Meeting former U of M athletes and etiquette

The only thing that would be in bad form would be to rob yourself of the opportunity to take a class that you might be interested in for any reason.  What, you want to subject yourself to courses that might bore you to death because some mythical creature thinks it's in good form?  Is it bad form that any UofM student wants to take John Bacon's course simply because he/she admires Bacon's writings?  Just take the course if you so desire!  Oh, and way to go on the double thread..

I don't think there's anything wrong with it. He'd probably like talking to you about it.

I always consider professors when signing up for courses...whenever you have an opportunity to interact with people who are leaders in their field or have some sort of interesting experience to talk about it's a great opportunity.

I took weight training and conditioning when I went to school at Northern. It was taught by a really skinny Indian guy though. 

You're playing with fire.   In general, people do not like to be asked about themselves and may become very angry and agitated in response.  It is well known that among the most insulting inquiries one can make is to request that a man talk about his glory days as as college football player.   You might as well just ask him to tell you about his sex life.  Way way off limits in a class about physical fitness.  

 

Just totally tactless.  You should be ashamed for even asking us about asking him.  

If you want to take the class, go for it, but be prepared for the possibility that he really isn't interested in talking about his football career or Michigan. If you can enjoy taking a class from him without talking football or even much personal talk at all, go for it.

Then, with that in mind, it won't hurt for you (preferably after the first week or so, when any odd class questions have died down) to approach him once and politely mention that you remember his playing days and you really enjoyed them. Put out a feeler, see how he responds. If he doesn't mind talking about it, great. If not, give him a wide berth. And try not to be too Chris Farley about it.

Personal anecdote: Mark Hughes, from the '89 basketball team, lived across the street from my grandparents when he coached in Grand Rapids, and attended my grandmother's visitation when she passed away. There were roughly 100 old, short, white people milling around chatting and remembering my grandmother, and one 6'10 African American basketball coach.

So my Dad went up to him and began talking about how much he loved that team. Being my dad, I was a bit embarassed, but Mark didn't seem to mind (more importantly, neither did my mother who was grieving the loss of her mom) and they had a pleasant conversation. Later I introduced myself, but rather than talk basketball I just shook hands and said I was glad to meet him.

I feel like "known" people appreciate just being talked to as regular people. But when one is an instructor and you have regular interaction, he might enjoy the conversation.

I'm sure he'd be flattered and happy to talk to you about Michigan just try not to be too awkward or pushy about it.

I would put up a video of Stewie...going OMG! OMG! OMG! and clapping furiously.  Thats what I did when I met Brady Hoke and Mattison last week.  They understood completely.  It was not awkward. At All.

Northern has a football team?! I really had no idea

Take the class if you're interested in it.  I only met Marcus once, but he was super nice and humble.  A number of former Michigan players were customers of mine at my former business.  Marcus stopped in (only once that I recall) with a couple other guys and was introduced to me as a fellow Michigan Man.  Sometimes, you've just gotta remember that these guys love Michigan as much as we all do.

I think it's only bad if you taking the course keeps others from taking it that have a real interest or need to take it.  Personally, my undergraduate strength and conditioning class was my favorite class I've ever had...so it sounds awesome to me but then again I'm a strength coach.  Add to that a former UM football player teaching it and that's an opportunity you can't pass up.  Plus you'd have a legitimate opportuniy to build at least a professional relationship/contact with a former player...pretty cool in my book.  There is nothing wrong with choosing a class based on the teacher.  Out of my own curiosity what did Marcus get his undergrad/grad in that qualifies him to teach it...or is it just his experience as an athlete?

 

Edit: Looks like he got his undergrad in a general studies sort of major and his masters in sports administration...not sure how that qualifies him to teach this class, but it's not that unusual that football coaches teach these classes.  There's probably not a lot of content like exercise science, exercise physiology, biomechanics, etc. taught, just exercise execution and working out.

When I was 19 I was working at a movie theater and in walked Chris Perry, on his way to see the Return of the King.  I didn't really know what to say because it was the first time I had met a star athlete in a non-controlled setting (like media day or whatever) but I shook his hand and said some things that were kind of (or extremely) embarrassing.  That is all I will say.

Since you asked it like this:

...and was wondering if it was bad form to take the course simply because it's Marcus Knight and/or to talk to him about his Michigan days.

Then, yes, I would describe that as bad form.  Taking a college class (at the graduate level, nonetheless) for the sole reason of chatting up a former football player is pathetic...and maybe even borderline stalker creepy.  But if you've got other legit reasons for taking the class then I wouldn't let it stop you either.

Ask them to take their shirts off.  Play your hand up front.

Marcus is a really nice, approachable guy. We had some common friends when I was in school and the Marcus was cool as hell. Take the class!

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