The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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ing here at Michigan has taught me our jerseys would say, 'Floyd Simmons' simply wasn't enough. is to play for something greater than but no one ever gets a picture of that." "I'd like to thank Justin Dickens and yourself. Being able to sacrifice for your Hoke on defensive back Steve Wilthe rest of the media relations staff for teammates truly is a life worth living." son: "Steve has applied to medical forcing me to talk to the media on a Wide receiver Roy Roundtree: "I'd school at the University of Michigan. daily basis, and for flying me out to Arlike to thank Coach Rod for giving me He's been accepted at Michigan State. I kansas — Springdale, Ark., mind you — the opportunity to come to the best asked if he was going to be a veterinarto watch myself lose an award [earlier university in the country. I'd like to ian, but he said no. But I can tell you he's that day]. thank Coach Hoke and this amazing going to be a damn good doctor when "I'd like to thank Coach Wellman and coaching staff — they re-established he's done." the rest of the training staff for moldhow important it really was to be a Wilson responding to the MSU ing me into the physical specimen that Michigan Man, and I didn't have that at boos: "Just for the record, I got acstands before you tonight. first or got that vibe from the last coach. cepted to Michigan State, but I only "I'd like to thank you guys and the But once this staff came in, I really felt want to go to Michigan. rest of the fans as I developed from what it was like to be a Michigan a young, slow, physically insufMan. ficient football player to an old, "Coach [Fred] Jackson, you reslow, physically insufficient footcruited Mike Shaw and Brandon ball player." Moore, and when I got a text my Robinson: "I want to say thank senior year from Mike saying, 'Roy, you to Coach Rod for giving me you might get an offer from Michian opportunity to play at the Unigan,' I thought they were lying. versity of Michigan. I want to say Even though I was committed to thank you to Coach Hoke and his Purdue I was like, 'If I get that ofstaff, because they gave me an fer, I'm coming to Michigan.' I alopportunity to play quarterback ways thought the winged helmet and continue my goals and my would look good on me." dreams. Roundtree on thanking sports "To be honest with you, I want psychologist and associate athto say thank you to Coach Borges letics director Greg Harden: for giving me the opportunity — "I'm going to try to not get emofor him to deal with me, because tional. I told him I might cry. Mr. I know there were millions of Greg Harden, thank you, you nights where he went home to his pushed me. I came in as a freshwife, talking trash about me, sayman acting up, I rarely told my ing I was giving him headaches. I parents what was going on and want to say thank you to his wife, you always had a positive influbecause I know he's bugged you a ence in my life. lot about me. "I want to say thank you because "I want to say thank you to the without you, I don't even know academic staff, because I know I if I'd still be at Michigan. You re- Wide receiver Roy Roundtree was emotional in thanking the can be a headache, I can be a free ally pushed me to the limit. You Michigan coaches and staff members, and he also challenged spirit and you can't get in contact made me see the right light to the players who will be back next year to work their hardest. with me, but thank you for actuphoto by Per Kjeldsen ally staying on top of me. This get where I'm at now. You made "My time here has been one of the me face the toughest battles that I've winter, I'll be the first of my family to greatest things that has ever happened overcome, and now with that said, I've graduate from a four-year college. to me in my life." graduated and I'm in grad school." "I want to say thank you to the Roundtree to his teammates: "To Safety Charlie Zeller stating the obstrength staff. Thank you for teaching vious: "I want to thank all of you for Team 134, you make sure this offseason, us everything is mental. If you have a being patient with me knowing Kovacs you make sure, you work your hardest broken leg, it's mental. You can play and Denard are up next." on and off the field because when I'm through it. Kovacs' jokes, including an openwatching next year … you know I'm "I want to say thank you to Dave ing bit responding to Hoke's menfrom Ohio, right? Every Saturday I will Brandon for bringing in Coach Hoke, have my Michigan gear on, with my 'M' tion that he looks like an accountant: bringing in a guy here to bring back the ring and I'll be watching." "Just for the record, I look better than tradition, and showing us the ropes — Safety Floyd Simmons on following accountant, and if Coach Hoke keeps bringing back the old guys who used to Roundtree: "Man that will be tough humiliating me, I'm no longer going to be part of the tradition. hold his hand on the sideline. going after that. 'Tree, you big crybaby." "It's been an honor working with you "I'd like to thank the training staff for Simmons on his name: "I want to guys, and I wouldn't trade this for anygive a shout out to J.T. Floyd. I don't all the voodoo they performed on me, thing in the world. Even though we know if you noticed, but his last name and a special thanks to [trainer] Paul didn't accomplish our goal of winning is Floyd, so on the sideline I like to sit Schmidt for kicking me off the team the Big Ten, we fought every time we next to him on the right side so that because trying out for this team once stepped out on the field." ❑ January 2013 the wolverine 25