The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Thursday, November 19, 2009 -5A The Greatest Rivalry in Sport The Victors! From the Editor: We hope you're enjoying our look back at the Dai- ly's game coverage from famous Michigan-Ohio State games. The Wolverines topped OSU in 1997 en route to a National Championship. By ALAN GOLDENBACH Former Daily Sports Editor Charles Woodson's grin stretched longer than usual, even for the confident All-American. It seemed to extend from end zone to end zone at Michigan Stadium. And in the middle of Wood- son's mouth was a sweet symbol of perfection - a rose. "It just doesn't get any better than this," said Woodson, sport- ing a fresh, bright-white "1997 Big Ten Champions" cap. So stately was the rose, yet so simple was the message. Michigan's 20-14 victory over Ohio State on Saturday conclud- ed the Wolverines' first perfect season in 26 years and sent them to the Rose Bowl for the first time since the 1992 season. A year of dreams culminat- ed in a day of magic, which so drained the Wolverines physi- cally and emotionally that some could hardly muster the energy to describe it. "I'm still emotionally out of it," junior safety Marcus Ray said. "This is my dream: to go unde- feated, beat Ohio State at home and go to the Rose Bowl. That's why I came here and that's why my teammates came here." Since first setting foot on Michigan Stadium turf, each Wolverine had waited for this moment. No current Michigan player had ever earned a Rose Bowl berth, making all unsure of what true euphoria felt like or exactly how to react. "I came back to the locker room and we were celebrating, and we sang 'The Victors,"' said fifth-year senior Brian Griese, who almost opted to skip his mIal year. "I just wanted to go back out on the field and be back out there one more time, like an encore." The fans who had lambasted Griese during his tumultuous career now embraced the quar- terback with similar intensity. "I just wanted to shake every "fan's" hand in the stands. I wasn't able to do that, but I think I got about 50 percent of them." Griese played through the pain of losing four games in each of his four previous seasons, but he never gave up hope that this perfect moment would come to fruition. His coach also waited patient- ly. Lloyd Carr survived both good and tough times as an assistant for 19 seasons. And when he finally became a head coach in 1995, he ignored criticism and pressure, looking instead to the day when he could call his team the best in the land. "For us, it's truly a dream season," Carr said. "When you can line up and play hard for 11 straight weeks againstthe caliber of competition that we've face - and never play when you didn't play hard - that's the thing I'm most proud of." Michigan played hardest in its mostimportantgame. Surethere had been rivals such as Michigan State and talented, intimidating opponents such as Penn State. But no team presented a complete test quite like Ohio State, mak- ing victory over the Wolverines' arch-rivals an appropriate finish to a season full of challenges. "This is a big rivalry just like Michigan-Michigan State," Ray said. "The only difference in this game is that Michigan-Michi- gan State is like a neighborhood street fight and this is like a world war." Now that Michigan has won that war, it can stand on top of the world and smell the roses - the scent of perfection. "It's lonely at the top," said senior co-captainEric Mayes, who was injured in the fourth game of the season and had to sit st the last seven games. "it's lonely at the top." CLIF REEDER/Daily Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez is using tapes of Bob Ufer's Michigan-Ohio State game calls to motivate his team this week. eDid Ijust hear a lii' Ufer y grandpa, one of the truest Michigan foot- ball fans I've ever met in my life, had gameday traditions that I'll never forget. A steaming pot of calico beans that he some- how managed to keep warm for the whole three-hour drive to Ann Arbor, a couple ice-cold Bud- weisers, his giant yellow ANDY radio headset Ri(D and a cassette tape he'd blast through the speakers of his conver- sion van. The tape was looped, and it repeated Bob Ufer's all-time best calls. Walking across the Crisler Arena parking lot yesterday, I heard that raspy, half-gone voice - the one that practically pleaded for a Michigan victory for 37 years on the radio - the one so passionate, it almost felt like Michigan had 12 guys on the field. Ufer's voice was wafting through the cool, November air, and it screamed, "And now Woody Hayes is running out onto the field! I've never seen anything like this in all my days as a commentator!" I hadn't heard that voice in a long time, since my grandpa stopped comingto games because of old age. My ears perked up, and I listened for it's source. After a while, I realized it had to be coming from beyond the steel fences of Schembechler Hall's practice facility. The Wol- verines, who have been known to play songs like the GS Boyz' "Stanky Legg" before practice to get pumped up, were listing to old tapes of Bob Ufer calling the "Ten Year.War" between Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler, Let me repeat that - Rich Rodriguez is blasting Ufer's game calls of the epic battles between Michigan's and Ohio State's most iconic coaches. The man whom many have accused