just what the Pistons need: a third string center. Joe Dumars was replaced by a mean ol' alien a few years back you guys.
justingoblue/megangoblue visit Crisler: pics with Jake Ryan and Taylor Lewan
Filed under:
Let me start off on a bit of a personal note: each of the past three years, my girlfriend (username megangoblue) and I have gotten each other late Christmas presents. I believe this started by spending Christmas apart our first year, but now it's a tradition between the two of us. Long story short, we needed to be in Ann Arbor today, Wednesday 1/9/13, which coincided with a basketball game that wouldn't get much attention on StubHub or from scalpers, #2 M v. unranked Nebraska. She managed to buy great tickets for the two of us: Section 134, Row 9, Seats 9-10-11-12 that we shared with my uncle and cousin. The happy couple, arriving to our seats:
This was the first MBB game I've been to, and we were definitely going for the full MBB experience: a nationally televised game with tickets nine rows off the court in an seemingly brand new stadium. I can't describe how much fun I've had tonight; from walking the concourse before the game, seeing the now famed waterfall, the maize and blue lighting outside, and most of all the #2 team in the nation take on an overmatched (but still Big Ten) squad from Lincoln. Michigan didn't shoot particularly well, and Nebraska stuck around too long, but a win is a win, and I'll remember this one forever.
One of the cool things about this section were the people who happened to be populating it. The entire womens cross country team took up a few rows just below us, and below them in Row 1 sat Taylor Lewan, Jake Ryan and Drew Dileo. At halftime, gathering some courage, I went to talk to our favorite LB with feathered locks while Lewan was whisked away somewhere, no doubt being congratulated by people far more connected and powerful than I for his decision to return for the 2013 season [ed: according to M-Wolverine it was a radio interview]. Approaching him, Ryan is a big guy, but certainly not a monster (although his hands approach monster territory). He was very polite and thanked me after I congratulated him on his past two seasons and wished him luck in the next two. He agreed to take a couple pictures with us, one turned out okay:
We went to the concourse to grab a four dollar bottle of water, and when we came back there was a 6'8 309lb LT standing on the corner of the court, talking to people with badges and little kids, maybe a few pretty girls too. Heading straight past our seats and down to the court (also thinking that Ryan might be laughing at us a bit in his head as we passed him again), we walked towards Lewan, who is an absolute mountain of a man in person. Talking to Lewan was surprisingly easy, especially considering how well he stood up to a potential number one pick just eight days ago, and his sheer size (which is every bit as big as advertised).
When I asked Mr. Lewan if he would mind taking a picture, he was polite (I'm noticing a theme here) and obliged, although the fellow fan nice enough to take the shot only took one, and it didn't turn out so well:
Megan had started on my right side with my arm around her when Lewan quipped, "I know y'all are dating but this picture's gonna look better with her on my side too". That got a chuckle at the time and a bit of a laugh later. I told him how much his return meant to so many people, and he shook my hand (mine promptly disappeared in his ridiculously big hands) and told me he was glad.
I know others have better shots down on the board, but here is Lewan conducting the band:
A win is a win:
And my favorite girl near one of my favorite symbols:
Go Blue, good night, and thanks for reading.
January 10th, 2013 at 12:00 AM | 
Man, Jake Ryan has some
Man, Jake Ryan has some
January 10th, 2013 at 12:04 AM |
That fountain is just class.
That fountain is just class.
That fountain is just class. Beautiful and it's just the beginning of the transformation the athletic campus is going through.
Plus this looked pretty nice on display-
January 10th, 2013 at 12:08 AM |
Yeah.
Yeah.
I got a picture of just the Big Ten title trophy, one with me and the Hobey Baker and one of her and me with Charles Woodson's Heisman (we already have one of us with Desmond's, as an aside) and one with us and the Little Brown Jug. Good times all around.
"We bring you to Michigan to take care of Michigan; your job is to protect that block M."
-Carol Hutchins
January 10th, 2013 at 8:58 AM |
Jim Abbott's Golden Spikes
Jim Abbott's Golden Spikes
Jim Abbott's Golden Spikes Award (college baseball heisman) was on display too.
Hopefully we can see the basketball heisman, the Naismith Award there soon.
January 11th, 2013 at 9:51 PM |
Pics aren't as good...
Pics aren't as good...
but with viewership dwindling as the days go by, I don't see the problem posting:
Charles Woodson's Heisman:
LBJ:
Hobey Baker (and the back of the cleats, like you mention):
"We bring you to Michigan to take care of Michigan; your job is to protect that block M."
