Desmond Howard to be Honored at U-M/ND Game, ESPN College GameDay Present
Disclaimer: The excellent Michigan's First Night Game! thread prompted the following. While this topic is highly related to the previous post, I believe it deserves its own thread.
A highly respected Michigan blogger and MGoUser passed to me an email exchange he had with Dave Brandon regarding this year’s Michigan – Notre Dame game and authorized me to create this thread. Back in January, this MGoUser sent an email to DB recommending that Michigan should:
- Work with ESPN to have ESPN College GameDay in Ann Arbor for the game
- Recognize Desmond Howard at halftime for his recent enshrinement in the College Football Hall of Fame
- Potentially “retire” Desmond’s “21” jersey
An excerpt of Brandon’s response (the return email was sent within three hours at 12:56 am, BTW):
“This was all arranged last Fall when Desmond was announced. You will get your wish….we are all over it! It is going to be a special night for Desmond and for Michigan!”
Since Brandon did not specifically address each of the email’s recommendations, I think it’s safe to say that recommendations one and two are a go. I evaluate that recommendation three is merely a possibility. The bottom line is that the entire day and game will certainly be one of the most special occasions in Michigan athletics history (no hyperbole).
I am so excited for that day.. It was already going to be amazing, but it would be even better if they decide to retire #21. He's a great man, and he deserves it. Now we just have to wait for #2...
The older I get the longer I seem to sometimes have to wait for #2.
Agreed, Woodson definitely deserves his number retired as well. Do you think that Brady's number will be retired here? I mean I know his college career wasn't as stellar as his pro career, but he is going to go down as one of the best QB's ever in the NFL.
I love Tom Brady, but there is no way his number gets retired at MIchigan, nor should it quite frankly. He will just have to be content with being a first ballot NFL Hall of Famer and in the conversation for best NFL quarterback of all time.
But if it was:
nice
I thought about wanting something and then it happend. My life does not work that way. Is this real life?
Yaaaaaaaaaaaabuddy
#3 is definitely in play as well. Isn't Lloyd Carr heading a committee to look into jersey retirements?
Also, DB defintely adheres to the Cosmo Kramer school of email punctuation.
Exxxxclamation point!
...is in play (is a possibility). Not confirmed by DB's response. I wouldn't be at all surprised if it happens.
What you are probably referring to is another episode, "The Sniffing Accountant," where they were dissolving their financial ties to Jerry's accountant who was sniffling (presumably due to drugs and the mohair sweater). However, if I were to reference exclamation points in Seinfeld, I would choose when Elaine was an editor working with Jake Jarmel. She was adding exclamation points in his book because he didn't use one when writing a phone message that her friend had a baby. Mr. Lippman hated them, and told her to take them out!
Well, you know philibuster, you should learn to use them! Like the way I'm talking right now, I would put an exclamation points at the end of all these sentences! On this one! And on that one!
I know a fellow M grad who was recently hired by the Athl. Dept to prepare a commemorative book about Desmond Howard. When I asked him why he said he had to stay mum. When I asked if they were retiring his number he responded by telling me that the last book he was contracted for was when the Wings retired Yzerman's number and gave me the wink and nod. This was about 6 months ago.
F you for being so good at keeping secrets and not running to the MGoBoard six months ago when you first heard about this...
I'll be honest, I'm not a fan of Michigan retiring numbers...
Well, it's not like they're starting the tradition now. IMO, you win a Heisman, it's deserved.
I'd be more in favor of it if we'd go the UNC basketball route and retired the "jersey" but kept the number in circulation, because a lot of these numbers have been worn by more than one very good player. For instance, while Desmond certainly is worthy of recognition, the guy who wore that number immediately after him (Biakabutuka) didn't do too shabbily, either - setting the single-season rushing record.
To a point you are correct, but UNC does really retire some numbers. I know MJ, Antawn Jamison and Hansborough have been officially retired. I think being selected as national player of the year for the Wooden Award, AP POY, and/or one more is the criteria. Those three have all done it and I think like 4 or 5 more have as well. The other 30 banners they have of players and their numbers are more of an honorary thing.
I would have a problem with it if we just retired any average player's number, but it sure seems like Desmond (and maybe Chuck) deserves it. He's represented the university well in his career after UofM, both in the NFL and on ESPN.
It doesn't seem like we're not gonna run out of numbers any time soon, but I know where you're coming from
although I do believe Woodson deserves to have his retired even more so then Howard. 1st defensive player to win the Heisman,Super Bowl champ,Defensive NFL MVP, and all he has done for Motts.
I guarantee Woodson will be retired too but he's still playing. They finished up 6 years apart so maybe in six more years they'll get Woodson but I guarantee if they retire 21, they will retire 2.
