U-M at 2007 Big Ten Media Days: Wednesday
8/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Rise 'n' Shine
For the U-M senior trio of QB Chad Henne, RB Michael Hart and LT Jake Long, the 2007 Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon and Media Days Tuesday and Wednesday (July 31-Aug. 1) in Chicago, Ill., was anything but a vacation; Wednesday morning, the guys realized it first hand, as early-morning alarm clocks rang to start a day that featured -- you guessed it -- more interviews!
The first session of the day was the 8 a.m. roundtables, a two-hour period when local and national media outlets roamed freely to discuss the upcoming season with key players and coaches from each school. Hart, Henne, Long and head coach Lloyd Carr were each stationed at their own table, and members of the print and radio press shuffled about, taking their turn to drill the guys with inquiries. By the second day, it's clear as to what the media's main questions and concerns are about the 2007 squad: Filling in the holes on defense left vacated by five NFL Draft picks. Coach Carr was consistent with each answer on the topic, praising the development of defensive lineman Terrance Taylor, Will Johnson and -- especially -- Tim Jamison, and pointing to this year's group as one with outstanding talent and potential.
For Long, the session may have been the toughest part of the weekend. "That was a pain," he said. "I said the same thing over and over; two hours is a long time."
What's your sign
Speaking of pain, have you ever written your signature hundreds of times in a row Well, Henne, Hart and Long each took one step closer to carpal tunnel at the next event, a one-hour autograph and meet-and-greet session that featured all of the conference players in attendance. The Wolverine contingent came out in full force, as fans decked out in maize and blue from all over waited in a long line to meet their heroes, get an autograph and -- for many -- snap a picture with the stars. While there were many highlights from the event -- most notably, the eyes of a young boy in a #20 jersey lighting up as he first greeted Hart face-to-face -- the plethora of sports reporters in the Hyatt Regency must have rubbed off on some of the inquisitive fans, as statements like "Heisman this year, right" (directed at Hart), "Top-ten draft pick next year" (directed at Long), and -- my personal favorite -- "Get 'er done this year," made for some interesting exchanges.
Long was especially having a good time taking it all in; at one point, Michigan State mascot Sparty strutted over to the U-M table to try and distract Long from his time with the fans, leading me to imagine a battle between the two giants. Sparty is a big dude, indeed, but c'mon -- we're talking about the reigning Big Ten offensive lineman of the year, here. Big Jake could take him.
"It's a good time; it's nice to come out here and see everybody," Long said, adding that it's still a surprise to take in the widespread support for U-M football. "It's crazy -- you look around and our line is the longest one. That's why I don't mind doing these things. It still hasn't set in; it's still weird."
Henne was especially generous with his time, staying until the bitter end of the session to sign every last autograph he could -- even as Hart and Long were trying to tear him away to head to their next obligation. During the meet and greet, Henne said the tremendous support of the fans that visited bolstered the significance of being a Michigan senior. "It obviously shows you're one of the key players and you've made it," said Henne. "I know (my senior year) is there and coming to an end; I want it to end the right way."
The autograph session area, which had the energy and feel of a stock market floor for a good hour, got quiet very quickly when it was time for the group photo session. The pack of fans and media followed the players and coaches to an area of chairs where photographers had the chance to capture the attending players and the conference coaches as a group. Hart and Henne sat together in the front row, with Long right behind. Once the players got set, flash bulbs began sparkling at a ferocious pace -- this was one photo op attendees did not want to pass up on. After a minute or two, it was the coaches turn -- much to the relief of many of the now blurry-eyed players.
The Main Event
It was finally time for all involved to migrate toward the Grand Ballroom for the event finale, the 36th Annual Kickoff Luncheon. Master of Ceremonies Dave Revsine, who was recently announced as main studio host for the all-new Big Ten Network, took the room of hundreds through the program, which included short speeches -- or, shall I say, roasts -- from each Big Ten head coach, along with video highlights to preview each team's season. In fact, the coaches were poking so much fun at each other (with Penn State head coach Joe Paterno the brunt of many of the jokes), I'm thinking about pitching an idea to the Big Ten Network to produce a Big Ten Coaches Roast. Trust me, it would be hysterical.
However, the entertaining, lighthearted spirit of the speeches was not absent of several touching tributes to former Indiana head coach Terry Hoeppner, who passed away in June. Each coach praised Hoeppner for his passion and desire to rebuild the Hoosier program, and his dedication to make his players better athletes and better people. Coach Carr echoed the sentiments before he talked about Michigan's high goals for the 2007 campaign, and finished his brief comments with a humorous message directed towards opposing fans: "When we travel to your school, keep the noise down and be nice." It brought the house down.
The grand finale
The luncheon ended with what has become a tradition at the Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon: The distribution of door prizes -- some of which include signed footballs. Oh, but they are not just given away; those that win the footballs receive their gift in -- frankly -- ideal fashion for this event: They are thrown into the crowd by senior quarterbacks in attendance, with this year's crop including Henne. The four-year starter's target stood about 40 years from the head table; Henne gripped the ball, fired a high, tight spiral that sailed ... directly into the lights that hung from the ceiling in the Grand Ballroom! After the crowd erupted, Henne was given another chance and -- like Wolverine fans have become accustomed to -- hit his "receiver" right in the hands.
With that, the 2007 Big Ten Kickoff and Media Days came to a close. Henne raced for the airport to catch a flight back to Pennsylvania, and Long and Hart headed back to Ann Arbor, Mich., via I-94. Each will look for a few days of rest and relaxation before fall camp starts next week, especially after a very busy -- but, according to the athletes, rewarding -- extravaganza in Chicago.
"I had a great time," said Hart. "It was cool; I really enjoyed the experience."
Long added that the exposure and notoriety players receive at Michigan helped to make the event a positive experience. "There's so much media around here, you get used to questions and being in front of a camera," he said. "I thought it went well; it was a good time."
"I really enjoyed the experience," added Henne. "It was fun to be here with my teammates and look forward to the upcoming season."
And if the Big Ten Kickoff proved anything, it's that many, many others are looking forward to it as well.
Contact: Nick Brandon (734) 763-4423
