"Where were you when...?" (Michigan Edition)

Touchdown manningham - I was on the field, right behind the endzone, maybe 10 yards from Manningham was he caught the ball. Was about to storm the field until I took a look at Gunnery Sgt Britton - who had a big goofy smile, but still looked menacing - and decided it was best just to jump up and down next to the field. Then some Penn State fans threw water at us. I hope it was water.

My first WWYW may have been watching Braylonfest at a friend's MSU-Michigan themed Bar Mitzvah.  

• Haskins hurdled that fool in the OSU game this year Friend's house, drunk enough that I only vaguely remember
• Trey Burke made "The Shot" Alone at home
• Braylonfest became Braylonfest At home, with my father, waiting for it to end to go to a Halloween party (I don't think we made it)
• "I can't believe this! Roy Roooundtree!" At the game, student section in the opposite endzone.
• "TOUCHDOWN, MANNINGHAM! MICHIGAN WINS!" At the newly opened Buffalo Wild Wings in Ann Arbor, which was 
• Jordan Poole ripped Houston's heart out St. Patrick's Day party at a friend's apartment, the only clear memory from the second half
• Jabrill's Heisman return against Rutgers was called back by a bogus flag Is this one really on the level of the others? I was working late on Saturday night, I think, with the game on a monitor
• DPJ streaked down the sidelines before hitting the Paul Bunyan pose. Same house as #1, celebrating with a big group

- Home with the family

- At home in my basement trying not to scream and wake up my young kids.

- At the game

- At a bar with friends celebrating my 10th wedding anniversary, yes the wife was there too.

- At the game

- Home with the family

- Home with the family

- Home with the family

Sort of related.

Yesterday at work, I was talking with someone about how much would I spend to see a live event. He said he said if someone gave him the ability to go back in time to watch UK (I live in Kentucky) win the national championship for $10,000, he wouldn't do it. He said he wouldn't do it for $1,000. That made me think some. I probably wouldn't pay to go back in time and watch an event that I knew the result of, but I would pay to go back in time, and attempt to convince myself to see the last OSU game without giving away that UM won. I was in Michigan that weekend, but I didn't attempt to go. If I could somehow go back in time and get myself to experience that in person, and then somehow transfer that experience to present self, I may pay something decent for that.

Watching it on my couch after I got home later that day was still a great feeling though. I stayed in the dark, but my wife had it spoiled and somehow didn't ruin it for me. She was looking up championship ticket prices while watching it with me.

A variety of couches in Virginia, California or Idaho. 

• On my couch. It was my 5yo daughter's first time seeing M beat OSU
• Pequad's in Chicago. The best Chicago-style pizza. The place went NUTS!!!
• On my couch with my then-Sparty roommate
• On the 10 yard line, 13 rows up, that side of the field
• Dark Horse in Chicago
• Sully's House in Chicago
• My dad died that morning. Watched this game at home that night
• Hosting a party at my place in Chicago

• Haskins hurdled that fool in the OSU game this year - Working at the game up in the suites. I think I was in Suite 504 east when that happened.
•  
• Trey Burke made "The Shot" - at home.
•  
• Braylonfest became Braylonfest - at my house in Windsor. 2004 was the first time in a long time that I didn't go to one single game.
•  
• "I can't believe this! Roy Roooundtree!" - Working at the game in the suites. I think i was in Suite 505 or 506 east when it happened.
•  
• "TOUCHDOWN, MANNINGHAM! MICHIGAN WINS!" - at the game with my dad in our seats.
•  
• Jordan Poole ripped Houston's heart out - at home
•  
• Jabrill's Heisman return against Rutgers was called back by a bogus flag - at home.
•  
• DPJ streaked down the sidelines before hitting the Paul Bunyan pose. - at my dads house watching the game with him.

