Sanderson not working with BBall team, still working at UM per MLive
Interesting portions:
...Sanderson...has not worked with the team since a reported dispute with head coach Juwan Howard in early December.
A source told MLive that Sanderson was still employed but had been reassigned within the athletic department, perhaps working with other athletes at the school.
Doug Gnodtke, an executive associate athletic director and the department’s chief of staff...would only confirm that Sanderson was still employed and added that his situation “would be worked out soon.”
The article contains more background that's already been covered here as well as complaints about UM's transparency on this issue, including athletic staff members being told.not to talk to media and UM's glacially slow and painful FOIA responses.
January 17th, 2024 at 11:24 AM ^
The Sandman/ Beilein synergy created some insanely good and strong players and teams. Those were good days.
January 17th, 2024 at 1:05 PM ^
Kansas says "thank you" for their Sandernated Dickerson
January 17th, 2024 at 1:19 PM ^
Yes, Dickerson made huge gains under at Camp Sanderson. Went from 255 as a frosh all the way up to 260.
January 17th, 2024 at 2:01 PM ^
Sandernated Dickerson sounds like a sex position.
January 17th, 2024 at 3:00 PM ^
Username checks out
January 17th, 2024 at 11:26 AM ^
Man, such a cluster. If it was just the losing, I would say give Juwan another year or 2. But the off-the-court nonsense combined with the losing is too much.
January 17th, 2024 at 11:49 AM ^
Uhhhhh.....if it were just the losing? No thanks - the off-the-court theatrics and the curious lack of management are just adding to what should already be a "parting of the ways".
January 17th, 2024 at 11:58 AM ^
I would say we could even get past this shit if things seemed to progress? If the team looked better by end of year than it did in the beginning? If players seemed to get better? If we lost some close games and then started winning close games?
Either way, if Juwan stays or goes, need to overhaul everything top to bottom.
January 17th, 2024 at 12:12 PM ^
Understood but if players even sense the slightest hint of self-doubt or lack of confidence in a Head Coach AND that same Head Coach is hyper aggressive and lacks knowledge in certain key areas - the climate will slowly start to diminish and that is exactly what we are seeing. Sadly, I do not see this getting any better - I see it getting worse.
January 17th, 2024 at 2:38 PM ^
So as long as the team progresses, he is allowed to miss a head-butt of a referee by a micron going forward?
I zoned out 2 years ago. His antics are unacceptable, even if he were winning.
January 17th, 2024 at 1:42 PM ^
I was a big fan at first, but even just the losing has me ready to move on from Howard at this point. This is his third year where the team doesn't meet expectations, it looks like things are moving in the wrong direction, and coaching related things like defense and end of game play are the worst aspects of the team.
January 17th, 2024 at 4:45 PM ^
The losing by itself is probably enough to make want to go in a new direction, the only thing that gives me a little bit of pause is the medical issues Howard has had this year, but the team has been trending down prior to this year.
The off court / court side drama just seals the deal. He's probably lucky so much of the fan base is willing to ignore basketball this season and enjoy reliving the football season.
Howard might be benefiting from people drawing a false parallel between Howard's coaching and Jim H during the COVID season. Jim has a long history to suggest that was an outlier.
January 17th, 2024 at 11:30 AM ^
there is zero justification for Juwan staying after this season
imo this is a bigger referendum on Warde than what happens with Harbaugh
January 17th, 2024 at 11:44 AM ^
I'm neutral on Howard getting 1 more year or being let go at the end of the season, I have zero confidence in Warde making the next hire tho.
January 17th, 2024 at 1:44 PM ^
Why do people think Warde isn't good at hiring? Does he have much of a track record? Obviously this didn't work out with Howard, but I don't think he had have a lot of choices then based on the time of year that Beilein left
January 17th, 2024 at 11:28 PM ^
The same people calling for Warde’s scalp today are the ones who demanded he hire Juwan. He hired Juwan and oversaw a football program that just won a title and beat Ohio 3 straight times — with a coach he kept on despite widespread calls for his firing. The athletic dept. is in great shape. But some fans are just whiny bitches.
January 17th, 2024 at 12:05 PM ^
I agree that this is the bigger Warde referendum. I've reached the opinion that Harbaugh is going to do whatever he wants, that there's no "perfect" contract Warde could put in front of him right now that would end his NFL job search today.
Juwan/MBB is another matter. This is a much trickier proposition. Do you part ways with a coach who is a beloved alum, but struggling? If you do, who do you have in mind to replace him?
January 17th, 2024 at 12:12 PM ^
Dusty May, please. Midwestern guy who started as a student manager under Bob Knight, first assistant coaching gig was at EMU, and now has made Florida Atlantic relevant.
January 17th, 2024 at 10:00 PM ^
you lost me at Bobby Knight
January 17th, 2024 at 12:52 PM ^
Says everyone here who previously said Warde should be fired if he doesn’t land Juwan. Nuts.
January 17th, 2024 at 2:05 PM ^
I don't recall that ever being said, maybe it was, but I don't recall it. Was Juwan that tough to land? I know there was some NBA interest, but to my knowledge he never received an NBA HC offer.
January 17th, 2024 at 11:31 PM ^
Juwan was widely considered an amazing get and a slam dunk hire by 99 percent of fans. It hasn’t worked out. It happens. But it wasn’t a dumb hire.