of shunning Michigan's great tradition is using it to his advantage for the single most important week of the year. A little Ufer during Ohio State week? Sounds good to me. For those of you who don't know - and I'm sure there are plenty of you, since Ufer's legacy hasn't quite held the same test of time as Fielding Yost's, Fritz Crisler's or Schembechler's - Bob Ufer was something special. He shucked journalistic integ- rity for his "Bo 'George Patton' Schembechler scoring horn" and an all-encompassing homer atti- tude. There is still a foundation in his name that gives back to the Ann Arbor community. His grave plot at the Forest Hill Cemetery on Observatory Rd. is about 30 feet from where Schembechler and Yost lay. "Bob Ufer was Michigan foot- ball," former defensive coordina- tor Jim Herrmann told the Daily in 1995. "That's what he lived and died for. I think he would have liked being described that way."- And if Rodriguez is usinghim as a team booster, then that means the West Virginia transplant is obviously doing his homework - and clearly honoring the vast and special tradition that is Michigan football. Rodriguez is a man that doesn't like to dwell in the past. And Mich- igan traditionalists, who revel in the past, were immediately skepti- cal of that. But that doesn't mean the man can't respect and honor it, which is clearly what he was doing with yesterday's motivational tech- nique. And if you're not pumped up to play Ohio State after listen- ing to Ufer - "Oh the humanity, the unmitigated gall!" - you'll never be. Since Rodriguez came to cam- pus 707 days ago, he's had to field questions about the Michigan- Ohio State rivalry. There are still skeptics out there that believe he doesn't understand what it means to be a part of The Game. Rodriguez practically pleaded with the media Monday to under- stand that he "gets" the rivalry. He told the story - probably for the Sooth time - of the time that someone snuck a "Beat Ohio State" pin in his pocket. "Justbecause I did not coach ,sege before, I dd iit pljy 4ere, I'm not from the state of Michigan, doesn't mean I don't understand the rivalry," he said. "I understand it as well as any coach can under- stand it." So, Wolverine Nation, can this tired, old concern please be put to rest? You and I may never know what happens behind closed doors at Schembechler Hall. But one thing is for sure: As Ufer's powerful voice drifted across State Street yes- terday, Rich Rodriguez may have proved - finally - that he gets it. This team is going to be plenty fired up at high noon on Saturday. - Reid can be reached at andyreid(&umich.edu. Leadership is hard to define eadership is often one of the easiest aspects to see within an organization, but one of the hardest to define. Vocal leaders, like last year's Michigan men's basketball team captains C.J. Lee and David Mer- ritt, are very noticeable. You constantly heard them chattering on the court, and you saw the way they interacted with younger teammates on NICOLE the bench. AUERBACH Even though they led the team, Lee and Merritt, both of whom were former walk-ons and split time with one another, didn't exactly dominate games. The year before, in coach John Beilein's first season, senior captain Ron Coleman led the team - but not on the scoresheet. He averaged 22.7 minutes a game and just 4.8 points. Again, less than spectacular numbers from a team leader. This season, that vocal leader- ship isn't as apparent as in years past. But make no mistake - there are leaders. Junior Manny Harris and senior DeShawn Sims are the backbones of the squad. Thanks to Lee's and Merritt's departures and sky-high expecta- tions for the team, Harris and Sims have been thrust into leadership roles this season. And that's exactly where the Wolverines need them. For the first time in the Beilein era at Michigan, the best players are expected to be the team's lead- ers. And even though Harris and Sims aren't the loudest guys in the locker room, their ascension is what's goingto keep the Wolverines focused on and off the court this season. "It's one thing when you have leaders kind of emerge, kind of step up - like what we did last year, myself, Dave and Jevohn (Shep- herd)," Lee said. "It's another thing when you have your best players who are getting a majority of the minutes, who are producing a lot of points, just really key players, doing that. "When your best players can do that and be the leaders, that does wonders for the team." It's not the production - like Harris' triple-double and Sims' double-double in the season-opener - that shows leadership ability. It's the little things, like Harris' behav- ior duringthe exhibition game two weeks ago. He was giving high-fives and talking strategy with a hand- ful of teammates. He was being, well, more vocal than anyone had expected. Last month, Harris explained that he has been a leader on every one of his teams, but a good leader doesn't always have to be a big talker. If the team needs someone to speak up like Lee used to, Har- ris said he won't hesitate to step into that role. As evidenced by his demeanor in the season's first few weeks, it looks like he'll be com- fortable there. Sims was flexible, too, saying, "Whatever the team needs, that's the type of leader I'll be." The thing is, these two players already embody the type of leader- ship the Wolverines