Unverified Voracity Needs 21 More Gentlemanly Fellows Comment Count

Brian October 9th, 2018 at 3:29 PM

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ACE FUNDRAISER HERE

keep going please

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Ye olde football time. The @MichiganHist twitter account regularly throws out bits and pieces of Michigan athletic coverage from years past and this one is a doozy:

"Such is the training that football, played by eleven gentlemanly fellows with eleven other gentlemanly fellows, gives to the one who enters its lists."

AAGO update. A clarification from the AAGO on the Wisconsin game:

Park-n-party pre-paid passes have been rescinded. This is preemptive to allow people to make alternative plans.  We will take in our season pass holders if possible. That decision will be made Wednesday or Thursday. We did sustain significant damage and the course is still too wet to repair.

Touch and go but not definitively closed.

A history of cheese violence. MVictors has a history of crowd disasters against Wisconsin:

1902 – Chicago (Marshall Field) – U-M 6, Wisconsin 0.   In a massive game held in the Windy City, trains full of fans from Madison and Ann Arbor descended on Chicago to be there.   According to John Kryk’s epic Stagg vs. Yost,  both schools agreed to construct temporary stands to meet the demand for a few hundred additional fans.  Unfortunately it seems many more than could fit hopped aboard the stands…and it got ugly.  Again, Kryk:

In the middle of the first half, timbers in the grandstand suddenly began to creak–then snapped.  The whole stand swayed to the north then collapsed, dropping hundreds.  Incredibly, no one was killed and only a few were seriously injured. 

The game was interrupted for fifteen minutes as stunned, scared, and some bloodied spectators flooded onto the northeast corner of the playing field to escape the woodpile wreckage.

A lighter note: during the hysteria following the collapse, with the guards distracted while tending to the mess, hundreds of ticketless fans rushed in to the field to grab of a view of this huge game.

And no, things never change as a big legal mess ensued between Wisconsin, Michigan and even Chicago (whose Marshall Field was used to stage the big game), with fingers pointing in all directions.

I love that the damn stadium collapsed and the delay was 15 minutes, or half of the current wait when there's a thunderbolt in the area. Let's go! It's 1902, we're all dying in the near future!

[After THE JUMP: a worse crime against football than the above]

Good God. Jason Kirk memorializes Mike Stoops by digging up the worst defensive strategy in football history:

image

They did this the whole drive. If you can stand it, the video is at the link above. Do not show this to Don Brown unless you have prepared a bunker in an adjoining state.

MSU injuries. Starting MSU guard David Beedle is out a month, which will obviously hold him out of the Michigan game. Punter Jake Hartbarger had an initial prognosis that may have seen him return for the Michigan game but is now out for the year. That latter is a bigger loss than you might think. Hartbarger's replacement is averaging just 35 net yards; Hartbarger was at 44.

Beedle's injury is one of several on the OL:

Sophomore right guard Kevin Jarvis hurt his right ankle at Indiana and has not played the past two games.

Third-year left tackle Cole Chewins got hurt in early August and slowly has been getting more reps, though he has been coming off the bench.

Sophomore Luke Campbell, who began the year at left tackle and now has been shifted to guard, also got banged up at Indiana and has not started the past two weeks.

Those injuries have led to constant shuffling and significant playing time Saturday at guard for two redshirt freshmen: Blake Bueter, who made his first career start in place of Jarvis, and Matt Carrick, who debuted on the offensive line in place of Beedle after working on field-goal and extra-point units.

MSU is struggling to run the ball as a result. They're 114th in S&P+.

Panic! No wait, don't panic. Michigan was roped into the FBI's NCAA corruption trial:

As problems go, a former football player giving some cash to a guy you're not even recruiting is a pretty minor one. Law-talkin' guy Richard Hoeg looked into the specific bylaw:

Michigan might have to "disassociate" Streets but I'd imagine that's as far as it goes.

Meanwhile at that trial. It's not going great for the FBI, it seems, because the law they're trying to rope in to go after the various agent types is flimsy. Dan Wetzel's covering it and has it right:

They should be shamed, but it’s a shameless lot. Emmert and the others lack even the courage to come to Lower Manhattan to listen to the reality of the sport and the families and the kids that have made each of them generationally wealthy. They’d rather stay away, bury their head in the sand and commission some “blue ribbon” committee headed by Condoleezza Rice to tell them whatever predetermined truth they are desperate to hear.

Rinse, repeat, cash the check.

A multinational corporation allegedly went to Saginaw and offered a high school sophomore a glorious opportunity. It could help him. It could help his family. It could help his future.

The NCAA finds this objectionable, a bad and terrible thing that must be stomped out, even prosecuted.

It seems like the wrong people are on trial here.

Even though that's the case the trial is flinging off a ton of evidence of how busted the system is:

De Sousa played last year on the Jayhawks’ Final Four team and is returning for his sophomore season. Meanwhile, prosecutors said evidence would show an agreement to pay top recruit Billy Preston $90,000 to play for Kansas. Preston enrolled at KU but never played following an automobile accident that led to the school investigating the ownership of a vehicle.

