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Michigan football national championship parade: Fans brave cold in Ann Arbor
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- Michigan football national championship parade: Fans brave cold in Ann Arbor
Bundled-up Michigan football fans braved shivery temperatures Saturday, standing in the snow along State Street, all to cheer the university's new national champion team at a parade in Ann Arbor.
An estimated 50,000 students and fans stood along the parade route and outside the U-M President's House on South University Avenue, wearing maize and blue hats and scarves, to protect them from the blustery, windy conditions.
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The parade started at 4 p.m. outside the president's home and stretched about three-quarters of a mile, ending at Schembechler Hall.
Michigan fans and members of the Sigma Chi fraternity yell and cheer as the Michigan football team and newly crowned National Champions come down South State Street in pickup trucks and old fire trucks during a parade on campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, January 13, 2024.
There were lots of cheers and chants of "Let's Go Blue."
Near the intersection of South University and State streets, students crowded onto the roof above the front patio of a Sigma Chi fraternity house to watch the parade, including one male student who jumped around without a shirt.
Leading the parade was a tractor-trailer, towing a trailer emblazoned with "Michigan" and maize and blue.
It was later followed by the marching band, and then by the color guard.
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The parade ended with a red vintage fire truck, with a jubilant Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh and several players in the truck's bed.
Michigan fans rush an old fire truck to shake hands with Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh and some of his star players as they head down South University Avenue during a parade for the newly crowned national champions on campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024.
The Wolverines on Monday defeated the University of Washington Huskies by a score of 34-13 in the College Football Playoff National Championship game in Houston to secure U-M's first national title since 1997.
Similar to the parade for the 1997 team (which was held in January 1998), fans braved frigid conditions. A crowd estimated at 100,000 or more "shrugged off temperatures in the mid-20s to cheer the Wolverines as they wound their way through downtown Ann Arbor and the heart of their campus," a Detroit Free Press article from Jan. 11, 1998, said.
Michigan fans yell and cheer as the Michigan football team and newly crowned national champions come down South University Avenue towards South State Street in pickup trucks and old fire trucks during a parade on campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024.
On Saturday, a crowd about half that size, according to an estimate given by the University of Michigan Police Department, also braved temperatures in the mid-20s but it felt more like single digits.
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More: Celebrate Michigan's national championship with Detroit Free Press books and front pages!
After the parade, fans were to meet the team for a 7 p.m. celebration at the Crisler Center indoor arena next to Michigan Stadium.
Here are some snippets of what Free Press reporters and photographers saw along the parade route:
'This is Michigan — it's supposed to be cold'
"It was great. I'm really glad we came. It was cold, but not that bad. Hey, this is Michigan — it's supposed to be cold," said John Brinley, 62, of Ann Arbor, who has been a U-M season ticket holder for nearly 30 years and watched the parade near the intersection of University and State streets. "I was holding my camera up filming the whole time, so my hand is freezing."
Fans celebrate the University of Michigan football team in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. The Wolverines were crowned 2023 National Champions.
Nearby, father and son Christobal and Conner Flores arrived hours before the parade set off to set up chairs and ensure front-row seats.
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Christobal Flores said they didn't mind the bitter cold and wind on such a momentous occasion.
"We're from Michigan; we're not from Florida. We're used to the cold weather," he said. "We needed a championship. It's been almost 30 years. Hopefully, our Lions will do it tomorrow." – JC Reindl
Ann Arbor business owner watches parade: This win is a 'big deal'
James Price, 39, of Ann Arbor, watched the whole parade from a roof by his barber shop, Coach and Four, at the corner of State and Hill.
The business has many athletes, coaches and band members as clients.
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He said the turnout was "above my expectations. It was really nice to see the band go by."
Price said he tried to grab some photos of the coaches and their families going by.
"It's a big deal," he said of the win. "I don't believe people know how big of a deal this is yet." – Christina Hall
Even fans who miss the parade enjoy the crowd's energy
Geoffrey Pisani, 25, of Ann Arbor, and his girlfriend, Allison Norton, 26, also of Ann Arbor, just missed the parade, trying to catch a glimpse of where the old fire truck carrying the coach finally peeled off State Street at the end of the parade.
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Nonetheless, Pisani said, "It was cool. So many people are out enjoying the experience."
Pisani, a 2020 U-M grad, said he went to the national title game in Houston.
"It was fun to be part of the crowd," he said. "The energy and everything." – Christina Hall
Die-hard fans from Wolverine Lake make the trek to Houston and the parade
Karen and Thomas Mirowski, of Wolverine Lake, just north of Walled Lake in Oakland County, are both U-M graduates and die-hard fans.
They said they go to home and away games and have season tickets on the 50-yard line.
Michigan defensive lineman Kris Jenkins, quarterback J.J. McCarthy and linebacker Michael Barrett wave at fans during the National Championship parade in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024.
They went to the national championship game but didn't go to the Rose Bowl because of an unexpected death.
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Karen Mirowski, 62, a 1983 graduate, said they also go to hockey and basketball games.
"We're crazy," she said with a chuckle.
They were at the parade to celebrate the team coming home.
"We just always support the kids," she said.
Thomas Mirowski, 60, a 1985 grad, said he was "super excited" when U-M scored the first touchdown in the title game.
"The most excited I've ever been in my life," he said.
Karen Mirowski said she was "confident the whole time."
