Due to the obvious restrictions tied to COVID, it looks like Saturday's tilt against the Spartans will yield the lowest attendance in the history of Michigan Stadium (1927). People will cite the 1931 Wisconsin game as the lowest on record - but that game might deserve an asterisk.
-
-
True Dedication – Opening Michigan Stadium Sights & Sounds (1927)
A few sights and sounds from the Michigan Stadium dedication on October 22, 1927. Video footage, a theft(!), the MMB, enemy praise and much more.
-
Michigan Legacy Throwbacks Revealed
As if you hadn’t heard(!). I’ll say what I said before—I wish they had more specific references to history. The guy from adidas basically said that they trolled through the old team photos and found some stripes on the 1890s-era teams, and AD DB suggested that the stained glass (I think Ira has that trademarked now) design is indicative of stitching on the old block M uniforms. Fine. I would have had a design that pointed to specific elements from uniforms for a specific team or era of Michigan football history. That being said, I really like the helmets and the gray throwback facemasks. And—the jerseys definitely look much better on the players and over the shoulder pads. I think having Denard wear it for the unveiling helped—the dude can make anything look kind of cool, right? And it’s not just that they look better on the players. The shoulder-pad fitted “sleeves” are shorter on the actual uniform than in the version that the public can purchase. Thus, there are about half as many stripes and it deemphasizes that aspect of the ensemble (as do Denard’s dreads): Here’s RVB’s helmet: those are RVB’s forearms, not mohair extensions on the sleeves It’ll be interesting to see if those number decals stay on the helmet. I’m guessing a few will be displaced…
-
Iowa! (Pregame Photos)
Just a few on another wildly beautiful day in Ann Arbor—let’s hope it ends that way. From the field, center David Molk warming up. He looked fine, perhaps favoring his taped left ankle just a tad. [ed. I published these just before the game started and obviously jinxed Molk big time, my bad] Some of the pink accessories the players are wearing today. Also saw pink wrist bands and tape: Many recruits in for the game today. Here are two stand-outs from Fort Myers, FL, Sammy Watkins and Dallas Crawford: The alumni band in full effect on this Homecoming:
-
Feels Like This
Rich Rod postgame, making sure the clock still reads 0:00
-
I Think it was the Fourth of July
What a day at the Big House yesterday but it’d be a much different feeling and memory had the team fell flat. Off the Field: Artwork: I love that they honored the national championship teams with these larger-than-life displays. I didn’t get a chance to get over to the east concourse but plan to before the next game. This from the west concourse, very nicely done: Commemoratives. The renovation pin is a nice item for fans and the game program is off the hook. Some of the history features were very well prepared expect one—the section on the Little Brown Jug. Page 27, bottom right: Dating back to 1909, the battle for the Little Brown Jug is the oldest trophy game in NCAA Division I Football Subdivision. OK. That’s ok to say “1909” if they meant to say when the teams started playing for the trophy. That’s correct of course. But it continued: Heading into that 1909 contest, Michigan was undefeated in 28 straight games as it headed to Minneapolis.. Ugh. They were describing when the jug was bought and left behind in Minnesota and that was 1903 of course, in the midst of Yost’s point-a-minute teams. In 1909 Michigan rolled into Minneapolis on the heels of a furious “one” game winning streak, albeit an all-timer—the great victory over Penn…
-
UConn Pregame Festivities—What to Look For
I had a chance to talk to a few folks at Media Relations about Saturday’s pregame activities. It’s suggested you get into your seat at least 20-25 minutes prior to kick-off to be safe. It won’t be a drawn-out process as there’s a TV schedule and of course a football game to be played. Here’s what you can expect (bulleted by design, specific order not certain): Video piece on the Stadium project Video piece on Brock Mealer Ribbon cutting (with Bill Martin, Dave Brandon, the Regents) Brock Mealer will lead the team out, walk under the banner. The team will follow. Looks like two flyovers (sounds like MGoShoe has it right.) TBD – but possibly some type of pyrotechnics(!)? There will also be set video pieces throughout the game In and around the concourses there are a few new items (I’m not sure how much of this was in place for Fan Day): The Michigan Stadium ‘Art Deco’ lettering is now on the east side of the stadium, and Bruce Madej encouraged folks to check that out along with the goings on around the rest of the concourses. He wasn’t sure if the other lettering set was going to put on the west side. There is also new permanent artwork in the concourse areas "honoring teams and award winners." Other…
-
Michigan Stadium Construction Photos, and The Buried Crane Myth (1927)
A few rare, possibly never seen before by the public, photos of the Michigan Stadium construction (1927):
