Countdown to Kickoff - Day 1: Top 10 Moments in Michigan Stadium History
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:14 AM ^
You go and do something like this.
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:24 AM ^
I'm kinda foaming at the mouth here, and I've got a kinda nervous twitch... could I be clinically rabid for football?? Should I be worried that my co-workers are going to find me in a football-induced coma????
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:43 AM ^
I'm on call in an Election Law class this afternoon, and I imagine the exchange will go something like this:
- Professor: "Mr. ____________, can you tell us about the court's view of the impact of voter identification requirements in this case?"
- Me: "They thought identification was very important; Denard needs to be able to recognize coverages, especially when Edsall starts disguising his blitzes."
- Professor: "I'm confused; what was the holding?"
- Me: "Well, Hagerup will probably be doing some holding, and I think Van Slyke was on the depth chart, but he just hurt his shoulder."
- Professor: "Let's back up a second... what was the procedural posture of the case?"
- Me: "Probably a three point stance, though as a hybrid he'll probably play with his hand up on more than a few plays."
- Professor: "Get out of my classroom"
- Me: "WOO HOO! Early start to the weekend!"
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:47 AM ^
that the absolute rule of law in this world is, in fact, Michigan football.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:14 AM ^
I'm picturing your avatar saying "I AM THE LAW"
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:56 AM ^
Word, brother
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:15 AM ^
.... if the prof starts laying into you. I suggest you show him what you have learned about the law and just plead the FIF. F-I-F fif.
September 3rd, 2010 at 11:59 AM ^
is the EXACT reason that I took the day off today. I really need to have my job when I return Tuesday.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:06 AM ^
and totally redeem yourself!
September 3rd, 2010 at 10:56 AM ^
How many times is to many times to watch this?
One half assed day of work and a wake up away ladies and gentleman.
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:40 AM ^
Edit: Okay, it's back up now.
I always thought Woodson should have done a Howard homage and done his own Heisman in the end zone, since the two plays were so stinkin similar.
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:48 AM ^
I swear I read somewhere that he was going to, but the other players jumped on him too quickly. It could have been a different play too, although I'm pretty sure it was referring to that touchdown.
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:51 AM ^
I've heard the same thing.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:21 AM ^
If you watch the video from the camera in the corner of the end zone, he looks like he's going to, but gets swarmed by players before he could/was too tired. He goes so far as to point his arm.
September 3rd, 2010 at 10:50 AM ^
Definitely. I actually thought that's what he was trying to do when it happened. He's holding out his arm to start the pose but he's already got 2 players on his back when he lifts his arm up. No time. With Desmond, it took several seconds for the rest of the players to reach the end zone to jump on top of him. He had plenty of time to do the pose.
Against Penn State, I like how Manningham just runs to the center of the field and invites the team to pile on him. Not very smart, though.
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:25 AM ^
Goosebumps
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:48 AM ^
Would have said goosepimples, but I'm with ya man. Those and chills.
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:25 AM ^
my insides just about burst out.
Giddy-up!
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:27 AM ^
will be agonizingly slow, knowing a trip down the road to AA is waiting for me at 5...
Thanks for posting all of these
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:32 AM ^
Amazing! I just got chills
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:41 AM ^
Does it go to 11 tomorrow morning?
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:44 AM ^
they do EVERYTHING!
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:42 AM ^
I think I just peed in my pants a little bit.......
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:45 AM ^
Holy smokes did I just get some endorphin release there -- too early for me! Go Blue!!!
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:46 AM ^
If that doesn't get the neurons firing in the morning, I don't know what will.
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:48 AM ^
Totally jacked up right now.
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:52 AM ^
Looking at the list:
10: Harbaugh beats Ohio State, 1985
9: Thompson's INT fuels the comeback against Wisconsin, Game 500, 2008
8: Biakabatuka runs for 313 over OSU, 1995
7: Wangler to Carter to beat Indiana, 1979
6: Grbac to a diving Desmond to beat Notre Dame, 1991
5: Touchdown Manningham to beat Penn State, 2005
4: Hello Heisman! Desmond's punt return against OSU, 1991
3: Braylonfest. The epic 3OT comeback against MSU, 2004
2: Upset of the Century: Michigan 24, Ohio State 12. 1969
1: Charles Woodson's punt return beats OSU, 1997.
I guess being a little more old school, I suspected that Hello Heisman was going to top the list, but I underestimated the love for Charles Woodson (or, by extension, the reflection of the halo of the 1997 season when people voted. It was just that Woodson's best moment was the one handed pick against MSU, the punt return was icing on the cake.)
Also, can perhaps someone who is there tell me if Wangler to Carter was as awesome in the stadium as it is watching on a clip with Ufer going crazy?
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:46 AM ^
The answer to your wrangler questions -- yes. the stadiaum went nuts. my aunt, who hasn't missed a game since the 69 osu game, jumped into my arms she was so estatic. corso was just as big of an ass back then as he is now. he did not like michigan before, but this game was the game that set him off on his umich hate, especially because of the the play right before the carter catch. i would have had it as number two behind the 69 osu clip.
i was at all of them but:
10. Still going to school at OU (the barry switzer era)
8. Studying for my doctoral comps -- knew if i went, i would loose focus.
3. Left game early. had two obnoxious moo u types right behind me all day and i was about to kill them late in the 4th. um scored two td's on my way back to the car, and watched the rest of the game at aforementioned auntie's condo. she and my other auntie left earlier for same reason -- moo u asshats behind us.
September 3rd, 2010 at 10:07 AM ^
The problem is that Woodson's pick was at MSU otherwise it may have made the list. That play, to this day, may be the best catch I have seen. It was certainly the best interception I have ever seen.
