The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS lens of how they were doing against their rivals; and then finally, Michigan was always ahead of the curve on what I call, fields, fans and finances. They were always trying to catch up to the demand. "Once they got Michigan Stadium, the problem became how to fill that sucker. Fielding Yost, as visionary as he was, didn't see the Depression coming. There were some tough days early on. Now, Michigan not only has to win a lot of games, they have to have a competitive team on the field, where fans are going to want to come every time." The Wolverine: You're heavy on statistics, numbers, charts, etc. Where does that emphasis come from? Gallagher: "That comes from being an Army officer and having to brief a Gen- eral in 15 minutes on a very large-scale issue, about personnel or expenditures. You had to learn to use data, charts and tables to zero in on things. "If I was going to tell the 63-year history, I just didn't think anybody would want that. I wanted to tighten it up, and that's the power of the tables and charts. Those can enable you to put a lot of information that describes some of that detail." The Wolverine: How did your love for Michigan football come about? Gallagher: "My mom and dad were not huge sports fans, but they did go to a couple of Michigan football games in the 1960s, and brought home the program that had somebody with this crazy football helmet. I just started liking the Wolverines. "I could get them on the radio, so I started to listen to them in the '63-64 timeframe. They just became my team. Who couldn't love Michigan when Ron Johnson was playing? "The first game I ever went to was Bo's first game, and that was quite an event." The Wolverine: What's your take on the present situation with Michigan football? Gallagher: "I've met Brady Hoke, I've talked to him, I love Brady Hoke. He's a great guy, and he's doing everything right with how he recruits, the integrity he brings. He was with Bo a lot, and Bo had a huge influence on him. "He knows a strong running game and strength on the lines are critical. That's the bottom line. The line play is a year away, because these guys are so young." — John Borton Click Here For An Excerpt From Barry Gallagher's Book: 21-194-13 Michigan Football's Greatest Era