A Bedtime Story for Tonight

This was the first Michigan win I've been present to witness in South Bend after two unsuccessful visits in 2002 and 2008, and it was quite a memorable one. Let me tell you why:

Three of us went on campus with no tickets in hand, and as we made our way past the basilica, the grotto, and all other sorts of sights on ND's campus that make you begrudginly appreciate it, our chances of finding three seats together seemed to diminish.

Well, as we passed the stadium one of my friends asked if we should simply try the box office, to which I chuckled -- not a chance, I suggested. Well, as we pass by the ticket sales window, there's a very short line of seemingly happy prospectors emerging with tickets in hand. Apparently, they opened up the wheelchair section for general tickets when all the seats are not occupied by handicapped patrons. Minutes later, we have three tickets in hand at face value.

While this doesn't seem like an entirely exciting scenario, here's where my weekend was made: as we sat in our seats, I notice a good-sized guy sitting one seat down from me, wearing a "1%" shirt, and wearing a shy grin rivalled only by Denard himself.

Three and a half hours later, Brock Mealer and I had shared a few great stories, frustrations, and high fives as we cheered Michigan on to victory. On a day which we celebrated the heroes of September 11th, I had the honor of celebrating our team's win with a hero in his own right. And in twenty years, when my kids ask me about that game where Denard rushed and passed into Michigan lore, I'll tell them that it was sitting next to a true champion that made my weekend.

He told me and a couple of nearby patrons a story about Denard: last week, before the game, he asked our QB if he ever thought about cutting off his dreads in case someone tried to pull him down (a la Polamu). Denard's response?

"If they ever catch me, they can have 'em."