MGoShoe

The Alumni Association and the Athletic Department have announced the details of the 2012 Coaches Tour of local alumni clubs and Horace Greeley would approve if he were able. This year, the coaches and Dave Brandon will visit Chicago, Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego.

Dave Brandon and John Beilein are scheduled to attend each event. Brady Hoke is scheduled to attend each event except for San Diego. Red Berenson is scheduled for Chicago only. John Paul (Men's Lacrosse) and Jennifer Ulehla (Women's Lacrosse) are scheduled to attend Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego. Chaka Daly (Men's Soccer) is scheduled to attend Phoenix, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

U of M Club of Chicago 2012 Sports-O-Rama
Monday, May 14, 6 p.m., Grand Ballroom of the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile, 540 N. Michigan Ave.

Click here to register for Chicago

The Chicago event will feature:

• Athletic Director Dave Brandon
• Alumni Association President Steve Grafton
• Head football coach Brady Hoke
• Head basketball coach John Beilein
• Head ice hockey coach Red Berenson
• Alumni Association members: $35.
• Nonmembers: $55
• Limit of two tickets per member. Additional tickets may be purchased at the nonmember price.

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U of M Club of Phoenix 2012 Coaches Tour
Monday, May 21, noon, The Chart House, 7255 McCormack Parkway, Scottsdale

Click here to register for Phoenix

The Phoenix event will feature:

• Athletic Director Dave Brandon
• Head football coach Brady Hoke
• Head basketball coach John Beilein
• Head men’s lacrosse coach John Paul
• Head women’s lacrosse coach Jennifer Ulehla
• Head men’s soccer coach Chaka Daly 
• Alumni Association members: $40
• Nonmembers: $55
• Child 13 and under: $35

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U of M Club of San Francisco 2012 Coaches Tour
Tuesday, May 22, noon, Mission Bay Conference Center at UCSF, 1675 Owens St., San Francisco

Click here to register for San Francisco

The San Francisco event will feature:

• Athletic Director Dave Brandon
• Head football coach Brady Hoke
• Head basketball coach John Beilein
• Head men’s lacrosse coach John Paul
• Head women’s lacrosse coach Jennifer Ulehla
• Head men’s soccer coach Chaka Daly 
• Alumni Association members: $45
• Nonmembers: $60

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U of M Club of Los Angeles 2012 Coaches Tour
Wednesday, May 23, noon, The Conference Center at Cathedral Plaza, Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, 555 West Temple Street, Los Angeles

Contact um.coach.tour@hotmail.com to register.

The Los Angeles event will feature:

• Athletic Director Dave Brandon
• Head football coach Brady Hoke
• Head basketball coach John Beilein
• Head men’s lacrosse coach John Paul
• Head women’s lacrosse coach Jennifer Ulehla
• Head men’s soccer coach Chaka Daly 
• Sponsor table of ten: $1,500
• VIP table of ten: $1,200
• VIP single: $100
• Alumni Association members: $55
• Nonmembers: $75

Parking: Park in the Cathedral Plaza structure and take the elevator to the second floor. When you exit the elevator, you will see the registration area right in front of you. Bring your parking pass into Convention Center with you — validation will be given at check-in. VIP and sponsors will receive free parking at check in only – all others and after event ends will be validated for $10 parking.

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U of M Club of San Diego 2012 Coaches Tour
Friday, May 25, noon, Crosby Golf Club, 17102 Bing Crosby Blvd., Rancho Santa Fe, California

 Click here to register for San Diego

The San Diego event will feature:

• Athletic Director Dave Brandon
• Head basketball coach John Beilein
• Head men’s lacrosse coach John Paul
• Head women’s lacrosse coach Jennifer Ulehla 
• $30 for Alumni Association members
• $45 for nonmembers
• $400 to purchase a table with reserved seating close to the head table with the coaches (10 person table)

If you live in one of these cities, here's your chance to meet and greet with the AD and the coaches. If you are active in one of these clubs, please feel free to add in additional information about what is planned in the comments. For instance, when the UMDC Club hosts these events, it typically includes an auction of coach signed Michigan sports memorabilia to raise funds for the club's scholarship fund.

Ed-M: Bumped

Perhaps you, like I have wondered which Michigan sports teams have been the most successful over the past couple of decades. We all remember the national championships (well most of them anyhow), but does that success translate to the sort of consistent success needed to be considered the Champions of the Champions of the West?

Starting in the 1993-94 academic year, the National Association of College Directors of Athletics (NACDA) began its Directors' Cup program. Using Directors' Cup points data, I quantified the performance over the past 18 years for each of Michigan's 27 varsity sports.

The first table shows teams ordered by average NACDA points earned since academic year 1993-94.

