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

