Dance doors officially closed
The doors have been officially closed. Can't beat possibly the worst team in the conference who's playing without their top player.
I wish they would bench Sims. Maybe that would light a fire under him. I don't know if I've ever seen such a physically talented player play with less emotion and fire.
December 31st, 2009 at 2:28 PM ^
Eddy Curry
December 31st, 2009 at 2:35 PM ^
But I think Michael Olowokandi and Stromile Swift have him beat...
I'm feeling better about Sims already.
December 31st, 2009 at 2:37 PM ^
STROMILED!!!
Well done. I forgot about Swifty.
December 31st, 2009 at 4:19 PM ^
all those guys got paid. How many 4th year seniors get drafted? If they do, they don't get gauranteed money because they're usually 2nd rounders at best.
December 31st, 2009 at 4:25 PM ^
6 seniors were drafted in the first round last year. 15 in the second round.
December 31st, 2009 at 6:17 PM ^
basically around 20%. Second round is immaterial as they don't have gaurnteed contracts.
December 31st, 2009 at 2:30 PM ^
I wrote off this team long ago...I was not one who thought their shooting would magically improve...what you see is what you get with this team: regression.
I don't know what is more frustrating: watching Sims play soft or watching Anthony Wright in the game at all.
Cut Cronin, Cut Wright, use those scholarships on guys who can shoot better than 30%.
December 31st, 2009 at 2:34 PM ^
I wrote about this in the game blog but Sims absolute lack of effort and desire on the defensive end of the floor in rebounding and defense is the whole problem with this team and its why we are 6 and 6. Today was the worst but it has been horrible all year. Thats the difference between this team this year and last year. Shooting comes and goes, defensive effort does not, that was sickening to watch as a Michigan fan
December 31st, 2009 at 3:00 PM ^
right. yank scholarships. that's the answer to the problem. that'll get top flight recruits wanting to come here. that's the way to treat college athletes.
way to live up to your "UMfan" name, guy.
December 31st, 2009 at 3:58 PM ^
Cronin's schollie will convert to a medical, so he won't count after this year. Ant Wright is a 4th year junior, and I'd venture he's not getting a 5th year. Done and done. No yanking of scholarships required.
Watching Peedi mail it in is infuriating, not to mention watching Manny's bad decision parade.
December 31st, 2009 at 2:33 PM ^
They're done. This really was a must win and Sims and Harris were sleepwalking.
When will it be fun to be a Michigan fan again?
December 31st, 2009 at 2:54 PM ^
UM Indy- we used to BE somebody! Michigan used to matter! Holy cow... I watched the Poinsettia Bowl the other night and thought 'wouldn't it be cool to be in that game.' What happened to us?
December 31st, 2009 at 3:22 PM ^
and setting up a new account today, schmuck.
December 31st, 2009 at 2:36 PM ^
No parking on the dance floor....
December 31st, 2009 at 3:21 PM ^
"Too many dicks on the dancefloor."
Too bad none of them belong to Michigan players...
December 31st, 2009 at 5:04 PM ^
Details, in case the pop-culture reference wasn't clear:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_Uj1u86lrE
It gets good around 1:00.
December 31st, 2009 at 2:38 PM ^
Now what?
A basketball team that is bad and losing their 2 best players, the worst hockey team in a lifetime...when' does softball season start?
September is a looooonnnngggg way off, and not that hopeful.
December 31st, 2009 at 2:56 PM ^
What happened to Michigan sports? Good Lord!!! We fell apart so quickly! And it all started with Michael Hart's famous 'little brother' comment. Wow! Dantonio said it: "Pride commeth before the fall." Our football is absoutely terrible, our basketball team is awash in mediocrity and the hockey team isn't so hot. We are taking a beating! Thank God for the academic games.
December 31st, 2009 at 3:02 PM ^
...before you post.
December 31st, 2009 at 3:57 PM ^
That's not a necessary prerequisite for trolls.
December 31st, 2009 at 4:03 PM ^
I don't know what I'm talking about?? Assuming that's what your post meant- by all means prove me wrong! Show me the success our football, basketball and hockey teams are enjoying now and I'll agree with you.
