Mark Messner tribute
Player tribute for anyone interested:
September 25th, 2015 at 2:39 PM ^
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September 25th, 2015 at 2:40 PM ^
is crying
September 25th, 2015 at 3:04 PM ^
... is the new black?
September 25th, 2015 at 2:41 PM ^
A charter member of the Michigan Man Mustache Hall of Fame, too.
September 25th, 2015 at 2:45 PM ^
I do enjoy seeing Mark Messner again though, so +1!
September 25th, 2015 at 4:18 PM ^
Apologies. Messner is alive.
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September 25th, 2015 at 4:36 PM ^
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September 25th, 2015 at 5:39 PM ^
I'm not sure but he seems to make it to plenty of games.
This was a couple years ago with his sons...
September 25th, 2015 at 7:21 PM ^
working as a manager for a large copier company.
He went to Novi Catholic Central. His Rose Bowl Michigan jersey is on display in their trophy case.
My son, a recent CC graduate, caddied in his foursome at Birmingham Country Club two years ago with another Michigan grad. He came home and told me a man in his group went to CC and played football at Michigan and his last name began with a M.
The first names that popped into my head were Mohler and Mallory, but of course they did not go to CC. Then it struck me. Holy shit! Mark Messner was in your foursome. He was one of the greatest defensive linemen in Michigan history.
He was drafted by the LA Rams. Because of his small size, they tried to make him a linebacker. He never made the transition and only played a couple of years.
With the Fiesta Bowl victory over Nebraska, the 1986 MI team with Harbaugh, Morris, Messner, Hammerstein, etc finished ranked No.2 in th country. Bo's highest ranked team to finish the season. Messner was the Fiesta Bowl MVP.
September 26th, 2015 at 10:11 AM ^
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September 25th, 2015 at 2:47 PM ^
Horrible thread title. Cool tribute.
September 25th, 2015 at 2:53 PM ^
Messner is really who Wormley reminds me of.
September 25th, 2015 at 3:21 PM ^
Wormley is a physical marvel, amazing strength and somewhat awkard agility and speed for a man so large. Yes I understand that's contradicting, but I don't know how else to describe him. He also plays slower than he should at times, confused or just waiting too long for more information before attacking. If the light really goes off and he trusts what he sees sooner, his beastly possibilities are nearly endless.
Messner was the opposite in my mind. Quick as a cat, seemed to know where the ball was going as well as the offense did, effortlessly sidestepped blockers, undersized and intense effort on every play. Messner willed himself to greatness, though he had a good physical skills, there was always a ceiling. He was just an excellent college player, showed up in big games and made big plays.
September 25th, 2015 at 3:29 PM ^
Had he suffered his knee injury in 2009 instead of 1989, he may well have had a successful NFL career.
September 25th, 2015 at 3:01 PM ^
I could be wrong here, bur his stepfather owned or co-owned Hammell Music in Livonia, as I recall, which was on Middlebelt between Five and Six Mile. I think it moved a bit west of that location and eventually closed, but I remember getting instruments from there back in the day.
The video tribute was awesome - he really was a force in some great Michigan defensive lines. He is still the program's all time leader in tackles for loss, sack yardage and a few other things, I believe.
September 25th, 2015 at 4:37 PM ^
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September 25th, 2015 at 4:39 PM ^
(Sorry, it's albom)
http://mitchalbom.com/d/journalism/1099/mark-messner-never-loss
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September 25th, 2015 at 3:10 PM ^
To watch on a slow Friday at work. He played when I was just a babe, but the dude is fun to watch. I particularly like the gratuitous HARBAUGH at about the 6:20 mark.
September 25th, 2015 at 3:12 PM ^
Oh man this takes me back... Love to see some plays like these tomorrow.
September 25th, 2015 at 3:13 PM ^
I remember reading a story out of the paper where he told about his recruitment by Bo, and about his first game.
Apparently he was so nervous he puked on the centers hand, who of course couldn't move it.
