Doing a paper on Michigan Football lore
Does anyone have any suggestions in terms of books, articles, films, etc which would provide a wealth of information? I personally know most of the information, just looking for good source material. The paper must be 10-12 pages in length, so I'm looking for a good amount of sources or primary source documents?
Also, does anyone know if the Bently or any other library on campus (or perhaps even the athletic department) has sources I could use or take a look at (these would probably be first-hand documents, like letters Yost wrote about the Big House, etc)?
Thanks a lot guys!
September 18th, 2011 at 6:14 PM ^
Watch "Michigan-Ohio State" from HBO if you haven't seen it yet. At the very least it will inspire you, at best you'll find your specific topic.
September 19th, 2011 at 12:54 AM ^
They seemed to glorify the assholeness of buckeye fans - and made it seem like because we weren't as douchebaggey, we weren't as passionate about our team.
September 18th, 2011 at 6:36 PM ^
You will read about a lot of the history of Michigan football including:
Yost, Willie Heston and the first Rose Bowl
Germany Schultz creating the linebacker position by playing a couple yards off the line of scrimmage to ge a better view of what was going on
A water jug becoming a trophy
Tom Harmon getting a standing-O in his last game in the snake pit
The "snow" bowl
The hiring of Schembechler, his heart attack on the eve of his first Rose Bowl, the 10 - 10 tie in 1973
An so, so much more. I was given this book as a kid, read about all the history and still have the book 35+ years later.
September 18th, 2011 at 6:45 PM ^
Jon Falk recently put out a book. He was a good friend of Bo. You could likely find some interesting lore from the period of Bo - Present.
September 18th, 2011 at 6:49 PM ^
If you are looking to do an interview email Greg over at MVictors, i'm sure he'd be willing to help you out
September 18th, 2011 at 7:32 PM ^
I've done a little research on the Stadium in the Bentley, and it's worth some time.
September 18th, 2011 at 7:48 PM ^
Just 10-12 pages about Michigan football lore? That sounds hard. I don't think I could write up a paper that short on something like this. But best of luck to you. My favorite books are...
*Michigan Wolverines Stadium Stories (2003) by Jim Cnockaert
*The Ten Year War, 'Ten Classic games between Bo and Woody (2005) by Joel Pennington
*The Wolverines (1974) by Will Perry
*From the inside (1996) by Don Canham
*Back on Top (1997) by George Cantor
*Legacy of Champions (1995) by Falls, Wojonowski, Bacon, Chengelis and McCosky
Those are the best books written about Michigan football history, in my opinion.
September 18th, 2011 at 8:49 PM ^
Thank you for those books...I've checked out (or owned) some of them, but I will definitely look at the rest.
I'm really excited to go to Bentely and look at all this stuff, this is for a Michigan History class and when I brought up me doing something on Michigan Stadium (figuring, you know, that would be a "proper" research topic) my professor was actually the one who suggested doing something on Michigan football lore. Pretty stoked, especially if I get to see some historical stuff first-hand.
/drools
September 18th, 2011 at 8:02 PM ^
Tom Hemmingway's book (I think it's called "Life Among the Wolverines?" is worth finding. Bo Schembechler: Man in Motion by Joe Falls is a good early Bo book.
The Bentley is a goldmine. Did some MMB research there once (they have all of Revelli's scrapbooks), and there's just tons and tons and tons of stuff there. All the old Athletics papers are there. I don't know how much "lore" you'd find there, unless you decided to take one issue or topic and dissect the different ways it's been portrayed, then hit the Bentley to see how it really unfolded as it happened.
September 18th, 2011 at 8:03 PM ^
Years ago, I had the site bookmarked, but it would prove invaluable to you. It has the results of every game for every college team vs. every opponent, right on down the line. Once you find it, you will have at your fingertips access to any question, game related, you might want answered, by doing nothing more than simply typing in year which will provide you with entire roster, wins, losses, the whole damn thing.
Along with largest stadium, greatest fight song, first performed by John Phillip Sousa, helmets that have inspired the likeness of same worn by more h.s. throughout the nation than any other type, the well known all time leader in wins, winning percentage, and results released approximately five years ago that make us leader in all time SOS also, you might want to include the fact that UM football has been watched by more fans both live and on television than any other team in the nation.
Have fun. LIke the man said, limiting it to twelve will be tough. Remember Crisler being first to implement the two platoon system and Bo being the first to hire a full time S&C coach.
September 18th, 2011 at 8:50 PM ^
I totally forgot about the platoon system and didn't actually know about the S&C staff. Cool!
September 18th, 2011 at 8:12 PM ^
"Passing Game: Benny Friedman and the transformation of football" by Murray Greenberg. It tells the story of Benny Friedman's life and his great career at Michigan including the famous Benny to Bennie connection.
September 18th, 2011 at 8:29 PM ^
did a similar paper, and it was very helpful
September 18th, 2011 at 8:48 PM ^
September 18th, 2011 at 9:16 PM ^
Were always a good source as well.
Everybody has said Bentley, but that is key. Also, see if you can land an interview with Burce Madej in the AD or John Bacon.
The Michigan Daily Archives.
I always liked to key in on Yost. Without Yost, there is no Michigan of today. Period. Hell, without Yost, college football might not exist like it is today.
September 18th, 2011 at 9:54 PM ^
Contact the athletic department and ask?
September 19th, 2011 at 7:06 AM ^
Use the U of M directory to run down Madej's email address.
As for Bacon - he has a website that probably lists his email address somewhere.
September 19th, 2011 at 4:30 PM ^
We took the Big House tour last fall. Robert M. Soderstrom did a presentation about Yost and the rise of Michigan football and one of his crowning achievements, The Big House. Turns out Yost was an architect major and took copious notes on the various standiums Michigan played in. His notes are there on campus. The Big House was his vision for the ultimate venue for fans to experience football. Anyway, his book is appropriately titled "The Big House". He did the best job of anyone explaining why the rivalry with Ohio has been so important to both schools.
September 18th, 2011 at 9:59 PM ^
"Natural Enemies" by John Kryk. It's THE definitive source on the Michigan-ND rivalry.