[Bumping up this story originally posted in 2017 given the news of Mr. Green’s passing this week. I’m very grateful to have the small, fun moment with Mr. Green!]
A fun sidenote from Saturday. Friday night before The Game I was rooting through a box of Michigan memorabilia. I found an old press pass to attend Bump Elliott’s (head coach 1959-1968) football practice. I believe I got it off eBay many years ago. It was issued to longtime sports writer Jerry Green, who at the time worked for the Associated Press.
I figured current AP writer Larry Lage might want to have it so Saturday I walked over to give it to him. Larry saw it and looked at me and then blew my mind. He told me Green, who lives out west, was actually on-prem in the press box and covering the game. I quickly found him and gave him back his old pass!
Green definitely got a kick out of it! He asked me where I got it, and he then speculated it was probably issued in the late 1950s, right at the beginning of Bump Elliott’s head coaching career.
Bruce Madej shared with me that Green is one of a couple of sportswriters that has covered every Super Bowl. Many around these parts remember his four-decade+ tenure at the Detroit News that ended in 2004. He’s also a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Such a cool moment for me, and one of my favorite behind-the-scenes stories from the Michigan press box!
