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

Submitted by Bluemandew on

I like a lot of posters on mgoboard don't often check out the freep. But I heard mention of Jalen talking about a reunion during a tournament game on WTKA this morning and decided to find the article. http://www.freep.com/article/20130128/SPORTS06/130128096/michigan-basketball-jalen-rose-fab-five?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Michigan%20Wolverines

I love the way Jalen talks about this team, how high he is on the players. He talks about hoping to watch them compete for a national title. Just the thought brings a smile to my face. But he also talks about sitting live with all the members of the fab five court side to watch that game. 

That is the part I am torn about. It would be a awsome moment in the history of Michigan basketball. The former heroes watching the current generation. But wouldn't it also take some of the shine of off this current team. The announcers talking about this being the first time Michigan has made a run since the fab five era clips of their final four appearances. All this would be fine. But we all know you can't have the great from that era without talking about the bad the rehashing of the Ed Martin scandal and everything that went with it.

Would it be fair to this current team to have some of their spotlight diverted, to face the distractions that would possibly come from this reunion?

ijohnb

January 29th, 2013 at 9:57 AM ^

or not, the Fab Five has played a substantial role in the revival of this program.  It was no coincidence that the documentary was played on Selection Sunday, and it is no secret that, scandal or not, the Fab Five is an iconic part of college basketball.  Michigan really entered the college basketball spotlight during that era and don't think that current recruits don't attach that team with a certain amount of swag and "street cred."  

It seems to me that everybody except for Jim Nantz understands that it was really only Webber that took any substantial benefits, and that even he accepted many of those benefits without any kind of quid pro quo with the University of Michigan.  Jimmy King, Ray Jackson, and Juwan Howard were and have always been excellent representatives of the school and the basketball program, and Jalen Rose, while certainly not perfect, has turned into a really entertaining personality and has taken it upon himself to try to help the kids and the city of Detroit.  When the ban is lifted, and if C-Webb wants to come to a game with the rest of the crew, I say let them come.  Eventually it just has to be accepted as a part of the past, the good and the bad.  I am certain that at least 4 of the 5 of them will be in Michigan's region during the tourney anyway.

Bluemandew

January 29th, 2013 at 9:59 AM ^

I like to think that John Beilein and the players from the last 4 years have had a lot to do with the resurgence of Michigan basketball.

The fab five will always be a part of Michigan but does it always have to be all about the fab five?

ijohnb

January 29th, 2013 at 10:01 AM ^

but maybe it can just be a little bit about them for one game.  I am not taking any credit of any kind away from the current coach and the current players, but the Fab Five is irrevocably attached to the University of Michigan basketball program.  Maybe it is time to just accept it and not treat them as a continuing stain.

In reply to by ijohnb

Bluemandew

January 29th, 2013 at 10:17 AM ^

I would totally agree with you if Jalen was talking about just a home game (I know Webber can't come to a home game till next year.) or even a game in the big ten tournament. But he is talking about having this reunion if and when the team makes a deap run in the ncaa tournament. I think that its unfair to this current team to talk about having all 5 members of the fab five at a game like that for the first time.

In reply to by ijohnb

saveferris

January 29th, 2013 at 10:17 AM ^

I agree.  The University and the Fab Five need to find a way to put the past behind them in a manner that both sides can accept.  It's annoying that Jalen suggesting the five of them would be courtside at a tournament game is causing such an uproar.  It shouldn't have to be this way.

dahblue

January 29th, 2013 at 10:07 AM ^

"All about" the Fab5?  Is it "all about" Hardaway Sr?  Is it all about the "maize rage"?  Is it all about Denard?  C'mon, JB and the team have been great and their own the court work has brought the program back, but it doesn't hurt to embrace some of the joy (yes, that's what it was) of the past.  Everyone on this board would shit themselves if GRIII saluted JRose after a vicious dunk, it'd be on Sportscenter, there'd be 14 gif pages here, a few threads of "what you drinkin" and the intergenerational legend of Michigan basketball would continue to grow.

dahblue

January 29th, 2013 at 10:44 AM ^

I think maybe your comment was posted to the wrong spot, but the "record book" is what's irrelevant.  I was a freshman with the Fab5.  I won't forget that game against Duke.  I won't forget how students used to fill Chrysler up to the rafters.  Television won't forget how great that team was.  YouTube won't forget.  Dick Vitale won't forget.

