After a 17-year NHL career and an 18-year collegiate coaching career that has included two national championships, Red Berenson has finally made it big.
- Paul Wong
Yes, he has his own bobblehead. And yes, you can get one.
The recent bobblehead phenomenon that started with ESPN commercials smashing them on the ground with wooden bats – and that most recently arrived at Pistons’ games almost weekly – has now spread to Yost Ice Arena.
At the Wolverines’ game Friday against Western Michigan, the first 1,000 fans that enter Yost will be able to pick up one of these dolls for free.
The gates will open at 6 p.m. The remainder of the 2,000 dolls that were made may be purchased $15.
That is, with the exception of 45 special dolls that were autographed by Berenson himself, which can also be purchased at Friday’s game for $40. And for those that cannot make Friday’s game, five other autographed dolls will be auctioned off at mgoblue.com beginning on Saturday.
“Usually when somebody has a bobblehead, they don’t look like that actual athlete, so I’m wondering if it looks like him,” said freshman Danny Richmond, who had yet to see the doll pictured here (see right). “It’d be a pretty cool thing to have.
“You know you’re pretty good when you have your own bobblehead.”
The athletic department’s marketing team – which organized a Bo Schembechler bobblehead giveaway for last season’s Ohio State game – had talked about the idea for months, and Berenson said it was OK, but he had no input in the marketing or design of the doll
“It wasn’t my idea, let’s put it that way,” Berenson said.
But Berenson agreed that $40 was a little shallow for an autographed doll.
“They probably cost $40 to make them,” Berenson said.
When asked which Wolverine would make the best bobblehead, each player had his own idea. Richmond felt that an Eric Nystrom bobblehead would look good next to the Bobby Nystrom bobblehead – from Eric’s father’s days in the NHL – that Nystrom has in his house.
Nystrom, however, feels that housemate and fellow Michigan forward Jason Ryznar would look the best.
“Ryznar for sure,” Nystrom said. “He’s a big, goofy guy.”
Ryznar is unsure how a Nystrom bobblehead would turn out.
“He’s got kind of a unibrow, so I don’t know if that would look good,” Ryznar said.
Captain Jed Ortmeyer – who was selected by a few of the players because of his leadership qualities – thought that his friend and linemate John Shouneyia would make the best one.
“Maybe they could have him in his car with some Prada gear on,” Ortmeyer said.