Although, not for as good of a reason as yours. Simply because they were the first and best Michigan team I’ve watched to date. Before that year, I didn’t know anything of Michigan and now here was the team at my school climbing all the way to #2 in the nation.

I guess the 08-09 basketball team could have a strong claim as my favorite as well. They were just fun to watch and very likeable. It also didn’t hurt that they were a breath of fresh air after a horrendous football season.

I have to put in a list because it’s just too hard to only say one… for me it’s really hard to split up the ’97, ’99, ’03, ’04, and ’06 teams. But I will do so in the sake of being fair.

All time favorite:
1. ’03
2. ’97
3. ’06
4. ’99
5. ’04

I can still vividly remember the ‘97 opener against Colorado, just an awesome atmosphere with Gameday right outside the stadium, and it was an unabashed statement of what was to come. The difficult part is that even though I can recall each and every game of that season, the magnitude of what was happening didn’t really set in at the time. I think that’s part of what made the ‘06 team so incredible. It was much like the ’97 team all over again, and everyone realized it, and for 11 weeks, all was right with the world. Imperfect as that team was, they were phenomenal to watch, and I will always remember the pantsing of #2 ND in South Bend when nobody gave us a snowball’s chance in hell heading into that game, just tremendous, I get chills thinking about it. Perfect parabolas from Henne to Manningham.

But for some reason the ‘03 team sticks with me. I still contend that the 2003 Michigan squad might well have been the most talented Michigan team I’ve seen in my lifetime. You had the tremendous stories of John Navarre trying to overcome years of criticism (some due, much undue), Chris Perry exploding onto the national scene, Braylon Edwards starting to become, well Braylon Edwards, etc. Great story lines. They blew-out ND 38-0 to arrive on the national scene, and just as quickly blew a shot at the national title in Eugene, OR with agony inducing special teams. The roller coaster that was that team took another unfortunate turn against Iowa with more special teams disaster and the mother of all phantom holding calls late in the 4th that wiped out what would’ve been a game winning drive. With a season that started with such promise screaming out of control, Michigan had to travel to Minnesota to play on a Friday night… and for the majority of the game played as if the season was over and they had bailed on it. Then out of nowhere they bound together and pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in Michigan history and never looked back. The thorough domination of Ohio State in the 100th game was the icing on the cake. The Big Ten title and trip back to Pasadena was a just reward for a season I’ll never forget.

‘99 – Team should’ve played for the national title, period, done. They stop Plaxico Burress on 3rd and long against State and there’s no way they go on to lose to Illinois. Awesome team.

‘04 – Chad Henne becomes the first true frosh QB to start a Michigan opener since Rick Leach, the emergence of Hart and the way that team played was a blast to watch. Lotta people forget that where it not for settling for FGs in South Bend that year, they would’ve been undefeated heading to Columbus….

It was the last year for many of the players in the 06 team, but I think I loved the 07 team more. Loyd Carr’s last year and they upset the defending national champion florida gators. That game was awesome. That season was awesome.

Embarrassment and Injuries set the tone for this disappointing season. Then we won 8 in a row. We PANTS’D Notre Dame. Super Mario put a leash on Ryan Mallett and won some football games. We played Wisconsin close and made some necessary risks that didn’t turn out in our favor and lost. Played a boring loss to tOSU. Then something miraculous happened. The team healed. They rallied behing a great coach in his last game. When we drew Florida in the Cap1 bowl, I was like, “Aw Hell!” But I sat and watched without blinking. I had a few(8) Jamesons on the rocks to help my nerves. I was excited to see our offense in an open set…something I don’t think I had seen before. AA caught some REDICULOUS completions. Mike Hart was talkin smack after EVERY run. Jake Long dominated Derrick Harvey. Tebow played his heart out but spent a lot more time picking grass out of his helmet than he was used to. Chad Henne played the game of his life. Morgan Trent (ptew) ran faster than ever to prevent a run away TD. That team could have beaten anyone. The team that took the field 1 Jan 08 is my favorite.

The team that took the field 1 Jan 08 is my favorite