Curate Your Own Michigan Season, Week by Week
So I'm cleaning the garage and see the ole cornhole set. I think "meh...shame we won't be getting that out this Fall". Then I start thinking about missing out on the pre-game bbqs, the brats, the cider, the cornhole...and I haz a sad.
Then it hits me: Why can't we do all of that anyway?
I have two young sons. They are Michigan football fans because Mom and Dad both went there. This legacy fandom is the most shallow form of fandom. It is not borne of actually experiencing thrilling wins and heartbreaking losses. Why not take this Fall (and the sad absence of real football) to educate them, Saturday by Saturday? Why not curate the best Week 1, Week 2, Week 3...Week 13 Michigan games available by video to show them, while keeping up the bbqs, the brats, the cider, the cornhole?
So here is where I need some help. Name the best games of your Michigan fandom, by week.
Week 1 is, I think, the easiest as I can't think of anything better than the Scott Driesbach UVA game. Week 3 brings up another 1996 game against Boston College that was played in a monsoon. I wanna say that ND Under the Lights was a Week 4 game. My OSU game would be the Biakabutuka game (with '97 being a close second). MSU would have to be the Braylon game from 2004. There has to be a Week 2 game where Ty Wheatley or Mike Hart rushed for 8,000 yards against UMass or EMU or something.
I'd like to keep Michigan undefeated in this composite season I'm creating, though I'm open to a heartbreaking loss that shows grit.
What's your curated composite Michigan schedule to watch this season?
August 24th, 2020 at 1:19 AM ^
I think you can scrap 1996 Boston College in week three. Other than the second half rainstorm and BC being quarterbacked by Matt Hasslebeck, the only thing notable about that game was how annoyingly close it was. Although the Tuman touchdown was pretty sweet.
Week one also had Brabbs kick against Washington in 2002. There was also six interceptions against Bernie Kosar and #1 ranked Miami in 1984.
Week two has a plethora of kick ass Notre Dame games; the renewal of the rivalry in 1978 and sacking Joe Montana in the end zone for the safety to add the icing to the cake. The 1991 game where Desmond made the 4th down diving TD catch. The 2006 ass kicking in South Bend with the ND announcer sadly saying Manningham has just scored the hat trick. Under the lights I & II.
There's a ton of games to consider for a subject like this. This may be a bored at work project to do.
August 24th, 2020 at 1:27 AM ^
What a cool idea on celebrating Michigan football with your kids! I tried to stay away from Notre Dame and Ohio State games for recommendations since most of us Michigan fans have a preference.
I don't recall Michigan games being played in my region until the early 90's. So based on that, I would suggest the Penn St. game on October 15, 2005 (Week 7 I believe). Let us know what schedule you end up going with. Avoid heartbreaking losses though...they never get easier to watch!
August 24th, 2020 at 7:10 AM ^
If you can find the Indiana at Michigan game from 1979, I would use that one. It's grim until the last play.
August 24th, 2020 at 8:23 AM ^
And Bob Ufer going crazy!
August 24th, 2020 at 8:33 AM ^
He mentions he's 59 when he's losing his mind. Scary, I was 18 then and I'm 59 now.
August 24th, 2020 at 7:24 AM ^
You can’t just show them wins. Need to temper their fandom by the cold reality of disappointment as well. Like MSU 90 or Colorado 94. The whole games of course. Not just the YouTube clips of the stomach punches. I might show them a season at a time so they get a whole experience. Or pick an era. I like the Moeller era. At any rate, sounds like a fun project.
August 24th, 2020 at 7:52 AM ^
Having the season cancelled is already shitty enough imo. No reason to slice open old wounds.
August 24th, 2020 at 8:53 AM ^
Thanks but no thanks. ESPN Classic rebroadcast that hail mary game against Colorado obsessively for about 13 straight years. Likewise, they would show Desmond getting mugged on the 2 point conversion every MSU week for about a decade. Just....no.
August 24th, 2020 at 9:20 AM ^
Why? Why do you buy into the fake media telling us that we played Colorado in 1994? That game never happened, you sheep! Edited film from several different games is all it is! Why do you fools believe that crap?
