OT: Campus tour and info sesson....with Matt Gutierrez?

Submitted by readyourguard on

I thought I'd post this as a way to take our minds off last night's dong punch.

I took the family up to Ann Arbor yesterday for the Prospective Student Info Session and campus tour for my son who is a junior in high school.  Both my wife and I are alumni and would love to see junior follow our path (although it's not his first choice....yet).

During the 1-hour info session, we were shown a 10-minute video about life at UofM, hosted by James Earl Jones which I thought was ultra-cool.  During the video, various students gave their opinions on the superior quality of life and education at Michigan.  I was surprised to see Idaho State's Matt Gutierrez included as one of the interviewed students.  Am I the only one who thinks that's odd?

Some other points of interest:

NOwhere in the promotional handouts (which is 5 high quality, multi-colored, professionally produced print pieces) will you find this:

Again, maybe I'm the only one who thinks about stuff like this, but I always considered this logo a very iconic and lasting image of the University.

Walking through campus stirred up so many fond memories and pride that I can only hope my son AND daughter (who is a freshman in high school) made an emotional connection to the school like my wife and I did.

Part of the tour included a stop at South Quad, which happened to be the dorm I lived in.  We congregated in the lobby and then were shown one of the rooms which, coincidentally, was directly beneath the room I lived in as a freshman.  Taylor House/Room 4606.  As a freshman, I did dumb "freshman" things, which included writing my name in white-out on the inside of a utility closet door across from my room.  On a whim, while the rest of the people toured the 3rd floor room, I ran ustairs to see if my "tag" was still there..  Lo and behold, 27 years later....

My wife just shook her head and my son snapped a picture.  HALOL.

After the official tour and some lunch downtown at BD Mongolian's, we drove to Schembechler Hall to tour the museum.  There are some great pictures and memrobilia in there, especially the Nationl Championship ring and Woodson's Heisman.  There was also a picture of the 1986 team, which all good Michigan fans remember, was the year Harbaugh delivered on his guarantee to beat tsio.  Next to the team picture (which includes yours truly in the 3rd row) is a description of the 1986 Game which recalls the 76 yard pass from Jim Harbaugh to John Kolesar.  Man, I remember that like it happened yesterday.  I can see vividly the ball soaring through the air with the dark sky in the background and the temporary lights illuminating the helmets and jerseys......only....WTF....that didn't happen at the Shoe in 1986.  It happened at the Big House in 1985.  How the hell could they get that wrong?

Despite that, and the shitty end to the game last night, yesterday in Ann Arbor and on the Michigan campus was a fantastic day of reminiscing for me and my wife and hopefully the gateway to my two kid's college future.

Go Blue!

profitgoblue

February 24th, 2011 at 12:07 PM ^

This is an outstanding post.  This is one of the reasons I love the Board, hearing personal stories like this.  I propose an official pos-bang for the OP.  Although its just not the same without accumulating points, its still fun.  +1

UMdad

February 24th, 2011 at 3:27 PM ^

Ahh South Quad.  I was a freshman there in '95 when the University was forced to add a few hundred instate kids at the last minute and I ended up like a lot of people that year in a "Converted Triple" in the basement levels (go Roots!).  3 people in a double room.  Still loved it.

gremlin

February 24th, 2011 at 12:21 PM ^

I had a few classes with Matt, one of them being Econ 101.  He's actually a very good student.  He was definitely brighter than at least half of the class, including myself.  He was also a really nice guy, unlike a lot of the football players.  Would spend time talking to anyone who approached him.  Keep in mind that at this point he was the projected starting quarterback until he was injured.  Anyway, I'm not sure where I'm going with this, but I always found that injury being very heart-breaking because he was a great student, nice guy, and a good quarterback.

OMG Shirtless

February 24th, 2011 at 12:35 PM ^

It ruins the story that Gutierrez was a notorious prick.

I much preferred the urban legend that he lost his starting position to Henne due to breaking a Sigma Nu's face with his fist and Lloyd Carr exaggerated the injury as punishment, without having to reveal the real reason for the temporary demotion.  A demotion that turned permanent due to Henne awesomeness.

03 Blue 07

February 24th, 2011 at 12:26 PM ^

Great story. And I am with you regarding the Michigan seal. I actually like it better than the block M- Blasphemy, I know- and had it on my last car. The block M can be confused in other parts of the country with Missouri, Ole Miss, Marshall, etc. Although our mathematical formula for the block M (i.e., the ratios of each piece to the other pieces) is trademarked, it's hard for most people to tell. Obviously, the "split block M" with "Michigan" going through it makes it clear, though.

GoBlue007

February 24th, 2011 at 12:28 PM ^

Thanks for sharing - a great Michigan story.  I cannot wait until my kids are old enough to share the same experience.  Not sure who in admissions is responsible for the tours/videos/materials for the visits but it might be someone without ties to Michigan and they may simply be a very good administrator.  The crest and motto is unusual. As a freshman I remember having to memorize it (not tough but sticks the rest of your life): Artes, Scientia, Veritas

GVBlue86

February 24th, 2011 at 12:31 PM ^

I am amazed that your "tag" is still there. Seems like something that could be wiped or scraped off pretty easily. Especially since it looks like it's at about eye level! Probably one of those things no one notices anymore. It's just part of the door now, haha.

 

Nice post, +1 from me.

