Your First Game
Solely for my entertainment purposes on this drizzly Friday, and with just a shade over an hour left in the day, I thought I would throw this out there. Sure, maybe this has been covered before, but I've seen a few recent posts about dads taking sons to their first game at Michigan Stadium and it made me wonder, what was yours?
For me, it was my dad taking me as a 7-year-old to the Maryland game in 1985 (Michigan 20 - Maryland 0.) Not knowing much about football at the time, I had images of nice smelling pastries whenever my father mentioned a turnover. Over the next few months my obsession was born. Tears fell when Iowa beat us on a last-second field goal. And my hatred for the Buckeyes started to grow. That was the start for me: Harbaugh, Morris, Kolesar, Jokisch.
Anyways, just thought I would throw it out there.
Cheers.
August 28th, 2009 at 3:54 PM ^
I remeber being there but I don't remember the opponent. We sat right above the tunnel. I'd have to guess late 60s. The birth of an obsession....
August 28th, 2009 at 4:16 PM ^
Yeah, my dad was dragging me along when I was real young (seems like a waste of money to me, not to mention a pain in the ass). The first QB I can actually remember playing was Elvis. I remember sitting through a cold and rainy Illinois game. We went for two points earlier in the game but didn't make it, and Illinois tied it up with a last second field goal (before college had OT).
August 28th, 2009 at 3:56 PM ^
Northwestern, 2008. The cool thing was I was in row 3 behind the Michigan bench. Unfortunately, by staying until the last second ticked off I almost died of hypothermia, hopefully the game next week will have slightly better weather.
August 28th, 2009 at 4:27 PM ^
but you are, like me and many other MGoBloggers, a Ninja Blackbelt Fan (I can't remember who came up with that expression...was it Brian?). Kudos to you. That's the last game I've attended and would like to replace that experience with a more positive one.
August 28th, 2009 at 5:57 PM ^
That game really summed up my experience of the whole of last season. Stayed until the end though. Here's to a win in THIS years final home game...
August 28th, 2009 at 6:01 PM ^
It must have been better than the top of the bowl on the South endzone. Only good thing was after half time we were able to move back against the middle rail.
The real interesting thing was my 13 year old daughter made us stay to the bitter end.
Good thing they sold ponchoes as the forecast was for cool and windy- not cold and sleet
Almost died walking to the car.
Of course then the sun came out and it was a sunny drive home.
August 28th, 2009 at 3:58 PM ^
Student section, I think they crushed Indiana that day. Seeing Woodson in person was awesome and I miss the marshmallows. I got hit in the head with a large marshmallow filled with nickels and pennies. At the time I was pissed but now it is one of my most cherished memories at the big house.
August 28th, 2009 at 3:58 PM ^
I was the same age as you GoBlueScott, but it was, uh, a little farther back in history. Not much, though.
September, 1979. I was 7. Season opener (i think) vs Northwestern. Michigan won 49-0.
My second game ever was the famous Wangler to AC play. I have been hooked ever since.
My grandparents took me to those games. I still sit in the same seats today, and I think about them every single time I walk into the stadium.
By 1985, I was already a full bore addict, but what a year to be indoctrinated into Michigan Football. Thats one of my favorite teams.
August 28th, 2009 at 4:05 PM ^
The best finish I've seen in person was Desmond's game winning td catch against Notre Dame.
August 28th, 2009 at 4:54 PM ^
but remember Ufer's hysteria on the radio broadcast. Not as great as being there, but this moment is still vivid.
My pops was/is a State fan (hated Ufer), but as a testament to his dedication to me, he sucked it up and took me to Michigan Stadium year after year rather than E.L. My first game (or the earliest game I can remember) was a Mich/Purdue when Mark Herrmann was QB for the B'makers, which puts it '78 or '80. I believe the latter because I recall some signifant Herrmann hype, and it looks like he was player of the year in the conf. in '80.
August 28th, 2009 at 4:02 PM ^
I was seated at one of the endzones with my dad. Either Michael Taylor or Demetrius Brown (I think they were splitting time at that point) broke loose for a long touchdown run straight at us, everyone stood up, and my dad picked me up so I could see it go down. (I'm not vertically challenged, I was a child at the time) That was pretty sweet.
