In a stroke of advertising campaign brilliance (in my opinion, at least), the folks at Nike launched the “Bo Knows” advertisements for its line of cross-training shoes in 1989 when Bo Jackson became the first modern athlete to play both Major League Baseball and NFL in the same season. Jackson played in both leagues during the 1987, 1988, 1989, and 1990 seasons before he suffered a football career-ending hip injury when tackled following a 34-yard run against the Cincinnati Bengals on January 13, 1991. He eventually played three more seasons in the Majors for both the Chicago White Sox and California Angels before retiring.
The Nike poster from the “Bo Knows” advertising campaign. He was a man for all seasons.
The first advertisement in the campaign (seen in the video below at left) featured Jackson playing a variety of sports with other professional Nike-sponsored athletes commenting on what Bo knew (or did not) know. It ends with him playing guitar – badly – along with legendary blues guitarist, Bo Diddley, who delivers the commercial’s final line, “Bo, you don’t know Diddley!”
The second advertisement (seen in the video below at left) was all about Bo. He appeared in various gear depicting him not just as a baseball and football player, but also basketball, hockey, sprinter, surfer, tennis, jockey, cyclist, and soccer player. It’s from this phase of the campaign that the poster used for this week’s Fan Teaser originated. As you’ll see in the enlarged portion below, all of the sports that Bo knew are printed in the background of all the outfitted Bos.
A close up of the poster.
It seemed a great time to use something Bo Jackson-themed for the Fan Teaser as he was part of the trivia question included near the end of Fan Teaser Week 164Solution: Who are the only two Heisman Trophy winners to play Major League Baseball?
Jackson, of course, is one. The other was Ohio State University halfback, Vic Janowicz, who won the 1950 Heisman before playing two seasons as a catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1953-54) before embarking on a 2-year NFL career with the Washington Redskins (1954-55).
Just one Fan Teaser reader responded with the correct answer, Jerry Hill (aka my father), so now I need to figure out what his prize is going to be.
Maybe Bo knows what it should be;-)
The original “Bo Knows” commercial.
And the sequel.
Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
A look at Gate City Bank Field in the Fargodome before November’s Northern Iowa-North Dakota State game.
My pants would be BLAZING if I tried to tell you with a straight face that when I sat down and began crafting a list of 80 of the most iconic sporting events and venues to experience during my journey Around the World in 80 Sporting Events, that a visit to the Fargodome for a North Dakota State Bison football game was on that list.
It was not!
In fact, until I began shopping airfares from Detroit to Winnipeg, Manitoba, with an eye toward attending the 112th CFL Grey Cup (which is Event No. 32) a trip to Fargo was never a consideration.
And then I saw the airfare to Winnipeg!
As I searched for nearby airports my options were, um, extremely limited. In fact, Fargo was pretty much the beginning and end of the list. Located a mere 3-hour drive from Winnipeg’s Princess Auto Stadium where the Grey Cup was scheduled.
As a happy bonus, there was a flight out of Flint, MI, through O’Hare in Chicago to Fargo that was rougly a 67% discount on what it would be to fly directly into Winnipeg. Lodging costs, as one might expect for the Canadian equivalent of the Super Bowl, were considerably higher in Winnipeg that weekend than Fargo as well.
Having settled on flying to Fargo and renting a car then the curiosity in me checked to see what else might be occurring in North Dakota that weekend.
There were a couple of options that leapt off the page:
The defending FCS National Champion and top-ranked Bison had a mid-afternoon Saturday game against the University of Northern Iowa.
Now, I love college hockey – heck, covering it was one of my former jobs! – but the opportunity to see one of college football’s most successful programs, regardless of division, was too good an opportunity to pass up.
The Tipping Point
Erv Inniger, at right, was all too happy to play the role of host during my visit to NDSU.
Any lingering doubt about adding a NDSU football game to my 80 events was dismissed following a text exchange with Erv Inniger.
If the name Erv Inniger sounds familiar, there are several possible reasons for that:
Back in the early 1960s, Erv helped lead tiny Berne (IN) High School to three sectional titles, two regional championships, and a semi-state crown;
He played three years at Indiana University and was a captain on the 1966-67 Big Ten Champion Hoosiers’ squad;
He then coached at Golden Valley (MN) Lutheran College, Augsburg (MN) College, and NDSU, where he remains the career leader in coaching victories with 244;
He is a past-guest of Conversations with Sports Fans (S:1, E:30).
