"Fire this coach!": A Michigan Basketball tradition
Michigan Daily
February 21, 1973-
According to Michigan Athletic Director Don Canham those South End Crisler Arena vocalists who have filled the air with shouts of "Orr must go" and variations on that theme, have done so in vain. Canham indicated to the Daily that Coach John Orr, much maligned for his cage squad's off again-on again performance will be on the bench leading the Wolverines next season.
"Orr will be back next season," Canham intoned. "I could not envision the season without him back."
***
In the past few weeks Orr has been under a good deal of criticism. His squad was expected by many to capture the Big Ten crown. However, the Wolverines have faltered at points during the Big Ten season and presently hold a 6-4 record.
During the defeat filled weeks many students and fans expressed more than mild displeasure with Orr's performance as coach.
The remainder of Johnny Orr's career-
| Season | Record | B1G | Place | Postseason |
| 1973-74 | 22-5 | 12-2 | T-1st | NCAA Elite Eight |
| 1974-75 | 19-8 | 12-6 | 2nd | NCAA Round of 32 |
| 1975-76 | 25-7 | 14-4 | 2nd | NCAA National Runner-Up |
| 1976-77 | 26-4 | 16-2 | 1st | NCAA Sweet Sixteen |
| 1977-78 | 16-11 | 11-7 | T-4th | |
| 1978-79 | 15-12 | 8-12 | 6th | |
| 1979-80 | 17-13 | 8-10 | T-6th | NIT Quarterfinals |
Michigan Daily
January 27, 1989-
Fans fired up to see Frieder flee
Crisler Arena crowds have been telling Bill Frieder to throw his trademark towel in some other town.
These fans, who proudly carry "Fire Frieder" and "We hate Bobby Knight, but at least he can coach" signs, have expanded their vocal chords recently, booing Frieder at every occasion. Monday, the crowd jeered Frieder louder than archnemesis Bob Knight.
Some campus-area apartments now have "Fire Frieder" signs hanging in the windows.
People were losing their minds over a coach having these results recently-
| Season | Record | B1G | Place | Postseason |
| 1984-85 | 26-4 | 16-2 | 1st | NCAA Round of 32 |
| 1985-86 | 28-5 | 14-4 | 1st | NCAA Round of 32 |
| 1986-87 | 20-12 | 10-8 | 5th | NCAA Round of 32 |
| 1987-88 | 26-8 | 13-5 | 2nd | NCAA Sweet Sixteen |
100-29 record the previous 4 years.
I know I wasn't around back then, and sure, the NCAA flameouts stand out. But fans back then didn't have to wait THAT much longer for a few long runs...
When people wanted Orr and Frieder gone, neither of them had any long run in the NCAA Tournament.
John Beilein already has a Final Four and two Elite Eights. And some people want him gone two years after them when the entire starting five on that Final Four team is playing in the NBA.
This is a case of two things.
1) People having the same expectations the Football program has and placing them on the shoulders of the Basketball program.
The Basketball program has a good history.
The Football program is arguably the top program in the sport all-time.
2) Know who you are. What good coach would want to come here if we fired one of the most respected men in the game 2-3 years after runs to the Elite Eight and Final Four? There were a lot of people flapping their gums in that 500+ comment threads, and none of them had realistic replacement suggestions.
This isn't Duke, Kansas or Kentucky.
February 8th, 2016 at 11:43 PM ^
February 9th, 2016 at 11:15 AM ^
Just pointing out these two have the exact skill set that everyone botches about this team not having
Ummm... no.
The skill everyone bitches about the team not having is "hyper athletic shot blocking/rebounding big man".
We need Deniis Rodman/Ben Wallace/The Ratliff type.
I don't care if they can throw the ball in the ocean - but they need to jump like jackrabbits, run like the wind, and block shots and rebound all over the place.
February 9th, 2016 at 12:30 PM ^
February 8th, 2016 at 1:14 PM ^
We have exactly 2 top 100 wins this year. Every other game against a top 100 team has been a double digit loss. 6 of their 7 conference wins have come against bottom feeders. And we didn't look any better with Caris in the lineup. This team clearly isn't as good as most people expected they'd be this year, and with our remaining schedule making the tournament is very much in doubt. That shouldn't be accepted at a place like Michigan.
February 8th, 2016 at 5:17 PM ^
To be fair, the time with Caris in the line-up was before some of their players improved, but your point is taken.
February 8th, 2016 at 5:33 PM ^
So who do you want to replace Beilein with? Who is this coach siting out there that can walk in here and sign all 4/5* players and lead us to the B1G championship every other year? Coaches of that caliber arent exactly a dime a dozen. An A list coach like that isn't leaving his program to come join Michigan. Realistically we'd be taking a huge, huge risk in replacing Beilein.
February 8th, 2016 at 5:55 PM ^
Michigan under Gregg Marshall or Archie Miller would have a solid foundation with higher ceiling imo.
February 8th, 2016 at 5:41 PM ^
February 8th, 2016 at 2:43 PM ^
So you wanna be just barely better than State or way better than them every year?
Personally I would chose the latter. But whatever his teams aren't going to get much better over the next 4 years. I want atleast a Big Ten title contender every year. Right now this team is closer to Rutgers than Maryland, Iowa or State.
Btw he went to A final four and A elite eight.
February 8th, 2016 at 4:23 PM ^
About that getting blown out by staee... I'm not calling for his head. I think he is a good man in a dirty game so this makes it harder.
February 8th, 2016 at 1:13 PM ^
I'm not in the torch and pitchfork club either but I think some of the mutterings have a deal of merit. It seems like we know what we're going to get from these teams: 2-3 guys that can shoot a 3, one of whom that can penetrate inside, and absolutely zero post defense at all times (Jordan Morgan over-acheiving his senior season notwithstanding). I can understand how that can get kind of old.
As long as the football team is good I can deal with the basketball program averaging a 9-seed.
