Do you have a unique U-M or Michigan football-related item that you’ve held onto for many years? Either something from your school days (if you went to U-M) or from early days of your fandom that you now deem somewhat sacred? For example: the Desmond Howard stadium banners from 1991. I’m talking outside the norm of jerseys, footballs, ticket stubs or stuff sold to the masses over the past few decades. If you’d be willing – shoot me a pic and a brief explanation via email [mail @ mvictors.com] or hit me on Twitter. Update: Like this: @MVictors What I kept? Does this piece of Michigan Stadium original concrete and steel bench support count? pic.twitter.com/CEvdaz2xvq — Allen ][V][ (@buckeyehater76) September 27, 2018
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Overwhelming – Sights & Sounds (Michigan 56, Nebraska 10)
The most complete performance in a while and yes, Harbaugh’s Michigan teams have proven very adapt at pounding the crap out of weak opponents. Plenty of sights and sounds from the game: Husked. We’ve done this before to the Huskers, back in 1905 the Yostmen rolled up the Huskers 31-0 at Ferry Field and the Daily pulled out the thick typeface to let campus know: ICYMI, we had less luck in 1911 when we tied, 6-6 but team, fans and everyone had a lovely time afterward at the joyous feast. Pregame. I must say I love the James Earl Jones-narrated pregame hype video that they blast out before the team comes out. And props to the athletic department for updating it each week -for Saturday they slipped in the “Go Blue” that Emmy winner Darren Criss dropped in his speech. Well done.I’m also a sucker for the parachute drops, especially parachute drops with an on-field hype man barking out stuff until they land. Spectacle. An underrated must-watch element of these games is watching punter Will Hart kick the snot out of the pigskin. If he qualified (not enough attempts) he’d be #2 in the country with a 52.6 average, just behind a gent from Georgia State (Go Fighting Peaches!) with 52.8. The current #4 spot requires a 47-yard average. Also Michigan…
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Stickers All Around | Dr. Sap’s Decals
Steve “Dr. Sap” Sapardanis is a Schembechler-era savant and once again he’ll be diligently handing out his postgame helmet stickers after each game. Sap has pored over hours and hours of U-M games over several decades, and in these posts he’s able to tie the present to the past. I encourage you to subscribe to Dr. Sap on YouTube, or follow Sap on Twitter: By Steve “Dr. Sap” Sapardanis Before I talk about how great the entire Michigan team played in all phases of the game on Saturday, and before I talk about how Michigan outhit Nebraska in all phases of the game, that performance (for both teams) should serve as a reminder for everyone on how much work it takes to restore a once-proud & mighty program back to where it was a few decades earlier. Attitudes have to change and players have to buy in to the new staff’s direction. Remember the “All In For Michigan” slogan a few years/coaches ago? The Michigan program, players & fanbase have been exactly where Nebraska is right now. It takes time – and a few blowouts like this – but The Big Red will be back, just not this year. Enough perspective – onward to some helmet stickers! OFFENSIVE CHAMPION – There have been some impressive offensive performances down through the…
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Stanford 1973 and The Vote | This Week in Michigan Football History
This week we get into our history playing Stanford – the first Rose Bowl, 1947 and finally 1973 as Bo’s #5 Wolverines faced the Cardinal on this Saturday back 45 years ago. Of course we can’t leave 1973 without mentioning the infamous postseason vote and I’m not naming names (yes I am) but your beloved Meechigan got screwed! Audio:Listen to it “live” tomorrow afternoon on the KeyBank Countdown to kick-off on WTKA 1050AM….or inside the Go Labatt Blue Victors Lounge!script after the jump: Today we look back to September 22, 1973, as General Bo George Patton Schembechler’s 5th ranked Wolverines were set to take on the Stanford Cardinal. Stanford holds a special place in Wolverine football lore. Not only is it where Jim Harbaugh established himself as an elite coach, historically speaking, they were Michigan’s opponent in the first Rose Bowl. Really it was the first bowl of any kind, played back in 1902 when they faced Fielding Yost’s undefeated, untied, unscored-upon squad in Pasadena. The Indians as they were then known were pounded early and often by Yost’s point-a-minute wrecking crew. With 8 minutes STILL left on the clock, Stanford tossed in the white towel and conceded the 49-0 defeat.Nearly half a century later these two teams met again on October 4, 1947 this time against Fritz Crisler’s Mad Magicians. Stanford…