What a guy did after college should not have any bearing on whether or not his college jersey is retired (with an exception made for becoming President of the United States - that's not a very common honor). Two separate things. Having said that, if we decide to retire more jerseys, all the Heisman winners should get that distinction.
if you added in what players did after college people would want Brady to have his jersey when he was ok in college. Not saying people want his jersey retired just using him as a example.
Retired Jerseys
# 11 - Francis Wistert, 1931-33, tackle, All-Am. 1933
Albert Wistert, 1940-42, tackle. All-Am. 1942
Alvin Wistert, 1947-49, tackle, All-Am. 1948, 1949
# 47 - Bennie Oosterbaan, 1925-27, end,
All-Am. 1925-26-27
# 48 - Gerald Ford, 1932-34, center
# 87 - Ron Kramer, 1954-56, end, All-Am. 1955, 1956
# 98 - Tom Harmon, 1938-40, halfback, All-Am. 1939-40,
Heisman Trophy winner 1940
Obviously 2 & 21 are going to be added to this list.
I wonder if they do anyone else or if the proverbial "bar" is winning a Heisman.
The next three most obvious candidates if you take it off the Heisman "bar" I guess would be Hart (because he holds most M rushing records), Brady & maybe Dierdorf though the latter two did more damage as pros.
Dierdorf did a lot of damage as a pro, but he still did enough just in college to be considered on your list...
top 3 or 4 O-lineman at UM, ever.
'70 Consensus All-American
2x All B10
College Football Hall of Famer
However, Jake Long is ahead of Brady, Hart and Dierdorf IMO
3x All B10
2x 1st Team All-American
It takes a great recruiting tool away from you.
What recruiting tool is that..? I'm not trying to insinuate anything or anything like that, I just don't get what you're talking about.
Maybe he's worried about having to retire number 1? I think most fans would be in agreement to leave numero uno alone, although that's just my own unscientific guess.
That their idols, or great players wore. The reason the number 2 is rarely going unused. If you can say to a corner, "you know, we think you can wear and fill that jersey", it certainly doesn't hurt.
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<br>If it works for #1, it works to some extent for the others (and frankly, retiring numbers but not #1 doesn't seem fair to the players). It's kind of a silly practice.
#7 and #77 are a couple others that have cultivated a pretty impressive positional history. #4, too, although it isn't as reserved for one position.
If #2 was retired, you couldn't say to a recruit "come to Michigan and wear Charles Woodson's number." The situation with #1 is much better. When Darryl Stonum committed to Michigan, he said part of the attraction was to try and earn the #1 jersey.
More bad news for Junior Hemingway.
They usually allow current players to continue wearing the number until their playing days are done
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<br>Desmond was the reason I wore 21 on the field. It became my lucky number. It would great to have it retired, though I will be somewhat saddened to never again see a player (Howard, Biakabituka, etc) wear my favorite number again. And, I will never be able to purchase a UofM jersey with my favorite number.
While they're hot...
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<br>http://www.google.com/products?q=university+of+Michigan+21+jersey&nomo=…
If Gameday is there, he better pick Michigan to win, or I'm tweeting "fake ass wolverine" on twitter.
/s
This would be so awesome and epic. I would show up @ 4am to be at College Gameday. It's just sooo awesome and fun
Might have to be earlier than that... I'm ready to get there at 8PM or so and stay the night. My sister tried to go when they were here last time (OSU in 2006 I think?) and she didn't get in after getting there at 6AM
I have always wanted to see what the Big House could be if its full 112,000+ capacity was unleashed in a rivalry-fueled, game-of-the-week, Victors-inspired (and somewhat drunken) fury. The place could be more of a home-field advantage than any stadium in sports, combining the size / number of people, tradition and passion of its fanbase to create a truly intimidating environment. Unfortunately, we have not seen this happen often, but if this is true, all of the elements are in place for a special night at the Big House.
During the whole "process," my faith in DB's pimp had was momentarily shaken. However, in his handling of the NCAA issues, picking the perfect coach, supporting Beilein, updating the scoreboards at all 3 stadiums, spending the $$ to lure Mattison, scheduling the night game in the first place, and now possibly this: Dave Brandon = winning.
I like your words, michgoblue.
I agree with you. Very well said.
I want to freeze myself like Eric Cartman until next season starts.
Be sure to remember your otter rifle, just in case
I actually started weighing the pros and cons after reading your comment. One of the cons was "extreme likelihood of death." I'll let you know the outcome when I finish, but so far it's looking to be a close call.
Any chance Elvis Grbac can join Desmond on the field so they can recreate the 4th down TD catch? Then we can zoom in on the shot of Lou Holtz pulling his hair out on the giant new scoreboards.
Well I guess if Junior Hemmingway has a different number we'd have an answer to #3.
Atta boy Craig! Oops.
for this game. it will be one of the greatest days of my life no doubt about it.
As long as we win. Now go find some wood to knock on.
I want this. I also want Hemmingway to go off during this game. This scheme could be good for him.