Point being that the record books can say whatever they want, but the rest of the world knows it was shocked. 

CaliUMfan

January 29th, 2013 at 11:27 AM ^

You really think that the Fab 5 has NOTHING to do with the teams current success. If you believe we would have landed all of the recruits that have put the program back where it is without the Fab 5 in our history you are extremely naive. Both Darius Morris and Mitch McGary picked #4 because they were fans of Webber (both explicitly stated this). Do you really think that the Fab 5 documentary has had NOTHING to do with elite recruits considering Michigan? Belien is tremendous and has shocked me with his recruiting but to think that it has nothing to do with the Fab 5 just seems foolish.

 

Having said that, I think for them all to come back and sit courtside for a tourney game this year would only be an uneccisary distraction. Wait till next year. 

Tuebor

January 29th, 2013 at 12:08 PM ^

How will you react when the next great Ohio football player says he choose #2 because he was a huge fan of Terrelle Pryor?  Webber and the rest of the players in the Ed Martin scandal are embarrassments to the University.  We lose our ability to criticize Ohio if we associate with Webber and the rest of the Scandal players.  And let's be honest we love to do that.

 

Mich Mash

January 29th, 2013 at 12:46 PM ^

...Darius Morris and Mitch McGary were just kids when the Fab Five was around, if that.  When they fell in love with Webber, they were innocent, and unaware of the greed and corruption in the real world.  They loved seeing those alley-oops, the precise passes, dunks and tournament wins.  They loved the players of the Fab Five and that factored into the decision to come play at UM.  In their minds, they're wearing the number of their childhood idol. 

And to be honest, I was one of those kids too.  I know firsthand of the adoration that kids had for the Fab Five and while that is tarnished in my opinion, it still can't take away from the years of bliss that I felt watching those guys.  They were revolutionary and they were MY team.  It was unbelievable.

So anyways, where are we.  Fab Five is part of our history and we need to embrace the good and deal with the bad.  I think it would be good for the University and the Fab Five to find a good way to publicly come together and officially kick off the "healing process".  And yes, there are kids in Ohio who idolized Pryor and will choose to attend Ohio because of him in the future (along with Clarett, Woody, etc).  Deal with it, they're kids.

Tuebor

January 29th, 2013 at 12:54 PM ^

Well if that is the case I think it was important for the healing process between Ohio and Tressell for them to celebrate and honor him at The Game this past season.

 

Do you see where I am going with this?  We lose our moral authority to criticize our opponent's cheaters when we start the "healing process" with our own.

CaliUMfan

January 29th, 2013 at 1:10 PM ^

With all due respect, I think there is a great deal of difference between honoring the person or "starting the healing process" 20 years after the fact, rather than the very next season. As far as Pryor goes, I think there are plenty of reasons not to be a Terrelle Pryor fan, least of which is "Tatgate". I might be alone in that opinion though.

Tuebor

January 29th, 2013 at 1:23 PM ^

I only need one reason not to be a Pryor fan, he went to Ohio.

 

I hear you about how it has been 20 years, really only 10 since the scandal broke.  But time makes no difference to me.  It's not as if after May 1st they will un-vacate the final fours and the wins.  If CWebb seeks out a private meeting with DB and MSC to discuss this very topic I'd gladly accept the results of that meeting.

 

I'm not trying to pass judgement on CWebb because I don't know what I would have done if I were in his shoes.  It is easy to say I wouldn't have accepted the money but I never had to make that choice myself.  I am disappointed that he has never shown any contrition for the damage his actions did to the program. 

CaliUMfan

January 29th, 2013 at 2:15 PM ^

I see your point but to me time clearly makes a difference. Can you imagine if we held a celebration honoring Webber the year after the scandal broke? No one would have supported that the way they did Tressel at that school in Ohio. Also, no one is trying to have an official celebration honoring the Fab 5. Jalen just wants to be able to have them all come to the game and sit courtside together to watch the best team that their alma mater has had in 20 years.  Like I aid, I don't think it's a good idea for this year but I understand where he is coming from. 

