Where were you when...?
Where were you when.....
there was no flag in the endzone?
Charles Woodson defied logic and gravity, on more than one occasion?
David Terrell was our only hope against the Plaxico onslaught?
Eleven sacks wasn't enough to derail Spartan Bob?
Henne was like "alright, Braylon Hail Mary on two - BREAK!"?
Sparty played Michael Spinks in 06?
Years of looking at the big picture of Michigan football has resulted in me overlooking how special this rivalry is, and how consistently it has produced memorable outcomes, no matter the teams rankings at the time. I throw up in my mouth when I hear "On the banks for the Red Cedar," but I have to give Sparty one thing, they are game for this rivalry.
I know that common sentiment is that this is little brother, and that paying them mind somehow has come to mean sinking "to their level" when we want to believe that we have bigger fish to fry. Not now, not for this one. This one means something and it is OK if Sparty knows it. Michigan is coming for em this time, Michigan is hungry this time. This time Sparty is in the cross hairs.
The sharp contrast between the green and white of my neighbors flag and the maize and blue of mine is more noticeable this time than it has ever been. It is State Championship weekend. This one is big.
On Sunday, the question will be "where were you when Michigan silenced the critics on that perfect fall day in 2010?"
One day to go.
October 8th, 2010 at 8:59 AM ^
I was @ the Big House for no flag in the end zone. Remains to this day one of the most exciting games I've ever seen.
October 8th, 2010 at 9:31 AM ^
Stop trying to jock my avatar.
October 8th, 2010 at 9:01 AM ^
For Braylon-fest I was actually (I have no idea why it was during MSU/UM) going door-to-door collecting cans for charity (fraternity) and ended up watching the game in some random person's house for about a 1/2 hour. I had no idea who they were and to this day, I still don't.
October 8th, 2010 at 11:04 AM ^
Caught the end of Braylonfest in a car on a mini-TV while missing at least half of a wedding ceremony
thank goodness we won - i felt bad
October 8th, 2010 at 9:02 AM ^
absolutely classic game - The "no flag game" that is. (I would have kicked the Extra Point, from a big picture stand point)
October 8th, 2010 at 10:01 AM ^
Dude, we were ranked #1 in the country at the time and that was before college had overtime. I'm sorry but going for it was the only choice.
October 8th, 2010 at 10:14 AM ^
from a loss, and a loss to ND had not cost us our ranking, I don't think a tie to State in a game as well played as that was going to either. Perhaps a spot or two, but there was time. It was a "ballsy" call, no doubt about it, but I really think the POT was the move. At least debatable to me.
October 8th, 2010 at 10:44 AM ^
And you couldn't expect to be ahead of a ND team that beat you with a loss and a tie. And while that year is the one year it would have actually worked (Colorado was 11-1-1 and won, even though it took them 5 downs to beat Missouri), really before then, no team had won in ages with more than one loss. Even a loss and a tie. It was 0 or 1. So, he was playing to stay #1. Can't fault that.
October 8th, 2010 at 11:02 AM ^
Just going to have to agree to disagree with you on this one. I never had much respect for coaches who would accept the tie rather than go for 2 in the days before college OT.
October 8th, 2010 at 9:03 AM ^
In section 18 on the goalline hugging strangers, trying to yell but lost my voice, and then giving my fiancee shit all the way back to GR!! I CAN"T WAIT!! 34 hours until we are 6-0
October 8th, 2010 at 9:12 AM ^
Was she your ex-fiancee up arrival in G.R.?
October 8th, 2010 at 9:07 AM ^
Braylon-fest:
Sitting with my 10 year old son (at the time) in our seats in section23. We just watched MSU run that gd sprint draw AGAIN (for a TD), and some obese Spartan fan is standing in the middle of the aisle, pointing at all the Michigan fans while he sings the Spartan fight song. My blood was boiling. I turned to my son who was looking cold and sad, and I asked, "wanna get going?"
By the power of the Holy Spirit, he replied, "no, let's stay and see what happens."
I love my son.
October 8th, 2010 at 9:17 AM ^
to your son, make sure he gets that one.
October 8th, 2010 at 9:44 AM ^
I took my dad and sister to this game. After Sparty went up big I got a text from my dad (was sitting across the field) saying, "should we leave?" I wrote back and said, "I don't leave the games early." Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway) my dad was really happy that he did not leave!
