In honor of Lloyd Carr's 70th birthday, Bennie Joppru just posted this very cool story on Facebook. (Sorry for the lack of proper embed.)
Happy birthday to Coach Carr, one of the greatest men I've ever known. Many of my teammates know this story but I would like to share this one with you. It's long but worth it.
It was the second day of freshmen two a days, morning practice, yes we had actually had two practices a day back then. I was the only tight end practicing at the time. It was miserable. Coach Mike DeBord had me pushing the one man sled around the field for god knows how long, it was probably 10 minutes but felt like two hours. Exhausted we started to scrimmage, offense vs defense. After about 10 plays I started to throw up. I felt so relieved, "finally I'm done, I get a break" WRONG!! "Joppru get back in there.
Another couple plays, more throwing up. Rinse and repeat a couple more times and practice was over. I was terrified and convinced that this was they way that my life would be everyday for the next five years. Somehow I had to escape.
I went back to the dorms in south quad and started to pack my clothes. "I'm heading back home to Minnesota and I'll walk on and be a Gopher". I knew I couldn't walk out the front on the dorm with my clothes so I threw my bag out the 12 floor window and walk down the stairwell, avoiding the elevator. I got the first taxi I saw and said "take me to the bus station".
I got to the bus station only to find out I was 25 dollars short of a ticket. This was 1998 so CD's were as good as money then and I had plenty. I told the ticket guy if he gave me the 25 dollars I needed for a ticket he could have any 10 CD's he wanted.
Of course he picked all of my favorite CD's, but I had my ticket, no more puking I thought to myself. I called my parents from the pay phone with my calling card they had gifted me, 1998, amazing. My parents took turns talking to me for the next 30 minutes . I was insistent that I come home, this wasn't for me, it's too hard.
While on the phone I got a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and it was Coach Carr. "Let's go, you're coming with me". Tears immediately ran down my face. Not much was said in the car ride to the football facility. Coach Carr brought me into his office and to paraphrase said, "I know it may seem like the end of the world to you but it's not, all I ask is that you give me one year. After one year if you still want to go home I won't try to stop you. "
I agreed to give it a year and then he said "so you can either stay here on the couch or come out for the second practice" "thanks coach, I'll stay on the couch" Thanks to a great man who wouldn't let me quit when every ounce my 18 year old brain told me otherwise. So many memories that I would never have had and so many wonderful friendships I would have never formed . Happy birthday Coach Carr, # go blue
