FEBRUARY 20, 2026 ON MY CORNER ASK YOUR VENDOR Who do you love? I've been in love with Geoff Tate from Queensrÿche since forever. —Cindy Gere, #279 God! My family! — Mike Jones, #113 The Circle of Love is growing! You are in it! — Ken Parks, #490 I'm learning to love myself. — Terri Demar, #322 I know this is cheesy, but I don't know what love is ... I guess it's feeling good in someone's presence and I feel love when I'm at the office! — Wayne Sparks, #615 That's very easy: my mom and dad. — Will Shakespeare, #258 You! — Todd Johnson, #689 GROUNDCOVER NEWS Things to celebrate during the coldest months of the year There are plenty of things and people to celebrate in the coldest months of the year. I believe you can celebrate Christmas and Jesus any time of the year. January and February are usually the two coldest months of the year in Michigan. Martin Luther King Day and Black History Month are good and perfect reasons to celebrate in January and February. This is because they are national holidays on the calendar and it is good to remember to celebrate them. I celebrate Valentine’s Day. I spend the day with my boyfriend Richard and we go out to the library or out to eat. I decorate my apartment and I make macaroni salad and chicken noodle soup. These are my comfort foods all year round. And, I can’t forget about chicken and stuffing dressing! I think writing nice poems DENISE SHEARER Groundcover vendor No. 485 cards to give to people I know and care about. I like to cook special meals to celebrate holidays. I cook meals for all the special times like Christmas, MLK Day, Black History and Valentine’s Day. I especially like to make simple things like hot dogs, tuna Of Michigan Men and Wolverine Women KEVIN KINCHEN Groundcover vendor No. 691 Two years removed from its first National Championship in 26 years — and concomitant parades, festivities and other-worldly celebrations — the University of Michigan Wolverines Athletic Department is, oddly enough, at an all-time high. We all lived through the unexpected whirlwind of our very own “Storm of the Century” when now defamed, former Michigan football head coach Sherrone Moore was revealed as a man preoccupied with things well outside of coaching football for the most prestigious football program in all of the college football multiverse. (There is credible evidence that Moore was engaged in an inappropiate relationship with a staff member.) And then, suddenly and unexpectedly, Michigan hired Utah coaching legend Kyle Whittingham on December 26, 2025 instantly restoring order to make all things right in Ann Arbor, and consequently the world. It would seem that the revelation of our football messiah (Coach K, if you will) has led to a domino effect of order restoration that currently has three Michigan Wolverines teams as serious, betting-odds favorites, National Championship contender toward the ending of their regular seasons: the #2 nationally ranked Men’s Hockey team, #1 nationally ranked Men’s Basketball team, and the #6 nationally ranked Women’s Basketball team. Leading the way in our surge for multiple National Championships is the hockey team. Ending the month with back-to-back gripping, gritty comeback victories (one in overtime) against their natural enemy and archnemesis the Ohio State Suckeyes, has many considering the Michigan Men’s Hockey team the overwhelming betting-odds favorite to win the Natty this season. Not to be outdone, the #1-ranked Michigan Men’s Basketball team finds themselves in the midst of a winning streak highlighted by an exhilarating, defiant run of dominant victories against the best programs in the Big 10, including a mandatory beatdown of the Ohio State Suckeyes on January 23, 2026. Back to back wins against AP top-10 teams in the country — Nebraska and Michigan State — followed the week after. And, they started the month off with an absolute drubbing of Penn State, finishing that contest with a final score of Michigan 110 Penn State 69. Transfer 5-star point guard Elliot Cadeau and All-American Yaxel Lendeborg continue to lead the charge for the Michigan Men’s basketball team as they continue their quest of winning U-M its second National Championship in the history of the men’s basketball program. And I would be remiss if I didn’t seal it with a kiss. The kiss of the Wolverine Women, as I like to call them. The Michigan Women’s basketball team is a young but talented team. Led by reigning Big 10 Freshman of the Year Olivia Olson and Freshmen All-American Syla Swords, they’re figuring out how to win big games in the Big 10, and at the right team of the season. They closed out January by getting a big time win against USC (sans megastar Juju Watkins) 73-67. Then, they followed up the men’s defeat of the Spartans two days later with a gutsy, road win of their own against Sparty with a final score of Michigan 94 Michigan State 91. As I write this, it’s early in February. The weather is terrible, and times are hard. But at least those of us Michiganders that bleed Maize and Blue know that we have the ever valiant Michigan Men and Wolverine Women of the University of Michigan Athletic Department going to battle for us every day. Fighting not just to survive; but to break through to a better way, and a brighter day. The influx of National Championship parades and celebrations coming to Ann Arbor should have us all looking forward to much better and brighter days. and stories about the holidays is better than marching. I think writing stories is better especially for people with health concerns who may not be able to do a march for a long time. But if someone likes to march, I like that too. I think the coldest months of the year are perfect to have stay-cations and do artwork and write poems and stories. I look forward to seeing everyone outside once it’s warm again! 3 UPCOMING U-M ATHLETICS TO WATCH Michigan Women's Basketball Sunday, February 22, 12 p.m. Michigan vs. Iowa at Iowa Wednesday, February 25, 8 p.m. Michigan vs. Ohio State at Ohio Saturday, Feburary 28, 2:30 p.m. Michigan vs. Maryland at Crisler Center Michigan Men's Basketball Saturday, February 21, 6:30 p.m. Michigan vs. Duke at Duke Tuesday, February 24, 8:30 p.m. Michigan vs. Minnesota at Crisler Center Friday, February 27, 8 p.m. Michigan vs. Illinois at Illinois Thursday, March 5, 8 p.m. Michigan vs. Iowa at Iowa Michigan Men's Hockey Friday, February 20, 8 p.m., and Saturday, Feburary 21, 7 p.m. Michigan vs. Wisconsin at Wisconsin Friday, February 26 6:30 p.m. and Saturday February 27, 6 p.m. Michigan vs. Minnesota at Yost Ice Arena
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