Fab Five Movie Open Thread
Seems like an odd time to talk about the past when there's finally so much in the present to talk about, but we're under an hour away from the movie premiere on ESPN. If anyone has any thoughts on their Fab Five experience, to get us warmed up for the movie, let's hear them. And then we can pop the popcorn, and cozy up for the broadcast, which should be interesting, if nothing else. Like I said somewhere else here, it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.... And it's time to relive them, or experience them for the first time.
It's tough to dismiss Ed Martin as some meddling outsider who was just throwing money at Detroit kids, some of which ended up at the University when you bring Bullock into the equation. The fact that Louis was getting money from Martin illustrates how close he had gotten to the program near the end of the Fisher's tenure.
Ed Martin was probably just an ancillary figure at the time of the Fab Five, but I think Webber opened the door for him to get closer to the program and set the stage for more egregious offenses to come.
March 14th, 2011 at 11:07 AM ^
Ed Martin was a cancer, that grew and metastisized. The Fab Five was not the beginning or the end of the Ed Martin debacle. And Bullock is proof.
There's no excusing Fisher or even Frieder. There's no way to say that Michigan was innocent. But this is clearly a case of one outsider coming in and taking advantage of a situation at Michigan. Not a case of a filthy Athletic Director, Athleitc Department, or coaching staff. We got hammered. We deserved to get hammered. It's just good, for every devoted Michigan fan, to understand what this story did, and did not, involve. Steve Fisher didn't cheat. Steve Fisher is guilty of not having known about other people in and near the program cheating.
We had about 30 or 35 scholarship basketball players in the "Ed Martin Era." (Not that the guy deserves an "era.") All but a handful were clean. If Jalen Rose was 'dirty' as a result of Ed Martin, he was about as dirty as Terelle Pryor is now.
Chris Webber, Louis Bullock, Robert Traylor, Maurice Taylor. Those kids were bad, and they were bad before they got to Michigan and apart from Michigan.
March 13th, 2011 at 10:52 PM ^
to the rescue.
March 13th, 2011 at 10:52 PM ^
Ray Jackson has a great point.
March 13th, 2011 at 10:54 PM ^
I totally agree with Albom that the claims of $100k plus money being given to Webber had to have been after he went pro. I once made $400/week when I was in school, and I played it up, so I'm fairly certain Webber would have been a little worse than me.
March 13th, 2011 at 10:55 PM ^
He just depended on it too much and didn't develop the skills enough.
March 13th, 2011 at 10:55 PM ^
March 13th, 2011 at 10:55 PM ^
Howard comes across amazing in this film, so classy. King and RayRay as well. Jalen comes across as the mastro, which is his. CWebb... come back home brother.
March 13th, 2011 at 11:16 PM ^
They didn't take Ed Martin money. It was Webber; and later Bullock and Traylor.
March 13th, 2011 at 10:55 PM ^
I really am not sure what to think of Steve Fisher right now...
March 13th, 2011 at 11:21 PM ^
i have zero respect for the guy. he turned a blind eye to obvious "goings on". maybe he didn't know about webber, but rumors were swirling about later players. and he allowed that atmosphere to fester.
March 13th, 2011 at 11:57 PM ^
And worse yet, he brought in Perry Watson as an assistant. Southwestern was the epicenter of dirty payments/favors/deals for PSL players.
I swear an oath; the day that happened, I said to my friends, "Ugh, this is not right."
March 14th, 2011 at 10:23 AM ^
for the dirty dealings that were going on before he arrived. Plus Ed Martin was a gym rat at St. Cecilia, which was the place to play if you had skills in Detroit. Pro players would come back there in the summers. Kids at other high schools were getting money from him. He had nothing to do with Traylor or Bullock, so stop looking there for some blame.
March 14th, 2011 at 12:06 AM ^
March 13th, 2011 at 10:56 PM ^
Oh my. What a great film! ESPN did not disappoint.
March 13th, 2011 at 10:56 PM ^
this was fantastic.
March 13th, 2011 at 10:58 PM ^
When will it re air? Got fired from work today so went drinking and forgot about it.
<br>
<br>Thanks in advance
March 13th, 2011 at 10:59 PM ^
March 13th, 2011 at 11:00 PM ^
ESPN2.
March 13th, 2011 at 11:01 PM ^
Sorry for the job loss
March 13th, 2011 at 11:04 PM ^
ESPN2 right now.
March 13th, 2011 at 11:04 PM ^
Thanks guys, appreciate it. Recording it now to watch when I'm in a better state of mind and not worrying how I am going to meet my rent payments and buy groceries.
March 13th, 2011 at 11:28 PM ^
In the ups and downs of life, you were a witness to something special.
Keep the faith.
