Memories of 1997
I am one of the folks here who experienced 1997 as an adult. These are my memories of that wonderful year.
First, we have to understand how different that time was. The Internet was very young, but I think that the Detroit papers, and even the AA News, had websites. I don’t know if this website existed. (Might think about putting that date on the home page.) There was no Big Ten Network, so not every game was widely broadcast. I lived in Alabama at the time, and my wife (we are now happily married for 40 years) was expecting our second child.
I read somewhere that Brian Griese had been named the starting QB, and I approved of that, because I thought---for all his physical limitations---that Brian was better than Scott Dreisbach. I don’t think the name “Tom Brady” was even known to me. I was able to watch the opener against Colorado and was impressed by a couple of things, most especially the defense, which hounded the Colorado QB the entire game. I remember Woodson’s INT which I think set up our first TD, and I also remember that we played three QBs---Griese, Dreisbach, and Brady.
I missed the Baylor game, but that might have been due to things my (pregnant) wife needed/wanted me to do. That brought us to Notre Dame. IIRC, this was a mid-afternoon kick-off, and the early game ran long, so I knew we were down 7-0 early. The Notre Dame game is distinguished by our 3rd Qtr. comeback and our effort to fumble the game away in the 4th Qtr. I distinctly recall Bob Griese criticizing his son on the hand-off that Chris Floyd lost. But the defensive stands that resulted reinforced my opinion of the defense. And the last play---keeping Griese on the field for an apparent pooch-punt, then shifting to a regular offensive play and running Chris Howard for a first down---was brilliant.
I think Indiana was next, but was not televised in Alabama. I was able to watch highlights, and had become skilled at sweating bricks while waiting for score updates while watching other games---after the previous two seasons, nothing was taken for granted.
And so we come to MSU. This was televised in Alabama (but not with the Jackson-Griese announcing team), and was a most joyous afternoon. The most Sparty-esque moment came near the end of the first half. Down 7—3, due to a well-executed fake FG called by MSU coach Nick Saban, we had gotten well inside Sparty’s red zone, mostly due to a very long run on an ordinary running play by Chris Howard that flipped field position. On a third and goal from inside the two, Carr called a QB sneak, but Griese was stopped short. However, in one of the most Sparty moments prior to 2022, some guy wearing green was detected pummeling Griese in the pile. Yellow flags flew, and Sparty was assessed 15 yards and a new set of downs (the yardage---half the distance from inside the two---was irrelevant, but the downs were not). Quickly, it was now 10—7 at the half. The deluge of interceptions came in the second half, including Woodson’s gravity-defying pick. I was beginning to sense there might be something special about this team.
The next game I recall seeing is at home against Northwestern, which had beaten us the two previous years. Woodson had another pick, which sealed the victory, but the play I remember was near the goal line, Michigan going in, when a Northwestern DL/LB got to Griese, but his tackle attempt amounted to just flinging the 6’-5” Griese, who managed to keep his balance and hit a receiver (TE Jerame Tuman, of course) for a TD.
The next game I remember (I am literally doing this entirely from memory) was “Judgment Day” at Penn State. College Gameday was in its infancy as an on-campus thing, but they came to Happy Valley. Beano Cook was one of the regulars, and he said (something like) it was a good thing the Michigan Marching Band could play “Hail to the Victors” as part of their opening routine, because they would not play it much during the game. After the 34—8 trouncing we delivered, Beano had the grace to appear on set wearing a Michigan helmet. (If anyone got a capture of that, I’d love a copy.) My favorite moment was when Griese took off out of the pocket for a 40 yard scramble, prompting Keith Jackson to exclaim, “The last time Brian Griese ran that far, his Daddy was chasing him with a stick!”
The next game was Wisconsin, but again it was not broadcast in Alabama, and it was a bit tense, watching the score and occasional highlight as they came back and made it a game, but we withstood it and got the W.
That was on Nov. 15; on Nov. 18, the following Tuesday, my wife gave birth to our son, James Felts Epperson, II. Of course her parents came up to see the newest grandchild, and so on Saturday, Nov. 22, two things were clear: It was my day to deal with the youngling, and I was going to be watching a certain football game. So, the Jayster (he hates that nickname) saw his first Michigan-Ohio State football game while sitting in my lap, wearing a Michigan “onesie” and “doing a Buckeye” in his diaper throughout the first half. I changed him at halftime, gave him a bottle of Mommy’s finest, and he then fell asleep for most of the second half, which put a bit of a damper on my usual emotional outbursts during such games.
