To quote Ufer: “I just ache, in every ounce of my body!!” OFFENSIVE CHAMPION DEVIN GARDNER – New 98 has the Heart of a Champion and the way he gutted through the second half on Saturday was very inspiring to say the least. He left it all on the field against the Bucks – much like Old 98 did in 1940. By the way, did you happen to notice how eerily similar his option TD run in the northwest endzone corner was to Ricky Leach’s option TD against OSU in 1977? Nice! DEFENSIVE CHAMPION BEN GEDEON – His play in the first half helped stymie OSU’s over-confident offense and helped make the Buckeyes realize what kind of a dog fight they were in. All of a sudden, Michigan has decent quality depth at linebacker – finally! SPECIAL TEAMS CHAMPION ENTIRE KICK TEAM UNIT – Let me tell you right now – when somebody bitch-slaps you in your own house, like OSU did in the second quarter, you BETTER punch back! I don’t condone fighting at all, but once the gloves come off, BRING IT! Kudos for the entire kick team for sending a message to the Buckeyes that the days of UM rolling over are DONE! To me, those ejections were as team galvanizing as scoring 21 points on OSU…
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The Game (More Photos)
Incredible work by photographer Kelley Kuehne out there Saturday – a few for you: More: Salutes Off The Game (Sights, Sounds) Just A Few (Photos) Valiant TWIMFbH: Angus Goetz the Bucks (1918) Passing the Broadcast Torch to Frankie
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Salutes
You probably know Saturday was the last home game for equipment manager Jon Falk, Frank Beckmann, and Bruce Madej. Falk was acknowledged at midfield, and Bruce and Frank received framed #1 jerseys (pics below). I don’t know Beckmann on a personal level but through the writing on these pages and elsewhere I’ve gotten to know Falk and Madej and they’ve always been great to me. They will be missed. Congrats gents! Related: mgoblue.com posted a list of Beckmann’s Top 10 calls and Madej’s top 10 moments. I also posted a few clips from the ‘81 Notre Dame game with Beckmann taking the broadcast baton from Ufer. Follow MVictors on Twitter
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Off The Game (Sights, Sounds)
A few from around the field yesterday: Buck assistant drawing up kickoff coverages Messner among the former players More from here: Just A Few (Photos) Valiant TWIMFbH: Angus Goetz the Bucks (1918) Passing the Broadcast Torch to Frankie Follow MVictors on Twitter
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Just A Few (Photos)
From that epic game, a few shots. More later. Leading off, damn: Follow MVictors on Twitter
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Valiant
What a game. Much more later on, after I finish this double (2pt conversion style) bourbon.
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TWIMFbH: Angus Goetz the Bucks (1918)
95 years ago this week the world was a very different place, and football took a backseat to international events. It was 1918 and while World War I was winding down, a massive flu epidemic raged across the globe. Naturally these events affected the college football schedule but the 1918 Michigan men excelled all they way through the finale in Columbus: [display_podcast] You can catch all of the This Week in Michigan Football History clips here….sponsored in 2013 by Ziebart of Yspilanti. And don’t forget to catch it live Saturday on the KeyBank Countdown to kick-off on WTKA 1050AM or inside the Victors Lounge starting at 8am. Beat Ohio. Follow MVictors on Twitter
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Passing the Broadcast Torch to Frankie
Ricky and Franky Saturday will be the home finale for many folks involved with Michigan football: the departing seniors of course, legendary equipment manager Jon Falk and longtime broadcaster Frank Beckmann (and yes, many longtime fans based on the recent tweets). Much has been said about about Falk but notsomuch about Frank. I think he’s done a great job broadcasting and he’s had some legendary calls. Following Bob Ufer behind the mic is beyond impossible and I tip my maize and blue fedora to Beckmann. So check this out. Thanks to the Art Vuolo and Dr. Sap archives here are a few clips from the radio broadcast of the 1981 Notre Dame game in Ann Arbor, Beckmann’s first season calling games. Ufer was ailing in ‘81 and Beckmann stepped in to call the opener against Wisconsin, a stunner where Bo’s #1-ranked crew fell to the Badgers. The Irish took over the top-ranking the following week and came to Ann Arbor to face the wounded blue. A few months back Sap told me that this game contained moments of Frank and Ufe on air together and I thought it’d be cool to share a few heading into the finale. Running down the clips: Clip #1. The transition from pregame to kickoff, as Ufer hands the broadcast over to “Frankie” Beckmann, but…