Notes:

1. The numerator in average points is the total Directors' Cup points accumulated by a given sport.
2. Since NACDA caps the number of mens and womens sports a school can use toward the cup at 10 per each year, there are some years where Michigan teams placed high enough to earn points but no points were awarded. In such cases, I credited those teams with the same number of points awarded to other schools with identical place finishes.
3. The denominator in average points is equal to the number of years in which MIchigan competed in the given sport. For most, that's 18 years. For some, it's fewer (e.g., Men's Soccer, 11 years).
4. In 1997-98, the maximum points awarded for a championship was increased from 64 to 100. I did not adjust up scores from the earlier era because NACDA's formulas are based on the number of schools participating in NCAA regional and finals championships and those numbers have changed for numerous sports over the years. As such, I decided it was better to keep the points awarded consistent with NACDA data.
5. In 1997-98 NACDA awarded Michigan 2nd place points for (then) I-A Football. I adjusted that to 1st place points and awarded them 100 vice 80 points.

With all that in mind, here are the results in tabular form:

Women's Gymnastics, Men's Swimming, Men's Wrestling, and Men's Ice Hockey lead the pack.

Chart? Chart.

In addition to the average points metric, I looked at performance year-to-year. Here are a few examples of top performing programs and one that has had some struggles.

Note: The 1995-96 Natl Championship team earned 64 points while the 1997-98 Natl Championship team earned 100 points.

Yes, Football earned NACDA points last season.

Brutal. Just brutal.

(Much more after the jump.)

Lend a Hand Because You Can: Greg Dooley is walking to support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund. Join his team and get your name added to "The MVictors Jug".

You need a new Michigan t-shirt, right? Right? Well, even if you don’t, head over to Moe’s Sport Shop and pick up one or both of these beauties.

Their purchase helps support the Bo Schembechler Heart of a Champion Research Fund.

Preview Time: Maize n Brew continues its look at Michigan’s defense with a breakdown of the secondary. Bottom line:  Restrained optimism, which seems fair. Meanwhile Magnus has another in his ongoing “Getting to Know [Incoming Freshman]” and “2011 Countdown” series with a Chris Rock (YTCR) profile and previews of several players expected to see spot backup and special teams duty including Brandon Moore, Kelvin Grady, J.B . Fitzgerald, and Richard Ash.

Honorifics: With Desmond Howard’s induction to the College Football Hall of Fame, there has been much talk about how best to honor Michigan’s growing number of special players who arguably deserve official recognition of some sort.

Building on Brian’s Ring of Honor idea, Ace Anbender of The Wolverine Blog makes the case for a 12-man Michigan Ring of Honor comprised of Willie Heston, Benny Friedman, Bennie Oosterbaan, Tom Harmon, Francis Wistert, Albert Wistert, Alvin Wistert, Bob Chappuis, Dan Dierdorf, Anthony Carter, Desmond Howard, and Charles Woodson.

The Hoover Street Rag’s Craig Barker gets in on the act with his take: Retire #21 and #2 but give Howard and Woodson the option of allowing these numbers to continue to be used; go with the Ring of Honor and place it in the future south concourse; commission statues of Michigan's legendary coaches (Yost, Crisler, Oosterbaan, Schembechler, and Carr).

Pyramidically Speaking, These Coaches are Screwed:Sunday was a bad day to be one of a number of current or former football coaches who invested in GLC Enterprises at the behest of ex-UGA head coach Jim Donnan. Using his connections in the coaching fraternity, Donnan attracted investments from several high-profile figures including Barry Switzer, Frank Beamer, Dennis Franchione, and Tommy Tuberville. The problem according to the documents filed in federal court: GLC was operating a Ponzi scheme, bringing millions of dollars of investments in so that fraudulent returns could be paid to the investors.   

More troubling are the basketball coaches who invested with David Salinas, an investment adviser who was the founder of a prominent Houston-area summer basketball program. The subject of an SEC investigation, Salinas was found dead Sunday, the victim of an apparent suicide.

"A lot of coaches got (expletive)," said one college coach who spoke to CBSSports.com on the condition of anonymity. "It's bad."

Former Arizona coach Lute Olson, Baylor coach Scott Drew, Texas Tech coach Billy Gillispie and former Utah coach and current Gonzaga assistant Ray Giacoletti are among those CBSSports.com has confirmed invested with Salinas. A document obtained late Sunday by CBSSports.com has testimonals from other coaches who invested with Salinas -- specifically Nebraska coach Doc Sadler, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi coach Willis Wilson, former Houston and Nevada coach Pat Foster, former Duquesne coach and current United States Merchant Marine Academy coach Danny Nee and Augustana College coach Grey Giovanine.

"But the list is much longer," a source said. "Lots of coaches had money with him, but they're going to try to deny it and just hope it doesn't come out." The reason some might be concerned about their financial connection to Salinas is because it's unclear how the NCAA would view college coaches investing money with the founder of a summer basketball program that supplied recruits to several universities over the years.

