Thank you Jonas Mouton
So I have a young daughter, who I have thoroughly indoctrinated into Michigan football love by taking her to regular season games, spring games, and the occasional campus trip, showing her where I lived, etc. Today she was off from school, and her mother decided to take her into AA. While they were walking, they passed by Schembechler and as they were looking into the window (if any of you don't know, Schembechler Hall has Michigan Football memorabilia, the National Championship trophy, our Heisman Trophy winners, and more, but it is not open to the public). As they looked into the window, a guy came walking up to the door to go in but stopped, then looked over at them, and approached them, saying "would you guys like to go in?" Needless to say they did. The guy walked them into the building, said bye, and walked away. My daughter was thrilled, she walked around, took pictures, and was terrifically excited. She walked up to an assistant, and asked who had guided them into the door. "Jonas Mouton", the woman answered. So I wanted people to know that Jonas Mouton, through a very small gesture, made my daughter's day today. Thank you Jonas.
That's cool. Too bad she didn't know who it was until he left.
a great autograph opportunity.
She already met him and has a story to share about him. Does it really matter if he wrote his name on a piece of paper or not?
The negbang, it hurts!
No, no it doesn't. I just meant to imply it would be a nice little thing to have. I'm not sure why that was so bothersome to some people.
I agree that that didn't deserve a negbang (and I just gave it a vote back).
I've never really understood the phenomenon of autographs. I get that they're supposed to be proof that you've met a famous person. But it seems like a lot of people have gotten it completely backwards and don't even care about the experience of meeting the person; they just want the guy to write on a piece of paper. You see fans badger a player into reluctantly signing his name, and then run off triomphantly ("I got ____'s autograph!"), thinking they've achieved some great accomplishment.
which is why she asked someone later, but didn't know until then
to Jonas' character that he didn't say something like "Hi, I'm on the football team." Sounds like a humble guy.
he failed to say "we on the football team hate families" - the mantra i've heard has replaced the "those who stay" motto
/ROSENBERG'D
I have a great pic of me drooling all over the glass next to Woodson's Heisman-- if I didn't look like total crap that day I'd probably have it framed somewhere in the house.
Haha. I met Desmond at the Collegetown special ESPN had either last summer or two summers ago. I actually got a picture with him but of course I blinked.
Yet another example of the horrible family values at Michigan...
That's a nice gesture, he didn't have to do that. Sounds like a nice kid.
So much for Coach Rodriguez not instilling family values.
Mouton was a Carr kid which is the only reason he has any redeemable qualities left.
I agree that the "family values" thing was stupid in the first place...
...but there's a very good chance that Mouton's actions had nothing to do with who his football coach is. Maybe he was just raised to be a nice guy. Maybe he was feeling guilty for something he did and tried to make up for it by being nice to someone. Who knows?
It annoys me how every little nice thing a Michigan player does turns into "And they said Rodriguez doesn't teach family values blah blah blah."
We get it. The Borens were retarded and/or dicks. Why are we letting that stupid comment linger two years after the fact?
It's probably just a die-hard knee-jerk throwaway cliche used in response to the constant association by haters (and "fans") between Rodriguez and the moral demise of the program: Dorsey offer = we are now Thug U. Ya, the statement is played out, but meh. Sometimes you gotta fight fire with fire.
For the same reason everyone feels the need to post non-Free Press links to everything and brag about how they will never click there again, I would imagine.
Because this is a message board...
Thank you. Same stupid theme in OP: something said or done and we can't let it go. (eg, Boren's comments.) Brian too has recently commented on the thin skin of some fans, who would crucify every reporter in MSM who makes a comment perceived as critical of Michigan.
Jonas' actions most likely had more to do with the fact he is a nice person rather than who is coach is. That said, maybe RichRod and his staff have directed players and staffers at Schembechler Hall to invite fans/students into the "museum." One of many things RichRod is trying to do is make the program more fan friendly.
As for being somewhat childish in calling out every instance that contradicts the RichRod cliches that are out there, sometimes you get tired of all of them and you want to point out facts that contradict the falsehoods. There are still way too many people, both Michigan "fans" and others who believe RichRod shredded all documentation relating to WVU football over the last 100 years, hates family values not caring about kids, is a dirty recruiter, etc. Hearing that all the time is tiresome. So great stories like this give those of us who know that RichRod is a good guy who has the best interests of his players at heart a chance to vent.
