Check out this promotional bulletin produced by the U.S. Marine Corps in anticipation for their game against Michigan on November 10, 1923: Note that the print is signed by John Lejeune, the namesake of Marine Corps base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. You’ll also notice that it mentions that 2000 Marines would be in attendance for the game and with them, the Secretary of the Navy Edwin Denby. Denby attended Michigan law school at the end of the century and even played center for the 1895 football squad. Strapping lad! But this is what really why this caught my attention. The visit by the Marines coincided with the dedication of the newest super structure in college athletics—Yost Field House. According to the Michigan Daily [via Robert Soderstrom’s The Big House]: The Marines, 1500 strong, together with their famous band, made an inspiring sight as they entered the field house. They marched in a column of squads the full length of the building in an aisle between the thousands of spectators seated in the stands and standing on either side. Naturally The Bentley has some great photos, here’s one: You can clearly see the Marines on either side of the seated attendees and the band up front. It’s unconfirmed if the light shining through the windows is the grace of God.…
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Mail! To MVictors
More mail, this time including an actual piece of USPS mail. A big thanks to everyone for all the comments, tweets, emails and real mails lately: An actual Helmet Sticker: My jaw dropped when I open this piece of mail. A former 80s-era player is a fan of the new Dr. Sap’s Decals segment and sent me an actual sticker from his helmet, check this out: He added in his note, “Funny thing I never noticed before but it appears that the “wolverine” part of the sticker is clear so the blue of the helmet visible through the sticker.” It certainly does appear that way and that’s wild. Note the paint on left side appears to be a bit of paint that peeled off the helmet. For sticker sticklers, the decal measures 7/8” high and just about 1.5” wide. A seller is offering sheets of Michigan football helmet decals on eBay right now (but the wolverine is blue, not clear, FWIW). Griese A Good Michigan Man. As you might guess, PR firms more and more seem to be looking to blogs and social media outlets to promote their product/cause/whatever. Since I received four emails from these guys, I surrender, and want to let you know that Brian Griese has been awarded the 2011 Patterson Award for Excellence in Sports Philanthropy,…
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How Captain Conley Got His Charm Back
In the winter of 1965, just a few weeks after Michigan had capped its wonderful 1964 season with a 34-7 trouncing of Oregon State in the Rose Bowl, team captain Jim Conley entered the office of then-athletic director Fritz Crisler. Conley wanted Fritz to reconsider a decision that would affect his teammates and how they all would remember their historic year.
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Ufer Returns to WTKA Noon Saturday
God bless your cotton pickin’ maize and blue fedora-covered ears, old Ufe returns Saturday. Continuing an awesome tradition, starting at noon Saturday WTKA 1050AM will air another game from the Bob Ufer radio archives, this time the 1977 battle against Purdue played in West Lafayette. One of my spies tipped me off to the selection earlier this week and today The Michigan Insider’s Ira Weintraub confirmed to me that “toe meets leather at noon.” Nice. So after weeks of ignoring those important in your life, tune in while you are making good with your spouse, friends, family or even putting rake to leaf in the yard. Heck, grab a beer, if that’s your thing, and settle in. Maybe even Will Gholston will be tuning in from East Lansing :) Related: eBay Watch: Bo Rolls into Berlin (Navy 1976) eBay Watch: Where Ufer Laid Woody Hayes Away eBay Watch: WPAG Wall Clock (1940s) WTKA to broadcast Ufer, 1979 Indiana game today Follow MVictors on Twitter ‘77 Purdue stub via TicketMuseum.com
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Up Close: Helmet Numbers
The Helmet Hut provided Michigan and Notre Dame with the decals on each teams’ helmets for the game this season. Those watching at home may have noticed that the color of the stickers doesn’t quite match the maize wings and stripes on the helmets: Call it the Dr. Sap Disclaimer: “never, ever, ever go by the color you see of pics online, in mags/programs or even in photos.” It’s very apparent when you see them in person. I was able to get a few samples of the numbers from Helmet Hut (don’t ask–they don’t sell them). I tried a few different ways to take a photo that demonstrates the different tone. I found the best way to show it was like this, on an authentic Michigan helmet: Believe it or not I actually struggled to demonstrate the difference before doing it this way. I’m not exactly sure why Michigan went with the alternate shade. Per Helmet Hut, they have decals that match the maize and Michigan chose to go with the golder tone. Perhaps it’s more true to the Bump era color or maybe in a darker shade things blend better together.
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Dr. Sap’s Decals – Michigan State
Week #7 – Michigan State Will Hagerup: 4 decals: coffin-corner punts Out of Bounds at MSU 10, 5, 5 and 15-yard lines – Outstanding! Harry Kipke would be proud! Desmond Morgan: 4 decals – 3rd QTR Fumble Recovery; 4th QTR Fumble Recovery; 4th QTR Tackle For Loss, and +1 editor’s choice, for a strong showing from his family in the A lot before the game! Denard Robinson: 2 decals – 15-yard TD run in 1st QTR; 34-yard TD pass to Roundtree in 4th QTR Devin Gardner: 1 decal, editor’s choice, for the Benny Hill run at the end of the game. Will Heininger: 2 decals for two 4th QTR Tackles For Loss Vincent Smith: 1 decal for 26-yard run in 1st QTR Drew Dileo: 1 decal for fake FG run for a 1st down in 1st QTR Brendan Gibbons: 1 decal for the nice seal block on the fake field goal in the first quarter. Roy Roundtree: 1 decal for 34-yard TD reception in 4th QTR Junior Megatron Hemingway: 1 decal for 29-yard reception in 1st QTR Thomas Gordon: 2 decals: 1 for 3rd QTR Forced Fumble, 1 for the nice open field tackle on Keshawn Martin. J.T. Floyd: 1 decal for fourth quarter forced fumble Jeremy Gallon: 1 decal for 32-yard reception in 4th QTR Will Campbell: 1 decal…
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Dirty Paul?
Paul Bearer: “This is Paul and Paul is my friend. I will hold him and hug him and squeeze him and love him..” Much of the postgame chatter naturally focused on the personal fouls. My take—State’s mostly meaningless penalties kept Michigan in the game, kept drives alive, and the yardage from those penalties was U-M’s most consistent offensive weapon. M rushed for 82 yards while picking up 124 thanks to the maize flags. Was it dirty? Certainly a few plays were cheap and Will Gholston will be sitting a game (ok, or three) after the Big Ten reviews the game. But Michigan lost because they didn’t execute on offense and there were plenty of opportunities. It’s on Michigan. At times guys were wide open—we’re talking 20 yard radius open—and Denard either didn’t have time or didn’t see them or tossed a bad pass. I give State credit for those blitz packages but mainly for bottling up the running game. If this is going to work, M must get more production out of the backs. Hoke said it, “…We had 82 [rushing yards]. That’s pretty much it.” Quoting Dr. Sap quoting Bo, “AND WE HAD NO BLOCKING AT THE POINT OF ATTACK!" Now, on the pfs I’ll say this–if Michigan finished a game with six personal fouls, I’d be really pissed…
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Not Smooth – Postgame Photos (MSU 28, Michigan 14)
More later but just a few postgame photos. Frustrated guys above, happy guys below (your medicine):
