Band...Take the Field!

I've been a fan of University of Michigan Wolverine football since the late 1960s. I've attended dozens of games and have never ceased to be amazed at the way they've packed over 100,000 fans in their stadium, The Big House, for every home game since 1975.

I love the football, but there's more to an afternoon at The Big House than a game. Seeing one of the finest marching bands in the country is worth the price of admission alone. It all begins ten to fifteen minutes prior to kickoff when the stadium announcer blasts over the PA system:

Ladies and gentlemen, presenting the 235-member 

Michigan Marching Band

B-a-a-a-a-n-d, Take the Field!

They coming pouring out of the eastern tunnel entrance to the field, knees kicking high as they form the big block M and play the greatest fight song ever written, The Victors. If you've not been fortunate enough to witness it in person, the video below will give a pretty decent idea of how majestic it really is. Every fan with maize 'n' blue blood will feel the excitement and experience the goosebumps by this, in my opinion one of the greatest moments in sports.

Go Blue!

It Won't Be Long Now

In just a few weeks, that special, very exciting sports season will begin...collegiate football. That time of year is my absolute favorite for sports, especially when it involves the University of Michigan Wolverines. The USA Today Coaches Preseason Poll was just announced and I've posted it below for those that care and haven't seen it elsewhere.

I see the Wolverines are picked as eighth in the country...not too shabby. I wholeheartedly agree that this season will be an improvement over last year for Michigan (not an easy order) and offer hours of excitement for fans everywhere.

Let the (football) games begin!

Rank	Team (first-place votes)	Record	Points	Final 2011 rank
1.	LSU (18)	13-1	1,403	2
2.	Alabama (20)	12-1	1,399	1
3.	Southern California (19)	10-2	1,388	NR
4.	Oklahoma	10-3	1,276	15
5.	Oregon	12-2	1,258	4
6.	Georgia	10-4	1,061	20
7.	Florida State	9-4	1,055	23
8.	Michigan	11-2	1,023	9
9.	South Carolina	11-2	981	8
10.	Arkansas	11-2	948	5
11.	West Virginia	10-3	833	18
12.	Wisconsin	11-3	743	11
13.	Michigan State	11-3	717	10
14.	Clemson	10-4	598	22
15.	Texas	8-5	549	NR
16.	Nebraska	9-4	501	24
17.	TCU	11-2	499	13
18.	Stanford	11-2	497	7
19.	Oklahoma State	12-1	476	3
20.	Virginia Tech	11-3	461	17
21.	Kansas State	10-3	398	16
22.	Boise State	12-1	271	6
23.	Florida	7-6	250	NR
24.	Notre Dame	8-5	166	NR
25.	Auburn	8-5	66	NR

It's Official: They ALL Knew

The report is out and we who love collegiate sports, football in particular, have had their worst fears confirmed. Joe-Pa knew...they all knew, from the PSU President, to the Vice President, to the Athletic Director, amazingly including a man I held in very high regard until recently, Head Coach Paterno.

The Louis Freeh investigative team released their report today, stating:

"Our most saddening and sobering finding is the total disregard for the safety and welfare of Sandusky's child victims by the most senior leaders at Penn State," Freeh wrote in his summary of his report. "The most powerful men at Penn State failed to take any steps for 14 years to protect the children who Sandusky victimized. Messrs. Spanier, Schultz, Paterno and Curley never demonstrated, through actions or words, any concern for the safety and well-being of Sandusky's victims until after Sandusky's arrest."

It makes me sick. Find a tall, strong oak tree and use a thick rope. Knot it around Sandusky's hangy-down parts and pull him up, very slowly, from the ground. The others can have the benefit of a scaffolding and trap door, except for Paterno, of course; he assumed room temperature knowing he had abandoned the welfare of defenseless kids in favor of saving face and protecting a profitable sports program. Disgusting.

Since 1965, I've been a raving lunatic Michigan Wolverine football fan. I hold Bo Schembechler in the highest regard possible. He ran, to the best of my knowledge, the cleanest, toughest, best football program in the nation for twenty years. Please God, don't let there be an as yet unknown ugly skeleton in his closet. It's just too damn hard to have your heroes disintegrate into useless dust.

I know their cheer, I heard it time and again while tailgating prior to our contests against them in Ann Arbor: WE ARE...PENN STATE!

I doubt it will be shouted with such volume or conviction any time in the coming years. What a damn shame.

More Wolverine Football

A couple posts ago, I included a video depicting the "glory" of a successful football program. To get to that point, however, takes work, dedication, heart and gallons of sweat.

University of Michigan Senior defensive standout Mike Martin is capturing video takes this season and posting them on YouTube. In his three previous years at Michigan, Mike has excelled on the field: three-year letterman, 2010 All-Big Ten, played in 36 games, and started 24 contests at nose tackle. He's recorded 108 tackles, 19 for loss, and 6.5 sacks so far in his career.

To accomplish so much, he's worked his tail off. His latest video chronicles a bit of the work it took to reach this point in his collegiate career. In the video, he teamed up with the group, Pop Evil, using their latest musical tribute for the Wolverines, In the Big House. 

Wolverine Football

I love football, especially University of Michigan football; have for a long, long time. In just nine days, the first game of a new season—with a new coach and a new direction—begins in Ann Arbor. The last three seasons have been tough, but those are behind us now and I believe we have only better days ahead.

If you love college sports, especially Wolverine football, and all it entails, give the following video three minutes of your day. You won't be disappointed. The tune and lyrics by the local group, Pop Evil, are pretty good, too.

Now, please excuse me. I have to try and soothe my bulging goose bumps...

Go Blue!