With all the stadium and tunnel talk, this week is a perfect opportunity to discuss Fielding Yost and his quest to build Michigan Stadium (yes, with its coliseum-like tunnel entrance in the center of the arena). We also discuss a prime example of someone who didn't get his--namely Chicago's iconic coach Amos Alonzo Stagg--as well as the consequences. Go Blue.
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Hitching a Ride to the Opener (Red Simmons Interview)
[Ed 11/10/22 – Bumped, in honor of Red Simmons’ induction into the Michigan Hall of Honor Friday night (11/11/2022).] Former women’s track head coach Red Simmons is a fixture on the athletic campus, whether it’s attending football, hockey, or basketball games, or working out each morning at Crisler Arena. Oh, did I mention Simmons turns 100 in three weeks? I recently sat down with the Michigan legend to talk about his amazing life for a piece for GoBlueWolverine Magazine for next month. Definitely check that out, but in the meantime, I wanted to share this nugget. Simmons was a track star at Redford High School and was offered a slot on the U-M track team. He told me that part of his desire to come to Ann Arbor stemmed from a trip he and his pals took when he was 17 years old: Simmons: “My heart was set on coming to Michigan. In 1927 when the football stadium was opened, two other guys from Redford and I hitchhiked up here to see the game. At that time I thought, ‘Boy I’d love to go to this school.’” It didn’t occur to me until after the interview that Simmons is very likely the last living person to attend the first game at Michigan Stadium. I’d love to know if anyone knows…
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Yost Gets His Stadium. Stagg Gets Stalled. (1927) | This Week In Michigan Football History
With all the stadium and tunnel talk, this week is a perfect opportunity to discuss Fielding Yost and his quest to build Michigan Stadium (yes, with its coliseum-like tunnel entrance in the center of the arena). We also discuss a prime example of someone who didn't get his--namely Chicago's iconic coach Amos Alonzo Stagg--as well as the consequences. Go Blue.
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Michigan Mudbowl 2022 | SAE Prevails 20-18
Two late touchdowns and a critical 2-point conversion sealed an unlikely victory for Sigma Alpha Epsilon over Alpha Epsilon Pi in the 88th annual Mudbowl. Around 1500 were on hand to witness the late comeback victory at the corner of South University and Washtenaw this morning. Props to everyone who conducted themselves like true gentlemen in the slopfest. A few highlights:
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The Paul, The George, and The Dickinson System (1892, 1932, 1953) | This Week In Michigan Football History
We jump around a bit in Saturday's edition of TWIMFbH starting with the 1892 match-up between Michigan and Northwestern which featured the first African-American to play for a future conference team - George Jewett. We then fast forward to 1932 and Fritz Crisler's visit to the Big House and how an Illinois Professor devised a system to determine a national champion. Finally, the Paul Bunyan Trophy - we didn't want it, and I don't get it!
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Buckeye Traditions and That Team Up North
While Michigan has had different top rivals over our 140 years of pigskin prowess, make no mistake that from Ohio's perspective it has always been about that team up north. So it's no suprrise the Michigan figures deep into many of Ohio State's most cherished football traditions. Here are a few prominent examples:
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Rhymes with Great – Sights & Sounds (Michigan 41, Penn State 17)
The October maize-out worked and Michigan dominated the line of scrimmage, how about that? A few sights & sounds from a historic Saturday at Michigan Stadium:
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LC, The First Script Ohio, Touchdown Manningham | This Week In Michigan Football History
Saturday's edition of This Week in Michigan Football History is a special one. We hit a few worthy topics starting with the recognition of the new Lloyd Carr Michigan Stadium Tunnel, before noting the 90th anniversary of the Michigan Marching Band visiting Columbus and teaching Ohio State their beloved "Script Ohio." We also get into this day in 2005 that gave us what is evermore known simply as, 'TOUCHDOWN MANNINGHAM!' Dig it:
