Do We All Need To Relax About NJIT Game?
1988-1989 Michigan lost to a D2 school in December, 3 months later they beat Seton Hall to win the National Championship.... http://articles.latimes.com/1988-12-29/sports/sp-1476_1_alaska-anchorage
December 6th, 2014 at 2:55 PM ^
All right! National title here we come! The real question is, does this loss show that our team is worse than we thought? Because I mean, we're gonna go to the tournament. So if our team is good, then having a loss here and there won't ultimately be a huge deal, and we'll prove our mettle when the time comes. But our team NOT being good ... would be a problem.
December 6th, 2014 at 3:39 PM ^
It shows we have a lot of work to do, and that our "big wins" so far are not really that big.
If there is a silver lining, and I'm reaching here, it's that nobody gets more out of a loss than john Beilein. If you recall, the last two years during our NC game and Elite Eight runs, we looked bad in December. That's kind of our thing.
December 6th, 2014 at 3:46 PM ^
No, we looked bad in Febuary during the NC run. We started 21-1
December 6th, 2014 at 2:49 PM ^
December 6th, 2014 at 2:51 PM ^
I blame Dave Brandon
December 6th, 2014 at 2:53 PM ^
December 6th, 2014 at 3:20 PM ^
Basketball has more "upsets" than other sports because of having to put the ball in the basket. An inferior team can get hot while the superior team is cold. It happens a lot. I am not going to overreact to this loss. This team probably played "too well" against teams like Oregon and Syracuse, making it look like they were further along than they really were.
It's all good. They will be great in time for the second half of the Big Ten and the NCAA Tournament.
December 6th, 2014 at 2:49 PM ^
December 6th, 2014 at 2:50 PM ^
December 6th, 2014 at 3:21 PM ^
December 6th, 2014 at 2:52 PM ^
What is this? Feelings by committee? Anyone can be as relaxed or as worked up as they so choose. There isn't a "we" here.
December 6th, 2014 at 4:31 PM ^
You need to relax.
December 6th, 2014 at 6:44 PM ^
December 6th, 2014 at 2:52 PM ^
December 6th, 2014 at 2:52 PM ^
The logical side of me says, "Hey, they're young, I think Beilein has more than earned the benefit of the doubt, and a game like this one can happen to just about anyone once in a while," but the other side just wants to say, "But I mean DAMN, how the hell do you come out like that???," and wonder if this team has problems that go beyond youth.
December 6th, 2014 at 3:17 PM ^
that's just stupid.
Sorry, but that's very dumb.
This is a very unified team.
Stop infecting the world of Michigan Athletics with your weakness that comes from the morass of fucked-uppedness in that other sport.
December 6th, 2014 at 3:21 PM ^
OK. It's stupid and dumb to wonder things. This team is going to win the National Championship. Got it.
December 6th, 2014 at 3:25 PM ^
on a very unified team.
What kind of logic are you presenting? Because some thoughts are good, all thoughts are good?
Sorry, no.
Unless you mean we have size issues or a Derrick Walton toe issue. Both of which we have, particularly with DJ out and not advancing in his development. Otherwise, this is just a blip. An annoying blip, but a blip.
December 6th, 2014 at 3:32 PM ^
Fucking hell. A personnel problem where someone just doesn't fit the scheme as anticipated. Or someone with a confidence issue or a major problem with a particular fundamental. Any of the numerous things I might not know due to merely being an observer and not in the fucking locker room. But you're right, I'm way out of line here simply asking questions.
December 6th, 2014 at 3:37 PM ^
No, you're out of line with your instant negativaty because we lost a game to an inferior opponent. Last year we dropped a game early in the season to Charlotte and ended up going to the Elite Eight. Have confidence that we will be rolling by B1G season and into March. Beilein hasn't let us down yet, no need to assume he will now.
December 6th, 2014 at 3:46 PM ^
Please re-read the initial post. I said what the "logical side" thought, then I said the other side, by which I meant "emotional, knee-jerk", couldn't help but wonder if there weren't other problems. I didn't try to present anything as established fact, I didn't post anything flaming or trolling, and I sure as shit didn't deserve to be called "stupid" or "dumb". I said I wondered something. In the wake of what is, yeah, a pretty horrible loss, preceded by other iffy shooting nights thus far this year. I think it's pretty mild compared to the full-on panic some were exhibiting on the game thread. Get a grip.
December 6th, 2014 at 4:06 PM ^
there's no one who doesn't "fit the scheme as anticipated" and this staff is as good as any I've ever seen at instilling confidence in the players.
There are young players still working on fundamentals, and there are fundamental limitations based on lack of size, unless DJ gets healthy and makes a big positive move.
There is a team that is not going to be as good as last year's team as, you know, Nik, Mitch, and Glenn are gone.
