The Players Tribune: Tyrone Wheatley on His Sons as "Michigan Men"

Submitted by MaizeNBlueJ on

Great read from The Players Tribune: http://www.theplayerstribune.com/tyrone-wheatley-son-michigan-football/

 

Figured I'd throw in a short excerpt from the link:

That young father standing over his son’s crib whispering the words to The Victors wanted him to choose Michigan. Continue the legacy. Hail!
 
But a more mature side of me — the one who wants his son to blaze his own trail and carve his own legacy — didn’t care where his son went. He just wanted him to make the decision that was right for him.
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MichiganG

January 12th, 2016 at 11:30 AM ^

Fantastic read and a really well-grounded guy.  Will be happy for him when he gets to check off #5 on the list and sad for us because it probably won't be here (at least at first, but maybe down the road...)

Joined: 05/20/2012

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LSAClassOf2000

January 12th, 2016 at 11:40 AM ^

That was a very nice read, and as was said above, I also fret #5 on his list a little bit because more than likely he won't achieve that here, being a head coach at a college program, although it would be awesome if somehow Wheatley did. 

For me, it came together here:

T.J. comes to work every day in a Michigan uniform and goes to class every day in the Michigan halls — the same halls I walked when I was a student here. He’s a Michigan Man. But my other two sons — Tyrique and Terius, who both play high school football here in Ann Arbor — also have a little Michigan Man in them, whether they attend Michigan or not.

I've had a similar thought lately - even if my kids don't go to Michigan, I like to think I will pass onto them at least a smidge of what Michigan means to me. Wheatley put it rather well here. 

Joined: 01/07/2011

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Ricky from Sunnyvale

January 12th, 2016 at 11:41 AM ^

Great read. I realize not every parent has the perspective of Wheatley on being recruited, but darn I wish more went about it the way he did. It's their decision. Seems that there is a trend of helicopter parents that see their son/daughter as a meal ticket.

Joined: 12/15/2014

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JeepinBen

January 12th, 2016 at 11:45 AM ^

I think it's really great to compare/contrast what Wheat did compared to what we read about Tim Hardaway Jr's childhood - while Tim Sr. came to the realization that he was only coaching and not being a father, Wheat made sure that he erred on that side and continues to. Great that both Jrs had/are having great experiences at Michigan!

Joined: 01/22/2010

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kehnonymous

January 12th, 2016 at 11:48 AM ^

...I was at U-M the same time at Wheatley and I remember hearing a quite possibly apocryphal story about how someone in his dorm pulled a fire alarm or something not-kosher and Wheatley chased the perpetrator down and turned him in.  Not sure if that happened or not.

What I'm pretty sure did NOT happen was my (admittedly good-looking) roommate telling us that he had a class with Tyrone Wheatleys girlfriend at the time who was totes flirting with him.

Joined: 11/25/2011

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bluebyyou

January 12th, 2016 at 12:21 PM ^

I grew up in New England and hate the Yankees with a passion.  It's the Red Sox, baby.

Two exceptions....Jeter and the late Yogi Berra.  Both did things right.

Jeter's site has had some very good stuff, including one piece on Rudock and another on Peppers, among others, that are worth a read if people haven't already done so.

Joined: 09/07/2009

MGoPoints: 18562

SD Larry

January 12th, 2016 at 12:04 PM ^

Thanks for posting this great article.  As a blessed father of two great kids, I love what Tyrone  Wheatley has written about raising Ty Jr.  Even if you are not a father,  imagine you can relate to this article as a son or daughter.  Beutiful article that says a lot about Coach Wheatley as a father and as a man.

Joined: 10/05/2014

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hailtothevictors08

January 12th, 2016 at 12:05 PM ^

Amazing article on the importance of being a supportive parent. 
 

While it is different from being an athlete like in the article, I still remember the day somewhere near the end of my junior year in high school when my father sat me down and made sure I understood that I didn't have to follow my mom and his footsteps into their chosen field of chemistry. Dad and I had just taken a college visit to a school out west where I think I surprised him by choosing to meet with the head of the chemistry department.

He said something along the lines, "(Hailtothevictors08), you hate chemistry, why would you ever want to choose to work in a field you hate? Your mom and I want you to be able to enjoy your field of study in the way we enjoy chemistry."

I can honestly say that short conversation was one of the most important I have ever had. 

