The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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during the pregame morning walk- through. Clark gives them a smile, a little wave, and if they're lucky, maybe a high-five as the team re- turns to its overnight hotel. "As a child, I used to always go to USC games, and before they went to the stadium, they would go to the hotel parking lot and I went out in the morning and watched them practice," Clark said. "I see the little kids throwing the football around, playing behind the bushes, and I was that kid. I know how much they love Michigan football. "I didn't understand that until I actually got here. I never knew there were kids 5 years old who knew so many guys on our team." The 6-2, 277-pound senior defen- sive end understands there is a time to be serious, but there are also mo- ments of revelry with teammates, op- portunities to exchange banter with coaches, to make a young fan's day, and to have some personal fun before descending the tunnel at Michigan Stadium. At that point, a different sort of fun begins. "I love game day," fifth-year senior linebacker Jake Ryan said. "Some guys get more nervous throughout the day, other guys are joking and clowning around, but everyone is ex- cited. There's a great energy no mat- ter where we are — having breakfast at the hotel, in our walk-through, on the bus ride to the stadium, the locker room, even the way we wake The Game Day Of A Michigan Beat Writer Our subscribers to The Wolverine have often remarked that the sportswriters that cover Michigan football and basketball have the best job in the world. And they're right, though being paid to travel the world for Fodor's Travel guide- books sounds pretty good, too. I am a Michigan grad (2002), and while I make it a point to bring unbiased journalism to my position, that does not stop me from enjoying game day on a fall Saturday in Ann Arbor. For a 3:30 p.m. game, I typically arrive at the cross streets of Stadium and Main five to six hours prior, settling into a parking spot north of the stadium I share with friends, their families and friends of friends that graciously allow me to indulge in their newest tailgate creations while relishing the weekly banter and conversation. My brother, his fiancé and their friends tailgate on the golf course, and I al- most always arrive at their destination in time to snatch up whatever delicacy they have also prepared for their guests. A few more stops along the way, typically a radio appearance or two either in person or over the phone, and I step into the elevator for the press box level of Michigan Stadium 90 minutes before kickoff. Saturday mornings are one of the few times where there is a moment to re-