August 28th, 2009 at 4:08 PM ^
1995, Michigan vs Purdue with the final Score of 5-0........safety and field goal. It snowed balls that game and we froze our ass off, but I cant imagine heroin being much different b/c I have been hooked ever since.
August 28th, 2009 at 6:42 PM ^
I remember that game! We left sometime in the third quarter, though, because on the side of the field we were on, it was snowing/sleeting/whatever directly into our eyes and it stung like a mother.
That was the game where I learned what a safety was.
August 28th, 2009 at 4:09 PM ^
1995 Kickoff Classic
Michigan vs Virginia. Scott Dreisbach leads us back from 17-0 and finds Mercury Hayes in the corner. The whole thing is more memorable because of the silence as everyone waited for the referee to nod that he had a foot in bounds and then everyone goes crazy.
Also, it ended the stat ABC loved to put up during Michigan games. Michigan had never come back from more than 14 points down. I was probably as sick as that stat as annoying Red Sox fans of 1918.
Always, I've felt compelled to follow Dreisbach's career, always thought he was undderatted and injuries held him back.
August 28th, 2009 at 4:21 PM ^
This was my first game as well. It couldn't have been a better one.
It was also my first time high fiving and hugging complete strangers once Hayes made the catch.
August 28th, 2009 at 4:30 PM ^
This too was my first game. It was so hot. My dad was miserable and felt bad for making me go along. I never once asked to leave, but I will admit, I did want to. I told him I would stay if he wanted to. We left mid third quarter
He still claims the beads of sweat dripping off my forehead convinced him to pack it in. I will never forget hearing some of the loudest cheering as we walked across the bridge on Stadium en-route to the bowling alley parking lot.
At least we heard it on the radio.
Oh yes, I was also at the Colorado game. DOH!
August 28th, 2009 at 4:10 PM ^
First game I witnessed in person was Michigan vs. Washington State back in 1987
A solid Michigan victory with a final score of 44-18
I was a young kid back then and I think I was more concerned about getting a pop than watching the game (how foolish I was).
August 28th, 2009 at 8:53 PM ^
bought a single game for PU and Northwestern. My seat was under the scoreboard in the S end, so I went in my appointed gate, down a few rows and around to the student section where my buddy Fred (engr '85) was waiting.
(The band was about where it is now, and we heard them just fine, btw.)
In those days, there was a party store on that corner where the cop directs traffic. After half time, you could walk in with booze, because they either stopped demanding tickets or simply left the gates. A guy a few rows up walked in with a 12er of Stroh's.
It was the year that the wave really took hold - the '84 Tigers got it from UM, who evidently got it from UW earlier that year in Seattle.
didn't make the NU game - Fred's dad had a cancer procedure, so no roadtrips for Otis that week. What a bitch.
August 28th, 2009 at 10:18 PM ^
Yes, that was the first year of the "wave" at Michigan.
It was brought back from the Michigan-Washington game at Seattle.
The cheerleaders announced at a pep rally before the first home game that they were going to try it during the game. They called it "Maize in Motion".
They started it in the student section, but it kept fizzling out over and over in the blue-hair section below the pressbox. They finally got smart and re-directed it the other way.
When it finally got going after many false starts, the crowd roared loudly with approval as it circled the stadium again and again. It got so loud, that the refs gave Bo a warning about crowd noise (that was back when the home team could get an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for excessive crowd noise).
Bo slammed his headset down and ran out in the middle of the field and furiously waved his arms for everyone to be quiet.
But we weren't ready to quit. So, smartasses that we were, we did a quiet-wave, with everyone holding their fingers up to thier lips and saying "shhhhhhhh!" as the wave went around.
After the game, Bo was asked about it in an interview. In true Bo style, he declared that if we could not behave ourselves he would clear the stadium and play before empty seats.
The "wave" is a tired cliche now, but when it was first done in the Big House it was an awesome thing of beauty, 100,000 people all simultaneously participating in the same act.
