 | Ryan White White on Target |
A little known fact: I have something in common with Chris Webber, Juwan Howard and Tshimanga Biakabutuka.
ŅI'm going pro.
Well, that and the fact that none of us have a Big Ten championship.
But they've all gone pro, and I'm soon to join them.
That's the purpose of this column, really, to let my boss know that I'm leaving.
Boss, I'm leaving.
Now, I know what you're thinking, boss. You're thinking, how can we keep him? What kind of monetary package can we put together to bring him back for another year? Can we show him the money?
(Editor's note: As much as Ryan would like to think that, I am really wondering when he's going to clean his mailbox out so I can give it to someone deserving. Also, Ryan's graduating and couldn't stay even if we wanted him to, which we don't.)
Sorry boss, there is nothing you can do. After all, if Desmond Howard can be Super Bowl MVP, I must be able to find a job.
That said, however, I will miss covering Michigan sports.
The last three years, covering men's basketball once and football twice, have been entertaining to say the least.
I mean, no matter who the Wolverines were playing, there was always a chance that they could do something dumb.
There was the NCAA tournament game in 1995, when Michigan blew a huge lead to Western Kentucky and ended up losing in overtime.
And who can forget the debacle in West Lafayette this season when the football team managed to lose to Purdue?
At the same time, however, there was always a chance something amazing would happen. Like the time in 1995 when the Wolverines ended Indiana's 50-game home winning streak.
And when it comes to football, the two obvious examples are the last two games against Ohio State.
More than that, however, there were times like in 1994, when wrestlers Brian Harper and Sean Bormet advanced all the way to the NCAA championship match.
Both lost, but both were able to smile afterwards. Harper joked that the pain of the loss was nothing a few beers couldn't take care of. They were well-earned beers.
It was those kinds of athletes that made this gig fun. Guys like Harper and Bormet, Jarrett Irons and Rod Payne, Maurice Taylor and Robert Traylor.
Everyone of them is a tough, intimidating figure who could probably toss you over the Burton Tower if he wanted, but I don't think they ever would.
Off the field, all are thoughtful, well-spoken and - this may surprise some of you - intelligent individuals. They're guys who I always looked forward to talking to, at least after wins and usually after losses.
In fact, the best quote I never used probably came from Payne. Payne, playing with a broken right hand, was asked if it was difficult to snap left-handed. He made an analogy dealing with the ambidextrous use of toilet tissue. Enough said.
Then, of course, there are the coaches.
Over the years they've come out and "given a solid effort, fought the fight, shot themselves in the foot, come up big, been banged up, always coached against outstanding teams who have put up outstanding efforts, and along the way helped their players be as good as they wanted to be."
OK, so the coaches have been a little cliched, but it comes with the territory.
Probably the biggest thing I've learned at the Daily, however, is that there are more sports at this school than just football, basketball and hockey.
The men's and women's swimming teams are by far the most consistent squads at the school. And don't look now, but the women's basketball team may win a Big Ten title sooner than the men's does.
But you probably don't want to hear all of this, right boss? No, I would imagine you just want me to clean out my mailbox or something.
(As a matter of fact, yes, I do.)
So, that's it boss. My collegiate eligibility is used up and I'm going pro.
Thanks.
- This is Ryan White's final column. He can be reached over e-mail at target@umich.edu.