Michigan Coach Jim Harbaugh was known as a gritty and fiery competitor during his days as a college and NFL quarterback. They're qualities he's also brought to his coaching stops.
Now he wants to display those qualities in the wrestling ring, although not in a way one might think.
During an appearance on a Detroit radio morning show Wednesday, Harbaugh was asked whether he'd be interested in refereeing a match during WWE's WrestleMania between Ric Flair, Harbaugh's favorite wrestler, and Hulk Hogan.
"I'm in," Harbaugh said.
Harbaugh also proposed the idea of bringing WrestleMania to Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich.
"Why not the Big House? Why not?" Harbaugh asked. "I bet we could get (140,000) in there for WrestleMania. They're trying to break the attendance record at Jerry Jones' stadium in Dallas. [There's] a great Canadian presence in wrestling. Why not Michigan and the Big House?"
Harbaugh said he's friends with Scott and Rick Steiner, who wrestled as a tag team in what was then known as the World Wrestling Federation and attended Michigan at the same time Harbaugh did.
Harbaugh was quick to downplay the idea of actually wrestling in a match.
"I'd be one of those guys coming out with a towel, waving the towel," Harbaugh said. "I'll be a corner man."
"Yeah, right. You throw a referee in there against Harbaugh and it's go time," wrote Thomas Duffy of Bleacher Report.
Ball-on-ball act
Sometimes the heart wants what the heart wants.
That's certainly the case for Memphis redshirt senior defensive back Reggis Ball, who has been removed from the team for his actions after making two interceptions in Wednesday's loss to Auburn in the Birmingham Bowl.
Ball ran over to the Auburn sideline after the game and attempted to take two footballs before a member of the Tigers' equipment staff stopped him. A Facebook video from an Auburn fan surfaced showing ball and a member of the equipment staff getting into a physical altercation, in which Ball came away with a football and ran toward the locker room.
According to The Ledger-Enquirer of Columbus, Ga., the Auburn equipment staff was warned if Ball were to get an interception, he has a history of attempting to steal a ball from the opponent after the game.
Ball apparently wasn't too shaken up about his dismissal. He posted a picture of the ball, which he autographed, on his Instagram account just a few hours after being dismissed.
Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper, who was sent a copy of the Facebook video, told AL.com that the Auburn equipment manager has not filed a police report.
"He may decide to allow the school to handle it," Roper said. "But the legal system can be utilized if he chooses."
That means the next picture of the ball may show up on eBay when Ball attempts to sell it to cover his legal costs.
Sports quiz
How many bowl victories do the Memphis Tigers have in school history?
Answer
The Tigers have won four of their eight bowl appearances, with the most recent victory coming against Brigham Young in the 2014 Miami Beach Bowl.
Sports on 01/01/2016