On fall Saturdays in recent
On fall Saturdays in recent
memory,
Claiborne
Green
memory,
Claiborne
Green
always follows the same routine.
always follows the same routine.
About an hour and a half before
About an hour and a half before
kickoff at Michigan Stadium, he
kickoff at Michigan Stadium, he
goes next door to Crisler Center
goes next door to Crisler Center
and meets some of the facilities
and meets some of the facilities
workers. They know why he’s
workers. They know why he’s
there. He doesn’t walk with
there. He doesn’t walk with
them.
them.
Somewhere in the hallways
Somewhere in the hallways
that run along the edge of the
that run along the edge of the
arena
and
underneath
the
arena
and
underneath
the
seats, a banner reading “Go
seats, a banner reading “Go
Blue, M Club supports you,”
Blue, M Club supports you,”
sits in storage, under lock and
sits in storage, under lock and
key. Green, the director of
key. Green, the director of
academic services for Michigan
academic services for Michigan
football, is the person in charge
football, is the person in charge
of getting it from that room to
of getting it from that room to
the 50-yard line in time for the
the 50-yard line in time for the
Michigan football team to run
Michigan football team to run
out of the tunnel and touch it.
out of the tunnel and touch it.
He doesn’t know where it’s kept.
He doesn’t know where it’s kept.
Not exactly. He thinks it moves
Not exactly. He thinks it moves
around within Crisler, an added
around within Crisler, an added
touch of security.
touch of security.
“They kinda keep it,” Green
“They kinda keep it,” Green
said. “Either way, they lock it up
said. “Either way, they lock it up
in Crisler and they go get it.”
in Crisler and they go get it.”
This Saturday, the banner will
This Saturday, the banner will
keep gathering dust. Instead of
keep gathering dust. Instead of
opening the season with a trip
opening the season with a trip
to Washington, a parent protest
to Washington, a parent protest
on the season’s postponement
on the season’s postponement
is the only event scheduled
is the only event scheduled
at Michigan Stadium for the
at Michigan Stadium for the
foreseeable future.
foreseeable future.
If there is a football season,
If there is a football season,
be it in January, April or
be it in January, April or
sometime in between, it’s an
sometime in between, it’s an
open
question
whether
the
open
question
whether
the
banner, a landmark ubiquitous
banner, a landmark ubiquitous
to the football program since
to the football program since
1962, will be used. The tradition
1962, will be used. The tradition
has survived multiple attempts
has survived multiple attempts
from Ohio State coach Woody
from Ohio State coach Woody
Hayes to tear the banner down
Hayes to tear the banner down
in the mid-1970’s and a group of
in the mid-1970’s and a group of
Syracuse fans stealing it before a
Syracuse fans stealing it before a
1998 game at Michigan Stadium.
1998 game at Michigan Stadium.
In a normal world, this would
In a normal world, this would
be Green’s routine starting with
be Green’s routine starting with
Michigan’s first home game.
Michigan’s first home game.
After getting the banner from
After getting the banner from
Crisler, he and about 10 other
Crisler, he and about 10 other
banner crew members go down
banner crew members go down
on the field to set up. Pregame
on the field to set up. Pregame
festivities go by a minute-by-
festivities go by a minute-by-
minute script that’s distributed
minute script that’s distributed
to everyone involved in pre-
to everyone involved in pre-
game operations. It’s a way of
game operations. It’s a way of
setting things up to be perfect
setting things up to be perfect
for TV, and it means everyone
for TV, and it means everyone
involved has to be just that:
involved has to be just that:
perfect. If the team is supposed
perfect. If the team is supposed
to take the field at 11:54:30, it
to take the field at 11:54:30, it
will take the field at 11:54:30, or
will take the field at 11:54:30, or
throw off that careful schedule.
throw off that careful schedule.
