Someone grifted one of those boxes you’ve seen at games that used to collect ticket stubs.  I’m not sure if they still have these around; I know they’ve gone with scanners at least at the big events.  You can buy it now for $400 (right!) or bid away. Sure, it’s not exactly like selling a goalpost but it’s still University property.  Perhaps U-M got rid of these after moving to the scanners and it was scooped up by an opportunistic fellow.   Either way, the seller doesn’t really care, even suggesting even M’s biggest rivals join in on the bidding. From the auction description: I would think that the Ohio State fan or Michigan State fan could fine alternative uses for it as well. I’m sure they could. The auction ends August 16th.

Kinney, Weidenbach, and Madej viewing a preserved 19th-century photofrom the Michigan baseball collection at the U-M Bentley Library. Sifting through one of the many boxes that hold the athletic department archives at the University of Michigan’s Bentley Historical Library you get a sense of the remarkable asset that is housed within the library walls.  You can’t help but be moved after viewing a note written by legendary coach Fielding Yost, or holding a coaching contract signed by baseball pioneer Branch Rickey.  This is a special place. Did you know that the meticulously organized archives of photos, letters, journals, and films weren’t always delicately preserved within this campus institution?  In fact, just a few decades ago the collection resembled something of a mess with portions of it at risk of being lost forever. The BasementOne of Bruce Madej’s [MA-Day] duties when hired as sports information director by then-athletic director Don Canham in 1982 was to manage the history of the U-M athletic department.  Looking back at the situation today, Madej admits, “I’d be the last person I’d put in charge of the history of the athletic department.” One of Madej’s immediate concerns was preserving the program’s scattered historical materials.  “Everything was stored in a basement at that time and we had floods down there,” Madej remembers.   “That did not bode well for…

Michigan AP writer Larry Lage joined Ben Holden on the Big Show this afternoon.  As the guy that covers all the major sporting events held in the area, Lage always shares some interesting takes.   I picked up the audio midway through: He discussed the fates of fellow Spartans Charles Rogers and Plaxico Burress.   Lage knew these gents pretty well from his days at the State News. Lage commented on Rich Rodriguez’s desire to improve the atmosphere in Michigan Stadium. He just finished a feature on Lions coach, who definitely is an interesting cat.  I met him earlier this year and he scared the bejesus out of me.   I’m less scared after seeing the photo Lage used in the piece: Interesting, Lage is “not buying” that Michigan scheduled UConn in 2010 for sure, he’s waiting for official word from Michigan (he added a nice jab at the journalism standards of Rivals.com).  He’s a local guy and well-connected obviously, could there be some question whether this is actually happening? Here’s the audio: [display_podcast] .

Check out what Phil Callihan at umgoblog.com noted has been found in a junkyard in suburban Detroit: It’s winged ice cream truck emblazoned with autographs from a bunch of Michigan legends.  Even if the thing couldn’t run it had to be worth something.  How did it end up in the junkyard?  More photos here. HT: Michigan Sports Center

Via a tweet from Michigan associate athletic director Bruce Madej, the Sporting News ran down their top coaches of all-time in any sport.   Not represented?  Fielding Yost.  What a crock. The list was selected by a panel of Hall of Famers, coaches, and experts in various sports.   Several college football coaches, including Bo and Amos Alonzo Stagg, one of Yost’s contemporaries, made the cut: So I hate these off-season lists and the debate that ensues, but this one is at least a little interesting by introducing multiple sports.  Yost should clearly be there over most of these guys (including Bo, sorry!).  No, I’m not giving these hall of famers the satisfaction of creating a matrix comparing each of these guys (maybe next June) and proving that Yost belongs here.

Ah yes, a great day when that yellow envelope arrives…I received my 2009 football season tickets today.  The artwork is holding to the ‘All In For Michigan” theme, staying away from game action in favor of sights/sounds and the fans.  Here’s how they look: The run down: Western Michigan – A photo of Rich Rod, starting down the sideline looking less than thrilled.  Also appears to be fixing his belt or zipping up his brawn. Notre Dame – A Maize out (hard to ignore as the ticket was dipped in a maize glaze).  To the chagrin of those who hate the tradition key-rattling during big plays, it appears we’ve got a photo of such an instance here. Eastern Michigan – The scene after the Spring Game this year when Rich Rod led the team in The Victors at midfield. Indiana – Just the team running under the Go Blue banner. Delaware State – A line of female cheerleaders including major biochemistry (I think), although the shot is from behind with maize pom-poms covering their keisters. Penn State – Another Maize Out, this time with a crowd shot executing a maize out (or as close as M fans come to executing these ‘outs’). Purdue – Very nice.  The scene of the Michigan drum major leaping into formation after the band has…

I saw this first via a tweet from ESPN’s Pat Forde.  Apparently Rich Rod chatted it up with the multi-talented actor Jamie Foxx up at Gibson’s in Chicago last night.  New AnnArbor.com writer Michael Rothstein got some more details on the encounter: “He’s a great guy,” Rodriguez said Tuesday morning. “He’s obviously extremely talented. I’ve seen some of his work ethic and he’s one of the most talented entertainers in the country. So, it was neat. “…Hopefully, we can get up to a ball game. I’d love to see him again.” Rodriguez said Foxx’s father was a football coach and Foxx, who was born Eric Bishop, played quarterback for Terrell High School in Texas. The pair talked for almost an hour. All this brought up memories of when Russell Crowe came to Ann Arbor a few years back to give his buddy Lloyd Carr a lift [some context on this].  This exclusive photo from MVictors actually made it all the way to Hollywood gossip site PerezHilton.com thanks to two meddling gossip hounds at my house after the game: [as a sidenote: I love that the pointless back and forth between rival schools that dominates the comments of ESPN/Freep/Detnews also plays out on a Hollywood gossip site.] Anyway, the celebrity citing evoked a great story from Mesko on when Crowe visited:…