not to be a buzz kill but something to consider about manny

Ummh, I was just reading through the comments, and came upon this "quote." Whatever. I don't know Carmelo, and whether or not he was (or was not) a prima donna, so can't comment intelligently (like I ever comment intelligently!!) However, as you, or someone else on the blog said previously, everyone has to decide what's best for them. I would hate for Manny to go, and hope he stays, but he has to decide. I don't know his family economic situation (do they really need the money now?) I don't know his academic situation (does anyone know how he is doing in classes?) If his family needs the money, and Manny can't hack school, then obviously he should go. Regardless, here are five reasons I think Manny stays. I would love for you, or for those closer to the team, to either confirm or destroy the following reasoning. 1) I don't think the team will go beyond the sweet 16, or at best, the elite 8. And this doesn't raise the profile of a 6'5" guard high enough to be a lottery pick. Yes, if we win the NC, that changes things for Manny. And if pigs could fly . . . 2) I think the team really enjoys being together and playing ball together. There are times when teams seem to just be going to work. It isn't fun, and you can tell. The players don't like the coaches, the coaches look down on the players, the team is fighting with each other, etc., etc. While this can work, it isn't an environment guys love to be in. With Michigan, you have the sense that they've worked hard, and this is FUN! BTW, that's one of the things that was great about the Fab Five . . . they really seemed to have fun together. Same thing with Magic Johnson. He played with joy, and it was fun. OT. Regarding Manny, I think that with Peedie, and even the others, they have jelled, and you kinda hate to break that up, because they like playing together. IIRC, there have been some football players at Michigan who have come back their last year because they enjoy being on the team. I suspect that is true for Manny too. 3) The team has an extremely bright future. Who is leaving? Lee & Merritt? Two walk-ons? We lose two guards, but we add Morris, and bring back LLP, Grady, Novak, and Douglass to guard. Cronin comes off the redshirt, so we have more size. Along with Peedie and Gibson, of course. I think that with the team basically staying together, Manny is more likely to stick. They will have some "unfinished business," both in the Big 10 and the Tourney. If we had two or three senior starters leaving, and the team was starting from scratch, maybe Manny would go. But the core is returning, making it more likely for Manny to return. 4) I think that Manny likes Beilein, and realizes that Beilein has improved his game. And I think Manny is intelligent enough to want to learn and improve under a good coach. This only raises his stock further. 5) The last reason may or may not affect Manny, but here it is. Sometime in the last week or two, I read an article, perhaps on ESPN, about the dire straits the NBA is in. According to the article, the NBA is losing money big time. The author suggests that there will be a lock out next year or the year after. Great players in free agency are not being sought, because owners can't afford it. If this is the climate, and I was a top 25 player, but not a top 5 player, it would seem wise to wait. I've heard that college seniors are really sweating coming into the job market this year. If Manny sticks around, gets a degree, has fun, and raises his NBA stock, waiting a year or two until things have settled out, it may be much, much better for him personally. That's my two cents, and that's about what my opinion is worth. BTW, Beilein himself was quoted somewhere as saying that he likes a mixture (of players who are hard workers who stick for four years, and those who may leave early because of exceeding talent.) That makes sense to me. Of course, being selfish, I want players with the skill level of Glen Rice who are here for the duration, but that's not going to happen, and that's ok.

It's spelled "pre-madonna."

The one that "beat" the shot clock (which Grady put up with 3 or 4 seconds left) appeared to be the nail in the coffin, I would agree. It looked like Coach Beilein walked the entire length of the bench with him when Grady was yanked. I don't know what Coach was saying, but I can't imagine he uttered too many "atta boys." Grady is a mystery to me watching from afar. All that quickness seems negated by poor decisions on both ends of the floor. From time to time, he's a spark, but more often a frustration. The two former walk ons, despite some lesser physical skills (KG is obvioulsy faster and seems to have a better stroke, IMO), seemed to be trusted much more by the coaches. I don't get the sense the other players doubt too much of what the coaches are telling them these days--or questioning who plays, who doesn't play, and when. We'd be in the NIT right now if that were the case, I'm guessing. Someone asked Coach B on his radio show a few days ago if Grady would be used in a bigger role to help break the Clemson press. Coach's response was less than enthusiastic. Something along the lines of "that might be something we consider," but in a tone that seemed to say God I hope it doesn't come to that. I think the likely way KG finishes the next two years is backing up Morris. Maybe starting first few non-conf. games in fall. But if Morris picks up the offense as quickly as Douglass/Novack did this year, I think Grady is looking at 10 - 15 minutes a game tops, with those minutes diminishing as the season goes on. Which isn't to say he can't be productive, utilized in spots, or be a leader like Merrit. Is the following possible? I would like to see Douglass rotate over to the 1 to spell Morris next year. Don't know if his skill set as a ball handler will ever allow that, but he sees the floor well, makes good decisions, and maybe the team's best pure passer. I have some fantasy of interchangable 3-ball assasins, rotating through numerous combinations of Douglass, LLP, Morris, Vogrich, and Novak playing alongside Harris and Sims.