There are realities and then concerns that just aren't there.
December 6th, 2014 at 4:16 PM ^
OK, fine. I'm sorry I questioned anything. I thought it was relatively reasonable considering there are people running around here comparing this to Appalachian State, but it seems I am mistaken. Carry on.
December 6th, 2014 at 4:28 PM ^
for calling you dumb.
I initially thought you were saying there were some sort of internal problems, which, there just aren't.
I don't agree with your concerns about fit or confidence - although I also have no idea how good or not good this team will be.
Hey, I just want to make the tournament this year and go from there.
I just think there are real concerns and then decidedly less realistic concerns.
December 6th, 2014 at 4:47 PM ^
I certainly don't worry that there are internal issues. Not from everything I've always heard about the way Beilein runs this team. My confidence question was spurred by Chatman's shooting, and my personnel concern was more of a hypothetical about Donnal's fit. Make no mistake, I definitely don't see this loss as a season killer or some sign that this team isn't good enough to compete at the top of the B1G. And I have every confidence that any problems that can't be fixed with experience can be fixed by Beilein, I just hope the road there isn't going to be too severely bumpy.
December 6th, 2014 at 4:52 PM ^
is just not a very good shooter right now - that's a work in progress.
Donnal is a perfectly good fit - he's just weak.
If he can keep progressing in that area, he'll be fine.
This year, it's a concern.
He has a really nice shooting motion, good vision, good passer, and good length. I think his game is a great fit. He's just young and still not strong enough.
December 6th, 2014 at 2:52 PM ^
I'm not worried about it, we will be okay.
December 6th, 2014 at 2:54 PM ^
December 6th, 2014 at 2:54 PM ^
we lost to an amaker-coached harvard team in 2007 and finished 11-22. oh snap.
a bad loss doesn't matter much, but NJIT? that's just more laughingstock material at a time we really don't need it.
December 6th, 2014 at 2:56 PM ^
You're trolling if you think we're finishing 11-22. Did you watch any other game besides today?
December 6th, 2014 at 3:27 PM ^
it was an obvious joke.
December 6th, 2014 at 2:54 PM ^
December 6th, 2014 at 2:56 PM ^
December 6th, 2014 at 2:57 PM ^
No, we don't need to relax. It was a shit game played with mediocre effort and now we are once again all over the sports news for the wrong reasons.
December 6th, 2014 at 3:31 PM ^
December 6th, 2014 at 2:57 PM ^
Beilein is the best coach we have ever had for basketball. At least that I can remember. I trust him and the rest of our coaches. But there are certainly multiple reason to be concerned. We were exposed today. Hope John and the guys are able to patch up some of the holes we showed today.
December 6th, 2014 at 2:58 PM ^
December 6th, 2014 at 3:32 PM ^
December 6th, 2014 at 2:58 PM ^
I only watched some of the game, but from what I saw NJIT simply played off their skulls. . .In the second half, we were contesting 3 point shots and still going in. If they're going to hit 65% from 3 all you can do is tip your cap and move on. . .
December 6th, 2014 at 3:05 PM ^
Yes, they shot well, but we gave up 45 second-half points to NJIT. That's awful any way you slice it.
December 6th, 2014 at 3:33 PM ^
and some were difficult contested shots. Problem was far too many were wide open looks from deep or enourmous lanes opening up that allowed them to get to the basket for easy duece or foul. I stopped counting how many times we were getting beat down the floor. This was a lot about effort and intensity, it seemed to me.
December 6th, 2014 at 2:59 PM ^
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December 6th, 2014 at 2:59 PM ^
December 6th, 2014 at 2:59 PM ^
December 6th, 2014 at 2:59 PM ^
I mean if we can mostly stay in front defensively of Villanova, Syracuse, and Oregon we shouldn't panic that we couldn't stay in front of NJIT. And we know Zak Irvin can shoot so an anomalous performance there shouldn't cause panic.
It's a very bad loss, but probably not a sign of imminent decay and suffering like, say, Appalachian State.
December 6th, 2014 at 3:20 PM ^
there is pretty much no such thing as an Appy State.
I'm always concerned until a team has checked off the necessary win, but as much as this sucks, it's much more embarrassing than humiliating. Big difference.
December 6th, 2014 at 3:00 PM ^
R-E-L-A-X....Relax
Still a shitty game though. They'll be fine come March, that's all that matters. Irvin needs to expand his game though when he's 1-8 from 3. Needs to get to the basket more.
December 6th, 2014 at 3:00 PM ^
Young team coming off a big win. Lesson learned today.
December 6th, 2014 at 3:00 PM ^
this is why i hate these games if u lose the sky falls and if u win by 60 everyone talks about how meaningless of a game it was