Saw this animated gif(t) on Burgeoning Wolverine Star this evening and had to share:

  Gotta love the ‘97 ring.  In case anyone has any questions, “big Jonny” flashes the hardware If you missed this, now you got it.  Longtime U-M football equipment manager Jon Falk started working for Bo Schembechler in 1974 and knows where all the bones (and jugs) are hidden, and has stories to back it up.  He’s got a book coming out this August titled If These Walls Could Talk (you can pre-order) and joined Ira Weintraub and Sam on 1050AM WTKA’s live show from practice yesterday afternoon. Here’s the audio: [display_podcast]  Natural Enemies  Thanks to Ira for having the audio reposted Be the first to know, follow MVictors on Twitter 

Just released from U-M media relations, the run down for tomorrow’s Spring Game included this note: 8-foot Charles Woodson Bobblehead on Display: Fans can view and take pictures of the eight-foot tall Charles Woodson Bobblehead. The bigger-than-live bobblehead was created by the Big Ten Network to promote its upcoming series called Big Ten Icons, a show dedicated to the top 50 athletes in conference history. The Woodson Bobblehead will be located near Gate 8 (northwest corner of the stadium). The full release: Everything You Need to Know about the 2010 U-M Spring Football Game Presented by PNC Bank ANN ARBOR – The 2010 University of Michigan spring football game presented by PNC Bank is less than 24 hours away and the program hopes to exceed the estimated crowd of 50,000 fans that watched last year’s final practice at Michigan Stadium. The spring game is free to the public, but the football team and C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital have partnered in a fund raiser for the new hospital scheduled to open in Fall 2012. Gates 2, 4, 8 and 10 to Michigan Stadium will open at 10 a.m. EDT. The second annual alumni flag football game begins with introductions at 11 a.m. The 131st team in school history will take the field for warm-ups at noon. The final spring practice will…

Folks, the Alumni Game starts at Michigan Stadium at 11am Saturday.  This afternoon the rosters were revealed.   Outstanding to see Murray and Brabbs as captains and love that they brought back some guys from the ‘65 Rose Bowl team for the game. Last year the Blue prevailed 32-24 thanks to a touchdown on the final play of the game. Early line, Maize –2.5: MAIZE Coach — Desmond Howard (1989-91), WR     Captain — Vada Murray (1987-90), DB Ron Bellamy (1999-02), WR Tom Brigstock (1962-65), HB Gasper Calandrino (1978), DB Jim Conley (1961-64), E Zia Combs (2000-02), DB/WR B.J. Dickey (1977-81), QB Don Dufek (1972-75), DB Chris Floyd (1994-97), TB/FB Jermaine Gonzales (2000-04), WR Livetius Johnson (1988-91), RB Rich Leach (1975-78), QB Triando Markray (1982-84), WR Ben Mast (1997-01), OL Chris Matsos (2002-04), WR Zoltan Mesko (2006-09), P Anthony Mitchell (1985-88), DB Ohene Opong-Owusu (2007-09), LB Darren Petterson (1995-98), WR Marcus Ray (1995-98), S LaTerryal Savoy (2006-09), WR Lasker Smith (1992), DB Phil Webb (1983-87), TB Josh Williams (1995-99), DT Chuck Winters (1992-96), S Pierre Woods (2002-05), DE BLUE Coach — LaMarr Woodley (2003-06), DE Captain — Phil Brabbs (2000-03), K Tony Blackenship (1989-93), S Alijah Bradley (2003-06), RB Jason Carr (1991-95), QB Will Carr (1993-96), DT Bob Cernak (1984-87), QB/TE Bill Dufek (1974-77), OL Dan Jokisch (1987-90), WR/TE Brian Lafer (2001-03),…

A few updates for you on goings on in and outside this space: To the Scout.com readers, I’m happy to report that I’ve signed on with Sam Webb & crew for another year of pieces for GoBlueWolverine Magazine.  My submission for this month can be viewed here, an adaptation of an earlier post on the circumstances of Michigan and Yost leaving the Western Conference.  I’m also working on a piece for the 2010 installment of Brian Cook’s prolific Hail to the Victors series, the best preseason guide in the business.  More details later on. For fans of the eBay Watch series, I updated the listing of all the posts in the series, over 135 strong at this point.  (I suppose I need to find a better way to index these posts). 

ESPN college beat writer Mark Schlabach dialed up the Colin Cowherd show (with guest host Doug Gottlieb filling in) to discuss the NCAA’s visit to Morgantown.  Schlabach admits he doesn’t know much, but assumes that the “NCAA is trying to show that this wasn’t a one time deal; that this was a system that was put in place that started at West Virginia.” Schlabach suggested it should be interesting to see how West Virginia reacts, adding, “you don’t want the NCAA looking into your books but at the same time I don’t think West Virginia people will go out of their way to protect Rich Rodriguez.” Gottlieb clearly thinks the allegations (of too many coaches/too many hours) are a joke, quote: “Really?  Really?  This is the stupidest dog and pony show by the NCAA EVER.   Go after the real criminals in college sports.” Here’s the audio (taken from my phone while driving in my car…not too bad!): [display_podcast]

[Ed 4/14 – audio fixed.] A few notes from the press conference: Rodriguez met with the media for about 20 minutes.  He started off with an update on the recovery of wheelchair bound Brock Mealer.  Some great news of his recovery came out earlier this week, to me via a tweet from Camp Barwis.  Rodriguez confirmed that on Saturday Mealer walker about 50 yards with aid of a couple crutches, and they’ve set a goal that Brock will lead them down the tunnel and into the stadium for the opener. RR praised Cam Gordon once again.  He heaped some love on Troy Woolfolk, J.T. Floyd and Justin Turner (he’s “gotten better”).   “We’re finding a little bit of depth there.” On Junior Hemingway and Je’Ron Stokes, RR advised that they might return today or in the next two practices. Gardner is improving and “slowly getting there.” Adam Patterson was “playing well at end”, but they are trying him at nose tackle.  “He’ll play inside and outside.” A little drama returned to the press conference today as about an hour or so before the media got to Schembechler Hall, news broke that the NCAA was probing WVU.   Preface: The media’s been warned not to ask any questions about the NCAA allegations (at Michigan of course).  Mike Rothstein of AnnArbor.com started to ask…

  Photo: NY Daily News (umm, is that Connect Four on his shelf?) Via a tweet from SI’s Richard Deitsch, from the ESPN liveblog prior to the Yankees home opener: 12:35: Hal Steinbrenner just told us that fittingly enough, his dad George M. Steinbrenner III, was the first Yankee to receive a championship ring, brought to him up in his private suite before the official ceremony by Joe Girardi and Derek Jeter. "Quite frankly, I think he was pretty much speechless,” Hal said. "Jeter’s pretty good a breaking the ice at times like that, and he told my father to take his Ohio State ring off.” According to Hal, The Boss looked at Jeter and sniffed, "Michigan,” which drew a laugh from everyone in the room. "It was a good moment,” Hal said.   Follow MVictors on Twitter