The official stop blaming everything on smotz thread

Submitted by rman247 on

The fact that fans are turning on him so quickly makes me sick.  Don't get me wrong I am pissed at the fact we lost.  I know Smotrycz did turn the ball over at a crucial point, but if you are a 4 seed, it shouldn't come down to one play in the first round.  Where were all of these Smotz haters after he saved us against Minnesota?  I know his defense wasn't great, but that isn't why he is in the game.  Whenever a kid goes 6/7 including 2-2 from downtown I don't understand why you can all of a sudden HATE a kid.  He and THJ were the only reason we were in the game at the end to begin with.  So rather than resenting a kid for the rest of his life because of one turnover, how about you continue to support him and the team in the coming years as we continue to greatness.

Mod Edit: the sentiment is great, but this topic is flame bait right now. [zl]

tbeindit

March 17th, 2012 at 9:59 AM ^

I completely agree with this post.  Just like all the people that throw the entire team under the bus after they lose a game.  They did a TON this year, whether they made the Final Four, etc. or not.

DaBigDaddy

March 17th, 2012 at 10:08 AM ^

I think people will not remember you as a B1G regular season champ when you lost in the first round of the tourny. It's how you finished not how you started it as what Hoke always have said. For example, no one will remember what VCU did in the regular season, but will remember they made to the final four.

StateStreetApostle

March 17th, 2012 at 10:55 AM ^

i would concur.  seems to me there was a thread a while back  where a lot of people said, yes it matters, but it's not what's most memorable about a team.  as Chally better phrased the question: "Perhaps the question should be posed as: Would you rather have a Sweet 16 team that won the B1G championship or a Final Four team that didn't?"  S/he opted for the latter.

other than wolverine historian, how many people instinctively remembered that '86 was the last title?  how many had to be reminded by someone else?

should we look down on 1989 because they didn't?  or the Fad Five etc.?  

it's not that the Sweet 16 is itself more memorable, just that the tournament finish is what everyone remembers.  unfortunately, because of the B1G championship, that makes the last two games of this season all the more stinging.

Going back to Chally's point, at this time I'd rather have either than what we have now.  oh well.  next year!

99bobcats

March 17th, 2012 at 10:01 AM ^

but I would find it hard to believe people are blaming Smotz. He is the main reason we were in the game. He is a role player and far from the reason we lost.

Maize and Blue…

March 17th, 2012 at 10:46 AM ^

He's the only player that played any good last night.  You may be able to count Morgan in that group, but after that no one stepped up or even played up to what is expected for them.  What a terrible game for Zach and Stu to go out on as they combined for 3-13 from the floor.  Hardaway and Burke went 10-29 from the field including 4-15 on treys. Smotz on the other hand was 6 of 7 with 7 boards.

The team had a great year and the fact that we only played basically 6 guys against a MAC team is a true indication of the lack of overall talent on the team and what a great job Beilein did this year.  We will have more talent next year, but will we have the leadership and chemistry we had this year?

DaBigDaddy

March 17th, 2012 at 10:03 AM ^

I love how you all turned your back on Smo when Zack Novak was the one hasn't been showing up for the past month. Smo came off the bench did whatever he could to help the team, tell me what Novak did as a starter. All in all, SENIORS did not show up yesterday, and left bunch of young players play by themselves.

kb

March 17th, 2012 at 10:04 AM ^

be blamed, but THJ was not one of the primary reasons it was close at the end. THJ has had an awful season and had an awful game. Dude is a high volume shooter, his shot selection was questionable, he can't finish plays, and he shot something like 5/14.

madmaxweb

March 17th, 2012 at 10:11 AM ^

I agree, I have been saying this since the beginning, THJ is a HUGE reason on some of the losses Michigan has had. When you have a game and you go 0fer in the first half something needs to change. I hope next year he gets better in his shot selection and makes more of his shots, but IF he doesn't I hope Belien has enough guts to bench the kid (He may be better coming off the bench)

Wolverine Convert

March 17th, 2012 at 10:07 AM ^

Evan is just a sophomore and probably asked to do more than he should have this season. He provided some entertaining moments and as noted above there is now way this should have come down to one play at the end.

Everyone seems to forget he had 15 points and only focus on one play. If that same thing happened in the first half nobody would remember.

I hate having backstabbing fans that dwell on one play as the difference - makes us seem like another undesireable fanbase.... This was a TEAM loss in many ways and Ohio played a great game.

Remember, Evan will be a significant member of this team for two more years and we do get to hang a B1G banner next year, right??

 

ek43

March 17th, 2012 at 10:15 AM ^

fuck smotrycz! ive hated that fucker since the first time i saw him. hes lazy and just overall horrible. he lost us a chance to win that game and now stu and zach are done forever cus of him. who the fuck does he think he is trying to cross over someone when the games on the line. shoulda just given to trey or basically anyone else. fuck smotrycz and everyone else who doesnt hate him

hillbillyblue

March 17th, 2012 at 10:24 AM ^

You seem to have a hard time putting rational thought together.  Before throwing Smotrycz under the bus maybe you should check the stats on Novak and Douglass, a combined 3-13 from the field and 7 whole points.  Smotz played a good game, Novak on the other hand, not so much. 

Muttley

March 17th, 2012 at 10:20 AM ^

If everyone else scored 15 points on 6/7 shooting, we win handily.

There were lots of places we missed opportunities to score an additional three or four points.  Smotz was our most efficient scorer, and one of our best overall contributors in that game.

hillbillyblue

March 17th, 2012 at 10:29 AM ^

Agreed.  Smotz played a good game and was very efficient.  I'm not trying to throw THJ under the bus but if he had a little better shot selection maybe he could have been a little better than 4-15 from the field.  With that said I can't wait to see this team play next year with the additions we have coming in.

mongoose0614

March 17th, 2012 at 10:23 AM ^

because Ohio had like 3 weeks of rest before they played us.



