A few quick hitters on the Bo Schembechler statue. I spoke to the artist, Brett Grill, a few hours before the unveiling tonight – a few nuggets: Grill was identified by a art consultant that the athletic dept hired, and selected after a review of 3-4 other candidates. The only guidelines for the design were that Bo would be wearing an ‘M’ hat and no headset (on his head that is). He created 20-30 models, with different ideas on the pose, etc. He eventually created a scale model of the design selected. He interviewed family, friends and former players (including Jim Brandstatter & Fritz Seyferth) to understand as much about Bo as he could. His parents are Michigan alums – before the project his knowledge of Bo centered around watching him on TV as a child. Before the project Bo was more of a caricature (the guy Grill recalled yelling on the sidelines). Statue is 7 1/2 feet tall, made of bronze. He used actual Bo era artifacts for the project – including the headset and the Rose Bowl watch. One challenge was getting the contours of the jacket correct—he actually used a vintage jacket found on eBay to help get it right. Grill is an associate professor at the University of Missouri. Follow MVictors on Twitter
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Big House English Football
Dave Brandon (center) and the folks responsible for the match at midfield today It’s official – Man U and Real Madrid will play August 2, 2014 at 4pm. Sounds like the delay in getting this announced was dealing with the pitch: how to get natural grass and how to get a field of adequate dimensions for a game. More details: Beer? Yes. Liquor license request is in the State Legislature but you can book it: Guinness will pour at the Big House on August 2. Field? They will bring in large chunks of natural grass 48 hours before the game and go through a process to weave a pitch. No platform. Team Benches? Likely somewhere in the stands (see below). Walls? Width of the field will bump right up to the perimeter so they’ll be padded. God forbid Giggsy cracks his melon open on the bricks. Tickets? For Michigan donors and season ticket holders, Monday April 7. Price Range: $45 – $189. Details. Other games? Unlike the hockey events at the Big House, unfortunately they won’t have any other matches on the pitch before or after the event. How will it look? Crude mock-up and yes, liberties taken with the field logo: Will you be there? Follow MVictors on Twitter
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Alert! Schembechler Hall 2.0 is here..and you can see it Saturday
Sad they went with “Win Wall” vs. my suggestion of “The Righteous Tower of Victory Pigskins”. A few photos of the renovation from a few weeks ago here. Via media relations: Towsley Museum inside Schembechler Hall Open to the Public on Saturday from 9 a.m. to Noon ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The University of Michigan Athletic Department will open the Towsley Museum inside Schembechler Hall to the public on Saturday morning (April 5) prior to the 2014 Mott Spring Game presented by PNC Bank. The museum will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to noon. The recently completed renovations to Schembechler Hall will be dedicated on Friday evening. The Towsley Museum features a Win Wall with footballs for each of the program’s 910 victories, displays with artifacts highlighting the history of Michigan football and a Legends area. There are interactive displays that highlight the complete history of Michigan football. A featured element in the renovation of Schembechler Hall is the life-size statue of Bo Schembechler outside the entrance to the building. The statue is an iconic sideline image of Bo in his classic sideline attire and includes his timeless quote, “Those Who Stay Will Be Champions.”
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You Sad, Bro?
SI’s Stewart Mandel thinks so: Maybe man. /sob. Maybe. It’s been a rocky ride [Ed. I added the updated Mood chart]: And as we are collectively trying to figure how to get over this hump, if you need to tune-up on your Crisler/Schembechler history lessons, tune in here.
