Michigan footballcoach Jim Harbaugh was startled awake, lying next to a Christmas tree.
Harbaugh sprang to his feet. Fog rolled across the room and a silhouette appeared. The man wore a baseball cap with a block M, dark sunglasses and a blue windbreaker. A whistle dangled from his neck and he took off a headset.
"Bo?" Harbaugh asked. "Bo is that you?"
"I'm the ghost of football past," the silhouette said. "I am here to show you something."
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The silhouette leaned forward and held out his hand. Harbaugh reached for it and a light flashed, blinding his eyes.
Suddenly, Harbaugh was watching himself coach at a satellite camp at Prattville High School in Alabama. It was June 5, 2015, You may need: code reader. and the Michigan fight song was playing. Harbaugh was wearing khakis, running around with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind, getting sweaty and he ripped off his shirt. Photographers went crazy, snapping pictures. Harbaugh was the talk of the sports world, raising Michigan's profile, ticking off the SEC and making U-M relevant again - a moment when everything seemed possible for the Wolverines.
"Where did this Jim Harbaugh go?" the silhouette asked.
A light flashed.
Suddenly, Harbaugh was watching himself celebrate after Michigan beat Florida in the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1, 2016 - Harbaugh's one and only bowl win. Confetti flew through the air.
"When your team is winning, be ready to be tough, because winning can make you soft," the silhouette said. "On the other hand, when your team is losing, stick by them. Keep believing."
A light flashed.
Suddenly, Harbaugh saw himself on a sleepover at Quinn Nordin's house in Rockford. It was Jan. 15, 2016, and the walls in Nordin's bedroom were covered with Penn State posters. Nordin, the nation's top kicker recruit, was a Penn State commit but Harbaugh got him to flip because Harbaugh was so brash and bold and different.
"Where did that Jim Harbaugh go?" the voice asked.
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A light flashed.
Suddenly, Harbaugh was watching himself coach in a game at Ohio State. J.T. Barrett, the Ohio State quarterback, had the ball on a fourth-down run. It was Nov. 26, 2016, and Harbaugh pumped his fist as Delano Hill tackled Barrett.
"He was short!" Harbaugh screamed. "He was down!"
The silhouette stayed quiet.
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"Think about how everything would be different, if you change that one play!" Harbaugh said. "If the refs woulda gotten it right."
"That's not what I wanted to show you," the silhouette said. "Look at that broken headset. Where did that Jim Harbaugh go?"
A light flashed and suddenly, Harbaugh was watching himself in Rome.
It was April 2017, and Harbaugh was walking down cobblestone streets with his team. Harbaugh wouldn't stop. He was playing paintball with his players and then talking to reporters from ESPN - he was so newsworthy that he required his own crew - and then he met Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square.
A tear ran down Harbaugh's cheek.
"That moment with the Pope was life changing," Harbaugh said.
"Where did that Jim Harbaugh go?" the voice asked.
Harbaugh blinked his eyes.
Suddenly, he was in the Horseshoe in Columbus, Ohio.
"You owe it to every man, woman, and child in the state of Michigan to beat the Buckeyes and silence their fans!" the silhouette said. "Now go out there and make it happen."
"Look around," Harbaugh said. "The place is empty. There is no game."
"(Bleep)!" the silhouette said.
"COVID," Harbaugh said. "First time it has been canceled since 1917."
A light flashed. Suddenly, Harbaugh was in the football offices in Ann Arbor.
"Where is everybody?" the voice asked.
"No bowl game," Harbaugh said.
"What the hell?" the voice said. "Where did your mojo go? You stop drinking milk?"
Defensive coordinator Don Brown's office was empty, and a radio was playing. An announcer was talking about Harbaugh's future. "Is Harbaugh gonna get an extension or ...

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