Burke, Beilein and the Bigger Picture
We can take a decent stab at it. Our own guys realized it was their last game together
After coming that close, if it were me, I would definitely have a change of heart. I'm not saying I would definitely stay, but I would have to wait and rethink things. If this one is seething in Burke, he could be back.
Burke is definitely gone, but I could see Hardaway staying now. Everyone else (sans senior bench players) will be back.
Tim McCormick said Louisville had one legit NBA player and he was a complete no show tonight. Talent usually wins, it was a very spread out NCAA year (no real powerhouse) and Louisville was the best of the bunch.
I'd rather have 4-5 NBA players and keep reloading when 2 leave early. Key is how Beilen recruits from here. He has two top level players coming in next year to replace most likely Burke and THJ leaving. Can they keep doing that in future classes? So far he has nothing to say to doubt it. The publiclity of this run put Michigan back on the map for all those 13-14-15 year olds who never knew of Michigan has a top program. Also genius was allowing the cameras into the lockerroom so all those same kids can see what a positive man he is and give Michigan a chance. I only wish we got Beilen 5-6 years younger since I think he will have the team in a great place the next 7-8 years.
Beilein said he wouldn't recruit any one and done players unless attending Michigan was their dream right from the get go. Obviously you don't turn down Andrew Wiggins or Jabari Parker if they call you saying they want to play for your team, but he's not giving them any calls either....
I don't know how highly recruited guys like Siva and Smith were, but Michigan could have those type of guys in Levert, Albrecht and Horford. Program guys who are never going to play in the NBA, but come in and spend 4 or 5 yrs in the program and by their Junior and Senior year end up as quality veteran contributors. Despite this now being his sixth year, Beilein is just now starting to really get hsi recruiting where he wants it.
That said, I will also take the frustration of worrying about players leaving early over the frustration of blue-chippers not taking our coaches call.
Sometimes talent leaves
Having guys leave after a year or two is a sign of success at this level. We have guys who will stick it out on this roster. It's almost all good.
But that's not how you get the top talent. The game has changed. If you want to get the best of the best you have to show them you get kids to come in, develop, and "get paid". Of course you want kids to stay 3-4 years but you want 2-3 stars that are going to go early to surround the rest of the cast with. With lesser talent and a bunch of kids that would stay 3-4 years Michigan would not be in this game tonite. Can't have it both ways nowadays.
It is the way the game is now, but it's the same for everyone. Look at next year's class . . . Beilien seems well equipped to keep this program relevant for the foreseeable future even given the current state of CBB.
Oh my God, we are Notre Dame.
Help me understand. You prefer a decade of not going to the tournament to a close loss to a good team in the final?
Wow, I really learned something today.
I suppose that Dean Smith just sucked those first 5 times he made the Final Four b/f winning on his 6th trip, and of course awful the 9 times he made the Final Four and lost.
And I guess that Coach K was simply awful the 7 times he made the Final Four and lost, especially the 4 title games he has lost.
Pitino has two titles, while 5 times ended his teams' FF runs with heartbreak and disappointment. Wow, only 2 good tournaments for Pitino. He must be just tormented about the FFs he didn't win.
Absurdity
you misread :)
Read your post and tell me if it doesn't apply to ND post-BCS Championship.
We won't be back in this position for years.
How do you know that? Do you know what kind of players we're recruiting?
Yes, it's hard, but Beilein is a very good tournament coach. He's 15-3 against the spread in tournament games at Michigan and West Virginia. And I don't think we'll lose that many starters. I won't flat-out say we'll be back in the next couple of years, but I do think Beilein can take us to another Final Four at some point. If we lose only Burke, I think we'll be again be a top 5-caliber team next year.
If we only lose Burke, as good as he is, with Albrecht and the recruits coming in, and the maturing of Stauskas, GRIII and McGary, we could be a better team next year.
I think they'll look into it, but I don't see GRIII or McGary leaving this year. Unless I'm off on my evaluation of NBA teams, it would be hard to see those two guys as immediate or even second-year contributors unless you really think they are capable of playing without a great guard like Burke around.
If we lose 4 of the guys that started the Championship Game, I will crap in my own hand. Tone it down Mr. Doom and Gloom.
WORST case is Trey, Timmy, and GRIII gone after this year. McGary already said he is coming back and Stauskas hasn't even played in the late stages of the last 2 games because his defense and decision making need work. I am hopeful we see GRII back, but guess TH is gone.
that would win a $200MM lottery and be primarily bummed that there was a 2nd winning ticket. Enjoy the return to relevance of M basketball and hope for the best in the future.
