[Ed. Our man Sap returns in 2020 to share with you his keen eye, his passion for the past, and of course his beloved decals! Sap comes to you thanks to our friends at Underground Printing]
By Steve “Dr. Sap” Sapardanis
Big Ten Football is back! Michigan Football is back! And isn’t it just great?! During this pandemic when everything but the norm is now the new normal, there is still one constant that has been so sorely missed – Michigan Football. There’s an old Bruce Springsteen song that is titled, “The Ties That Bind,” and that best describes how this Saturday felt. This crazy game of football, and this team that we cheer for, is the tie that binds us all. We all are different.
We all come from different walks of life, different communities & even different countries, but this thing called “Michigan Football” ties us all together. And isn’t it great when the home team wins and plays well? It’s fun and we all felt it! Michigan, under Jim Harbaugh, defeated a ranked opponent on the road, and it felt great!
Now let’s talk about some of the Champions of the day.
OFFENSIVE CHAMPION – We all waited and wondered how would Joe Milton handle the pressure of making his first start as the Michigan QB? How would he play? Well, it seemed like the moment was not too big for number 5. He was calm, cool, collected and in control. He made plays with his arm, his legs and his mind. He made good decisions, for the most part, but never did he have that “deer-in-the-headlights” look. Dude’s gonna be fine. He spread the ball around, threw catchable balls, (most of the night) and you can see that this is his team. His teammates played for him and he played for them – that is huge!
DEFENSIVE CHAMPION – Michael Barrett was more than a Don Brown “Dude” out there, Saturday night. He was a monster! A baller! He was everywhere! His hit that caused the fumble that Donovan Jeter plucked out of mid-air for a TD was just the beginning for Barrett. He seemed to set the tone for a hard-hitting & sure tackling defense that was reminiscent of the 2015 Michigan D that was so strong. This defense was fun to watch and Barrett was a big reason why.
SPECIAL TEAMS CHAMPION – I’m gonna go with Michael Barrett again because of his long kickoff return and fumble recovery on another. I called him a “baller,” and that’s because he makes plays. You make plays by putting yourself in position to make those plays. That happens when you have a sense or a feel for the game. Number 23 has that football aptitude & football sense. He’s gonna be a force to be reckoned with for Don Brown’s D and Michigan’s special teams!
UNIFORM CHAMPION – While there were a few tweaks to the Michigan uniform, the blue paint color on the helmet was not one of them. I think it just looked darker because of the satin finish and playing at night. I DID like the departure that coach Jim Harbaugh had in his uniform. That Jumpman Hoodie looked sweet! Also liked that he ditched the cleats – at least for this game. I was shocked that he wasn’t wearing khaki-colored pants – it was mighty cold out there – but at least they weren’t white. You know, you’re not supposed to wear white pants after Labor Day, right? ;)