March 13th, 2011 at 10:58 PM ^
What a great film. Amazing look at the Fab Five
March 13th, 2011 at 10:58 PM ^
After college. So in Chicago we'd run into all sorts of other Big Ten fans. Anyone would make fun of them never winning anything, and he'd just say "I wouldn't trade my basketball experiences during my college years...would you trade your college teams for the Fab Five?" The answer is always "yes".
March 13th, 2011 at 11:00 PM ^
I loved the Fab 5 before due to their play on the court. This documentary made me admire them for more than just that. The closeness of that brotherhood is amazing.
To the "alumni" who wrote those racist letters, you should be completely ashamed of yourself and I hope you have no association with UM anymore.
I look forward to the day they are ALL welcomed back and the banners are raised. C-Webb: PLEASE come home. I sincerely hope C-Webb makes some effort on his part as well as Brandon and the Athletic Dept. I will be in Crisler in 2013 cheering as loud as I can.
Go Blue...past, present, and future.
March 13th, 2011 at 11:16 PM ^
isn't an NCAA violation
<br>Maybe if we can look beyond that heinous shit, we can also forgive the Fab5 their transgressions? Eh, pale alumni?
March 13th, 2011 at 11:58 PM ^
See my earlier post.
March 14th, 2011 at 12:53 AM ^
But there was a reaction to the "hip-hop" aspect of the Fab5 on behalf of fans and alumni, and part of that was about race
<br>And in the absence of more information, I'd have to take Fisher's word on the letters
I think there was much, much more fanbase "objection" (!?) to the dreads from Florida playing football under Rich Rodriguez, than to the Fab Five who were led by two Detroit kids. And I say that as someone who was at most of the Fab Five's home games, and most of the football games coached by Rodriguez. So you be the judge how much "race" consideration there was.
March 14th, 2011 at 10:31 AM ^
...of overall alumni satisfaction, but maybe student approval. We hear a lot about "Walmart Wolverines" and these may be the bulk of people behind the letters. But I do remember the letters at the time and there were lots of them. It's fair to believe that there were others who had a similar opinion and did not write anything.
You can't judge overall alumni satisfaction between an arena with 9,000 folks, some of whom are alumni, and a stadium of over 100,000 with at ginormous amount of alumni.
And to that point about people having issues with the dreads: It's entirely possible that most, if not all, of those people had an issue with the Fab Five.
March 13th, 2011 at 11:37 PM ^
It will be a great day when Chris Webber decides to come clean and apologize for his transgressions and the whole university can move on and celebrate the Fab Five's accomplishments.
March 13th, 2011 at 10:59 PM ^
Anyone else tempted to try to go take a look at those banners in the Bentley Historical Library now?
March 13th, 2011 at 11:08 PM ^
Yes. Was just wondering if you can waltz into the archives.
March 13th, 2011 at 11:17 PM ^
Unfortunately you can't waltz right in and pull stuff off the shelf. You have to sign in, show ID, then wait at a table while the librarians (media specialists, not sure what the call themselves) go find what you want and bring it to you. They have some pretty cool stuff there if you want to check it out.
March 13th, 2011 at 11:11 PM ^
If there's a way to get down there, I'd absolutely LOVE to go. Hell, I'd go tomorrow, first thing in the morning. But it's probably impossible to get there.
March 13th, 2011 at 11:11 PM ^
absolutely want to.....the last part gave me goosebumps
March 13th, 2011 at 11:19 PM ^
had a tour for a class once, theres some amazing stuff in there.
March 13th, 2011 at 10:59 PM ^
Absolutely blown away.
March 13th, 2011 at 11:01 PM ^
Accidental double post, but I'm really tempted to go buy some Jalen Rose stuff now. The guy is legend.
March 13th, 2011 at 10:59 PM ^
The best '30 for 30' hands down
March 13th, 2011 at 11:00 PM ^
Wow. I thought it would make the Michigan family look bad. How wrong. This was excellent. Okay now they are showing it was produced by 4 of the fab five. Hmmmm.
March 13th, 2011 at 10:59 PM ^
Fantastic.. all in all one of the best ESPN documentaries I've seen. Really really well done.
March 13th, 2011 at 10:59 PM ^
so that was kinda of a sad movie and maybe a few tears went down my face that was great movie
March 13th, 2011 at 11:02 PM ^
But feel very melancholy now...
March 13th, 2011 at 11:00 PM ^
Great film. One of the best ESPN's done.
March 13th, 2011 at 11:00 PM ^
Well. DVD anyone?
March 13th, 2011 at 11:02 PM ^
I think it's available digitally off Amazon.com or Itunes, they said right after the movie. Don't know about DVD.
March 13th, 2011 at 11:03 PM ^
This movie is going to
A) Get our team JACKED UP for the tournament this week
B) Probably do some help in recruiting
Case in point: