A huge salute to John U. Bacon on his latest, Overtime: Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines at the Crossroads of College Football.
I’ll say it: we’re fortunate to have Bacon chronicle our beloved pigskin program. Over the course of his four books I’m not sure an athletic team has ever been so finely or throughly documented. Certainly not for a program conspiculously lacking a meaningful trophy or title (zing!). Bacon’s been there, right down to the sequins on Rita Rod’s purse. Even when, arguably moreso in some ways, a former AD attempted to shut him out. The fact that we have a dude like Bacs hunkered down inside Schembechler Hall is probably why the All In doc on Amazon didn’t flota mi bota.
So now we have Overtime. The new book, focusing but not limited to the 2018 season, is packed with insider gems and several unknown backstories [Ed. unknown at least to me, and I’m a certified blue belt in Sam Webb’s Navajo code talk on WTKA.]
Below are a few spicy meatballs revealed in the book without giving you a bite – the book isn’t officially released until September 3 and you should experience these moments yourself with the full context that Bacon adeptly delivers:
- We know there was, at Harbaugh’s command, a come-to-Jesus of sorts after the meh 8-5 season of 2017. We learn what the changes the players asked for and specifically how Harbaugh responded.
- You learn real details (yikes) on Grant Newsome’s brutal injury, how close it came to being much worse, and an important policy Harbaugh implemented following it.
- You go inside the room with the U-M recuiting brass during Dax Hill’s flash decommitment and how they handled it.
- Naturally you get a series of drops of Bo wisdom, history and stories, with well-placed ties to the present team, coaches and staff.
- You get the behind-the-scenes skinny on all the games from 2018. The MSU game write-up was notable, particulary from the perspective on the historical view of the opponent from the players including Jared Wangler and Joe Hewlett.
- Speaking of MSU, here’s a nugget I’ll mention give you here: taking the Paul Bunyan Trophy on the field after the game was indeed a premeditated break with U-M tradition (to leave it in the locker room). I have my opinions about that, but again, read the book to get the full context.
- We learn Rashan Gary gave Bacon the real on which cheaters offered him “incentives” during the recruiting process…but unfortunately buying the book won’t help you there. You’ll need to get John U. deep into a few Old Fashioneds to get at the deets. Shame. Guessing one of them rhymes with Salabama.
- You get honest perspective from many of the players on what they truly got out of these overseas trips.
- Per usual, Bacs provides insight into the men and women behind the scenes – from the GAs, to the nutritionists, film editing crews, equipment guys, etc, and the hours they work. No one is better at getting into how the sausage is made and translating that to an entertaining read.
- You learn the proper way to do a push-up and a job interview – AT THE SAME TIME.
- Bacon presents the math, and provides a good argument that U-M athletics spends around $1M (over five years) per player.
The book covers the 2018 season and near the tailend sixty-two-ish bad things happened. Thus the joyous ride you take through the book, like the season, derails abruptly but of course you know it’s coming. Reading those chapters was a bit cathartic and I suggest you grind your teeth and take your medicine. You leave those chapters rooting for a lot of these young men, as well as many of the staffers, for the long run – in whatever form that takes.
Then there’s Harbaugh. Before reading the book I’ll admit the guy was a mystery to me. Let’s agree he can certainly be an odd cat at times but despite that, he is someone that I would sign up to coach to the team indefinitely. But I don’t really feel like I ever understood the man. Like, if he were my neighbor, what would I be dealing with when half of my recycle bin blew into his gardenias? What if Freckles dropped a big duke in his yard?
While the mystery of this man, to me, was not solved when I closed the book, I can say I understand him a little better. Harbaugh just sees every situation differently than 99%+ of the population. Bacon points out he benefited from a few teachers, mentors & GMs that “got him” along the way. They knew you can’t change him – you are better off channeling him in a productive direction. He’s got that hot wiring with a brain on spincycle figuring out how to beat the challenge in front of him. It doesn’t really matter if that’s Notre Dame or his brother trying to chat him up at the Super Bowl.
Many of us had that type of motor in our brains pre-adulthood, but of course all that was pummeled gradually with every soul-crushing traffic jam on US23. It’s not that the competitive spirit completely died; it’s that we are selective about what we care about and where that energy is channeled. Well, for some reason that motor never has and never will shut off on #4. He’s thinking about winning when the other side doesn’t even know they were competing. Of course he’s bringing a glove to Wrigley. Duh. I’m surprised he hasn’t gone with a fishing net.
Along these lines as Bacon raises up time and time again in Overtime, if you jab at this program, he’s going to hit back–hard. If you parade around on our turf and mock his old lady, then Paul’s going on your field. There will be no apologies.
Well done Bacon – here’s one guy hoping for another. Go get Overtime.
[FYI, from the author’s blog, details on the book launch: Tuesday, September 3, at 7pm, and Michigan’s Hill Auditorium. I’ll be introduced by WTKA’s dynamic duo, Ira Weintraub and Sam Webb. To guarantee admission, you can click the link above and get your free tickets (plus a discounted, signed book you can pick up without waiting in line), but they’re not necessary to get in.]
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