Rick Leach Inducted into Michigan Sports Hall of Fame:
Last night at a ceremony in Novi, looks like Frank Beckman is MC. His segment begins at 162:55 and is a must see. Around the 167 mark, he tears into the Freep, and former players that turned against the program (Borens maybe?). Way to go Rick, another reason we love you:
http://www.mlive.com/sports/index.ssf/2010/09/live_video_legendary_lion…
September 14th, 2010 at 4:21 PM ^
Is the HoF still located in Cobo Arena, or did they finally find a place for it?
September 14th, 2010 at 4:23 PM ^
What took so long for him to get this recognition? He was a multi-sport star in high school and college in the state of Michigan and played pro baseball for the Tigers. Shouldn't this induction have happened a long time ago?
September 14th, 2010 at 6:06 PM ^
September 14th, 2010 at 4:24 PM ^
September 14th, 2010 at 5:06 PM ^
Congrats Rick, very, very well deserved.
September 14th, 2010 at 5:07 PM ^
Let's not forget that along with Rick Leach, another great Michigan Man in this class of inductees was Bill Flemming, who started as a student broadcaster at Michigan and later, while working for ABC sports, practically invented the craft of college football highlight programs on television.
September 14th, 2010 at 5:16 PM ^
I never missed that show, and would ride my bike to attend mass early (or skip mass completely and claim to have gone), to make sure I wouldn't miss the college football highlight show. The show was on around 11:00 am on Sunday mornings during football season.
After the show it was off to play some pick up football and run the option, pretending I was Ricky Leach or Rob Lytle, or Gordie Bell
September 15th, 2010 at 7:45 AM ^
is a mirror image of my childhood growing up in Florida a huge MICHIGAN fan.
Remember, those were the days when any given college team could only be televised a very limited number of times in the regular season (something crazy, like two times).
Sunday morning was the chance to get a glance at MICHIGAN, and we would watch the show religiously and listen to Bill Flemming's great voice.
And now we have ESPN.....
September 15th, 2010 at 3:06 PM ^
And you could never quite be sure if Michigan would even be on the show. It was like a box of cracker jack, you didn't know what you would get. Plus it was formatted like a college game, they would waste time, showing a college band performing, while I was hoping for some I. M. Hipp highlights.
September 14th, 2010 at 5:09 PM ^
Wow. Thanks. That was a beautiful thing, Leach certainly is deserving.
At the onset of the video recap honoring Leach, I do believe that was Gordie Bell # 9 taking the pitch from Leach and scampering into the end zone.
September 15th, 2010 at 8:31 AM ^
not sure who wore #9 or if that is the number in the video.
September 14th, 2010 at 5:32 PM ^
was my first boyhood Michigan idol.
Congrats Mr. Leach.
September 14th, 2010 at 5:49 PM ^
Michigan ran the option I formation for most his Leach's QB career at Michigan with some feigned wishbone aspects in 1978.
Leach was the first quarterback to really shine in the modern passing game for Michigan, mainly due to Asst coach Don Nehlen who helped develop Michigan's downfield passing playbook once college pass-blocking rules were changed in 1976. Michigan led the nation in rushing that year and moved to a more passing team in 1977. It's interesting to see old game films of Rick Leach still running the triple-option progression but suddenly taking 2 stuttersteps back to throw a pass to one of 3 receivers (SE, TE, WB).
Compare that with Michigan's 4 and 5 wide sets today under Rodriguez, one might wonder how a Rick Leach would have progressed in this kind of an offense given his demonstrated running ability as well. Leach's NFL draft stock might have been much higher in 1979 than it was (Denver Broncos).
September 14th, 2010 at 8:04 PM ^
The next time someone from West Virginia whines and moans about Rich Rod leaving his alma mater to go coach at a more prestigous school make sure you mention Coach Nehlen and how West Virginia took him away from Bowling Green, where he was the head coach at the time.
Nehlen was a star quarterback in Bowling Green during the fifties then went as was an assistant coach at a bunch of different places (including Michigan) until landing the head coaching gig at Bowling Green. He was there for eight years before West Virginia thought to steal him away.
September 14th, 2010 at 8:45 PM ^
player. Thank you for the great memories. Your recognition is well-deserved.
September 14th, 2010 at 8:46 PM ^
Need to change the thread title. Not that it's not informative, but I really wish more people would see this. Rick Leach FTW. He seems like a badass. . . still. Not the kind of guy you'd want to mess with it seems like.
September 14th, 2010 at 8:50 PM ^
Rick Leach: The guts and glue of the maize and blue. Congrats!