They said this team felt like it was in it together. – Christina Hall
Fans want 'one more year' of Coach Harbaugh
The crowd went crazy when head coach Jim Harbaugh reached the end of the parade in the red fire truck. Fans spilled into the streets chanting, "One more year." The fans followed the truck as far as they could before it turned off State Street. – Christina Hall
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Generations of Michigan fans celebrate the football players
The Wynalda family, of Ann Arbor, watched as the parade approached. Taylor Wynalda, 30, and her husband Mike, 31, met at the University of Michigan in 2014. He was a swimmer. They brought their 2-year-old daughter, Dawson, to the parade.
Michigan fans cheer for the football players and coaches as they march down State Street during the National Championship parade in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024.
They were here to celebrate the players.
"These student-athletes are so special," Taylor Wynalda said.
She said her whole family is U-M fans, with her grandparents meeting on campus in 1939.
"We're celebrating everyone," she said. "It's a team." – Christina Hall
An old fire truck carrying Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh and some of his star players heads down South University Avenue toward South State Street as Michigan fans yell and cheer on both sides of the street as they celebrate the newly crowned national champions during the parade on campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024.
Thousands cheer, chant 'Let's Go Blue'
The parade set off with that tractor-trailer towing a Michigan-emblazoned trailer, and the color guard and marching band behind them. Thousands cheered from the sidewalks along the route. Fans chanted "Let's Go Blue" and many cellphones were out as fans got photos and videos of the parade. A few brought seats but most were standing, trying to get the best place to look. Bringing up the rear of the parade, which lasted about 20 minutes, was a red vintage fire truck carrying Jim Harbaugh and the University of Michigan football players on top of the truck bed. – JC Reindl and Christina Hall
Preparations begin for the University of Michigan football parade in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. The football team will be riding on this U-M-decorated tractor trailer.
Meanwhile ... Harbaugh 'believed' to have an interview with LA Chargers
Before the parade started, NFL.com reported the architect of Michigan football's success, head coach Jim Harbaugh, is "believed" to have an interview set up with the NFL's Los Angeles Chargers next week . – Andrew Birkle
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More on Harbaugh: Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh reportedly set to meet with Los Angeles Chargers next week
Fans wear their lucky gear
Rafat Mustafa, 42, of Dearborn Heights; his daughter, Maya, 19, and son, Nael, 11, stood near Schembechler Hall at the end of the parade route. Rafat Mustafa had one maize pompom on each side of his head under his hood. They were good luck pompoms from the University of Michigan versus Ohio State University game he said he attended with his sister.
Fans line the streets for the start of the University of Michigan football parade in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024.
"We don't know how often we're gonna experience this atmosphere," he said, as a sea of maize- and blue-clad fans lined the sidewalks. "We don't know the next time we'll witness a championship. We want this experience."
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He said the last time he attended a parade like this was when the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup. – Christina Hall
Fans, no matter the weather
Season ticket holders Jim and Sally Tamm, in their 60s from Ann Arbor, lined up along South University, where the parade was set to begin. They just got back from the national championship game in Houston.
Members of the University of Michigan marching band prepare for the start of the University of Michigan football parade in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024.
When asked why they were braving the cold to watch the celebrate the team, Sally Tamm said: "We were here in 1997 and saw the parade (in January 1998) and just wanted to see it this year, too."
Her husband Jim Tamm said of the cold: "It doesn't matter; we're not fair weather fans." – JC Reindl
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'Ann Arbor is frozone! Who's got it colder than us? Nobody!'
Sarah Freedman, 38, of Ann Arbor, stood on State Street holding a yellow sign with blue letters that said, "Ann Arbor is frozone! Who's got it colder than us? Nobody!"
Freedman said she grew up on Dewey Avenue in Ann Arbor and has been immersed in the University of Michigan. She went to the last parade in 1998 with her mom, Jane Deering, a U-M graduate.
When they lived on Dewey, she said she used to sell cookies before football games and her brother sold parking at their house.
"I've been waiting 26 years," she said. "I watch every game. I'm just really proud of this team."
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Freedman, wearing an "M" necklace and a Michigan mask and hat, said she was excited and not cold as she waited for the parade to start. She got here about 2:30 p.m. and expected to see more people, she said, as the sidewalk started to fill in.
"The diehards will be out," she said. – Christina Hall
Some fans brave the cold, while others get their gear (indoors)
About an hour and half before the parade was scheduled to start, a few fans had found spots near the start of the parade on South University.
Moises Rodriguez, 31, was shivering even though he wore plenty of layers and was tucked under a blanket. Rodriguez left his home in Ottawa, Ohio, at 6 a.m. and got his chair set up outside at 10:30 a.m.
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Ten of his friends were supposed to join him but they all backed out because of the weather. To him, though, the cold weather and the drive was a small price to pay for what the University of Michigan football team had given him and other fans.
Moises Rodriguez, 31, drove two hours from Ottawa, Ohio, to get a front row seat to the University of Michigan football parade in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024.
"Let's hope people show up," Rodriguez said. "I hope we can pay them back."
Vincent Jacobson, 22, wouldn't describe himself as the biggest Michigan football friend compared with some of his friends, but still the senior found a spot near a tree right off South University Avenue at 1 p.m. so he could get a good view of the parade.
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"It's once in a lifetime," Jacobson said.
Vincent Jacobson, 22, found a spot under a tree off South University Avenue at 1 p.m. to wait for the University of Michigan football parade to start in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024.
In the few hours preceding the event, it appeared many fans had found a different, warmer spot to congregate: The M Den, the official merchandise retailer of Michigan athletics located on South State Street, where the line to pay started on the second floor and weaved down the stairs and across the store to the cash registers at the front. – Adrienne Roberts
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football national championship parade: Fans brave cold