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Fritz Crisler Demonstrates the Dropkick & 1922 Ohio State Buckeye Smacktalk
It’s hard to beat this awesome shot of Fritz Crisler: Is that Fritz Crisler dropping the ball? No way man – he’s demonstrating the dropkick. Back in 1958, Crisler was chairman of the NCAA rules committee and a major change for that year was the introduction of the 2 point conversion. Coaches weren’t sure what the impact would be—many thought teams would go for 2 after TDs early in the game and then see how things played out. But it was quickly figured out that hitting paydirt with one play from the three-yard line was far from a 50/50 proposition (one source had the success rate in 1958 was around 35%), and most coaches defaulted to kicking the extra point. Bringing us back to the photo, it was also suggested that having the option of the two point conversion might result end up in more teams trying the old dropkick. I think the scenario was that you’d see teams effectively lining up in a triple threat position where the offense could try to run or pass for 2, or execute the drop kick for 1…but that really didn’t happen. (Heck, it hadn’t even happened in pro football since 1941 and until Doug Flutie’s epic dropkick in 2007). From a June 1923 athletic department publication, that’s a shot of one of the…
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The Bo Brackets | Elite Eight Results
[Ed. On this day of what would be Bo Schembechler’s 85th birthday, Steve “Dr. Sap” Sapardanis returns with the next round of the Bo Brackets. You can find background including how the teams were selected here, and a breakdown of the Schembechler 16 results here.] 1969 vs. 1976 Result: 1976 211969 10 In an impressive combination of speed and power, Rick Leach, Rob Lytle & Russell Davis combined to rush for 349 yards and three touchdowns as the 1976 squad defeated Bo’s 1969 team, 21-10. Don Moorehead’s passing (227 yards) and Billy Taylor’s rushing (110 yards) staked the ’69 Wolverines to an early lead until a colossal collision changed the complexion of the contest. Leading 10-7 midway through the third quarter and facing a 3rd and 7 on their own 23-yard line, Moorehead handed off to Taylor on a draw play. Before Taylor could put two hands on the ball, ’76 linebacker Calvin O’Neal hit the Michigan running back so violently that both players were out cold before they hit the Tartan Turf. Jerry Vogele recovered the fumble for the ’76 Wolverines at the 15-yard line. Three plays later, Leach kept on an option keeper to give the ’76 team a lead they would not relinquish and the ’69 Wolverines were reeling. A 4-yard TD run by Davis…
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Swing to Cure Diabetes – U-M Golf Course – May 19, 2014
One of my favorite charities and a classy event. Details via former QB/DB Rich Hewlett (coincidentally, he was featured yesterday in WPW!) who shared this note today about the event and how to get involved: I ask you to join me as I again serve as Chairperson for a special event designed to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and The University of Michigan Comprehensive Diabetes Center (UMCDC). On May 19, my family will host the 2014 Swing to Cure Diabetes Golf Outing at the University of Michigan Golf Course. With your participation and support, UMCDC and JDRF will continue their important research that will lead to a cure. Through our first five golf outings we have raised over $285,000! This year’s event will take place at the U of M Golf Course on Monday, May 19, 2014 with a 9:30 AM shotgun start. The agenda for the day is as follows: 8:00 AM — Check in 9:15 AM — Introduction/Welcome Remarks 9:30 AM — Shotgun Start 2:30 PM — Dinner 3:00 PM — Program 3:30 PM — Conclusion Activities for the day will include a silent and live auction, competitions, prizes, and more. Breakfast, beverages, boxed lunch, and a buffet-style diner also will be provided. Please join us for the Swing to Cure Diabetes Golf Outing. Click here…
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WPW | Jimmy Orwig’s Righteous Swig
Hump Day! Wire Photo Wednesday leads with something near and dear to my heart, the Little Brown Jug: A great shot of a few men from Bennie Oosterbaan’s 1957 roster. Left to right I believe you’ve got: Stan Noskin (QB), Dave Brown (QB), ‘57 captain Jim Orwig (LT) taking a pull, Larry Faul (LG) and Jerry Goebel (C). We don’t have a lot of information on this shot, but it looks like it appeared in the Minneapolis Star, making me think it was shot just prior to the ‘57 battle for the Jug. The caption also says that’s a replica – which is looks to be (for starter, there are no scores down the side, at least on the side we can see…). Good news – Orwig took back the real jug after Michigan’s 24-7 victory on October 26, 1957. Fritz: “..and finally, we’re getting new helmets..with yellow wings on them.” [Team breaks out in laughter]Fritz: “Trust me on this one. Wings are the future. Wings I tells ya.” So I’ve seen this shot on eBay before but never noticed the significance of the date it was taken. This is actually a pretty historically significant shot from March 28th—the start of Spring football back then. This is probably one of, if not the first, published photo with Fritz Crisler…