Yeah, that could be a problem.

Devin Gardner Can Recruit:  Women's basketball, that is. Inkster alumnus Gardner's efforts may have been the deciding factor for Inkster 2012 prospect Kelsey Mitchell according to her dad, Ollie Mitchell.

Mitchell, who will be one of the top returning girls basketball players in the state this winter, chose to commit to Michigan after a conversation with her friend Gardner, who played his prep football at Inkster. "She talked with Devin and after he explained to her what Michigan was about, it made her choice a lot easier. We just felt like this was the best choice for her and the family. Michigan is Michigan. She's going to get a great education."

Stu-palooza: MGoBlue.com catches up with our favorite backup/starting 1, backup/starting 2, while Stu gets a 3 part treatement at isportsweb.com. See part 1, part 2and part 3. "The House that Stu and Zach built"? Hyperbole much? Still, there's a nice anecdote about what Coach K said to Stu after the tournament loss, some insight into Stu's seeming difficulty in consistently hitting his spot up threes (see the blockquote) and Stu's takes on many of his teammates and LaVall Jordan:

“It was funny, Coach K, I saw him in the hallway and he stopped me after the Duke game in the tournament and he said, you guys are probably the closest team I’ve seen,” Douglass explained. “He could just tell that from playing against us. As far as college teams go, I think we’re as close as it gets.”

“It’s always perplexed me, it’s tough because with Darius coming off the ball screen a lot of my job was to be in the corner and be ready to shoot. It’s tough for me to kind of sit there and create a shot, create energy out of just sitting there. I was a Reggie Miller fan; he was my favorite player growing up. So I worked on all the time throwing the ball out and faking a cut like somebody was guarding me. Even when I was in second and third grade I’ve always been shooting off the move, that’s all I did in high school, coming off screens. It’s more of a mental thing; thinking about it is the worst thing.”

Get Your Vote On: Vote for your favorite Michigan athletics photos of the year in MGoBlue.com's Year In Photos tournament. There are Blue, Maize, Heroes (available July 20) and Victors (available July 21) brackets to attend to, so get busy.

The MGoBlue.com Summer Sessions series featuring interviews of Michigan's various coaches is well worth your time. Give these a view:

• Head Men's Golf Coach Chris Whitten (July 18)
• Head Women's Golf Coach Cheryl Stacy (July 18)
• Head Rowing Coach Mark Rothstein (July 15)
• Head Women's Swimming Coach Jim Richardson (July 14)
• Head Volleyball Coach Mark Rosen (July 13)
• Head Men's Soccer Coach Steve Burns (July 12)
• Head Women's Cross Country Coach Mike McGuire (July 11)
• Head Men's Cross Country Coach Alex Gibby (July 11)
• Head Women's Soccer Coach Greg Ryan (July 8)
• Head Men's Tennis Coach Bruce Berque (July 7)
• Head Men's Track & Field Coach Fred LaPlante (July 6)
• Head Water Polo Coach Matt Anderson (July 5)
• Head Men's Swimming & Diving Coach Mike Bottom (July 1)

Official MGoBlue.com press release:

July 7, 2011

• ECACLacrosse.com | Coach Paul's Letter to Fans, Supporters

CENTERVILLE, Mass. -- The University of Michigan men's lacrosse team has been approved as a member of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC), as announced jointly today (Thursday, July 7) by the U-M Athletic Department and ECAC. Michigan will become the eighth member of the conference and the first to join the ECAC since four schools made the move in 2010.

The Wolverines will be an affiliate member during the 2012 season and will become a full-fledged member in their second season (2013) in the ECAC. Michigan will play a partial league schedule during its inaugural season of varsity status and a full league slate starting the following season.

"We're very excited about joining the ECAC," said head coach John Paul. "We wanted to find a way to incorporate the best rivalry in college sports into our conference schedule, so the ECAC was in our sights from day one because Ohio State was already a member. Top to bottom, the ECAC provides an opportunity to play an outstanding conference schedule against great programs. We feel like it's a perfect fit."

Michigan will join Big Ten rival, Ohio State, as a member of the league. In addition, the ECAC consists of 2011 NCAA semifinalist Denver, Air Force, Bellarmine, Fairfield, Hobart and Loyola (Md.). Air Force, Bellarmine, Denver and Ohio State joined the ECAC prior to the 2010 season.

"The ECAC lacrosse conference is competitive and balanced and we are thrilled to be accepted for membership," said U-M athletic director Dave Brandon. "We plan to schedule as many of the league schools as possible for the upcoming season while understanding the challenges of scheduling competitions this late in the cycle. We look forward to growing our program and earning the right to compete for championships."