-Carol Hutchins
January 11th, 2013 at 12:24 PM |
Wait, where was that? When
Wait, where was that? When
Wait, where was that? When we saw it, it was in the tunnel where the guys run out from.
Candace: No... That why they make smart word box for tell monkey hard brain-hurty things.
Phineas: Removing prepositions makes it more condescending.
January 12th, 2013 at 5:06 PM |
Somewhere in the 120's-ish...
Somewhere in the 120's-ish...
on the concourse. They have the Big Ten MBB trophy and a lot of the individual awards. I know the Jug was up in the Jack Roth Stadium Club when I was up there in 2011, and I think they switched it with the Paul Bunyon, which was the only major trophy aside from Desmond's Heisman (and the trophies perminantly residing in Schembechler) that seemed to be missing.
"We bring you to Michigan to take care of Michigan; your job is to protect that block M."
-Carol Hutchins
January 10th, 2013 at 12:13 AM |
Great Photos...
Great Photos...
Great photos, and this had to be an awesome first game for you between the win and meeting Ryan and Lewan. I dare say the band looks like they are paying pretty close attention to Taylor as well, but then if your conductor was 6'8" and 318 lbs, you might as well.
Thanks for sharing!
"Funny isn't it, how naughty dentists always make that one fatal mistake."
Follow the random tweets of a Michigan alum - http://twitter.com/#!/LorneEC3
January 10th, 2013 at 12:11 AM |
That's pretty awesome dude
That's pretty awesome dude
That's pretty awesome dude thanks for sharing. I had to look up how tall Jake Ryan is... how tall are you? You've gotta be about 5-10 to 6 feet no? It's crazy how big these guys are.
PS your girlfriend rocks! I hope mine would do the same if we lived closer to Michigan.
Touchdown Michigan!
January 10th, 2013 at 12:12 AM |
Right in the 6' range.
Right in the 6' range.
For perspective on how big these guys are, I was 6' even, 205lbs at my last physical. Ryan was a good deal bigger than I am and Lewan...well, he was pretty tiny, obviously.
She's on the taller end of 5'10 for another reference point.
"We bring you to Michigan to take care of Michigan; your job is to protect that block M."
-Carol Hutchins
January 10th, 2013 at 12:51 AM |
She's a basketball player, right?
She's a basketball player, right?
And next to Lewan she looks so petite.
January 10th, 2013 at 12:57 AM |
Softball pitcher.
Softball pitcher.
Close, though; tall with a big wingspan is helpful for both.
"We bring you to Michigan to take care of Michigan; your job is to protect that block M."
-Carol Hutchins
January 10th, 2013 at 9:59 AM |
Ah, that's right. Sorry.
Ah, that's right. Sorry.
I knew she was giving us inside info on something... I should never test my memory at bedtime.
January 10th, 2013 at 12:10 AM |
i love how lewan is such a
i love how lewan is such a
i love how lewan is such a nice and social guy even though he could have declared for the draft and have made millions
this text is abnormally tiny and will stay that way.
January 10th, 2013 at 12:19 AM |
That's really awesome.
That's really awesome.
That's really awesome. Congrats to MGB for scoring the seats. Glad to hear that even though they're destroyers on the field, they're class acts off of it.
Also whoa Nellie, are the pictures gigantic for anyone else? Resize those things, man!
"The straightest line from A to B is straight: From A to B"
"When you have Denard Robinson, you can have everything"
~George Walden
January 10th, 2013 at 12:35 AM |
As always ChopBlock, just for you.
As always ChopBlock, just for you.
Happy now?
"We bring you to Michigan to take care of Michigan; your job is to protect that block M."
-Carol Hutchins
January 10th, 2013 at 2:17 AM |
Much obliged!
Much obliged!
Much obliged!
"The straightest line from A to B is straight: From A to B"
"When you have Denard Robinson, you can have everything"
~George Walden
January 10th, 2013 at 12:39 AM |
You look different than I
You look different than I
You look different than I imagined. I guess I just thought you'd have longer hair and have it pulled back, maybe a megaphone. I'm not sure where I got that image from, though.
January 10th, 2013 at 12:39 AM |
That had to have been a great first visit.
That had to have been a great first visit.
A win for MBB, Lewan stays, pics and memories. Tough to beat that.
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift
January 10th, 2013 at 12:52 AM |
What a wonderful experience for you
What a wonderful experience for you
I'm happy for you. No really, this is great. A Christmas to remember.
I loved having a pair of season tickets to MBB in the mid-80's. And I'll never forget on a sunny Christmas morning in Southern California on internship being given 3 tickets to Michigan in the Rose Bowl. Those are Christmas gifts you'll never forget.
