1986 Freep Article, Mitch Albom: The Coach and the QB, Schembechler & Harbaugh
I found this great article written by Mitch Albom prior to the 1986 Rose Bowl game regarding some of the exchanges with Schembechler and Harbaugh.
Wanted to share.
Some of the anecdotes I had read about before. A few others I did not know.
Check it out here:
http://mitchalbom.com/d/journalism/787/coach-and-qbschembechler-harbaugh-have-special-relationship
And there it is, the completion of the circle. Idol, hero, mentor, tormentor enemy, teacher, friend.
He wants to be his friend.
"You know, he reams you out, but sometimes lately when it's happened, I'm thinking, 'God, this is what it's all about. Me and Bo, we're fighting together, we're both on the same sideline, we both want the same thing.
"And I say to myself, 'You know, I'm gonna miss this."
And so, says Schembechler, will he. Graduation takes the best of his players every four seasons. He has seen other special quarterbacks come and go. Dennis Franklin. Rick Leach. John Wangler.
"I am going to miss this kid (Harbaugh) a lot," he says. "He is the best passing quarterback I've ever had. And I've never felt as confident with anybody out there as I do with him.
"I know I yelled at him, I was on his case. But remember, I've known this kid since he was this big. I knew exactly who I was dealing with and what I was doing."
"And did he turn out the way you figured?" someone asks.
He grins.
"Better than I ever expected."
And Jim Harbaugh grins too -- a huge grin -- a grin which hooks from today back to that practice field 14 years ago, where he fled the angry whistle of the man he would come to admire.
September 8th, 2015 at 2:33 PM ^
I have ever heard anyone use the phrases: "great article", "freep" and "Mitch Albom" all in the same sentence before (without sarcasm, etc).
September 8th, 2015 at 2:35 PM ^
I would say it's very rare, was he just different back then?
September 8th, 2015 at 3:35 PM ^
Yes. Yes he was. Back then he was a sports writer, and a damn good one. He just got too busy with radio, books and ESPN. He got sloppy and left his roots.
September 8th, 2015 at 2:36 PM ^
The article's almost 30 years old. Mitch Albom used to be a good writer before he started phoning it it, recycling old content with a garnish of new fabrication so he can continue cashing a paycheck.
September 8th, 2015 at 2:40 PM ^
September 8th, 2015 at 6:11 PM ^
September 8th, 2015 at 2:39 PM ^
September 8th, 2015 at 2:41 PM ^
He seemed like it, becuase this is a good piece.
September 8th, 2015 at 2:44 PM ^
before he started doing the cheesy books. I've heard that his ego is now the size of a small cathedral, and his writing has suffered for it.
September 8th, 2015 at 2:49 PM ^
understatement. from the few times I have met him, he is a grade A a-hole
September 8th, 2015 at 3:37 PM ^
Is he an A-A-hole like this?
September 8th, 2015 at 2:51 PM ^
I've heard that ego comment too, which is disappointing if true. I talked to him for a while at the auto show around the time that article was written and he seemed like a really good guy. He was personable and soft-spoken, and was there looking at the cars, like all of us.
September 8th, 2015 at 2:46 PM ^
the Free Press was a good paper with generally very good writers. They actually practiced this thing most people have forgotten called "journalism". In those days, Albom was still building his reputation so he actually put in the effort. Of course they also had editors who edited too.
September 8th, 2015 at 3:00 PM ^
and journalists cost money, and people don't want to pay for news anymore.
I'll admit to picking up a copy of the Sunday paper now and again; it really is a shell of its former self.
September 8th, 2015 at 2:48 PM ^
Before he got on ESPN and started listening to everyone tell him how great he was, Albom really was the best in the market. The "Detroit sports reporter working his ass off" version of Albom was one of the most consistently fun reads in the pre-internet days.
His pieces were refreshing, well-thought and always had a slight "angle" or "edge" to them that made them a cut above what everyone else in the local media were doing. The choices were the Freep, the Detroit News and the Ann Arbor News, unless you wanted to buy a New York Times.
Any resemblence between that Mitch Albom and the guy in clownface who uses his name now is coincidental...
September 8th, 2015 at 2:34 PM ^
I have this article in one of my favorites folders. Someone last year I think had a post on it too. It's a great read. I would highly recommend for anyone with a few minutes to spare and wants to read a bit about the Bo and Jim relationship.
September 8th, 2015 at 2:40 PM ^
The last time Michigan played Oregon State was in 1986.
It was Harbaugh's last home opener as a player.
September 8th, 2015 at 2:57 PM ^
I was at that game and pulled my old program out.....
Looks like Garland Rivers on the cover.
September 8th, 2015 at 3:42 PM ^
...and Andy Moeller (in happier days)
September 8th, 2015 at 6:33 PM ^
Good pickup, and yes it was happier days for AM.
September 8th, 2015 at 2:48 PM ^
Thanks for posting this. Great article.
September 8th, 2015 at 2:52 PM ^
September 8th, 2015 at 2:56 PM ^
"GET...THOSE...GOD...DAMNED...KIDS. .." The voice was sizzling like onions on a grill, and Harbaugh can hear it even now. He does hear it even now. Almost every day. The same voice.
Bo Schembechler's voice.
"GET...THOSE...GOD...DAMNED...KIDS...OFF...THE... FIELD... RIGHT...NOW!..."
Just makes me laugh.
As a kid I had neighbors yell and swear at me for doing all kids of annoying shit.
But to have Schembechler stomping around, pissed, swearing at you while you're 8, not paying attention probably laughing your ass with your brother, or just oblivious because you're little. That's just hilarious. Wish they would have filmed it.
September 8th, 2015 at 3:52 PM ^
September 8th, 2015 at 5:09 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
September 8th, 2015 at 5:19 PM ^
Mitch Albom was the best sports writer I have ever read. Nobody else was even close. Maybe Rhoden and Ryan in their day, but Albom, even though his tug at your emotional side got formulaic, was the absolute best.
FP was best paper back then, not the piece of junk it is today.
Albom still great on Sports Reporters, but rarely do I see a good written piece from him anymore. Can't blame him I guess. Lots of dough in sappy books, Tuesdays with Morrie was ok, rest of it was trash even though he continued to rake in the dough.
Albom used to produce columns like this about every other day. He was unbelievably good, as was this article, which I have read about 10 times in my life, including the day it was first published.
Now JH the coach, mimicking Bo (in a more modern way) I am sure, and on the way to leading us to greatness.
Bank on it.
September 8th, 2015 at 6:03 PM ^
"Don't Read the FreeP."
September 8th, 2015 at 8:00 PM ^
"No matter what I do the rest of my life people will ask me what was it like to play for Bo Schembechler. I'll always have that."
If he only knew how true that statement would become.