you to Ashley Runyon and Indiana University Press for this exciting opportunity. We appreciate your faith in us as well as your flexibility.
—Del
MICHIGAN
MOTIVATIONS
HAIL, MICHIGAN FAN!
What first began as rugby-football has blossomed into an all-encompassing culture. From the handfuls of fans who watched the first football game in 1879 to the hundreds of thousands of Michigan faithful who watch the games today, Michigan has not only stood the test of time, it has come out on top.
The University of Michigan is the winningest program in college football history, and over the years it has created heroes and legends who still motivate and inspire young and old. Michigan Motivations tells those stories.
Each week you’ll be inspired by some of the legends of the game. Relive the Wolverines’ most famous moments and discover how you, too, can overcome adversity, find success, understand true teamwork, and much more. Michigan Motivations is for every fan who bleeds Maize and Blue. You’ll rejoice in the come-from-behind victories, struggle with surprise losses, and scratch your head at how Ohio State went to the Rose Bowl in 1974.
Michigan’s story is every fan’s story. Inside these pages, you’ll learn how to become a true Michigan Man or Michigan Woman: a person of character and integrity who makes the choices of a valiant victor. A person who not only embraces adversity but always strives to overcome like a conquering hero.
Discover how to climb your own personal Mount Everest like the 1997 Wolverines. Understand how to find personal success at home, at work, at school, or at play. Be challenged to live your life to the fullest as a champion in your home, work, or community.
You’ll be inspired by the likes of Tom Harmon, Anthony Carter, Desmond Howard, Charles Woodson, and Tom Brady. You’ll appreciate the Wolverine persistence that crafted a 1934 team MVP into the thirty-eighth president for the United States and learn to apply that same Michigan character in your own life.
As a former football player on the 1997–2000 teams, I witnessed a few of these powerful moments from the sidelines. They are still as transformative today as they were live, and the lessons I learned from them stick with me. Reexperience these moments and others and allow them to motivate you to be the best version of yourself—a champion of the West.
Go Blue!
Cyle Young
Michigan Football, Class of 2001
Del Duduit
January 1, 1993: Michigan 38, Washington 31
TYRONE WHEATLEY WAS ANYTHING BUT ordinary on this New Year’s Day.
The seventy-ninth Rose Bowl featured the seventh-ranked University of Michigan Wolverines against the ninth-ranked University of Washington Huskies in Pasadena, California. The game is still considered one of the greatest contests in Rose Bowl history. It had it all—six lead changes and drama at the end. The fans rose to their feet in anticipation as the Big Ten champion Wolverines scored the final two touchdowns of the game to come from behind for a 38–31 win.
But Michigan’s Wheatley was the true hero of the game.
He turned in an amazing performance for the Maize and Blue as he rushed for three touchdowns and piled up 235 yards on the ground. His first score was an all-out 56-yard rumble that boosted his Wolverines to a 10–7 lead. Wheatley’s next run was an 88-yard dash that showed why he was an All-American and Big Ten Conference track-and-field sprinter. Next on the agenda was his 24-yard dart in the third quarter. This run was incredible, as he later admitted he had been injured in the second quarter and had numbness in his legs. He played hurt and did not let anyone know; victory meant too much to him.
Wheatley was described as a beast on the football field. He was a tough guy. But he also knew he was not solely responsible for the win. He gave credit to Michigan quarterback Elvis Grbac for leading the team throughout the game.
Washington had beaten Michigan in the Rose Bowl the previous year, and both Grbac and Wheatley were determined it was not going to happen again. For an entire season, the loss in the 1992 Rose Bowl stung and lingered in the back of Wheatley’s mind. He drew inspiration and motivation from the loss. The only way to win was to be exceptional.
How do you overcome losses and focus on being exceptional when the odds are stacked against you? Are you able to rally to win the game?
GO FOR THE PYLON
Have you ever dealt with discouragement or loss? Maybe you received a job demotion, or a loved one was sick in the hospital. Or perhaps you messed up and hurt people you love. You don’t have to live with a previous defeat to win the game at hand. There are ways to move past failure and be head and shoulders above the rest.
PLAN YOUR DEFENSE
Create and use a day-to-day plan, such as a daily checklist. Knowing what you have to accomplish sets the tone for the day, and you’ll get a sense of satisfaction when you cross an item off. Your list may include trivial tasks, such as cleaning the garage, or items of greater concern, such as consoling a friend through a hard time. Whatever you add to your list, make a genuine effort to complete as many tasks as possible.
Keep a daily journal to record the events of your day. You can write paragraphs or just one or two sentences. You might jot down something humorous or of substantial significance. Don’t stick to the good news; also take note of mistakes you made. We all make mistakes. But learn from them, and promise never to repeat them.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Put aside your ego and ask others for assistance when you have a predicament you can’t figure out. This is not a sign of weakness but rather of respect. Knowledge is a commodity, and the best way to gain it is to ask questions.
Don’t beat yourself up. Success does not happen overnight. Set goals and try to reach them. When you fall short or make a mistake, recognize that you made the effort and keep going. If you dwell on your failures, you won’t find the end zone.
Give thanks and smile. A grateful and thankful heart draws people like honey, and a smile is contagious and stimulates a positive attitude. Finally, laugh—especially at yourself. Remarkable people are aware that a life worth living includes plenty of laughter.
Over Wheatley’s career, he worked hard at his craft to be the best he could be. You have to do the same throughout your day. You want a life that is captivating and exciting, so go the extra mile and even play when hurt
