Parade made official

Procession scheduled for Sunday

Nothing can rain on the Wolverines' parade.

In honor of the Michigan football team's Rose Bowl victory and national championship title, the Athletic Department will hold a parade Sunday, an event that officials hope will bring more than 100,000 fans to Ann Arbor.

The parade, which will begin at 2 p.m., will serve as a consolation prize to the many fans who are annoyed that they are unable to get tickets to the rally Sunday night in Crisler Arena.

"The parade gives people who aren't going to Crisler Arena an opportunity to take part in the celebration," said Assistant Athletic Director Bruce Madej.

PAUL TALANIAN/Daily Bob DeCarolis, senior associate athletic director, distributes scarce football pep rally tickets to LSA sophomore Emily Reidy, Nursing junior Tara Basso and LSA sophomore Beth Hananer.

Players, coaches and University and city officials will travel in convertibles and pickup trucks through the streets of downtown Ann Arbor. The 1.8-mile parade route will begin at the intersection of Hill and State streets, go north on State Street, east on Liberty Street, south on Main Street and end at Hill Street.

"I began to hear about the number of students who wanted to participate in the celebration when I got back," said Athletic Director Tom Goss. "This is our opportunity to say 'thank you' to our fans."

Because of the amount of planning involved, the Athletic Department hired The Parade Company, which is based in Detroit, to organize the parade. The parade most likely will cost more than $20,000, Madej said. The Parade Company produced Detroit's Thanksgiving Day parade and the Red Wings' victory parade last summer.

"If you went to Pasadena, the victory parade adds an exclamation to the season," said Parade Company Executive Director Susie Gross. "If you didn't go to the Rose Bowl, the parade will provide a wonderful opportunity to join the celebration."

The Michigan Marching Band, in addition to several local high school bands, will provide musical entertainment to spectators. Goss, Ann Arbor Mayor Ingrid Sheldon and University President Lee Bollinger also are slated to appear in the event.

"It is the hottest ticket in town right now," said WXYZ-TV Program Director Marla Drutz. "We've been getting a lot of calls about the rally. Short of the Rose Bowl, the rally is the most exciting thing going on."

Players and fans were excited yesterday about the upcoming parade.

"It's great that we'll be going out into the community," said team co-captain John Jansen. "It should be a real fun time. Hopefully, the weather will be nice."

Students disappointed in their inability to obtain tickets for the rally also were heartened by the news.

"I'm a die-hard fan and two-year season ticket holder and they didn't give me tickets to the rally," said LSA sophomore Vishal Shah. "I was really upset. I think the parade will be a good substitute, though. That way the football team can share the victory with the city and the students."

The Athletic Department originally wanted to have a rally that could accommodate broader attendance, but recent construction at Michigan Stadium rendered the event impossible, Goss said.

"Our phones have been ringing off the hook and there's been a lot of interest," Goss said. "I told my staff, 'We need to figure out a way to get more people to enjoy the celebration.'"

At first, the idea of a parade was ruled out because of the famed Michigan weather, Madej said. But bad weather will not stop the celebration on Sunday; the parade will be held come rain or shine.

Cornerback Charles Woodson will participate in the parade, sporting the Heisman Trophy he received for being the best college football player in the country. Quarterback and Rose Bowl MVP Brian Griese rescheduled a planned trip to Atlanta to receive a Top Eight award, a postgraduate scholarship given by the NCAA, in order to attend the parade.

For those unable to attend the rally in Crisler, live coverage will be available on Detroit's WXYZ-TV, Channel 7.

01-09-98