• Haskins hurdled that fool in the OSU game this year.   In my living room. After which I immediately called my friend who refused to watch OSU games since the Devin Gardner game telling him it was time to turn on the television. 
• Trey Burke made "The Shot”.  Again in my living room. Said something like “what a terrible shot , what the hell ar…HOLY SHIT IT WENT IN!”
• Braylonfest became Braylonfest. Very strangely, I have no recollection of watching this game live.  It’s just bizarre. I have no idea.
• "I can't believe this! Roy Roooundtree!"  I was at Disneys night of joy supervising teenagers getting text updates  from a friend.  
• "TOUCHDOWN, MANNINGHAM! MICHIGAN WINS!" By myself in my apartment, arms raised in a manner similar to  Gary Bertier in Remember the  Titans when they win the title. 
• Jordan Poole ripped Houston's heart out.  Screaming quietly (is that a thing?) alongside my wife on the couch with a sleeping toddler upstairs. 
• Jabrill's Heisman return against Rutgers was called back by a bogus flag.  On my couch laughing hysterically. 
• DPJ streaked down the sidelines before hitting the Paul Bunyan pose.  Living room shouting something like “that’s right motherfucker!”

- In the opposite end zone next to two very sad Ohio fans

- In my seat at a Pistons game watching on my iPad

- 3 years old

- Grandma's house

- 4 years old

- Home alone losing my voice

- Home simply laughing hysterically

- Party surrounded by Sparty fans

• Haskins hurdled that fool in the OSU game this year - Big House 
• Trey Burke made "The Shot" - parents place watching with sis 
• Braylonfest became Braylonfest- Madison, WI hotel 
• "I can't believe this! Roy Roooundtree!" - I don’t recall 
• "TOUCHDOWN, MANNINGHAM! MICHIGAN WINS!" - I can recall, probably the Michigan bar in Chicago 
• Jordan Poole ripped Houston's heart out. Friends house 
• Jabrill's Heisman return against Rutgers was called back by a bogus flag - can’t recall. Probably home. 
• DPJ streaked down the sidelines before hitting the Paul Bunyan pose. Home 

1. At the game

2. Slippery Noodle indianapolis 

3. At the game

4. Bdubs (sold my ticket for 400 dollars thinking I wouldn't regret it, WRONG)

5. At the game

6. At Applebee's in Cleveland (Went to NCAA wrestling championship that day. My son and his friend were 5 rows up behind the Michigan bench. He will never let me forget he was there and I wasn't. 

7. At home

8. At the game 

#4 is one of my 2 biggest sports regrets. The other is leaving Lions Cowboys game with 4 minutes to go.

*My couch

*My parent's couch

*At the game

*My couch

*My couch

*Social Kitchen in Birmingham

*Don't remember, probably my couch

*My couch

A few of my own, for some reason the losses are more memorable than the victories:

#2 Michigan loses a heartbreaker at #1 Iowa in 1985: listening in my Dad's car on WJR

Reggie Ho's four goddamn field goals vs Michigan in 1988: parent's couch

1989 NCAA Tournament Championship vs Seton Hall: friend's house

Kordell Stewart to Michael Westbrook in 1994: first and only visit to the Detroit Yacht Club, watched in the bar, what a fucking gut punch.

Fab 5 vs Duke in 1992 NCAA finals: big watch party at friend's apartment

1998 Rose Bowl vs. Washington State - in the stadium, highlight of my sporting life

Michigan @ OSU in 2006: my couch

"Trouble with the snap" vs MSU in 2015 - was at a charity event with my wife's boss and his wife at our table.  I did not handle well, still a bit embarrassed. 

Michigan vs OSU in 2018 and 2019: memories repressed.  Too painful, to soon.

• In the South Endzone. Still can't believe I got to witness that game in person. 
• Putt Putt's bar in Grand Rapids. I was with mostly MSU fans but the small bar exploded after that shot.
• Somewhat embarrassed by this one as me and my dad left the game early as we had lost hope for a comeback and I was getting cold (I was a teenager at the time). Ended up stopping for dinner on the way home and seeing the rest of the game in a restaurant in Lansing surrounded by MSU fans. That was a pretty great way to watch it, though. 
• Again, I was fortunate enough to be in attendance for this one and pretty close to the corner of the endzone he scored in. Electric atmosphere for this game. 
• I was pretty young, but I was able to go to this one, too. I don't recall if this was the PSU game that my 2nd cousin and PSU student came to the game and met up with us. 
• Gardella's in Grand Rapids. People lost their minds for this one.
• Probably at home for Jabrill.
• Don't recall exactly where I was, but I think I might've been working. 

