ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- In the Old Fourth Ward section of downtown Ann Arbor, on Detroit Street near the intersection with East Kingsley Street, sits Zingerman's Delicatessen.
Zingerman's is an institution here, and on this Friday, this cold, raw, rainy Friday, the line is well out the door. That isn't an anomaly on a fall Friday when the University of Michigan has a home football game, but the Wolverines are celebrating homecoming with Rutgers in town this weekend, so there's probably more people than normal milling around in the mid-afternoon.
On that line, wearing blue and maize, were a grandfather, a father, and a son. Grandpa (they literally asked to be referred to as Grandpa, Dad, and Son) is a Michigan man, class of 1970. Dad followed in those footsteps, class of 1998, which means he was a senior when Michigan last claimed a national championship in 1997. Son? A preteen, fresh new maize Michigan hoodie on, possibly too young to fully grasp the Michigan football experience.
In any case, three generations of that family were at Zingerman's, fondly dreaming of Michigan's full return to prominence, but also lamenting what is happening right now under Jim Harbaugh.
The Wolverines started last season 9-0, then lost three of their final four games by a total of five points. This Michigan team entered Saturday at 5-2. There will be no Big Ten championship this fall, there will be no national championship come January, only questions.
"This is the guy everyone wanted, so what're we really going to complain about?" said Grandpa, referencing Harbaugh, who, like his predecessor, Brady Hoke, is 25-8 in his first 33 games at the helm of his alma mater. "The expectations are through the roof, and that isn't changing, no matter who is coaching, but they only get heightened because it's Harbaugh.
"Sink or swim."
"You can't experience the high of winning the whole thing while a student here and not want that every year, irrational or not," said dad, half-smiling, as if he knew how absurd an expectation that is. "Harbaugh is the guy. I believed that when he was hired, I believe that now."
Son was off to the side, listening intently, nodding in agreement. Maybe he knows more than what his age and experience should allow after all.
If the weather had been nicer, a 20-minute walk southeast to the Brown Jug would have been in the cards. The rain meant a 7-minute drive, highlighted by rush hour traffic and a series of quick lefts and rights until you arrive at another Ann Arbor institution, this one just off a busy thoroughfare, South University Avenue.
The Brown Jug, named for the trophy given to the winner of the Michigan-Minnesota rivalry game, has been around since 1936. In turn, there is memorabilia all over the walls. Heisman Trophy winners, All-Americans, legendary players, legendary moments line those walls. It is here we find one of the more fascinating Michigan fans, the young alum.
Source: app
Hello, my name is Jack Sparrow. I'm a 50 year old self-employed Pirate from the Caribbean.
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