Congratulations to our January Alumnus of the Month, Brett McBryde.
When did you play?
1981-1990
What positions did you play?
Flanker, 2nd row, and number 8
What got you started playing rugby?
I got started by watching my friends Mark and Don Hoch play for U-M. Peter Maglocci gave me the hard sell on the sideline about getting in a game. He eventually talked me into it and I did like it.
What are your favorite memories/teammates?
I won’t bother listing names of friends—it would be too long. I lived in A2 until 1992.
Favorite memories… There is probably a book worth of stories. The best part about getting together with the olde boys is everyone remembers something hilarious. Here in no particular order:
- Big Ten tournament in Purdue. We had a bunch of guys in Chris Toot’s van. It broke down in West Lafayette, IN and we had to spend the day in a dry town. Still had fun.
- Louisville trip. (Astro Van!)
- Food tour. I think to Miami of Ohio
- Bahama trip
- Trip to DC in the snowstorm. I was sure we were all going to die. Weber drove the van the whole way. Woke up at one point and looked out my window and saw we were traveling perpendicular to the road. We made it there alive. Lots of adventures on the way.
- New York City (Great Gaston!)
- Victoria BC (Young Rotarians)
- Notre Dame 1986 (Great saloon fight)
- Watching Kevin Hilton recite The Great Try.
What have you done since playing for UMRFC?
Paul LeBlanc and I took a trip to Alaska in 1987 for several weeks. I really liked it, so when my wife had to change jobs she took one in Alaska. Our family moved up there in 1993. We lived up there for 24 years, raised 4 kids and loved it. We built a log cabin in the winter and had a boat where we did a lot of fishing.
When it became apparent the kids and grandkids were going to settle in the lower 48 and we were getting older we decided to move back to Michigan. We moved to Stevensville, MI in 2017. I did various occupations: worked at EPA in A2, I had a publishing company, worked on the north slope for a couple years doing inspection work for a pipeline services company. I was the quality manager for the company for a few years and was able to work remotely in MI.
In July of this year, completely out of the blue, I unfortunately was diagnosed with a very rare, very deadly type of cancer: Anaplastic thyroid cancer, not to be confused with regular thyroid cancer. I was lucky and was able to get into U-M to see a surgeon who knew what he was dealing with. (U-M is the #1 ENT hospital!) First thing he told me was this cancer was a 3- to 6-year death sentence 10 years ago. Not necessarily the case today due to immunotherapy. Had surgery in August. I’m currently undergoing radiation (again) and immunotherapy. Unclear how things are going since the immunotherapy has not had a chance to work yet.
How has Michigan Rugby affected your life beyond rugby?
I have been grateful for the support and encouragement from my rugby mates. Jim Hagerman, Kevin Hilton, Jim Sams, and Paul LeBlanc have all been helping keep my spirits up. Most of my best friends are from UMRFC.
Again, congratulations to our January Alumnus of the Month, Brett McBryde! We wish you the best in your battle against cancer.
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Brett
Great memories of playing together. Prayers are with you buddy!
A giant among men to be sure. Brett, you are a true friend and certainly a man of high integrity and honor. I think about you daily and do my best to be as brave and strong as you always have been and will be! Slainte buddy!
I recall the many games of playing in the forwards with Brett. Brett always had an excellent attitude towards the “All Blues “ in those years. It was a great pleasure to play with Brett in the Bahamas and I always remember my 5 year old son Christian playing around with Brett and many of the younger players on the sidelines during the games.
Thanks 🙏 for the many memories Brett and all the best to you and your family.
Not one mention of penguins. Not sure you talked to the real Brett. (The affinity for penguins is always the reason I figured he moved up to Alaska.)
I can hear the laugh (heh-heh-heh) in that photo at the bottom. Brings up memories of those lanky legs on the pitch. Godspeed on this journey.
Btw, that’s me with the cool ray bans that’s unnamed in the photo on the bahamas tour.
Methinks that the penguins live a bit south of Alaska! But Brett can probably tell you about the time the BEAR got into their SUV to eat the kid’s leftovers. There’s a video somewhere of the mass destruction!
P.S. Nice pic on the Bahamas tour 1985!
What a great rugby player, but an even greater man. I remember you letting me stay with you at your apartment several drunken nights.
Brett is tough, kind, fun loving, intelligent, loyal rugger and father who enriches all of us with his humor and companionship. It was always fun to be near Brett at matches and after match events. I am pretty sure we have Brett to thank for Dan as well.
I believe I was at that Notre Dame bar fight, swinging from the rafters. Dale, you were always a guiding light during my late-80s C-side career as a U of M rugger.
Correction: meant to sale Brett, not Dale. Damned head injuries.
Congratulations Brett. Although no bio of Brett is complete without mentioning his hair in the 80s – short on the sides, long in the back. Not a mullet, but a flowing mane.
It’s always fun to hear of the exploits of the 1980s crew – a great time for Michigan Rugby. Good luck in your fight, Brett. As always, we are “with you” in support and prayers.
Gavin
Well-deserved Brett. Your buddy Sams sold me on that Bahamas trip out of his room in West Quad. When I went to give him the money (borrowed from my grandma for an “educational trip”) I felt like I was doing a drug deal! You were a stud-muffin amongst ugly gorillas and subsequently landed your awesome anesthesiologist wife! (I recently followed in your footsteps and got one of those too – seemed to have worked out well for you!)
Hope you keep your spirits high and carry on forward. “WITH YOU” as always.
Evil One
Great stories, great friend, greater guy, and well-deserved recognition, Brett. Besides great play on the pitch, of course it’s the stories getting there/back and all the rest that keep us going. The DC trip with “Poor Art”, Gaston shouting “Assistaaaance!”, Kangaroo Court in the Bahamas, and all the other stories everyone’s remembering in the notes above with Brett right in the middle of it all. I’m super glad to be part of it, and wish you all the best. Congrats!