What One Player From the Past Do You Wish You Could Have Seen in Person?

Submitted by BursleyHall82 on

I pity the fools who never got to see Anthony Carter play in person. Seeing a grainy YouTube video of the Indiana catch doesn't begin to compare to what it was like to see AC in person. Same with Denard.

That said, if you could go back in time and pick one Michigan player from before your time to see in person, who would it be?

For football, I'm tempted to say Tom Harmon, but I'm going to go with Willis Ward. He had Jesse Owens speed and at 6-1, he was bigger than almost anyone he played against.

For basketball, give me Cazzie Russell.

How about you?

justingoblue

June 4th, 2015 at 8:39 PM ^

There would be something really special about being able to see Red Berenson play, knowing what we know now. I'd say the same for Harbaugh, but I know a lot of people on the board did have that chance (although obviously not that knowledge).

ChiCityWolverine

June 5th, 2015 at 12:19 AM ^

Sorry about that. Any Wolverines under 30 didn't really get to experience that group. Woodson is my other one. My personal Michigan memories start in about 2000 watching games with my dad. I was hooked for life in 2004 by Braylon.

Wolverine Devotee

June 4th, 2015 at 8:48 PM ^

Desmond Howard.

Those of you lucky ones who got to experience Michigan in the 90s are the ones I envy.

From 1988-89 - 1998-99:

  • Football National Championship
  • 5 Rose Bowls
  • 7 Big Ten Championships
  • 2 Heisman winners
  • Basketball National Championship
  • 3 Final Fours
  • 2 Hockey National Championships
  • 6 Frozen Fours

That's just from the big 3 sports.

Wolverine Devotee

June 4th, 2015 at 8:54 PM ^

Nope. 

Stanford has won every Director's Cup ever contested other than the first one which was won by UNC.

The highest Michigan has ever finished was 2nd in 2003-04.

Commie_High96

June 4th, 2015 at 8:57 PM ^

I was close enough to Desmond for The Catch I could have hit him with a marshmallow if my 12 year old self could have put enough mustard on it. I went to most every BB game from 88-93 and I was at The Game for most of the 1990s (96 was my favorite since OSU never had a TD and their band didn't get a chance to play the fight song after a touchdown). My favorite though was watching Jim Abbott pitch and meeting him at um baseball camp. He is still my favorite UM athlete and the one I think gets the least recognition.

Wolverine Devotee

June 4th, 2015 at 9:00 PM ^

The 90s were kind of ugly for Michigan Baseball as the program was crippled for a few years due to NCAA sanctions.

Some really ugly, ugly scores but Freehan cleaned it up before he retired and they eventually picked themselves back up in 1997. 

 

Artie

June 4th, 2015 at 8:44 PM ^

Football: Wheatley. Not really before my time but he's pretty much the primary reason I became a Michigan fan.

Basketball: Rice. Again not totally before my time but far enough back where I have no recollection of him playing.

Non-Michigan player(s): Ty Cobb/Gordie Howe. Watching those two tear up their respective sports would have been a thing of beauty.




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maizenbluenc

June 5th, 2015 at 7:41 AM ^

Woodson in the Game
Desmond in the Game and against ND
Harmon in the Game
The Fab Five in their prime
The 1989 basketball NC game - (it was bad enough having no breath left at my friend's apartment)

I am thinking all these guys had fans holding their breath in anticipation every play. I don't remember that watching Harbaugh.

Heptarch

June 4th, 2015 at 9:12 PM ^

Baseball:  Ty Cobb or Walter Johnson

Football:  Tom Harmon or Jim Brown

Hockey:  Gordie Howe

Basketball:  Don't care.  Though I guess Pistol Pete Maravich or Wilt Chamberlain.

JFW

June 4th, 2015 at 9:33 PM ^

Bobby Layne or Jim Brown.

When in college I had season tickets to Um and the Lions for a couple years. So Saturday's were at the Big House and Sunday's were watching Barry.

Barry's Dad always said that Brown was better so I'd like to see it.

My Dad always said Layne was the damnedest player he ever saw: didn't have a super arm. Didn't have great speed... Just figured out how to win games.




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xtramelanin

June 4th, 2015 at 9:35 PM ^

I'll just leave this here.   the best.

i am old enough to have literally seen almost every single one of the others listed on this board except of course ty cobb or willie heston(?). 

ghostofhoke

June 4th, 2015 at 10:46 PM ^

I know exactly how fun it was. I didn't miss a game for 3 years from 96-99--it took a while freshman year to understand how awesome hockey was. Dumped my basketball tix the following year in favor of Hockey. Also drove out to Boston for the Championship game in 98. Yost was the most fun place ever.




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