August 29th, 2009 at 12:26 PM ^
so basically, the claim that michigan stadium can't be loud because all the noise goes straight up is a myth?!
August 28th, 2009 at 4:15 PM ^
Colorado, 1997. That was a great start to a great year.
August 28th, 2009 at 4:18 PM ^
I remember watching IU's Anthony Thompson have a good day, but the enduring memory was watching Tony Boles run for a long TD up the right sideline. I was overwhelmed with how many people were there, but I also could not believe how intimate it felt.
August 28th, 2009 at 4:20 PM ^
2000 game v. Bowling Green, first game freshman year. John Navarre was AWESOME in that game.
Edit: or was it Rice? i could easily confirm this but am too lazy and / or busy at work.
August 28th, 2009 at 4:21 PM ^
Houston in 1992 was my first game, Pigskin Classic in 95 first game with season tickets
August 28th, 2009 at 4:26 PM ^
Alamo Bowl 2006, Michigan vs. Nebraska
When we went 7-5, and lost the game on the last play b/c ecker didn't pitch to breaston, if i'm not mistaken,
however,
this happened.
What could have been......
August 28th, 2009 at 4:27 PM ^
My first game was 2001 against Miami (not that Miami). I don't remember a whole lot, but my dad is a Miami (NTM) alum so we were up with the visitors. I was the only one in Michigan colors, needless to say I had some fun.
What got my hooked was the 1997 OSU vs Michigan game. I can still remember going crazy for Woodson returning that punt... ahhhhh precious memories
August 28th, 2009 at 4:35 PM ^
Mine was the game against syracuse when Donovan McNabb ran out of his shoes.
August 28th, 2009 at 4:38 PM ^
The 1985 U-M vs. Maryland game was also the first game I ever saw live at Michigan Stadium.
August 28th, 2009 at 4:46 PM ^
I was about 10. We went with the cub scouts (Dad was a scout master). Sat way up in the north end zone. The stadium was like 1/3 empty. I think it cost a buck.
August 28th, 2009 at 5:01 PM ^
years when you started out. Kudos to you for sticking tough until Bo took the reigns.
August 28th, 2009 at 6:19 PM ^
Over 60 and know how to use the internet? Kudos.
I kid, I kid.
August 28th, 2009 at 4:56 PM ^
If I remember right, the Rose Bowl was up for grabs because OSU was crappy that year. Jeff George was the Illini QB. Michigan pounded the crap out of them, 38-9. I just remember it being very icy because we had to bust some ice off our car to get in it after the game was over.
August 28th, 2009 at 5:01 PM ^
Drove down for the cold, snowy game in madison mid-november. I was a trash talking loud-mouth 11 year old, that kid you wanted to punch in the mouth until you realized he hadn't hit puberty yet so ya shouldn't. Gotta love the road games!
August 28th, 2009 at 5:03 PM ^
My first time was at the Big House v. LBSU when I was 5. Jamie Morris ripped off a big run and I think he lost his shoe. Great memory. The first smell and sight of the stadium will never be forgotten.
August 28th, 2009 at 5:07 PM ^
september 11, 1999
we stomped Rice.
August 28th, 2009 at 5:10 PM ^
M wins on a last second field goal -
August 28th, 2009 at 5:14 PM ^
I was only one month old.
August 28th, 2009 at 5:23 PM ^
Michigan at UCLA
Henson was hurt, Terrell was awesome, and Navarre well...couldn't he have given just the slightest pump fake, or even just a shoulder twinge? The safety would have bitten for sure and then TD and victory for us.
Prototype UC student yelled at me on the way out.
Also, my first experience with the "move those chains" chant.
August 28th, 2009 at 5:24 PM ^
I was 7 years old. I had been caught rooting for MSU while watching a game on TV and was quickly reprimanded and then brought up to Ann Arbor for this homecoming game. Unfortunately, Michigan was destroyed by a Gopher team led by Bobby Bell and Carl Eller, 17-0, in front of 65,000. Michigan turned it over 6 times and had only 50 yards total offense for the game. The beatdown would have been much worse, but Minnesota turned it over 6 times themselves. It was Michigan's 3rd straight shutout loss. At one point in the game, Bump was so frustrated with the offense that he put mainly defensive players in on offense (most players played some on both sides of the ball in those days).
