Bid Muppets Comment Count

Brian

That locks up an NCAA bid no one saw coming, and possibly the title for most over-achieving Michigan team in a long, long time (seriously, does anyone know what the last Michigan team like this was?). Muppets:

Because you can't have one without the other.

I think they were in either way but it would have been harrowing on Selection Sunday; now they've probably played themselves out of Dayton. I have no idea how. Does anyone know how that happened?

Comments

Marvin

March 11th, 2011 at 5:03 PM ^

I turned off ESPN 3, left for a meeting with Michigan down nine, and now I return to my office seeing a Michigan victory. GO BLUE!!!!!!!

 

 

PeteM

March 11th, 2011 at 5:18 PM ^

I was really get frustrated with him early on but he certainly was huge at the end.  

I really think that if Morrs, Hardaway and Morgan all play well we have a decent chance tomorrow.

GRFS11

March 11th, 2011 at 5:40 PM ^

I disagree this team is overachieving.  At some point (it is Beilein's fourth year) we have to expect to make the tournament EVERY YEAR.  We have a ton of talent on this team...let's expect more.  We are better than Illinois.  We are better than MSU.  We just are.  Any more wins this year is just bonus, next year Big Ten Champs.  Let's Go!

UMfan21

March 11th, 2011 at 6:58 PM ^

I like the enthusiasm but I have to disagree.  Maybe next year we can start expecting regular tournament appearances, but NO ONE saw it coming this year with the number of freshmen we have.

And, before today it was arguable whether or not we were better than Illinois.  We were underdogs in this game, they beat us in our only meeting, their RPI and SOS was higher...I'd say are pretty evenly matched.

Big Ten champs next year doesn't seem too unrealistic when you look at the players other teams are losing (Leur, Lucas, McCamey, Johnson, etc).  It might be a bit of a talent vacuum in the Big Ten...the perfect place for a suddenly experienced UofM squad to fill the void.  I have already told my MSU friend that UofM is my darkhorse to win it next year.

GRFS11

March 11th, 2011 at 5:41 PM ^

Watching in Charleys this afternoon.  When Stu took one of his many errant 3's in the second half, the whole place groaned at the same time.  Kind of funny.  All is well.

bigmc6000

March 11th, 2011 at 6:28 PM ^

I've been on here a while and when I first started on the site we still did the muppet thing but for the life of me I can't remember why or how it all started - little help?

The Man Down T…

March 11th, 2011 at 7:04 PM ^

It happened because a bunch of young kids molded by an awesome coach looked at a 1-6 record and screamed NO MORE!  WE ARE MICHIGAN!  Guided by their leaders they steeled themselves to wage their battles for the rest of the season.  No matter what the outcome, how joyous or heartbreaking, they dropped what happened and prepared themselves for the next game.

 

So many times they could have packed it in.  After Wisconsin or Illinois.  During several games where they trailed.  But no, they shook it off.  When the bottom was falling out, the coach didn't scream; he guided, he calmed and he drew out their best.

 

It happened because we have a coach that knows how to mold and develop a team, who knows how to deal with adversity and still get his players to shine.  A coach whose players improve from the beginning of the season to the end.  A coach who does his school proud (and should be signed to a lifetime contract now...)

 

It happened because this team has so much heart that just watching them scrap to the end gets the blood pumping and brings the tears of joy to their fans.  Fans who cheered them when they were 1-6 understanding that it was expected to be painful and fruitless.  Fans who are now going crazy over what was accomplished because it wasn't what was expected.

 

That is why it happened.  Go Blue!

Tacopants

March 11th, 2011 at 7:08 PM ^

1 TO in the last 10 minutes

Equal (6) Offensive rebounds as Illinois

Only 1 less rebound total (26 v 25)

Way more FT's, even discounting the 4 game extending ones

Illinois had 50% of their FGAs as 3's, same as Michigan.  Michigan made a much higher %

Lots and lots of woooooooooooooooooooo!

 

 

All of this against a team much taller and experienced than they were.

lunchboxthegoat

March 11th, 2011 at 7:18 PM ^

ima go ahead and take full credit for the win. I was getting home from work and was like "i'll turn on the M game before a little nappy nap." I turn it on and M is down 12 and BOOM they start to make that epic run that sealed the game. i was quite happy.

Y0ST

March 12th, 2011 at 8:17 AM ^

due to work.  when it was over I told my wife, "ther better be Muppets on the site".  Low and behold there were double Muppets.  Nicely done.

Go blue!

 

Roanman

March 11th, 2011 at 9:48 PM ^

The 1973-4 Basketball Team was picked in the preseason to finish eighth in the conference after losing 3 starters from a very disappointing 72-73 team.  That 73 team was so disappointing that at least one kid ran for student government on a dump Orr platform, I voted for him.

They ended up 22-4, tied for the conference championship with Indiana, then beat Indiana in a tiebreaker game at Illinois to get into the NCAA tournament where they took out  a very good Digger Phelps coached  Notre Dame team in a game where Wayman Britt completely demoralized freshman Adrian Dantley while holding him to 2 pts, 16 below his average, it was wonderful.

They started Campy Russel, CJ Kupec both at about 6'7". Wayman Britt and freshman Steve Grote at 6'2" and Joe Johnson at point at supposedly 5'11".  I had played a little against Joe .... maybe with the Fro.

My single favorite Michigan team of all time (any sport) did it with a very, very tough, nasty and mean spirited defense that they ran from, along with a very strange motion offense wherein they would rotate a couple times through until Russell and Kupec our best shooters were on the wings and Grote, Britt  and Johnson were taking turns inside beating the snot out of the other teams 1, 2 and 3s.  If they went to switching, Campy and CJ would post em up.  It was a thing of beauty.

I'll cop to being prejudiced, bit in a lifetime of playing and watching team sports I have never seen better team play and chemistry.

I love that team.

rdlwolverine

March 11th, 2011 at 10:43 PM ^

The home game against Indiana that year was one of the best games I have ever been to.  Indiana was undefeated and poised to become #1 in the polls because of a loss by the previous #1 (I think UNC).  The Hoosiers were up 41-26 at halftime but Michigan sparked by its one-man bench of freshman Lionel Worrell, a playground find in the summer before school started.  (He later transferred to Oral Roberts).  The difference between that team and this year is that Campy was the equivalent of a lottery pick that year (the lottery didn't start ujntil 1985).

I am convinced that Zach Novak is the combination (testtube offspring?) of Wayman Britt and Steve Grote.  An undersized forward like Britt with Grote's style of play.  An All-American linebacker in HS, Grote used to "hand check" opposing guards by jabbing them in the stomach.