When woodson took it to the house against osu? In row 72 of the student section. Freezing cold and going nuts

Haskins hurdled that fool in the OSU game this year - Watching the game with my dad, brother and brother in law in Asheville. Up until Haskins found his way into the endzone for the final time, I was still allowing myself to think "How is Michigan going to blow it? OSU still has eons of time left." After that, I allowed myself to say "We're going to win this game."

Trey Burke made "The Shot" - In my apartment in NYC, going ballistic

Braylonfest became Braylonfest - Couldn't tell you what I was doing. I didn't officially start following Michigan until my freshman year in 2008. 

"I can't believe this! Roy Roooundtree!" - My senior year, in the stands. In awe of what I'd witnessed. Second loudest sporting moment in my life. First was Game 7 of the NHL Eastern Conference Finals in 2004. I would argue there is nothing in North American sports more tense, emotional, and "on edge" than playoff hockey. But I digress. I was in the stands for UTL 1. 

TOUCHDOWN, MANNINGHAM! MICHIGAN WINS! - Couldn't tell you. Was probably working my part-time job in HS. 

Jordan Poole ripped Houston's heart out - Watching the game in our bedroom. Woke both the dogs up along with my wife when I fell to the floor after the shot fell in. 

Jabrill's Heisman return against Rutgers was called back by a bogus flag. - Out on our apartment patio cooking burgers. When De'Veon fumbled on the first series, I thought "Oh god, tonight is going to be one of those games. It very quickly turned out to....not be that. Jabrill's return may have been called back, but it reminded me a smidge of Bell's out of bounds catch against WMU earlier this year. Just a beautiful display of great athleticism. 

DPJ streaked down the sidelines before hitting the Paul Bunyan pose. - Watching at home with my wife. Allowed myself to breathe a sigh of relief. After Michigan fumbled and MSU took advantage of that short field, the pessimistic cynic in me just started going "This is how MSU is going to win. They don't need to generate a bunch of offense. They'll just sit back and wait for Michigan to start making mistakes, like they did almost every year up to that point, and walk away with some BS 14-10 kind of victory. When DPJ went down the sideline, I think all of us breathed that collective sigh of relief. They took MSU's best shot and went right back with another haymaker to put the game out of reach. 

I think "I can't believe this! Roy Roundtree!" is what I said when I saw this happen

I've been to some awful UM football games over the years but at least none of them included a 5 hour drive home

Desmond Howards Heisman pose vs OSU. I was at the game

• Haskins hurdled that fool in the OSU game this year
  • At the game
• Trey Burke made "The Shot"
  • Watching at the Caesars sportsbook in Vegas
• Braylonfest became Braylonfest
  • At the game
• "I can't believe this! Roy Roooundtree!"
  • At the game
• "TOUCHDOWN, MANNINGHAM! MICHIGAN WINS!"
  • At the game
• Jordan Poole ripped Houston's heart out
  • Watching at home
• Jabrill's Heisman return against Rutgers was called back by a bogus flag
  • In bed with a woman who went to OSU, while separated from my now-ex-wife.  She was a good sport and watched most of the game with me, but...ahem...incentivized me to miss the 4th quarter of a 78-0 beatdown so we could watch the OSU game after (vs. PSU, when OSU lost on a blocked FG return).  Michigan won, OSU lost, I had fun.  All in all a very good day.
• DPJ streaked down the sidelines before hitting the Paul Bunyan pose.
  • Watching at home

I was at home for all of these events, Centennial, Colorado, except for Braylon Fest. For that one, I was in Hawaii on vacation with the family, so I missed the game.

I got a voice mail from one of my best friends at Michigan (who also lives in CO) going nuts. He went to East Lansing HS and hates MSU more than anything. I wish I still had the VM, it was filled with so much joy.

