*Freep Warning* Jalen wants Fab Five reunion to watch MBB in March.

Bring the guys back courtside...it would be cool for ONE game. Jalen and Jimmy sat next to me courtside vs. MSU a few years back when D. Sims missed a last second layup/shot attempt to win the game. I think that was 2009. No one seemed to notice/care that much if I recall (although it was on Sportscenter).

Let me start by saying that I am, and will always be, an unabashed supporter of the Fab 5.  Were they perfect?  Far from it.  Did they, as 17-20 year old kids make mistakes.  Definitely (allegedly definitely).  But, they are a central part of the fabric of Michigan basketball, and that will never change.  For me, personally, the Fab 5 were part of the reason I chose to come to Michigan (in 1994).  Between 21's "hello Heisman" only a few years prior and the "cool factor" that the Fab 5 brought, as a sports nut, Michigan became my dream school.

All of that said, the Fab 5 have no place at the tourney this year.  Why?

1.  Distraction - If our team advanced deap into the tourney, we want them focused.  Sure, Coach Beilein will do as good of a job as any at keeping the players focused, but it would be impossible for them to not get even a bit distracted by the circus that this would create.

2.  media attention - this team has worked their asses of to get to where they are.  From Hardaway working to bring up his dribble and outside touch, to Burke working on his defense, to Staus taking 1 billion shots a day in his back yard, to Morgan losing weight to become more agile, this team has put in the work to get to where they are, and they deserve their moment in the sun.  The media will inevitably talk about the Fab 5 anyway, but why magnify it?  Let these kids have their time.

3.  Perhaps this could be included in #1 above, but I would imagine that there would be many fans of both Michigan and our opposing team who would loudly boo these guys.  Why subject the current players to this.

In summary, I don't see anything good that can come of this.  That said, I would like to see the Fab 5 welcomed back.  Just don't do it in the tourney with so much on the line for these players.  Have them attend the opener in Ann Arbor (once CWEb's ban is over), but not the tourney.

Fine. That's awesome support and would be "cool."

But we should wait until the ban is over to honor them in any way...but we SHOULD honor them. They happened, period.

Also, I love Jalen's idea and support of Michigan, but he doesn't always know what he's talking about. He said Michigan's success is because we started recruiting our own backyard again. Uhhh....Jordan Morgan?

Miami, Columbus, Canada, Indiana, Indiana, Ohio, etc.

Morgan may be the only player on the team from the state of Michigan.

Sadly, the last time we made it as far as the Sweet 16, Jalen, Jimmy, Juwan and Ray were on the roster. 

If we can finally make it to the second round of the tournament this year, I think the media will be bringing up those names regardless if they are sitting at a game or not. 

and on the fifth seat put a stack of pizzas.

Webber wouldn't want to be a part of it anyway. I don't think former players watching any game this year regardless of time and venue would have any impact on how Michigan performs. Having Jalen, Juwan, Ray, and Jimmy show support for a team and university they obviously love is something that should be embraced.

didnt read the freep piece, but i saw a short clip on espn yesterday where they interviewed jalen about the current team, i'm assuming this piece might've spun from those comments.  think its paywalled/insider, but for those interested in the source - http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/colleges/michigan/post/_/id/9795/jalen-rose-on-nations-new-no-1

jalen works for espn as an analyst right? he'd likely be there anyway if/when our team is in a big march madness game.

Due to the distraction that such a reunion would cause, I would prefer that if it were to happen, it take place at a game with little intrigue on the court.  Penn State, completely defeated in conference play, could be the perfect game for it.  * Disclaimer - when the photos of the new freshman class were going around before the season, my first thought was, "Why is McGary wearing Webber's jersey?"  So, I'm obviously still a fan of the Fab Five.

Weber would agree to this.

I don't care where they meet up, but just keep Chris Webber off campus.

Not this year. This team needs to stay focused and hungry. No distractions please.

At this point in MBB history, the Fab Five can probably provide some decent marketing for the team.  Anything that draws even more attention to the team is good, especially for recruiting.  It could be that kids these days don't remember the Fab Five but I bet a lot of kids still watch and know about these famous Michigan alums.  Would them attending a tournament game be a distraction to the current players?  I doubt it unless the Fab Five is a presence in the locker room before the game.  Then again, the players would probably LOVE to meet those guys - collectively, they're probably the most famous "player" in Michigan history  So, in short, I think them attending a game would be a great thing.  I think the only "distraction" would be that TV commentators would constantly commenting about it.