When I texted Erv to see if he might be able to help Wayne and I secure Bison tickets he seemed eager to assist. The fact that he’s a former schoolmate and longtime friend of my father, Jerry, might have greased the skids on my request, but after meeting Erv at the Fargodome prior to the NDSU-UNI game, I suspect he’d have assisted if I was some rando who stumbled upon his phone number.
Following his coaching days, Erv moved into the role of Associate Athletic Director for Development, which meant he, basically, worked the greater Fargo business community for donations to the athletic department.
That was evident as he took Wayne and I around the tailgate lot outside the Fargodome meeting folks such as Bison Bob, the Milkman, and myriad others who he grew to know during his 33 total years with the University.
Mid-November Tailgating in Fargo
The tailgating scene in Fargo mid-November was lively. Clockwise from upper left, some had buses, others had enclosed tents with plenty of weights or trailers to haul their supplies; the wind was stiff on this sunny November afternoon (check out those flags!); my buddy Wayne laughs with the locals.
The 40-degree temperature that day in Fargo was actually above average and the sunny skies only didn’t hurt either. What did hurt were steady winds that early afternoon in excess of 20 miles per hour. It certainly put a bit of a bite in the air as we sampled the fare at a few tailgates.
That got me to thinking about the conundrum that is dressing for the outdoor tailgating weather but also for attending a game indoors where the promised temperature is 70 degrees? I’m sure Detroit Lions’ fans and any other northern domed cities can help with this, but it was rather new to me.
Much like my time spent in Fairbanks, I found these Fargonians prepared for the elements. There were tents with plenty of weights to help anchor and prevent the wind from recreating scenes from The Wizard of Oz. Several set ups that we saw had some version of propane-fueled portable heaters and many had grills for the preparation of their protein of choice. And, yes, as you might have expected, there didn’t seem to be any problem keeping beverages chilled.
Easily the coolest cat we met during Erv’s tour was the previously mentioned, Bison Bob.
Bob Clark is a fan … a big fan … a rabid fan … a well-traveled fan.
When we met Bob, the sandwich board out front of his tailgate proudly announced that “Today was Bison Bob’s 560th consecutive game,” which means – as you read this – Bison Bob is at 561 consecutive games and holding because the Bison season has ended. The streak began in 1982 and he perservered through the COVID-19 pandemic and its wonky rules about fan allotments and who was allowed to attend.
That’s me and NDSU superfan, Bob Clark (aka Bison Bob), whose now witnessed 561 Bison games in person (Photos by Wayne Wilson).
A Visit to the Field
The view from the field, Wayne and I, a wide shot from the field, and a look at the pylon. (Photos by Troy Goergen and Wayne Wilson)
In his unofficial role as Hospitality Hank, Erv set up an opportunity for Wayne and I to get on the field pre-game with Senior Associate AD, Troy Goergen (my guest on a recent bonus Conversation about NDSU).
As Troy walked us down to field level we learned a bit of the history of the Fargodome.
Despite being built on the NDSU campus, it’s owned and operated by the City of Fargo;
It’s a multi-purpose venue and has hosted major concert acts, basketball games (including NBA exhibitions), commencement ceremonies, as well as football through the years;
The artificial turf is actually one continuous piece of turf that can be rolled up and housed inside one end of the facility, e.g. Magic Carpet system;
Due to static electricity potentially building up, groomers of the turf include some diluted fabric softener as they prep the field prior to games;
It’s purported to be the largest indoor event space between Minneapolis and Seattle.
From the outside, the facility is rather unassuming, and even once inside, it doesn’t seem all that large. However, from the field level, it’s a different perspective. Wayne and I are both veterans of many big stadiums and even we had to admit it was an impressive venue, especially when one considers its location … Fargo.
Equally impressive was watching Bison sophomore placekicker Eli Ozick go through his pre-game work. He was easily booming field goals from over 60 yards. If you’re an NFL general manager looking for your next kicker, you could do a lot worse than Eli.