Green and his team usually
Green and his team usually
get about 90 seconds to get the
get about 90 seconds to get the
30-by-4 foot banner up in the
30-by-4 foot banner up in the
air, though it’s been as tight as
air, though it’s been as tight as
30 seconds before. Thanks to
30 seconds before. Thanks to
meticulous
practice,
they’ve
meticulous
practice,
they’ve
never failed, though there have
never failed, though there have
been some close calls.
been some close calls.
When
Michigan
installed
When
Michigan
installed
new astroturf prior to the 2018
new astroturf prior to the 2018
season, it nearly doubled the
season, it nearly doubled the
size of the block ‘M’ at midfield.
size of the block ‘M’ at midfield.
The markings Green’s crew
The markings Green’s crew
had grown accustomed to were
had grown accustomed to were
all wrong. They didn’t realize
all wrong. They didn’t realize
until moments before the game,
until moments before the game,
and the crew had to improvise.
and the crew had to improvise.
There was also an incident
There was also an incident
against Ohio State during the
against Ohio State during the
Denard Robinson era in which
Denard Robinson era in which
one of the fiberglass poles
one of the fiberglass poles
holding the banner up broke
holding the banner up broke
during the entrance.
during the entrance.
Both cases helped the banner
Both cases helped the banner
crew
adapt.
They
started
crew
adapt.
They
started
practicing on the new field,
practicing on the new field,
changing the designated spots
changing the designated spots
where people stood. The poles
where people stood. The poles
were changed back to wood
were changed back to wood
from fiberglass.
from fiberglass.
“We’re the ones that are
“We’re the ones that are
nervous
before
the
game,”
nervous
before
the
game,”
Green said, “because we don’t
Green said, “because we don’t
enjoy
the
game
until
the
enjoy
the
game
until
the
banner’s up and the banner’s
banner’s up and the banner’s
down successfully.”
down successfully.”
The gameday protocol has
The gameday protocol has
changed immensely over the
changed immensely over the
years.
years.
When
Amy
Stevens,
the
When
Amy
Stevens,
the
current president of the M Club
current president of the M Club
(an organization for former
(an organization for former
Michigan
athletes),
attended
Michigan
athletes),
attended
Michigan as a track athlete,
Michigan as a track athlete,
getting to hold up the banner
getting to hold up the banner
was as simple as being one of the
was as simple as being one of the
first 20 or so student-athletes
first 20 or so student-athletes
who showed up.
who showed up.
“There was always more than
“There was always more than
enough,” Stevens said. “And
enough,” Stevens said. “And
then we would go out, hold
then we would go out, hold
the banner, the team would
the banner, the team would
run through and we’d go over
run through and we’d go over
and join the cheerleaders for
and join the cheerleaders for
the Let’s Go Blue chant. And
the Let’s Go Blue chant. And
then the cheerleaders would
then the cheerleaders would
like, boost us into the student
like, boost us into the student
section.”
section.”
When
Green
joined
the
When
Green
joined
the
athletic department as an intern
athletic department as an intern
about a decade ago, the Student
about a decade ago, the Student
Athlete Advisory Committee
Athlete Advisory Committee
was in charge of the banner.
was in charge of the banner.
That changed because having
That changed because having
student athletes who might
student athletes who might
rather be tailgating in charge of
rather be tailgating in charge of
something so important was a
something so important was a
little too scary for Green.
little too scary for Green.
Now, Stevens is one of the
Now, Stevens is one of the
people governing the banner.
people governing the banner.
In addition to the one at Crisler,
In addition to the one at Crisler,
the M Club has a duplicate kept
the M Club has a duplicate kept
in a storage facility off campus.
in a storage facility off campus.
They’ve also got banners of
They’ve also got banners of
varying sizes with the same
varying sizes with the same
message, a way of trying to
message, a way of trying to
incorporate a football tradition
incorporate a football tradition
into different sports. Stevens
into different sports. Stevens
says they’ve gotten a banner
says they’ve gotten a banner
out to golf, baseball, softball,
out to golf, baseball, softball,
volleyball and track and field,
volleyball and track and field,
among other sports. They’d like
among other sports. They’d like
to find a way to use it in Crisler
to find a way to use it in Crisler
for basketball games and Yost
for basketball games and Yost
Ice Arena for hockey games.