(As the recent Rose Bowl ended, this is the kid---now 26, born in Alabama---who texted the rest of the family, “YEE FUCKIN HAW.” I think I have raised him well.)
The Rose Bowl after that season was insanely great, in part because of the way we won---3 TD passes, no rushing TDs---and equally terrifying, mostly because of the insane no-call on the blatant OPI that got Wazoo to midfield with just a few seconds left and thereby took at least 15 years off my life. But I smiled a lot at work for the next few weeks.
I still have one of the shirts I bought to commemorate that year. It is very threadbare, the paint is mostly gone, and I only use it as an inner-wear shirt under several other layers. Maybe I should replace it? What do you all think? My mother-in-law gave me a large check for Christmas …
January 13th, 2024 at 2:41 AM ^
I was at the 1998 Rose Bowl with my oldest son and my Dad, and I remember well the interception by Woodson to seal the win. I took my family earlier that year to the Michigan picture day with the team down on the field before the season was set to kick off (August), as I was back for my 20 year high school reunion. The highlight was my daughter sneaking under the roped off area to get Tai Streets autograph. Have to say though I enjoyed this year’s national championship above the 1998 Rose Bowl, but cherish the fact I got to experience both. As for my ultimate Michigan football memory, nothing tops the 1969 upset win that I experienced with my Dad at the stadium as a very young kid - a memory that has lasted a lifetime. Go Blue!
January 13th, 2024 at 8:54 AM ^
I was at the 1998 Rose Bowl with my oldest son and my Dad, and I remember well the interception by Woodson to seal the win.
Ummm, I hate to break this to you - but that’s ot how the game ended!
January 13th, 2024 at 4:49 AM ^
The 1997 team was a complete surprise. I was working and living in Lubbock, TX and could not see several games but did get to see ND, PSU and OSU. Woodson was an amazing two way player. I was able to get internet radio station from Detroit, WJR at the time to listen to a few more games. I thought for sure we would win the outright national championship but Osborne had to go and retire at the end of the season and the Coaches voted NE as number one in their poll and at least the AP kept their number 1, which was Michigan. Overall, a great surprise season given that we were only ranked at number 14 to start the season and most thought another 4 loss season awaited us. I like this season better, since the team knew they were good and their goal was to be national champions and they did it, despite the NCAA and B1G throwing up road blocs, Bet!
You are right, the Detroit News/Freep had early chatrooms. I was chatting on the Ann Arbor News site when I first learned about MGOBLOG from others in late 2006. I lurked here in the Holucian days but after seeing everyone signing up during the 2008, season, I finally did. in 2009. Now, I never go anywhere else. The Ann Arbor News became MLIVE and their chatrooms became all troll ridden. Then the Freep turned on our program, so stopped going there if they even do a chatroom any longer now.
January 13th, 2024 at 8:06 AM ^
Sleep deprived 37 years old then with a 2 year old and a less than one year old and married 8 years. Just moved back (May '95) from Puyallup, WA where my son was born and we watched Brock Huard play at Puyallup HS (threw 2 70 yard TD bombs). He wrote a recruiting column for 1 week on the front of the USA Today sports page as he was the No. 1 recruit.
Other than the moments mentioned I seem to recall Griese threw a few interceptions against Purdue in the first half and then rallied the team in a slow climb back to a win late. Wasn't Penn State ranked like 3rd in the country and UM trounced them? The Woodson Sparty catch also really stood out. You couldn't believe it was real and how perfect it was. Late season heroics the whole world saw.
Felt assaulted by the Coaches Poll betrayal due to Phat Phil (No.1 consensus for two weeks or more goes into its final Bowl game and wins). Didn't know the hard Scott Frost lobbying or really even that Tom Osborne was retiring and its bearing. Given their Missouri kicked ball miracle and Tennessee Peyton Heisman denied turtling didn't recall a similar out of the Blue change.
It'll never be shared in my mind just because SEC cheating is/was so pervasively permitted.