Bison kicker Eli Ozick is about to nail a 46-yard field goal.
NDSU’s Storied History
Perhaps there’s not enough room to hang all of the banners? The Fargodome just includes years on existing banners (make room for 2025 for Conference Championships).
When I mentioned near the top that North Dakota State, historically, is one of college football’s most decorated programs I don’t believe I was exaggerating.
The school first fielded a football team in 1894 and, beginning in 1921, joined the now-defunct North Central Conference and played at the NCAA Division II level. During these 83 seasons, the Bison won eight national championships (1965, 1968, 1969, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, and 1990). In 2003 they, along with South Dakota State University, made the athletic jump to the NCAA Division I level, though each play in the Football Championship Subdivision.
While it took the better part of a decade, the Bison became a major factor at the FCS level beginning in 2011. Since its first FCS Championship that year, its won nine more – including five in a row (’11-’15) and three in a row (’17-’19). Those 10 titles are the most in the history of FCS which begin in 1978 as NCAA I-AA. At one point during that stretch in mid-2010s run which included victory at Iowa, the Bison were receiving votes in the AP Top 25 polls and reached as high as No. 27.
Oh yeah, during its history, NDSU has won outright or shared 39 conference titles, including 12 of the past 15 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. It won the 2025 title by defeating intra-state rival, North Dakota, 15-10, the week prior to our visit.
As we heard plenty of times during our day at the Fargodome, NDSU fans are more-than-a-little spoiled by the success. That was evidenced by a less-than full house during our game (14,736 out of a possible 19,000) and a crowd that largely made its way to the exits following the halftime festivities with the Bison leading 31-2.
The Game
Clockwise from upper left, Thundar gives the fans the heart sign following the victory; the scoreboard says it all; the Bison take a knee post game at midfield.
As noted previously, this one was over pretty early.
North Dakota scored on two of its first three possessions, then crazily yielded a safety, before adding 17 more points before halftime for that 31-2 lead. It grew to 38-2 early in the third quarter when Bison quarterback Cole Payton busted off a 64-yard touchdown run.
By that time, NDSU began providing its bench players with plenty of opportunities to gain experience and showcase their wares en route to a 48-16 final score that really didn’t seem that close. The Bison outgained the Panthers 477-201 yards and had nearly twice as many first downs (24-13).
It was November 25, 1995, and University of Michigan running back with the hard-to-pronounce name – Tshimanga Biakabutuka (tish-ah-MINGA bee-ock-a-ba-TWO-kah) – went off on the unbeaten and second-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. He carried the ball 37 times and rushed for 313 yards and a touchdown. The Wolverines, ranked No. 18 at the time, sprang the upset, 31-23, thanks in large part to Biakabutuka.
University of Michigan running back Tshimanga Biakabutuka powers through the line during the 1995 Michigan-Ohio State game in Ann Arbor on his way to 313 yards over 37 carries during the 31-23 upset of the Buckeyes. (Photo by Larry E. Wright/The Ann Arbor News)
It was an epic performance – the second-most rushing yards by a UM running back in its history (Ron Johnson‘s 345 yards against Wisconsin in 1968 remains tops) – on the biggest stage (“The Game” for player who became known as “Touchdown Timmy” in Ann Arbor.
In large part, it was the apex of Biakabutuka’s football career. He was eighth overall draft pick by the Carolina Panthers in 1996 and spent all six of his professional seasons with them. For what it’s worth, he only rushed for more than 313 yards in three of those six seasons.
The highlight reel from Biakabutuka’s career day against Ohio State from 1995.
Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
Me in front of the Word of Life mural (aka Touchdown Jesus) on the south side of the Hesburgh Library.
As a youngster growing up in rural Indiana during the 1970s it meant I pretty much had my pick of teams to root for.
The Hoosier State had no Major League Baseball team (and still doesn’t), no National Football League team, no National Hockey League team (and still doesn’t), and a nascent National Basketball Association team.
(Side Note: Sure the Indiana Pacers were a dominant force in the upstart American Basketball Association [three titles in nine season], but after joining the NBA as part of the merger before the 1976 season, the Pacers didn’t participate in post-season basketball until 1981 and then not again until 1987, by which point I was all in on the Detroit Pistons, having moved to Michigan in 1978.)
