Mike Wilbon calls for Novak to be suspended.
Just now on PTI they showed the clip of Novaks flagrant foul. Wilbon then went on to say that no matter what Novaks intent was he was reclass and should be suspended. I think this is way overboard. It was obviously a hard foul but not deserving of suspension.
January 24th, 2012 at 12:03 AM ^
Not disagreeing with you, but essentially what you're saying is his job is to cater to people with a 30 second attention span. More power to him.
January 23rd, 2012 at 6:32 PM ^
Reacts reactionarily.
January 23rd, 2012 at 6:33 PM ^
Of course. Wilbon hates Michigan.
January 23rd, 2012 at 6:33 PM ^
The fact Wilbon felt Michigan hoops was relevant enough to warrant a mention on his show -- whether in a good light or not -- is a good sign and shows that the media is starting to take notice. Let's face it, he most likely wouldn't be talking about this play if it had occurred in a Western KY vs. Middle Tennessee St. game.
January 23rd, 2012 at 6:42 PM ^
Wilbon is a known Michigan hater! He went to Northwestern and has Block M Envy
January 23rd, 2012 at 6:43 PM ^
If he didn't need to be classy for the image of Michigan, he could totally follow Suggs and call Wilbon a douchebag
January 23rd, 2012 at 6:46 PM ^
But he has openly admitted to hating Michigan and I think this statement was a result...
January 23rd, 2012 at 6:47 PM ^
Who's Mike Wilbon?
January 23rd, 2012 at 6:49 PM ^
And why should we care? We know Novak is not a creep and didn't intend to hurt anyone. As long as Beilein is OK with Novak and the Big Ten doesn't get involved, it's non-issue.
January 23rd, 2012 at 6:58 PM ^
January 23rd, 2012 at 7:03 PM ^
He would. Douche.
January 23rd, 2012 at 7:06 PM ^
And always will be a moron.
January 23rd, 2012 at 7:11 PM ^
It's not Zack's fault he can't jump as high as the other player from Ark. He is clearly going for the ball and with the intent to ensure that there is no three-point play. Frankly, I absolutely love that play and have no problem with it what so ever. It was a close game, they should earn those points from the free thrown line and the end result was two missed free throws which is further justification that it was the right play at that time.
It looked way more viscous in the 30 replays’ they showed because it was slowed down and the kid spent a significant amount of time on the floor while being checked out by the doctors. Bang Bang play with no intent to hurt anyone...Zack Novak is very close to becoming my favorite Michigan Basketball Player, Ever!
January 23rd, 2012 at 7:15 PM ^
I can't help but think of a recent thread on the board about how so many B1G schools consider Michigan a rival and/or have some disdain. Interesting how to us Northwestern is just...Northwestern. They (or at least Mike Wilbon), on the other hand, feel the need to have some degree of contempt towards Michigan.
January 23rd, 2012 at 7:23 PM ^
think that the reason for novak coming up short was due to the guy facepalming him. I know it was a self defense reaction on his part but i thought that it is the reason Novak came up so short. That being said I beleive the right call was made and what is done is done just because it looked bad does not mean the intent was bad. The refs seen a replay and made the right call. If they thought it was worth a game he would have been thrown out.
January 23rd, 2012 at 7:24 PM ^
Does anyone know where there is video of the foul? I have searched but can't find it.
January 23rd, 2012 at 7:26 PM ^
has a full game video available here: http://mgoblog.com/diaries/video-michigan-msu
January 23rd, 2012 at 7:25 PM ^
ESPN owns the SEC network, so they have a horse in the race. I do not care what their minions' opinions happen to be on a given day.
January 23rd, 2012 at 7:27 PM ^
Wilbon embarrasses me, particularly in his willingness to excuse any sexual scandal facing an athlete (his comments about Kobe and Big Ben in particular).
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<br>Michigan is not despised by the average NU student. Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Sparty are all bigger rivals. They like to beat Michigan, but it's more mutual admiration than anything.
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<br>I think Wilbon's irrational hatred of Mochigan comes from growing up a fan of Illinois, which is under the false impression that Michigan is its biggest arch nemesis.
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<br>Silly Wilbon.
January 23rd, 2012 at 8:08 PM ^
Michigan is definitely disliked at the same level as MSU and Wisconsin. We got up for Michigan even more than those two. There are pictures of 54-51 in multiple places in the facility and the game ball from 1995 still hangs in the equipment area by the locker room.