December 31st, 2009 at 3:33 PM ^
After last basketball season we said "well we are pretty good and only losing 2 walk on players which won't hurt us." Now we are collectively saying "We are lousy and we're losing our two best players which will kill us next year." So maybe we will double secretly be great next year!
December 31st, 2009 at 2:36 PM ^
I just don't understand why this team is so much worse than last years team! If anything, the level of talent we have this year is far superior than last years team. The players just look sloppy and undisciplined. If everyone on the team played their hearts out like Zach Novak, this team would be a top 25 team.
December 31st, 2009 at 3:10 PM ^
leadership and point guard play. merritt and lee didn't fill up the stat sheet but they got everyone focused and set up the offense.
we need to realize that last year was a miracle and be grateful. after sims and harris, our next four best players consisted of two walk ons and two freshmen that were basically unrated recruits.
Beilein is a hard-working, smart coach. He's recruiting well and will absolutely get this turned around. It'll be hard this year and next, but we need to stay patient and keep supporting the team.
December 31st, 2009 at 3:29 PM ^
If anything, this year reminds me of what an unbelievable job Beilein did last year. I still feel extremely fortunate to have him here. And not just because I'm confident that he's going to build a perennially winning program.
December 31st, 2009 at 2:40 PM ^
for as poorly as harris and sims played they're by far our best two players. not to mention our only two guys over 6'4" for next year will be redshirt freshmen and a true freshman. i'll keep rooting and i absolutely have faith beilein will get this thing going but the 2011 season is the soonest we have a shot to be one of the better teams in the big ten.
things that've screwed us: losing udoh, not getting benzing in, cronin being injured. also, i won't name the player but a certain someone with the chance to be a redshirt senior next year absolutely must not be brought back. we need to use that scholarship for a big man in this year's recruiting class.
December 31st, 2009 at 2:45 PM ^
A win against OSU on Sunday and there will be hope again.
Silver lining in all of this is at least Novak and Stu are getting their strokes back. Unfortunately the rest of the team largely didn't show up sans a few nice plays from Morris.
December 31st, 2009 at 2:49 PM ^
Seriously, I'd rather lose with young players who represent the future than experienced players (I'm looking at you Simms and Wright) who cannot and will not ever reach their potential. If this was the NFL, we'd be looking to get the #1 pick. In college, if you aren't winning all a coach can really offer is early playing time, facilities, and potential.
I still believe in JB's system. Running a 3 or 4 out we don't need bigs on offense as much as we need them on defense. Simms is incapable of providing anything other than a spacey and lost look when playing defense.
Burn the redshirts now and put the non-productive players on the bench!
December 31st, 2009 at 2:50 PM ^
As much as I hate to say this, I may have to consider thinking that last year's team overachieved and caught a lot of people by surprise. Today, it was Indiana who looked like the scrappy overachievers that wore maize and blue last year. The team needs bigger guys who can play; the lack of a skilled inside presence is killing them.
The only bright side I can see to what has happened so far is that if Manny doesn't start playing better than he did today, he will have to come back next year to improve his draft status.
I really wish one or two elite big guys would sign with Michigan. Something has to be done to make Michigan a better "destination" for elite recruits.
December 31st, 2009 at 3:03 PM ^
There's no way Manny comes back. We need to start recruiting some talent, period.
December 31st, 2009 at 4:38 PM ^
could kill his NBA draft status. He's already late first round at best. It wouldn't take much to push him into the slippery, might-or-might-not-be-drafted slope of the second round. There will be, at most, 15 Juniors drafted. You really need to be in the top 10 to be sure you're going to get selected. Can Manny say that right now?
December 31st, 2009 at 8:11 PM ^
But good point, actually.
December 31st, 2009 at 2:50 PM ^
the one play that stood out to me was when #12 for indiana missed a layup, then picked up the rebound and scored. in a crowed of 4 U-M players, including deshawn and manny.
