Honk if Ufer MEEESH-igan

I'm not usually big on "homer" play-by-play announcers, but Bob Ufer was an exception I was glad to make. Chances are, you don't recognize the name. Unless, that is, you were a University of Michigan football fan in the 1970s. Chances are good, though, that you are familiar with his signature pronunciation.

For hundreds of thousands of Wolverines' fans, "MEEESH-igan" became a part of their vocabulary. Ufer was a human roller coaster of emotions when calling Michigan football games. Sometimes, he didn't call a play very well, but you always knew if it was good or bad for his beloved Wolverines. His passion was unmistakeable and it was perfect for the Golden Age of the Maize and Blue.

When calling a scoring play for MEEESH-igan, he would describe the ball carrier approaching the goal line. Following a brief silence to confirm the runner crossed the goal line, he would honk a large bike horn repeatedly into his microphone. That was one sweet sound to MEEESH-igan fans. There were bumper stickers across the state that read: "Honk if Ufer Meeeshigan".

I vividly recall as a youngster attending football watching parties with my family where the TV sound was turned down and the radio was up full blast with Ufer. Unlike today, it was less of a protest of network announcers and more of wanting to hear the old announcer go nuts. I once owned an LP of Ufer's most famous calls. Those were the days. If you're curious, Google "Bob Ufer" and have fun.