That’s the news from the Freep right now. The longtime Michigan coach went into a hospital on Friday, the report says. When I first heard this on the radio I thought it was a joke. Just two days ago sports radio was discussing a popular band in Columbus, Ohio, home of Ohio State, Michigan’s opponent tomorrow. The bands name? The Dead Schembechlers. The talk show host remarked, “But Bo Schembechler’s not even dead!” Well, apparently he is now. I wonder if the band will now change its name.
UPDATE: This has just been put up on The Dead Schembechlers’ Web site:
The band wishes to say, “We are crushed to learn of the death of Bo Schembechler, OSU’s most valiant foe.”
UPDATE: The Dead Schembechlers apparently are still going to play at the Hate Michigan rally tonight in Columbus. They have added this to their Web site:
The band is crushed to learn of the death of Bo Schembechler. We named this band after Coach Schembechler to honor him as the face of Wolverine football. We have never wished ill will upon him in any way and have always wished him the best. When we learned that Bo had seen our web site and was amused by it we were delighted. We were simply delighted. He said to those with him as he read it, “See, I still matter in Columbus!” That may have been the greatest understatement in football history. We believe that he took the band’s name as the compliment that it was meant as and that he was flattered by it. We wish to extend our deepest and most heartfelt sympathies to his family. We are truly sorry for their loss.