Living in a professional football vacuum like we did, I primarily turned my gridiron focus to Saturday afternoons. And to most rationale Indiana youngsters in the mid-to-late 1970s that meant casting an eye to the northcentral part of the state and the campus of the University of Notre Dame.
Admittedly, I was probably a bit too young to remember the Coach Ara Parseghian era (1964-74), but I surely remember Coach Dan Devine‘s six seasons, especially 1977 when the Fighting Irish finished the regular-season 10-1 and then upset top-ranked Texas in the Cotton Bowl, 38-10, to secure the National Championship.
Perhaps it was the ubiquitous “Word of Life” mural (aka Touchdown Jesus) always looming beyond the north endzone, but I always imagined attending a game at Notre Dame Stadium as akin to a religious experience.
And it probably was that frigid mid-November Saturday afternoon 41 years ago when my high school buddy, Jack, and I made the road trip from suburban Detroit and used a pair of tickets my father had somehow procurred for what should have been a marquee matchup (Penn State was in town), but instead featured a pair teams heading nowhere fast. By the time the Irish won, 44-7, both stood at 6-4.
Beyond being woefully underdressed and peering through the occasional snow flurry, I remember next-to-nothing from my only Notre Dame football game.
Therefore, it was with a fair amount of certainty that a Notre Dame football game was going appear on my list of 80 for the Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project.
Which one?
As I surveyed the Irish’s future schedules during planning back in the winter of 2024, there was one game in South Bend that rose above the rest: the University of Southern California at Notre Dame, October 18, 2025.
Why the Trojans?
A Spirit of Troy twirler and Tommy Trojan during the Notre Dame game.
Simply stated, one of my core sports fan memories as an Indiana youngster was the afternoon of October 22, 1977, when the Notre Dame hosted USC.
The game was telecast on ABC and I recall sitting transfixed in front of the television as a roughly constructed horse (a Trojan Horse, if you will) was wheeled out in front of the tunnel and there came the Irish … in green jerseys! Never had I seen it before and 11th ranked Notre Dame rode the emotional boost of switching to green following warm ups (and quarterback Joe Montana‘s hot hand) to a 49-19 romp of the fifth-ranked Trojans.
Irish players from that era discuss the Green Jersey Game vs. USC from 1977.
The series dates to 1926 and has been played every year since with the exception of 1943-45 due to World War II and 2020 because of COVID-19. It is also not scheduled beyond 2026 in Los Angeles.
All the more reason to attend this year.
Logistics
Indiana’s Oliver Lake shortly before departing for South Bend.
I may be an Indiana native, but my connections to Notre Dame football are limited.
The one person I knew who attended Irish football games was my cousin Michelle’s husband, Todd. He grew up around South Bend and he and a longtime friend, Brian, get to a few game’s annually.
I reached out to Todd who promised to see what he could do.
In the meantime, I booked a room in Angola, IN, which was about as close I could get without risking a missed mortgage payment and kept an eye on the secondary ticket market, just in case. By mid-May, Todd let me know they had a ticket for me. By mid-July, he mentioned that we might be able to use a family cottage on Oliver Lake in LaGrange, IN, for our post-game respite.
Without digressing too deeply, spending the night at Oliver Lake was something I hadn’t done in close to 30 years, so – regardless of how the game might turn out – it would be a memorable night, regardless.
Unlike the previous college campuses I’d visited for football during the AtWi80SE (Ole Miss and Alabama) project, there is no tailgating on the campus quad or parts of the academic grounds. Rather, the tailgating is reserved for the lots surrounding the stadium.
This allows for unencumbered touring of the campus and an opportunity to linger at the spots noted above. Though, fair warning, if the weather’s nice you’ll have plenty of company strolling this picturesque campus.
While tailgating isn’t permitted in these areas, various student groups do have grills and/or food trucks set up to sell food and soft drinks to the fans who are getting their inner-Rudy on by wandering about and taking in the sights.
