Legendary Michigan Football Coach Bo Schembechler Dies Today at Age 77

[Fran]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=2665857&type=story

Bo Schembechler, who became one of college football's great coaches in two decades at Michigan, died Friday after taping a TV show on the eve of the Wolverines' No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown with perennial rival Ohio State. He was 77.

[FONT=verdana, arial, geneva]Bo Schembechler won 194 games as head coach at Michigan.[/FONT] Schembechler collapsed at the studios at WXYZ-TV in the Detroit suburb of Southfield and was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital. His death at 11:42 a.m. was confirmed by Mike Dowd, chief investigator for the medical examiner's office in Oakland County. Police were sent to the station around 9:25 a.m. along with the city's fire department and escorted an ambulance to Providence Hospital, Southfield police spokesman John Harris said. At a news conference, Dr. Shukri W. David, the chief of cardiology at Providence Hospital, said Schembechler was found face down and unresponsive in the powder room of the TV station. Emergency responders began CPR and transported him to the hospital immediately, but despite multiple efforts, doctors could not get Schembechler's heart beating again. He never regained consciousness, David said, and he died of terminal heart failure. David explained that Schembechler's heart was still sending and receiving electrical signals, but "despite all efforts, the heart muscle did not respond." Schembechler had a heart attack on the eve of his first Rose Bowl in 1970 and another one in 1987. He had two quadruple heart-bypass operations, and doctors implanted a pacemaker to regulate his heartbeat after he became ill during a taping at WXYZ on Oct. 20."He is the most courageous patient I have ever met," his personal physician, Dr. Kim Eagle, said at the news conference at Providence Hospital. "He has defied all odds in his survival with remarkably bad heart disease." "It is with great sadness that I bid him farewell," Eagle said, adding that Schembechler made him "a better doctor and a better person." During a news conference earlier this week to discuss Saturday's big game, Schembechler said the device covered about half his chest and that doctors still were adjusting it.

Damn. As an Michigan State fan, this hits close to home. I really didn't watch sports when he dominated, but my dad did, and he's really sad about this.

R.I.P. Bo Schembechler, the man who made the University of Michigan's football program what it is today.

Mods--- I think this deserves its own thread.

 

[Mee]

He's just trying to inspire his team for the big game [/SumOfGod]



R.I.P.

 

[dpm07]

I guess if I were a Michigan fan I would care more. Of course, my condolensces to his family. He lived a good life, and has a family that should be proud of him.

As for this weekend, go Buckeyes!!

 

[rdh007]

This is bad, just because I never got to meet him and touch the hand of our lord and savior...

Seriously, this sucks.

But, Go Blue!

 

[rdh007]

The post below this one made my original "Go Blue" quite garish by comparison.

 

[Addendum]

Damn

Go Blue

 

[Milkman95]

This is very sad news and we lost a true Champion and friend to not only College Football but Michigan Football. He never had a losing record at Michigan in 20 years and had a winning record against Ohio State as well as their legend, Woody Hayes (who Bo coached with at Ohio State before coming to Michigan).

I grew up watching Bo coach and he's the main reason why I'm a huge Michigan football fan today. If you're from the state of Michigan and have the attitude to say "he lived a good life. oh well" then you have my condolences for being a disrespectful joke.

Usually it's Michigan State fans that have this attitude out of jealousy.

 

[dpm07]

This is very sad news and we lost a true Champion and friend to not only College Football but Michigan Football. He never had a losing record at Michigan in 20 years and had a winning record against Ohio State as well as their legend, Woody Hayes (who Bo coached with at Ohio State before coming to Michigan).

I grew up watching Bo coach and he's the main reason why I'm a huge Michigan football fan today. If you're from the state of Michigan and have the attitude to say "he lived a good life. oh well" then you have my condolences for being a disrespectful joke.

Usually it's Michigan State fans that have this attitude out of jealousy.

I do like MSU, but Notre Dame is actually my favorite team.

 

[raybia]

Damn, this game has been hyped up enough by the media, and now they do this?! Sick, just sick.

 

[Fran]

This is very sad news and we lost a true Champion and friend to not only College Football but Michigan Football. He never had a losing record at Michigan in 20 years and had a winning record against Ohio State as well as their legend, Woody Hayes (who Bo coached with at Ohio State before coming to Michigan).

I grew up watching Bo coach and he's the main reason why I'm a huge Michigan football fan today. If you're from the state of Michigan and have the attitude to say "he lived a good life. oh well" then you have my condolences for being a disrespectful joke.

Usually it's Michigan State fans that have this attitude out of jealousy.

Umm... I'm a diehard MSU fan, but I don't have any hatred or jealousy.

Believe it or not, we have feelings!

Bo was one of the best coaches to ever grace the field.

 

[Addendum]

Damn, this game has been hyped up enough by the media, and now they do this?! Sick, just sick.

Yeah. It's the media's fault for the death of Bo.

 

[Milkman95]

I do like MSU, but Notre Dame is actually my favorite team.

With that being said, I'm not surprised. I'll continue to enjoy Notre Dame's NCAA record of 8 consecutive bowl losses (when they're in one) as well as having a losing record against Michigan.

Bo is A LOT more than his rough exterior - he wrote checks to people who needed it, made good players great one's, and made College Football better overall. One of the best stories I ever read about Bo was when he recruited a kid out of Detroit and went to his home in the middle of winter - they had no heat, the mother was wrapped in blankets, and they had little food. He went back to the University and said turn their heat on, he didn't care what NCAA rules he would break, he just said get it done. That kid went on to play for Michigan and later on, said he saved his and his mother's life.

Little things like that are what makes him special. RIP Bo, let's win one for you tomorrow against a splendid opponent.

 

[The Chairman]

R.I.P.

 

[SoulManX]

With that being said, I'm not surprised. I'll continue to enjoy Notre Dame's NCAA record of 8 consecutive bowl losses (when they're in one) as well as having a losing record against Michigan.

Bo is A LOT more than his rough exterior - he wrote checks to people who needed it, made good players great one's, and made College Football better overall. One of the best stories I ever read about Bo was when he recruited a kid out of Detroit and went to his home in the middle of winter - they had no heat, the mother was wrapped in blankets, and they had little food. He went back to the University and said turn their heat on, he didn't care what NCAA rules he would break, he just said get it done. That kid went on to play for Michigan and later on, said he saved his and his mother's life.

Little things like that are what makes him special. RIP Bo, let's win one for you tomorrow against a splendid opponent.

That is one hell of a coach....RIP Bo.