Desmond Howard Alumni Event in DC

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June 15th, 2012 at 9:06 AM
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Coastal Elite
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Joined: 07/05/2011
MGoPoints: 217
Desmond Howard Alumni Event in DC

Desmond Howard took the time to come out and speak at the UM Club of Washington DC's annual meeting and scholarship fundraiser last night. I know this has been said before, but he's just a tremendously nice and genuine guy in real life. He walked around the room for about half an hour before speaking, just taking pictures with alumni in attendance, and then he stuck around for an hour afterward to sign autographs.

Anyway, nothing groundbreaking here, but I thought you guys might be interested in a few of the things he said in his speech and then in the Q&A session afterward:

  • Predicted another 10-year-war between Brady Hoke and Urban Meyer - or, as Desmond referred to him, "Urban Liar" - but was confident that we have the better end of that coaching comparison.
  • Said that Alabama is beatable because we're catching them early in the season, and Nick Saban takes a while (longer than normal, at least for the SEC) to work out the chemistry in his program. Cited last year's Bama-Penn State game as evidence that we could win.
  • Predicted that a Bama victory would make Denard Robinson the prohibitive favorite to win the Heisman trophy, and said that Denard and sophomore RB DeAnthony Thomas from Oregon are his preseason favorites for the Heisman.
  • Said that his greatest football moment was being named Superbowl MVP.
  • Wholeheartedly endorsed the "unretirement" of Gerald Ford's jersey, along with others, and seemed extremely excited that a former President would be joining him among the Michigan "legends"
  • At the end, the alumni chapter presented him with an American flag that was flown over the U.S. Capitol Building in his honor at the request of Senator Richard Lugar. He seemed pretty touched by it, and I thought it was cool that the event happened to fall on Flag Day.

Like I said, nothing terribly newsworthy, but it was a great event and much thanks to the DC alumni chapter and to Desmond.

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June 15th, 2012 at 9:26 AM | Great recap and... (Score:5 Normal)
MGoShoe
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Joined: 04/23/2009
MGoPoints: 19230

...I'm disappointed I couldn't be there.

LSA '89 - MBB Natl Champions, Big 10/Rose Bowl Champions | @MGoShoe

June 15th, 2012 at 10:56 AM | He was right down the street (Score:2)
aMAIZEing_BLUE132
Joined: 01/05/2012
MGoPoints: 136

He was right down the street from my office....

...but I had a phone conference :(

stupid sun.  Learn to shine on everybody all the time so I don't have to miss things like this in the future.

Always reaching for the banner.

June 15th, 2012 at 9:27 AM | Did he really call him "Urban (Score:-1 Flamebait)
June 15th, 2012 at 9:36 AM | He did, briefly. But it was (Score:4 Normal)
Coastal Elite
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Joined: 07/05/2011
MGoPoints: 217

He did, briefly. But it was in sort of an ironic context - something along the lines of "You know, I knew him while he was at Florida and then in the broadcasting booth, and I've always personally liked Urban Liar."

June 15th, 2012 at 9:52 AM | If he really liked him, I (Score:2 Normal)
bing24
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Joined: 11/04/2010
MGoPoints: 551

If he really liked him, I doubt he would throw in the "Urban Liar." Might give a inclination to the real Urban Meyer from someone that actually knows him in multiple capacities. Always thought that guy was a snake, perfect fit for theeeee osu.

Desmond comes off as such a cool dude. My 1st Meeeeeeeichigan game ever as a 12 yr old was the UM vs osu game where he struck The Pose. NEVER will forget that day. Was already a huge Michigan fan, but that solidified me for life.

June 15th, 2012 at 12:33 PM | Or maybe he knew him closely (Score:2)
rockediny
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Joined: 08/14/2010
MGoPoints: 1394

Or maybe he knew him closely and was just joking.

"There will be blood on the field and it won't be mine." -KK

June 15th, 2012 at 2:10 PM | or maybe he doesn't like (Score:0 Redundant)
June 15th, 2012 at 10:07 AM | Just Curious (Score:2 Normal)
UM Indy
Joined: 03/05/2009
MGoPoints: 1401

What the connection is between Desmond and Sen. Lugar?  Was that explained at all?

"Better to have died as a small boy than to fumble this football" -- John Heisman

June 15th, 2012 at 10:10 AM | It wasn't, and I was curious (Score:3 Normal)
Coastal Elite
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Joined: 07/05/2011
MGoPoints: 217

It wasn't, and I was curious about that too. Senator Lugar isn't a Michigan alum, and Desmond is originally from Cleveland, not Indiana. If anyone else has anything to offer on this question, I'd be really interested to hear more.

June 15th, 2012 at 11:07 AM | Aha (Score:2)
Coastal Elite
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Joined: 07/05/2011
MGoPoints: 217

May have solved the mystery. I believe the organizers said that the flag was flown in his honor in 2011, which was the same year that Desmond was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame... located in South Bend, IN. This feels like Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon but the CFHoF-Indiana-Lugar connection is the best I can come up with.

June 15th, 2012 at 11:23 AM | Little known fact (Score:2 Informative)
danimal1968
Joined: 07/13/2008
MGoPoints: 118

The GSA has two employees whose job is to do nothing but raise and lower flags over the Captiol building so that they can be given to members or Congress or sold to the public.  Members of Congress request over 100,000 flags annually.

http://legalblogwatch.typepad.com/legal_blog_watch/2012/06/things-that-exist-vol-3-the-capitol-flag-program.html

June 15th, 2012 at 10:36 AM | Maybe Lugar bet heavily on the Packers in the Super Bowl (Score:2)
Don
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Joined: 06/30/2008
MGoPoints: 19188

Lugar is a '54 graduate of Denison—also the alma mater of Woody Hayes—so his honoring of Howard is even more curious.


June 15th, 2012 at 10:49 AM | Bummed I couldn't make it (Score:1)
GoBlueGladstone
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Joined: 02/02/2011
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I graduated and moved out to DC a year after Des was drafted by the Redskins and I ran into him a political fundraiser. I think he was a guest of a guest, but I got to chat him up and he signed the back of my driver's license organ donor witness section. I was 22, so there's that. Anyway, he can barely contain his enthusiasm about the alma mater - all facets of Michigan, not just playing ball. I didn't tell him that he one time gave me a slice of pizza in the basement of Angell while we were waiting for a poli sci study group...can't believe I ate it.

"Godfather III? Never heard of it."

June 15th, 2012 at 10:53 AM | I was there last night too, (Score:1)
Brendan
Joined: 03/13/2009
MGoPoints: 312

I was there last night too, very fun event.  I definitely echo your sentiments about how nice Desmond was.  He signed as many autographs as people wanted and took pictures with everyone who wanted one.  Very cool.

June 15th, 2012 at 11:48 AM | Desmond (Score:1)
imgoingblue
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Joined: 10/12/2011
MGoPoints: 35

Desmond is a class act. We have been trying to get him to come to Dc for a couple years now. The annual meeting was the perfect excuse, and luckily he was available. The flag fyi was flown about a week and a half ago in his honor.

He told a story about the famous 4th and 1 against Notre dame. It was a good end to the Q & A, which lasted about 50 minutes. Gary Moeller called the play to throw to Desmond provided the coverage worked. Desmond said how much he appreciated being trusted by the "young" coach, as opposed to UM running up the middle as would be expected.

Re current players, Desmond spoke only about Denard and Roy Roundtree. He shares a bond with Roy and couldn't be happier he will be wearing his number next year.

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