Hoke meets with OSU fan that named his tumor Michigan

Submitted by HelloHeisman91 on
Most of us here are probably familiar with the story but for those that aren't, a child with cancer in Ohio named his tumor Michigan in his effort to beat it. When Hoke heard of the young man's story he invited him and his family to watch the game in the Big House. This link provides some footage of their meeting. http://www.nbc4i.com/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=…
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Real Tackles Wear 77

December 1st, 2013 at 10:06 PM ^

Say what you will about him, but Coach Hoke is a great man, a class act and a man of high character. That goes further toward making him a Michigan Man than anything he could ever accomplish on the football field. 

Joined: 07/05/2008

MGoPoints: 9685

LSAClassOf2000

December 1st, 2013 at 10:07 PM ^

This is one of those moments that reminds everyone that there are things that unite all of us, and the story of this young man is one of those things. As some said in the thread about this story many months ago, the tumor was an instance where we hoped and prayed that "Michigan" was not victorious. Hopefully, he had an excellent time at the Big House even if some of us walked away a little down. His story reminds us there can be more at stake than game results. 

Joined: 01/07/2011

MGoPoints: 130610

XM - Mt 1822

December 1st, 2013 at 10:23 PM ^

if you're the lad's parents, don't you have enough class (and wisdom) to take that red crap off when your benefactor comes over to visit?   i wish them well, but beyond health, they ought to pray for some brains. 

Joined: 12/21/2011

MGoPoints: 102534

TWSWBC

December 1st, 2013 at 10:47 PM ^

I was invited to the Wings/Ducks game 7 last year by a family who has season tickets. I wore my Wings gear and cheered for them right in front of them. Granted I don't have a tumor (that I know of) but I didn't feel like I had to cheer for Anaheim just bc they invited me

Joined: 01/27/2011

MGoPoints: 1819

The FannMan

December 1st, 2013 at 10:56 PM ^

First, it was freaking cold out.  They might have wanted their hats to stay warm.

Second, the story presumes that Hoke knows they are OSU fans, I don't think Hoke was all that bothered by their gear.  In fact, he just joked with the boy about it.

Third, they were clearly very, very appreciative and respectful.  In particular, his mom could not have been more sincere in thanking Brady.  

Finally, all fans have their gear.  It just shows their loyalty.  It is not a slam on the other guys.  You can support your team without being offensive. I think they did that just fine.

Put it another way, if I ever bumped into Urban Meyer somewhere and happened to be wearing my Michigan hat, I wouldn't feel at all compelled to take it off before sayng hello. 

 

Joined: 11/25/2008

MGoPoints: 14816

GoWings2008

December 2nd, 2013 at 8:37 AM ^

"You can support your team without being offensive."

Unfortunately, that's a concept lost on too many people. 

But what a great moment, what a great opportunity for a coach to prove he's just a good guy.  I'm proud to have him as Michigan's coach, no matter what the scoreboard said at the end of The Game.

Joined: 01/26/2011

MGoPoints: 69675

Bando Calrissian

December 1st, 2013 at 11:07 PM ^

So you're with George Steinbrenner, making Elaine take off her Oriole hat in the Yankee Stadium owner's box?

I say the kid and his parents can wear what they want to wear. If they're Ohio State fans, they have just as much right to cheer for their team as I do for Michigan. The amount of paranoia this site has for opposing team fans is just silly.

Joined: 07/02/2008

MGoPoints: 68117

SWFLWolverine

December 2nd, 2013 at 8:45 AM ^

Hoke grew up in Ohio being a Michigan fan. Hoke started identifying OSU as Ohio as a youngster to irritate the Ohio State fans in his neighborhood. He fully understands the rivalry from an angle many Michigan fans can't....I assume it would be more like the MSU rivalry in that you are surrounded by the enemy, except that you are way outnumbered in Ohio. I don't think Hoke, for a minute, expected the family to dial down their fandom to respect him. The kid named his tumor Michigan for crying out loud. Hoke gets it, you do not. You are like the Ohio fans criticizing Herbstreet for shaking hands with a wounded veteran in Michigan gear.  You are the one lacking class.

Joined: 07/28/2010

MGoPoints: 2348

flashOverride

December 1st, 2013 at 10:31 PM ^

I have seen a lot of Ohio people talking about this online lately, and it has (incrementally) improved my view of them as a fanbase. There are at least a solid number of them, it seems, who get that there's more to life than football and there's a time to set all the rivalry stuff aside. Imagine if Hoke had done this for an MSU fan. I would just about guarantee the reaction of 99% of them would be, "Oh well, fuck him. Fatass".

