Today on 1050AM WTKA “Touchdown” Billy Taylor was studio to promote the Perseverance documentary. I mentioned in my review earlier this week that one of the outstanding stories in the movie was about the recruiting trip BT and Thom Darden made to Oxford to visit Miami, OH and then coach Bo Schembechler (inset photo via the U-M Bentley Historical Library): * Thom Darden talking about how the recruiting trip he and Taylor made to see Bo Schembechler while he was still head man at Miami, OH. (Bo didn’t exactly wine and dine them). This morning TDBT provided some more hilarious details on that trip to see Bo, and the aftermath, and it’s priceless: [display_podcast] For the full interview this morning check out the WTKA podcasts. Related: PERSEVERANCE – The Story of Dr. Billy Taylor premieres Friday 11/16 in Ann Arbor Follow MVictors on Twitter
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Dirty Paul?
Paul Bearer: “This is Paul and Paul is my friend. I will hold him and hug him and squeeze him and love him..” Much of the postgame chatter naturally focused on the personal fouls. My take—State’s mostly meaningless penalties kept Michigan in the game, kept drives alive, and the yardage from those penalties was U-M’s most consistent offensive weapon. M rushed for 82 yards while picking up 124 thanks to the maize flags. Was it dirty? Certainly a few plays were cheap and Will Gholston will be sitting a game (ok, or three) after the Big Ten reviews the game. But Michigan lost because they didn’t execute on offense and there were plenty of opportunities. It’s on Michigan. At times guys were wide open—we’re talking 20 yard radius open—and Denard either didn’t have time or didn’t see them or tossed a bad pass. I give State credit for those blitz packages but mainly for bottling up the running game. If this is going to work, M must get more production out of the backs. Hoke said it, “…We had 82 [rushing yards]. That’s pretty much it.” Quoting Dr. Sap quoting Bo, “AND WE HAD NO BLOCKING AT THE POINT OF ATTACK!" Now, on the pfs I’ll say this–if Michigan finished a game with six personal fouls, I’d be really pissed…
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The Wolverine All Whites (1976)
Here's a quick look at the last time Michigan donned the all white road uniforms: The 1976 Orange Bowl against eventual national champion Oklahoma. Read on:
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Dr. Sap’s Decals – Chicago Style, @ Northwestern
Plenty to dole out, take it away Sap: Adidas: 1 decal for bringing back the white socks on the road with a little block M on them a la Tom Harmon and the boys back in 1939! (Editor’s note: Might have to take this decal away. There’s obviously something wrong with the 2011 away jerseys, causing some of players to switch to last year’s model! Get that fixed, Beaverton) Dhani Jones: 1 decal for Rocking The Bowtie before, during and after the game! Hey, Dhani, how about a Bowtie with U-M helmet decals on it? Dr. Sap would make the switch to a bowtie if that were the case – GUARANTEED!! Greg Mattison: 1 decal for 2nd half shutout of Wildcats – Very Bill McCartney-esque! Denard Robinson: 5 decals – 9-yard TD pass to Watson in 1st QTR; 25-yard TD pass to Gallon in 2nd QTR; 2-yard TD run in 3rd QTR minus one shoe; 5-yard TD run in 4th QTR, +1 editor’s pick for running up to the crowd on the final score. Defense: 3 decals for each member of unit – 4th down stop in 2nd QTR; 4th down stop in 4th QTR; pitching a shutout in 2nd Half. Desmond Morgan: +1, editor’s choice, for flying over the NW offense line in an attempt to sack Persa. Jordan…
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Sights & Sounds: Michigan 42, Northwestern 24 (2011)
What a great night in Evanston and props to the throngs of Michigan fans who made the trip, many of whom blew my doors off on I-94 topping 95 MPH. After parking several blocks from the stadium, I was running a tad late so I flagged your typical pregame rickshaw driver and cruised to the stadium in style
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The Final Piece of the Puzzle (1943)….Found!
This month I submitted a piece on Ann Arbor resident Jack Briegel and his extraordinary collection. His focus is on ticket stubs and get this, of the 517 games played at Michigan Stadium to date, Briegel has a full ticket or stub from all of them but one. That's right – he's missing 1!
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Dr. Sap’s Decals – Minnesota
A lot of business to take care of but first, here’s a rundown of the original criteria for awarding the footballs via Dr. Sap: Bo Schembechler criteria announced on September 23, 1969 for determining how Wolverines would earn a helmet award sticker, according to a report the next day in the Ann Arbor News: ON OFFENSE: 1) An outstanding block, catch or run 2) TD pass or run over 25 yards 3) Outstanding second effort 4) Four crossfield blocks in one game 5) TD-saving tackle on punt return 6) Scoring TD with first down between the eight and 10-yard lines (all offensive players get one) 7) Making first down starting from inside our two-yard line 8 ) Scout player doing best job against defense ON DEFENSE: 1) Pass interception 2) Blocked kick 3) Key tackle inside 20-yard line 4) Causing fumble or interception 5) Recovering a fumble 6) Stopping opposing team inside the 10-yard line (all) 7) When defense scores a touchdown (all) 8 ) Outstanding second effort or great hit 9) Making following number of tackles, including assists — ends, tackles and backs, 9; middle guard and rover back, 12; and linebackers, 16 10) Scout player doing best job against offense We don’t use all those metrics of course (at least until they let us in practice). So here…
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Mud Bowl 2011? It’s A Go
From sources deep inside the Sigma Alpha Epsilon camp, it’s confirmed that Mud Bowl is on for 2011. Kick-off is slated for 9AM on October 29, Homecoming weekend. Michigan will face Purdue at the Big House at noon. Many wondered if the traditional slop fest would happen given SAE’s campus suspension, but it’s a go and it will benefit C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital once again this year. Last year the game raised $38,000 for Mott, and sights are set on $40,000 in 2011.
