The Wolverine

FROM OUR READERS HAILING A LEGEND October 2012 • Vol. 24, No. 3 ISSN 1048-9940 John Borton Editor Associate Editor Michael Spath The Wolverine.com Editor Chris Balas Football Recruiting Editor Tim Sullivan Staff Writer Andy Reid Managing Editor Chris Riffer Contributing Editor Steve Downey Contributing Writer Ryan Tice Editorial Intern Kevin Minor Jeanette Blankenship Layout And Design Cory Lavalette Contributing Photographers Lon Horwedel Per Kjeldsen Cover Photo Lon Horwedel Publisher Stu Coman Business Manager Linda Autry Circulation Manager Gail Evans Marketing/Merchandise Manager Beverly Taylor Director Of Advertising Dave Searcy Customer Service Manager Laura Kendall For advertising or subscription information, call 1-800-421-7751 or write The Wolverine, P.O. Box 1304, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. The Wolverine is a publication of Coman Publishing Company, Inc., 324 Blackwell St., Suite 1020, Durham, NC 27701. The Wolverine is published monthly. A one-year (12 issues) subscription is $49.95. The Wolverine is printed at The Papers in Milford, Ind. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Wolverine, P.O. Box 2331, Durham, NC 27701. Periodical postage paid at Durham, NC 27702 and additional offices. thewolverine@comanpub.com Subscription questions: gevans@comanpub.com Web Site: E-Mail Address: www.thewolverine.com 10 THE WOLVERINE OCTOBER 2012 It was particularly gratifying for me to see Bennie Oosterbaan honored as a Michigan Legend at the Air Force game. I was lucky enough to play for Bennie in the mid-1950s, and I can say that he epitomized the true Michigan Man. He was a superb athlete, excel- lent coach, teacher of young men, and a man of principle and integrity. Bennie may not have had the best win-loss record, but to those who played for him and knew him best, he was a great role model and leader. In his final game as head coach, in Dear The Wolverine: a narrow 20-14 loss against OSU in Columbus, Bennie was carried off the field by his players to a standing ova- tion from the OSU fans. The only the other Michigan player to experience that in Columbus was Tom Harmon. That says it all about a Michigan Leg- end — Bennie Oosterbaan! Richard Ketteman Sylvania, Ohio It's good that people are talking about him again, and that's a major plus from the pro- gram to un-retire Michigan jerseys. Thanks for your observations, Richard. RECRUITING THEIR WAY BACK Dear The Wolverine: I had a Wolverine letter printed after last football season, warning fans to be patient because the program needed two more stellar recruiting hauls (2013 and 2014) to address talent and depth deficiencies. Hoke and staff did a great job last year, leading Michigan to an 11-2 record. The team was fortunate to have many of the toughest games at home and also avoided major injuries. This season's schedule is daunting and includes a murderous road slate. In addition, the team has already been beset by major injuries, which will fur- ther expose the lack of talent and depth currently in Ann Arbor. I could see this team ending up somewhere between a 9-3 and 6-6 record. With that being said, I have never been more excited or optimistic about the future of Michi- gan football. There are so many reasons to be op- timistic. Hoke and staff are going to be able to get the talented 2012 recruiting class plenty of experience that will not only help this season's squad, but lay a foundation for future seasons. The 2013 class is super, and if they close out with Laquon Treadwell and Derrick Green it could go down as perhaps Michigan's best ever. Hoke and staff have already landed more Ohio pros- pects with Buckeye offers than previ- ous staffs did between 2002 and 2011. The staff is hard at work getting tal- ent along the offensive and defensive lines. Those areas will be very young for a couple of seasons, but will be talented. The area that has not been addressed yet to satisfaction is wide receiver. [Mario] Manningham was the last star wide receiver — the current roster is pedestrian at best, especially if Gardner is a quarterback next year. [Amara] Darboh and [Jehu] Chesson might have the talent, but the key is Treadwell. Offer him the No. 1 jersey to be the next Carter, Alexander, Terrell or Edwards! Those who are patient will see champions, to paraphrase Glen Ed- ward Schembechler. Kevin G. Smith Orange, Calif. The receivers might wind up better than you think, K.G., but there is no doubt re- stocking through recruiting is the way for- ward. They're hitting it hard, and laying a serious foundation. It was nothing for which I needed to be admitted to a hospital, meta- phorically speaking, but the Alabama game's outcome colored the rest of the weekend in a negative hue (like all Wolverine football losses). It's hard to imagine how the game could have been worse — humiliation on national television, very costly injuries to key players, and overt ridicule by the ABC announcers. REELING FROM BAMA BLAST Dear The Wolverine: I have never heard Brent Musburger and "Herbie Kirkstreet" do a more un- professional job calling a game. They have a history of one-sidedly talking up the team that is winning, but this time they were WAY over the top. The only time that they would say ANY- THING about Michigan players was when, on rare occasion, Michigan would make a spectacular play. For crying out loud, Alabama fans were being told who carried the ball, made the tackle, was the intended re- ceiver for their team, while I had to

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