How/when did your Michigan football fandom begin?

Submitted by Eat Your Wheatlies on

I'm sure this has been a topic before, but I couldn't find anything recently via the MGoSearch, so I figured this would be a good time to talk about the roots of our UM football obsession.

Mine started when I was 5 or 6, I imagine. My earliest memories of Michigan football were with my dad in the truck, listening to Frank Beckman call games on the radio. I remember intently listening to the calls and trying to visualize what was happening on the field and becoming overwhelmed with joy, anger, and sadness at a moments notice. I think the 1991 season was the first I really recall. Desmond (obviously), Ricky Powers, and Corwin Brown were some of my first favorites. Wheatley quickly became my player, and I'll always remember the joy of the 1995 Pigskin Classic, as well as the feelings I had when Kordell chucked that ball down the field in '94. I went into the yard, screamed at the top of my lungs, and eventually cried. 

It's been quite a journey and I love (almost) every second of it. So what's your story? When and how did you get hooked?

 

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mi93

August 14th, 2016 at 1:25 AM ^

Those

Were great years. Mine as well. I consider myself fortunate to have met the likes of Desmond, Elvis, and Fab Fivers. A great era (in more than football and basketball) and truly great people to root for in sports and in life.



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migoblu

August 13th, 2016 at 5:49 PM ^

Going into my senior in high school in Ohio, I was introduced to a Michigan girl my sister became friends with while they were on a foreign study league trip to Europe. They happened to meet while waiting for their flight from Detroit and they were assigned to the same group. After returning they promised to keep I touch. Through letters they became even closer friends, and my sister invited her to come down to Ohio and visit.

 

During her visit my father kept harassing her about how Woody would beat Bo and she kept saying she didn’t care about football that baseball and hockey were the only sports she liked, and the Tigers and Red Wings were the only teams that she liked. I felt sorry for her that my Dad wouldn’t stop the harassment. I watched Pro football and didn’t care about college football. But, with the harassment my father was giving her I thought I better look into this Michigan/Ohio State thing. I then developed a deep love for all things UM and a deep hatred for OSU. Being born in Michigan I didn’t have much trouble rekindling my love for UM.  That girl and I eventually married, and she told me after she left our house she also developed a deep love for UM and a deep hatred for all things Ohio State.

 

Before she left from her visit my father made a bet of a coke with het that OSU would beat UM. OSU did win that year, and this started a war between my wife and I and my father. We keep this bet up until his death in 1986, at which time we had planned to pick our coke on our visit during Christmas leave. We picked up the coke after his funeral and returned to the grave site on our way back and poured the coke on his grave, thus ending our war. Rest in peace Dad. And as always Dad: Blue Blood Runs Deep -- Go Blue !!!!!!

 

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CassBlue1791

August 13th, 2016 at 5:45 PM ^

I was five years old, holding my dad's hand and walking into the largest building I could imagine. Under a sunny sky, I watched the Wolverines pummel Navy. I was hooked. 40+ years of consecutive attendance later, I still get goosebumps walking into the stadium

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CassBlue1791

August 13th, 2016 at 5:45 PM ^

I was five years old, holding my dad's hand and walking into the largest building I could imagine. Under a sunny sky, I watched the Wolverines pummel Navy. I was hooked. 40+ years of consecutive attendance later, I still get goosebumps walking into the stadium

Joined: 08/12/2016

MGoPoints: 365

The Dubliner

August 13th, 2016 at 6:46 PM ^

My dad took my brother and I to the home game against Iowa in 1990, which we lost. But after the game we were able to go down onto the field (was still turf at the time) and we each caught a TD pass from my dad in the south end zone. I spent the rest of the day in running around in my backyard imagining myself as a Michigan football player.



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huntmich

August 13th, 2016 at 7:03 PM ^

My mom is an alum.  She never graduated but took classes in the early 70s until her and my dad got married.  I grew up in SE Michigan knowing that Michigan was my team, and I was trying my best in school so I could go there when the time came.  Then the time came and I got in.

 

I've been a Michigan fan since I was old enough to know the difference between teams.

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mi93

August 14th, 2016 at 1:19 AM ^

That was

My first game freshman year. At the time I knew a handful of guys playing for ND (went to high school with one). A little torn because of my new UM connection/passion but ok with people I knew on the side of the W. Since then? All in for the greatest university in all the land.



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KC Wolve

August 13th, 2016 at 7:42 PM ^

Walmart Wolve from KC. I just remember watching Desmond, Tyrone, Elvis, the defenses as a young lad. It just stuck. Freshman year of college at KSU was the MNC year. I won some money betting a couple dumbasses on the PSU game. Love my alma mater KSU but I probably make it to AA at least once every year or so for a game.



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Mgodiscgolfer

August 13th, 2016 at 8:49 PM ^

The infamous Charles White phantom touchdown Rose Bowl game. Is when and why I became a die-hard Wolverine fan and have been ever since. I guess that would make me a die hard fan. 37 years and never waivered once. RR and Hoke gave it there best but I still hung in for 3 reasons.1.By then, it was in my blood and I bleed maise and blue and I will till the day I die. 2. What team was I going to want to follow? What, would I do? Go back to the Lions? NOT! 3, A staee QB (I of course forgot his name) said (paraphrasing) that Michigan had fans that had never gone to school there and had no business being Michigan fans, So I was obligated to go down to the M Den and buy another hat and I swore to never become a Staee fan under any circumstances.

