Let us never forget what happened on this day, Novmeber 22, 1963 in Dallas, Texas.
Michigan-Ohio State week November 12-18, 2006, was building to be one of the most exciting in history as number two Michigan (11-0) was taking on number one OSU (11-) at the Horseshoe in Columbus. It was the first time in the storied history of the game the teams were undefeated and ranked one and two. The game was labeled the “Game of the Century”. Little did we know how historic the week would be.
For me it all started Saturday evening, a week before the game, when my great friend Buzzy Blair called me from Florida all pumped up about the game. Buzzy was a former walk-on at U of M who loved his Wolverines. He told me he was trying to get tickets for the game and wanted to stay at my house if he could get tickets. He was excited.
On Sunday November 12, I received a call that my good friend and dentist Tom Slade had passed away from cancer. Slade was the starting quarterback for the Wolverines as a sophomore in 1971 when he led the Wolverines to an 11-0 season and nearly won the national championship except for a late field goal by Stanford in the Rose Bowl. Slade and I became friends through our various run-ins in Yspilanti, which eventually led to me becoming one of his patients. He was a great high school and college basketball official. His two sons attended my Saturday morning basketball clinics and his son Andrew umpired Ypsi Little League for me. Andrew also helped at my basketball clinic when he was in high school. During his last weeks, Tom and I talked on a regular basis right up until he passed away.
The funeral viewing for Slade occurred on a Tuesday in Ypsilanti. Those in attendance were a who’s who of Michigan football. Bo Schembechler arrived and the whole room changed upon his arrival. Although it was a somber occasion, Bo was in his element being surrounded by so many of his former student-athletes and coaches. Bo was holding “court”, and everyone was listening.
The next morning at Slade’s funeral in Ann Arbor, Bo was sitting a few rows ahead of me. I was sitting with EMU’s baseball coach Roger Coryell and we both remarked how tired Bo looked. We were both amazed because it was so different than he looked the night before. Little did we know how right we were.
Based on what I have heard, immediately after the funeral, Bo, at the invitation of Coach Carr, met with the U of M team and gave them one of his inspirational speeches. Needless to say, it was a long emotional day for Bo. The next morning, Bo was scheduled to record his weekly Michigan football show with Jim Brandstatter in Detroit. It was there that Bo went into cardiac arrest and died.
I was sitting at home watching ESPN’s Sports Center when the show was interrupted to give the news that Bo had died. Within minutes, Buzzy called me crying. Buzz was beside himself. We were both watching Sport Center as they were putting together of history of Bo’s career. There was even talk of rescheduling the game. Many were thinking that this would be a great motivation for Michigan, as they would want to win it for Bo.
The game was one of the few that has lived up to the hype. OSU held on to win a 42-39 thriller as both teams left everything on the field.
Bo had serious heart issues that surfaced when he had a heart attack prior to the 1970 Rose Bowl game. He lived over 35 years with his heart condition because he eventually made changes to his diet and he worked the treadmill regularly. To this day, I firmly believe that Bo died because he wore himself out that Tuesday night at Slade’s visitation.
The week in November 2006 is what I think about when so much is riding on the outcome of the Michigan/OSU game.
Stay Safe. Social Distance. Wear your mask when indoors in public places. Schedule your vaccine and booster.
Orchid of the Day: Blake Corum and Nikhai Hill-Green, Michigan football players, for using the money the have been paid from the Name, Image, Likeness earning to team up with other agencies in Washtenaw County to pass out over 100 turkeys to residents of Ypsilanti.
A Special Orchid of the Day: To my grandson Nolan Thomas Krieg who turns 7 today.
Onion of the Day: Labron James, for throwing an elbow and getting ejected from Sunday’s game with the Pistons.