Attorneys for both Gatto and Code also said that a discussed $150,000 payment for recruit Nassir Little to attend the Adidas-sponsored University of Miami came about only after evidence would show, “the University of Arizona was going to pay, or offered to pay, $150,000 for [recruit] Nassir Little to go to Arizona,” Donnelly said. “… Jim was asked to match that offer.”

Donnelly also said the family of former North Carolina State player Dennis Smith Jr. received $40,000 while he was playing for the Wolfpack, although she denied that it was an inducement to sign with the school. “He grew up dreaming of playing for NC State,” Donnelly said.

They're going to find similar payments at, what, 80% of Power 5 schools if they look into them? There has to be some point at which the NCAA throws up its hands. Right? Probably not. But maybe?

Etc.: Climbing the road to being a college basketball official is a ridiculous process that limits the pool of qualified refs. John Beecher profiled. Ohio State's defense is still getting roasted.

Comments

stephenrjking

October 9th, 2018 at 3:49 PM ^

That Oklahoma-Baylor drive is something to behold.

I'm in the "fans usually don't know what they're talking about when they criticize playcalling" camp. That drive is a clear exception. Mike Stoops was getting booed as the drive was going on; members of the team were up in arms; guys like Billy Sims were aghast.

I don't understand how Mike Stoops kept that job for four more years. What a humiliation. 

mGrowOld

October 9th, 2018 at 4:17 PM ^

Ironically enough the one infuriating half i remember most from the RichRod era was Wisconsin, 2010.  They came out after halftime and ran basically the same damn play every play for the entire half save for one pass AND WE NEVER ADJUSTED.

I was losing my freaking mind watching them gain 5-7 yards running basic counter plays off tackle all half.  I kept thinking at some point we would do something different but nope, we stayed in whatever base defense Gerg had dialed up and they stayed in whatever power I formation they were running. And got between 5-7 yards every play.

All. The.Damn. Half.

CRISPed in the DIAG

October 9th, 2018 at 7:28 PM ^

EVERYTHING sucked about that game:

-Bert ordered a hit on Mike Martin's knee. Bert: "They were holding our tackles we tried to pull. We, heh-heh, took care of it." (Thats pretty close to what he actually said. In other words, Brett Bielema basically admitted to purposely injuring one of our players.

-Wisconsin did not throw a pass in the 2nd half.

-There was a brief Michigan rally in the third quarter that kept me from leaving the game. I never want to leave the game. Instead, I watched our defense get poleaxed.

-Sometime in the fourth quarter, a slobberingly drunk woman picked me out of the crowd and accused me of sitting in her seat. When we're winning, this is just a charming feature of Michigan Stadium: people showing up late, squeezing through a section and demanding that you create enough ass-space for them to sit while everyone around them stands. When you're losing, you just feel violent.

CompleteLunacy

October 9th, 2018 at 7:22 PM ^

Funny (not so funny) thing is, the same damn thing happened against Army! I mean, not exactly, but their whole strategy against them was preventing the big plays. So instead they got death by a thousand paper cuts, and if not for a late Army turnover they probably lose that game. It was breathtakingly bad strategy. They consistently lined up with 5 DL (who got cut block to oblivion), two linebackers and two deep safeties.  Yes service academies are difficult...but holy hell at least give yourself a chance man. 

schreibee

October 10th, 2018 at 3:58 PM ^

He said Condi was "failing upward" - NOT "falling upward" if that makes any difference to your question?

I believe her inclusion in the piece was in response to her chairing a dithering, do-nothing panel "investigating" ncaa infractions.

But something tells me you know all that (aside from your misquoting the post you attacked?) and are trying turn it into a politics issue rather than a competency issue?

Communist Football

October 9th, 2018 at 3:58 PM ^

There's another interesting SBNation link to last year's OSU-Iowa game that points out how Iowa did a lot of damage to OSU with quick passes to its tight ends up the middle. Author argues that you can't out-athlete OSU, but you can beat them with fundamentals. Blames Greg Schiano for the issues.

Farnn

October 9th, 2018 at 4:58 PM ^

Since Harbaugh was hired my feeling was that Michigan wasn't going to out recruit Meyer, who already had a head start, but they could use player development and scheme to level the playing field.  When you are breaking in new starters every year and have most of your players go pro after 3 years, it's easier to rely on their superior athleticism and keep the scheme simple. 

Don

October 9th, 2018 at 4:54 PM ^

Something about playing Wisconsin makes for unsafe games.

"In November 18, 1905, the University
of Michigan Wolverines hosted the
University of Wisconsin Badgers in one
of the most highly anticipated football games of the
season. Anywhere between 15,000 to 18,000 fans
filled Ferry Field to attend the unofficial homecoming
game, shattering previous attendance records.
So high was the demand for seats that speculators
were selling $3 general admission tickets for as high
as $8.50, despite protests from Michigan Athletic
Director Charles Baird.

