5 each). You must buy the entire collection. Interested? Shoot me an email. Related: The House that Jack Built: The Ultimate Wolverine Den When Toe Met Leather—Traditional Michigan Football Kick-off Times Follow MVictors on Twitter MVictors on Pinterest? Believe it
-
Michigan Drives The Trojans Mad (1948)
I can’t get enough of these diagrammed wire photos from yesteryear..especially those that capture the brilliance of Bob Chappuis and the Mad Magicians, here exposing the USC defense in the ‘48 Rose Bowl: The Wolverines pounded USC 49-0 and delivered Fritz Crisler a national championship is his final game at the helm of the Blue. Time Magazine did a nice job in describing the beating: Southern Cal’s beefy bruisers, the West Coast champs, were not clubbed to death. They were just hoodwinked and whipsawed by Michigan’s slickers. Jack Weisenburger, Crisler’s sturdy spinning fullback, started most of Michigan’s backfield ballet and ball-handling hocuspocus, and chewed through the center of Southern Cal’s bewildered line for three Michigan touchdowns.
-
2012 Mott ‘Michigan From The Heart’ Golf Outing
Update 6/6: I joined Sam and Ira on WTKA 1050AM this morning to talk about the golf outing, Michigan From the Heart, Sam’s physique, Ron Kramer and more! Full audio here: [display_podcast] Original Post: Support the 16th Annual Golf Classic benefitting Michigan From The Heart! It takes place Saturday, June 16th, 2012 with special guests Brady Hoke, Zoltan Mesko, Jamar Adams and others. I’ll be out there, so should you, and I understand they still have a few slots left. For non-alums, this is great opportunity to experience the great Alister MacKenzie designed Blue course. Most Michigan fans know about From The Heart – it’s the program that benefits the student-athletes who visit Mott on Thursday evenings. Here more info on MFTH: For nearly 20 years, Michigan From The Heart has served as an inspiration to both University of Michigan student-athletes and the pediatric patients and families of C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. On Thursday evenings, Michigan From The Heart arranges visits to the hospital by student-athletes who offer a welcome distraction by spending time with patients and families. Patients are then given the opportunity to watch the athletes in action by attending University of Michigan sporting events as special guests of the team. They even meet the players after their games for photos and autographs. Michigan From The Heart provides…
-
Original Football Program Artwork?
For next month’s edition of GoBlueWolverine I interview Barb Cossman, director of publications over at the U-M athletic department. She oversees the production of U-M athletic department materials like game programs and media guides and U-M has received many national awards for her work. (I don’t believe the awards for this past school year are out yet but they’ll certainly win something for the 2011 Notre Dame program that included the Moeller headset audio and some original content from John Kryk and yrs truly). Anyway…in our interview we discussed some recent history of programs & media guides, trends and talk a bit about the future. Near the end of the interview I asked this: At the beginning of the last century many of the programs were more like artwork—have you considered have original artwork on programs? Cossman: A lot of the older programs had original artwork and yes, we have thought about having original artwork on the programs. We’re definitely open to ideas. I’ve had people email me with art samples, offering to design covers. You probably know where I stand on this. Some of my favorite programs over the years were hand drawn: I think the photos of players with suits and ties are nice for their respective families, but I think there’s a big segment of the fanbase…
-
Baseball Coach Rich Maloney Departing
Via media relations. Really like Maloney, wish him the best: Baseball Coach Rich Maloney Departing – Michigan Athletics Will Conduct a National Search ANN ARBOR – Director of Athletics Dave Brandon announced Tuesday (May 22) that the University of Michigan Athletic Department and baseball coach Rich Maloney have mutually agreed to not extend his contract, which ends June 30, 2012. Maloney finished his 10th season as head coach this past weekend.
