In a message dated 4/23/08 5:49:14 AM US Mountain Standard Time,
harry.porter@verizon.net writes:
···
Ok ... for every such joke, I guarantee we've heard a Buckeye slotted
in insteadYou know, Michigan football Saturdays are a little sacred in this
household. It was gut wrenching to hear of Carr leaving Michigan,
notwithstanding the dour record against Ohio since Tressel turned the
Buckeye program around in '01.
*****
OK, how about an Illini viewpoint and some tidbits...
Back in the mid 70's, when there were really 10 teams in the Big Ten, when
there were still tie games, when the Big Ten had a rule that the season started
with a conference game the Illini got to open up at home against Michigan.
The student body had all summer to get ready. Maize and Blue T-shirts were
printed up and sold well. The "Muck Fichigan" shirts included the date of the
game and "Michigan 0-1-0".
Then in 1978 the Illini AD hired Gary Moeller as the coach. His
administration was numbered for hiring a Michigan man. It was the 0-0 tie against
Northwestern that sealed their fate.
The year 1981 brought in a whole new program. Mike White was hired as
football coach. He had the gall, according to Columbus and Ann Arbor sources, to
bring in Junior College transfers. That was just not done in the Big Ten. He
brought in Dave Wilson and Tony Eason to play some QB. Dave's first play from
scrimmage in front of the home crowd was a bomb, that fell incomplete. The
crowd went wild!
Dave went to Columbus and threw for a then record 621 yards in a 49-42 loss.
Tony got the reigns and led the Illini to the 1983 undefeated Big Ten
Championship. Both QBs were first round NFL selections...JC transfers from
California.
Enough, but does anyone know who Michigan opens up with this season? Hope
for their sake it is not another I-AA team like last year.
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