Yeah, I'm all for the stories. I'm glad this was shared, and I think it's a great experience for people - especially young people - to have positive interactions with athletes and other "celebrities."
I just think it's somewhat odd that people who despise the "family values" theme find myriad reasons to rehash the same tired joke/theme again and again and again. How are we supposed to live that down if we keep bringing it up? That's all I'm saying.
I wish they'd open that museum to the public again. There's TONS of cool stuff in there. I'm pretty sure it's been closed since around the late 90's-early 00's. It was definitely closed the last time I tried to go there in 2004.
I'm glad your daughter had a special time, and that Jonas is apparently a pretty stand-up guy.
(FWIW, I tried to resist the urge to make a "Freep Headline: 'Lack of Institutional Control; RichRod, M players have no control over who enters athletic facilities during spring practice'" joke. I failed)
Thanks for the story.
For your daughter to hear 'Jonas' and not think of the Jonas Brothers, you are doing a fantastic job being a father.
WIN
Of course, every time I hear Jonas Mouton announced I think of Weezer.
I'm 100% with you on that. The opening song on one of the top five albums of all time (in my warped world of music appreciation).
Sweet! Jonas is my favorite book in the Bible!
Thanks for sharing. We have good guys on the team.
nice post.
the great people on this board never cease to provide new info from everything ranging from Michigan to great off topic stuff.
i continue to come back every day for this reason.
I think Mouton will have a very solid year.
...how pissed were you that you weren't the one there with her?
i can't wait for the "jonas mouton aided and abetted trespassing on university property" story in tomorrow's freep.
very glad for your daughter.
"Michigan linebacker kidnaps young girl off the streets of Ann Arbor"
"Mouton Allows Amateur Photographer into Schembechler Hall; Defensive Playbook Potentially Compromised"
teenage (I'm assuming) daughter who likes Jonas Mouton more than than the Jonas Brothers.
In my 4 years there I never heard one, not a single instance, of a player going out of his way to do an act of kindness for a random stranger. I lived in the same part of campus as the team and witnessed the exact opposite on many occasions.
My friends on several occasions were "nudged" out of the way so that FB players could make their way to the front of whatever line they were in whether it was at the campus post office or the stairs leading to the dining area where the FB team had a separate dining room.
I only had 3 interactions with the staff or players.
#1. Joe Pa tried to run me down as he blew threw campus obviously exceeding the posted speed limit by a lot.
#2. As we were playing a friendly game of flag football Jarett Stephens (a basketball player) asked to see the ball from one of my friends. Pretending he's going to pass it to another one, he proceeds to throw it into a parking lot almost 90 degrees from where the guy was supposed to catch it. This was to the glee of the FB players he was hanging with.
#3. I worked at the ice rink and the coaching staff would go through our entrance to get to their offices. Joe Sarra (an assistant coach) would regularly stop to say hello to us work-study students and occasionally bring cookies or drinks.
What I'm saying is that as an outsider I'm impressed with what I read on here and hope that you appreciate that it isn't this way everywhere.
Edit: Forgot to mention I was always proud to wear a Wolverine sweatshirt in FB season.
for the Purdue game last year. My wife suprised me with tickets out of nowhere and the next thing I know I'm on a plane to AA. We got in on Friday and I had never been to AA before so we went exploring. I got some good pics of the practice fields and all that and everything was great...even ate at Blimpy as suggested by my fellow bloggers. Then we walked by Schembechler Hall and I didn't realize it wasn't open to the public. However there was an older guy at the door on the side of the building and my wife saw him and said I'm going to get you in there. She walked up and I followed her and she simply asked to use the bathroom because she was about to piss herself and boom the guy lets us right in. After I cleaned my pants in multiple areas I took advantage. I took a ton of pics of all of the trophies...It was really cool and kinda reltated so I thought I would share. Then Saturday happened so...
Great story...
Classy move, hope the best for him in 2010.
He did a great random act of kindness for a deserving young girl... AND punched a notre dame offensive lineman in the face during the game.. All in a couple months
I used to hang out with Jonas when he was a freshman/sophomore. He was a very humble guy who seemed like a hard worker and didn't expect anything to be given to him. I really hope he has a good season and makes it onto an NFL roster.
That is a great story. Thanks for sharing it with us!