Hoke offers 4 tickets to kid who named his tumor "Michigan"

Submitted by lazyfoot10 on

You've heard the backstory by now. A young buckeye fan named his cancer "Michigan" so he could beat it.

Turns out Hoke has made a classy gesture of inviting him to the Big House this year to watch the game.

Hoke is a true class act. We are lucky to have a man like him representing Michigan.

Link to story: http://www.nbc4i.com/story/22904725/michigans-hoke-comes-through-for-patient-who-beat-michigan

Prince Lover

July 22nd, 2013 at 8:38 PM ^

I thought maybe Dave Brandon would've done this already but I think its better coming from the head coach. Real recognizes real! And our head coach's class is real.

trueblue262

July 22nd, 2013 at 8:40 PM ^

The Michigan Difference. Glad to have not only a coach lead my favorite team, but a human being that these men will hopefully follow. Hoke realizes, sometimes you have to put the "x's and o's" out of the equation and just LEAD!

Princetonwolverine

July 22nd, 2013 at 8:44 PM ^

It would be great if they could hoist him up to touch the banner even if he is an OSU fan. Better yet for the kid would be to dot the i at THE GAME.                                                                                                                                                         

WingsNWolverines

July 22nd, 2013 at 8:41 PM ^

This is when rivalry is put aside and humanity takes over like it should! A thousand kudos to Hoke and the university for doing this for this kid. I hope he can recover to see more great games in this rivalry. Sometimes things as bad as this are the perfect example of putting what's more important into perspective. GO BLUE and my wishes and thoughts to that boy and his family.

WestQuad

July 22nd, 2013 at 8:47 PM ^

It seems like there is probably something to Urban Meyer's Circle of Trust culture and the amount of shennanigans that go on under his watch.  I always want OSU to go undefeated until they play Michigan.  I want OSU to be the #2 program in the country.  While there is definitely a little shadenfreude, I don't take a lot of joy in any Big Ten program having character issues.  I was upset when Terrel Pryor picked OSU over Michigan.  Maybe it was Tressel's scumbaggery that allowed Pryor to turn out bad, but Pryor's character flaws could have already been in place.    I'm glad Brady Hoke recruits high quality kids and turns them into Michigan Men.  

That said, jeebus, 6 arrests in one weekend?!  What the heck is going on over there?  Did anyone get shot in the face?

M-Wolverine

July 22nd, 2013 at 8:58 PM ^

"Brady Hoke enabling equivalent of pedophile fan."

This move doesn't make that attempt at humor look any better.

Don

July 22nd, 2013 at 9:10 PM ^

is also fantastic public relations. They really should let the kid come out and dot the i, and touch the banner too, if he wants.

uncleFred

July 22nd, 2013 at 9:20 PM ^

God knows that Michigan fans can bring a passion that is seond to none. We scream at the TV and in the stands. Despite all the passion we never lose sight of humanity. Got to respect Hoke and love what he did here. Were the shoe on the other foot and Meyer making a similar offer, I can not imagine anyone who posts or comments here commenting about not spitting on an Ohio fan.

It all comes down to perspective. It's sad how few fan bases have it. It's gratifying that our fan base hasn't lost it. 

 

Well...Well...Well

July 22nd, 2013 at 9:27 PM ^

Grant's father, Troy, said his son did not hesitate to answer the coach. "He gave a very clear yes—he's very excited." Troy said.

Sounds like Hoke can recruit...talks to the kid once and already has a commitment.

Perkis-Size Me

July 22nd, 2013 at 10:01 PM ^

This is why I love Hoke. We didn't hire the "sexiest" coach, but we damn sure hired the right one. Winning championships are important, beating Ohio is important. But Hoke really shows his character in situations like this, and that's what's most important.



And while I'm sure that Hoke would have done this regardless, giving this kid tickets immediately following Buckeye arrest-a-palooza just for some reason makes me feel so much better about it.

MaizenBlueRounder

July 22nd, 2013 at 10:10 PM ^

I noticed while reading the posts at 11W that no one asked why Urban Meyer didn't do something like this.  Almost like they can't acknowledge that thier coach was check mated here.

born1ntheArbor

July 23rd, 2013 at 9:45 AM ^

I believe Urban visited the kid in the hospital and gave him tickets to OSU-Buffalo. Also, since the kid's parents are OSU Marching Band alum, he'll be on the field with the marching band during the game at some point. So they didn't need to ask why Urban Meyer didn't do something like this, because he did (OSU-Buffalo isn't Michigan-OSU of course, but a gesture is still a gesture).

maizenblue1971

July 22nd, 2013 at 10:44 PM ^

great act of kindness. perspective.

lead by example, as mentioned above.

great for their family...they all need a positive thing like this to get them through.

Hoke will be able to use this as a teaching point for a long time with his players and recruits.

this is why Michigan is different.

stephenrjking

July 22nd, 2013 at 11:10 PM ^

This is a perfect example of why this rivalry is so great. A kid wants to beat cancer, so Michigan is the logical name for it, because that's the focus. Awesome. And he beats it, and both sides show their human sides, reaching out to him. I love that we're offering him tickets. Because, while the rivalry is important, there are things that elevate us all above sports.

I understand that Meyer is an easy target right now, but this is not the sort of thing you can take shots about. For all we know, Urban has offered the family tickets to an OSU home game (would make sense, wouldn't it?) and for all we know the two athletic departments actually communicated about the ticket offer beforehand. It wouldn't surprise me if they took the opportunity to share in a chance to life a family's spirits.

You doubt that? Fine, but remember: genuine, decent humanity is not the sort of thing that sports team affiliation has any bearing on. 

I kind of hope that the kid gets announced in the Big House and gets a huge cheer. That would be awesome.

acs236

July 23rd, 2013 at 6:59 AM ^

I think the reporting would be very different if OSU and Meyer were involved.  Giving them the benefit of the doubt in this situation seems a bit much.

In fact, giving Meyer the benefit of the doubt given his record is probably more than any rival fanbase should do, whether deep down underneath it all he's a good guy or not.

MIdocHI

July 23rd, 2013 at 2:06 AM ^

Don't forget the gesture that Hoke did for the ND fan who had a myocardial infarction (heart attack). 

From MLive:  http://www.mlive.com/sports/bay-city/index.ssf/2011/10/university_of_michigan_coach_b.html 

"This isn’t something that was set up by their (public relations) staff,” said Staudacher, the 69-year-old Bay City retiree. “This is from a guy who cares enough about a human being to sit down with a felt pen and write a note. It’s someone he doesn’t know, has never met and is a Notre Dame fan, but he took the time to do it.

“If that isn’t class, I don’t know what is.” 

I am very glad Hoke is our coach.  He gets it.  He is a classy Michigan Man who has his priorities in order.

 

Haywood Jablomy

July 23rd, 2013 at 10:34 AM ^

SC starting running back tweeted the following:

Mike Davis @Mike28davis

Soo you punched a girl at a bar .. Yes you deserved to be dismissed from college football. Can't be putting hands on a female period
3:14 PM - 22 Jul 2013
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