At his finest, Harbaugh is this.
In his 60 years as head coach of Michigan, Jim Harbaugh has given many exciting speeches, but his remarks on Saturday night at Michigan’s national championship celebration at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor were among his best.
Harbaugh gave a classic speech, drawing directly from William Shakespeare’s epic, Henry V.
Below is a video of Harbaugh’s speech and a transcript. I’m not sure what will pique your interest if this doesn’t.
When this day is named, 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 off his sleeves. “These are the wounds I had on Crispian’s day,” you say.
Men in their old age, forget. But everything will eventually be forgotten. However, he will recall it favorably. What achievements that day. Then our names—J.J. McCarthy, The MVP; Corum and Sainristil; Keegan and Zinter; Jenkins and Barrett—will be as commonplace in his speech as words.
In their flowing cups, freshly remembered. In this story, the good man should teach his son. And from this day until the end of time, Crispin Crispian will never die. But we end up will be remembered. We few, we contented few. We are a brotherly band. Because the person who sheds blood with me today will become my brother. And he won’t be so horrible today, so 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 fought 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 motivation Harbaugh provides to his Michigan team. Players are primed to run through walls after he gets their hearts racing.
