Your favorite piece of Michigan Memorabilia
So this is my first year since I started working here full-time when I might be able to afford things other than necessities and debt. Suck it poverty line!
As I contemplate what bit of Michigan schlock worth disposing my first disposable income (leaning toward a Jug replica) I thought about how much interesting stuff this community has probably accumulated. Share what you've got; I'll display the coolest in Dear Diary tomorrow.
Not necessarily cool or original, and mostly weird, but I've had one of those plush footballs with the block M on it since I was around 8 years old or so. I'm 24 and I still sleep with it, mostly out of habit now. I pretty much have to be holding something now when I sleep because I've held that football for so long.
In the next year or so my girlfriend and I plan on getting married so I can upgrade holding onto my football as I sleep to holding onto my wife. (told you it was weird)
April 28th, 2016 at 11:20 AM ^
If your fiance's friends are truly friends to her, they will find some nice plush maize and blue lingerie for the wedding night. You know, to ease the transition for you.
(Your story reminded me of the great John Heisman quote - "Gentlemen, it is better to have died as a small boy than to fumble this football" - and credit to you, Mr. Elbel, for holding on to the damn ball!)
Thinking about how good my wife looked on our wedding day/night.
Christ she was hot.
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I have a framed copy of that in my den.
April 28th, 2016 at 10:06 AM ^
Is it possible to photoshop in a Detroit News masthead? (I actually like the Freep other than stretchgate.)
April 28th, 2016 at 10:03 AM ^
I have that framed in my office on a blue matte with the ticket stubs to the 3 games I went to that year in a column down the right side -- Penn State (Judgment Day), Ohio State and the Rose Bowl.
April 28th, 2016 at 10:18 AM ^
is crazy is that I feel like the headline in any of the local Detroit newspapers if Michigan won the National Championship would be "Harbaugh's questionable recruting tactics lead to controversial win for Michigan" or "Michigan takes advantage of opponents injuries during College Football payoff to secure a National Championship of limited importance due to impending graduations and NFL departures."
Is it possible to imagine the local Michigan media to truly celebrate Michigan football success right now? I seriously don't think so.
The night Michigan played Illinois (I think) in basketball in 2005 was right in the middle of a renovation at the stadium, which included ripping out several sections of seats that they just threw into piles in the concourse. Of course, back then, the concourse was open and you could walk out of Crisler, through the stadium area, and out the other side.
Well, the team had just lost a close one to miss out on the upset (I think it was the night the Orange Krush took over, too). I'm walking back to my dorm, and what do I see, but a big pile of stadium seats. Other people are sort of rummaging, so I quickly dash over and find a five foot section. It's pretty much the shortest one, but it's been broken off of a larger piece, so it has a big jagged edge. I pick it up, and start walking.
Right after I pick it up, the cops show up. I can see this behind me as I'm walking out what is now the student section gates. Apparently the Athletic Department didn't want people picking through stuff that was just going in the dumpster anyway. So I go off-grid, because carrying a jagged, five-foot-long section of stadium bench while cops are everywhere directing traffic is a bit conspicuous. I walked through knee-deep snow, took every back street I could find, ran when I could, and snuck the thing into East Quad before I could get caught.
The next morning, Daily Crime Notes started with a story on students getting arrested at the stadium for stealing discarded benches. I, of course, had one hidden under my bed.
Still need to figure out a way to display it.
April 28th, 2016 at 10:43 AM ^
Damn. I was hoping you got chased down the railroad tracks and had to hide out in the lumber yard until the cops got bored. "Lust for Life" was playing in the background. Fixed?
April 28th, 2016 at 11:29 AM ^
I've always been worried about preserving it but it seems to have held up well over the years. If anyone has any tips for preserving it without any treatment, I'd appreciate it.
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April 28th, 2016 at 11:38 AM ^
April 28th, 2016 at 12:22 PM ^
You must have told this story before, because I remember it! And the reason I remember it is because a friend and I grabbed a few Yost bricks after they were fenced off and were walking back when a cop car pulled up right next to us and turned on its lights. We both almost shit our pants, but the cop was actually pulling over a car. Then I read your story a while later and realized that we were in no danger whatsoever.
April 28th, 2016 at 12:03 PM ^
i think you are in the clear. suggest putting it on front porch, prominently lit and displayed. nice grab.
a Bo signed copy of "A Dynasty in Blue" to which Bo wrote to a "Future 3rd Generation wolverine" - I received it in 5th grade and went on to graduate 11 years later.
A handwritten response I got from Harbaugh when I invited him to my dissertation defense. He couldn't make it of course, but was gracious enough to respond and congratulate me. I put it in a frame.
April 28th, 2016 at 10:02 AM ^
That's awesome.
April 28th, 2016 at 12:26 PM ^
As I mention in a separate post below, my wife played basketball for Michigan. She reached out to Harbaugh and he sent a handwritten response with an autographed Michigan flag. Pretty cool!
A picture of my wife with Lloyd Carr at the 2001 Women's Football Academy.
