18 years ago today...
August 26th, 2013 at 9:31 PM ^
August 27th, 2013 at 12:03 AM ^
August 27th, 2013 at 11:34 AM ^
I was also in that corner of the end zone.
It was my junior year, and I specifically remember the leadup to the game - because even though the game was at the Big House, it WASN'T included in the student ticket package... and I had to hunt down tickets from a scalper... which was why I ened up in that corner of the end zone.
August 27th, 2013 at 12:07 PM ^
It was my first year of law school and I remember it being sooooo HOT!! Great comeback!!
August 26th, 2013 at 9:32 PM ^
This is the play that made me a Wolverines fan at 8 years old... and probably a big reason why I ultimately went to school there. Also, holy crap that was 18 years ago.
August 26th, 2013 at 10:34 PM ^
August 26th, 2013 at 11:04 PM ^
Imagine how I feel when I think about the '73 10-10 tie that I attended.
August 27th, 2013 at 12:29 AM ^
Me too. Dennis Franklin days if I remember right.
August 27th, 2013 at 12:17 AM ^
Was 8 years old and it was the first game I can vividly remember as kid.
August 26th, 2013 at 9:37 PM ^
Today is also the 196th birthday of the University of Michigan. Or known back then as the Catholepistemiad of Michigania and was based in Detroit.
August 26th, 2013 at 9:40 PM ^
Strange we don't have more chants using Catholepistemiad of Michigania.
August 26th, 2013 at 9:48 PM ^
the Catholepistemiad Men Of Michigania!
August 27th, 2013 at 9:38 AM ^
"Don't give a damn about the whole Catholepistemiad of Michigania" - Brutus' Grandpa.
August 27th, 2013 at 1:42 AM ^
...until the Catholepistemiad Carcajou once again rule the gridiron.
August 27th, 2013 at 8:43 AM ^
August 26th, 2013 at 9:41 PM ^
In the archives of Sports Illustrated, there exists this piece about this game - HERE
This passage includes what I assume is a decent summation of Dreisbach's feelings on the final play:
Carr called a double-post corner route, and wideout Mercury Hayes broke sharply toward the right corner of the end zone. Dreisbach lofted a perfect spiral to Hayes, who somehow managed to get his left foot in bounds with no more than a nanometer to spare. "It seemed like five minutes," Dreisbach said, "before the referee put his hands in the air." Final score: 18-17.
August 27th, 2013 at 9:41 AM ^
Walk-off Touchdown. They did not even kick the extra point. One of the rare few at Michigan Stadium to ever happen.
The others I rememeber: against Penn State in 2005, and Colorado's in 1994.
August 27th, 2013 at 1:10 PM ^
August 27th, 2013 at 3:09 PM ^
"They're not going to kick the extra point! Who cares? Who gives a damn!" Oh, man. That was the walkoff I attended.
August 26th, 2013 at 9:43 PM ^
August 26th, 2013 at 9:52 PM ^
Anyone else think he was out?
August 26th, 2013 at 9:53 PM ^
August 26th, 2013 at 10:12 PM ^
How can you possibly be so sure? Is there a replay that I haven't seen? Can you even tell me which foot was in?
August 26th, 2013 at 10:25 PM ^
August 26th, 2013 at 10:46 PM ^
I'm being completely serious. The official was right there and he hesitated for two long seconds for some reason. With this angle it looks like his left toe might be in (or it might be two inches off the ground) but I don't know how everyone pretends like this is indisputable. His right foot that he was trying to drag was clearly off the ground and out of bounds. I had just moved a few days before the game and didn't see it live so I'm just going off of what I've seen on YouTube. I think I've got a higher quality copy of the game so maybe I should make a video if for no other than reason than to prove to myself that he was in.
August 26th, 2013 at 10:54 PM ^
happened right in front of me. i had 3rd row seat in the corner there. his left foot was clearly in bounds, however, i thought the ref was surely going to call him out of bounds because of his right foot. he made the correct call.
August 26th, 2013 at 11:09 PM ^
I don't see it, maybe because I read about it in the newspaper the next day and have no emotional attachment to the play or the celebration of it. You obviously do since you were in the stadium and it happened right in front of you. I doubt you, the official or anyone else could judge at live speed if his toe was in when he had possession. That's why we have instant replay now. I think he could have called it either way. That's why Musberger said "He gave it to him". I doubt we get that call in South Bend or Columbus.
August 27th, 2013 at 12:37 AM ^
I guess I just don't see the point. If you don't see it, you don't see it. But it's clearly a touchdown.
