Desmond Howard will be in an airport, in a restaurant, on the street and the voices -- seemingly out of nowhere -- return.
Hey, Desmond, do the Heisman.
But he won't. Not anymore.
Nearly 20 years have passed since Howard, Michigan's 1991 Heisman Trophy recipient, returned a punt 93 yards against rival Ohio State, creating a moment he admits was life-altering.
For all of his accomplishments -- including winning a Super Bowl MVP award -- it's his sprint down the sidelines in Michigan Stadium that changed everything.
"Had I not struck the pose, chances are, I would have won the Heisman still because it wasn't a close vote," Howard says now. "But what people still remember me for, still recognize me for, is a signature moment.
"And that moment pretty much changed my life."
The moment -- capped by Howard's Heisman pose once he reached the end zone that rainy November day -- wasn’t as spontaneous as it seemed.
After fielding Tim Williams' punt on the 7-yard line, Howard started right before stepping left, eluding an Ohio State tackler.
"Look at that," ABC broadcaster Keith Jackson gasped. "Oh, my goodness."
As Howard approached midfield, his mind began to run.
"One man," Jackson said.
It was Williams, the punter.
"I had a couple seconds to think about it," Howard said. "Once I saw that punter, it was like, 'OK, what am I going to do once I get in the end zone?'"
Howard sprinted past Howard, leaving him an open route to the end zone.
"Goodbye," Jackson said.
Almost on cue, Howard reached his destination, started running across the back of the end zone and stopped.
"Hello, Heisman," Jackson said.
Hello, life-changing moment.
On Saturday, Howard -- who was recently inducted into the College Hall of Fame, will be honored in a pre-game ceremony prior to the first night game ever at Michigan Stadium.
Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon said the ceremony will not include retiring Howard's No. 21 jersey. Howard knows the moment -- shared in front of a record crowd that's expected to reach nearly 115,000 -- will be special.
How special?
"Just watch my reaction," he said.
The reaction won't likely include Howard striking his now-famous Heisman pose. He's lost count of the number of times he’s been asked to repeat it, including at his Hall of Fame induction ceremony when his ESPN colleague, Jon Gruden, repeated the words Howard hears so regularly.
Hey, Desmond, do the Heisman.
"I don’t do that any more" Howard said. "If I do it, it cheapens that moment so I just refuse to do it now and leave it for those that experienced it in Ann Arbor."
-- Jeff Arnold can be reached at jeffarnold24@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @jeff_arnold24.
