Michigan Week

I can't write about anything else today.  This is Michigan State v. Michigan football week and this should be (but won't be) my only blog entry OUT OF RESPECT.  I am not going to be brief.

My mom went to UM. My dad whent to Eastern Michigan but he opened a restaurant in Ann Arbor called the "Brown Jug" that is still there to this day. He got out of school early in the depression and aside from a few stints which we won't talk about, he and some buddies got into this place early on.  It started as the Little Brown Jug.  Anyway, my mom went there often while in school and supposedly met my dad there and they eventually met again at the war and got married.  Murky family history.  Anyway, my dad tells of football weekend days and him being up at 2am to make doughnuts - honey dipped doughnuts - and delivering them to the frat houses on Saturday mornings $1 a dozen. Game days.


I broke ranks and gave up a golf scholarshipt to UM to go to Michigan State.  A traitor of sorts and was in the band.  Football games v. Michigan were the epicenter of the schedule for the team for the band and for the campus.  UM had a great great college band at the time. William Revelli was the director and he was what we would call now "a pisser".  He seemed to enjoy humiliating players.  Dennis Stolzman was the first clarinet player at UM. First chair - and no small thing.  He had ulcers.

But game days - the crisp air...special game meals provided by alumni who all showed up, 10,000 showing up for band practice, the march to the stadium...running out on the field - home or there...77,000 at our place 106,000 there..the unbelievable torrent of noise and color.  It was magnificent and gives me memories that are vivid from 40+ years.

Michigan wasn't so good back then .. before Bo Schembechler's time.  The coach was a fella named Elliot and they didn't fill the stadium unless it was for the MSU game - or perhaps Ohio State who would come in and pulverize them.

My last day that I was in the band for that game I got permission for Harry Begian, the director of bands at MSU (I was president of the Band so I dared to ask) to meet the band at UM that morning.  I went down really early and parked on S. University and actually payed I think $5 for an all day spot, wearing my band uniform of all things and went to the Jug for breakfast..this is 1968 I think....met the owner, told him about my dad, went to the Student Union to meet the band from the pre-game meal before rehearsal..my mom played piano in the student lounge from 4-7 weeknights and got to look at the piano where she played 30 years before..even found a picture of her in an early scene of the Union..one of those candids that are on the memento walls for the alumni to see and say "I remember that...".

Now we are all AARP qualified..those of us who were involved in the 60s. Our parents are long gone. But special days like this with all the color and pomp and parade...it puts a spring in your step and a little lightheartedness in your chest and helps aching bones get through a Saturday of chores and leaves, grass that needs one last mowing...perhaps a garage sale.  Should have one of my own.