April 28th, 2016 at 10:00 AM ^
April 28th, 2016 at 10:03 AM ^
Usually from a cup very similar to this one. I've had it for a looooong time.
April 28th, 2016 at 12:30 PM ^
Not sure if there are any Michigan Telefund alumni that are active on the blog, but I worked there for three years during college. I actually called Gerald Ford for a donation one time (but got his voicemail). Anyhow, one of my favorite coffee mugs is my Michigan Telefund coffee mug...reminds me of good times.
Because it's with me almost constantly (I have two, one each for home and the office). It makes a very satisfying sound when placed on a conference table with just the right amount of force.
/fucking building is crawling with sparties and buckeyes.
April 28th, 2016 at 10:06 AM ^
"Michigan Memories" - which my GF's dog promptly chewed the corner off. FFFFUUUUUUU
April 28th, 2016 at 10:33 AM ^
kill the dog or fire the GF? or both?
b/c too many extenuating circumstances (she's awesome). Didn't kill the dog, as I blamed myself for leaving the book on the floor. It bummed me out though, big time.
April 28th, 2016 at 10:05 AM ^
April 28th, 2016 at 10:06 AM ^
Spring game when I was 3. My dad got a picture of Bo and me in front of the old winged VW Beetle. Made it in to an 8x10. He took it to the bust that year and got Bo to sign it for me. My dad had that in his office for the next 30 years, and now it hangs in mine. Not only my favorite piece of Michigan memorabilia, but my favorite possession period.
April 28th, 2016 at 10:22 AM ^
Bo, signed, you in it, from your dad... very jealous.
Only way it could be better is if it was your son in the picture -- in other words, I think your DAD had the coolest thing ever. Glad it is hanging in your office, must make for great memories.
April 28th, 2016 at 10:30 AM ^
Maybe if or when you have a kid, you get the same picture done with your kid and Jim Harbaugh?
I think Jim Harbaugh would appreciate the tradtition being carried on.
April 28th, 2016 at 10:43 AM ^
This is the absolute truth. I worked at UM for several years prior to moving to South Dakota, and I still have my season tickets (even though we only get back for a game or two each year).
I have a one and a half year old son, and next summer I am going to pull every favor and every string I can to try to replicate this with my son and Jim. I have to imagine that Harbaugh would appreciate this tradition with an EUTM.
April 28th, 2016 at 11:06 AM ^
I'm wishing you and your son the best on this.
You are now my favorite MGoBlogger.
April 28th, 2016 at 12:22 PM ^
Ha! Thanks for the well wishes - I am going to work my ass off to make it happen.
Thats awesome! EUTM lol love it. Any chance you have some game tickets you'd be willing to sell to a guy whose only been to 1 game? Also im heading to Ann Arbor next week to get some Jordan gear with my dad and just bought my first home looking to get some old school M programs and memorabilia for my barn and basement any place you fellas suggest to visit to get some things?
April 28th, 2016 at 10:42 AM ^
April 28th, 2016 at 10:09 AM ^
a football autographed by Bo that I got in person when i was like 7.
April 28th, 2016 at 10:10 AM ^
I have numerous Bo-signed and Lloyd-signed things, but I have a couple prized possissions.
The first is a wooden chairback from the Snake-pit in Columbus. I was in the band and stood on my chair towards the end of the game to get a better view. The chair broke into pieces and I grabbed the back and stuffed it into my uniform on the way out. Seat #1 by the way.
Number two is a bound book that the team put together after the 1997 season that shows the script for every practice and all game statistics. I took it with me to a Mott charity event and got Woodson, Jansen, Dhani Jones, and Brady Hoke to autograph it. Dhani checked out the Rose Bowl stats and took a picture of the section that showed he had one tackle.
April 28th, 2016 at 10:10 AM ^
Good Time Charley's menu signed by Charles Woodson. He was doing an interview there the Wednesday before the '97 Ohio State game.
April 28th, 2016 at 10:11 AM ^
I noticed the other day that there are ~1,600 different Michigan items on Etsy. (No idea why I was on Etsy. My wife yelled at me, "Would you get off of Etsy!" Which was a definite role reversal.)
My favorite item is my Jim Harbaugh Michigan Hat or the stained glass "M" my father made me.
April 28th, 2016 at 10:12 AM ^
April 28th, 2016 at 10:13 AM ^
I have an autographed Braylon Edwards jersey and a game-worn helmet, though I don't know to whom it used to belong. It was a gift years ago.
April 28th, 2016 at 10:13 AM ^
April 28th, 2016 at 10:15 AM ^
Similar to the Stadium Seat story above... I had a good friend do a "Victory lap" and graduate in 5 years. He lived on State Street just south of Yost and I spent a few weekends at his place. It was during the Yost renovations and there was a pile of bricks just sitting there... It's like they were asking to be taken.a
2 of those bricks are in my house.
April 28th, 2016 at 11:36 AM ^
Yes! My dad also grabbed one. I wonder how many of those bricks ended out being "souvenirs."
April 28th, 2016 at 10:17 AM ^
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April 28th, 2016 at 12:00 PM ^