Fairly certain I was home for all of these as I don't have a life (cf, my MGoPoint total)

EDIT: actually I did watch the Poole shot at a friend's house.  I may or may not have violated his carpet in my delirium, but I definitely remember singing The Victors loudly and proudly as I left that night with the full intention of waking everyone in the Columbus suburb I was in.

On the darker side...

A few years ago on a Saturday afternoon I went to a friend's house in a Columbus suburb to play Twilight Imperium.  We made it through two(!) rounds before we decided to all go home - apparently if you've ever played the game you'll understand exactly what I'm talking about.  It was almost 7 when we stopped, so I swing by a Skyline Chili* for dinner on the way back.  The Michigan game was on and almost done and I took my time slurping down my 3-way** to watch us hold on to our narrow lead.  When Jourdan Lewis broke up the last-gasp third down pass I stood up and fist-pumped in triumph.  With the clock ticking down, Michigan lined up to punt the ball away and salt away their narrow victory.

Five minutes later, I got up and walked out in stony silence.  I've never gone into a Skyline since.  To this day I remain oddly and unjustifiably proud of how I refrained from flinging my plate against the wall.

* Some here might argue that was my first mistake, to which I plead nolo contendere

** Apparently we are not doing phrasing

• Home sequestered from all mankind 
• Cabin trip with a bunch of couples/friends
• Friends wedding in Indianapolis / Listening on radio
• Attending a Bacon/Bourbon festival and watching on my phone / fully cocked
• Sportsbar
• My backyard. I turned off the game thinking it was over. Caught it by rewinding DVR after texts/Twitter
• Home I assume, this one doesn't ring any bells
• Home 

• I was on my Thanksgiving trip to Missouri. I turn my phone off when I get there (no service anyways, it's in the sticks). Got home at 9pm, sat down with PBR expecting to turn off the DVR in the second quarter in sadness as usual. Boy was I wrong.
• Drinking PBR on the couch with my brother.
• Drinking PBR on the couch with my brother and dad.
• Drinking PBR on the couch with my brother.
• Drinking PBR on the couch with my brother.
• Drinking PBR on the couch alone.
• Drinking PBR on the couch with my brother and dad.
• Drinking PBR on the couch  with my brother and dad.

“TOUCHDOWN MANNINGHAM! MICHIGAN WINS”

This was my first Michigan game, and first time ever seeing a CFB game in person. I was about 50 rows up in the south end zone directly behind the uprights. Not much comes close to the excitement and magic of this past year’s win over Ohio State, but the 2005 Penn State game comes close for me. Walking through the flood of fans on Main Street afterwards, hearing the band and Hail to the Victors, it all just cemented my Michigan fandom and my love for Ann Arbor.

• Haskins hurdled that fool in the OSU game this year—at my house in the Chicago suburbs. 
• Trey Burke made "The Shot"—at my buddy Brian’s house in Jacksonville. 
• Braylonfest became Braylonfest—at the game but left early for my 1st wedding anniversary dinner. Big mistake. 
• "I can't believe this! Roy Roooundtree!"—at the game. 
• "TOUCHDOWN, MANNINGHAM! MICHIGAN WINS!"—watching play by play updates on game cast in Argentina. 
• Jordan Poole ripped Houston's heart out—at Axe throwing in Detroit suburb. 
• Jabrill's Heisman return against Rutgers was called back by a bogus flag—at my house 
• DPJ streaked down the sidelines before hitting the Paul Bunyan pose—driving around my neighborhood.  I left my house because I was too nervous to watch. 

1. Entertaining family in my living room, “helping” set up for my sons birthday party. 
 

2. Wife and I were in our apartment  in Kalamazoo while she was in graduate school. Laying in bed, ready to turn off the TV and go to bed until, the shot. 
 

3. Row 45 on the 50 yard line, Michigan side, with cousins, amazed at the mass exodus during the third quarter, and how it got absolutely freezing in the span of three hours. 
 

4. Buddies hunting cabin up north. Just came in from the evening hunt to see the last couple of plays. 
 

5. Trying to be quiet at home while both littles slept. 
 

6. I remember watching the game, just don’t remember where. I remember thinking I hope they never get a first down. 
 

7. At home, watching with the wife. 
 

*Edit- Roundtree catch. Our season tickets were row 7 in that corner. It was amazing. 

