“My heart is so full at this moment, I fear I could say little else. But do let me reiterate the Spirit of Michigan — it is based upon a deathless loyalty to Michigan and all her ways. An enthusiasm that makes it second nature for Michigan Men to spread the gospel of their university to the world’s distant outposts. And a conviction that nowhere, is there a better university, in any way, than this Michigan of ours.”
Longtime Michigan football coach Fielding H. Yost (1901-23, 1925-26) recited this quote at his retirement banquet in 1942, and it sums up perfectly my own personal feelings for this University, along with the feelings of millions of others.
The legendary Chris Balas (at least in Westphalia; don’t let it go to your head, buddy
) recently wrote how John Borton taught him never to use “I, me, mine, etc.” in an article, and it’s a rule I’ve always followed as well. But just as Balas made an exception in this outstanding piece he wrote after Michigan won the Big Ten tournament in March, I’m also going to make an exception here.
The Michigan basketball team’s incredible run to the national title this season reminded me once again how fortunate I am to be associated with this University — anyone who follows the team closely knows how special these last few months have been. We saw this group of Wolverines grow so much throughout the year, perhaps more so than any basketball team I’ve ever seen.
I attended two of the first three games at Crisler this season (the opener against North Florida on Nov. 11 and the third game against Southern Miss on Nov. 16), and came away quite underwhelmed.
Even though Michigan beat North Florida by 20 in the opener, it was a five-point game with just 7:31 to go, and a 14-point victory over the Golden Eagles two games later didn’t exactly instill much confidence. Sandwiched between those two was a less-than-stellar seven-point win over Central Michigan. Obviously, the U-M club we saw in November didn’t even resemble the one we'd see in February and March. But of course, that is the exact staple of a John Beilein-coached team — improvement.
This season’s turning point may have just been the overtime win over UCLA on Dec. 9. Michigan trailed 46-31 after the game’s first 25 minutes, and hopes of a comeback seemed to be nothing short of a fantasy.
The Wolverines did just that, though, and outscored the Bruins 47-23 down the stretch to grab an overtime win. A loss that afternoon would have dropped Michigan to 7-4 — instead, the Wolverines went 25-5 from that point on, and left us with several unforgettable moments along the way.
The regular season alone had its share, such as the 10-point win at Michigan State on Jan. 13 when the Spartans were ranked No. 4 in the country, and the emotion-filled 12-point victory over a top 10 Ohio State team on Senior Day.
Then, of course, the Big Ten tournament provided us with even more. The first two wins over Iowa and Nebraska were nice, but the final two gave Michigan fans everything they could have hoped for (and more). The second defeat of Michigan State in just over a month in the tournament’s semifinals was flat-out special, and the title game victory over Purdue was as satisfying as they come.
From there, Michigan obviously didn’t play its best ball in the first four games of the NCAA tournament (with the exception of the Texas A&M matchup), and yet still found itself in the Final Four. It never would have happened without Jordan Poole though. After his three-pointer went in against Houston, it just felt like this team was destined to do special things.
When U-M beat Florida State in the Elite Eight and knew it was headed to the Final Four, everything just felt … right. It felt — and this may sound incredibly arrogant — like the team deserved to be there. They didn’t deserve to make it that far simply because they had ‘Michigan’ written on the front of their jerseys, but because of the age-old notion that Michigan Men are expected to outwork everyone else and lead by example while doing it — which I truly believe this team did this season.
When Louis Elbel coined ‘Hail to the Victors’ in 1898, the term ‘Leaders and Best’ wasn’t just a fantasy — it was a reality. Michigan had just capped off an undefeated 10-0 football season and a Western Conference championship when he wrote it, and were on the verge of winning national championships in four of the next six years.
Michigan’s athletic program is obviously the key component in demonstrating the ‘Leaders and Best’ mantra, but just as important are the moral and ethical standards the men and women of the University hold themselves to.
Jim Harbaugh described this perfectly in his 2004 speech at a Michigan football banquet. He recalls an encounter with quarterback coach Jerry Hanlon that occurred six days prior to the start of the 1984 football season. Harbaugh tells the story of how he asked Hanlon what kind of team he thought U-M would have that season, and Hanlon simply responded with, “It’s too early to tell, Jimmy.”
“Coach, it’s six days till we play our first ball game — and you don’t know what kind of team we’re gonna have?” Harbaugh asked.