August 24th, 2020 at 8:14 AM ^
Our older daughter is 3 and just starting to get into watching sports. I'm planning on acting like the season is still a thing and picking one game from the original schedule to show her. An old Michigan-Washington game in week 1, Ball State in week 2, etc. She won't know that they're old recordings. Very much considering going undefeated and then showing her 2018 Ohio State to give a harsh dose of reality.
August 24th, 2020 at 8:36 AM ^
That's nice. It'll scar her young mind.
August 24th, 2020 at 9:17 AM ^
Before the OSU game you should throw in 2013 MSU.
August 24th, 2020 at 9:42 AM ^
Your mention of the Cornhole set makes me sad too, OP. I had even purchased a new set of corn bags (I prefer natural corn-filled beanbags over the weatherproof plastic-filled ones) months ago in preparation for this fall and tailgating, but then 2020 happened.
August 24th, 2020 at 9:51 AM ^
You could re-purpose those new bean bags. Might come in handy in your mod role.
August 24th, 2020 at 9:43 AM ^
"This legacy fandom is the most shallow form of fandom. It is not borne of actually experiencing thrilling wins and heartbreaking losses."
I call bullshit - there's no such thing! Sure, maybe, your first few games as a fan might be pretty shallow - but that's when you start "experiencing thrilling wins and heartbreaking losses", thus forming your own fan experience. Whether that experience is gained because someone in your family got you started right, or you figured it out on your own, doesn't matter. We're all fans for largely similar reasons - we have some history with the school, teams, and games, and we want to see them doing well. Levels of commitment, or loyalty, depend more on you as a person than it does anything else. Besides, bleacher seating doesn't really convey social strata...
Nonetheless, if you want to show 'grit' during a loss, then point no farther than the 2006 game at OSU. Yeah, it's a loss - a heartbreaking loss. But it was one helluva game played just hours after Bo Schembechler died. Despite the loss, I've always been proud to point at that game as one where leadership and teamwork can overcome a lot of bullshit. They got jobbed at the end with that BS call on Harris. Probably didn't cost them the game, but it certainly did cost them a chance a the end.
August 24th, 2020 at 9:58 AM ^
If my kids were older, I'd do 2 seasons; the first season would consist of only highs. The second season full of near tragedies and defeats. Sweet is never as sweet w/o the taste of bitter to remind you.
August 24th, 2020 at 10:34 AM ^
If you want them to get the full range of emotions have to show them the Denard comeback ND game 100%, and then to balance it out need to go with a snatching defeat from the jaws of victory with Trouble with the Snap game.
It hurts but they can't all be Ws.
Also don't give them any hint of what is going to happen. The Mercury Hayes UVA game you mentioned would be the perfect start to the season for sure.
August 24th, 2020 at 1:09 PM ^
Without counting byes, here is what I came up with. I also did not include the same opponent more than once. And this is mostly chosen out of pure entertainment factor. So lots of comebacks, last second victories or just flat out destruction of teams. Born in 89, so my memory only goes back to 95 for special games and late 90s for whole seasons.
Week 1 - 2002 vs 11 Washington - 31-29
Week 2 - 1996 @ 5 Colorado - 20-12
Week 3 - 2006 @ 2 Notre Dame - 47-21
Week 4 - 2000 @ 19 Illinois - 35-31
Week 5 - 2016 vs 8 Wisconsin 14-7
Week 6 - 1997 vs 15 Iowa - 28-24
Week 7 - 2005 vs 7 Penn State - 27-25
Week 8 - 2004 vs 12 Purdue - 16-14
Week 9 - 2004 vs Michigan State - 45-37 3ot
Week 10 - 2012 vs 24 N'W - 38-31ot
Week 11 - 2011 vs 16 Nebraska - 45-17
Week 12 - 2003 vs 4 Ohio State - 35-21
Bowl - 2000 vs 5 Alabama - 35-34 ot
Every team might not have their best game selected. But there were some weeks that were hard to select. But I thought I got some good balance between eras that I remember. I'm sure if I looked farther back, this schedule would look much different.