Only one question: your attractive girl friend bought you tickets. You not only went to a Big 10 game, it was your first . . . ever! You met Jake Ryan. And Taylor Lewan, to boot. I can't figure out why you are the one person in the photos not to show a smile!
"It does not matter how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get up." Vince Lombardi
January 10th, 2013 at 1:19 AM |
Haha I get that from her too.
Haha I get that from her too.
I don't know what it is, I just don't seem to have a big smiile. If you look, you can see that I have dimples when I smile, it just isn't too noticible I guess. Also, the Lewan picture is where I probably look the most serious, and I think that was just a pretty bad picture all around. I really wish we had a second, but we had to ask a random lady to take it for us and I didn't want to be rude to her or Lewan (who took probably 75 pictures throughout the course of the game).
"We bring you to Michigan to take care of Michigan; your job is to protect that block M."
-Carol Hutchins
January 10th, 2013 at 1:15 AM |
WOW, Hot! That hair! That chest! Those eyes....
WOW, Hot! That hair! That chest! Those eyes....
Jake Ryan is just dreamy....
Taylor's not bad either. (He was whisked away just before the half ended to go do a radio interview that carried over into halftime, but not through the whole thing).
"I love him, he's a great coach, he's a great mentor, he's a great friend. He's every single thing you want a college coach to be, and he does it flawlessly." -David Molk
January 10th, 2013 at 3:43 AM |
Try to keep it in your pants,
Try to keep it in your pants,
Try to keep it in your pants, Brent!
Abort, Retry, Fail?
January 10th, 2013 at 7:43 PM |
.
.
(MGoBlog will issue an apology later)
"I love him, he's a great coach, he's a great mentor, he's a great friend. He's every single thing you want a college coach to be, and he does it flawlessly." -David Molk
January 10th, 2013 at 1:31 AM |
Glad that you had those great
Glad that you had those great
Glad that you had those great experiences. The game wasn't great and the crowd could never really get into it (it came really close, and errupted a couple times, but never really got rolling too much, just like the team did). But a win is a win, and we're one step closer 17-0.
Also, Lewan conducting the band was amazing.
USING GRATUITOUS AMOUNTS OF CAPS LOCK SINCE APRIL 2011
January 10th, 2013 at 2:54 AM |
Great story!! I've lived in
Great story!! I've lived in
Great story!! I've lived in Tallahassee, FL most of my life and I have always wanted to attend a Michigan football or basketball game. Reading this was a good experience for me, especially since it surpasses anything I would have imagined happening. Those things don't happen at FSU games. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Campaign manager--Hoke 2012.
January 10th, 2013 at 3:11 AM |
Great pictures and great diary!
Great pictures and great diary!
I shook Lloyd Carr's hand at a random home MBB game in I believe 2008 vs. EMU. He was walking down the steps to his courtside seats. I told him he rocked!
Abort, Retry, Fail?
January 10th, 2013 at 8:00 AM |
I saw you post that you were
I saw you post that you were
I saw you post that you were going to try to get pictures and am glad to see you did. Thanks for sharing.
January 10th, 2013 at 10:32 AM |
NIce diary...
NIce diary...
...young man. Congrats on the great experience.
LSA '89 - MBB Natl Champions, Big 10/Rose Bowl Champions | @MGoShoe
January 10th, 2013 at 10:41 AM |
I have the same hoodie that
I have the same hoodie that
I have the same hoodie that Jake Ryan is wearing.
It looks much better on me, as you may have guessed.
January 10th, 2013 at 10:45 AM |
great M night!
great M night!
Lewan quipped, "I know y'all are dating but this picture's gonna look better with her on my side too"
Love this quote! and the whole story - thanks for sharing.
GO BLUE!
January 10th, 2013 at 10:52 AM |
One Weird Thing
One Weird Thing
You don't look a thing like your avatar. I would've bet against that!
Thanks for posting the pix and sharing the stories, though. It's always good to hear that the athletes are good guys in these informal situations, and that they seem to be enjoying the college experience (esp. TL after such a big day). Folks can argue about what it really means to be a "MIchigan Man" - but it's pretty clear that TL and JR are Michigan Men.
Go Blue!
- "Of course I care about that stuff. To the point of irrationality. It will always be Michigan first, cancer second." Jim Mandich (RIP)
January 10th, 2013 at 11:31 AM |
8/10 would read again
8/10 would read again
I know that Taylor Lewan will always remember me as that tubby soccer mom who completely whiffed the high-five he tried to give her after an awesome hit at a UM Softball game.
Candace: No... That why they make smart word box for tell monkey hard brain-hurty things.
Phineas: Removing prepositions makes it more condescending.