Hanlon responded with: “Jimmy, when you guys come back, 15, 20 years from now, and we know what kind of men you are ... what kind of husbands you’ve become ... what kind of fathers you are — that's when we’ll know how good this football team is.”
Hanlon’s response depicts perfectly why Michigan means so much to so many people, and why its athletic events are more than just a game.
Non-sports fans will often wonder why people like us get so worked up over U-M’s wins and losses, and often try to console us by saying ‘it’s just a game.’ But again, it’s so much more than that. Heck, Taylor Lewan’s mother once asked me that very question — why I get so riled up — while sitting next to me at the 2013 Ohio State/Michigan football game, and I wish I would’ve given her this response:
In my opinion, any time Michigan steps onto the football field or basketball court, it’s a special, special occurrence — it’s an event in history I’ll remember forever, and one that should be enjoyed by the entire Michigan community.
Because that’s what Michigan is — a community. It brings people of all ages and nationalities together to cheer for their beloved Wolverines, and it creates friendships that last a lifetime.
That’s obviously the purpose of The Fort. I already had the pleasure of knowing several subscribers before I began working here — @Meeechigan1 , @MFootball95 , @orsons — and have since had the pleasure of meeting several more — @MHoops1 , @mark1234 , @totchman , @Blucheese .
This community/brotherhood was on full display when about 400 fans showed up outside Crisler the other week to watch the Michigan basketball team depart for the Final Four. As Beilein walked up on stage to address the crowd, thunderous chants of “It’s great to be a Michigan Wolverine!” instantly erupted throughout the parking lot. Beilein proudly joined in, and as I stood watching him from about five feet away, I couldn’t help but think he’s the living definition of everything a Michigan Man should be.
For me, the joy and specialness of this season’s run to the national title may have reached its peak on Easter. Michigan had defeated Loyola-Chicago in the Final Four the night before, and at the time, the fact it would be playing for a national title in 24 hours was surreal. I was asked several times throughout the day if the feeling had sunk in yet, and each time I said no. I sent a text to a friend at one point that day, and simply asked: "Do you realize that Michigan could potentially be crowned national champions in just over 24 hours?" I kept reminding myself that Michigan and Villanova had accomplished what 349 other Division 1 schools had set out to do in November but weren’t able to — make it to the national title.
As a sports fan, knowing your team is on the verge of arriving at the pinnacle of the sport is the most incredible feeling. Needless to say, life was pretty darned good that day. Surrounded by family and relatives during the Easter celebration, I was reminded of several lines from Jason Aldean’s 2005 song “Good to go,” in which he looks back at his life:
I had an All-American Mom and Dad,
Some of the coolest friends you could ever have.
Had days that I've been fightin' mad,
But the good times have more than outweighed the bad.
And I wouldn't wanna change nothin' about,
This "roll with the punches" life I've had.
Sometimes I can't believe this life is mine.
The national championship game obviously didn’t go the way any of us hoped it would, but it didn’t take away from how special the ride was to get there.
Plus, I was fortunate enough to watch the game with 15 of the best Michigan Men I know — Kyle Barnes, Grant Droste, Jason Fox, Jay Kohagen, Adam Meidinger, Dominic Schneider, Brian and Lee Schrauben, Nate Simon, Garrett Strong, Brett, Jalen, Lewis and Nathan Thelen, and Cam Trierweiler.
In a college basketball season that was marred with corruption and scandal, how fitting would it have been for Beilein and the Wolverines to take home the title?
Regardless of what Moe Wagner and Charles Matthews decide to do next, the future of Michigan basketball couldn't be any more bright. U-M could very well come into next season as the Big Ten favorite, and we could once again be in store for a very special ride.
As The Fort's own @Wolvaclone recently said on one of his excellent podcasts: "These are special times — enjoy them. Michigan went 10 years without caring about a Selection Sunday, or thinking it was a contender for a Big Ten championship or a berth in the Final Four. Enjoy this. Don't take it for granted — we truly have something special. How many other programs would love to be where Michigan is right now?"
And he's so right.
Sure, the basketball program has had a few rocky moments over the past few years, but in the grand scheme of things, no school has won more NCAA tournament games than Michigan since 2013. Let that sink in for a moment.
And that success will be expected to continue next season — and honestly, as long as Beilein is running the show here in Ann Arbor.