We are not headed back to irrelevance, but it will be very difficult to get back to a NC game with what we will have returning. Even if we assume the best case scenario.
McGrary is not leaving. He is very dependent on Burke - that was clear tonite. When Burke was out McGrary had little offense. He will make a big leap from freshman to sophmore and then leave next year IMO.
McGrary had 5 friggin games of "stardom." Not 10, not 15, not 20. 5. I get the "draft on potential" but he is an energy player who is developing and had the best point guard in the country feeding him constantly. He has a lot of work to do.
GR3 is also not ready, anytime he went up against a physical big man he got schooled. He doesnt have his own offensive shot - he picks up garbage points (much needed) and has athleticism. Again every guy in the nBA is athletic.
Trey is leaving, he has nothing left to do.
THJ might leave because I think he hit his ceiling. He won't develop much more and I find him to be a borderline NBA player. Very inconsistent on offense, and plenty of guys like him in the NBA sitting as the 9th, 10th, 11th player on a bench. Rodney Stuckey - as poor as he is - is twice the player at this point than THJ.
If THJ and Burke leave you reload with Walton (lets say he is 75% of Trey as a freshman) and Zak Irvin who is probably a slightly better version of GR3, to replace THJ. No massive drop off or anything.
As for the NCAAs the best team can lose in the 3rd or 4th round quite easily - its a crapshoot when you get in. This should be a top 15 team even with losing the starting backcourt and develop into top 10 as the year goes by. Then you just get into the tourney and anyone can win of 15 teams at that point.
But the other reality is that it is very hard to get to a championship game; it's been
discussed at length here that the format of the whole tournament results in crazy things. We had an 'all eggs in the basket' year, and we came up short. That's a tough pill to swallow. And we also are guaranteed to lose the best player in basketball, and the distinct possibility of losing 4 of our 5 starters. To not have that banner to hang after getting so close, as well as the prospect of almost starting over again, is really, really, difficult to me.
We made it through huge stretches of the tourney with Burke doing nada. I'm not sure who will go pro after this year. Burks is sure-fire but who else? Maybe THJ...maybe McGary but I kind of doubt either.
We will be in the discussion for the unforeseeable future. That's all you can ask at this level.
Maybe the 1% of Burke's return grows to 2% because he's pissed and got so close.
But in the end, he's player of the year in EVERYTHING and his stock isn't going to get higher in a weak draft.
If he comes back, he's just pissed the fuck off and he's on a mission. Same with THJ.
Not saying that we're better without either, but if they do come back with that mentality, it's going to be frustrating watching them jack up shots from everywhere at times...if one, the other or both decide to come back, hopefully it's for the TEAM.
McGary and GRIII easily come back unless there's some family issue we don't know about.
Morgan will have to decide if he wants another go, may be too much work for 10 minutes a game.
It doesn't matter if THJ is pissed the fuck off or not. He's just not that good. Zak Irvin will be much better than him.
You dont get a "Michigan" tattoo across your chest being raised in Columbus for no reason....The man clearly LOVES U of M. remember, Taylor Lewan was gone too...
Nice run boys!
Right when it looks like we're gonna get a national championship, we just barely miss
- 2006 Football - Barely lose in the #1-2 game
- 2011 Hockey - Lose in OT of the national championship
- 2013 Basketball - Squander large lead, get pretty much hosed by refs and lose a close one
Being a sports fan can be brutal. Proud we got this far though
Can't get to the final and play against a bad team. When it hurts, just give thanks that we are relevant again
Yeah. This was Louisville's third Final Four under Pitino. He lost in the semis the other two times. Calipari likewise had lost in the Final Four three times before he finally won last year. It's hard to win it all in any given year, and it seems like most coaches who do are ones who have been there before (and failed).
Dean Smith went to 11 Final Fours, yet won the title only ("only") 2x. His first title came on his 7th Final Four trip.
Coach K has a staggering 4 titles - and has also lost the title game 4 times. Also, he did not win his 1st title until his 5th Final Four. Total Final Fours: 11
Bobby Bowden: 2 Nat'l titles - after Wide Right I and II.
Lots of heartbreak there. But would it be better to be irrelevant? Rhetorical question.
If you have a favorite team, any sport, and they give you consistent reason to cheer for them, it's reason to be thankful.
Great team, great coach, great season, great tourney, great future.
GO BLUE!