December 31st, 2009 at 2:52 PM ^
This really stinks! I know Beilein's still relatively new to the position, but even if you look at major recruiting sights, he's not in on ANY of the country's top talent! That style worked at WVU, because he would bring guys of moderate talent in, coach them into his system, and get some results. It won't work at Michigan and it won't work in the Big Ten! You have to have talent to compete here, or you're just another Northwestern: 10/15 wins a year, maybe an NIT appearance or two, and a big upset every few years. He has stocked this roster with MAC caliber players and they are overmatched. Tom Crean at Indiana will nail a major winner at IU long before Beilein at UM... And DeShawn Sims is clueless. When they started 3-0 and we're stomping lower tier teams, he stated that this team was 'loaded,' had Final Four potential and that 'we know what we're capable of.' He was flying blind, it appears. Reality has a way of intruding on thoughts like that. And if he thinks he's an NBA caliber player, yikes. We'll see him in the D-League with Marcus Taylor.
December 31st, 2009 at 2:56 PM ^
Trey Zeigler and Amir Williams. I have just learned to set my "sites" on next year.
December 31st, 2009 at 2:59 PM ^
I lack the time, energy, or interest after today's game to describe the many, many things wrong with this post. I'll just say that Beilein's recruiting has not been bad at all considering what he inherited.
December 31st, 2009 at 2:59 PM ^
I was a little worried watching the game today that the guy who should be coaching Michigan got hired by Indiana...
If it was good enough for Bo vs. Woody...
December 31st, 2009 at 3:00 PM ^
The Big East, which includes WVU, is a much better basketball conference top to bottom. His system works and has worked at every stop along the way. There's a reason that he won with guys at WVU that haven't gone on to great pro careers...his system works and lesser talent can make it work.
Wow, this is starting to sound like football season again :(
December 31st, 2009 at 3:23 PM ^
He also finished 6th (West), 8th, 7th, 3rd, & 7th in that conference. Other than a small-school-type Cinderella Tourney run and an NIT Championship, it's not big time college success. The facts that they're better now without him, and the hire was Rosenberg and Carty endorsed worry me. But we've got nothing but time.
Edit: Having said that, John has been all the Lloyd-like representative you could want for the University. But talent and utilizing it, and not small school gimmick systems are going to keep him employed. So signing day will tell a lot. Because kids like going to the Tourney. And this team isn't going there.
December 31st, 2009 at 3:37 PM ^
You make some valid points, but I'll take Beilein over Huggins in a heartbeat.
December 31st, 2009 at 8:08 PM ^
I could do without all the cheat Huggins brings.
December 31st, 2009 at 2:55 PM ^
it's obviously infuriating to watch this team, but to call the season over after the first big ten game is a bit much. come on. and while i don't see how they can improve, that doesn't mean it won't happen. this is college sports. weird crap can happen.
December 31st, 2009 at 2:58 PM ^
I won't be bothered to watch too many more of these games.
Its almost offensive to watch the lack of effort out there by everyone not named Novak.
December 31st, 2009 at 3:01 PM ^
that the b-ball team will end up being far more disappointing and frustrating than the football team was.
December 31st, 2009 at 3:13 PM ^
If watching Gossip Girl gets Novak to play with the fire he shows every night, maybe the whole team needs to have viewing sessions.
December 31st, 2009 at 3:13 PM ^
Every human being must find his own way to cope with severe loss, and the only job of a true friend is to facilitate whatever method he chooses”...
If you would fire up that chain-saw please.
December 31st, 2009 at 3:39 PM ^
Former Wolverine DL Alex Ofili is now an Assistant Principal at my old middle school.
Edit: http://www.ypsd.org/schools/eastmiddle/emspdf/2009-10emssports/Coaches%…
December 31st, 2009 at 4:07 PM ^
the court. Sims is a joke maybe that's why he was out there with a smile on his face. This team doesn't have a leader and the coach just isn't putting the fire in these guys. I see this team as a group of guys asking each other did you get yours, I got mine. Just a waste of Michigan Scholarships and an over paid coach is all I've seen out of this team. If you think this assessment is unfair, then ask your parents how much that tuition bill and books cost them so far. These players are given the opportunity to play basketball at one of the best universities in this country and get a great education paid in full. As a Michigan Fan, I'm disappointed by a loss, but a loss without effort is not acceptable at Michigan.
December 31st, 2009 at 5:26 PM ^
The door hasn't been closed and botled but its in the process of being that way. IMO this team has to win 2 out of 3 agaisnt UConn, MSU, and Purdue. With the way this team is playing right now I don't like our odds of that happening.