TBT: Catching up with Tim Williams

Submitted by readyourguard on

This is the second installment of this series.  I thought it would be interesting to catch up with guys we all rooted for and see what they've been doing since their days playing for our favorite team

Previously: Clay Miller

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The very first thing that comes to mind when I think of the next subject of “TBT: Catching up with” is his smile. I’ll never forget it. Bright, broad, and full of exuberance. He wore it with conviction. It seemed like every time I walked into the defensive meeting room for another boring session of film (I’d sit in the back because A) I was rarely, if ever, in the film and B) I could chew and not get caught), there was that smile. I mean, it was just….there. And it was magnificent.



The other thing that comes to mind is his bow ties. This guy made bow ties a fashion statement at the football building long before D’Hani Jones arrived. It was the mid to late 80s and his particular style of neckwear had not really caught on. It was the era of Members Only jackets, parachute pants, high top fades, and mullets. He told me some teammates used to call him “The black Pee Wee Herman". But he wore it well and he was the best dressed man on the team.



Tim Williams grew up in Milwaukee Wisconsin where he attended Marquette University High School and played football for legendary Coach Dick Basham. At the time of his retirement in 2010, Coach Basham was the winningest coach in Wisconsin high school football history. Tim was what you might call a late riser on the recruiting scene. He had received letters from some other teams, but it was the 1985 Michigan-Ohio State game – you know, the one where Harbaugh hit Kolesar for a 77 yard bomb for a touchdown – that captured his heart. (I had the best seat in the house – on the sideline, around the 20 yard line, right about where Kolesar caught it. I can still see the ball flying through the air).

He first met Lloyd Carr in the guidance counselor’s office at MUHS, discussing school, football, the University of Michigan, and Tim’s future as…….a tight end? As he sat and listened in respectful silence, Coach Carr went on and on for 40 minutes describing what Michigan could do for Tim, and what Tim could do for the Wolverines offense. Coach Carr concluded his pitch by asking, “So, what do you think about setting up a visit?” Being the gentlemen he was brought up to be, Tim didn’t have the heart to interrupt Coach Carr during his speech, but now he had a chance to respond. He cleared his throat and mustered up the courage to say, “Coach, while I would love to visit Michigan, I do not want to play Tight End.” Tim wanted to be like his cousin Emanuel King who played defense and captained the Alabama Crimson Tide. “If you want me to play offense, I would rather visit some of the other schools recruiting me (UCLA, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, MSU)”. Lloyd sat and stared at Tim for a minute, picked up a magazine from the table, rolled it up, and smacked him on the arm. “Well why didn’t you say something instead of letting me ramble on?” Lloyd cracked that patented smirk, sat back down, and talked for another 15 minutes about defense at Michigan*.

*It was a timely discussion because we just finished the 1985 season as one of the best Michigan defenses ever, pitching 3 shut outs and yielding only 75 points in the entire regular season. We also finished #2 in the country – Bo’s highest final ranking ever.

Tim played outside linebacker at Michigan. His first year under Coach Tom Reid and the next 3 years under Coach Bobby Morrison. During his career, he….

  • Was part of the Harbaugh “guaranteed win” over Ohio State
  • Won three Big 10 titles
  • Went to three Rose Bowls
  • Compiled a 38-10-1 record
  • Finished in the Top 10 three times, including a #4 final ranking in 1989
  • Was a senior on Bo’s last team

That’s a hell of career.

On the eve of the mandatory Spring Ball meeting held in January of 1990, Tim thought about his upcoming 5th and final year. He considered the chance to play for a 4th conference title, earn a starting position for the entire year, and perhaps even go on to play pro football. But after careful consideration, he walked into Coach Carr’s office to let him know that he had a new plan; he was hanging up his cleats and instead focusing on going to law school. As you can imagine, it was a very gut-wrenching decision. Not many players look forward to the day they’ll never play the game again. Lloyd congratulated Tim on his acceptance to Michigan’s law school and offered some words of encouragement. Just as Tim prepared to go tell new head coach Coach Moeller of his decision, Coach Carr asked for a favor. “Let me know when you argue your first case. I want to be there.”

Fast forward three years and on the day of graduation from law school, as Tim and his family headed for the exit at Hill Auditorium, freshly printed JD in hand, there stood Coach Carr who had come to watch his former recruit graduate. It was unprovoked and a total surprise to see him standing in the audience. It was a moment Tim and his mother will never forget because it meant so much. For Tim, it summed up what it meant to be a part of the Michigan football family. To this day, that’s still a source of great pride for Tim and his mom.

