How did Bacon get so close to the Program?

Submitted by michiganman01 on

As a young fan (high school) I've have heard Bacon's name a lot during the end of the RR era and the past couple of weeks. However, he is only (at least it seems like it) a writer who loves college football, and who graduated from UM. What allowed him to get the "inside" access to the university?

Swazi

October 3rd, 2014 at 7:34 PM ^

He went to school at the University of Michigan, worked at the Ann Arbor News and Detroit News, and currently teaches at UM.  Dude has been at or around the university for almost 30 years.

Bando Calrissian

October 3rd, 2014 at 7:39 PM ^

Bacon was a reporter for the Ann Arbor News during the Fab Five era after dropping out of UM Law School on the first day (a pretty hilarious story). He then went to the Detroit News and made a name for himself, and later befriended Bo. Bo gave JUB his personal papers, which became Bo's Lasting Lessons. Bacs also coached AA Huron's hockey team, turning them from the worst high school program in the country to one of the best, and also wrote the book on Michigan Hockey, Blue Ice. He's an Ann Arbor lifer with tons of contacts, basically. Plus a really great writer and an all around nice guy. Loyal to Michigan, but not afraid to challenge the university when it's in the wrong. Ergo, why he got such great access, and such a dramatic fall from grace under DB.

taistreetsmyhero

October 3rd, 2014 at 11:08 PM ^

everyone who's anyone knows huron blows at all things.

Side note--i once was too drunk junior year at michigan, and i almost got into a fight with someone from huron. from what my friends recollected, the conversation literally went:

random dude happening to be walking on same street--"hey man do i know you from somewhere? did you go to huron?"

me--"blkasdflakshf fuxxxxx huron"

random dude who is unfortunately also an idiot--"hey fuck you man pioneer is queer"

me--"a;lakhsdf;alksdhf i'll killzzz you"

(me shove him)

(cop strolls up)--"are we going to have a problem here?"

me--"a;sldfkhas;dflkh yes we a--(sober thoughts prevail)--no sorry, officer.

 

drunken disinhibition of high school grudges i didn't know i had=a depressing insight into my subconscious mind.

 

Commie_High96

October 3rd, 2014 at 10:32 PM ^

He got married. He ghost writes more than you think. He has a lot going on and needs to move on. But as a reporter for 25 years you develop sources. One interesting thing is how this Ath dept has shut him out. He was famously penalized for 3 and Out by getting the worst seat in the press box. For 4th and Long he had very little access to UM. If you read that book, Urban, Fitzgerald and O'Brien gave him more access than Brandon. I don't doubt his sources these days per say, but he is a pariah to the Ath dept.