The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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buses and embark for the short 1.5- mile ride to The Big House. The time spent on the bus, with fans raucously cheering along the way, and in the locker room are typically spent with headphones on, tuned to the music that revs up each Michigan athlete. "I'm a gospel guy," Gardner said. "Like 'the calm before the storm' kind of guy. That music gets me locked in. "Gospel puts everything in per- spective and gets me ready to play so I try to keep it on as long as possible, until we say the prayer to get ready to go out on the field." Wilson listens to rap or R&B while Ryan goes with ear-deafening heavy metal. Clark has, perhaps, the most unexpected pregame music, dancing and belting out 69 Boyz's 'Tootsee Roll.' "I've been listening to that for seven or eight years. That's my song," Clark said, beaming proudly. "I get the locker room chirping." MAKING AN ENTRANCE Following on-field warm-ups that occur about an hour and then again about 30 minutes before game time, the Maize and Blue gather in the locker room for some final words from their coaches and pile into the tunnel, the light at the end holding the promise of an amazing sight of 100,000 spectators that never grows old. "In high school and then my first few years at Michigan, I always liked being the last one out of the tunnel," Ryan said, "but as the captain last year I had to be in the front and it was crazy because you're standing there for a few seconds and you can just feel it." Clark will try to absorb his sur- roundings and the noise of the crowd more this season, knowing he only has seven games remaining in Michigan Stadium and a guarantee of just 12 total games this fall. He may spend the hours leading up to kickoff delighting with the amusement of a child experiencing Michigan game day for the first time, but Clark locks in when the time draws near. "When Coach Hoke starts talk- ing, headphones come off, and that time is game time," he said. "When I tap the sign going out — 'Go Blue' — and I see 'The Team, The Team, The Team' going down the tunnel, I know it's showtime now and I go into game mode." There is one final item on the pre- game checklist, however, with each Wolverine running under the "Go Blue" banner. Adrenaline coursing through their veins, they have to be careful not to mistime their jump, rise too high or land with a fall. "No I've never fallen, and I would appreciate if you don't say that because that's usually when it happens," Gardner said, laughing wildly. "I hope that never happens. It's pretty embarrassing. I've seen teammates fall. "I always try to do some sort of dunk, show my hops off. I feel like I was a really good basketball player back in my day, so it's always fun to hit the banner. But once that banner is touched, it's game time." ❑