Tribute to Bo and Lloyd Carr
One year ago before the most important game for the University of Michigan, the Wolverine family lost a true Michigan Man. The passing of Bo Schembechler left a mark in the hearts of michigan fans far and close. We also see the ending of a 13 year tenure of Michigan Football with the retirement of Lloyd Carr.
Bo Schembechler was the face of Michigan Football, the one who made the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry what it is today, the one who took on his mentor Woody Hayes and his Buckeyes in the ten years war. No matter what, one can remember something about this longtime icon no matter what you remember his yelling up and down the sideline, the blunt statements he said to fellow coaches, or the last time he spoke to the Michigan football team, that cold November afternoon in Schembechler Hall.
In that last talk with the team and Head Coach Lloyd Carr, Bo talked about Tom Slave a long time quarterback under Bo, and no matter what they were talking about, the conversation came back to one thing, Michigan Football. In that same talk Bo said to the team "your never going to have the experiences that you had playing here at Michigan, and you will never have the same experience when you step foot on that field Saturday."
At a memorial for Bo, Head Coach Lloyd Carr said one thing that really sets in my mind, "Theres no game today, but we are all here for one thing, to remember Bo."
Bo Schembechler is a lasting memory at the University of Michigan and made things great, the facilities, the staff's, the championship runs and most importantly the rivalry that is the biggest and the best in the entire country, the rivalry with Ohio State. When Bo passed, people said that it was his time, but Mitch Albom said it best when he made a tribute to Bo. His time was on Saturday afternoons from August to November and practices where the sun would disappear, that was Bo's time.
On a Monday after a Ohio State game when Head Coach Carr usually talks to the media about the past game and their up coming games, Carr talked about...Retirement. His motive was simple, and what he said at his first press conference when he took over as Head Coach..." I want what's good for Michigan."
So today we close a 13 year book in Lloyd Carr's tenure as the Head Coach at the University of Michigan. Carr came off the top with this comment that really sums up what kind of a person, Carr is. " In this week of thanksgiving, no one has more to be thankful for than I do." Carr said. But one thing on everyones mind, will he Coach the Bowl Game? Yes, Carr will retire after the bowl game and let the team be coached by a new coach.
During the morning press conference Carr appeared to be a little teary eyed when he talked about certain things, especially the importance of friends and family. He added that Bo hired a great coaching staff and that Michigan Football was about team and family, but stressed of you put the family together and the team, you can mold them into a team and do one thing...Win for Michigan. He also got emotional when he talked about
"Yesterday was a very emotional day in my life, i cried more tears then i knew i had, and ive never laughed so hard in my life." Carr said. Yesterday he told his Wolverines that he would be stepping down at the end of the season after the bowl game.Carr hears people talk, people he knows that are getting close to retiring say that the biggest mistake is retiring too early.
When Carr talked about his love for the game, he got very emotional and added that he loves Michigan and is going to miss that place, that has been home to him for the last 13 years. Saturday we all witnessed his last run out of the tunnel at the Big House, his last post game press conference, and his last hand shake with his long time nemesis Jim Tressel.
For the new coach Carr says two things: you don't seek this job, it seeks you, and you get to represent the finest university in the world.
So with that, I leave you with this quote from Bo Schembechler something Lloyd Carr really holds close to him and that is, "Win with Integrity."
Bo Schembechler was the face of Michigan Football, the one who made the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry what it is today, the one who took on his mentor Woody Hayes and his Buckeyes in the ten years war. No matter what, one can remember something about this longtime icon no matter what you remember his yelling up and down the sideline, the blunt statements he said to fellow coaches, or the last time he spoke to the Michigan football team, that cold November afternoon in Schembechler Hall.
In that last talk with the team and Head Coach Lloyd Carr, Bo talked about Tom Slave a long time quarterback under Bo, and no matter what they were talking about, the conversation came back to one thing, Michigan Football. In that same talk Bo said to the team "your never going to have the experiences that you had playing here at Michigan, and you will never have the same experience when you step foot on that field Saturday."
At a memorial for Bo, Head Coach Lloyd Carr said one thing that really sets in my mind, "Theres no game today, but we are all here for one thing, to remember Bo."
Bo Schembechler is a lasting memory at the University of Michigan and made things great, the facilities, the staff's, the championship runs and most importantly the rivalry that is the biggest and the best in the entire country, the rivalry with Ohio State. When Bo passed, people said that it was his time, but Mitch Albom said it best when he made a tribute to Bo. His time was on Saturday afternoons from August to November and practices where the sun would disappear, that was Bo's time.
On a Monday after a Ohio State game when Head Coach Carr usually talks to the media about the past game and their up coming games, Carr talked about...Retirement. His motive was simple, and what he said at his first press conference when he took over as Head Coach..." I want what's good for Michigan."
So today we close a 13 year book in Lloyd Carr's tenure as the Head Coach at the University of Michigan. Carr came off the top with this comment that really sums up what kind of a person, Carr is. " In this week of thanksgiving, no one has more to be thankful for than I do." Carr said. But one thing on everyones mind, will he Coach the Bowl Game? Yes, Carr will retire after the bowl game and let the team be coached by a new coach.
During the morning press conference Carr appeared to be a little teary eyed when he talked about certain things, especially the importance of friends and family. He added that Bo hired a great coaching staff and that Michigan Football was about team and family, but stressed of you put the family together and the team, you can mold them into a team and do one thing...Win for Michigan. He also got emotional when he talked about
"Yesterday was a very emotional day in my life, i cried more tears then i knew i had, and ive never laughed so hard in my life." Carr said. Yesterday he told his Wolverines that he would be stepping down at the end of the season after the bowl game.Carr hears people talk, people he knows that are getting close to retiring say that the biggest mistake is retiring too early.
When Carr talked about his love for the game, he got very emotional and added that he loves Michigan and is going to miss that place, that has been home to him for the last 13 years. Saturday we all witnessed his last run out of the tunnel at the Big House, his last post game press conference, and his last hand shake with his long time nemesis Jim Tressel.
For the new coach Carr says two things: you don't seek this job, it seeks you, and you get to represent the finest university in the world.
So with that, I leave you with this quote from Bo Schembechler something Lloyd Carr really holds close to him and that is, "Win with Integrity."