This walkabout is what I know I didn’t do those 41 years ago during my previous visit. I would have certainly remembered the lengthy line of fans queued to light a candle and say a prayer at the Grotto or the hushed whispers and ornate stained glass witnessed in the Basilica.
Clockwise from upper left, many Irish fans visit the Basilica of the Sacred Heart before home games; a look at the rear of the Basilica and the organ pipes; the Irish Green was active during my walkabout; below the Basilica is the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes; Knute Rockne may be the most-famous Notre Dame coach; the Word of Life mural on the side of Hesbergh Library; one of about eight bagpipers on entertained visitors; the Clarke Memorial Fountain honors over 500 ND alums who perished in WWII and the Korean and Vietnam Wars; the Rev. Robert Dowd’s message in front of the golden dome; the Lou Holtz statue; the Frank Leahy statue; the Ara Parseghian statue; fans line up to light a candle at the Grotto; an exterior view of the Basilica.
The Tailgate
As the rain increased in intensity, our parking lot neighbor’s tent became a gathering spot for several well-served USC students who made the trip to South Bend for the game.
My game is lacking in this area, but Todd – an ex-Navy submarine cook – handled the cooking and even mixed me a Canadian whiskey and ginger to feel a part of the crowd. (The crowd being me, Todd, and his longtime tailgate mates Ed [an Illinois grad] and Lynne [a Notre Dame grad].
With some heavy weather in the area, we eschewed the tent but were all too willing to utilize the one our neighbors had set up.
This was an interesting group. The host was a long-time Notre Dame fan whose daughter attended the school, but during a study abroad her senior year met her future husband, who was a USC student. So the father, his son-in-law and his younger brother and father (all from San Antonio) occupied the parking spot next to ours.
They shared their ice and we shared some of our chicken and adult beverages. Their tent came in handy as well when the skies opened up about two hours before the 7:30 p.m. kickoff and became a magnet for many of the rain-soaked USC students who’d made the trek east for the game.
The Game
A soggy Doug and Todd during the fourth quarter and a view of Notre Dame Stadium from our seats.
I shouldn’t say it was everything I’d hoped it would be (I could have done without the persistent rain;-), but it was pretty dang close.
The game was competitive into the fourth quarter, we had the opportunity to witness the power and speed of Irish running back, Jeremiyah Love, up close (he finished with 228 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries); the gun-slinging offense of Trojans’ head coach Lincoln Riley and his junior quarterback, Jayden Maiava (328 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions); one of the most exciting plays in sport when Notre Dame return man Jadarian Price answered USC’s lead-taking third-quarter TD with a 100-yard kickoff return for a score; and Notre Dame ultimately won, 34-24.
A Few Final Looks
Clockwise from upper left, fans in the stands now do pushups for each point ND has following scores ala the way the Leprechaun mascot has done for years; the concourses under the stadium are eerily empty while the game is ongoing; there was a crush of people attempting to get in about 45 minutes prior to the start of the game; the Irish offense sets up deep in USC territory; this Spirit of Troy drummer passed some peace to me; Notre Dame Stadium during quieter times early in the afternoon.
Tim Walker, at left, his mate Ali, and I, during the River Plate-San Martin match in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on August 31, 2025. (Photo by Tim Parker)
One of the many enjoyable aspects of my Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project is the ability to meet and interact with various folks along the way.
Sure, I’m traveling or attending events with people I have longstanding relationships with, but the individuals I’ve been able to meet along the way are vital characters in any film that’s being created in my own mind;-)
I first met Tim over an empanada, a couple slices of pizza, and a glass of Malbec at Buenos Aires’ El Cuartito before he and I attended the Argentine Primera Divison soccer match between River Plate and San Martin.
The more I spoke to Tim and his mate, Ali, the more intrigued I was with his story. A native Englander, he relocated to the Denver area over 20 years ago and now resides in St. Petersburg, FL. In addition to traveling to far-flung locales for soccer matches, I was able to learn he was a fan of the San Francisco 49ers and the LSU Tigers and rode his bicycle to Tampa Bay Rays games when Tropicana Field was still a thing.
What I did not know during that brief interaction was how widely he’d traveled and how many absolutely stellar sports fan experiences he’d had.