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Sights & Sounds | Michigan 45, SMU 20
This was a strange one at times. Pregame Saturday had more of a feel of a true season opener as last week it felt like fans were still suffering over their hangover following the loss in South Bend. The mood was up, the day was hot but beautiful and it just seemed more lively out there. Then the game started and once again the fans got testy after a few stalled drives in a row, and a few instances where the offensive line seemed overwhelmed or at best, confused. There were even a couple glaring defensive breakdowns. More and more it does seems to be about what we thought it was – the offensive line. If there’s a shot at a truly great season it’s coming down to the in-season maturity of that group. I’m certain the coaches are taking a hard look..like, this hard: Jury’s out. Sights and Sounds: He Stayed. That’s Michigan Man Dick Caldarazzo, offensive guard on Bo’s 1969 team, looking great in the blue lot before the game: Forbidden fruit. Each week this guy taunts the band as they march out of the stadium, imploring them to take a cookie. Of course your beloved Meechigan Marching Band is supposed to be in Queens guard mode and dutifully march on as if there were no cookies dangling…
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We’re Keeping These (1993 Desmond Howard banners)
This week I posted the audio of Coach Moeller’s headset from The Catch in 1991 which happened 27 years ago this Friday. In the backwash of Twitter reaction a gent replied with this…stadium signs apparently made back in ’91 that his roommate hung onto all these years: First off, it’s so great that Desmond himself checked out the signs and loved it. You have to wonder if this is actually the first time he’s seen them. More importantly let’s break this down and talk about serious fandom. No, I’m not talking about guys making signs for a football game in the early 1990s, but I’ll note that these are beyond commendable, and by the way, easy to read from a distance on TV thanks to the clear contrast and thick letters. Well done. But it’s not that. Following the game in 1991, after crushing the postgame pizza & beers I imagine something like this was uttered: “dude, we gotta keep these signs!” And they did. For nearly three decades now and running. Rolled up in someone’s closet to the dismay of family and/or spouse and/or unenlightened friends & confused neighbors. Through all of the awkward conversations about how it’s time to get rid of them. Through the questions such as “what are you even going to DO with these things?“. As…
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Mustang Sally Champions | Dr. Sap’s Decals
Steve “Dr. Sap” Sapardanis is a Schembechler-era savant and once again he’ll be diligently handing out his postgame helmet stickers after each game. Sap has pored over hours and hours of U-M games over several decades, and in these posts he’s able to tie the present to the past. I encourage you to subscribe to Dr. Sap on YouTube, or follow Sap on Twitter: By Steve “Dr. Sap” Sapardanis After a rough start to the game Michigan finally got it going, but for a while there I, like Bo, was mildly concerned after that scoreless first quarter. The good guys eventually won so it’s onward, but not before we hand out some helmet stickers! OFFENSIVE CHAMPION – I thought TE Zach Gentry had a very good game, and he did have a career best performance, but when Donovan Peoples-Jones scores three TD’s, you gotta give the WR some love – and a helmet sticker! After going almost an entire calendar year without a touchdown by a wide receiver, it looks like number 9 is getting more comfortable with his QB & improving each week – that bodes well for the Michigan offense. DEFENSIVE CHAMPION – I’ve always felt that in sports, and in life, you should strive to not just be a contributor, but a difference-maker. For the Michigan defense,…
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Calling ‘The Catch’
Reposting this based on Twitter love, here’s the audio of Gary Moeller’s headset calling the 4 & 1 play vs. Notre Dame in 1991 that resulted in Desmond Howard’s incredible catch. This was originally posted by the U-M athletic department as part of the Under the Lights game program and collateral. Love it. For a detailed breakdown of this audio, check out my interview with Moeller where we walked through this…slowly…and he explained behind-the-scenes what all this stuff means, and what was going on. This post also includes a bonus: audio from Lou Holtz and his memories of the play via my man John Kryk.