October 8th, 2010 at 10:11 AM ^
he's already a far more mature person than I am. That was my junior year, and I stormed out of the student section not when we were down 24-7, but when we were down 17-7 and were punting the ball away for like the 5th straight time. I'd had enough of watching us struggle to score on a shitty State team and figured I was reading the writing on the wall. I heard the crowd's reaction to the long run that put MSU up 24-7 while I was walking down Hoover to my apartment. The rest, as they say, is history.
To this day I still don't blame myself for being so pissed that I left early ... but I do regret it.
October 8th, 2010 at 9:08 AM ^
But i've got quite the geographic spread going here:
No flag - under the polar ice cap doing an arctic run on my first submarine.
Woodson flies - San Diego, Ca watching with some friends who could of cared less about the game until that happened.
Terrell v. Burress - listening on a computer at about 3am while deployed in the Persian/Arabian Gulf.
Spartan Bob - breaking remotes in my Ann Arbor house while attending U of M.
Henne to Edwards x 3 - watching on delayed t.v. (!) while deployed off the coast of Somalia. I love technology.
2006 game - enjoyed it from home while living in Millington, TN
October 8th, 2010 at 9:31 AM ^
Who's in your profile picture?
October 8th, 2010 at 9:41 AM ^
Dude, if I knew those two ladies, I would like to think I wouldn't have time to hang out with you fine MGoGentlemen.
October 8th, 2010 at 11:33 AM ^
google "that look"
October 8th, 2010 at 9:15 AM ^
And this is why Michigan actually needs to dignify the Sibling Rivalry more than it has. Michigan State is always more motivated to play this game than we are, which is why they frequently upset us. That needs to change.
OSU and M both see each other as their main rivals. ND and M both see each other as secondary rivals (ND thinks of USC as its main rival) so that works out ok.
We have to a better job motivating our fans and our team to respect MSU -- because when we don't, they often teach us a lesson.
October 8th, 2010 at 2:09 PM ^
Just so we're clear, MSU has beaten us 10 times in the last 40 years. They don't frequently upset us, just once in a while. The last two seasons have given people the mistaken impression that State always breaks out its A game against us. It's certainly the most important game to them, but they often lay an egg.
October 8th, 2010 at 9:20 AM ^
I'll never forget this day - I was preparing for Halloween night out when I was a senior at the Univ. of Dayton. And that would be the night my buddy and I duck taped trash cans upside down to our feet so we were about 8 feet tall.
Seeing my 6'5" buddy stumble and eventually fall with these things taped to his feet may have been the funniest thing I've ever seen.
Needless to say, Braylon's heroics offered up a great celebration....
October 8th, 2010 at 9:22 AM ^
I also now have the Alan Jackson song "Where were you when the world stopped turning..." in my head. Thanks for the buzz kill on this beautiful fall Friday.
October 8th, 2010 at 9:23 AM ^
No flag in the end zone - Probably running around outside playing football with myself.(I was a weird kid)
Charles Woodson flies - Glued like 2 inches from my TV making my first real fond memories of Michigan football.
David Terrell vs Plaxico - Watching at my friends house who was a Spartan fan.. grrrrrr
Spartan Bob - At home with my best friend and fellow Wolverine fan breaking remotes and being in complete shock.
Braylon Fest - The Big House, with my best friend losing my voice.
06 - In Mannheim, Germany while in the Army, watching on Armed Forces Network with a bunch of people from other places telling me Michigan had one of the best defenses they had ever seen.
October 8th, 2010 at 9:33 AM ^
In Section 11, sitting next to a pair of Sparties who were giving the entire section the business all afternoon. Then Rivas kicked a field goal and Brian Thompson, the unsung hero of Braylon-fest, recovered the onside kick, and three plays later, Michigan was in within seven and I said, to no one in particular "Uh-oh...Sparty hears footsteps." The Spartan fan next to me was very quiet for the remainder of the game. I watched as Dave Rayner's field goal attempt missed wide left, coming right at my seats.