August 27th, 2013 at 4:35 AM ^
C'mon Bando, you've been around these parts long enough to know that "because I said so" isn't a persuasive argument. It was ruled a TD and has become clear in your mind over 18 years, but I just watched a clean 480p copy of the end of the game, and one thing that you don't see in WH's edit is that it took a full five minutes of officials discussing with each other and explanations to the coaches before they finally ruled the game over. Five minutes during which not a single Virginia player left their sideline. This is not what normally happens when a game ends without controversy. After five minutes, Virginia refused to send out their PAT team and the game was called. Penn State didn't refuse to leave the field in 2005 even though Paterno wasn't pleased with them adding time to the clock. While the Michigan narrative has become biggest comeback in school history (at the time)/The Catch, the AP story I read the next day was Michigan struggles with Virginia/Virginia gets jobbed in The Big House on last second controversial call.
RE the call itself, 1) his right foot was way out and 2) his left toe was either on the line or just inside of it. There is no way to say for sure from the angles that were shown. If the same play happened today it would definitely be reviewed. The Danny Coale catch looked good live in full HD. Nobody knows what we would see if there was an official review with decent camera angles. It was then and is still today a controversial call.
August 27th, 2013 at 8:15 AM ^
We are all glad they called it a TD right?!
Go Blue!
August 27th, 2013 at 9:35 AM ^
Yeah obviously, a win is a win.
August 27th, 2013 at 9:42 AM ^
"If the same play happened today it would definitely be reviewed. "
And at worst, the ruling would be that the call on the field stands (as opposed to the call on the field is confirmed). Too close to overturn.
August 27th, 2013 at 12:59 PM ^
Too close to overturn with 1995 Wolverine Historian (according to WH, Michigan has never lost a game) edited highlights, yeah. If the same play happens on Saturday, it's 50/50 getting overturned.
August 27th, 2013 at 9:53 AM ^
Uh, OK.
August 27th, 2013 at 12:47 PM ^
Uh, play The Victors louder and STFU.
August 28th, 2013 at 2:30 AM ^
I guess I don't get why you're so intent on trying to prove this wasn't a touchdown...
August 26th, 2013 at 10:55 PM ^
is due to his making sure Hayes hung onto the ball. He then immediately points to the ground and signals a touchdown.
August 27th, 2013 at 11:57 AM ^
I don't think there was really any dispute as the ref had a clean view, watched the full play and then rather emphatically pointed to the field and made the touchdown call. We wouldn't be able to see from television, of course, but it's even possible that he was pointing at a footprint in the grass to confirm the call.
And frankly, thank goodness, this was a call in the pre-replay days. The delayed gratification of waiting for television confirmation has really sucked the life out of sports.
August 27th, 2013 at 3:38 PM ^
The official hesitated to make sure he completed the catch. If you watch the official he is looking at his feet to make sure he was in and then looks around the Virginia player to be sure Hayes had the ball. In fact, I'd argue that the official didn't hesitate one bit. He viewed the play to it's full extent and made the call. He watches his feet, looks to confirm the catch and then points to the fact that he saw his foot inbounds and then raises his arms to signal touchdown. Essentially his actions showed you his thought process. "Ok I've seen his foot inbounds, did he hang on? Yes? Ok his foot was right there, that's a touchdown." He did his job as effectively as I've ever seen an official make a call in that type of situation.
Unlike the two guys who agreed to disagree last year when Golden Tate was awarded the game winning touchdown for Seattle against Green Bay last year. They had replay and still got that one wrong.
August 26th, 2013 at 10:52 PM ^
Yeah, I don't know how you look at this tape and say it wasn't a catch. If you watch the ref closely, his eyes follow Hayes to the wall not to buy time to make the call on the feet, but to make sure he had actually caught the ball. The guy was in perfect position, looking right where it mattered, and made the right call. That's all there is to it.
August 26th, 2013 at 10:22 PM ^
I think he got BOTH feet in. See at 9:50 here:
August 27th, 2013 at 5:42 AM ^
look at the viriginia DB. he is focused on hayes' feet as hayes gets the ball on his way out of bounds, and even the virginia DB doesn't (by body language at least) protest the call in the slightest. that catch would be good in the pros, and even more so in college with only one foot required.
August 26th, 2013 at 9:55 PM ^
August 26th, 2013 at 9:57 PM ^
August 26th, 2013 at 10:58 PM ^
disclaimer - i don't do this. but bet against michigan in any big game. that way, if they lose, you at least get a payout. if they win, who cares about the $.
August 27th, 2013 at 8:18 AM ^
August 27th, 2013 at 9:43 AM ^
Me too. It's my "hedge fund" approach to Michigan.
August 27th, 2013 at 3:20 PM ^
I bet against Michigan for extremely emotional games, such as Ohio State every year. I call it Michigan insurance. I ask myself before the game, "What would I pay to guarantee a Michigan win?" Then I bet that amount on the opponent's money line. When Michigan wins, I happily lose the bet. When Michigan loses, it's a small consolation.