But as far as Big House moments the Woodson return basically cemented his Heisman and assured Michigan of an opportunity to play for a national championship with a huge punt return against Ohio State so the moment was just enormous with wide reaching implications.
Woodson is my favorite Wolverine of all time and I don't know if we will ever see another player quite like him again.
September 3rd, 2010 at 10:28 AM ^
Most exciting game finish I personally witnessed. With the timeout situation (none available, iirc,) the field position (mid-field,) and the time on the clock (6 seconds,) it was virtually impossible to win. In fact, my roommate had left the game early to beat the crowds, as did many "so-called" fans. I love all the plays on the list, and am fine with the placement of the Wangler - Carter catch in the list, but I don't think there was a single other play, FTW, under such difficult conditions. The PSU Manningham catch from Henne, we were knocking on the door and in reasonable field position, same with MSU 3x OT win. The punt return and kickoff return were awesome, but I don't think we were behind, nor did those plays end the game.
The closest play I can think of (field position from mid-field or more, time on clock, timeouts, and FTW,) is one that got away . . . the failure to lateral in the Bowl Game vs. Nebraska.
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:52 AM ^
I was there for 7 of those moments. I miss seeing the toilet paper fly after a touchdown.
Tomorrow can't get here fast enough.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:00 AM ^
I saw some great stuff, but I wasn't at any of the top ten moments. I was in Ann Arbor after I had graduated for the Howard catch against ND, but that was the closest I got to any of those moments. The most memorable moment for me was beating UVA on the last play of the game, but I was there for the Miami comeback in '88 :(
Other than the '87 season, most of our wins in Michigan stadium (in '88-'90) were some pretty good beatdowns.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:39 AM ^
I was there for #9! Weeeeeee!
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:48 AM ^
me too. as rumor had it, the dowms never had much tp on monday's for some reason....
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:03 AM ^
How did Manningham not die when he laid down at the bottom of that pile after the "walk-off"?
September 3rd, 2010 at 12:50 PM ^
I've always wondered that myself. It seems like it would be a really bad idea to lay down on the field and let them pile on top of you.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:04 AM ^
Ram your fist in their chest and rip it out the show it to them as they lay their dying
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:06 AM ^
LETS GO BLUE
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:08 AM ^
Fucking Awesome
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:24 AM ^
Following a 3-9 season, Michigan with Rich Rod Take 2 is expected to be another disappointing season as the country looks down on the Wolverines. True freshman Tate throws a td pass with almost no time left to beat a ranked Notre Dame team.. how is this not on the list?
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:26 AM ^
but top 10 ALL TIME? I mean... top 25 probably, yeah, but still...
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:50 AM ^
I've never heard more noise in that stadium. That was a great last-minute drive led by a true freshman against a key rival. The TD came with just a few seconds left.
I guess it depends on the criteria for the list. That Touchdown Tim game was an awesome effort, but was it really a *moment*? I'd displace it with the Brabbs field goal.
From another angle, Desmond's catch against ND was an awesome play, but Michigan was ahead at the time and it wasn't too near the end of the game. I'd replace it with Tate.
One other thing: Anthony Carter's play against IU is Top Ten all by itself (higher than where it is on that list IMO), but Ufer's screaming has never done anything for me (too young, I guess) and I think it's tarnished by the fact that they were tied with a mediocre Big Ten team near the end of a game at home.
September 3rd, 2010 at 10:25 AM ^
You'd replace one of the most iconic moments in the history of Michigan football (which, contrary to what you said, was a quite important 4th down play in the course of a game against ND, who had beaten us 4 years in a row) with ND '09?
And Ufer does nothing for you?
Really?
September 3rd, 2010 at 11:00 AM ^
Yes, I would. I'd throw the Mercury Hayes game-winning touchdown of '95 on there before it, too.
Hey -- I get that Desmond's TD catch in that game is an iconic moment and a big part of his Heisman year. Again, though, they were *leading* in that game. (Thanks for the reminder on the streak, though. I'd forgotten that.) As before, it's a matter of how you define moments. I think the score of the game and time remaining (or, to put it another way, the impact of the play) should matter most.
I didn't say Ufer didn't do *anything* for me. I specifically referred to his screaming (and specifically on that play). From all I can remember he was a great representative of the school, entertaining, etc.
September 3rd, 2010 at 11:11 AM ^
Yes, we were leading at the time. But you probably forget what ND was like in the late 80's, early 90's. They were actually good. And all the fluke like and lucky plays they got away with always seemed to happened against us. A tipped pass here, a miracle field goal there. A 3 point lead against Notre Dame in those days was not safe at all. That's why going for it on 4th down was absolutely huge. You combine that with a diving Desmond catch, and you have one of the biggest moments in Michigan Stadium history.
The circumstances were pretty similar for the Kolesar catch against Ohio State. Leading a hated rival by just 3 points with several minutes left in the game. TD! Opponent deflated. Game over.
September 3rd, 2010 at 11:15 AM ^
Exactly. That period of time against Notre Dame was maddening. Who ever heard of Reggie Ho before or after the 1988 game? Yeesh.
A moment doesn't have to be a game-winner to be in the top 10. There's a reason why pictures and lithographs of The Catch are STILL selling out today, almost 20 years later. It's an iconic moment in Michigan football, one of the moments that sealed the Heisman Trophy for Desmond Howard. And one hell of a gutsy playcall. No-brainer to be on the list.
September 3rd, 2010 at 11:38 AM ^
There are some good points in your post and the one from Historian. I hear you both, and I'm old enough to remember Reggie Ho, not to mention those two kickoff returns from "Rocket."
It might be best to consider multiple types of moments. I was more focused on events that were immediately game-changing. I see the big-picture value of Desmond's ND catch.