January 13th, 2024 at 11:20 AM ^
Not Purdue---Iowa. I should have remembered watching that game as we damn near blew the entire season there. Great comeback by Griese.
January 13th, 2024 at 4:25 PM ^
Correct, it was Iowa. UM was down 21-7 at half after giving up a punt return TD. Carr stuck with Griese, and #14 rewarded his faith with two TD passes and a rushing TD in the 2nd half to pull out the W.
January 13th, 2024 at 5:30 PM ^
Yeah, I just go off memory. I don’t Google life.
January 14th, 2024 at 3:01 PM ^
No Google my friend, I just remember that game. I remember Tim Dwight burning us on the punt return and wondering if that might be the end of our perfect season. I also remember wondering if Carr should replace Griese for the 2nd half...then feeling simultaneously elated and chastened when he balled out the rest of the game. Great moment for Griese, and for that special team
January 14th, 2024 at 4:52 PM ^
I believe the pregame Judgement Day rankings were:
#1 Nebraska
#2 Penn State
#3 Florida
#4 Michigan
The day we smoked Penn State was, if I recall, the night Nebraska went to OT with Missouri and Florida lost, so we vaulted to #1 the next day. Speaking of which, Nebraska had no business sharing that title based on schedule strength and common opponents, and if the Orange Bowl had been on the same day as the Rose Bowl that year, they probably would not have been able to convince the big handful of coaches (other than Fulmer) who put NU ahead of M.
January 13th, 2024 at 9:47 AM ^
I wore my 97 national championship shirt quite a bit the last few months, hoping to conjure up some luck for team 144. It’s in a pretty bad state, but I have some updated gear in the mail. Can’t wait to proudly display it. Told my sons to enjoy this to the max, you never know when the next one will be. Now if only I had a Lions championship shirt to wear….
January 13th, 2024 at 10:05 AM ^
Nicely done.
I watched the Rose Bowl through a crack in the door from the basement to the den where my wife and kids were watching the game. I'd watch a little, go downstairs and pace, watch a little, pace, watch, pace, pace some more, watch. I was in agony the entire game.
I'm not sure you're aware of this, but we don't always win on New Years Day in Pasadena.
January 13th, 2024 at 10:39 AM ^
I admit having this same issue of overwhelming anxiety (pacing) that I never had before to this degree. My wife keeps saying calm down but it is just how much effort on this journey all these kids have put in and it is that that I want to see rewarded. Good versus evil basically.
So happy for the vindication as well. Never forget who showed their red ass and true colors in the attempted distraction as that is who they really are. Puny gods, to paraphrase.
January 13th, 2024 at 11:50 AM ^
That stomping of Penn State remains one of the most satisfying memories I have of Michigan football over the decades. Not quite up there with intercepting OSU QB’s 5 times and ending the two year win streak of “the greatest college football team ever assembled,” but top 5 or so.
January 13th, 2024 at 1:45 PM ^
The 1997 Penn State beatdown and subsequent rally/house party at Bollinger's house (the University president's house) are seared into my memory
January 13th, 2024 at 4:22 PM ^
I remember the '97 Colorado game VERY well. This was the Buffs' return to the Big House after the Kordell Stewart hail Mary two years previous. What people may not remember about the '95 game is that Michigan had that game practically sewn up when we fumbled in the red zone while up 12 in the 4th. The '97 rematch had no such drama. 27-3, a merciless beatdown. The stellar defensive effort was an indicator of things to come that season.
Another thing people may not remember is that Brian Griese had been kicked off the team for a bar fight. He had to work his way back onto the team as the pooch punter and fight his way up the depth chart. He then led the team to a 12-0 record and outshined Ryan Leaf, a Heisman finalist, to win the Rose Bowl and the national title.
In December of that year, a friend of mine that I'd known during our time at UM in the 80's called me and said, "I have a ticket to the Rose Bowl. Would you like to go? Face is $75."
I was single and in grad school in Illinois at the time. I did have some money saved and reasoned that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. To this day the '98 Rose Bowl remains the only bowl game I have ever attended in person.
It was surreal to actually be there. The moment when time finally expired and the players spilled out onto the field was simply euphoric. Carr, Griese, Woodson, Streets, et al, had won the ultimate prize, right there in the stadium where Michigan fans had witnessed mostly heartbreak and disappointment.
