Twenty Years Ago Yesterday - The Granddady of Em All

Submitted by The Krusty Kra… on

I was at my parents getting ready to watch the Michigan game with them and my mom brought out a photo album. It was from our trip to the Rose Bowl when Michigan beat Wazzu after the 1997 season. I was not yet in first grade but it's the first memory I have of Michigan Football. I have so many since but in my adult life, which began when Rich Rod took over, they are mostly all bad. Where did we go wrong? What gypsy cursed the program? Why is Harbaugh turning into Brady Hoke 2.0? What can we do to either cope or rebound? Anyway not to be trapped living in the past but I hope and dream one day we will return to the Rose Bowl (and that it doesn't take 30 years like it took Sparty but we're in a 12 year drought now)

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NittanyFan

January 2nd, 2018 at 9:46 AM ^

Michigan finished an 8-win season by losing the Outback Bowl to an SEC team, losing a halftime lead as they played a sloppy, turnover-filled 2nd half.

Who knows?  Michigan's not going to be favored to win the National Championship in 2018,.  But nobody was picking them for the 1997 sesaon on Janaury 2nd, 1997 either.

Joined: 12/04/2012

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UofM626

January 2nd, 2018 at 1:17 AM ^

20 years ago today. And my life has changed so much. I am almost 50 years old w 2 kids and I couldn't even imagine that Michigan would not sniff the National Championship since.

I guess I'm just a bit disappointed in how things have turned out this year for Michigan. I hate having to live in the past. But if it doesn't happen next year for us it's never going to happen. Lol

Joined: 01/02/2012

MGoPoints: 3443

Mforever

January 2nd, 2018 at 1:28 AM ^

I remember being 10 years old when we won that title. I was already a michigan fan that couldnt wait to get home after pee wee games on saturday to watch my wolverines. Hell i even vaguely remember not being all to nervous about michigan playing OSU. We always beat them. Leading up to the title game i think i drew a michigan helmet on each of my homework papers Now Michigan football is all but dead. Funny how things change

Joined: 01/01/2018

MGoPoints: 14

uminks

January 2nd, 2018 at 1:49 AM ^

It was really due to my first grade teacher who was a big Michigan fan and she talked all about them in 1969. She was so excited about Bo and finally beating OSU. I became a fan when I was 7 in 1970 where I was really paying more attention to the team but had to listen to most of the games on the radio, since back then most games were not televised. In JR High School, I wanted to be like Rick Leach and thought I could be the next great QB at Michigan.

So I had a good run from 1970 through 2006. The only down year was my Junior year at Michigan when Bo went 6-6 back in '84. I rode out the RR and Hoke years (though after Hoke's first season I thought he may have quite a long run but nope).

Excited that Harbaugh was hired as head coach. I think most of knew this year would not be the best since we did not have many junior or seniors at the skilled positions and the OL was young and we did not have the depth due to the melt down after Hoke. But I'm still confident that Harbaugh will turn things around to at least a Bo level by 2019. Next year the team will be improve but the tough schedule could cause another 8-4 or 9-3 record. However 2019 looks like another at least 10 to 11 win season.

Joined: 11/10/2009

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g_reaper3

January 2nd, 2018 at 7:23 AM ^

Awesome day, awesome experience. Sat in the corner of the end zone where Woodson picked off the pass in the end zone. Only college football bowl game I have ever gone to. Hope to go the national title game and see Michigan win in the next few years.

Joined: 10/03/2010

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baileyb7

January 2nd, 2018 at 9:00 AM ^

I was very confident of a victory that day so I snuck a bottle of champagne into the game by stuffing down my sock and pulling my pants leg over it.  I pass security fine but as I get past the ticket taker the champagne bottle pops out and starts rolling on the pavement.  He looks at me, I look at him and without flinching pick up the bottle, he shruggs his shoulders as if to say 'not my job' and I keep moving.  It was warm by the end of the game but nothing tasted sweeter that than victory or that champagne. 

Joined: 03/04/2015

MGoPoints: 379

Michrider41

January 2nd, 2018 at 10:17 AM ^

that’s all we have at this point. Those were the days. Remember when Michigan used to win Big Ten titles every other year, beat our rivals with regularity, went to Pasadena, man those were the days. Now we are Northwestern. Great academics with a just better than average football team.

Joined: 07/26/2016

MGoPoints: 2980

ItOffishul

January 2nd, 2018 at 10:31 AM ^

Next year looks like we could have a good team but we play other good teams on the schedule so we might only have a kinda good team. 

I just hope we beat Michigan State because I hate those guys. 

Or Ohio State because I hate those guys even more. 

Of course in 2019 if we load up on at least 6 additional four stars and one five star there's a solid chance that will be there we will be able to achieve most of our goals. 

The forecast for 2020 also looks good with partly cloudy skies and highs in the mid to upper-60s. 

THIS TYPE OF MENTALITY IS ANOTHER PART OF WHY WE CANNOT WIN BIG GAMES OR ANYTHING OF CONSEQUENCE!!!

Brian's "toxic-ass fanbase" quote rings incredibly true on a day like today. It's like we all have collective PTSD and don't believe we deserve nice things. And we only seem to want the nice things to shove it in the faces of other teams who have been able to partake in the enjoyment of nice things

Joined: 10/31/2012

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