• Haskins: At my parents house in A2, probably crouching in anxiety
• Trey Burke, Roundtree: A college apartment in Chicago, running around like an idiot
• Braylonfest: At the game with my Dad and brother, I asked to leave earlier in the game. Thanks Dad for making us stay
• Manningham: At my friend Kati's house with a bunch of very annoyed people who didn't care one bit about football. 
• Jordan Poole: At a bar in Chicago watching on my phone
• Jabrill's Heisman and DPJ: My current apartment with my girlfriend. I really freaked the dog out on DPJs TD, I was running and jumping up and down. Before this year that was probably my favorite moment of the Harbaugh era

In your mom for all those moments. She’s my good luck charm

See, we need some non-Michigan fanatic answers to these:

1. Somewhere on I-96 in the snow trying to get to PSU @ MSU, while cursing out both (a) the lack of a quality radio signal for listening to OSU @ U-M, and (b) all the people driving horribly in the snow.

2. At a Grand Rapids bar after a Niagara vs North Dakota NCAA hockey game.  How's that for random?

3. Watching at my parents house.

4. At some party in Cincinnati.  I didn't know Michigan won until the next afternoon, and didn't know how they won for a few days after that.  

5. I was at the game, with seats in that end zone.  Not good for this particular fan.  :-(

6. My couch in my suburban Denver home.

7. I don't even know what play this is.  If it was during U-M's 78-0 win over Rutgers, well, I watched about 2 plays of that.  So I must have been watching one of the 100 other games on that were more competitive than that.  :-)

8. Bloomington, Indiana for a PSU @ Indiana pre-game tailgate.

-----------------

This one wasn't asked, but for last play 2015 MSU @ U-M I was stuck in traffic on CA-1 in Half Moon Bay.  I was updating the score on my phone, I saw U-M up with the ball and 0:10 left.  Then I saw the update.  I texted my brother "WTF?????"  Turns out he was watching the game on a 15-minute delay but didn't have his phone off so I quasi-ruined the ending for him.

• Haskins hurdled that fool in the OSU game this year  

In my seats -- section 24

• Trey Burke made "The Shot"

At home though I'd wanted to watch the game at the bar but got outvoted. When the OT ended I see my wife grabbing her purse and I asked why -- she said "now we're going to the bar."

• Braylonfest became Braylonfest

At the game

• "I can't believe this! Roy Roooundtree!"

At the game

• "TOUCHDOWN, MANNINGHAM! MICHIGAN WINS!"

At the game

• Jordan Poole ripped Houston's heart out

I'd turned the TV off with about a minute to go, and then decided that was dumb and turned it back on just as that play happened.

• Jabrill's Heisman return against Rutgers was called back by a bogus flag

At the game

• DPJ streaked down the sidelines before hitting the Paul Bunyan pose.

Watching on TV.

Big House

Comedy Club watched it on their TVs 

Was in the Big House but my dumbass friend wanted to leave early so a tailgate

Big House

Big House

Home

If this was the 78-0 at Rutgers game, then at Rutgers

Home

I was either at wok or at home. out of every 5 weekends, I have to work 3 consecutive weekends!

Easy, for all the football ones I was in the stadium in my seats, and the RR one was right in front of us.  For al the BB, watching at home going ape-shit. 

Haskins hurdled that fool in the OSU game this year

My basement watching the game.

Trey Burke made "The Shot"

My buddies house. We thought the game was over a few minutes earlier and toasted a good season then BANG!

Braylonfest became Braylonfest

Living room in North Carolina. 

"I can't believe this! Roy Roooundtree!"

My basement again.

"TOUCHDOWN, MANNINGHAM! MICHIGAN WINS!"

Living room in NC with some PSU friends at the house.  

Jordan Poole ripped Houston's heart out

Basement 

Jabrill's Heisman return against Rutgers was called back by a bogus flag

Basement 

DPJ streaked down the sidelines before hitting the Paul Bunyan pose.

Camping in Shipshewana IN watching the game in the garage of my MSU family's toy hauler. 

