That time Coach Harbaugh offered my unborn child a scholarship
Really going to miss Coach Harbaugh for many reasons. This is just one of them.
When my wife was pregnant with my first child in early 2017, I had this amazing idea that my child would touch a small version of the 'M Club Supports You' banner as soon the baby was born. In my mind, the baby would come out of my wife, the doctor would immediately lift the baby up to touch the banner, and then over to the nurse waiting with the blanket. LUCKILY, I forgot about this idea after a few weeks. Instead, I came up with an idea to send coach Harbaugh a letter of intent from my unborn child. My wife brilliantly documented Harbaugh's response to the letter in a Huffington Post article here:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/goblue-or-gopink-making-a-baby-wolverine_b_593940b0e4b094fa859f1609
SPOILER ALERT: For those who don't want to click the link, Coach Harbaugh offered my child a 2035 Scholarship. (I would love any MGoLawyers opinions on whether or not Michigan would honor this scholarship offer!)
For any fathers-to-be reading this article, DO NOT ATTEMPT the 'M Club Supports You' banner idea for the delivery room! As I sat in the delivery room waiting for my wife to deliver our first child - I was SO THANKFUL I didn't bring that idea to fruition. The thought of that now makes me cringe. It's NOT the time or place - and you will know what I mean once you are in that room.
Also - if you want to read an amazing book, my wife also wrote about the Harbaugh Scholarship offer in her book "Creating Superfans: How To Turn Your Customers into Lifelong Advocates". It's a must-read book for Customer Experience folks:
January 25th, 2024 at 2:00 PM ^
Might want to forward the letter to the soon to be announced HC Sherrone Moore along with a short video of your child telling Sherrone how he "loves the SH!T out of him" and him pointing to you stating "this f@cking guy right here, he made me the Michigan man that I am today!"
January 25th, 2024 at 2:03 PM ^
Cool story. Has your 6-year old decided if he's playing QB or bulking up to be an edge?
January 25th, 2024 at 3:42 PM ^
QB all the way! He's in the 99% in height for kids his age.
January 25th, 2024 at 2:07 PM ^
Amazon still does not allow me to use my MGoPoints.
Well done and TY for posting.
January 25th, 2024 at 2:12 PM ^
DO NOT ATTEMPT the 'M Club Supports You' banner idea for the delivery room! As I sat in the delivery room waiting for my wife to deliver our first child - I was SO THANKFUL I didn't bring that idea to fruition. The thought of that now makes me cringe. It's NOT the time or place - and you will know what I mean once you are in that room.
My wife, who came to Houston with me for the game, would probably have divorced me if I had done this, or at least brought it up in a critical way in every conversation in the future.
Good choice, sir.
EDIT: I'm also terribly sad that Jim will not, in fact, be at Michigan in 2035 to coach your kid. :(
January 25th, 2024 at 4:15 PM ^
I would not bet on that . . .
January 25th, 2024 at 2:12 PM ^
The Gem and I had a really good laugh about the idea of hoisting the newborn up to a banner before said new human is handed off for the nurses' cleanup routines and the return to Momma.
Yeah - nope. :-)
Frame that letter. The family will cherish it forever!
January 25th, 2024 at 3:43 PM ^
oh - it got framed the day after we received it!
January 25th, 2024 at 2:17 PM ^
This is AWESOME.
AND it's proof that Jim is coming back when he's done with NFL, God-willing and the creek not rising.
January 25th, 2024 at 2:32 PM ^
This is a true CSB! Kudos to you and your wife for top-notch parenting and “spousing.”
January 25th, 2024 at 2:44 PM ^
That's awesome . . . but I'm really confused from the article about how Harbaugh revealed the gender. Was the doc only sending your letter to Harbaugh if baby was a boy, so a response meant it was a boy?
January 25th, 2024 at 3:58 PM ^
In addition to the Scholarship note Coach Harbaugh sent, he also returned the doctor's envelope that we had sent. At the time, we had no idea that we basically sent a dick pic. I thought it was just an envelope that said 'boy' or 'girl'. Inside the envelope was an ultrasound. We didn't tell the doctor what our intentions were when they gave us that sealed envelope.
My interpretation was that the scholarship offer meant 'boy'. And when I finally opened the ultrasound from the doctor, it confirmed that in my mind. But maybe Coach would've offered a scholarship if it had been a girl as well? Either way, we were blown away that he responded. We have never met him and had zero expectations. The scholarship offer was icing on the cake.
January 25th, 2024 at 2:46 PM ^
You're raising that boy right!
Just keep him out of that cesspool in Ohio and all should go well.
January 25th, 2024 at 2:47 PM ^
fun story. do think my wife would've been okay with the banner, wish i'd have thought of that. had a lot of chances, too. she is a champ.
January 25th, 2024 at 3:05 PM ^
Awesome story, thanks for sharing!
January 25th, 2024 at 3:59 PM ^
haha. that's amazing. not exactly how I initially pictured it in my head, but probably closer to reality.
January 26th, 2024 at 1:00 AM ^
More like these? My wife was furious, but only because she's a Sparty.
January 26th, 2024 at 1:16 AM ^
haha. exactly like these! those are amazing.
January 26th, 2024 at 12:58 PM ^
These are amazing!
January 25th, 2024 at 3:31 PM ^
I'm glad you called out the cringe factor because we were all thinking it 😂
January 26th, 2024 at 2:07 AM ^
When you find out you are going to be a dad, all kinds of crazy thoughts go through your mind! Lots of irrational ones too! haha.
January 25th, 2024 at 3:46 PM ^
this is awesome
January 25th, 2024 at 4:47 PM ^
Great story about JMFH!
Seems like this is the best place to tell you all about my 11 yo daughter that sent Jim a letter this December telling him good luck and that we are huge fans.
A few days after Christmas she received a letter back with a Michigan football coin. It thanked her for the support and was signed by Jim Harbaugh (or a machine that can mimic his signature).
Whether it is real or not, the fact that he or his designee took the time to respond in the middle of a playoff run is truly special and made her feel truly special.
Go Blue!
January 26th, 2024 at 1:09 AM ^
That's amazing! I can totally relate as we were thinking the exact same thing about whether it was Jim's actual signature, or a machine, or an administrative assistant...
So great!
Go Blue!
January 25th, 2024 at 4:56 PM ^
Clicked on a link and saw a familiar face! Dear God you look no different! And what a fantastic story!
-whall
January 26th, 2024 at 1:14 AM ^
Jim!! Great to hear from you! Hope you are doing well!
I bumped into Buda at the game in Houston. Great seeing and hearing from old friends. Hope to bump into you sometime.
January 26th, 2024 at 11:07 AM ^
You were at Houston! That's awesome! Glad you saw Buda too. He's a great guy.
Love to bump into you as well. Next time I head down I'll give you a heads up. :-)
January 25th, 2024 at 5:24 PM ^
That’s an awesome story! Good call on no banner, thats too funny though. I once told Harbaugh, standing outside of the Hockeytown Theatre, that I had remaining eligibility if he needed a center, joking of course. He looked me up and down and said, “Center, huh?” And walked away. It was hilarious and this is after he met my Dad and I and was gracious enough to take a picture. Cool ass dude man.
January 25th, 2024 at 6:27 PM ^
I love your absolutely horrific banner idea. Someone should try it. It will be an utter disaster. A fiasco. Please do it!
January 26th, 2024 at 9:12 AM ^
Just make sure the baby doesn’t get assaulted by any Spartans in the “tunnel.”