Have I got some wonderful news for you … Tim joins me this week on Conversations and in addition to enjoying his British accent, he shares many of those stories with us.
An ultra-talented prep star at Indianapolis Warren Central, George was named the first-ever recipient of the Gatorade National Player of the Year Award following his senior season in 1985. He matriculated to Purdue University just up I-65 in West Lafayette where he played all 11 games as a freshman, posting a 3-8 record and throwing a Big Ten-high 15 interceptions against only four touchdowns.
Boilermakers head coach Leon Burtnett resigned following the season and George was trying to move to the University of Miami but then-Coach Jimmie Johnson would not guarantee him the starting spot. Instead, he transferred to the University of Illinois and played a total of 22 games over his two seasons in Champaign-Urbana where he led the Fighting Illini to a 10-2 record and a Citrus Bowl victory over the University of Virginia. The Illini finished the season ranked No. 10 in the nation.
Jeff George spent three seasons quarterbacking Big Ten football teams. He played at Purdue University as a freshman before transferring to the University of Illinois for his final two seasons. (Purdue photo by George Gojkovich/Getting Images; Illinois photo by Bernstein Associates/Getty Images)
After learning he was guaranteed to be a top five draft selection, George gave up his final year of eligibility and was the first overall draft pick by the Indianapolis Colts in 1990. The Colts traded two draft picks, offensive tackle Chris Hinton and wide receiver Andre Rison to Atlanta for the right to draft George first overall. Indianapolis signed him to a then-record $15 million deal.
From there, it was an adventure for George. He lasted four seasons in Indianapolis before the Colts moved him – ironically – to Atlanta in a trade for three draft picks including one that became Marvin Harrison. Before his 12-year career ended, he also took snaps for the Oakland Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, and Washington Redskins and also spent time on the rosters of the Seattle Seahawks and Chicago Bears.
He had a dynamite arm but the head did not always seem to be calibrated accordingly.
Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
Latin anyone? Does pater familia mean anything? There are few families that have had the same impact on a sport that the Manning Family has had on football.
The patriarch (e.g. pater familia) was Archie Manning, a 3-year starter for the Ole Miss Rebels in the rugged Southeastern Conference. While there, Manning finished fourth and third in the Heisman Trophy voting his junior and senior seasons’ respectively (Oklahoma’s Steve Owens in 1969 and Stanford’s Jim Plunkett in 1970).
After an 8-3 finish and Sugar Bowl victory over Arkansas in 1969, Manning – entering his senior season – was the Sports Illustrated coverboy for its annual college football edition. The cover photo (taken by Art Shay) was from the previous November when the Rebels waxed rival Tennessee, 38-0, in a game played in Jackson, MS.
Ole Miss quarterback Archie Manning was a Sports Illustrated coverboy 55 years ago in this image captured during a game with Tennessee the previous November in Jackson, MS. (Photo by Art Shay/Sports Illustrated)
Now, in a full-circle moment of sorts, Archie’s namesake and grandson, Arch Manning, is Sports Illustrated‘s 2025 digital college football preview edition coverboy. (You’re able to read SI writer Michael Rosenberg’s feature on him here. ) And, like his granddad 55 years earlier, Arch is a pre-season Heisman favorite. Though, quite unlike Archie the elder, he’s only started two college games at this point.
Archie Manning’s grandson, Arch, is set to take the helm of the Texas Longhorns offense this season. (Photo by Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)
For those wondering, the Manning family tree finds Archie at the top, his oldest son, Cooper, is followed by Peyton, and then Eli. Arch is the son of Cooper who was never able to play football as a wide receiver at his dad’s alma mater because of a spinal stenosis diagnosis.
Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
My seat for the CFP Championship is considerably cheaper than it might have been.
I’m writing this from a hotel in Gainesville, FL.
This is not where I thought I’d be a bit past 8 p.m. ET on Monday, January 20.
The plan was to be in Atlanta, visiting with my cousin and his husband, enjoying some Martin Luther King Jr. Day festivities in the city he called home, and then cap the evening in Mercedes Benz Stadium rooting for a competitive College Football Playoff Championship Game between Notre Dame and Ohio State as Event No. 12 of my Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project.
Alas, the best laid plans.
I did get an up close look at Mercedes Benz Stadium.