Two of my biggest Michigan Football claims to fame were:

1)  Being about 10 feet from Braylon Edwards for one of the most famous photographs of Braylonfest. Didn't quite get in the shot myself, unfortunately.

2) Making eye contact with Steve Breaston right before his kick return on the drive that ended in Manningham in the endzone. "The team is being met by the band down in the corner" refers to an activity I participated in.

Fabulous question! Like most of us, I can remember exactly where I was for all of these but 2 are worth mentioning:

Braylonfest: upstairs watching alone in my bedroom because I had been banished there after throwing multiple tantrums during the 1st 3 quarters. I was 32 at the time, and my wife, (who I met in South Quad Freshman year), while not the least bit embarrassed that I would do this in front of her parents and our children, was convinced I was costing us the game due to my bad energy. 

Manningham scored his TD in the South End zone. I was with my best friend in Section 37 row 82 of the north end zone. With back to the play. Not watching. Everyone knows fans effect outcomes. . The crowd told me everything I needed to know. Did the same for Rumeal's 2 free throws while at home and I stand ready to do it again at a moment's notice when necessary. You're welcome. 

I can't remember where I was for a lot of these but I definitely remember two.

I was in an Airbnb in Thailand watching The Game this past year on my laptop. I found a craft beer place not too far and pre-gamed there before going to watch the game at 1 a.m.

For Braylonfest I was in a very small auditorium type room at UM-Flint that had a watch party going on. I believe it was called the Kiva room. Good game to watch with a small crowd.

Haskins-Making plans to rush the field from section 41.

Trey-Sitting at an outdoor bar in Sandestin Florida making friends with everyone

Braylon-at Ucellos in GR.

Roy-Section 41

Manningham-at Yakzies in Chicago,

Poole-on my couch

Jabrill-on my couch

DPJ-Bw3 

Haskins hurdle:  Frickers in Perrysburg

Trey Burke shot: no idea, probably at home

Braylonfest:  at home

Roundtree: in the Big House

Manningham: home.  

Poole shot:  don't know, probably home

Jabrill return: don't even remember this play

DPJ: home

ND getting Denarded: party in the backyard with a tv hooked up.

2011 OSU: friend's dad's basement/man cave.  Whole family is OSU and I was the only UM person there.

2003 OSU: bowling green university, south college street at a friend's apartment.  We had so many people we had to split the party up.  Next door neighbor's was the OSU people, my buddy's place was the UM people.  THAT was a great party.  Everytime someone scored or made a big play the walls were getting beaten on and of course our walls took a worse beating that day thanks to Chris Perry.

The one I know for sure was Poole's shot to win the game because I was at that game. Tickets were pricey because Kansas was playing in the early game. Wichita is about a 2 hour drive from my house, so I got a hotel room in the hope ticket prices would fall, and I snagged one just before the Kansas tipoff. The StubHub pickup location was at a bar near the arena. Of course it was St. Patrick's day,  so that made it a bit challenging dealing with all the traffic.

The game was a blast. I was annoyed by Houston's bun boy seeming to score everytime they needed points. Then Poole's improbable shot. What I remember most is 

Mo with a big goofy grin chasing Poole around the court after the shot went in.

Haskins: my kitchen watching the iPad

Trey v. Kansas: Royal Exchange, San Francisco 

Braylonfest: Park Ave Country Club (then the Michigan bar), New York City

Roundtree Fest: the Big House (my last time in person... will I ever go again?)

2005 PSU 'Ham: Santa Monica, California, at Gotham Hall (then the Michigan bar for the west side of Los Angeles)

Poole's shot: I had turned it off just before, on my couch, Lamorinda CA

Pepper's punt return: couch, Lamorinda 

DPJ Bunyan pose: same Lamorinda couch, with my Pop

Either home or at my parent's house watching with my dad on the big screen for 7 of those moments.  

But I was at the big house for Braylonfest sitting in the south end zone.  Unfortunately, all the main action was in the NORTH end zone.  The only things that happened in front of us was a Mike Hart touchdown in the 2nd quarter and MSU's bogus game winning FG attempt at the end of the 4th that should have never happened.