The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/122487
inside michigan athletics along well, and he is starting to pick up the system. He loves his coaches, and he loves his teammates." The Wolverine: What does it mean that so many alumni come back for things like this? Dickey: "Michigan matters. That is the theme we went through last night. We built something. Bo Schembechler built something, the guys before us built something and the guys after us kept it going. That is what is so important about Michigan. That's why kids want to come here: to be a part of that legacy and keep winning championships. It's a fantastic place." The Wolverine: What do you expect from the team this year? Gant: "They have brought in a lot of high-quality kids, You can see the mental toughness, as well as the physical toughness, from the days of Bo coming back. Getting that toughness back, especially on the defensive side, is going to be key for us for winning more Big Ten championships." — Andy Reid TheWolverine.com's Facebook Feed Michigan fans can find The Wolverine on Facebook at: Facebook.com/ TheWolverineMagazine. This month we asked followers what loss hurt more: Michigan's 2006 football defeat to Ohio State in the No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup or this year's NCAA championship game setback against Louisville? Austin Dean: "Our loss in basketball. The football team still had one more game to play even if they beat OSU. The game against Louisville was there to be won." Sean Scullion: "Ohio! It sickens me to lose to them. As hard as the national championship was, Ohio fans won't ever let you forget and they're the most obnoxious people you'll ever encounter." Bill Duff: "OSU, because I think it quite an accomplishment just to make the Final Four, where if they could have beat the Buckeyes, they could have played for the national title — that is much harder in football." Brian Weldon: "Ohio, because that week was also the passing of Bo Schembechler. Whenever I am reminded of the 2006 game, I get the same empty feeling I had when that game ended. That loss was more gut-wrenching than any other in that series that I've witnessed." Geoff Chiles: "Everything was on the line with Louisville. That was our chance. And who knows if it'll be another 20 years before we get back." Mark Bihl: "It was the loss to Ohio, the day after the passing of Coach Schembechler. We wanted it for Michigan and for coach because everyone told us it couldn't be done, just like the '97 team. We were a team full of mediocre men as I believe the media said. That game was our national championship!"