It sure looks authentic but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen one before. Take a look at this 1969 Big Ten Championship Ring currently up for bid: Better resolution pics and descriptions available on the auction page, the seller is asking for $3,500 Buy it Now and is soliciting other offers. As I always do on these ring auctions, I’ll lead with the disclaimer that a) we don’t know if any of what the sellers claims are true, b) we don’t know the circumstances of how the ring ended up with the seller and c) don’t assume anything and d) don’t judge. That said…this is quite a specimen for sure and I’m guessing there’s a collector or two out there that would love to have this. This is of course would be part of the spoils of Bo’s legendary 24-12 shocker over Woody & the Buckeyes in Schembechler’s first season in Ann Arbor. On top of all that, the seller claims this ring originally belonged to one of the famous “Mellow Men” on the 1969 team. Here’s an excellent refresher on the Mellow Men via the great “Touchdown” Billy Taylor from mgoblue.com: “The Den of Mellow Men” Billy Taylor / 1969-71 Letterman When I came to Michigan, I was part of the largest collection of black athletes ever at the…
-
-
Red signs on through 2016 (Official Release)
Only thing better would be if they also confirmed Red was going to skate in the Red Wings/Maple Leafs alumni game for the 2013 NHL Winter Classic. Via Media Relations: Red Berenson Agrees to Contract Extension Through 2015-16 Season ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The University of Michigan and ice hockey head coach Red Berenson have agreed to a three-year contract extension, Athletic Director Dave Brandon announced on Monday (July 16). Berenson is in the final season of his current contract and the extension will keep him at Michigan through the 2015-16 campaign. "I’m pleased that the administration and the program are looking ahead," said Berenson. "I’m excited about the opportunity to remain at Michigan, especially with the current Yost renovations, the move to the Big Ten and for our incoming recruits. We have a great staff here and I’m looking forward to the next few years at Michigan." Berenson has led the Michigan ice hockey program since 1984, winning two national titles (1996, 1998) along the way. He has guided the Wolverines to a record 22 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and has reached the Frozen Four on 11 occasions. Berenson is a two-time Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) Coach of the Year (1994, 2008) and earned National Coach of the Year honors in 2008. “Red is an icon in the…
-
Interview with Barb Cossman, U-M Media Relations
The University of Michigan has a long history of producing cutting-edge collegiate publications. Barb Cossman has run point on the content produced by U-M media relations since 2001. As editorial director, she oversees the creation of media guides and programs, including the special commemorative editions like we saw for 2011 Notre Dame ‘Under the Lights’ game. During Barb’s tenure, Michigan pioneered moving away from printed materials when they went to an all-digital media guide for the 2009 season. Over the past decade, thanks in large part to Cossman’s leadership, U-M’s publications have won multiple national awards. She was kind enough to chat with me about the past, present, and future of collegiate publications at U-M: MVictors: Michigan was one of the pioneers to eliminate the printed media guide by going purely digital. What prompted the move to go with a paperless media guide in 2009? Cossman: There were probably a few reasons. One of them was to save money, one of them, I like to think, was to save paper. And just the foresight that everything was moving to digital. The media guides, to that point, had served two purposes. Because of NCAA legislation they had to fulfill the demands of media and the demands of recruiting. The coaches used the media guides on recruiting trips to give to prospective…
-
Maybe Ads Inside Michigan Stadium Wouldn’t be so Bad
This piece in the WSJ on billionaire T. Boone Pickens and the structure of his gifts to Oklahoma State athletic department is worth a look. Most notably, check out one particular investment strategy involving OSU alums that Pickens dubbed ‘Gift of A Lifetime’: Separately, Mr. Pickens concocted an unusual plan to supercharge returns for Cowboy Athletics. He sold school officials on a program to generate up to $250 million for the endowment by taking out multimillion-dollar insurance policies on the lives of older Oklahoma State alumni. The expectation was that the death payouts would exceed the premiums. I know that it’s not uncommon to invest in insurance policies but this is creepy. Basically OSU loses if these folks don’t die when they are supposed to…like good & loyal Cowboys would of course. Funny, the photo in the article shows a OSU fan holding a giant Pickens head at a game (left). Thankfully this didn’t escalate to fans raising actual heads of dead alums whose lives proved profitable for the athletic department. Shocker: the program turned out to be a bust. More: Oklahoma State President V. Burns Hargis stepped in to help Mr. Holder, the athletic director, figure out what to do about the $16.6 million in insurance premiums due in February 2009. He called on a retired insurance executive and…
-
Hire this Man
There’s a new opening at the athletic department: Assistant Cheerleading Coach I Responsibilities: – Takes direction from and reports to the Head Cheer Coach – Is a positive role model for student athletes – Maintain AACCA and CPR Certification – Complies with Big Ten and NCAA Cheerleading Guidelines – Assist in Spring and Fall Tryouts – Assist in creation and organization of game and Nationals material – Attend and supervise practices, games, and other events/programs associated with Cheer Team – Teach and supervise proper stunting techniques, form, and progressions – Teach and supervise proper pyramid techniques, form and progressions – Teach and supervise proper tumbling techniques, form and progressions – Assist Strength and Conditioning Coach with athletes S&C program – Provide guidance and supervision on away games, Big Ten tournaments, bowl trips, camp, Nationals etc. – Complies with all State and University policies Search over. Here’s your man:
-
Missing Chap
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,…
