Customer Reviews

University of Michigan Football Vault (College Vault)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I just purchased the University of Michigan Football Vault from Amazon and must say that I am thoroughly disappointed. I live in Florida and saw both the FSU and U of Florida versions at a local store and was impressed with the content and immediately went home and ordered the Michigan version (my alma mater)from Amazon. When I opened it, I was surprised to see not only glaring errors but also significant omissions. First of all the photograph on page 125 of Bo Schembechler is credited to the 1989 Rose Bowl victory by Michigan over USC. However, I was at that game and can say with certainty that the photograph is from the Rose Bowl played on January 1, 1981 in which Michigan beat Washington 23-6. In addition, I was shocked at the paucity of photographs from the 1997 National Championship team, the last Michigan National Championship team in the past 60 years. The coverage of that team in this publication photographically spanned ONLY 2 PAGES (134 and 135) and included NO photographs from the Rose Bowl victory over Washington State even though it was listed as one of the 10 top big games of that era by the author. Other key moments and players also got short shrift. The book also ranked the Colorado-Michigan game from 1994 as one of Michigan's top 10 big games during the 1990-2007 era but there's no photograph of the amazing "hail mary" pass caught by Colorado's Charles Johnson over Michigan's Ty Law for which that game is known. The publication also ranked the 2000 Orange Bowl win over Alabama as a top 10 game (probably because it was Tom Brady's most significant game in a Michigan uniform and he's turned out to be an NFL Hall-of-Famer), but again, this book didn't bother to include a photograph from the contest. Michigan has had 2 Heimsan Trophy winners since 1992 and they merited only 2 photographs over 144 pages of this printing (1 each on pages 128 and 133 respectively). How is it possible that the publishers could find room for photographs of Allen Jefferson (a non-starter)and Doug Skene (an offensive lineman) from the late 1980's Michigan teams but couldn't find room for either Desmond Howard's "Heisman Pose" against OSU or his amazing catch against Notre Dame earlier in the same year? How is it possible that a 50 point victory against Minnesota in 1992 merited an entire page photograph and a 10 top ranking among games played between 1990 and 2007 (because it was supposedly Michigan's 1,000th victory) but Michigan's victory in the 100th Michigan-Ohio State contest which sent it to the Rose Bowl got no mention or photograph. There is also a large section and multiple photographs of Bo Schembechler, but none of him with his arch-rival, Woody Hayes which spurned the "10 Year War" that is the subject of a current New York Times bestseller by Michael Rosenberg (a very good book, by the way). While the FSU and U of F books were teeming with photos and memorabilia from the last 20 years, this book devoted only 22 pages to that successful period and has serious omissions. I would think that a majority of purchasers would appreciate broader coverage of this modern era and less focus on the prior 100 years since many of them weren't even alive to see those teams and players. I know I surely would and only hope that the next draft would seriously improve the content and correct the errors. In the meantime, I will remain disappointed with a very expensive purchase.

If you're interested only in the last 20 or 30 years of Michigan football, and specifically the mountains of pictures and videos from this media-saturated era that anyone can find in many many places if they look hard enough... then don't buy this pictorial/creative retrospective.

If you want to see rare photographs and read great stories on the actual history of Michigan football from the earliest days, then this is a real gem. Not since the original "University of Michigan Football Scrapbook" was released in 1978 has someone dug into the program's roots like this.

This is the first UM football publication in many years where I can honestly say that I was treated to information and images that I had never, ever seen before. The 1870s - 1960s eras are the real draw here. Very cool. (And there are a couple of really neat surprises... not the least of which is a handwritten 'thank you' note that Gerald Ford sent to Coach Kipke after a recruiting visit prior to his enrollment in the 1930s.)

The original retail price was $50. A little steep, for sure. If you can locate a solid $10+ discount somewhere, take it. You won't be disappointed.

I was very disappointed in the book. It stated that the book was new. I sent it as a gift and was embarrassed when I saw how worn the edges of the book was. I would not have classified this book as new, it was more like fair.

If you love U of M football and it's rich traditions you have to buy this book. A great collection of facts, stories and memorabilia. A great coffee table book for the fall.

I recently purchased the University of Michigan Vault book for my husband as a surprise. He couldn't be more pleased. He thinks it's great and would recommend it to any Go Blue fan. Jan Queen

Got his for my boss for xmas, the biggest Michigan head you can imagine and he loved it.