With a forecast that called for blue skies
and mild weather, the two teams took the field
at 1:55 p.m. The first half began with a fumbled
punt by the Badgers and ended with a 6-0 lead
for the Wolverines. Shortly after the second half
began, Charles Baird and a patrolman noticed the
overcrowding in the west stands and began pleading
with fans to evacuate the bleachers. Most paid
them no attention, refusing to give up their seats
and instead focusing solely on the game. Minutes
later, a “tearing, splintering sound” shook the
stadium as the west bleachers began collapsing,
close to 3,000 spectators falling with them.
The first 10 rows were completely flattened
by the “tremendous load of humanity,” and large
timbers fell into the crowd, leaving one spectator
unconscious. Masses of people were hurled
forward, trapped between the fallen bleachers and
a wire fence.

Players from both teams rushed to the aid of
the fallen, ripping open the fence that separated
the spectators from the field. Astonishingly, the
shock and destruction caused by the collapse were
not enough to end the game. The evacuation of
the injured caused a relatively short delay, and a
majority of the crowd simply relocated to another
area of the field and watched as Michigan went on
to win 12-0.

Among the seriously injured that day were Frank
W. Scott from Ypsilanti, Vern Huir from Milwaukee,
and Joseph Ross, a Michigan undergraduate.
The bleacher collapse spawned years of
paperwork for the University. Today, these records
provide valuable insight into everything from
court settlements to medical care. The Athletic
Department papers contain medical bills that were
received from Ann Arbor citizens, and doctors
who had taken the injured into their homes for
emergency medical attention. Baird himself issued
a check for $10 to an R. Thomas for “bedding,
clothing etc. torn up for bandages to tie up injuries
or people, also damage to carpet and house
furnishings.”

The Michigan Athletic Association preemptively
awarded the injured parties sums of money
in exchange for the release from all claims for
personal injury. These claims ranged from $12 to
$150 and were, for the most part, settled by 1906,
with the exception of a case involving a Mr. Arthur
Brown. The Brown case lasted until 1910 and
resulted in a payment from the University to Brown
of $500. Joe Ross, the University of Michigan
student with a broken leg, was reimbursed for a $2
ambulance ride and a $15 surgery.

The Michigan Technic, a semi-annual publication
from the Engineering Society, published
the “Official Report of Grandstand Collapse” in
1908. The report, which was commissioned by
the Dean of the Engineering Department, suggests
that a combination of overcrowding and the poor
structural integrity of a portion of the bleachers
caused the collapse. At the time, however, the
accident was blamed chiefly on overcrowding and
the wild cheering and stomping of fans. News
outlets and University publications alike spoke of
the “immense crowd and inadequate provision,”
fueling an ongoing debate regarding large crowds
and general admission games.

A new stadium and an expansion of Ferry
Field had been in the works for a few years, but
this accident made the need for more seating
and safer accommodations even more urgent.
The Michigan Alumnus called for a stadium like
those in “the East,” one that was “more solidly
built, and if possible of more substantial material.”
The next year, the Michigan Wolverines began
their season on a new and improved Ferry Field.
Wooden bleachers were replaced with a new grandstand
(built on a solid foundation of cement) that
held up to 9,000 fans, bringing the total capacity
of the stadium close to 30,000. The 1906 football
season also saw the implementation of a new set
of intercollegiate football regulations, brought forth
by President Theodore Roosevelt in an attempt
to reduce injuries and accidents on the field. The
bleacher collapse of 1905 was seen by many as a
“lesson at a wonderfully small expense.”

From the Spring 2017 issue of Collections, the magazine of Bentley Library. 

Alton

October 9th, 2018 at 5:01 PM ^

Good stuff.

And a good rule of thumb to translate prices into "modern" money, any time from 1815 to 1915 you can use a multiplier somewhere between 20 and 30.  Except from 1864-1867 or so, when you should probably use 15 instead.

So a ticket being scalped for $8.50 would be about $200 today, give or take.

Novak-blood

October 9th, 2018 at 5:33 PM ^

I was at the Camp Randall "Stampede" in '93. Gosh, that game felt so damn cold. Temps in the mid-30s with a 15mph or so sustained wind. We were in the upper deck, and it was shaking at times with home crowd excitement. Left just before time expired when the Wolverines' fate was sealed. We saw the sea of humanity penned up against the barricades in the student section. They were clearly preparing to rush the field. The temporary fencing blocking them in didn't seem safe - in the least. We heard the rash of emergency sirens blaring through town as we walked back to our car. Sari Weinstein, a UW undergrad, stopped breathing but thankfully recovered later at the hospital thanks to the heroic efforts of a Scott Noland, a fellow student, and an unidentified Badger player. The total ended up being 73 people injured, 6 critically. Rather miraculous there were no deaths. Scary stuff.

First and only game I attended at Camp Randall. A miserable fan experience and bad memories.

(We also got pulled over by a jerkwad WI state trooper on the way up for going 67 in a 65. I blame the double M window flags.)