The Man in Blue

When my brother was in high school, he wrote for the school paper under the pseudonym "The Man in Blue" because of his love for Michigan sports. Everyone who has met Andy talks about his remarkable memory, especially for times and dates. He could take you almost play-by-play through every Michigan game of the last 30 years. Yet, this season he hadn't watched a single game. I thought part of that was due to how terribly the team has played, and the fact that my brother lived in Prague, which makes it more difficult to watch, and more difficult to watch night games in particular. But there was a much bigger problem. On October 16th, my brother tried to take his own life, and on the 22nd had finally succumbed to his injuries. Andy was never one for a suit and tie, and our mother would like to lay him to rest in one of his Michigan sweaters.

Today, there will be a gathering to celebrate his life from 3 to 6 p.m. at his favorite sports bar in Prague, Jama, where he has watched almost every Michigan game for the last 14 years. But many of us will stay for the game at 9:30 p.m. For some of those watching, it might be their first American football game. But we'll be there, cheering our asses off for Michigan and for Andy. It will be a miracle if they win, but miracles do happen.

Go blue and rest in peace, Andy. We love you.