By the time the '64 season rolled around I was totally into it and enjoyed a Big Ten championship and a Rose Bowl victory on TV, led by guys that had been sophomores on that 1962 team.
August 28th, 2009 at 10:31 PM ^
Minnesota was still a national power. They had won the National Championship in 1960 when it was decided before the bowls. Minnesota would soon fall by the wayside, though.
August 28th, 2009 at 5:56 PM ^
My first game was when I was three years old against Long Beach St. in 1987. We won 49-0 and while I remember nothing from the actual game I do have a picture with my dad on our lawn before the game (with the score written on the back) as documentation. A very nice memento, +1 Mom
August 28th, 2009 at 6:04 PM ^
THE HORROR!!!
August 28th, 2009 at 10:24 PM ^
Sorry to hear that.
That's like having your first boat ride be on the Titanic.
August 28th, 2009 at 11:27 PM ^
Born and raised a Michigan fan, but had never been to a game. It was my freshman year, first game in the MMB, high hopes for the season.
What a horrible f***ing day.
August 28th, 2009 at 6:16 PM ^
I went to the 04' Minnesota game during my senior year of high school. My buddy and I were in the end zone where Ecker made the long touchdown run. It was amazing. I don't think I'll ever forget the first time I walked into the stadium either, gives me chills thinking about it.
The game was really just the icing on the cake for the whole weekend too. My friend's brother was a sophomore, so we went down there Friday and stayed with him in the dorms. This weekend convinced me I didn't want to go anywhere but Michigan.
August 28th, 2009 at 6:38 PM ^
My first game, let's see, I was (hang on....checking year) 9 years old. We hung 40-odd points on Purdue and Elvis Grbac gave way in the fourth quarter to Todd Collins.
August 28th, 2009 at 6:44 PM ^
I got to sit through this with my ND friend. It was a great day.
August 28th, 2009 at 6:57 PM ^
I am the first of my family to go to college, so I had no relatives drag me along to games growing up. I was dumb enough to not get tickets my freshman year so I got a ND ticket from a friend of a friend. It was row seven or so behind the endzone right next to the student section. I got there about an hour early and from the outside, didn't think much of the big house, forgetting it was built into a hole. As soon as I stepped through that entrance in to my section I stood awestruck at the giant bowl laid out in front of me with a handful of people wandering around in it. I found my seat and then sat there with a big stupid smile on my face all by myself. I spent the entire time screaming and cheering as nobody around me did the same. They just sat there and glanced at me while sitting on their little foam pads. None of them told me to sit down, but I could tell they wanted me to. I disregarded these stares completely. I kept looking over to the student section and thinking I needed to be over there instead.
That wish was granted when I got another friend's ticket for the Penn State game that year. I've never hugged so many people that I've never met and will never meet again as I did after that last play. That was a great game.
August 28th, 2009 at 7:33 PM ^
I never had an opportunity to go when I was a kid. My first game was as a freshman. So my first experience in Michigan Stadium was coming out of the tunnel in a marching band uniform. I don't think I would trade that for having the childhood experience.
August 28th, 2009 at 7:45 PM ^
Ricky Fuckin' Foggie
It was starting out to be the greatest day of my life. My dad surprised me with tickets the night before. We drove up in the morning and we met my neighbor at his dorm in West Quad. Ate breakfast at a campus diner... might have been the Jug. Went to the game and my neighbor had girls singing the fight song to me as we walked down State St. I was eight and had an oversized maize shirt from my dad's closet over my winter jacket that said "Oh How I Hate Ohio State". Then the game happened that cost Michigan a national title and the Little Brown Jug. I now lust after that ceramic trophy more than is healthy.
I don't remember crying that much after a sporting event with the notable exception of when the Hart Foundation used Jimmy Hart's megaphone to knock out Davy Boy Smith and steal the Tag Team Titles from the British Bulldogs at Joe Louis Arena.