January 23rd, 2012 at 7:31 PM ^
a little help anyone
January 23rd, 2012 at 7:48 PM ^
Mike Wilbon would call for Christ, The Pop and Mother Teresa to be suspended if they wore Michigan uniforms.
I like both he and Tony K...but one subject you can't get an objective opinion is Wilbon and Michigan.
January 23rd, 2012 at 7:48 PM ^
I heard Michael Wilbon KILLED 5 HOOKERS
January 23rd, 2012 at 7:55 PM ^
If Dr. Seuss were to write a rhyme about Wilbon and his insipid cohort they would undoubtedly be named Douche 1 and Douche 2. If their gig at ESPN doesn't work out, they could write for the Free Press.
January 23rd, 2012 at 8:01 PM ^
Mike Wilbon can suck my dick
January 23rd, 2012 at 8:20 PM ^
What a joke. I get fouled harder playing basktball at the ymca.
January 23rd, 2012 at 8:21 PM ^
meet rolling donut. Good example of a once-serviceable sportswriter turning into a self-important t*rd.
January 23rd, 2012 at 8:41 PM ^
If this were a player on another team doing this to Novak, you'd all be writing letters to the governor complaining about "THUGGERY!" and "ATTEMPT OF MURDER!"
January 23rd, 2012 at 8:54 PM ^
If the Ark. player hadn't shoved his forearm ( I think it was his forearm) into Novaks throat on the way up first, nothing would have happened. It may have even been a clean block.
January 23rd, 2012 at 9:00 PM ^
I've seen very similar fouls that have resulted in no ejection or suspension. I can't recall a similar kind of foul that did, though they're very likely has been. And I don't give a crap about Wilbon. As others have pointed out, he's a professional polarizer.
But let's face it – if a guy from MSU or Ohio had done the same exact thing to a Michigan player, there would be some people here calling for a suspension. How many? I don't know, but it's hard not to look at these things through Blue-colored glasses.
January 23rd, 2012 at 9:31 PM ^
Mike Wilbon probably also thinks that Cundiff's field goal was good.
January 23rd, 2012 at 9:55 PM ^
I'm sure if he wasn't a UM player, wemay have felt differently about the foul. That said, it wasn't nearly as bad as some other fouls that don't lead to suspensions, and considering nobody made a big deal about it after the game, my sense is that it has run its course. But if Novak does get suspended, then so be it. Wilbon doesn't deserve any credit for it, though, if it happens.
January 23rd, 2012 at 10:00 PM ^
reckless*
January 23rd, 2012 at 10:03 PM ^
I actually like Wilbon,but he is completely wrong...He wouldn't of even hit the guy in the head if the Arkansas player didn't push off with his left arm going up to the hoop......Total bull shit....Come on Wilbon..
January 23rd, 2012 at 10:03 PM ^
I was watching that actually and found it ridiculous. I think don't think it looked intentional, at the speed that kid was flying it's not unfathomable that Novak missed the timing and missed the ball.
January 23rd, 2012 at 10:07 PM ^
This just makes it "more official". The guy is a douche. He is the opposite of a professional journalist. Having only his personal preferences to back up his silly opinions.
I mean, he called Novak unathletic and basically proved he knows nothing about anything. Read the box score Wilbon you dote. Kid took over.
At least Kornheiser knows PTI is silly and doesn't take himself so seriously.
F you Mike Wilbon. F you.
January 23rd, 2012 at 11:45 PM ^
kornheiser made an ass of himself tonight, too, when he compared JoePa's failures in the Sandusky scandal to Woody Hayes punching the Clemson player, saying something to the effect that they both madea mistake late in their careers, and Hayes's punch is all but forgotten now just like JoePa's "mistake" will be forgotten in 10-20 years.
January 24th, 2012 at 9:23 AM ^
Like Novak said, he wasn't going to give him an easy bucket. Novak clearly went up to contest the shot, I do not think there was any intention whatsoever to elbow him in the head. Novak is a pure hustler that gives 110% on every play. That play is a prime example of the effort that he gives every game.
January 24th, 2012 at 10:22 AM ^
Next you're going to tell me Colin Coward doesn't agree with our ranking!
January 24th, 2012 at 11:31 AM ^
He is a douche anyway.
January 25th, 2012 at 1:55 PM ^
Mike willbon is an asshole and should be fired