 

I don't think anyone would criticize tsio for not stoppingPryor from sitting in the stands at a football game  10 years from now. Just saying.

Raoul

January 29th, 2013 at 7:18 PM ^

Regarding your claim above that McGary picked #4 because of Webber—can you provide some evidence to back that up? Here's what McGary said in a Scout Q&A:

Question: Any personal significance, in particular for wearing #4?

Mitch McGary: “My high school number has always been #5 and #33 was prep school, AAU. #33 is retired and #5 was my teammate’s. I just decided I’d pick #4.”

jmblue

January 29th, 2013 at 3:26 PM ^

Both Darius Morris and Mitch McGary picked #4 because they were fans of Webber (both explicitly stated this).

Darius Morris was born in 1991. Mitch McGary was born in '92. They can't have any actual memory of the Fab Five playing here I'd take what they say about the Fab Five with a grain of salt. It sounds cool to say you're honoring an ex-player by choosing his number. Jamal Crawford used to claim he started wearing his headband to honor Slick Watts. (He later admitted he just liked the look.)

MGlobules

January 29th, 2013 at 12:52 PM ^

that they should stage a big whoop-ee-doo at an NCAA game. Much better, in fact, that they receive cordial official treatment at the beginning of a UM home game, then take their places. It's all about context, management of the first event, and respecting the current players as well. 

That said, if they want to just show up, buy tickets and root Michigan on in a low-key way, that would be great. 

Alton

January 29th, 2013 at 11:26 AM ^

"Like it or not, the Fab Five has played a substantial role in the revival of this program.  "

What role is that?  How is it "substantial"?

I have obviously missed something; I am not aware of anything that any member of the Fab Five has done to help revive the Michigan basketball program. 

OmarDontScare

January 29th, 2013 at 6:24 PM ^

The Fab 5 were rock stars. The documentary is on ESPN all the time - you can't tell me that doesn't have any affect on the perception of Michigan.

Yeah, the doc touches on the sanctions at the end (as it should) but the lasting memory after viewing the film is that they were revolutionary and brought basketball into the modern age. As Chuck D put it, "they were 5 basketball playing Muhammad Ali's."

The baggy shorts, black socks, trash talk and swagger had a huge influence regardless of if you think it was positive or negative. Bottom line - kids watch that movie and associate Michigan with being beyond cool. You can't buy that type of PR if you wanted to.

Tuebor

January 29th, 2013 at 11:30 AM ^

Rose, Howard, King, and Jackson can come back and be celebrated no problem.  It is kind of difficult to celebrate thier accomplishments when they have been vacated though.  Webber's no contact clause should be permanent.

jmblue

January 29th, 2013 at 3:16 PM ^

I love the Fab Five, but the notion that they played a "substantial role" in Beilein's turnaround of the program is a major reach.  We were already headed to the 2011 tourney and had Burke signed up when that documentary aired. They jumped on the bandwagon like a lot of other fans, but they didn't drive it.

 

AtkinsDiet

January 29th, 2013 at 2:44 PM ^

Did you see the interview? He spent most of it praising Beilein and the players, their demeanor and said it was a privilege to root for this team. The Fab Five part was very small of the segment and it's not surprising that the media has latched onto that as it's a hot button.

Jalen Rose also works for ESPN. Ratings and web views of their videos drive everything. The Fab Five film is still the highest rated doc they have ever done. They see there is still national interest in that team and story and are going to make sure somewhat of a focus remains on it.

Son of Lloyd Brady

January 29th, 2013 at 9:16 AM ^

I'm not old enough to remember the Fab Five actually playing, but IMHO any good to great team we have is going to be compared to the Fab Five, so I think them being at the game is moot. It's going to be discussed by the announcers, so the five might as well be there, I think it would be cool.

Tuebor

January 29th, 2013 at 9:16 AM ^

As much as I love the fab five I don't want this.  Their time has passed and they didn't win any championships.  I'd rather see guys like Glen Rice and Rumeal Robinson courtside.

 

Once Webber's ban is lifted do you think the University will invite him to games?

Tuebor

January 29th, 2013 at 11:27 AM ^

Us Michigan fans celebrating the fab five is no different than Ohio fans revering Tressell.  We can't levy criticism on Tressell while embracing our own set of cheaters.  Rumeal Robinson is no saint but at least he didn't cause our program to go on a 10 year trip to Bolivia.

