Jay Bilas on Manny
On SI.com today Jay Bilas talked about last season's elbow at Purdue:
I worked with Manny Harris of Michigan two summers ago. I have not worked with or been around a better kid. Last year, he was involved in an elbowing incident and I was pretty hard on him. I could have sat there and said, 'Great kid, let's dismiss it,' but I didn't. I said what I thought and I had a lot of critical comments from Michigan fans. But I didn't know any other way to handle it. I worked with Manny again this summer and we joked about it. Adults don't handle that situation better than he handled it. I wish I had the poise that kid has.
This was part of an interesting article on the balancing act that former coaches and players face as broadcasters.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/richard_deitsch/11/16/med…
November 17th, 2009 at 4:06 PM ^
This guy is maybe the best basketball analyst, pro or college, on television.
He's a class act, straight up and down, smart as a whip.
Obviously he has some issues with Michigan, given his relationship to Duke and to Amaker, but whatever. Easy enough to tune that stuff out.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:43 PM ^
Three words: Sir. Charles. Barkley.
But no seriously, I like Bilas a lot too. And in fairness, his Duke bias pales in comparison to Jimmy King's Michigan bias during the Northern Michigan game. The BTN should advise him not to announce that he practiced with the Michigan squad every day over the summer. Not that the BTN has ever cared about conflicts of interest or anything...
November 17th, 2009 at 5:17 PM ^
Do not speak ill about Jimmy King! Instead of doing his job, he partied with the Beehive. Jimmy King is a legend.
November 17th, 2009 at 5:35 PM ^
I'd never dare! I love Jimmy King! He just needs to learn to disguise his preferences a little better so that complaints of homerism from other fanbases don't lead to Jimmy's departure from BTN.
November 17th, 2009 at 6:13 PM ^
I thought Jimmy did a fine job, but I too thought he should have hid his bias a little better. I don't think anyone can blame him for loving Michigan, obviously, and if the other announcer answers him questions it is fair to answer, but many times he brought up his affiliation with Michigan and even this current team unprompted. That's probably not the best idea if you want to have a career as an announcer, especially if you ever want to leave the BTN.
November 18th, 2009 at 6:44 AM ^
When we get into the Big Ten season he should probably tone it down, but until then LOVE away Mr. King.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:06 PM ^
He's just not the sharpest tool in the shed (pun intended). I can think of worse commentators.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:33 PM ^
I think he's a pretty bright guy. His analysis is usually spot-on. He just has a little blind spot for his friend, Amaker, and harbored a grudge against us for firing him. But he seems to have gotten over it by now.
November 17th, 2009 at 5:20 PM ^
How right you are: http://www.mvalaw.com/professionals-30.html
November 17th, 2009 at 5:38 PM ^
BEYOND over it. ---> "I wish I had the poise that kid has." He's gone from Blatantly Biased Bilas to Beilein Basketball Ballwasher.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:06 PM ^
Manny is a great player and key to this years success. That elbow last year was not an intentional elbow. Because when his elbow swung around he was not looking at the Purdue player.
November 17th, 2009 at 5:39 PM ^
To be fair it was technically an intentional elbow. He ripped through with that elbow to create space between him and Kramer. Although along with being intentional, it is also a frequently taught, effective basketball move. I also really like Bilas, but I was blown away by how he (over)reacted to this last year.
You can honestly tell that Kramer gets underneath Manny's body to create an opportunity to get jacked in the face. Kramer has to give Manny space to catch the ball w/o displacing him. At worst that's a offensive foul on Manny, should be a no-call. Kramer has to take some responsibility for putting his face in that position (somewhat sarcastic).
November 17th, 2009 at 4:16 PM ^
We shouldn't just start throwin bows whenever we please but that has been a popular basketball maneuver for years. I bet Karl Malone has concave elbows from all the swingin he has done under the boards.
November 17th, 2009 at 5:16 PM ^
I'd pay good money to see Manny give Jay one of those same elbows. But yeah, I do agree that Bilas is one of the best, if not the best, bball announcer (Sir Charles aside).
November 17th, 2009 at 6:03 PM ^
I hope he excels in the NBA, it would be nice to once again have players from Michigan do well in the NBA. That can only help future recruiting.
Can you imagine the possibilities if Manny stays??? Wow.
Meanwhile Bilas has been talking good things about our program it seems, ever since the Duke win.
November 17th, 2009 at 6:48 PM ^
but i have such a love/hate relationship (i guess more like than love). he talks shit then says great things about michigan and the prgm. i couldn't believe he was working that duke/mich game last yr but he did a great job. this most recent comment was something good...now i shall await some shit talking.
November 17th, 2009 at 9:09 PM ^
Bilas definitely knows his basketball, but he has to be the most biased analyst on ESPN. Today he claimed that Duke was the best team in the ACC bar none and should be a contender for the Final Four. Judging by recent history, Duke just doesn't have the athletes to make it to the final four. I prefer Hubert Davis any day of the week, and would even be more apt to listen to Jay Williams over Bilas, not because they know more X's and O's, but because it seems Bilas always has an alternate agenda, not just in terms of his axe to grind with Michigan.
November 18th, 2009 at 3:22 AM ^
Who is a more legitimate contender in the ACC? Obviously it's too early to predict any Final Four team, but it's his job to do so. I don't think Duke is that much of a stretch to make the Final Four. And I definitely don't know who is better than them in the ACC.