Gator Bowl Logistics

What does it take to move the Michigan Football team from A2 to Jax? Lots of planning, two semis, and one veteran equipment manager and his dedicated staff. Check out this article at DetNews.com by Mama #TeamLique where she lays it all out.

Falk and key equipment staff members Rick Brandt and Bob Bland have plenty to do to get the Wolverines settled in Jacksonville, Fla. when the team arrives on Sunday afternoon. They fly this morning to Jacksonville and will go straight to Jacksonville University where the Wolverines will hold bowl practices.

By the time Falk, Brandt and Bland arrive, Michigan's two semis that departed Ann Arbor, one on Tuesday, the other on Wednesday after the Wolverines' morning practice, should also be in Florida. The trucks traveled nearly 1,100 miles during the 17-hour drive.

The first truck that left with one driver on Tuesday contains the team's game gear, including jerseys and shoes, the sideline phones, the extra practice gear, and medical trainer supplies needed at the practice, hotel and game sites.

Falk said the second truck did not leave until after Wednesday's practice and contains, among other things, 120 player travel bags, all medical training supplies for practices, two portable goal posts for practice, play clocks, 25-second clocks, and segment clocks that designate each period in practice, practice shoes, pants and jerseys, and all of the audio visual supplies used by the coaches in the team meeting rooms.

"We'll start unloading the trucks, and it's like putting a puzzle together," Falk said. "Here's all the pieces, and we have to figure out where to put everything. We won't know until we get there because it's a completely different venue."

First, Falk and his team set up the players' lockers and place their travel bags in front of each. If there aren't enough lockers, they bring out clothes racks in an overflow room. Almost magically, everything is in order when the players and coaches arrive on Sunday.

Angelique skillfully and effortlessly weaves in a plug for Falk's "If These Wall Could Talk" ($15.61 at amazon.com) into the narrative.  Think Jon's a reliable source and will remain so? Oh, yeah.

Perhaps this bowl trip will work its way into a potential sequel to Falk's popular book "If These Walls Could Talk," written with Dan Ewald. The book is a collection of Falk's stories spanning his 37 years at Michigan.

"Some people have told me the book has brought Bo Schembechler back to life. Dan Ewald and I are very happy about the reception. Our main goal was to tell very positive and very good stories about Michigan football, the players who have played here, the coaches who have coached here and the stories I have been able to enjoy here as the equipment manager. It shows you how valuable an equipment manager is to a team."