Black Socks

February 24th, 2011 at 12:41 PM ^

Matt Gutierrez always loved Michigan, he just wanted a chance to see the field.  He would say the same thing again today.

MGoBlue22

February 24th, 2011 at 1:03 PM ^

Great Post!  I have already started brainwashing my 11 month old daughter to favor UM (my alma mater) over her mother's alma mater (MSU).  We truly are a "house divided", but if I can somehow get my daughter to side with me, I think the whole majority rules thing could come in handy.

I agree with you about the seal.  One of my very first UM shirts was not the traditional block M, but rather had the word MICHIGAN on it with the seal beneath the word.  Great shirt!   

M - Flightsci

February 24th, 2011 at 1:21 PM ^

I've been looking for that video ever since my dad and I were reminiscing this summer over my tour my Junior year of HS.  I ended up going elsewhere, but the video stuck with me, and moreso, with my dad.  He said he was in awe of it whereas I only remember that the video existed, JEJ narrated it, and at some point in the tour I saw it.  Hopefully someone can dig it out of google, I've had no luck.

vegasblue

February 24th, 2011 at 1:27 PM ^

I share your sentiment about our kids being future students at our alma mater.  We currently live in sunny las vegas and dont really get back to A2 as often as we would like.  But being that my kids are tennis players we are taking advantage of the summer tennis camps offered on campus.  They are still young (not in high school) but we feel that exposing them to the rich campus tradition of U of M will hopefully have a positive effect in the future.

Thanks for sharing a wonderful story!

 

Go Blue!

True Blue Grit

February 24th, 2011 at 1:42 PM ^

One of the proudest days of my life was when my younger daughter decided to attend Michigan.  She had been a "Wisconsin lean", but on her "official" campus tour day for admitted H.S. students at Michigan, we had lunch at East Quad.  After the morning's sessions, she told my wife and I that she really felt home at Michigan and decided to enroll here.  I practically broke down I was so happy.  She's now a junior studying abroad in Germany. 

I  think that the Harbaugh pass to Kolesar was the most memorable play I can ever remember at the Big House (other than A.C.'s catch in 1979.  As due51 says, the sky was darkening, with clouds hanging low over the stadium.  Even though we were still ahead, the game was trending poorly for us and the Suckeyes were putting the pressure on.  We were faced with 3rd and fairly long as I recall deep in our territory.  Then, Harbaugh winds up and throws a long, high spiral that seemed to almost disappear in the dark, hazy lights.  Then, I see Kolesar floating under the pass running toward our end of the field.  Unbelievable play to this day. 

I had a similar incident in the dorm I almost got in big trouble over.  After a lengthy trip to the bar one night, we came back to Mosher Jordan and for the hell of it, me and another couple guys decided to kick the hell out of my room door.  We were pretty trashed, but it seemed fun at the time.  We didn't realize until the next day that the door frame was cracked.  We later managed to avoid paying a bunch of damage charges but I think I owe Michigan a fat donation to this day.  Oh well, with all the crapload of money I've forked over for two degrees (oops, forgot.  My parents payed for one!), plus my daughter, plus for all kinds of football tickets, I think I'll call it even.

Princetonwolverine

February 24th, 2011 at 2:27 PM ^

Wow. I took Frank Beaver's film class in '76. It was really popular then. Glad to see he is still around.

Feat of Clay

February 24th, 2011 at 2:55 PM ^

Several years ago the people who Know About Such Things claimed that Michigan needed to have a more consistent "brand" and that the Block M was the way to go.

Previous to that, the convention was (loosely): use the seal for serious academic things, and use the Block M for athletic/spirit/fun things.  I think there may even have been a split in how the royalties went, (i.e. athletic department gets licensing fees for the Block M, University gets licensing fees for seal) but I'm not sure about that.

Those details aside, I know there was a big central effort by Marketing & Communications to move everyone to the Block M.  They set aside some amount of money so that they could offer incentives.  For example, for a limited time they would split the cost of ordering new Block M stationery, business cards, etc. for your unit.

That's why the seal is so scarce these days.

 

jmblue

February 24th, 2011 at 3:37 PM ^

I believe Gutierrez made sure that he actually graduated from Michigan, and not Idaho State, when he transferred.  He was a really good guy.  It just didn't work out for him at QB. 

burtcomma

February 24th, 2011 at 5:28 PM ^

I was there from Sept 1976 through August 1981 and became a resident advisor my last two years on the 4th floor of Taylor House.  Ahh, the memories of snowball fights with West Quad, of when the drinking age was 18, and of having Anthony Carter as one of my residents on the 47 corridor........GOOD DAYS!!!

JMK

February 24th, 2011 at 9:40 PM ^

I lived in 8808 Huber during the 1993-94 academic year, the year after Tyrone Wheatley lived in that room.  Do you remember how the phone numbers used to stay with the rooms?  We would get calls for Ty every now and then.  My roommate might have signed him up for a few events....

OMG Shirtless

February 24th, 2011 at 9:53 PM ^

I drunk dialed my freshman dorm room all sophmore year.  It was glorious.  Especially because it was just the beginning of the cell phone explosion and people actually depended on the dorm phone for real phone calls and didn't bother to unplug it.

smeyers1801

January 24th, 2012 at 11:18 PM ^

I know this is an old thread but... I'm looking for a link to the "consider michigan" video narrated by james earl jones.  Or maybe someone has it downloaded and could send it to me?  Looks like the above link is expired.  Can somebody help me out?