Sturdy Sons of Ohio: Seven Distinguished Michigan Alumni

We are seven days from the Michigan game, so out of respect for the Michigan Wolverines, here is a look at the seven most distinguished graduates of the University of Michigan.

1. Unelected former U.S. president Gerald Ford: Ford even played football for the Wolverines during his time at the school. Gerald Ford is best remembered for his pardoning of hated president Richard Nixon and for losing the 1976 Presidential Election to Jimmy Carter. Here Ford can be seen showing off some of that Wolverine athleticism:

Michigan alumnus Gerald Ford bumbling around with a soccer ball. Photo is from www.vintag.es.

2. Terrorist and anarchist Theodore Kaczynski: Kaczynski is best known for attempting to murder people through homemade bombs that he sent through the mail. He currently resides in a federal prison.

Ted Kaczynski after Michigan's 17-16 loss to Northwestern in 1996.

3. Old timey serial killer H. H. Holmes: you may know Holmes from his habit of murdering and disfiguring people at his giant property in Chicago in the 1890s. He was hanged in 1896.

H. H. Holmes staring on in disbelief after Michigan was shut out 4-0 by Harvard in 1895.

4. Famous wife-killer Dr. Hawley Crippen: in 1910, after taking a mistress, Crippen poisoned his wife, hid her torso under their house, and told the police that she had moved away. He was convicted of murder and hanged later that year.

Dr. Hawley Crippen remaining stoic after the Buckeyes tied Michigan 3-3 in 1910.

5. Former domestic terrorist Bill Ayers: Ayers is best known for his involvement with a radical group that bombed the Pentagon and the NYC Police headquarters.

Bill Ayers trying to make sense of Michigan's 3-9 season in 2008.

6. Inflammatory political pundit Ann Coulter: her career consists mostly of yelling and screaming on television and writing books that are little more than racist tirades.

Coulter watching the 2003 Fiesta Bowl.

7. Voice actor James Earl Jones: best known for lending his evil Wolverine tones to the role of imperial overlord Darth Vader, Jones also played Santa Claus in the direct-to-video cartoon Recess Christmas: Miracle on Third Street.

Jones catching the end of Michigan's 18-15 loss to Ohio State in 1979.

As you can see, some of America's best and brightest come from the University of Michigan. A week from today, the Buckeyes have the honor of taking on the Wolverines once again.