I saw when Chad Henne found Jason Avant to force a second overtime. I watched in disbelief when Chad Henne found #1 on third and 9 and some how Tim Massaquoi elevated to snag a high end two-point conversion pass in the back of the end zone. I smirked with glee when Sparty went "Sparty, no!" and had a 15 yard penalty to make it that much harder. I exploded with glee when, after all had seen lost, ended up being a 45-37 miracle.
These are the days of miracle and wonder. This is the long-distance call. The way the camera captures us in slo-mo. The way we look to us all.
October 8th, 2010 at 9:34 AM ^
there was no flag in the endzone? -- Too young to remember. Probably either watching the game, or pretending to be Desmond Howard. I did that a lot at that age.
Charles Woodson defied logic and gravity, on more than one occasion? -- Anyone else remember when there was a sports bar named Tripper's in Ann Arbor? My family didn't have cable, so we often would catch games there. That's where I saw Woodson fly, and also where I saw him bring home the Heisman a few months later.
David Terrell was our only hope against the Plaxico onslaught? -- Watching at home with the family, I believe.
Eleven sacks wasn't enough to derail Spartan Bob? -- Definitely watching at home with the family. Still one of the great injustices in modern sport history.
Henne was like "alright, Braylon Hail Mary on two - BREAK!"? -- Unlike much of the rest of the student section, I stayed in my seat the whole time. Row 12 (as a freshman, using my senior brother's tickets, since he was studying abroad), corner of the end-zone. To this day, that was the loudest place I've ever been.
Sparty played Michael Spinks in 06? -- Also in the Big House, student section. That was a weird day, because we pounded them without difficulty, and the Tigers were beating the Yankees, which kept getting announced over the Stadium speakers. It lead to a bunch of weird moments where UM & FYS fans would high-five about the Tigers, and then go back to hating each other.
October 8th, 2010 at 9:36 AM ^
I was watching Braylonfest with a couple of friends before heading out to go trick or treating. We were down big early, I was getting a ton of shit, and no one wanted to stay to watch the rest of the game so I went out with them. As we went we saw that a ton of people had the game on in their living rooms so I'd ask at every door what the score was. Things were starting to look up when I started getting phone calls from my dad. At the time I think it was the most excited I'd heard him. We hurried through the rest of the houses and arrived at a friend's house during 2OT I think and I got to watch the glorious ending.
October 8th, 2010 at 9:36 AM ^
The most memorable would have been the Braylon-fest against MSU in 2004. Arena sports bar in downtown Ann Arbor: I was sitting by myself (friends at the game but I prefer bars) at the end of the bar quietly drinking whiskey and probably looking very incognito as an M fan because I don't typically wear any M gear. A small group of MSU fans (2-3) was sitting next to me and because we were at the elbow of the L-shaped bar I could easily hear their discussion and watch their facial expressions during the second half of the game when the entire Spartan lead collapsed in the face of the Braylon TD deluge. It was fascinating to watch those clowns descend from the giddy heights of a too-good-to-be-true-rare-victory-in-Ann-Arbor to the depths of outright despair in just a short time.
The Terrell vs Plaxico game in 1999(?) was an interesting bar experience also. I was in Boston and had planned to watch the game at a bar that was affiliated with the local M alumni association. We got there a bit early, ordered a lunch and settled in for the 12noon game for what appeared to be a full house that day. One small problem: somebody from the bar forgot to order the game on what must have been a special pay-per-view package so they didn't actually have the game on TV. Within two minutes probably about hundred Wolverine fans bolted for the exit leaving behind orders and tables full of food & drinks. I doubt anybody even bothered to pay, it was just "no game? I'm outta here." Not a good day for that place.
October 8th, 2010 at 9:37 AM ^
Spartan Bob: In my dorm room at Markley (5th Bladgon). The entire hall erupted with a "WHAT THE F*&$!!!!!!!" at the same time.
Braylonfest: Section 30, popcorning with everyone else because (a) it was the most exciting 8 minutes of football (plus overtime) that I had ever seen, and (b) the temperature had dropped like 30 degrees from kickoff and I was freezing my ass off.
The 2006 curb-stomping: Section 19. That was fun.
BONUS: for 2005's Mike-Hart-limps-for-400-yards game and 2007's "moment of silence" game, I was in Spartan stadium. Thanks for the hospitality, gents.
