Posted on 11/17/2006 9:11:23 AM PST by Numbers Guy
Legendary University of Michigan football coach Bo Schembechler has died. He collapsed Friday morning at Channel 7’s Broadcast House as he prepared to tape the Big Ten Ticket show.
Schemechler passed away at Providence Hospital in Southfield. He was taken to the hospital by paramedics Friday morning.
The former coach had 2 major heart attacks and 2 quadruple bypass surgeries.
Just 2 weeks ago, he had a pacemaker implanted.
May his memory be eternal.
Thank you for all the wonderful memories, Bo.
M-Go Blue
Off to that great Rose Bowl in the sky.
In high def, no doubt! :-)
Of course, as all good things, it originated at Michigan and Ohio State admits it.
As part of a "Michigan Hate Rally" in downtown Columbus on Friday night, a band named The Dead Schembechlers was scheduled to play. The punk band dresses up like Woody Hayes and sings song after song cursing Bo and the Wolverines.
Not on Friday. Calling Schembechler "OSU's most valiant foe," the band posted this tribute on its website:
"The band is crushed to learn of the death of Bo Schembechler. We named this band after Coach Schembechler to honor him as the face of Wolverine football. We have never wished ill will upon him in any way and have always wished him the best. When we learned that Bo had seen our web site and was amused by it we were delighted. We were simply delighted. He said to those with him as he read it, 'See, I still matter in Columbus!' That may have been the greatest understatement in football history. We believe that he took the band's name as the compliment that it was meant as and that he was flattered by it. We wish to extend our deepest and most heartfelt sympathies to his family. We are truly sorry for their loss."
Two days ago, Bo was asked about the band that bore his name.
"If they have that name 'Dead Schembechlers' and they're making money," he said, "God bless them."
Rest in peace. Prayers for the family.
In fact, Woody did go to heaven. Here's what happened next:
Woody was met at the Pearly Gates by God Himself. God greeted Woody and said He'd show Woody to his final reward, leading Woody to a beautiful little cottage on a hillside, overlooking a gorgeous heavenly valley. On the porch was a rocking chair and from the eaves flew a red and grey flag with an "O" and some sort of nut thing on it.
Woody was quite pleased and settled into the rocker for his final rest, whereupon he looked up to the highest ridge in heaven and there was a sprawling mansion with a sweeping panorama of all of heaven. Around the mansion was a broad veranda and along its railing were festooned numerous big, bold, maize and blue Michigan flags.
Woody was a bit nonplussed, and though he didn't want to appear ungrateful he couldn't help but ask God "Why does Bo have such a nice house?"
And God said "Oh, that's not Bo's house, Woody. It's Mine!"
True story.
Thanks, aj! I LOVE the OSU marching band! TBDBITL!! We have several cd's -- really gets you warmed up for a game!
Miami was a University when Florida belonged to Spain.
I know Miami was established in 1809 and Florida was granted statehood in 1945, so that's that...
But truth be told; there is only ONE Miami University...the school in Florida is named the University of Miami...
The Miami Indian tribe lived in Ohio, where did Florida come up with that name?
You've got to believe they'll have a moment of silence for him. Rest in peace, Bo.
It almost makes you feel sorry for Ohio, going up against a Michigan team wanting to win one in his memory...
Naaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwww.
GO BLUE.
Their ain't no feelin' sorry for the other team in the Michigan - The Ohio State University rivalry.
;)
:)
At least Ohio State has the humility to admit its origin. It might do UM fans well to remember that Bo was a native Ohioan, and was an assistant coach under Woody Hayes. They were very good friends off the field.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bo_Schembechler
Schembechler grew up in Barberton, Ohio. His nickname "Bo" came from his sister's attempts to say "brother" when they were children. He attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio where he played football under two legendary, and completely contrary, coaches. Sid Gillman, his first coach at Miami, was an innovative offensive mind and one of the fathers of the modern passing game. His concepts helped to form the foundation for football's West Coast offense. Prior to Schembechler's last season, Gillman departed to become head coach at the University of Cincinnati. He was replaced by Woody Hayes, who could not have been more unlike Gillman. Hayes embraced the run, eschewed the pass, and demanded tough, physical play from his linemen. Rather than innovation, Hayes stressed repetition — he wanted his players to run each play flawlessly. Over the next forty years, Hayes' impact on his young protege was clearly evident. Schembechler's teams at Michigan were molded in the spirit Hayes' Ohio State teams.
Schembechler graduated from Miami in 1951 and earned his master's degree at Ohio State University in 1952 while working as a graduate assistant coach under Woody Hayes, who had become OSU's head coach. After a tour of duty in the U.S. Army, Schembechler served as an assistant at Presbyterian College in 1954, followed by a year as freshman coach at Bowling Green. When Ara Parseghian, Hayes's successor at Miami University, was hired as head coach at Northwestern in 1956, Schembechler joined him and spent the next two seasons there as a defensive assistant. In 1958, Hayes hired Schembechler to serve again on his staff at Ohio State. Schembechler spent five more years at Ohio State and became one of Hayes' most trusted assistants. During that time the two cemented their lifelong friendship.
I started rooting for Ohio State when we moved there in 1972. Those Woody & Bo games were classic. Condolences to the family and a thanks for his contribution to he game and hi school.
THANKS! GO BUCKS!
I still have a record of the OSU band from the early 70's. LOL! I play it the first thing when I wake up on the day of The Big Game.
Love it when the band sings as part of the tradition :-).
MP3's of the Big 10 fight songs are all posted here.
I played in the Marching Illini for two seasons. It was a class operation and a ton of fun as a musician because we played VERY well. Check out the 1978 and 1979 recordings here.
Just damn.
I remember sitting in Michigan Stadium during the Game that Woody Hayes tore up the yard markers. That was a hoot.
I always liked Bo because he put integrity ahead of winning. When he was AD, he discovered that the baseball coach had given a couple of members of that team illegal gratuities. He fired the coach, kicked out the students, and turned Michigan in to the NCAA. He probably could have covered the whole thing up, but that would not have been right. Bo did the right thing, even though it hurt.
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