 

I know this isn't a popular opinion around these parts but major rule violators have no place at Michigan.  How can we hold ourselves to a higher standard if we welcome back the very people whose actions damaged the state of our program.  The halmark of Michigan has always been achieving excellence the right way.  Sadly the fab five do not fit this definition.

 

Flame away.

Dawggoblue

January 29th, 2013 at 11:41 AM ^

Who is celebrating what? Did you even read the article? The University of Michigan has nothing tondo with this. Not to mention you say group of cheaters. It was one guy. This article is talking about former players attending a game at a neutral location, nothing more. There is ZERO comparison to JT being carried on players shoulders on the field at halftime of a home game.

Give up the holier than thou sentiment. Michigan just like every other school has it's skeletons. Even the football team had their violations.

Tuebor

January 29th, 2013 at 11:59 AM ^

A misunderstanding by a freshman over what is a countable and non-countable hour is much different than taking large sums of cash from a bookie.  Also you say it was just one guy but Jalen Rose admitted to taking $20 at a time from Ed Martin.  Nothing is stopping King, Jackson, Rose, and Howard from going to games but there is an NCAA ban on the University associating with Webber. 

 

I'm sorry I don't believe that the ends jusify the means.  Read Bo's Lasting Lessons by John U. Bacon and you will get where I am coming from.

 

Also, I did not read the article because I do not give clicks to Freep. 

Dawggoblue

January 29th, 2013 at 12:10 PM ^

So you are ok with some rule breaking. Hypocrite.

Here is a news flash. The University of Michigan is not the holy golden shrine you want it to be. Get over it. Embrace the past. You don't get to pick and choose your history.

Tuebor

January 29th, 2013 at 12:29 PM ^

I'm not ok with any rule breaking.  When two "journalists" go an a witch hunt because they don't like the coach and all they find is 20 minutes of extra stretching I'm not torn up about it.  

 

There is a difference between blatant rule breaking and honest oversight.  I'll bet my house that if you looked at every FBS team about 90% of them would be found to be 20 minutes or more over countable hours in season.

 

Also this is not the point.  If Howard, King, Jackson, and Rose want to buy courtside seats they are free to do so.  Webber can't and shouldn't be allowed to.  They definitely haven't done anything to deserve honors (B1G championships, National Championships).  Their only claims to fame, 2 final fours, were vacated.

Dawggoblue

January 29th, 2013 at 2:01 PM ^

You will always be walking a fine line between blatant rule breaking and honest oversight.  Everyone here trashes Cam Newton, but what if he didn't know his dad was shopping him?  Are you telling me there aren't people out there with shady parents that have good intentions themselves?

As for the last part, I don't believe you are correct.  Since you didn't read the article or apparently anythig I have written, I will reitterate.  They are talking about attending an NCAA tournament game.  Not a home game.  They aren;t talking about ANY association with the university.  So I don't think that Michigan can prevent Chris Webber from attending an NCAA tournament game. 

Their claim to fame is being the Fab Five.  You can't vacate that.

Tuebor

January 29th, 2013 at 3:00 PM ^

Seems pretty clear to me.

Rule Breaking:  Covering up knowledge that your players may be inelligble.   Taking six figures from a booster

Honest Oversight:  Failing to fill out the right forms.  Quality control assistant telling players he is an assistant coach. 

 

If there is any chance that the NCAA determines Webber is violating his no-contact ban by attending a Michigan tournament game then the University should absolutely prohibit it.  We have come too far to risk it.  Unitl I hear explicit confirmation from the NCAA that they won't penalize Michigan for this I am against it.  You can't trust them these days.

Dawggoblue

January 29th, 2013 at 3:39 PM ^

Good job ignoring the rest of my first statement. 

 

My point was you said he can't and I'm not sure that is correct.  You can be against it all you want, that doesn't mean that it is against the disassociation agreement.

Wolverine Devotee

January 29th, 2013 at 9:16 AM ^

I think it's a great idea and would be a great way to end the 20 year story. For the Fab Five to be watching a team poised to do well in the NCAA tournament, 20 years later.