Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh has delivered many rousing speeches in his 60 years of existence, but what he delivered on Saturday night in Ann Arbor at the Crisler Center during Michigan’s national championship celebration was among Harbaugh’s best.
Harbaugh went old school and orated from the pages of none other than William Shakespeare and his epic, Henry V.
Below is a video of Harbaugh’s speech and a transcript. If this doesn’t fire you up, I don’t know what will.
Jim Harbaugh’s enthusiastic Shakespeare Henry V lecture regarding Team 144 pic.c4QOayt4LW on Twitter
— January 14, 2024, Trevor Woods (@WoodsFootball)
When this day is called, he who survives it and returns home safely will stand on tiptoe. And call him awake with Crispian’s name. “Tomorrow is Saint Crispian,” he will yearly declare to his neighbors on the vigil feast if he survives this day and reaches old age. He will then reveal his scars by taking down his sleeves. “These are the wounds I had on Crispian’s day,” you say.
Old men, forget. Yet all shall be forgotten. But he’ll remember with advantages. What feats he did that day. Then shall our names, familiar in his mouth as household words — J.J. McCarthy, The MVP. Corum and Sainristil. Keegan and Zinter. Jenkins and Barrett.
In their flowing cups, freshly remembered. In this story, the good man should teach his son. And Crispin Crispian
Never will a day pass from now till the end of the world. But we end up will be remembered. We few, we contented few. We are a brotherly band. Because the person who spills blood with me today will become my brother. And he won’t be so horrible today, thus his condition will improve. Gentlemen in England will feel guilty for not being present and will value their manhood less if someone mentions that they battled alongside us on Saint Crispian’s Day.
We honor you, Team 144—a fraternity of brothers! I’m grateful.
This speech demonstrates the kind of daily encouragement Harbaugh provides to his Michigan squad. He makes players feel energized and prepared to sprint.