I love how someone blames fatigue and then someone blames the lack of momentum.  Fatigue didn't hurt Uconn and UM just had 6 full days off before this game.

 

Both are lame.  Our D killed us this year and the fact is the after 4-5 times this tourney is wide open.  There is more parity in 6-64 than any other year than I can remember.

 

 

robmorren2

March 17th, 2012 at 10:24 AM ^

I blame Beilein. It was clear that Ohio was very prepared to stop the pick & roll by hedging hard on Burke. Beilein never adjusted or countered. He was out coached. There also wasn't much of a talent gap. Let's be honest, Stu/Novak aren't any better than Kellogg/Baltic. If anything they are smaller and less athletic. And they had the best overall player on the floor. Smotrycz probably wins us the game if he stayed out of foul trouble. The Morgan/Smotrycz combo lineup was our best look, but they couldn't stay out of foul trouble.

mgokev

March 17th, 2012 at 10:32 AM ^

I would tend to agree.  Belein + complete no-show from Novak and Douglass.  Maybe Belein should read more mgoblog.  He only went zone for a few minutes all game and it was successful, but stayed in man the rest of the time.  Smot and Morgan got some ticky tack fouls that they probably aren't used to being called on in very physical Big Ten games.  In the end, the fouls balanced out and we could never get the ball rolling when starting off behind the 8-ball.  Anyway, such is life.  I'm looking forward to coninued success next year.

StateStreet

March 17th, 2012 at 10:28 AM ^

Agreed. Smot's dribbling error may have been the straw that broke the camel's back, but we shouldn't have been in that situation to begin with. You could just as easily blame Stu and Novak for their poor showings, Burke for jacking up 9 million contested 3s at the end instead of passing or prolonging the game by getting an easy 2, or THJ for bad shot selection. Or, in other words, THE TEAM. 

Smot didn't lose the game for us. The team lost it together. Sucks, but it happens. 

ek43

March 17th, 2012 at 10:33 AM ^

smotrycz is just a fukin dumbass. what was he trying to do?? people might have had bad games and shit but what happened was we were down by 3 with the ball and smotrycz turne it over. he lost us the game i dont understand why u guys think hes good. hes good for nothing. he cant guard good big guys, and hes too fuckin slow for other people

BluCheese

March 17th, 2012 at 10:43 AM ^

Please can we get this troll banned?  Constructive criticism, ok, but spewing venom and hatred on a kid trying his best is beyond detestable.

By the way, who else should take a three at the end?  Other than the guy who hasn't missed one in the game and propelled us into overtime against Minnesota.

 

VAWolverine

March 17th, 2012 at 10:35 AM ^

are aggressive and have a mean streak. That is what was needed yesterday and for next year. The "deer in the headlights" look and shaking of heads after a whistle has grown old.

Lac55

March 17th, 2012 at 10:37 AM ^

Bottom line is the ball should have never ended up in Smots hand in that situation. Trey passes it to THJ who immediately hot potatoed it back to Trey who gave it up to Smot. Trey or THJ have to step up in that moment and be great. Not Smots fault.

Lac55

March 17th, 2012 at 10:45 AM ^

I agree but in that big situation at the end of the game your best player(s) have to cone through in the clutch. Now if Trey or THJ dribble drive and kick to Smots, its all good. He was the hot hand and I think he would have nailed it. I guess for me its more Trey or THJ have to have that killer instinct regardless of how poor they were playing.

Darker Blue

March 17th, 2012 at 10:43 AM ^

Fuck anyone who's posting on this message board, and is hating on any Michigan student athlete. You motherfuckers should go to the RCMB. This is MICHIGAN fergodsakes

NateVolk

March 17th, 2012 at 10:51 AM ^

THJ will have a great year next year. He knows clearly what he needs to work on and he will put in the work.  If Mitch comes into form right away, we'll go into most games having the three best players on the floor.

Last night, we didn't have even the best. Cooper was slightly better than Burke. This could be expected at this stage in their development.  Hardaway should be eating a team like that alive and didn't. But he will. We've seen that level of play out of him.

Tim is the key and I say look out.  He's hungry to go pro and realizes it is make or break next season.

Ballhandling, more consistent shooting and being more aggressive to the rack are keys to him reaching his potential.

We should hold back on the negativity and trust these guys and these coaches. They hoisted a banner in a tough league this year.

ek43

March 17th, 2012 at 10:53 AM ^

well by your guys logic smotrycz played horrible against minnesota and "he was te reason we were in that situation" against minnesota because he scored 0 against them until then

JonSnow54

March 17th, 2012 at 10:53 AM ^

I avoided the blog last night after the loss. Just now finding out that people are blaming Smotryz is quite surprising to me and, quite frankly, flat out ridiculous. Smotryz hit several key threes in the second half and was 6-6 from the floor for the game. He probably played the best game out of anyone, and at a time the team was struggling to make threes (missed 3 straight with a chance to tie) he was merely trying to make something happen. He made a mistake, certainly, but overall he played a very strong game. If you are blaming this loss on smot, you need to take a look I'm the mirror and realize that you don't know as much about basketball as you think you do.

Wendyk5

March 17th, 2012 at 10:53 AM ^

If everyone had played better the entire game, you all wouldn't be picking on the last play. It was clearly a team loss against the team that played a more aggressive game and who was a three point machine. 

Musket Rebellion

March 17th, 2012 at 3:21 PM ^

If you think that Michigan lost to Ohio because of one play at the end of the game you either don't understand the concept of team sports or you missed the fact that we missed a bunch of easy layups. On top of that, it is a game, nobody died. Go play with your kids or hug a stranger. It will be okay.