Drew Sharp has something positive to say?
Drew Sharp wrote a column today stating that John Beilein was the right guy for Michigan to have hired. It includes very little negativity (aside from one unnecessary comment on Rich Rod).
I'm confused and my head hurts.
http://freep.com/article/20091014/COL08/910140320/1319/U-M-s-Beilein-ha…
October 14th, 2009 at 11:06 AM ^
That's probably mostly because no one has anything bad to say about Beilein. By all accounts he's a pheonmenal person and a phenomenal coach.
October 14th, 2009 at 11:28 AM ^
14% on fairly good service at a Cracker Barrel in Elkhart, IN last month, I heard. His "kind" won't be welcomed back in RV-land, word has it ...
Yeah, I got to beleive that John Belein is probably one of the most likeable and refreshing coaches in major sports out there right now. Nothing against Tommy A (good guy), but in that Beilein is building what looks to be a consistently competitive program with players that the fan base can be proud of is "ab fab."
Keep it going, JB!
October 14th, 2009 at 12:55 PM ^
The people in RV land were angry because his 14% gratuity was seen as "show-boating" in order to make others feel bad about their customary 7.8% tip. I kinda see their point... he's a douche.
October 14th, 2009 at 1:09 PM ^
If only he had pulled a Larry David and split the tip.
October 14th, 2009 at 5:16 PM ^
it's like "continuation" in the NBA ... And (+1)
October 14th, 2009 at 1:07 PM ^
Actually, I'd say he's a tremendous person and a tremendous coach.
October 14th, 2009 at 2:10 PM ^
Wouldn't it be more like Sharp to impeach a man of impeccable character?
Or, do his hit pieces require a faint speck of truth before turning into a giant shitball rolling downhill?
October 14th, 2009 at 11:11 AM ^
Honestly, there is plenty of good sports writing out there. I don't find it in the Freep, so I don't bother looking.
October 14th, 2009 at 11:20 AM ^
There are rules people - mayhem ensues if nobody abides by the rules!!
October 14th, 2009 at 11:46 AM ^
Nam."
October 14th, 2009 at 1:08 PM ^
"You want a finger? I can get you a finger."
October 14th, 2009 at 12:00 PM ^
I've thought highly of Beilein since his hiring, but he did something last month to impress me even more.
I took my 10 & 13 year old sons to the launch event for David Merritt's clothing business. Beilein was there with several players. My younger son asked a couple of players for autographs, and they declined because of "NCAA regulations." He approached Beilein, who very graciously signed his shirt and explained that the players could not sign because, in the NCAA's view, their signing might create the appearance that they were endorsing and promoting Merritt's product. He asked my son for his name, and then he shook my older son's hand, asking his name as well.
We hung around a little longer and then walked towards the exit. On the way, we passed Beilein as he was talking to a group of his players, including McLimans, Douglass, Vogrich, and a couple of others. When he saw my sons pass, he stopped them and said, "wait a minute guys. I want to introduce you to some of the players." He remembered their names and introduced them around as though they were his friends.
I know that made my sons' day, and, for that reason alone it meant a lot to me. In addition, there was no particular reason for Beilein to reach out to two kids like that, except that he's considerate and thoughtful and generous with his time and attention.
October 14th, 2009 at 1:14 PM ^
I too had a very good JB experience...
It was prob a month after the season ended his first year coaching here (2008), two of my friends and I were just having a few drinks at the Brown Jug and we saw Beilein at the bar. My friend thought it would be funny/cool to send him a beer, so we did. When the waitress gave him the drink and pointed to us as the ones who had bought it for him, he quickly turned around and gave us a smile and a wave.
We thought cool he got it and that'd be it, but about 10 min later, he brought his drink over and we expressed how big of a fans we were. He was so excited to meet us that he asked to sit with us for a few min (of course we said yes!), and the entire time he just talked to us like friends and we would not stop apologizing to us on how badly the team performed that year. He then promised us that the team was getting better and that we would see much better results very soon!
After about 15 min, he finally excused himself to go back to his friends at the bar. We were all so ecstatic that he would do such a thing. Later when he left, sure enough, he made sure to come by to say goodbye and thanks again! For that, I will follow and be a great Beilein fan forever!
October 14th, 2009 at 1:37 PM ^
Works. Nice to have a class guy like that on our side.
