Illinois center: "M BB is a white collar team"

Submitted by Wolverine Devotee on

Ouch. 

These teams play again in 10 days at Crisler.

If this is not used and this team doesn't come out with some, oh I don't know, energy and anger?...............then the coaches aren't doing their jobs.

 

Maverick Morgan: They are traditionally a white collar team.

— Mark Snyder (@Mark__Snyder) January 12, 2017

Illinois forward Maverick Morgan (8-9 FGs, 16 pts) calls Michgian "traditionally a white collar team."

— Brendan F. Quinn (@BFQuinn) January 12, 2017

 

It's true of this current team.

Not traditionally. Michigan Basketball in the 60s with those great Cazzie Russell and Bill Buntin teams used to be known as Bloody Nose Lane. Because no one would go inside on that team. 

The way the University of Michigan team sees it, the meek will never inherit the game of basketball and anyone who thinks it is a noncontact sport has been reading too many rule books. The Wolverines lovingly refer to that area of the court from the key to the basket as Bloody Nose Lane. The designation was actually Coach Dave Strack's, but Strack is a bashful, unpresumptuous father of five and is reluctant to take full credit. In any case, when a fun-loving Wolverine drives down Bloody Nose Lane he calls it "going in to cut me some meat"—which means he's going for two points, or for a rebound, or for something more filling. Coach Strack calls that "clean, aggressive ruthlessness," and the Big Ten is reeling under the impact. 

MGoBoard
Basketball

BuckNekked

January 12th, 2017 at 12:28 PM ^

Ive been hearing that but here we are still hoping for the next class. 

Last year I was willing to give Beilein one more try. This is not  acceptable and if they dont turn it around and start showing some heart, Im ready to show this staff the door. The team is soft and its progressively gotten worse each year since the loss to Kentucky.

Joined: 12/06/2013

MGoPoints: -1793

BuckNekked

January 12th, 2017 at 12:28 PM ^

Ive been hearing that but here we are still hoping for the next class. 

Last year I was willing to give Beilein one more try. This is not  acceptable and if they dont turn it around and start showing some heart, Im ready to show this staff the door. The team is soft and its progressively gotten worse each year since the loss to Kentucky.

Joined: 12/06/2013

MGoPoints: -1793

Mr. Owl

January 12th, 2017 at 12:04 AM ^

If only basketball were still a sport where putting your elbow through someone's face was a strategic move.

Now we have flopping.

Joined: 01/15/2015

MGoPoints: 346

TESOE

January 12th, 2017 at 12:06 AM ^

that is all.

Oh wait... not quite all.

Last time we had a legit big.  It was good.

Talk all you want about blue collar needs.  I don't want to play the game that needs to be played to get talent in this sport.  We did that.  We got caught.   I'm not drinking that koolaid again.

If there's a coach out there that does it right... who can do better the Coach B... I'm in.  Who the heck is that person?

Joined: 09/21/2009

MGoPoints: 8536

Maynard

January 12th, 2017 at 12:29 AM ^

I'm sick of seeing this argument. You don't have to cheat to be tough. You don't have to cheat to be blue collar. You don't have to cheat to have a fire or inspire effort. It's the attitude of quitters and people who are soft. We didn't put up with that shit from our football program recently. We sure as hell don't need to do it with the basketball program either. 

Joined: 02/19/2016

MGoPoints: 9888

TESOE

January 12th, 2017 at 12:12 PM ^

Calipari (nothing else needs to be said there)...or...done any tricks in Louisville recently...the rape case at MSU...if that is the tolerance it takes... I say no.

Basketball is a different animal than football...on the highest level the one and dones don't even really need to attend classes to make it through...and we don't play football to it's fullest wrt recruiting either.

Sorry you're sick...try taking the blue pill Maynard.  

Joined: 09/21/2009

MGoPoints: 8536

Mr. Yost

January 12th, 2017 at 12:19 AM ^

Charmin soft. Have been since Stauskas left. I've been saying it over and over.

1. We have no Jordan Morgan - no bulldog who does the dirty work and doesn't back down

2. Our "best players" are baby poo poo soft. One was playing out of position at the 4 last year - so I give him that. But this year he's at the 3. Even Caris was never tough - he was just more talented than any of these guys.

They play hard. They care. But they have ZERO toughness.

A team of really nice guys.

Joined: 07/25/2011

MGoPoints: -9898220

trueblueintexas

January 12th, 2017 at 12:24 AM ^

I can't argue with him. Watching Michigan, this is the type of team I looked forward to playing. Even my wife has started asking why I keep watching because they are so predictable.

Joined: 11/10/2008

MGoPoints: 36792

NJblue2

January 12th, 2017 at 12:25 AM ^

I get that they whipped us tonight, but who the hell is he to talk? They've been pretty bad for awhile and it's not like the usually beat us. I'm not sure what the record is, but I'm pretty sure we've beaten them way more than they've been us the last few years. I assume if we play again and beat them, all the sudden Illinois will be the sweetest (softest) team in the B1G.

Joined: 08/08/2010

MGoPoints: 30988

R. Silk

January 12th, 2017 at 12:34 AM ^

I hope none of our players try to post Morgan's comments on the bulletin board. . .they might get a paper cut and the whole team would faint from the sight of the blood.

Joined: 01/13/2011

MGoPoints: 2

umbig11

January 12th, 2017 at 6:48 AM ^

From MLive... "By the end of the night, Illinois looked like a Final Four team. That's what happens when you shoot over 60 percent in both halves. The Illini carved up the Michigan defense like an intramural team. The Wolverines, meanwhile, took a hard left. That listless, lifeless defense stripped any hopes of a win. Somehow the Wolverines went from being stuck with the same ol' questions to having more. Effort, for one, was lacking."

Joined: 07/21/2010

MGoPoints: 115573

samdrussBLUE

January 12th, 2017 at 9:04 AM ^

M has been traditionally, or that M is a type of team that would traditionally be labeled as white collar? I think he meant the latter. Either way, he's correct



Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad

Joined: 01/21/2012

MGoPoints: 18004

DOBlue48

January 12th, 2017 at 9:14 AM ^

Seems the board is in agreement that this team lacks toughness.  I would agree, but more concerning to me is that it lacks leadership.  And I am talking about the players more than the coach.  JB is a teacher.  That is his style and this will not change.  I am not saying he lacks passion, just that he is more reserved than most coaches out there.  

This team is losing because its upperclassmen have not stepped up as leaders who challenge themselves and their teammates to make the plays needed to win.  This is evident on both ends of the floor.

I contend that all it would take is one strong leader on the floor (looking at you Zak, Derek) to stiffen the spine of the rest of the guys and set the stage for a much tougher team to play against.  If that does not happen, this season is lost as these guys are a rudderless boat just floating around aimlessly.

Joined: 10/21/2015

MGoPoints: 2156

uncle leo

January 12th, 2017 at 9:33 AM ^

With boundless energy, effort, and hustle, but that just wouldn't make a ton of difference. Ultimately, there's not a lot of talent here. Irvin and Walton have been the same player for four years. Ask yourself, other than probably Wagner, who on this team would start for a top 15 program currently? And I'm not even sure Wagner would be a guarenteed starter.

None of these guys are any good. All the coaching in the world and all the energy in the world could only mask the problems for so long.

Joined: 07/29/2012

MGoPoints: 34636

DOBlue48

January 12th, 2017 at 9:56 AM ^

Notice, my good uncle, that I did not say player leadership would translate to tons of wins.  Simply make for a tougher team to play against.  They do lack talent, but they have enough to be competitive with anyone in this league if they had someone willing to get punched in the face without flinching while waving on his troops.

Joined: 10/21/2015

MGoPoints: 2156

uncle leo

January 12th, 2017 at 10:02 AM ^

Where being a competitive team is acceptable. Going into year 10 of a regime on the heels of two incredible seasons, you should not be floating on bubble talk. 

Yeah, every elite team may have a season where they fall back, but they always rise up again quickly. Michigan's been asleep since their quick rise.

Joined: 07/29/2012

MGoPoints: 34636

DOBlue48

January 12th, 2017 at 11:41 AM ^

Agree fully.  I never said being merely competitive was acceptable.  Just that with toughness the team could be competitive game in/game out.  .  Given the overall talent of this group I think that is all there is for this season.  I see nobody taking a big step forward.  If anything, regression is the norm (MAAR, Robinson, Donnal).  Mo and DJ have improved but they are far from carrying a team.  The new guys on the roster have been invisible.

I am becoming skeptical about this program as it seems that the great years are the exceptions to the rule rather than what we, as fans, can expect year in and year out.  Truly hope I am wrong but there does seem to be a trend.

Joined: 10/21/2015

MGoPoints: 2156