It can be said, and has been, that 2023 is even better - it is an outright championship, in a playoff, with wins over two top five squads, that forcefully and finally cemented Jim Harbaugh's legacy in AA. All true. But never forget that magical '97 season. The haters can try to diminish it as a shared championship, but it still counts. That was a team that deserves to be revered and remembered as long as Michigan football is played.
January 17th, 2024 at 5:38 AM ^
The haters can try to diminish it as a shared championship, but it still counts.
Half that Michigan team was still playing in the NFL a decade later, while Nebraska players were nowhere to be found once they couldn't 'roid up like they did at NU.
You better believe it still counts.
January 14th, 2024 at 8:29 AM ^
I was fortunate to attend the Penn State Judgement Day game in person. The final score really should have been 34-0. Penn State was given a ridiculously generous spot on a 4th down play on their scoring drive. Fourth and ten, they gained 9, and the ref gave them 11. I was certain that guy just didn't want the previously-undefeated #2 (?) ranked home team to be shut out.
January 14th, 2024 at 11:05 AM ^
Well done Jim. Kudos to you for your good memory, as for raising your son right. I have have similar success with my daughters right and my oldest is as about a big a Michigan fan as your son. Still have a sweater from the 97 Rose Bowl. Good for you for remembering so many details of the 97 season so well and candidly better than I, though I do remember PSU and OSU and Charles Woodson saying after OSU something to the effect of "They do the talking, we do the walking. We just make plays"
January 17th, 2024 at 5:33 AM ^
I was at the "Judgement" Day Penn State game, which was the inflection point of the whole season. After that game, we knew we were gunning for it all.
Some impressions of the game:
I had 2 tickets from the DC alumni association. My wife (girlfriend at the time) got sick and could not go. I was just going to bag it . . . why schlep 3 hours in the rain by myself to see a game we are supposed to lose in a hostile environment? . . . but I decided at the last minute, WTF. One of the best decisions I ever made.
Game time was at 3:30 on a gloomy, misty, cloudy day. A real Big Ten football day. Clocks had already been set back so it was getting dark already. I was late so I had to listen to our first series on the radio. It was a good drive, but ended only in a field goal. When I got close to the stadium, I could see it lit up in the distance. It looked like a battleship floating in the middle of the ocean in a storm. It was eerie, yet stunning.
When I made it into the stadium, Penn State was starting their first drive. I entered the stadium at field level just in time to see McQueary "The Rooster" and his trick play blown up for a big loss, up close and personal. After that, Michigan just unloaded. We stopped every PSU drive and scored on all of our drives in the first half. It looked like an NFL team against a high school team.
I sat in the upper deck which was new at the time. The other deck was not built yet, so you could see Mount Nittany in the distance. When it got into the middle of the 3rd quarter, what I vividly remember is the endless stream of taillights in the darkness, all leaving town in the dimming shadow of Mount Nittany. Penn State had quit. We Michigan fans started our own version of the Penn State cheer: "Where is . . . Penn State?, Where is . . . Penn State?"
When the game was over, the team came over to the Michigan section near the end zone to celebrate with us. That small section of fans was louder than the entire Big House on many football Saturdays.
After the game about 50 of us gathered around a guy with a portable TV to watch the end of the Nebraska-Missouri game. Missouri was winning late in the fourth quarter. We went nuts, up until the famous illegal kick that was recovered by Nebraska to force OT. Once it went to OT we knew the writing was on the wall. Game, Nebraska.
The game was broadcast on ABC and ESPN was doing a mini Judgement Day "Game Day" from Penn State. (FSU and UNC were the other undefeated Judgement Day contestants). Beno Cook was doing the PSU broadcast. Earlier in the day, he stated that Michigan should not even bother to show up, just send the band. So we went over to the broadcast booth and let him have it good. He was clearly embarrassed by his earlier statements. To calm us down, he informed us that he would be voting us #1 the next day, despite Nebraska's OT win and FSU's win.
I hit the bars after that, careful not to show too much of my Michigan sweatshirt under my coat. But my cat-that-ate-the-canary grin gave me away all night. I did not leave
until so late that I had to find a flea-bag roadside motel near Harrisburg because I just could not stay awake any longer.
Slept like a baby that night.
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