October 14th, 2009 at 12:08 PM ^
...is trying to get back some of the readers, like me, who are boycotting their product. If so, it must have been particularly galling to a professional malcontent like Sharp to be assigned a positive article on UM.
October 14th, 2009 at 12:18 PM ^
Isn't there a house rule prohibiting Freep links? And especially to anything penned by Drew Sharp? If there's one thing the people here and the RCMB can agree on, it's that we shouldn't be giving that imbecile our business.
I'd prefer we avoid even discussing the Freep, but, if you must, can't you take the time to summarize the content in greater detail rather than link to it?
October 14th, 2009 at 12:56 PM ^
I debated including only the "print only" link, but decided against it due to the content of the article. My thinking is that when Sharp actually writes something positive, it's best if as many people as possible read it. If articles like this one actually draw a lot of readers, it's conceivable that Sharp will decide he doesn't have to do his constant negativity schtick in order to attract readers.
It's positive reinforcement. It's like giving your dog a treat when he properly asks to be let out of the house to go to the bathroom.
October 15th, 2009 at 4:13 PM ^
I see your point, but you said there was also an irrelevant and unfair dig at Rodriguez, so it's not like he turned over a new leaf. Plus, are we really to reward the Freep and Sharp for saying something non-negative about Beilein? That's all we ask of them at this point? If Beilein is so stand-up and so successful that he's impervious to even Sharp's standard, half-baked, ham-fisted, poorly articulated trolling, let's reward the athletics department by selling out Crisler or clicking some of the ads at Mgoblue.com. Visiting the Freep will simply reinforce their editorial strategy of mixing 100 parts of comically overwrought negativity with the occasional token scrap of fair or positive insight.
Someone on their digital marketing team is scrutinizing their Web analytics data right now and cackling with knowing glee at several thousand visitors that came from your link at Mgoblog.
October 14th, 2009 at 12:56 PM ^
If you're truly boycotting the paper, (1) don't visit the site (maybe someone forwarded you the link?), and (2) don't post links on a popular and frequently visited Michigan site. Don't mean to sound pissy, just a suggestion.
October 14th, 2009 at 1:07 PM ^
I think you're confusing "The Tater" who posted the link, with "Tater" and his boycott.
October 14th, 2009 at 12:56 PM ^
I've met and talked to John Beilien twice.........he's very personable. Last spring I talked to him at a HS game in Lansing and the last words he said was see you next fall at tailgateing.
I believe if I showed up he'd welcome me with open arms and probably offer me a beer and brat.
He is tremendously enthusiastic about coaching at Michigan and is excited to be building the program.
In short.....I love the guy. He's brought me back to watching and careing about Michigan hoops again.
October 14th, 2009 at 1:05 PM ^
"Very little negativity (aside from one unnecessary comment on Rich Rod)".
Saying it remains to be seen if Rich Rod is the right guy for the job is negative? I would say that is TRUE. I want him to succeed and I believe he will but let's not act as if there aren't plenty of doubters out there.
October 14th, 2009 at 1:30 PM ^
He'll be the right guy for the job, as long as we give him time to turn things around. LC's last recruiting classes have screwed our D over. It's not RR's fault that we have zero depth and some of our starters shouldn't be starting on any Big Ten teams.
October 14th, 2009 at 4:04 PM ^
You're right, I agree with you. The point is, it is okay to say we don't know yet if he is the right guy. I don't like Drew Sharpe and usually I disagree with him. Hell, I wouldn't even know about this article he wrote if not for this site. But he gets blasted a lot for saying things about RR and U of M, that are negative, and rightfully so. I just don't think what he wrote this time, was negative.
He also got blasted and laughed at for his showing on Bill O'Riely's show but it looks like the show editors left some stuff on the cutting room floor that would have made Drew look a little less like a jackass. If that is at all possible.
October 15th, 2009 at 4:25 PM ^
When was that? That had to be hilarious! Youtube link??
Edit: I found it...pretty funny
October 14th, 2009 at 8:13 PM ^
I'm extra mad at him for being on the radio during the Stoney and Wojo Memorial Drive Time Slot. This guy brags that he doesn't like sports, on his sports radio show. He's the reason I have to listen to Mike Valenti when I forget my iPod. You don't have to use journalistic integrity with a jackass who does these things.