Cool(ish) story, bro (about a NJ 8th grader with Michigan connections)

Submitted by oriental andrew on

So I was at a client this morning for a meeting with one of their technology vendors.  The guy from the vendor and I were talking during a break and it turned to football, as I mentioned Michigan (never lose an opportunity to tout UM, kids!).  He mentioned that he was a big college football fan, having gone to Alabama (yeah, boo) and that his son, who just started 8th grade, was invited to a Michigan camp for the youngsters.  He said they got to meet Hoke, Borges, Mattison, and spent a lot of time with Devin Gardner, as the kid is a QB.  He showed me pics of his kid (and many others) listening to a talk by DG, and various pics of the stadium, locker room, field, meeting rooms, trophy cases, etc.  

He (the dad) was VERY impressed with DG, said he had gone through so much but turned out so well.  DG apparently shared many very personal things, like how he was pretty much failing school as a freshman, but that he was taken aside and put on the right path, and how he now expects to graduate UM with both bachelor's and master's degrees, and a shiny 3.7 GPA.  

Also, the son works out with Jabrill Peppers (and others, I'm sure) and will be transferring to Paramus Catholic next year.  The dad is apparently good friends with one of Peppers' coaches, so there is a bit of a relationship there.  Couldn't speak highly enough of Jabrill (guess they're on a first name basis) and said he's going to be a star at UM.  

In summary - even Alabama fans and kids from NJ respect UM; Michigan recruits kids of high character; and GO BLUE!

WolvinLA2

September 5th, 2013 at 5:22 PM ^

Your username makes me laugh a lot.  I can't decide if you're a dentist who is a monster, like scaring kids when they're in the dental chair weilding a drill and that water suction thing, or if you're a human who just killed it in dental school.  How'd you fare your first year of dental school?  "Crushed it!  I'm a dental MONSTER!"

LSAClassOf2000

September 5th, 2013 at 4:34 PM ^

That's a pretty darn cool story actually. It's nice to see Michigan and Michigan staff and players earning and getting respect like that from all over and across fanbases, even fans of the Crimson Tide.

 

charblue.

September 5th, 2013 at 5:26 PM ^

Every Michigan fan is a brother. Not every one has a cool story to regale the standard of brotherhood acceptance based on regaling acceptance, which is arbitrary. 

Hair Raid Offense

September 6th, 2013 at 12:47 AM ^

Pretty cool story, hope the kid does well and ends up at Michigan. But also it's kind of amazing that they're having camps for 8th graders. Makes me wonder if we'll miss out on some of those late bloomers. Taylor Lewan was a nobody until he hit his growth spurt before his 12th grade year.