Be sure to enjoy every second of it, because as the great Fielding H. Yost once said — "Nowhere is there a better university, in any way, than this Michigan of ours."
Longtime Michigan football coach Fielding H. Yost (1901-23, 1925-26) recited this quote at his retirement banquet in 1942, and it sums up perfectly my own personal feelings for this University, along with the feelings of millions of others.
The legendary Chris Balas (at least in Westphalia; don’t let it go to your head, buddy
) recently wrote how John Borton taught him never to use “I, me, mine, etc.” in an article, and it’s a rule I’ve always followed as well. But just as Balas made an exception in this outstanding piece he wrote after Michigan won the Big Ten tournament in March, I’m also going to make an exception here.The Michigan basketball team’s incredible run to the national title this season reminded me once again how fortunate I am to be associated with this University — anyone who follows the team closely knows how special these last few months have been. We saw this group of Wolverines grow so much throughout the year, perhaps more so than any basketball team I’ve ever seen.
I attended two of the first three games at Crisler this season (the opener against North Florida on Nov. 11 and the third game against Southern Miss on Nov. 16), and came away quite underwhelmed.
Even though Michigan beat North Florida by 20 in the opener, it was a five-point game with just 7:31 to go, and a 14-point victory over the Golden Eagles two games later didn’t exactly instill much confidence. Sandwiched between those two was a less-than-stellar seven-point win over Central Michigan. Obviously, the U-M club we saw in November didn’t even resemble the one we'd see in February and March. But of course, that is the exact staple of a John Beilein-coached team — improvement.
This season’s turning point may have just been the overtime win over UCLA on Dec. 9. Michigan trailed 46-31 after the game’s first 25 minutes, and hopes of a comeback seemed to be nothing short of a fantasy.
The Wolverines did just that, though, and outscored the Bruins 47-23 down the stretch to grab an overtime win. A loss that afternoon would have dropped Michigan to 7-4 — instead, the Wolverines went 25-5 from that point on, and left us with several unforgettable moments along the way.
The regular season alone had its share, such as the 10-point win at Michigan State on Jan. 13 when the Spartans were ranked No. 4 in the country, and the emotion-filled 12-point victory over a top 10 Ohio State team on Senior Day.
Then, of course, the Big Ten tournament provided us with even more. The first two wins over Iowa and Nebraska were nice, but the final two gave Michigan fans everything they could have hoped for (and more). The second defeat of Michigan State in just over a month in the tournament’s semifinals was flat-out special, and the title game victory over Purdue was as satisfying as they come.
From there, Michigan obviously didn’t play its best ball in the first four games of the NCAA tournament (with the exception of the Texas A&M matchup), and yet still found itself in the Final Four. It never would have happened without Jordan Poole though. After his three-pointer went in against Houston, it just felt like this team was destined to do special things.
When U-M beat Florida State in the Elite Eight and knew it was headed to the Final Four, everything just felt … right. It felt — and this may sound incredibly arrogant — like the team deserved to be there. They didn’t deserve to make it that far simply because they had ‘Michigan’ written on the front of their jerseys, but because of the age-old notion that Michigan Men are expected to outwork everyone else and lead by example while doing it — which I truly believe this team did this season.
When Louis Elbel coined ‘Hail to the Victors’ in 1898, the term ‘Leaders and Best’ wasn’t just a fantasy — it was a reality. Michigan had just capped off an undefeated 10-0 football season and a Western Conference championship when he wrote it, and were on the verge of winning national championships in four of the next six years.
Michigan’s athletic program is obviously the key component in demonstrating the ‘Leaders and Best’ mantra, but just as important are the moral and ethical standards the men and women of the University hold themselves to.
Jim Harbaugh described this perfectly in his 2004 speech at a Michigan football banquet. He recalls an encounter with quarterback coach Jerry Hanlon that occurred six days prior to the start of the 1984 football season. Harbaugh tells the story of how he asked Hanlon what kind of team he thought U-M would have that season, and Hanlon simply responded with, “It’s too early to tell, Jimmy.”
“Coach, it’s six days till we play our first ball game — and you don’t know what kind of team we’re gonna have?” Harbaugh asked.
Hanlon responded with: “Jimmy, when you guys come back, 15, 20 years from now, and we know what kind of men you are ... what kind of husbands you’ve become ... what kind of fathers you are — that's when we’ll know how good this football team is.”