Joined: 08/04/2013

MGoPoints: 9070

flashOverride

December 2nd, 2013 at 12:34 AM ^

Huh? I don't know whether you misread my post, but I wasn't at all suggesting anything but genuine motives for Hoke. I was simply stating that I've been pleasantly surprised by the reactions I've seen of Ohio State fans, and that it's really difficult to imagine Michigan State dialing down the vitriol a single iota if Hoke had done this for one of theirs.

Joined: 08/04/2013

MGoPoints: 9070

energyblue1

December 1st, 2013 at 10:35 PM ^

Our school hosted them, allowed them field passes for the game which is impossible to get and got face time with Hoke on the day of the game.  

The family, osu fans/grads yeah they could have taken the osu hats off but who cares about that to be honest.  imho it showed michigan is above all that!  

Joined: 03/19/2010

MGoPoints: 5291

BlueinLansing

December 1st, 2013 at 10:58 PM ^

but the 4 people sitting in front of me were two sets of a father and his boy, one a Michigan fan, the other a Buckeye.  The kids sat next to each other both decked in their respective Michigan and Ohio gear.  They seemed mesmerized by the whole thing.  10 years old and may never see a better game in their lives.

Joined: 09/01/2009

MGoPoints: 23520

michgoblue

December 2nd, 2013 at 8:12 AM ^

There is clearly a part of you that is missing. How can this type of thing ever inspire anything but pride and positive feelings in any Michigan fan or human being? The kid - a kid - had cancer and our rivalry with Ohio was a huge part of what have him the strength to fight to live. This isn't as important as who wins a football game between a bunch of 18-22 year olds? I am about as emotionally obsessed with Michigan sports as anyone alive and even I think that you are missing something here.

Joined: 11/16/2009

MGoPoints: 32166

readyourguard

December 2nd, 2013 at 9:08 AM ^

Thank you for your comment. I know to ignore anything you post in the future. I'm guessing you're young, with no kids. I hope you never have children. But if you do somehow find a willing partner, I pray your spawn are healthy and never have rely on the kindness of other human beings.

Joined: 08/21/2008

MGoPoints: 40986

Mocha Cub

December 1st, 2013 at 11:01 PM ^

i love it how there's always a certain group of people who still feel the need to pass judgment on others. they are OSU fans at the game, who cares if michigan invited them or not. they could have told michigan to piss off. seriously people get a life. no one should expect them to take their osu hats off just because hoke came over to talk to them. just stfu already.

Joined: 11/17/2013

MGoPoints: 23066

Zoltanrules

December 1st, 2013 at 11:20 PM ^

Keeps things in perspective and shows a bit of what Coach Hoke is made of. This is not made up for the media. I doubt you will ever see him involved in a scandal, cheating, or screwing with a kid's education/ future for the sake of wins. I listen to him speak every Monday at Webber's and he is a pretty well grounded family guy with good midwestern values. A player's dad told me that he wanted his son to play for a coach who he could totally trust, cares about the kids, acts with class, is passionate about football,  and one that he would enjoy having a burger and beer with. Coach Hoke was that guy, not the guys at MSU, ND, or OSU.

Joined: 08/23/2009

MGoPoints: 21117

Sione's Flow

December 1st, 2013 at 11:22 PM ^

Hoke knew they were ohio fans.  The father said he had nothing but admiration for Coach Hoke, but that they were still going to root for ohio at the game.  In the video Coach Hoke even joked that he didn't like the kids hat.  He's a good coach but a better man.  When his time here is over, Brady Hoke will be rememered as one of the finest coaches to ever walk the sideline of the Big House.

Joined: 06/05/2011

MGoPoints: 5193

gustave ferbert

December 1st, 2013 at 11:48 PM ^

his players to flip the bird to our fans, and not discipline them more than the officials forced him to.  Hoke and company concern themselves with these types of gestures. . . It's great to be a Michigan Wolverine when you see things like this. . .  

Joined: 06/21/2011

MGoPoints: 46362

Prince Lover

December 2nd, 2013 at 12:12 AM ^

I read the comments before I watched the video and I smirked at the idiocy of people saying take the red hats off. But when I watched the video I said to myself, frick the taking off of the OSU hats, Coach, how dare you talk to these people with your sunglasses on. My BIGGEST pet peeve in the world is people talking to people with sunglasses on, (unless it's not a formal environment) and then all of a sudden, he swipes them off. Win and loss record aside, this IS a decent man. Real will always recognize real. Go Blue!

Joined: 07/01/2013

MGoPoints: 13070

aiglick

December 2nd, 2013 at 1:56 AM ^

Whether he is a good coach remains to be seen IMO. However, the thing that is far more important is that he be a good human being and this is one of just many gestures that proves this to be the case. Good on Coach Hoke, there truly are more important things than football and sports in general. This is definitely an example I personally want to follow and emulate.

Joined: 11/27/2010

MGoPoints: 21516