First I want to say I am really enjoying these articles by Larry Watts.
This the quote that got to me:
"We had a rally in Welsh-Ryan Arena and it was packed,'' he says. "I was asked to speak at the rally and I didn't really have a grasp on what we had done. Sure we had won the Big Ten title, but we lost in the Rose Bowl. I had felt my season was incomplete.
"But here were these alums coming up to me, shaking my hand and telling me what an impact that year had been on their lives. Here were corporate executives telling me what a life-changing moment it had been for them and I'm thinking, 'It was just a football game.'''
My dad was the student manager of the 1939 team and traveled with the team on the train as the team Doc. to the 1949 Rose Bowl. We have had the same 4 season tickets in the family since 1950.
During this season my dad was dying of a blood disorder that acted like a slow Luekemia. I just can't tell you how much pride and happiness this season gave him. We watched and rewatched games. He boasted to his best friend who was a Purdue grad and crowed to my brother in law who played in the Rose Bowl for Michigan in 69. My dad went out a champion because of that team. I suppose football shouldn't mean so much but it was a great distraction from a hard reality. Thanks to everybody involved.
This the quote that got to me:
"We had a rally in Welsh-Ryan Arena and it was packed,'' he says. "I was asked to speak at the rally and I didn't really have a grasp on what we had done. Sure we had won the Big Ten title, but we lost in the Rose Bowl. I had felt my season was incomplete.
"But here were these alums coming up to me, shaking my hand and telling me what an impact that year had been on their lives. Here were corporate executives telling me what a life-changing moment it had been for them and I'm thinking, 'It was just a football game.'''
My dad was the student manager of the 1939 team and traveled with the team on the train as the team Doc. to the 1949 Rose Bowl. We have had the same 4 season tickets in the family since 1950.
During this season my dad was dying of a blood disorder that acted like a slow Luekemia. I just can't tell you how much pride and happiness this season gave him. We watched and rewatched games. He boasted to his best friend who was a Purdue grad and crowed to my brother in law who played in the Rose Bowl for Michigan in 69. My dad went out a champion because of that team. I suppose football shouldn't mean so much but it was a great distraction from a hard reality. Thanks to everybody involved.