Hanlon’s response depicts perfectly why Michigan means so much to so many people, and why its athletic events are more than just a game.
Non-sports fans will often wonder why people like us get so worked up over U-M’s wins and losses, and often try to console us by saying ‘it’s just a game.’ But again, it’s so much more than that. Heck, Taylor Lewan’s mother once asked me that very question — why I get so riled up — while sitting next to me at the 2013 Ohio State/Michigan football game, and I wish I would’ve given her this response:
In my opinion, any time Michigan steps onto the football field or basketball court, it’s a special, special occurrence — it’s an event in history I’ll remember forever, and one that should be enjoyed by the entire Michigan community.
Because that’s what Michigan is — a community. It brings people of all ages and nationalities together to cheer for their beloved Wolverines, and it creates friendships that last a lifetime.
That’s obviously the purpose of The Fort. I already had the pleasure of knowing several subscribers before I began working here — @Meeechigan1 , @MFootball95 , @orsons — and have since had the pleasure of meeting several more — @MHoops1 , @mark1234 , @totchman , @Blucheese .
This community/brotherhood was on full display when about 400 fans showed up outside Crisler the other week to watch the Michigan basketball team depart for the Final Four. As Beilein walked up on stage to address the crowd, thunderous chants of “It’s great to be a Michigan Wolverine!” instantly erupted throughout the parking lot. Beilein proudly joined in, and as I stood watching him from about five feet away, I couldn’t help but think he’s the living definition of everything a Michigan Man should be.
For me, the joy and specialness of this season’s run to the national title may have reached its peak on Easter. Michigan had defeated Loyola-Chicago in the Final Four the night before, and at the time, the fact it would be playing for a national title in 24 hours was surreal. I was asked several times throughout the day if the feeling had sunk in yet, and each time I said no. I sent a text to a friend at one point that day, and simply asked: "Do you realize that Michigan could potentially be crowned national champions in just over 24 hours?" I kept reminding myself that Michigan and Villanova had accomplished what 349 other Division 1 schools had set out to do in November but weren’t able to — make it to the national title.
As a sports fan, knowing your team is on the verge of arriving at the pinnacle of the sport is the most incredible feeling. Needless to say, life was pretty darned good that day. Surrounded by family and relatives during the Easter celebration, I was reminded of several lines from Jason Aldean’s 2005 song “Good to go,” in which he looks back at his life:
I had an All-American Mom and Dad,
Some of the coolest friends you could ever have.
Had days that I've been fightin' mad,
But the good times have more than outweighed the bad.
And I wouldn't wanna change nothin' about,
This "roll with the punches" life I've had.
Sometimes I can't believe this life is mine.
The national championship game obviously didn’t go the way any of us hoped it would, but it didn’t take away from how special the ride was to get there.
Plus, I was fortunate enough to watch the game with 15 of the best Michigan Men I know — Kyle Barnes, Grant Droste, Jason Fox, Jay Kohagen, Adam Meidinger, Dominic Schneider, Brian and Lee Schrauben, Nate Simon, Garrett Strong, Brett, Jalen, Lewis and Nathan Thelen, and Cam Trierweiler.
In a college basketball season that was marred with corruption and scandal, how fitting would it have been for Beilein and the Wolverines to take home the title?
Regardless of what Moe Wagner and Charles Matthews decide to do next, the future of Michigan basketball couldn't be any more bright. U-M could very well come into next season as the Big Ten favorite, and we could once again be in store for a very special ride.
As The Fort's own @Wolvaclone recently said on one of his excellent podcasts: "These are special times — enjoy them. Michigan went 10 years without caring about a Selection Sunday, or thinking it was a contender for a Big Ten championship or a berth in the Final Four. Enjoy this. Don't take it for granted — we truly have something special. How many other programs would love to be where Michigan is right now?"
And he's so right.
Sure, the basketball program has had a few rocky moments over the past few years, but in the grand scheme of things, no school has won more NCAA tournament games than Michigan since 2013. Let that sink in for a moment.
And that success will be expected to continue next season — and honestly, as long as Beilein is running the show here in Ann Arbor.
Be sure to enjoy every second of it, because as the great Fielding H. Yost once said — "Nowhere is there a better university, in any way, than this Michigan of ours."
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