That was a great time to watch Michigan
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September 25th, 2015 at 3:29 PM ^
Concur, that was a great time to be a Michigan fan. Messner's CPU was over-clocked at all times.
September 25th, 2015 at 5:59 PM ^
September 25th, 2015 at 9:03 PM ^
Someone get some ipecac to Wormley, stat.
September 25th, 2015 at 3:32 PM ^
Dude was awesome. Grew up in the same town, different times though.
September 25th, 2015 at 3:33 PM ^
September 25th, 2015 at 3:36 PM ^
I honestly don't remember non-HD TV being so horrible. Does it degrade over time, or was it really that bad?
September 25th, 2015 at 4:04 PM ^
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September 25th, 2015 at 3:39 PM ^
September 25th, 2015 at 3:45 PM ^
better than Rogers and Hammerstein. That Nebraska bowl game was one of the hardest hitting games I can remember. Messner was just tatooing guys.
Loved his technique of tackling fast Qbs by the ankles from behind - he was deceptively quick and a very smart player that gave 100%.
He did some DARE youth basketball charity games in the A2 area. His knees were shot but you could see what an athlete he was. Very nice and modest guy - vintage Bo player.
Thanks for posting this piece!
September 25th, 2015 at 3:58 PM ^
September 25th, 2015 at 4:17 PM ^
a ballhawk for sure...
I hope to see effort like this tomorrow in the Big House!
Go Blue!
September 25th, 2015 at 4:25 PM ^
September 25th, 2015 at 4:35 PM ^
With aplomb. I remember the hype about Mandarich and Messner turned him into a statue. thanks for the reminder...
September 25th, 2015 at 8:58 PM ^
September 25th, 2015 at 4:36 PM ^
September 25th, 2015 at 4:40 PM ^
I like the tribute, as Messner was a beast, but some of those artificial fields are frightening.
The Minn. field towards the end -- if my stone deck was glazed that well and looked that rock solid, I'd be a happy homeowner. The amount of rug burns and bruises (not to mention more serious injuries) that they all must have had could not have been fun.
EDIT: to be clear, that was a U of M home game against Minnesota. Our artificial turf in the 80s was very artificial.
September 25th, 2015 at 5:03 PM ^
That Minnesota one was horrible and probably contributed greatly to the bad knee injuries to Tripp Welborne and Tony Boles. Neither player was ever the same after those injuries.
September 25th, 2015 at 4:59 PM ^
When I was growing up, I remember hearing Messner and Hammerstein all the time, just like Rob Renes 10 years later. When you hear a DT's name a lot, it is very likely they are good.
September 25th, 2015 at 5:04 PM ^
Ara Parsegian says it all!. "You need help to block this guy, you can't block him by yourself." Mark Messner, He was one of the all time greats. 6'3" 245 lbs. Tough as an anvil, lightning quick, he had to be...
September 25th, 2015 at 10:02 PM ^
September 25th, 2015 at 5:01 PM ^
school when my wife and I had season tickets. He still holds the Michigan record for most TFL's.
September 25th, 2015 at 5:16 PM ^
I remember Messner well, but don't remember 56 (Billy Harris? 6'0" 270 Middle Guard) at all. That guy appears to have been a beast too.
September 25th, 2015 at 6:19 PM ^
I remember taking my dad to a game my sophmore year (Messner's redshirt freshman year) against Maryland. He was already a beast 3 games into the season.
September 25th, 2015 at 6:50 PM ^
Would that little snippet at 6:16 have made it into the tribute if JH weren't the coach? Not that there's anything wrong with that.
September 25th, 2015 at 8:53 PM ^
I think we both know the answer to that.
September 25th, 2015 at 9:09 PM ^
One of the best defenders to ever play for Michigan.
September 25th, 2015 at 9:41 PM ^
were quite a pair. That defense was probably the best Michigan defense of the 80's to the 97 defense.
Damn 85 Iowa game.
September 26th, 2015 at 8:02 AM ^