Anyway I have been a Michigan fan 20 years longer than I was a Lion fan. Yeah I would say 17 years of watching the lions lose and it was very rare they would draft a Wolverine, is all one Wolverine fan should have to endure. Any longer and losing might start to rub off on a guy. So I didn't walk, I ran. I listen to these younger fans talking trash on the radio on how and why the the Lions would win and I just shake my head  Then wonder how they would lose.would it be bone headed penalties so they could blame the referees? I  never heard that excuse before, nooooo, I used to say it. and as always Go Blue!

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Late Bluemer

August 13th, 2016 at 9:46 PM ^

As indicated by my username, I came to be an M fan later in life (after 40 t/b specific).  I was born and raised into a family of rabid NY subway alums – kind of like Rudy’s family.  Went a D-1 college on the east coast that eventually joined the ACC.  (Hint:  it’s the one that Doc Brown just came from, and that was back when they were good at fb.)  Was engaged to my wife when I was accepted to grad school at Michigan and she IMMEDIATELY became a huge Michigan fan.  This caused a large amount of conflict in the house for years to the point where we had the watch the ND-M game separately.

It took a while, but what got me to turn the corner was the 2006 season.  I had begun liking M more and more for a couple of years and ALWAYS rooted for them over Sparty from day 1.  I did not choose 2006 in the sense of being a bandwagon fan since if that was the case I would have converted in 1997 or 2000.  I just liked the aggressive nature of Ron English’s defenses which reminded me of the Bill Parcells defenses that I grew up w/ in NY.

Side note:  I give my wife a lot of credit – growing up in NY, Joe Pa was revered but she never bought into any of the hype.  She could tell almost 30 years ago that it was a façade and that there was no way he was the saint we thought he was.  She swore that we had in Bo what everyone thought PSU had in JoePa.

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Blue in Time

August 13th, 2016 at 11:17 PM ^

My family got its first TV set in 1968, when we moved from Germany (where my father was stationed) to Damascus, Maryland. Dad was a Michigan alum, class of '42, and I was beginning to play football with my suburban neighbors (mostly Mormons, and big BYU fans). Our backyard games were BYU vs. Michigan. Then 1969 happened. The Wolverines have been the only sports team I have ever really cared about since. 

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Megatron

August 14th, 2016 at 1:08 AM ^

I think for a couple of years got his degree at WMU. I didn't become a sports fan until 89 Final 4 when Michigan won the National Championship Bo's last year was when I started watching Michigan football. Went to my first game in 90 VS Iowa lost 23-24 went to at least one Michigan game a year from 90 to 06 the rest is history.

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Eskimoan

August 14th, 2016 at 2:53 AM ^

I was always a fan growing up, always watched the big games with my dad always rooting for Michigan, but I have to say, watching the 1990 OSU Michigan in my parents basement got me hooked, I was 8 years old and watching that game is the first time I really remember yelling at the TV and jumping up and down celebrating especially when J.D. Carlson kicked that 37-yard field goal with just seconds left. After that Ibe been hooked

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Luckey1083

August 14th, 2016 at 10:50 AM ^

The Fab Five hooked me in 1992 when I was 8 years old. They hooked me during the Elite Eight OSU game... I cried uncontrollably and couldn't be consoled when Duke stomped them in the second half in the title game. Five short years later a fellow named Charles Woodson became my fav football player and my fandom was cemented with that 1997 National title.

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Blue Ballin'

August 14th, 2016 at 9:24 PM ^

My cousin had just gone to a Michigan game with his dad the year before and told me what a great time he had, so the next year I found out that my Boy Scout Troop was invited to usher at Michigan's home games...for free! We didn't have much money, so for the first time I got to see a game while I ushered in the north end of the stadium. By the end of the first quarter the ushering duties were pretty much over. It was October 25, 1958, Homecoming weekend, against the Minnesota Golden Gophers, and a perfect day for a college football game. Michigan won, 20-19, and I was hooked. 

I ushered at the remainder of the home games that year and all of the next (except for the OSU game). The rest of the Boy Scout activities were okay, but I joined for the Michigan football. Until I got back from the war several years later, I thought October 25, 1958 was the best day of my life. A few years later, the day I received my journalism degree became the third best.

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holt1974

August 14th, 2016 at 8:53 PM ^

Desmond's Dive vs Notre Dame

Growing up in North Carolina I didn't pull for any team but I hated Notre Dame. So in 91, being 11 and playing football, I need a team to pull for....watching the game and seeing Desmond make the catch hooked me instantly! A few years later I almost tore down my parents ceiling fan when we scored the TD vs Virginia. My wife would now say my fandom has grown into an obsession....it would be hard for me to argue that! Go Blue!!



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ford_428cj

August 14th, 2016 at 9:10 PM ^

70's with my uncle from flint suburbs (rip) & my dad listening on the radio to Ufer in a truck during salmon season on the West side checking out the rivers & fishing. Tv also. Rick Leach era. I was a lil fella only 5 or 6 yrs old.

Seeing this thread it brought back a possible memory of my uncle mentioning knowing Rick Leach or his family. I texted my cousin (M grad) & she thought he knew him...but isn't 100% sure. 

My uncle was a cool dude & huge M fan. My whole family is too - but his excitement & me looking up to him...got me hooked for life. 

 

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