A giant has fallen.Glenn Edward "Bo" Schembechler, the man who restored pride and glory to the Michigan Wolverine football program upon arrival in 1969, has passed away at the age of 77, on the eve of the biggest Michigan-Ohio State football game in the history of these two storied programs.
As you may have gathered, I am a Big 10 guy from way back, and I rooted for Michigan for all those years against Ohio State, just as I will tomorrow. Bo was a terrific coach and was beloved throughout college football.
To me, he was the equal of Woody Hayes, Joe Paterno, Ara Parseghian, and maybe even Bear Bryant (their bowl records were very similar), and he brought respectability back to the Michigan program.
More at EDSBS (read the comments), to whom I owe thanks for the picture.
7 comments:
Wow. You should blog about sports more often, Steve, I had no idea you had such refined tastes in college ball.
Steve, I had no idea. Go Bucks!!!
Bo was a great coach, and a great man. How ironic to go right before the biggest game in the history of this rivalry. You did know he was an assistant at, yes, Ohio State. As I am sure you know, where we grew up college football was the Big 2 and the Little 8 and Notre Dame.
Don,
As someone who grew up when the Illinois program was gutted due to the slush-fund scandal, I am all too keenly aware of this.
Lou Holtz and Schembechler were both assistants to Woody at the same time in the early '60s; I can only imagine what that must hav ebeen like!
Don, these SEC people just don't know good college football when they see it, don't you agree?
Steve,
I agree that Big Ten football is better, but the girls seem prettier at Ole Miss (they don't have to bundle up).
I froze my ass off at a few Northwestern/Illinois games as a kid. I saw Ohio State and Michigan once at Northwestern at the old stadium in Evanston back then, but it was a sideshow compared to Bears-Packers on Sunday.
Ah do say su-uh that yoooour understandin' awf fut-bawl is a bit lackin!! Thar is no dount at awll who is the rite best coaaach ev-uh: Paul Beeeear Bry-aaant!! Rowwl T-ah-deeeee (except when they play the University of Memphis)!!!!! Bo was, in any case, a great coach too.
That's a pretty good drawl for someone from North Dakota...
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