January 18th, 2024 at 12:32 PM ^
It was of average intelligence, with an unhealthy splash of fandom. He had no HC experience, no college coaching experience, nothing telling us that he could actually run a program, let alone a B1G program. But he's a Fab Fiver and we love him. That was enough for some reason.
January 17th, 2024 at 1:47 PM ^
Me whenever I find Warde slander:
January 17th, 2024 at 4:24 PM ^
There just seems to be no long term plan. The 5 star guys were quickly gone leaving no development for others. There is no excuse for not getting the roster filled. The coaching search should be starting now with recruiting success as a major criteria.
January 17th, 2024 at 6:13 PM ^
You ever seen the players that wanted to play for our coach, team presently that were denied entrance? I'm not using excuses. I'm just asking.
January 17th, 2024 at 7:38 PM ^
This guy……
Dear Stan,
I am sorry that your idol, friend, Coach or all three has not worked out….I truly am. Much like Brady Hoke, it was a sloppy emotional hire. I wanted him to succeed, you obviously want him to succeed, everyone in the land of Michigan wanted him to succeed. Unfortunately, he has not and sometimes, with clear objective thought, you must be able to cut your losses and arrive at this honest evaluation. It may be difficult but I believe you can do it.
And in all honesty because I’m a decent guy - I hope we win the rest of our games and I have to eat my words - that’s how genuine I am.
January 17th, 2024 at 11:33 AM ^
Losing is one thing, but the team seems to perform at a level significantly below the sum of its parts, and has for at least 2-3 seasons now. When you add in the threats to MD’s coach, the slap (since that Wisky coach started it by putting hands on TWill, i’d give this more of a pass if it was the only incident) ,and now this, it seems like it’s time to move on.
January 17th, 2024 at 1:16 PM ^
This is honestly what irritates me more than anything - given the players we have, I don't see a reason why we should not be significantly better than this with different management, as it were. As others have said and as you said, it isn't just the losing - the problem seems more dynamic and layered than that.
January 17th, 2024 at 1:52 PM ^
Culture, culture, culture. The football team has had it up to this year (not sure what this upcoming season will bring) but it obviously is lacking in basketball. And not having your basketball S&C guy working with the players is not a good thing.
January 17th, 2024 at 2:43 PM ^
There was a missed head-butt on a ref during a TV timeout vs Maryland at home a few years back (Danny Manning was coaching Maryland). Only people that would have seen this were those at the game. And i was in one of the best 16 seats in Crisler (those familiar with the building would know where those seats are). Spit was coming out of his mouth as the referee walked away, right before the head-butt attempt.
January 17th, 2024 at 6:52 PM ^
Wait, Juwan almost headbutted a ref? This is news to me
January 17th, 2024 at 11:38 AM ^
We have a basketball team?!
January 17th, 2024 at 11:43 AM ^
Rumor has it they beat an ohio state.
January 17th, 2024 at 12:56 PM ^
Was the score 30-24, 42-27, 45-23 or some other score in this game?
January 17th, 2024 at 11:42 AM ^
Sanderson is the head S&C coach for basketball and Olympic sports so he's probably still working with golf or volleyball players
January 17th, 2024 at 11:49 AM ^
Lol good one. Golfers don’t need to work out.
January 17th, 2024 at 2:05 PM ^
I'll strongly disagree with this take. Modern training approaches applied to golfing mechanics are incredibly important in today's game.
January 17th, 2024 at 3:04 PM ^
Tiger Woods has pushed this into the forefront. Bryson DeChambeau benefited from it. Plus there are better golf coaches who understand biomechanics, trackman or golf launcher numbers and S&C. It's the norm.
As a result, we're seeing golfers hitting longer and longer but with better approaches in their gameplan.
January 17th, 2024 at 11:43 AM ^
Santa really needs to reorganize the athletic department.
If Harbaugh leaves, fire or move Warde elsewhere, and hire Heather Lyke and let her cook.
January 17th, 2024 at 12:54 PM ^
Warde has nothing to do with whether Harbuagh stays or goes. Nothing. Why is it that people always need to assign blame to someone else ?
January 17th, 2024 at 1:26 PM ^
It seems like currently Warde DOES have something to do with it and thats why Jim is trying to write the 3 member panel arbitration into the contract to make it so Warde doesnt?
January 17th, 2024 at 11:47 AM ^
Seems like every week there’s something. I’ll always love Juwan, but it’s beyond time to move on.
January 17th, 2024 at 11:49 AM ^
Fire Juwan
Free Sanderson
January 17th, 2024 at 11:53 AM ^
You can almost predict the posts on this board and the posters who will join certain lynch pinning.
January 17th, 2024 at 12:07 PM ^
Also the sunshine blowers that defend Messiah Juwan despite the off and on court debacle that the basketball program has become
January 17th, 2024 at 12:11 PM ^
If you use the word,"Messiah" you would or should at least know the Crucifix actually happened.
January 17th, 2024 at 12:29 PM ^
Fire Juwan.
Keep Sanderson.
This isn't complicated.
January 17th, 2024 at 10:12 PM ^
did it?
January 17th, 2024 at 11:54 AM ^
Team is working out to Brooke Burke VHS tapes