Ice Arena for hockey games.
When
Michigan’s
color
When
Michigan’s
color
scheme changes slightly, like
scheme changes slightly, like
with the move from Adidas
with the move from Adidas
to Nike or with the new turf,
to Nike or with the new turf,
Stevens calls New England Flag
Stevens calls New England Flag
and Banner and starts working
and Banner and starts working
on commissioning a new one.
on commissioning a new one.
She looked at samples for the
She looked at samples for the
latest recently.
latest recently.
Matt
Strommer,
the
art
Matt
Strommer,
the
art
manager
for
the
company,
manager
for
the
company,
says the turnaround time for a
says the turnaround time for a
project like that can be as short
project like that can be as short
as a week or longer than two
as a week or longer than two
months, depending on demand,
months, depending on demand,
and the cost is north of $2,000.
and the cost is north of $2,000.
“In this particular case, we
“In this particular case, we
started with the blue field and
started with the blue field and
then we created a life-size
then we created a life-size
stencil of the letters, transferred
stencil of the letters, transferred
that stencil onto the nylon by
that stencil onto the nylon by
rubbing this, it’s a combination
rubbing this, it’s a combination
of mineral spirits and Taylor’s
of mineral spirits and Taylor’s
chalk,” Strommer said.
chalk,” Strommer said.
The image from the stencil
The image from the stencil
goes into the nylon. From there,
goes into the nylon. From there,
it’s an easy job for seamstresses,
it’s an easy job for seamstresses,
who sew the letters on, and
who sew the letters on, and
all that’s left is to cut excess
all that’s left is to cut excess
material away.
material away.
New England Flag and Banner
New England Flag and Banner
does all of the banners for
does all of the banners for
Michigan athletics, including
Michigan athletics, including
those at Crisler. (For the record,
those at Crisler. (For the record,
Strommer said no 1992 or 1993
Strommer said no 1992 or 1993
Final Four banners have been
Final Four banners have been
commissioned
since
Juwan
commissioned
since
Juwan
Howard’s
hiring
as
men’s
Howard’s
hiring
as
men’s
basketball coach.)
basketball coach.)
There
are
usually
20-30
There
are
usually
20-30
people who help hold it up each
people who help hold it up each
week, a combination of Green’s
week, a combination of Green’s
banner crew, members of the
banner crew, members of the
M Club and donors or Make-a-
M Club and donors or Make-a-
Wish kids who are able to get
Wish kids who are able to get
on-field. Only about eight or so
on-field. Only about eight or so
are needed to keep it upright,
are needed to keep it upright,
Green says, so perhaps it’s
Green says, so perhaps it’s
possible to find eight people
possible to find eight people
who are already needed in the
who are already needed in the
stadium even if it’s limited to
stadium even if it’s limited to
essential personnel.
essential personnel.
“I imagine the banner in some
“I imagine the banner in some
form or fashion would be up
form or fashion would be up
there, even if there wasn’t fans
there, even if there wasn’t fans
in the stadium,” Green said. “I
in the stadium,” Green said. “I
just think the banner’s such an
just think the banner’s such an
icon and such a fixture in what
icon and such a fixture in what
the team does that at least the
the team does that at least the
facility workers — and it wasn’t
facility workers — and it wasn’t
my crew that typically does
my crew that typically does
it — somebody would’ve been
it — somebody would’ve been
out there to make sure that the
out there to make sure that the
banner was going up for the
banner was going up for the
team to run through.”
team to run through.”
16 — Wednesday, September 2, 2020
Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
THERE’S NO FOOTBALL SEASON,
SO WHAT HAPPENS TO THE BANNER?
ETHAN SEARS
Managing Sports Editor
FILE PHOTO/Daily
The banner’s
such an icon
and such a
fixture in what
the team does