This Rome adventure is turning into a huge success, and I'm not talking recruiting. I'm talking about the eye-opening educational experience it is for the players. Plus being a great mix of culture (museums, opera, cooking class), playing tourist (walking the city and visiting the major sites), social responsibility (meeting with refugees, soon to meet with US military) and fun (paint ball, the beach).
Also, and this cannot be overstated, team-bonding. I had never given this latter point much thought but even Harbaugh said that he had underestimated this point. We as keen fans know all about the players, however keep in mind that as a football team is so large many players tend to stick to cliques of friends (same position group, from same geographic area, same class) and may not have an opportunity to bond with many of their teammates. Throwing them all together outside of their comfort zone in a foreign culture stimulates a certain automatic bonding. After all, in Italy what most differentiates them from the rest of the population is not their being football players (as is the case in Ann Arbor), but it is their being Americans. Questions posed by foreigners won't be football specific. Instead they will be about America and, especially in these times, about our politics. Moreover, it is only natural for the team to bond even more. I have seen foreigners from all over the world in Europe over the years, especially at international schools and universities, and it is the norm for them to create their own little mini-cultural bubble and comfort zone. Americans seek out Americans, Koreans Koreans, etc.....In fact, my posting on this board fills, in part, that need for me. The Michigan team being together in a foreign land will only draw themselves closer to one another based on their being Americans, and from this stronger bonding they have the foundation and comfort zone to be able to go out and discover and learn about a new culture together as a team.
One other thought for the day. There are kids who could still be in high school on this trip. Given Harbaugh's plans to visit Israel, South Africa, New Zealand, Japan and London in the years ahead, an early enrollee who ends up coming back for a fifth year could theoretically have visited four continents and five completely different parts of the world over these five years. And that is just the spring practice week. Throw in the month of May where many kids will be on foreign study programs in places like Argentina, Iceland and Barcelona. If a kid goes to South America and/or Australia he could have been on every continent with the exception of Antarctica. This is mind-blowing. What next for Harbaugh? I would not be surprised to have him conduct another essay-writing contest like he had the team do in order to determine who would have close access to the Pope. The question would be- Why do you want to travel in outer space? I would not be surprised if Harbaugh has Elon Musk and/or Jeff Bezos on speed dial.
Given the football department's resources, they are in the process of creating foreign study opportunities unlike any other. Most college kids study for a semester or two abroad in one location and then backpack around during their breaks. Given the tight, May only, window for football players, courses will be shorter but will take place every May. For virtually all others, this would not be feasible because of the travel costs and also difficulty in finding short (less than one month) courses. Well, since the NCAA does not allow paying players who generate all these big bucks for the school, why not dig into the athletic department's deep pockets and use those revenues not just to fund the entire athletic department but also to create unique overseas educational experiences that student-athletes can avail themselves of. An early entry could theoretically have the opportunity to study in/visit TEN different foreign locations (not even including backpacking visits) over the course of his time at Michigan. The old adage is that all roads lead to Rome. Be a football player at Michigan, however, and that is just the beginning. The roads Michigan football players will travel will lead them around the world and provide them with a global perspective unlike any I have come across in academia (and I am not just talking athletes here). Michigan is at the forefront of this new model, which given the resources and international reputation of the university coupled with a head coach who has a vision that runs far beyond just winning championships, is no surprise. Forza Blu. Veni, vidi, vici.*
*I came, I saw, I conquered. Courtesy of that scholar of Latin and Julius Caesar - lovetheblue.
Also, and this cannot be overstated, team-bonding. I had never given this latter point much thought but even Harbaugh said that he had underestimated this point. We as keen fans know all about the players, however keep in mind that as a football team is so large many players tend to stick to cliques of friends (same position group, from same geographic area, same class) and may not have an opportunity to bond with many of their teammates. Throwing them all together outside of their comfort zone in a foreign culture stimulates a certain automatic bonding. After all, in Italy what most differentiates them from the rest of the population is not their being football players (as is the case in Ann Arbor), but it is their being Americans. Questions posed by foreigners won't be football specific. Instead they will be about America and, especially in these times, about our politics. Moreover, it is only natural for the team to bond even more. I have seen foreigners from all over the world in Europe over the years, especially at international schools and universities, and it is the norm for them to create their own little mini-cultural bubble and comfort zone. Americans seek out Americans, Koreans Koreans, etc.....In fact, my posting on this board fills, in part, that need for me. The Michigan team being together in a foreign land will only draw themselves closer to one another based on their being Americans, and from this stronger bonding they have the foundation and comfort zone to be able to go out and discover and learn about a new culture together as a team.
One other thought for the day. There are kids who could still be in high school on this trip. Given Harbaugh's plans to visit Israel, South Africa, New Zealand, Japan and London in the years ahead, an early enrollee who ends up coming back for a fifth year could theoretically have visited four continents and five completely different parts of the world over these five years. And that is just the spring practice week. Throw in the month of May where many kids will be on foreign study programs in places like Argentina, Iceland and Barcelona. If a kid goes to South America and/or Australia he could have been on every continent with the exception of Antarctica. This is mind-blowing. What next for Harbaugh? I would not be surprised to have him conduct another essay-writing contest like he had the team do in order to determine who would have close access to the Pope. The question would be- Why do you want to travel in outer space? I would not be surprised if Harbaugh has Elon Musk and/or Jeff Bezos on speed dial.
Given the football department's resources, they are in the process of creating foreign study opportunities unlike any other. Most college kids study for a semester or two abroad in one location and then backpack around during their breaks. Given the tight, May only, window for football players, courses will be shorter but will take place every May. For virtually all others, this would not be feasible because of the travel costs and also difficulty in finding short (less than one month) courses. Well, since the NCAA does not allow paying players who generate all these big bucks for the school, why not dig into the athletic department's deep pockets and use those revenues not just to fund the entire athletic department but also to create unique overseas educational experiences that student-athletes can avail themselves of. An early entry could theoretically have the opportunity to study in/visit TEN different foreign locations (not even including backpacking visits) over the course of his time at Michigan. The old adage is that all roads lead to Rome. Be a football player at Michigan, however, and that is just the beginning. The roads Michigan football players will travel will lead them around the world and provide them with a global perspective unlike any I have come across in academia (and I am not just talking athletes here). Michigan is at the forefront of this new model, which given the resources and international reputation of the university coupled with a head coach who has a vision that runs far beyond just winning championships, is no surprise. Forza Blu. Veni, vidi, vici.*
*I came, I saw, I conquered. Courtesy of that scholar of Latin and Julius Caesar - lovetheblue.
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