A Legend Passes...This One's For Bo

​I won't bore you with the man's resume or his countless contributions to the Michigan Football program, because if you are a reader of this blog you already know that Bo is Michigan Football. I had the honor of meeting Bo once, back in the summer of 1998 following Michigan's National Championship. As a gift for my birthday, a friend that worked in television (Bloomfield for those in the know) dispatched me to interview Bo for channel 50 on the eve of the Millie Schembechler golf classic. Walking in to the U-Course clubhouse, my ideas of Bo were a series of sideline blowups at referees. I was never more intimidated. But I introduced myself, and Bo immediately asked me about my last name being DiMaggio. We spoke for about 15 minutes about Joe DiMaggio (no relation), who he had met years ago. For me, Bo went immediately from intimidating, fiery coach to really nice old man. Like a younger version of Earnie Harwell, Bo talked and talked...not on camera, but to me. We walked out on the golf course and I floated a couple of softball questions to him on camera about the event. Bo was also fully aware the entire time that I was star struck. After the brief interview, he turned to the cameraman and said "Let's get a picture." He put his arm around me like we were old friends and posed with a big smile.

Bob Ufer once said, following the Anthony Carter catch against Indiana in 1979, that Bo Schembechler was "looking up at Fielding H. Yost in football's Valhalla." Now Bo can join him to watch the game this weekend.

We will miss you Coach. This one's for you.