I have been reading this blog for years, and this thread has finally made me join and this is my first post. Many foregoing posts have so many unifying themes - and I agree there is an undefinable "Michigan Spirit" that permeates. I am the son of 2 UM grads, and the nephew of another. My dad was in the MMB in the early 60s and took me to my first game in '75 (I was 8). He also tutored Red Berenson when he was an undergrad back when Red was just a scrappy hockey player. We listened to Bob Ufer's pregame all the way up to the games and I was educated about all the UM traditions. Leach, Huckleby, Simpkens, Woolfolk, Wangler, Carter were my childhood sports idols (how cool was that to "come into age" of UM football in the 70s). All those Nerf football games where the Woverines win!! The Slippery Rock - Shippensburg game. I nearly had to be institutionalized when my dad left me home for an OSU game because the only extra ticket would have required me to sit with a 14 year old neighbor's kid and my over protective parents did want their 10 year old sitting without an adult (yes it was torture and I'm still pissed about that to this day). I listened to every game I did not go to on the radio - General Patton's horn! The first song we played in 5th grade band (me on trumpet) was the Victors! I went to UM undergrad and law school. I was there for Colo h.m. pass, MM's PSU catch, and lost my voice in a bar in Chicago in the BE 3OT MSU game. I also remember signing the "Na-Na-Na - Goodbye" song to the UMiami team in '88 in the student section thinking UM had sealed a victory, only to hear a silent Big House after Miami won 31-30 (second only to silence of Colo game). Being at RB in 97 was unforgettable. I have a picture in my office of Bo squatting with his arms around 2 little boys at Camp Michigania - one being 6 year old me and the other my 4-year old brother (Shemmy, Bo's son, was climbing on his back and you can see his funny red sandals and white socks hanging behind Bo - I remember thinking they were girls' shoes). Beginning 10-15 years ago, at games, whenever the PA says "Band take the Field" and up through the conclusion of the Victors, I tear up and have to sometimes contain myself from bawling. Nothing else to date elicits this same emotion out of me.... I've come to realize that single event triggers an imploding vortex of my entire life experiences to date (many of which are impacted by UM), my parents' UM experiences that contributed to my love of UM, and spits the same into a momentary overflowing cauldron of self reflection and appreciation for everything I have. Oh, and of course, there is the football too. There you have it!
I have been reading this blog for years, and this thread has finally made me join and this is my first post. Many foregoing posts have so many unifying themes - and I agree there is an undefinable "Michigan Spirit" that permeates. I am the son of 2 UM grads, and the nephew of another. My dad was in the MMB in the early 60s and took me to my first game in '75 (I was 8). He also tutored Red Berenson when he was an undergrad and Red was just a scrappy hockey player. We listened to Bob Ufer's pregame the way up and I was educated about all the UM traditions. Leach, Huckleby, Simpkens, Woolfolk, Wangler, Carter were my childhood sports idols (how cool was that to "come into age" of UM football in the 70s). All those Nerf football games where the Woverines win!! I almost went to the Slippery Rock - Shippensburg game. I nearly had to be institutionalized when my dad left me home for an OSU game because the only extra ticket would have required me to sit with a 14 year old neighbor's kid and my over protective parents did want their 10 year old sitting without an adult (yes it was torture). I listened to every game I did not go to on the radio - General Patton's horn! The first song we played in 5th grade band (me on trumpet) was the Victors! I went to UM undergrad and law school. I was there for Colo h.m. pass, MM's PSU catch, and lost my voice in a bar in Chicago in the BE 3OT MSU game. I also remember signing the "Na-Na-Na - Goodbye" song to the UMiami team in '88 in the student section thinking UM had sealed a victory, only to hear a silent Big House after Miami won (second only to silence of Colo game). I have a picture on my desk of Bo squatting with his arms around 2 little boys at Camp Michigania - one being 6 year old me and the other my 4-year old brother (Shemmy, Bo's son, was climbing on his back and you can see his funny red sandals and white socks hanging behind Bo). Whenever the PA says "Band take the Field" I tear up and have to sometimes contain myself from bawling. Nothing else to date elicits this same emotion out of me.... It's not only the game and my love of UM FB that triggers this, but that single event is an impolding vortex of my entire life experiences to date (many of which are impacted by UM), my parents experiences all focussed on an overwhelming moment of self reflection and appreciation for everything I have. There you have it!