October 8th, 2010 at 9:46 AM ^
there was no flag in the endzone? -- At my grandma and grandpa's house watching my grandpa use the word fuck as every version of a word in the english lexicon
Charles Woodson defied logic and gravity, on more than one occasion? -- 910 Packard, on my couch, jumping up and down
David Terrell was our only hope against the Plaxico onslaught? -- drinking... heavily... Ashleys.
Eleven sacks wasn't enough to derail Spartan Bob? -- My apartment, throwing bottles at the wall. Put a hole through the drywall. Fixed it with white toothpaste from the dollar store.
Henne was like "alright, Braylon Hail Mary on two - BREAK!"? -- First year out of college in my new condo in dayton. Girlfriend planned a halloween party at my house. I sat in the fetal position in my la-z-boy watching the game while some douche tried to make small talk with me and my girlfriend gave me dirty looks for not being in costume yet.
Sparty played Michael Spinks in 06? -- Joint UM / MSU alumni association viewing party at a bar. Sparty was more than generous that they as after they gave us a firm handshake and left quietly.
October 8th, 2010 at 11:23 AM ^
For Braylon-Fest, I was driving with my then-fiancee from Chicago to my parents' house in Hartland (just north of Brighton). I had the game on the radio, and somewhere around the first overtime, had to pull into a gas station where a bunch of people were huddled inside to watch the game on a tiny TV in the corner over the register. I watched the rest of the game on that tiny TV with total strangers in a gas station in Paw Paw.
October 8th, 2010 at 9:52 AM ^
Got married that day!!! Friends keeping me updated much to the annoyance of my wife.
No flag - in the student section my freshman year at UM. That pain will never really go away.
Braylon-fest - handing out candy to trick-or-treaters, running back and forth between TV and door.
Good stuff.
October 8th, 2010 at 10:03 AM ^
Clockgate: In my parents basement as a young teen, and all I remember from the game is that last play. Utter devistation.
Braylon Fest: Up in Mt pleasant with my friends in some strangers apartment watching in absolute awe.
October 8th, 2010 at 10:05 AM ^
I was a tuba player in the band at the time, and I was literally 10 feet away from almost every single catch (just missed being in the more famous pictures unfortunately). That is quite possibly one of the craziest memories of my time at Michigan.
October 8th, 2010 at 10:13 AM ^
1) No flag in end zone: I was 15 years old at the time, watching on the family TV
2) Woodson defies gravity: watched that at a bar in Louisville, KY, with my best friend from law school, a Spartan
3) David Terrell/Plaxico assault: also watched at a Louisville bar, but alone and very drunk
4) Spartan Bob: watched at a friend's party in Chicago, even more drunk
5) Henne/Braylon Hail Mary: also watched in Chicago while dressed as a ClipArt kung fu fighter (my Halloween costume was based on the David Rees comic strip, "My New Fighting Technique Is Unstopppable")
6) 2006 game: watched from my living room in Seattle, Wash. Not drunk.
October 8th, 2010 at 10:22 AM ^
There was no flag in the endzone? I was 10 and probably had a BBSC soccer game. I didn't start watching games (or become a massive Desmond Howard fan) until about a year later.
Charles Woodson defied logic and gravity. In East Lansing, senior year of high school. A huge group of us had gone up there for the weekend, staying at the homes of various friends. I had a friend (close back then) who worked at the stadium but she couldn't get us tickets, so me and a couple of friends watched from a chain restaurant near the highway, while our girlfriends took the car. When that interception happened, I missed it at first, and my buddy was like "he intercepted it" and I had to stare intently at replay before believing it.
David Terrell was our only hope against the Plaxico onslaught? In Spartan Stadium, in the student section. My brother was a freshman at MSU. The Sparty fans around me are still the worst away fans I've ever been around -- one took my Michigan bucket hat and threw it over the side of the stadium.
Eleven sacks wasn't enough to derail Spartan Bob? Driving back from West Virginia, with my fraternity little brother and his best friend. We had gone to stay at our WVa chapter, except the dudes there were nothing like us -- on Friday night they wanted us to help them start a brawl with a rival fraternity. I slept in my car, and then we decided to drive back the next morning, stopping wherever we were when the game came on. That's how we ended up watching with a bunch of laughing Ohio State fans. I would have much rather continued the tradition my bro and I had from '98-'00 of goin to each others' towns for the game -- he had a legendary night and tailgate (which was a continuation of the night) and I wish I coulda been there.