Law school wasn’t always in the plans for Tim. He came to Michigan with the intention of getting a business degree along with a number of other teammates like David Chester, Michael Taylor, and Joe Holland. He interned for former Wolverine Tony Gant at IBM and also did a summer stint at Nabisco. But after meeting the brother of a former acquaintance who attended law school and was interning for a Nevada judge, Tim had a change of heart. Writing opinions, attending court proceedings, and working for a judge sounded intriguing. So he went to a Barnes & Noble to buy the LSAT self study guide and “gave it a whirl.” The whirl turned out pretty well and Tim earned a spot in Michigan’s prestigious law school. The rest, as they say, is history.

Since then, he’s worked for a judge in Birmingham Alabama, spent 10 years at an Atlanta private firm, 10 years in Jacksonville as counsel for Winn Dixie, and another couple years back in Atlanta. He recently moved to the Grand Rapids area, “selling general merchandise and groceries” for Meijer Corporation. He’s been married to a lovely Ohio native for 19 years who went to Miami (NTM) undergrad and The State University of Ohio to play lawyer school. They have two teenage girls, the oldest of which will soon be starting the whole college campus tour circuit and application process. The girls were obviously raised well and display high moral character and good judgment because they root for Michigan.

I asked Tim about his recruiting process. Obviously it was a much different time back then.  There were no live ESPN press conferences, no hat dances, and no social media to announce a final 15. He signed his letter of intent in an empty classroom with his mom, 2 year old brother, Coach Basham, and Coach Carr. He faxed it in and went back to class.

What does the University of Michigan mean to him? “UofM and Michigan football have contributed to who I’ve become as a person, a husband, a father, and professional. Michigan helped me become a man. The friendships, lessons, and experiences cannot be quantified nor replicated, in my opinion.”

Tim carries these words with him that Coach Morrison used to recite regularly:

“This is the beginning of a new day. God has given me this day to use as I will. I can waste it or use it for good. What I do today is very important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever, leaving something in its place I have traded for it. I want it to be a gain not a loss, good not evil, success not failure, in order that I shall not forget the price I paid for it.”

Powerful words and something I think we can all agree is a good way to approach each and every day.

Those who stay….

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A couple quick tidbits about Tim:

He played from 1986 – 1989 and wore #85

His favorite restaurant in Ann Arbor is The Black Pearl and Mediterrano.

The best dish he makes is Coca-Cola braised beef short ribs

If he had a son he would encourage him to play football, if his son wanted to play.

What other school did you seriously consider? Minnesota and Wisconsin

Curtis Feaster (57), Alex Marshall (59), Steve Rekowski (66), Randy Stark (99), Tim Williams (85), Bobby Abrams (24), Doug Cohen (10), Mike Maloney (56), Brian Townsend (45)

Comments

ST3

June 30th, 2016 at 9:44 AM ^

Thanks for writing these. These behind-the-scenes accounts are very interesting. They are part of what makes this blog and community so unique.

nmumike

June 30th, 2016 at 9:55 AM ^

This is great storytelling, and I thank you for publishing it. 

"When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever, leaving something in its place I have traded for it" 

Fantastic words that are very meaningful. 

Mgodiscgolfer

June 30th, 2016 at 5:09 PM ^

well written piece on another player I watched but forgot his name. I have wondered how these coaches remember every player but I don't spend everyday with them just fall Saturday afternoons. I seen that pic with Feaster and Marshall, Townsend, Mallory, Abrams as well as the others, one in all fantastic players that gave me memories of their glory days.

I didn't play football past my Sophmore year in high school electing to play hockey instead. So like you were saying in your last piece about being blocked by Clay and Greg, I could not muster the guts to try and go that far in football nor was I crazy enough to be their blocking dummy, no offense honestly. At best I would have had to walk-on and no way would my parents have been able to pay for that, thank God.

Anyway thanks again I hope you continue with your class those were some FANtastic football years and I lived and died with everyone of them. 

xtramelanin

July 1st, 2016 at 10:58 PM ^

these guys were the just after my time so i didn't know any of them. i enjoy the reads, so your avatar name certainly checks out.  

Terrible Ted

July 3rd, 2016 at 11:34 PM ^

Great work. I especially enjoyed reading about his first visit from Coach Carr (and when Carr eventually attended his law school graduation) and the quote from Coach Morrison.

Thanks for taking the time to put these together. 

WNY in Savannah

July 4th, 2016 at 4:57 PM ^

Thanks for doing these.

My high school basketball coach had that Coach Morrison saying on the locker room wall.  (The last line said, "...in order that I shall not regret the price I paid for it," but otherwise...)  Some years later, I was a teacher and assistant coach on his staff when he died unexpectedly.  He was the healthiest, toughest guy I ever knew.  That particular "wall poster" was given to me.  It has meant a lot to me ever since.

It's so easy to get caught up in daily routines and work and forget what really matters.  The time goes fast, folks.  Remember what's really important and be good to the people you love.