From JuJu with Love

Anyone who knows me knows this: I don’t just watch University of Michigan sports—I live it. So it probably won’t surprise anyone that when I finished my basement several years ago, I didn’t design it to be just another room in the house. I built a Michigan den. A shrine. A gathering place. A space filled with maize and blue, memories, and the people I love.

From the moment you walk downstairs, it’s clear where my heart lives. There’s a Michigan carpet on the floor. My ticket stubs from the last forty years are framed on the walls—each one tied to a season, a game, a moment in time. There are photos of me and my friends in the Big House, and photos from my travels around the globe chasing games and experiences, always proudly representing Michigan wherever I go.

But the den isn’t just about what’s on the walls—it’s about what happens there.

During football season, my basement comes alive. Friends come and go throughout the day. We set up a big buffet of food, like an indoor tailgate, because no one should ever watch a Michigan game hungry—and we pile onto my big sectional couch. The 75-inch TV is on, the surround sound is going, and the energy in the room builds with every kickoff, touchdown, and defensive stand.

I love hosting down there. I love opening my home. I love sharing my Michigan passion with my family and friends. Some of them are die-hard fans like me, some are casual watchers, and some just come for the food and the company—but everyone belongs. That’s always been the point.

What started as a love for a team became something much bigger. The Michigan den is about tradition. It’s about connection. It’s about creating a place where people feel welcome, where memories are made, where friendships deepen, and where Saturdays are shared.

So yes, I may be the biggest Michigan fan in the room. I’ll proudly own that. But this space—this basement shrine—is really about love. Love for a team, love for gathering, and love for the people who show up, season after season, to sit beside me and say, “Go Blue.”

From Juju with love 💙💛🏈