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B The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, September 12, 2007
The Michigan an's barber
at does former coach Bo Schembechler's former barber know about football, campus or Ann Arbor busi-
ness? Turns out a lot.
Owner Jerry Erickson has provided conversation about all of the above at his State Street barbershop
since 1972. As Maize and Blue fans peruse newspapers and watch ESPN, Erickson cuts hair, tells stories and makes
game-day predictions. He's a Michigan football traditionalist who doesn't think it's an coincidence that the football
team hasn't won a game since Schembechler died. On the walls and ceiling, photos of past Michigan teams and
retired jerseys are evidence of Erickson's passion for University sports. A stuffed black bear holding a beer can, a gift
from a regular client and a toy coyote dangling from a fluorescent light add a little more character to one of the city's
few remaining barbershops. Here are his thoughts on football, barbershop culture and kids these days.
. Playboy is the barbershop bible. It would be hard to havea female barber . Eighty percent of my customers are townies. Students are the
in here and not have a lawsuit thrown against me. You know the way men icing on the cake.
talk sometimes.
NAMES
From page 7B
he adds: "There would be very seri-
ous consideration about how that
would reflect on the University."
Besides, you have to think the
University would just have bet-
ter taste than, say, Boise State,
which christened the Taco Bell
Arena in 2004.
We're not that far from it,
though. It's worth noting that
there are campus buildings
named for the owners or found-
ers of eponymous corporations.
The Wagreen Center is a pret-
ty innocuous example. Less so
is North Campus's Herbert H.
Dow Building, which houses
classrooms and laboratories
for chemical engineering and
other departments. It was a gift
from a foundation controlled by
the family that founded Dow
Chemical Co., which has been
a target of campus protest for
decades - napalm and Agent
Orange in the Vietnam era,
dioxin contamination and dodg-
ing responsibility for the hor-
rific Bhopal chemical spill more
recently. It's hard to imagine
that the Dow family didn't-have
the company's image in mind
when it funded that project.
Iowa administrators still
want that $15 million for their
College of Public Health, and as of
press time, they're seeking a com-
promise. It turns out Wellmark has
a charitable foundation of its own,
and the faculty aren't ruling out
"Wellmark Foundation College of
Public Health." lem. But besides that, maybe it's not and no one will remember in a year.
That looks like a face-saving such a bad idea. If a human bene- And sure, a corporation is a grim
move, since it's effectively the factor gets in trouble, you've got an machine motivated purely by prof-
same as naming the college for the awkward situation on your hands; it, and it's only using the school to
company itself. You've still got that ifa corporation or its charity board polish its questionable image. But
perceived-conflict-of-interestprob- does, they can purge the directors then, what's Sandy Weill?
@1 used to go to the games, back when you could take a case of beer and
it wasn't so sterile. But I just stay here now. I have my TV, a cold beer in the
fridge. Saturday and Wednesday nights we have beer. Actually, every night
we have beer.
@ 1 wish the draft were back in place. Kids protested when the draft was in
place. Now it's too much of a "me" society.
* The sad thing about being in this business is reading the obituaries and
seeing my customers' names.
* We're a dying breed as far as I'm concerned. A handful of tra-
ditional barbershops have been around Church Street and Liberty
Street a long time, but beauticians and fake barbers have taken over.
. There was no way I was going to have a place called Ferry Field
Barbershop. I named it Coach and Four and I started getting coaches
in here, hockey players, Bill Martin and Bo (Schembechler).
" Bo used to come in every three weeks. He had a Big Ten show and
wanted to look good. I think he knew he was on limited time. He used to
go next door to get atuna sandwich because he was watching his weight.
But the Wednesday before he died he got a Philly cheese steak.
@1 like to tell people I came down from the U.P. with two nickels in my
pocket. That's probably all I'm going home with.
- As told to Emily Angell
find out what's,
blowing in the wind
Michigan Engineers - General Electric recruiters look forward to meeting enthusiastic Wolverines at the
following GE "Go Blue" events:
" "How To Get Your Resume Noticed: A Resume Writing Workshop"
(See ECRC for location) - Sunday, Sept. 16th (3:30 PM)
" GE Day: "Exploring GE Technologies, Businesses, and Student Opportunities"
(Duderstadt Center) - Monday, Sept. 17th (10:00 AM - 4:00 PM)
" "Meet Your GE Recruiting Team" Networking Event
(Buffalo Wild Wings, Central Campus) - Monday, Sept. 17th (6:30fM)
" "How Does Your Resume Stock Up?" Resume Critiques \
(Pierpont Connector) - Tuesday, Sept. 18th (10:00 AM - 4:30 PM)
" "Intern vs. Co-op: Why?" Intern/Co-op Workshop
(1013 DOW) - Tuesday, Sept. 18th (6:00 PM - 8:00 PM)
" Global Awareness Week - Energy Day Booth
(Mason Hall) - Wednesday, Sept. 19th (11:00 AM - 4:00 PM)
" Engineering Career Fair
(Duderstadt Atrium) - Monday, Sept. 24th (10:00 AM - 4:00 PM)
" Networking Event
(See a GE recruiter for location) - Monday. Sept. 24th (7:00 PM - 10:00 PM)
All events will be on North Campus, unless otherwise noted. For more information on
"Go Blue" events or opportunities at GE, please see: http:/www.gecareers com uich
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