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I have been reading this blog for years, and this thread has finally made me join and this is my first post. Many foregoing posts have so many unifying themes - and I agree there is an undefinable "Michigan Spirit" that permeates. I am the son of 2 UM grads, and the nephew of another. My dad was in the MMB in the early 60s and took me to my first game in '75 (I was 8). He also tutored Red Berenson when he was an undergrad back when Red was just a scrappy hockey player. We listened to Bob Ufer's pregame all the way up to the games and I was educated about all the UM traditions. Leach, Huckleby, Simpkens, Woolfolk, Wangler, Carter were my childhood sports idols (how cool was that to "come into age" of UM football in the 70s). All those Nerf football games where the Woverines win!! The Slippery Rock - Shippensburg game. I nearly had to be institutionalized when my dad left me home for an OSU game because the only extra ticket would have required me to sit with a 14 year old neighbor's kid and my over protective parents did want their 10 year old sitting without an adult (yes it was torture and I'm still pissed about that to this day). I listened to every game I did not go to on the radio - General Patton's horn! The first song we played in 5th grade band (me on trumpet) was the Victors! I went to UM undergrad and law school. I was there for Colo h.m. pass, MM's PSU catch, and lost my voice in a bar in Chicago in the BE 3OT MSU game. I also remember signing the "Na-Na-Na - Goodbye" song to the UMiami team in '88 in the student section thinking UM had sealed a victory, only to hear a silent Big House after Miami won 31-30 (second only to silence of Colo game). Being at RB in 97 was unforgettable. I have a picture in my office of Bo squatting with his arms around 2 little boys at Camp Michigania - one being 6 year old me and the other my 4-year old brother (Shemmy, Bo's son, was climbing on his back and you can see his funny red sandals and white socks hanging behind Bo - I remember thinking they were girls' shoes). Beginning 10-15 years ago, at games, whenever the PA says "Band take the Field" and up through the conclusion of the Victors, I tear up and have to sometimes contain myself from bawling. Nothing else to date elicits this same emotion out of me.... I've come to realize that single event triggers an imploding vortex of my entire life experiences to date (many of which are impacted by UM), my parents' UM experiences that contributed to my love of UM, and spits the same into a momentary overflowing cauldron of self reflection and appreciation for everything I have. Oh, and of course, there is the football too. There you have it!
I have been reading this blog for years, and this thread has finally made me join and this is my first post. Many foregoing posts have so many unifying themes - and I agree there is an undefinable "Michigan Spirit" that permeates. I am the son of 2 UM grads, and the nephew of another. My dad was in the MMB in the early 60s and took me to my first game in '75 (I was 8). He also tutored Red Berenson when he was an undergrad and Red was just a scrappy hockey player. We listened to Bob Ufer's pregame the way up and I was educated about all the UM traditions. Leach, Huckleby, Simpkens, Woolfolk, Wangler, Carter were my childhood sports idols (how cool was that to "come into age" of UM football in the 70s). All those Nerf football games where the Woverines win!! I almost went to the Slippery Rock - Shippensburg game. I nearly had to be institutionalized when my dad left me home for an OSU game because the only extra ticket would have required me to sit with a 14 year old neighbor's kid and my over protective parents did want their 10 year old sitting without an adult (yes it was torture). I listened to every game I did not go to on the radio - General Patton's horn! The first song we played in 5th grade band (me on trumpet) was the Victors! I went to UM undergrad and law school. I was there for Colo h.m. pass, MM's PSU catch, and lost my voice in a bar in Chicago in the BE 3OT MSU game. I also remember signing the "Na-Na-Na - Goodbye" song to the UMiami team in '88 in the student section thinking UM had sealed a victory, only to hear a silent Big House after Miami won (second only to silence of Colo game). I have a picture on my desk of Bo squatting with his arms around 2 little boys at Camp Michigania - one being 6 year old me and the other my 4-year old brother (Shemmy, Bo's son, was climbing on his back and you can see his funny red sandals and white socks hanging behind Bo). Whenever the PA says "Band take the Field" I tear up and have to sometimes contain myself from bawling. Nothing else to date elicits this same emotion out of me.... It's not only the game and my love of UM FB that triggers this, but that single event is an impolding vortex of my entire life experiences to date (many of which are impacted by UM), my parents experiences all focussed on an overwhelming moment of self reflection and appreciation for everything I have. There you have it!