We’re on the road again as the #FS1OpeningDrive tour bus has left St. Louis and is headed to Salt Lake City for our final stop! Throughout the tour, we’ll provide a morning recap of the news, commentary, tidbits and whimsy surrounding our tour stops, as we prepare for Michigan vs. Utah, Sept. 3 on FOX Sports 1.
Getting Down With The Dirty Bird
Jamal Anderson is a constant bundle of energy.
We remember him vividly from his days running the pill as a member of the Utah Utes and the Atlanta Falcons, as every Dirty Bird dance made us think we could all do the move with Anderson. When I finally got a chance to meet with Anderson at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Anderson's energy was immediately felt with a strong handshake and a vibrant smile. Photos were taken with fans with big grins, and fun trash talk was exchanged with The HarBros about Michigan's chances versus Utah.
It's obvious to see why it looked like Anderson was having so much fun during his playing career.
We talked with Anderson, who is set to be inducted into the Utah Utes Crimson Club Athletics Fund Hall of Fame next month, about the growth of Utah's program and why Michigan fans should be on alert for the rowdiness that awaits them at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City.
Also, Jamal Anderson is not here for terrible Dirty Bird dancing and the khaki-wearing HarBros, even if he is wearing khakis.
The @harbros broke out the Dirty Bird. Former Falcon & Utah Ute Jamal Anderson was NOT having it! #FS1OpeningDrive pic.twitter.com/sfnGURnf4y
— FOX Sports 1 (@FOXSports1) August 29, 2015
Podcasting With We Are The Process About Being On Tour
During our stay in Atlanta, I was fortunate enough to be a guest in the We Are The Process Studios for a new podcast series titled Out Here. Out Here is a culture, sports and all-Atlanta everything podcast driven by the relationship cultivated by my good friend and host Larry Luk and produced by John Woodbridge. On this pod, we discuss why I'm riding around the country in a khaki pants-wearing, Jim Harbaugh-themed tour bus. Plus, we relive stories of the #USMediaBros sprinkled with sneaker chatter and Atlanta Hawks squawk.
Also, on The Versus Podcast, we had a detailed discussion about Michigan vs. Utah, explaining what hanging out with Gus Johnson is like and confessing what life is really like on a tour bus. (Hint, it's exhausting and extremely fun.)
The Schedule
August 22: Detroit/Ann Arbor
August 23: Chicago
August 24: Cincinnati
August 25: Columbus
August 26: New York
August 27: Charlotte
August 28-29: Atlanta
August 30: Dallas
August 31: Muskogee
September 1: St. Louis
September 2-3: Salt Lake City
Our final stop is Salt Lake City, woo-hoo! Be on the lookout for the HarBus as we roll through America. Use the hashtag #FS1OpeningDrive and follow us on Twitter at @edthesportsfan, @yardbarker and @FoxSports1 for more updates on the tour, as we prepare for Michigan vs. Utah, Sept. 3 on FOX Sports 1.
Eddie Maisonet is the founder and editor emeritus of The Sports Fan Journal. Currently, he serves as an associate editor for ESPN.com. He is an unabashed Russell Westbrook and Barry Switzer apologist, owns over 100 fitteds and snapbacks, and lives by Reggie Jackson’s famous quote, “I am the straw that stirs the drink.”