A few shots from Saturday thanks to MVictors photographer Kelley Kuehne. Desmond Morgan with the interception Coach Harbaugh has a few more plays left in him More after the jump !
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Happy Birthday Bo and Ufe!
Thee cheers and a happy birthday to a pair of Meeechegan legends: General Bo Schembechler (1929) and Bob Ufer (1920)! mgo-Cake: Follow MVictors on Twitter
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Yost on Drinking at Games: Inconceivable!
On eBay right now, a series of football ticket applications from the early 1930s, with one including this message from #1000SSS from The Grand Old Man himself: This wasn’t the only time that Yost spearheaded a message on the ills of drinking at games during this era. Back in 2008, I noted this cartoon that appears in the 1934 yearbook: While we know folks found a way to drink during Prohibition, the law ended with the ratification of the 21st Amendment on December 5, 1933. That said, Michigan state law approved the sale of 3.2 percent alcohol earlier that year and I’m sure more than a few bottles of the good stuff found their way to and through the gates of Michigan Stadium.
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Legends Update
Ben McCready and Captain Jake Ryan As a follow-up to my post from this weekend on the potential changes to the Legends program, today I chatted with Ben McCready, godson (and namesake) of Bennie Oosterbaan. Ben confirmed that Jim Hackett called him about the Legends program. A few notes: Nothing is official, but U-M is indeed evaluating the Legends program and considering changes. The evaluation is being driven, in part, by feedback from the players. McCready’s understanding is that they do intend to maintain the Legends distinction, but are considering honoring those players in a different way. All options are on the table including a presence in the stadium to recognize the Legends. Hackett is soliciting input from the Legends/families and has already connected with one other Legend/family. Hackett will be talking with all the Legends families and keeping everyone in the loop as this moves forward. Timeline is TBD, but McCready’s understanding is that they plan to settle this before the season starts. McCready also told me, “I trust Jim Hackett completely,” and added, “I am very confident that everyone – the players, the fans and the Legends families, will be very happy with the way this all turns out.” Follow MVictors on Twitter
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The Fall of the Legends?
So word is out that the helmet decals will return and the Legends program will be modified in some manner, starting with the patch on the jersey.
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Michigan Football Nicknames
Coach Harbaugh recently sent this tweet lauding a few great nicknames in M lore – and as you might guess most of them fall into the Bo era. With some help from Steve “Dr. Sap” Sapardanis and a few of his contacts, a nickname Rosetta Stone of sorts on that tweet: One of the great M Men who was quick to dish out nicknames was of course the great announcer Bob Ufer. Back in 2012 Sap ran down a healthy list of his nicknames and Ufer-isms that seems apropos: Below are a few of the more famous nicknames from Bob “THE UFE” Ufer: * Don Lund (Ufer’s color commentary man) – Lundo* Jack Lane (Ufer’s stats man) – The Human Computer* Tom Ufer – Old #3 son* Bo Schembechler – Bo “George Patton” Schembechler, The General* Woody Hayes – Dr. Strange Hayes* Woody Hayes’s Buckeyes – Test Tubes* Earle Bruce – “Darth Vader” Bruce* Earle Bruce’s Buckeyes – Scarlet and Gray Stormtroopers* Dan Devine – Dreary Old Dan Devine* Michigan State – Jolly Green Giants* Dennis Franklin – Dennis “The Menace” Franklin* Ed Shuttlesworth – “Easy” Ed Shuttlesworth* Mike Lantry – Super Toe* Gil Chapman – The Jersey Jet* Gordon Bell – The Whirling Dervish* Rob Lytle – The Blonde Bullet, The Fremont Flash* Rick Leach – Ricky “The Peach”…
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The Righteous Red Ribbon (Michigan vs. Chicago 1898)
Spotted this on eBay and had to pass it along: it’s what appears to be an official’s ribbon to the epic Michigan-Chicago game of 1898, the game that inspired U-M student Louis Elbel to compose The Victors (see above). Bidding is justifiably up over $400 right now – get some. While we’re on the topic of the famous 12-11 victory, a resurrected postscript: Michigan was undoubtedly the Champions of the West in 1898, but looking back do our beloved Wolverines have a claim to the national championship that season? It seems silly discussing this so many decades years later but there is a recent precedent for such action. In 2004 Southern Cal looked back at its history and claimed the 1939 national championship. And in August of 2012, our Little Brown Jug-toting buddies Minnesota announced that it claimed a share of the 1904 national championship. While Harvard and Princeton each take credit for the 1898 crown based on different measurements – Does Michigan, who went undefeated and outscored opponents 205 to 26, have an argument to join them?
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That’s Meeechegan with three Es
An update to your U-M style guides: Those of us who love Bob Ufer have often tried to type out how Ufe, imitating Yost, liked to say Michigan. Until today I settled on “Meechigan”. I believe John U. Bacon goes with “Meeshegan”. I’ve seen many other variations here and there.