Henne was like "alright, Braylon Hail Mary on two - BREAK!"? My friend's apartment in Ypsilanti. It coincided with our first real reunion after everyone had graduated and split to the four winds, so it was kind of like an indoor tailgate. During the game my brother kept calling me every time Sparty scored to rub it in. Then the phone went blessedly silent (he wouldn't pick up my calls).
Sparty played Michael Spinks in 06? In Paris, using two DVR/Slingbox combos at two different locations in Michigan (back then Comcast's DVRs couldn't record two channels at once), and a projector screen in the bedroom of the apartment. Both games started at 10:30 p.m. Paris time. One feed had Michigan vs. State, and the other had the Tigers beating the Yankees 8-3 to clinch the ALDS. At each commercial or "highlight break" to show the other game, we would pause one and go to watch the other. It was quite the feat (my father deserves most of the credit), but once both games were in hand, I left with the girl I was there with (pre-Misopogal), because it was "White Night" in Paris.
October 8th, 2010 at 10:26 AM ^
I forgot about my Spartan Blob story....
My dad lives in California so I thought I'd surprise him by flying out there to watch the game with him. He had no idea I was coming. After the shock of me ringing his doorbell, we get the pleasantries out of the way and head to a local restaurant/bar to watch the game.
About mid-way through the 4th quarter, some UCLA fans were starting to fill the room for the upcoming Bruin game. As our game unfolded, some old hag Bruin fan chimes in with, "Good, I hate Michigan." Besides the horrendous outcome, I remember that the most from that game. Stupid old lady. haha.
October 8th, 2010 at 10:30 AM ^
Until you see them all in one place, it's easy to forget how many great (and not so great) games there have been in this rivalry. Here are mine:
No Flag: Jumping up and down in my living room when I was 11 hugging my mom, only to realize that he had dropped it. Then seeing the replay and going outside to kick my dog.
Charles Woodson defied logic: Sitting at a friends house. I came home for the weekend because it was an away game. Still the best single play an athlete for Michigan has ever made.
David Terrell was our only hope against the Plaxico onslaught: I was at this game at Spartan Stadium. Hurts more watching it in person, but feeling the stadium's tense fear as we mounted that failed comeback was fun.
Eleven sacks wasn't enough to derail Spartan Bob: Too much booze to recall correctly
Henne was like "alright, Braylon Hail Mary on two - BREAK!": Tailgating behind the Tennis Center with a TV and Rabbit ears out of my future wife's Blazer with a mixed group of Michigan and Sparties. Worst 3.5 quarters of football to be followed by the best .5 Quarter and overtime ever.
Sparty played Michael Spinks in 06: Watching at my Apt in AA and flipping between that and the Tigers in the playoffs. Easier to do after halftime.
October 8th, 2010 at 10:35 AM ^
Braylon-Fest was my first game back as an alum
October 8th, 2010 at 10:52 AM ^
For the Desmond-drop-no-flag play, I was 11 and didn't see the game because I was at my aunt's wedding that Saturday.
The Priest started off the ceremony with, "For all of you gathered here today, and those of you who missed the kickoff..."
And while you didn't ask about it, for the 2nd half of the '07 game I was in the car on the way to a Piston's game listening to the comeback on the radio and shitting myself because I didn't get to watch it.
October 8th, 2010 at 10:54 AM ^
1. No flag in the endzone: 10 years old. In front of the TV at my Mom's house. First time I ever really remember feeling passionate about Michigan. The one moment I can put my finger on being a "Michigan fan".
2. Charles Woodson defied logic and gravity: Sr year of HS. Watching game at home w/ my brother.
3. David Terrell was our only hope against the Plaxico: Spartan Stadium upper deck, soph year. One more possession and that game was ours.
4. Spartan Bob: Drove from A2 to EL on gamday and watched the game with a big group of folks on my buddies front lawn.
5. Braylonfest: Atlanta Alumni bar. 100% PCA
6. Mike Hart game: Cousins house.
October 8th, 2010 at 11:06 AM ^
there was no flag in the endzone? Top row of the student section. Happened in my corner, but the angle, couldn't see the pass interference. Wasn't really sure what happened till I go back to the dorm and saw the replays on tv.