 
Thanks Dad

Joined: 06/11/2009

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Wolfman

January 12th, 2016 at 12:49 PM ^

RBs, Wheatley and Hart, names that have to be included in any discussion about all-time greats at UM, share the same goal of becoming head coaches (Hart, of course, stated at UM) tells me a great deal about just how special it must be to have had the privilege of playing for such a storied program. The fact that both, despite their accomplishments, epitomize the word humble tells me even more.

Joined: 07/23/2008

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BubbaT33

January 12th, 2016 at 1:09 PM ^

So!  "You just HAVE TO read it for yourself" -- I say to myself.  Great stuff here!

Here is a quote:  I view the college years as some of the most crucial in a young person’s life. I call it “walking through the woods.” It’s where you start to define who you are and what you are.  I could not agree more.  We have encouraged each of our children to go to college -- Take some time and find out who you are!  Coach Wheatley makes me prouder to call myself a 'Michigan Man.'

Joined: 01/26/2011

MGoPoints: 1798

TdK71

January 12th, 2016 at 1:02 PM ^

I didn't have sons but if I did I would have hope to be able to take the same approach that Ty Wheatley did. 

What a great job of realizing exactly what his role as a parent is... Props to Bo, Gary Moeller, and the other coaches that helped to instill those morals while he was at Michigan.

Man, it's a bit dusty in here...

Joined: 11/30/2010

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ScruffyTheJanitor

January 12th, 2016 at 1:05 PM ^

my wife had gone to bed, the inlaws were gone, and it was just me and him. I remember having only a single thought in my head: "I want you to be happy." This piece reminded me of that. 

Joined: 02/03/2011

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reshp1

January 12th, 2016 at 1:13 PM ^

I remember early in TJ's recruitment being really impressed that Senior basically dropped off his son with the coaches and then went on to do his own thing. No pressuring, no talking up the school and program, not even trying to give him a tour of a campus. Looks like that was a conscious effort on Senior's part. Honestly, as a new dad, I'm not sure I would have the same discipline in the situation.

Joined: 10/31/2011

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A2YpsiBlue

January 12th, 2016 at 1:31 PM ^

I've really enjoyed a lot of the content from The Players Tribune & respect what Tyrone had to say.  I loved watching him while growing up & it is great to see he is so successful in life which includes raising his kids well.  Kudos to him!

Joined: 08/29/2012

MGoPoints: 784

SeaWolve75

January 12th, 2016 at 1:36 PM ^

Not only is #6 an ideal role model as a father--what is truly remarkable is that he had no such figure in his own life.  His father died of a heart attack when he was 2, his step-father died of a heart attack when he was 13, and his mother was incapacitated by alcoholism.  #6 and his sister moved in with an aunt.  #6 took his younger siblings to basketball games when he was in high school, and before he would go he would sit down with them and make contingency plans for what to do if a gunfight started.  After he became a pro he realized that financial support of his youngest half-brother wasn't enough and he moved the kid to New Jersey so #6 could support him.

Wikipedia is my source for all of the specifics, although I certainly remember the general issues.

#6 is on the short list of my favorite Michigan players on the field, although the original #1 is mighty tough to beat out for the top of that list.  But off the field, #6 is top of the list, hands down.  He probably would have turned out the way he did even if he didn't go to Michigan--but I do like to believe that going to Michigan and playing in Bo's program (even if Bo had retired) had something to do with it.

Joined: 10/31/2014

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jmblue

January 12th, 2016 at 3:50 PM ^

I'm very happy to have Tyrone back in the fold.

I love that first photo - I remember having the copy of SI that it ran in.  

I miss the days when college uniforms just had the number on them, and maybe a school logo.  No brand or conference logos to clutter up the front.

Joined: 11/07/2008

MGoPoints: 102750

ilah17

January 12th, 2016 at 7:14 PM ^

What an awesome piece. I have really loved some of these Players' Tribune articles. Looking forward to watching TJ continue to develop and to watching Coach Wheatley continue coaching at Michigan! 

Joined: 12/15/2011

MGoPoints: 4185

M Dude in Portlandia

January 12th, 2016 at 9:18 PM ^

I had one son I sang the song to (before he was born) constantly and he's the only one of my three sons who turned out to be a Michigan fan like me - don't ask me why - it was just fate I guess.

 

Joined: 12/31/2015

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StateStreetApostle

January 12th, 2016 at 9:42 PM ^

Great article.  Good read.  Many, many good lines.

Bbbbbut...

"It’s hard enough for a young man to figure out who he is without having a constant reminder of what he’s being compared to."

["...So I named him Junior"]

--#6

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