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Voices of Experience: MSU Icon George Perles

George Perles
Wikimedia Commons

We all know Michiganians we feel are extraordinary, for their memorable life experiences or their sacrifices, their success or their service, and for the insights that result from those experiences. Getting better acquainted with extraordinary people is the focus of Current State’s ongoing series, “Voices of Experience.”

Few people are as indelibly linked to East Lansing as George Perles.The former head coach of Michigan State University football and no-nonsense Detroiter spent much of his adult life here, as a player, assistant coach, head coach and Athletic Director at MSU.

As if all that weren’t enough, there’s also Super Bowl rings, the United States Football League, his launch of the Motor City Bowl Game (now the Little Caesar’s Pizza Bowl), along with his long-established golf outing to benefit Special Olympics.

He spoke with Current State host Mark Bashore about his career, football and current role at MSU.

If you’d like to nominate an extraordinary Michiganian for consideration in Current State’s ‘Voices of Experience’ series, please e-mail us at currentstate@wkar.org.

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