ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- A week ago, former Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson threw an honorary first pitch at Comerica Park so poorly that it bounced well before home plate.
After hearing guff from friends, former high school baseball teammates and college football teammates, Robinson gave it another try Tuesday prior to the Michigan-Notre Dame baseball game at Ray Fisher Stadium as part of an attempt at redemption.
"I got crap from everybody I knew that knew I played baseball," Robinson said Tuesday, just after throwing the first pitch and reaching the catcher. "They knew I could throw the ball, so they talked trash to me. It was great to actually throw the ball well."
Robinson said he misjudged the lob toss he threw at Comerica, figuring it would reach the plate. When it didn't, he knew he was going to hear it from his friends. He said even his baseball coach at Deerfield Beach High in Florida asked him, "Are you serious?"
To see if he could actually pull it off, multiple Michigan football players, including quarterback Devin Gardner, wide receivers Jeremy Gallon and Drew Dileo and offensive lineman Taylor Lewan showed up to see him throw the ball a second time.
Gardner especially had been brutal in his ribbing of Robinson, saying he saw it on "Not Top 10" on "SportsCenter" and then a second time before a quarterback meeting with offensive coordinator Al Borges.
"It was pretty amazing to coach Borges, as well," Gardner said after Michigan's spring game Saturday. "He always claimed to be a pretty good baseball player."