It was 37 years ago today that KISS stormed Cadillac Michigan in response to the Homecoming request of Cadillac High School. Quite a lot of amazing events went on that day and a wonderful summary with some of the highest quality image of the event appear on none-other than the ESPN Sports Page 2 website.

Warring Abbott

Danny Arruda | ESPN

 It was 1974 — the straitlaced football heyday of Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler — and in northern Michigan, you could hear a pin drop in the way-too-tight Cadillac High School football locker room before games.

That’s when an enterprising assistant coach named Jim Neff had a brainstorm. Why not rev up the Cadillac defense by playing a little pregame rock and roll? Like, for example, KISS?
When the bold plan led to a big winning streak — and a conference title — Jim Neff and the band he loved hatched a daring plan … to make Homecoming the following year an event the town of Cadillac would never forget.

Nearly 35 years later, no one has.

Warring Abbott

In the fall of 1975, the Vikings of Cadillac High School in Cadillac, Mich., were coming off an undefeated season and a third-place finish in the state of Michigan. With aspirations of having another great season, the team stumbled out of the gate with a 0-2 start. Head coach Dave Brines believed his team needed a jolt. “I’ve always felt that emotion, desire and those things are more important than athletic ability. It’s what a kid thinks in his mind, and we always taught if you think you can do it, then you can.”

Warring Abbott

Read the rest at the ESPN website…