A Great Night for Mott Leaves Coach Carr Speechless

John T. Greilick / The Detroit News

Last night, Brian Griese, who QB'd Michigan to a share of the overall 1997 National Championship, gave his old coach some really great news.

Among a crowd of around 800 people at a fundraising dinner for Mott Children's hospital, many of which were former players for UM, Brian made the announcement that Lloyd Carr is going to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

This was Carr's first year on the ballot.

But that wasn't the biggest news for Carr last night, Angelique Chengelis writes in The Detroit News...

Michigan donor Al Glick not only donated $3 million to Mott in Carr's name, but he also donated $3 million for improvements to Schembechler Hall, the football building.

Carr was clearly choked up after the announcements of the donations made to Mott in his name.

"You can only imagine what an honor this is," Carr said Saturday night.

Carr, who said he was informed of his Hall of Fame induction earlier in the week, praised his players.

"That's really how I got (to the Hall)," he said. "You don't win games unless you have great athletes and people who are willing to play a role." 

I can only imagine that Carr was far more taken back by the announcement of the donation being made than his entry into the HOF.

But that wasn't all, a group of former players announced a fund has been created to raise money for Mott in Carr's name, the Coach Carr Mountaintop Fund, which has already secured $750,000 in donations before last night's dinner.

Michael Rothstein writes on AnnArbor.com...

But the Mott Children’s Hospital announcement shocked and touched him, especially as Hutchinson read off the lengthy list of names of players who contributed to the fund.

Among them, Jake Long donated over $100,000 to the fund. Tom Brady and his wife, supermodel Gisele, donated over $50,000, as did current Michigan football coach Brady Hoke and his wife.

It left Carr almost speechless.

Carr and his wife, Laurie, had been instrumental in helping to have the new Mott hospital, which opens in November, built.

“All those car washes and the women’s academy, I think they were positive not only for the hospital and the cancer, but it was positive for Michigan football,” Carr said. “You let some people in the program and they got to get a good look, get exposed to the coaches and the players in a different, not after a game.

“So, I don’t know. I think when you have an opportunity in a position like this, like the head football coach at Michigan, you have an opportunity to do some things outside.”

Coach Carr has always been such an advocate for the Children's Hospital, and this donation made in his name is a small acknowledgement of his efforts and dedication. Our hat's off to Lloyd and the entire Michigan football family for making all of this happen.