Bo's Warriors

I have received word from my editor that I am no longer permitted to submit any more new material regarding Bo’s Warriors. That is a new experience since I have been thinking and writing about this project for roughly the past 3 years or so. It was sometime in or around 2011 that I first began thinking about mental toughness. In fact, Linda was riding her horse Nails and I was running alongside them on the Olmsted loop when she commented on my mental toughness. We talked about that concept and that was” it” for me.

I then began researching and writing about the idea. I developed a model of mental toughness and applied it to my running of the Western States in 2002. I then wrote a couple of articles regarding mental toughness for running magazines, and gave a number of presentations regarding the same.

I then progressed to thinking about writing a book about the subject. I met Mike Keller, an All-American football player from the University Michigan who played for the Dallas Cowboys. He liked my idea, and told me about a teammate from the Cowboys named Walt Garrison. Walt Garrison, the cowboy from Oklahoma, played football for the Cowboys with a broken collarbone. Mike said Walt is a really tough dude. As it turned out, Linda’s sister was a sorority sister of this cowboy’s future wife and knew about their struggles while they were in college (her family was wealthy & Walt just a football player).

Mike also talked to me about Jack Youngblood, the All-American from the University of Florida who played with the Los Angeles Rams. Jack played with a broken bone in his leg and was legendary for his toughness. After talking with Jack and Gil Brandt, Cowboy GM, I decided to limit my focus. I changed gears and decided to write about the 1969 Michigan Wolverines with first year head coach Bo Schembechler.

Besides, Mike Keller, I interviewed Jim Brandstatter, Frank Gusich, Thom Darden, Reggie McKenzie, Jim Betts, Tom Curtis, Fritz Seyferth and Coach Gary Moeller. In essence, this book tells the story of the University of Michigan, Bo Schembechler and these 9 men.

As it turns out, the University of Michigan erected, last month, its first statue ever on the campus in front of Schembechler Hall. They now have a statue of Bo. This fall, the same 1969 team is having their reunion. My publisher Triumph Books is planning a marketing blitz in Ann Arbor, to coincide with this history.

 I could have never predicted any of this back in 2011. I’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, during the full moon in June will be the Western States 100 ultra-run. And this coming Sunday, Tony and I intend to run 50 km run in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Likely, on the back cover of Bo’s Warriors will be this blurb.   "Bo Schembechler was one of America's legendary coaches.  For over twenty years he led the University of Michigan to greatness.  Frank Lieberman has done an outstanding job returning us to the days of Big Blue's finest hours.  Through some of his greatest players you will come to understand what made Bo and his warriors so special.

           Peter Golenbock, author of Landry's Boys and Driven (with Donald Driver).

Do not forget to keep moving, laughing, smiling, loving, bonding and appreciating since good things are yet to come.