Charles Woodson defied logic and gravity, on more than one occasion? It's funny, I remember the game really well...but where I was at is a blank. I might have been at my apartment.....though I may have been at Touchdown's too. I didn't go to any road games that year, so I watched a number at the bar, but the big games, sometimes I wanted to yell in peace, so I might have stayed home and headed out immediately afterwards.
David Terrell was our only hope against the Plaxico onslaught? Watching on tv hoping the I like them both experiment was ending.
Eleven sacks wasn't enough to derail Spartan Bob? Upper deck, Spartan Stadium, with the Michigan fans, counting down, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 , 0, 0, 0...... Wasn't a fun exit to the car.
Henne was like "alright, Braylon Hail Mary on two - BREAK!"? My seats, Michigan Stadium, listening to Spartans talk talk talk...thinking, I don't want to be here when this ends, I'm going to get into a fight... ok, if we don't score here, I'm gone....ok, if we don't get the onside kick here, I'm gone....ok, if we can't score after getting an onside kick, I'm gone...hey, wait a minute...
Sparty played Michael Spinks in 06? Same seats. Loving that we were probably getting another MSU coach fired.
Man, so many others though...
Where were you when the yard marker chains ended up being a yard shorter than usual?
Where were you when Bobby Williams lost his team (and his job)?
When Chris Perry carried the whole team on his back?
When the tuck rule was screwed up, and it took 2 kicks to win the game?
Where were you when you absolutely confirmed Chad Henne was a robot?
October 8th, 2010 at 12:21 PM ^
I was at home watching Braylon-fest with my parents, and with an acceptance letter to Michigan in my hands, I was so proud and excited to go. I'm sure that was the begin of major Senioritis.
I was in a hotel lobby during Clockgate, and it made me sick to my stomach, especially because most of the people in the bar next to the lobby started cheering their bloody heads off and chanting...well, I'm not gonna type it because it makes me cringe.
The best one, though was 2007. I was in Spartan Stadium, in their student section, jumping up and down and screaming my head off with my girlfriend when Robo-Henne decided to knock his motherboard in place and find Manningham in the corner of the endzone. Shortly after, The Victors rang loud and proud throughout the concourses and the streets.
Tomorrow, I'll be in section 32, row 23, watching Denard and my Michigan Wolverines demolish another Spartan team, and all will be right with the world for another week.
October 8th, 2010 at 2:23 PM ^
I've been in attendance for all the games in Ann Arbor since '96 (except '08) and just watched the others at home. Nothing really out of the ordinary.
I do have two distinct memories from from the '04 game:
-When we punted, right before MSU scored to go up 27-10, the fans next to me left and jokingly said to me, "Win it for us."
-When we kicked the field goal to make it 27-13, there was almost no cheering. Fans were not happy with Carr's decision to kick the FG. I've never seen that before or since. We scored points and the home crowd was almost silent. But then we recovered the onside kick and the energy in the stadium shot up.
Out of curiosity, why did you choose 2006, and not '05 (which we also won in overtime) or '07 (the Robo-Henne comeback)? The '06 game was probably the most boring game in the past decade. It was a blowout, but not on the magnitude of the epic '02 beatdown. Nothing from that game really stands out.
October 8th, 2010 at 2:23 PM ^
game I was stationed at Schofield Barracks HI. Michigan was televised out there for once, however when it went to overtime they switched to a Hawaii game. (things were thrown, oceanic cable operators were yelled at)
I ended up calling back home and had them hold the phone up to the television until the end of the game.
October 8th, 2010 at 4:13 PM ^
Thanks for bringing back all of the memories.
No flag - In the opposite end zone with a Sparty girlfriend. She was a cheater too!
Woodson - At Spartan friend's house playing some drinking game tied to the in-game outcomes.
Terrell - Same as above.
Sparty Bob - same as above.
Braylon Fest - At the game.....(this sucks to admit) until I left with a few minutes in regulation because I'm pretty sure I was bad luck. I'll do it again tomorrow if I have to! Heard the cheers and the game on the radio in a parking lot. I had to leave last year's ND game too. Basically, my cousin forces me to leave any late close game but I happily take one for team.