"Michigan will be an exceptional addition to the ECAC Lacrosse League. After having been one of the strongest club teams in the country," said ECAC Commissioner Rudy Keeling. "Michigan is now committed to making its varsity men's lacrosse team one of the best in the nation. The ECAC is excited to welcome the institution as our newest member."

Michigan is working to complete its 2012 schedule. For additional information on the ECAC Lacrosse League, go to ecaclacrosse.com.

Media Contact: David Ablauf (734) 763-4423

Phil Steeeeele has released his preseason All-Big Ten Team.

Michigan is represented by:

Breakdown by team:

Dave Brandon appeared in Midland at an event for sports editors hosted by the Associated Press. In advance of the stories, here is some info on DB's comments from Angelique's Twitter feed:

• Demand for tix to UM-ND night game has been great. Could sell 150,000 [if that was possible].
• The night-game jerseys will be unveiled soon ... at night
• Foundations for new Michigan Stadium scoreboards being installed.
• 9-game Big 10 sked "several years" away
• 375 x-UM players were in night before spring game, said that was "historic".
• RichRod should not get blame for fracture.
• Said of course he wished Darius Morris would have stayed but wished him well.
• Said Hoke talked to him about Stonum suspension and he (Brandon) let Hoke decide on the discipline.

And here's the first article, from A2.com's Sports Director Jim Knight, "Big Ten Hockey Will Result in More Interest, Highter Ticket Sales" (quite the headline).

Brandon, speaking at a Michigan Associated Press Sports Editors meeting, said facing traditional conference foes such as Penn State, Minnesota and Wisconsin will enhance offerings on the Big Ten Network, strengthen the league brand and ultimately create more excitement on the Michigan campus.

“I will sell more seats at Yost Arena knowing that we are going to tee it up against our big competitors in the Big Ten,” Brandon said. “We’ll still have a robust nonconference schedule … but at the end of the day, student-athletes that come to Michigan come to win Big Ten championships.”

Jim Knight with his second story, "Dave Brandon takes no 'glee' in NCAA investigation of Ohio State and Jim Tressel"

“You don’t need anybody, particularly a colleague, poking at you,” Brandon said Tuesday at a Michigan Associated Press Sports Editors meeting. “There were some people out there who did it, and I remember who they are, and I remember what they said. Those people who took great glee in the fact that we got ourselves in that kind of situation -- I’ll never do that.  The folks at Ohio State have their hands full, obviously.” [emphasis added]

 Angelique Chengelis weighs in with her article on the event: "Michigan AD Dave Brandon: Rift was not Rich Rodriguez's fault"

"To point the finger at Rich Rodriguez would just be wrong as it relates to that. You could do a book on all the factions that split off, the camps — the (Jim) Harbaugh camp, the (Les) Miles camp, the (Lloyd) Carr camp, the (Rich) Rodriguez camp, there was just all kinds of splintering. And then, hey, you start losing, and now everything gets jumpstarted in terms of peoples' emotions and frustrations and then it boils, so it was a lot of different factors. It was no one individual or one incident. It was a combination.  It was an unpleasant chapter and hopefully we're writing a new chapter."

"There's no great way to measure (the mending), but there's a lot of good ways to measure it. When we had the spring football game and to have 375 football players come back — that's historic ... and Brady invited them. He said we're going to have a team meeting Friday night for a chance to get reconnected. Guys traveled in from all over the country. It was really remarkable. That was a very encouraging thing to see."

Hoke and his assistant coaches continue to reach out to former players for what Brandon called "socials" in 16 cities around the country. The meetings are informal, void of power-point presentations and there is no agenda.

"It's a chance to connect with the program, talk to the coaches and get a sense to see where the Michigan football program is going. That's an enormous sacrifice of time and effort, (and) that was their idea not mine; that was something they wanted to do. You're seeing a tremendous effort to reach out to the former players to bring the community back together. I couldn't be more pleased. The feedback I'm getting from former players has been enormously positive."

Regarding Notre Dame game throwback jerseys:

Michigan has yet to reveal the jersey design, but Brandon hinted it will happen soon. "We've moved up the schedule a little bit for that." He said they want to wait for the finished product, preferring that to showing sketches of the design. Brandon said the uniforms will be unveiled at night. "So you can see what they look like under the lights. We anticipate we're going to sell a lot of jerseys."

Other items:

Brandon believes it will be "several years" before the Big Ten goes to a nine-game conference schedule. He said several teams are booked through 2015-2016 and it would be "expensive and problematic" to unwind those schedules.

[Regarding "Legends and Leaders"]: "I think whatever they came up with was going to be a problem. The initial feedback generally speaking was negative. Something like this has to serve the test of time. Let's give it a year or two and see if it's working. If it isn't, we can go back and tweak it."

[T]he golf challenge initiated by Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis via Twitter late last month has been set [for] July 25 at Eagle Eye in East Lansing. [Lion Kim will be part of Brandon's U-M team. I like our odds.]