Tussles between the viewpoint of the academics in Ann Arbor the football program Michigan (and other B1G schools) isn’t new. You can argue that the checks, balances and battles that played between the leaders within each program made @umich stronger - leaders & best

Many examples, but the mere founding of the @bigten alone is an output of this struggle.

Fielding Yost’s arrival and wild success early on took things up another notch. It didn’t stop there.

Yost’s move to be athletic director, and shortly thereafter his desire to expand the athletic facility including the revolutionary Field House and later, the Big House, faced major criticism at @umich. Yost won, but he knew it wasn’t just for the betterment of athletics

He was right. Other schools lost this battle, including the great AA Stagg and Chicago, who eventually left the conference of course.

The statues that sit above the entrance of the @UMichUnions to me, are symbolic of this marriage and the struggle. The ‘Athlete’ faces south toward the athletic fields, the Student’ gazes toward Central campus

They are there, prominent and proud symbols of Michigan - but they do face away from each other.

#goblue