Fridays with Mac: Big House Dreams

This Friday with Mac centered on the recent national championship game between Alabama and Georgia. The Bulldogs behind a dominant fourth quarter beat the Crimson Tide 33-18 to claim Georgia’s first national title in more than four decades.

Whenever Alabama is mentioned in conversations about college football, Bill McCartney, the only coach to ever lead the Colorado Buffaloes to a national title reminisces about time, long ago, as a University of Michigan assistant under Bo Schembechler. “One year I visited Alabama when Bear Bryant was the coach,” recalls the 81-year-old now fighting the good fight against Alzheimer’s. “When I returned to Ann Arbor, I told Bo and the staff, those folks are more serious about football than us. They didn’t like that. Bo told me to SIT DOWN!”

Michigan has done okay when it comes to college football. No school has won more games than the Wolverines’ 976. Alabama is second with 942. Looking ahead to next year, the Tide is expected to be the front-runner for the national title. Michigan is also projected to be one of the nation’s top teams.

It’s not difficult to get McCartney talking about Michigan football. In fact, it’s not difficult for either of the knuckleheads who everyone calls “Mac”, went to Mizzou on football scholarships and married well over our heads talk about Michigan football. Why? Because it takes us back to one of the most memorable moments in college football history.

1994. The Hall of Fame coach’s final year at CU. It was a beautiful fall day in the Big House. The trees outside the stadium ablaze with color. More than 105,000 mainly Michigan fans were celebrating the final seconds of what, appeared, to be a Big Blue win over a talented Buffaloes squad led by quarterback Kordell Stewart. Most know what happened on the game’s final play. The strong-armed signal caller, who went on to NFL stardom, unleashed a missile toward the Michigan goal line. Thrown almost 70 yards, backup wide receiver Blake Anderson tipped the pass into the waiting arms of Detroit native and future NFL #1 pick Michael Westbrook. Touchdown Buffs. The Miracle at Michigan. Incredible.

As the “Buff Guy” for CBS4 Denver, I was standing on the field about 15 feet from that unforgettable play. Just seconds before the fantastic finish, during a commercial timeout of the nationally-televised tilt, a heavily intoxicated female Buff fan staggered down to the railing separating the field from the stands. Dressed head to toe in Buffs black and gold, she bellowed, “McIntosh, I drove all the way from Denver to watch this crap!” Right after the shocking ending, I quickly turned to observe the woman. She had fallen out of the stands. It was about a five-foot drop. Unhurt, she was lying on the stadium floor flopping around like a fish out of water experiencing utter joy from her beloved Buffs snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. I’ll never forget it.

McCartney, a Detroit native who was offered jobs from both Schembechler and Michigan basketball coach Johnny Orr after a successful high-school coaching career at Divine Child in the Motor City, has an even better recollection:

“During that television timeout I heard a Michigan fan right behind our bench yell, ‘McCartney, where’s your God now.’ After Westbrook caught that ball, I turned and gave that dude a thumbs up.” Almost three decades later, two fellas with front-row seats to history NEVER tire of taking a trip down memory lane to that magical moment.

This much I know. Never have I worked an easier locker room. Once the elation shifted from the field to the cramped, soiled and muggy Buffs locker room in the bowels of the storied stadium? I didn’t have to ask a question. I just identified the player or coach and let them express the thrill of victory.

There’s a lesson for all of us in this. When you’re in the pursuit of worthy goals? Don’t give up. Hang in there. Keep the faith. You just never know when your talents and good fortune may transform disappointment into outright euphoria. Remember the Big House and keep chasing your big dreams. #goodbetterbest