First, there’s this thing about basic economics – supply and demand – and my budget.
In my perfect world, Boise State-Arizona State in the finale would have suited me just fine. There’d have been smaller alumni fan bases, further distances for local fans to travel, and none of the cache that comes with an Irish-Buckeyes title tilt in the first year of this expanded playoff.
When I crafted my budget for this quest of mine about a year ago, I penciled in $1,500 for a ticket to this event. I figured I’d be able to get in the building for that … no problem.
Guess what?
Big problem!
When I earnestly began monitoring tickets for this event a month ago, I saw tickets listed for under $2,000 apiece exactly one time. It was a week ago Wednesday shortly after the two schools received their allotment. The asking price was a shade over $1,800. I figured they’d ease down a bit more with an increased potential supply of tickets.
Wrong!
They’ve not been under $2,300 since and, just before game time (when folks are typically trying to dump them) they were over $3,900 a pop.
Available single tickets within a half hour of the kickoff from StubHub, Ticketmaster, and Seat Geek (all include the requisite fees).
Second, there was this thing called a Winter Storm Warning. I first got wind (get it) of it before my father and I left Knoxville Sunday morning bound for Atlanta. Mixed precipitation combined with the Polar Vortex’s plunge south from Atlanta into Florida were in play for Tuesday morning (as early as 7 a.m. at that time) and would make travel treacherous.
No big deal, you say, you’ll be returning to Michigan.
Au contraire mon frere.
These maps pretty much say it all for what Georgia and Florida have coming over the next 24-36 hours.
We’d planned this trip to head further south to both coasts of Florida to see more family. Getting there was suddenly forecasted to be challenging at best and dangerous at worst.
So, I did what the person in charge of my project has the ability to do: I called off the CFP Championship Game attendance, scrambled the jets, and headed out on an absolutely gorgeous Monday, visited a cousin of my mom’s in LaGrange, GA, checked out Plains, GA, and made it to Gainesville where the Winter Storm Warning doesn’t go into effect until Wednesday … by which time we’ll be even further south and out of harms way.
And, I’m easily $2,000 to the good and and able to consider a trip to Miami for next year’s CFP Championship or maybe even Nashville for the Football Championship Subdivision title tilt.
This image is notable not just for the action but for the technology by which it was taken. We’re looking for the game, the year, the outcome, and – if you’d like A LOT of extra credit, why was this image so technologically advanced?
This image was captured in New Orleans’ then-Superdome during the 1981 Sugar Bowl by Sports Illustrated photographer, Heinz Kluetmeier. It’s notable not only because it captures University of Georgia freshman, Herschel Walker, scoring from a yard out, but also because it was the first time a photographer used strobe lights in a domed stadium. Notice, in the full image below, how bright the players appear.
We’re also running a photo from Kluetmeier because the legendary SI photographer died on Tuesday at the age of 82. Here is fellow SI staffer Jon Wertheim‘s obituary.
Georgia freshman running back Herschel Walker goes airborne to score from the 1-yard-line for the top-ranked Bulldogs during their 17-10 victory over seventh-ranked Notre Dame in the 1981 Sugar Bowl. (Photo by Heinz Kluetmeier/Sports Illustrated)
Three of Kluetmeier’s most notable offerings have already been used by us as Fan Teasers. He was in rink at Lake Placid for Team USA‘s stunning upset of the Soviets in the 1980 Winter Olympics (Week 71 Fan Teaser). It served as Sports Illustrated‘s cover on its March 3, 1980, issue. Beyond the name of the magazine and the date it contained no other text on the cover; a first in SI‘s history. He also happened to have is underwater camera set up in 2008’s Beijing Olympics and caught American Michael Phelps out-touching Serbia’s Milorad Cavic in the 100-meter Butterfly (Week 61 Fan Teaser). And his image of Jackie Joyner-Kersee from the longjump in the 2008 Seoul Olympics (Week 93 Fan Teaser).
More of Heinz Kluetmeier’s incredible work from the pages of Sports Illustrated.
If you’d like to see which shots Kluetmeier most admired, check out this 2008 article in Sports Illustrated where he discusses some of his all-time favorite photos.
Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