This is a tricky situation. As opposed to Duke, etc. who have a relatively unbroken lineage, there is way more meaning in having the Fab 5 come back. While my experience (was in East Quad with them at orientation back in 91 and witnessed pretty much the whole run) may bias me, I think that they should be welcomed back at some point.

That being said, there would need to be some apologies on the part of the Fab 5 (esp Webber) as well as some acknowledgement that this would be about supporting the current team. Of course it would be more than that but respect needs to be shown for the current team. I would also imagine having them meet the current team behind closed doors first would be ideal.

If this were done correctly, it would be incredibly valuable for the program for the fact is that there has not imo been a more important college basketball team in the past 40 years

As long as they don't want some sort of ceremony, I'd love this. Make an announcement that the Fab Five is in attendance during the first TV timeout, they'll get an ovation and it'll be done with. Fine by me.

Not sure about Webber due to his non-contact and the fact he didn't come forward with it, but the rest have grown and are still a huge part of Michigan basketball. I don't think it takes anything away from what the current team and their success.

I find it interesting that our fan base is the one that forgives Webber/Fab 5 the least. It's like the opposite of Ohio. Other fan bases, and the media especially, LOVE the Fab 5 and LOVE to still mention them 20 years later. They have forgiven, but it seems like the University hasn't, which is something I'm proud of, but not necessarily agree with. 

Give 'em what they want

I'm all for it, the punishments have been doled out and we've basically been in the basement for a decade and a half.  The suffering can be over, I think it would be very, very unique and exciting and awesome to welcome them back.  They are iconic to basketball.

Invite the Fab 5 to the Ohio State game and have a pre-game ceremoney to re-hang thier banners from the 90s.  

Listen to the Jalen Rose podcast on the Grantland Network.  Even he doesn't think they will put those banners back up.

He also has some interesting insight on why it has taken 20 years for Michigan to become a national contender again.

I really don't get the hate for the Fab Five, especially for Jalen saying he wants to get the guys together to cheer on the team they all played for. I hope Glen Rice is saying the same thing to the 89 team, I hope Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims are talking about it, I hope Jammal Crawford is thinking about, I hope Daniel Horton and Courtney Sims are looking to book flights to Atlanta. They put on the Maize and Blue and love the team just like we do. There is nothing wrong with them trying to ge togher to watch the best team we have had since the 92/93 season. 

Also, I really don't get why the Fab Five is looked at as cheaters. If I am correct, Michigan never payed them to play here, right? Did they take money to alter the vegas line? They never took banned substances. They never filmed other teams practices to get an edge.  They didn't cheat. What they did on the court, they worked hard for and they earned those back to back Final Fours. Yes, they took money that was given to them. But from everything I read, that money was not given to them to play for Michigan. 

I guess we better get ready to call the '97 football team a bunch of attention whores when we start to talk about them more in the coming years as the football team competes for a NC (obvious caveat about C-Webb et al taking benefits aside).

If they want to go a game and show their support regardless of their past transgressions, let them.  They didnt kill anyone for gods sake.

How about a Fab Four reunion?  I don't think the person who dug a ten-year ditch for the University of Michigan's basketball program with his greed, and has never offered up a mea culpa or apology, should be allowed back in any official capacity.  Ever.

I say #FreeTheFab5

And a hearty wanking motion to the holier than thous saying no.

I think it would be best if every player who had wins vacated came back.  Yes, the Fab 5 was the overwhelming driver of value, but those important role players who had absolutely nothing to do with the sanctions got screwed, too.  

Why is it automatically a Fab 5 reunion?  What about Rob Pelinka, Eric Riley, James Voskuil, Dugan Fife, and all the other players not in the Fab 5?  Without Riley, the Fab 5 doesn't make the Final Four in 91-92.  Without Voskuil, they don't beat Cincinnati and make the title game that same year.  Etc., etc., etc.

I love the Fab 5, and I was one of those students who filled Crisler to the rafters back then.  But let's have some more respect and recognition for the other guys on those teams who busted their butts for Michigan.

Like it or not the Fab Five did a lot to not only impact U of M in a positive way (not just negative) but they also transformed a culture.  People need to stop getting their panties in a bunch over them and what happened.  With that said, of the five the one who gets the least respect is Webber.  His silence in the Fab Five doc and throughout has me believing that he knew what he did was wrong and that he doesn't regret it.  I don't hate Webber at all, it's just easier to let something go when the one at fault apologizes.  I think the Fab Five attending a game is cool.  Honoring them would be off limits IMO.

Would set us up for recruiting the next two years. Would be awesome.