Today, the Michigan Athletic Department will pull off the first half of a trade with the Executive branch of the federal government, sending the Michigan football team to the White House for a visit.
In exchange, of course, President Clinton will send the First Lady to Ann Arbor later this month, when she'll deliver a speech on something other than sports.
Most experts agree that the White House got the better end of the deal. The entire Michigan football team - coaches, players and support staff - will appear at a 5:15 p.m. ceremony today during which Clinton will honor the Wolverines for their national championship.
A Michigan team hasn't met with the president since former basketball coach Steve Fisher took his squad to Washington, D.C., to meet President George Bush after the Glen Rice-and-Rumeal Robinson-led Wolverines won the national championship in 1989.
Michigan's 1996 NCAA hockey champions were honored by Vice President Al Gore two summers ago. No such invitation has been extended to this year's national champs as of yet.
And while Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, Rose Bowl MVP Brian Griese and Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson will be on center stage today, they won't have the president's undivided attention.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers, who finished the 1997 season atop the USA Today/CNN coaches poll, will also be honored at the ceremony.
No official word has been given by either White House spokespeople or athletic department officials, but some members within the football program expect the two squads to square off on the White House lawn in a friendly game of flag football to decide the mythical national championship.
As in 1996, the Wolverines will arrive in Washington via charter plane this morning and fly back to Ann Arbor after the ceremony, which is expected to last a little more than an hour.
04-09-98
| Previous Article | Next Article |
should be sent to: daily.letters@umich.edu | should be sent to: online.daily@umich.edu |