need. They don't need to be yapping all game, but their growing vocal presence From walk-on to a sophomore 'A' Glendening and prep school career, Powers talked Hagelin named to the coach about Glendening coming to Michigan as a possible alternate captains recruited walk-on. Glendening, who was considering playing foot- ball at a small college, jumped at By MIKE FLOREK the opportunity to join a Division Daily Sports Writer I program. He found his way on the ice in The Michigan hockey team the second game of last season and is used to underclassmen mak- embraced his role as a defensive ing immediate impacts. Last year, forward, remaining a mainstay sophomore Aaron Palushaj led the in the lineup during his freshmen team in scoring before leaving for year. He registered just 10 points, the NHL. Current goalie Bryan but his play spoke louder than that Hogan sits second in Michigan to the coaching staff. history in goals against average, "He just impressed you day- with 1.97 - a number he posted as to-day," associate head coach Mel a sophomore. Pearson said. "Day in and day out When it comes to sophomore in practice, you just saw how hard Luke Glendening, it's what he does he worked. And then he got into in practice that's making history. the games and he made it tough for For the first time in 19 years, and the coaches to take him out of the just the third time in Michigan lineup." program history, a sophomore will Forty-five games, a scholarship wear a letter on his chest. offer and a Most Improved Player After senior Chris Summers award later, the only major differ- was the only captain for the first ence in his game when he takes the 10 games, the players voted Glen- ice Friday against Bowling Green dening and junior Carl Hagelin to will be the "A" stitched to his jer- be the alternate captains for the sey. remainder of the season. Michigan coach Red Berenson Glendening didn't expect it doesn't expect anything different coming into the season, but the from Glendening or his contempo- letter should feel like nothing new. rary, Hagelin, this weekend. The soft-spoken Grand Rapids "It just gives them a little bit native earned captaincy in three of entitlement, or a little bit of sports throughout high school and authority, or a little bit of responsi- boarding school, in part due to the bility to (continue working hard)," same extraordinary work ethic he Berenson said. has shown at Michigan in practice. Before his public recognition, "I'm not always the most vocal Glendening's leadership was evi- guy, but I've been on teams with dent in his penalty-kill prowess, a lot of different players," Glen- which played a big part in keeping dening said. "I think that's going him in the lineup as a freshman. to help. There's a part of being an This season, he has spearheaded a assistant captain - I need to be unit that ranks fifth nationally. For vocal, but I also just need to kind of Glendening, being a part of a unit is walk the walk." what it has been all about. Making the feat more impres- "I like just being part of some- sive is the fact that, at this time last thing like the Michigan hockey season, Glendening didn't even team," Glendening said. "It's a lot have a scholarship. bigger than myself It's a lot bigger Two years ago, while on a than one person. I was just really recruiting trip to The Hotchkiss excited when I got here to be a part School to look at a different play- of that. Now, to be where I am, it's er, assistant coach Billy Powers a great blessing, it's a great honor, saw Glendening's play on the ice. but I have to just keep working Despite Glendening's less-than- hard and doing the things that got impressive statistics during his me here in the first place." A RI EL BOND/C Senior DeShawn Sims is expected to be a leader on and off the court this season. does help. Michigan needs their points, their poise and their hunger. "They were here when it was really, really rough, and they were here when it gotbetter," Lee said. "I think what they have to deal with right now is they have expectations, and we didn't have as many expec- tations last year." But of all people, Harris and Sims should thrive in this situation. They've handled being hyped recruits and targeted players. And better yet, the two appear undaunted by the media attention surrounding this season. "The biggest thing is being able to see outside yourself, being able to see the big picture," Lee said. "That's what our seniors did last year.... These players have the same ability, because they saw what it took to get us to the tournament and win a game there. They know what it's going to take to get them back there and hopefully go fur- ther." All the ingredients for strong leadership are here, and Harris and Sims are finally putting them together. Teammates and coaches trust them. They know how to motivate themselves and others to achieve a common goal. And most of all, they translate their talent to other areas of the game, not just what shows up on the stat sheet. For the first time in recent years, Beilein has turned his stars into leaders. "What's unique about those guys is they weren't brought here to be average players - they were brought here to be great," Lee said. They weren't necessarily brought here to be leaders, either. But that's where they're going to shine. - Auerbach can be reached at naauer dumich.edu.