January 10th, 2013 at 11:53 AM |
Girlfriend? If you like it
Girlfriend? If you like it
Girlfriend? If you like it then you better put a ring on it.
January 10th, 2013 at 12:23 PM |
No sarcasm here.
No sarcasm here.
That IS a cool story, bro.
Obviously you're not a golfer.
January 10th, 2013 at 1:10 PM |
My god, Jake Ryan looks like
My god, Jake Ryan looks like
My god, Jake Ryan looks like he should be manning a Viking longship leading a raid on Northern England or searching for Greenland or something like that.
"...what do you say, is it the new Bluesmobile or what?"
"Fix the cigarette lighter."
January 13th, 2013 at 9:05 AM |
Or carrying a huge, magical
Or carrying a huge, magical
Or carrying a huge, magical hammer around.
January 10th, 2013 at 1:26 PM |
if Jake cuts that flow, i
if Jake cuts that flow, i
if Jake cuts that flow, i think i might cry.
Brady Hoke: Kicking Ass And Signing Names On The Recruiting Trail
January 10th, 2013 at 1:39 PM |
nice
nice
It seems you suffer from the same disease as me...cannotsmileforpicturitis.
Coach Hoke once told me that a moral victory is still a (expletive deleted) loss.
January 10th, 2013 at 2:28 PM |
JustinGoBlue in 25 years
JustinGoBlue in 25 years
JustinGoBlue in 25 years
Omnia mutantur nos et mutamur in illis.
January 10th, 2013 at 7:47 PM |
I kinda thought he had a lantern-jawed
I kinda thought he had a lantern-jawed
Rich Eisen thing going.
"I love him, he's a great coach, he's a great mentor, he's a great friend. He's every single thing you want a college coach to be, and he does it flawlessly." -David Molk
January 10th, 2013 at 3:12 PM |
I don't want to create any undue alarm, but you did notice
I don't want to create any undue alarm, but you did notice
Lewan's body language with your girlfriend, right?
/S
Your opinion has no value.
January 10th, 2013 at 3:26 PM |
''She managed to buy great
''She managed to buy great
''She managed to buy great tickets for the two of us: Section 134, Row 9, Seats 9-10-11-12 that we shared with my uncle and cousin. The happy couple, arriving to our seats:''
I must admit, I had to read this sentence a few times, Mistaking the following picture of you and your girlfriend, as a picture of your Uncle and Cousin and say to myself "What's up with that"?
January 10th, 2013 at 3:39 PM |
Nice post
Nice post
Nice post. I know it's too late in the thread, but might I propose a JustinGoBlue posbang to get him into five digits?
January 10th, 2013 at 9:29 PM |
I'm sorry if this is
I'm sorry if this is
I'm sorry if this is inappropriate, but are you "the Naked Man"? I just happened to catch this episode tonight.
January 11th, 2013 at 12:29 PM |
Cut the Crap
Cut the Crap
Great story and pictures and all, but the girl friend is obviously pretty and by all accounts an A+ on attitude: inquiring minds want to know, when are you popping the question?
Quiverfull
January 12th, 2013 at 5:01 PM |
This wins best comment, for sure.
This wins best comment, for sure.
It'll be a while at least. She's a junior this year, so I won't be doing any proposing until I get commissioned (hopefully this fall) and she graduates, which will be spring 2014. After that we'll take a look at where we are and see if it sounds like the right move (I'd love if it was).
"We bring you to Michigan to take care of Michigan; your job is to protect that block M."
-Carol Hutchins
January 14th, 2013 at 4:31 PM |
What's your...
What's your...
...commissioning program?
LSA '89 - MBB Natl Champions, Big 10/Rose Bowl Champions | @MGoShoe
January 14th, 2013 at 7:36 PM |
Marine OCS.
Marine OCS.
I've been working on a package for OCC; just waiting for the stars to align to submit. Ideally that would be late this semester, with the ten week course coming this fall or winter.
"We bring you to Michigan to take care of Michigan; your job is to protect that block M."
-Carol Hutchins
January 15th, 2013 at 2:56 PM |
Best time to hit...
Best time to hit...
...Quantico anyhow. Good luck.
If you haven't already, recommend you make contact with the Marine Instructor at the NROTC unit and introduce yourself. Once you've been accepted, you may be able to get a leg up on your training by working out with the Marine Option Midshipmen.
LSA '89 - MBB Natl Champions, Big 10/Rose Bowl Champions | @MGoShoe
Man, Jake Ryan has some beautiful locks.
Also, sounds like a hell of a first basketball game experience.
Life and Loss with Michigan Basketball