Anyone else think Brian Gregory could be our basketball Bo?
Yes, I know football season is just around the corner. However, I couldn't help thinking about this as I looked at the box scores from our basketball trip to Europe. We're not going to be that good at basketball...again.
I like Beilein, I really do, but it's pretty apparent that we're not going to make the tournament again and that, unless some freshmen step up big, we're looking at being in the basement of the Big Ten. For the 4th time in 4 years we're probably going to finish 7th or worse in the Big Ten. If Brandon cans JB, am I the only one to see the similarity between Brian Gregory and Bo Schembechler?
Like Bo, Gregory was one of the trusted assistants at our biggest rival. If something happened to Woody while Bo was at Miami, there's no doubt that Bo would have been the guy to replace him. The same goes with Gregory, during the Izzo-to-the-Cavs-or-maybe-not period a few months ago Gregory was the only guy really mentioned that could step in at MSU.
However, just like Woody was never leaving OSU, it's clear that Izzo is going to be staying at MSU for a long time. Gregory understands the MSU-UM rivalry just like Bo understood the OSU-UM one. He's connected to the Midwest, just like Bo, and is in a stepping stone job, just like Bo. I'm proposing that if the season goes the way it looks like it's going to go, that we start a new Ten Year War, only this time it's on the hardwood.
Edit: I understand the European teams we're playing are A. professionals and B. good at basketball. As I mentioned, the box scores got me thinking about basketball a week before football season. It's not why I think he might be gone.
August 25th, 2010 at 3:55 PM ^
Uh, we're 0-0 and the first game is months away
We're writing off the season? Who are you? Brian Cook's dopelganger?
August 25th, 2010 at 3:59 PM ^
...cb2 got together on this one, right? And I agree with you both.
August 25th, 2010 at 4:13 PM ^
Jammie and I are well-established like-minded individuals on this subject.
August 25th, 2010 at 3:57 PM ^
At the last update, we were only down by 8, which is not bad at all against this calibur of a team.
August 25th, 2010 at 4:01 PM ^
I'm not so sure it's clear that "Izzo is staying at MSU for a long time". He only turned down the Cavs job because it was clear that Lebron wasn't staying. It's been long reported that Lebron's people reached out to Izzo to let him know that. Then, suddenly, Izzo is "green for life". Ummm, I doubt it. I'm guess the Lakers are the next rumored destination.
Anyway, as for Beilein's future...We really have elevated our profile even if the results on the court don't show it. We're in on high value recruits in a way that we weren't for the previous years. We already have two top 100 players for '11. The Euro trip isn't a reason for panic. It's a good thing. We have a young team that is getting a chance to play together without the L's counting against us.
August 25th, 2010 at 4:13 PM ^
Wait... I change my mind about Beilein. Fire him! We just lost to a really good pro team by 15!!!
AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
August 25th, 2010 at 4:19 PM ^
Because it was the reason I was thinking about basketball, right? I didn't mention this trip as having and bearing on my thoughts about JB.
August 25th, 2010 at 4:28 PM ^
you were basing your assessment on the Europe trip?
I couldn't help thinking about this as I looked at the box scores from our basketball trip to Europe. We're not going to be that good at basketball...again.
Oh. I guess that's why.
August 25th, 2010 at 4:39 PM ^
long before the Europe trip. It's pretty apparent that the "this" I'm thinking about is the Bo and Gregory thing from the title of the post.
August 25th, 2010 at 5:07 PM ^
I cannot stress to you enough how bad of a coach Brian Gregory is. I have watched him stay in neutral since taking the job at Dayton and feed the inferiority complex their fan base has. To think he can rehab any program is laughable. Plus I am selfish in wanting him to continue to coach that program as long as possible.
August 25th, 2010 at 5:08 PM ^
August 25th, 2010 at 5:17 PM ^
about Beilein, his system, and his potential long-term success in the Big Ten. But you aren't asking them. He has a spanky new five-year contract and several recent high-quality recruits with which to begin to answer the questions. It will be TWO years before Brandon can even BEGIN to assess whether Beilein is succeeding. I loved the style of his WVU teams and am really hoping he will.
August 25th, 2010 at 5:19 PM ^
tant to this conversation. IF Beilein succeeds--and it's hardly a given--then we could have a Wooden-style coach like Red Berenson who keeps M in the conversation for the next 20 years. That's worth waiting a few years to get a fix on.
August 25th, 2010 at 9:46 PM ^
Beilein has at least 2 more years IMO. We are probably going to be somewhere between 14-18 wins in bball this year, probalby no postseason. If Beilein repeats the same effort next season, then I think he starts feeling the heat. I'm not a huge Beilein fan, but I think he gets at least 2 more seasons and deserves as much.
August 25th, 2010 at 6:24 PM ^
I mean, I'm not crazy about giving Beilein the crazy contract extension we did, but I think you're going a little far with this post. I mean, even if we don't win a single game next year (which I certainly hope won't happen and don't think will happen), he'll at least get another year. So even if this post had valid content (which it doesn't), you're about a year too early.
August 26th, 2010 at 1:35 AM ^
This thread is an epic fail. Never ever compare a Spartan or a basketball coach to Bo again.