OTish; It could be worse, we could be illinois basketball fans
As crappy as the last few weeks seem to have been for michigan fans today has been a lot worse for illinois basketball fans. Lost a recruit to louisville, had another refuse to sign his letter of intent, and had a third recruit reach for and pick up an illinois hat before dropping it to choose kansas. So just remember, we are still michigan, and it could be worse.
November 15th, 2013 at 4:56 PM ^
This removes but a drop from my ocean of misery.
November 15th, 2013 at 4:58 PM ^
Does it help if one of the recruits was the no.3 overall player in the country out of chicago and expected to pick illinois? I mean that is significantly worse than losing hand to me.
November 15th, 2013 at 4:59 PM ^
Two drops.
November 15th, 2013 at 4:59 PM ^
November 15th, 2013 at 5:06 PM ^
What's the story with the recruit refusing to sign his LOI?
November 15th, 2013 at 8:25 PM ^
November 15th, 2013 at 5:21 PM ^
November 15th, 2013 at 5:26 PM ^
I'm just trying to point out that at michigan we have it pretty good as sports fans. Yeah it can seem shitty at times and these last few weeks have been, but if you can't enjoy sports even during down swings chances are you'll spend more time angry than enjoying sports. Teams lose it happens, when they win more you get upset the few times they lose, alabama fans are bored even as they dominate college football. The fun of being fan comes from more than winning, otherwise it wouldn't be fun at all, just trying to help people move on and get back to enjoying michigan sports so I can read this blog again without getting annoyed.
November 15th, 2013 at 7:51 PM ^
November 15th, 2013 at 5:24 PM ^
As much as I hate illinois basketball, why would this make me feel better about Michigan football?
November 15th, 2013 at 5:28 PM ^
See above? just trying to help people move on.
November 15th, 2013 at 5:28 PM ^
But if you are looking for something to actually make you feel better there is always bat kid
November 15th, 2013 at 7:46 PM ^
November 15th, 2013 at 5:29 PM ^
only 4 top 25 guys heading to the B1G (3 to OSU). Not many top 50's either. Kinda strange.
November 15th, 2013 at 5:38 PM ^
November 15th, 2013 at 11:45 PM ^
More specifically, it could be better and still be bad.
November 15th, 2013 at 5:38 PM ^
Yea but Illinois will definitely be competitive this year. When they drop home games to terrible competition then they'll be as miserable as us.
November 15th, 2013 at 5:42 PM ^
Im currently holding my 2-month old daughter, listening to the new Arcade Fire album on vinyl, and deciding which scotch Im going to drink when my wife gets home.
I appreciate your sentiment but Im feelin pretty damn good right now regardless of Michigan football.
Hope everyone out there keeps perspective.
PS- Im leaning towards Lagavulin 16 year Distiller's Edition.
November 15th, 2013 at 6:14 PM ^
These are all winning decisions.
I mean, damn, the title track on that record. I don't know how I would move past track one, side one. (Reminds self I need to go pick up the vinyl next week)
November 15th, 2013 at 6:24 PM ^
"I don't know how I would move past track one, side one."
Look down at the stack of records and pick up any of the dozens that are better? I mean, that is how I would do it.
I've never understood the Arcade Fire love though.
November 15th, 2013 at 6:18 PM ^
I'm almost at the bottom of my regular 16-year old Lagavulin. Never had the Distiller's Edition.
November 15th, 2013 at 6:22 PM ^
November 15th, 2013 at 7:28 PM ^
November 15th, 2013 at 7:41 PM ^
Welcome to the wonderful world of scotch! Im not the most knowledgable, but I know a few things:
Id reccomend figuring out what kind of scotch you like: Islay scotch (peaty (smokey), sometimes leathery, peppery), Sherried scotch (sweet, bold, winey), or if you're more middle of the road. Some entry levels for each:
Islay: Tallisker 10 year, Highland Park 12, Laphroaig 10 year.
Sherry: Aberlour 12 year, Macallan 12 year Sherry Oak
Middle of the road: Glenfiddich 12 year, Glenmorangie Original, Cragganmore 12.
Once you know what aspects of scotch you like and what you dont, you can continue on your quest to find the perfect scotch for you. Personally, I will drink any of them but Islay scotches are my favorite. Lagavulin 16, Laphroaig 18, Tallisker Storm... Those are my happy place.
Id also reccomend coming over to www.reddit.com/r/scotch its a good community where you'll find lots of reviews and great people. Heres a googledoc of their guide for beginners.
Slainte!
November 15th, 2013 at 7:30 PM ^
November 15th, 2013 at 5:43 PM ^
November 15th, 2013 at 5:52 PM ^
God this is the epitome of whiny pretentious fans. Oh no, our football team hasn't been nationally competitive since 2006 and our last national championship was in 1997 woe is me. We have one the most fun gameday experiences for fans in a great stadium, a top 10 basketball team, great non-revenue sports, and guess what even though we aren't playing well we still matter and can be seen all over the country by alumni because "we are michigan". The responses to this topic are straight pathetic, i get bitching after a loss, worrying about whether this coaching staff especially borges can turn the team around but we are also 6-3 two years removed from a bcs win and have back to back top 10 recruiting classes coming in.
You're life is fine, being a michigan sports fan (I'm just assuming you're not a bandwagon whore only michigan football I don't actually give a shit about the school fan) is still better and more enjoyable than being a fan of 99% of sports teams.
November 15th, 2013 at 6:28 PM ^
November 15th, 2013 at 5:47 PM ^
comparing us to the worst fans of one of the biggest trainwrecks of a football program in the BIG
November 15th, 2013 at 6:06 PM ^
Illinois basketball isn't a train wreck.
November 15th, 2013 at 5:57 PM ^
Scattered articles, if anyone is interested in doing the reading:
Cliff Alexander was the commit who tossed the Illinois hat and decided to commit to Kansas - that story is here (HERE)
Quentin Snider was the one who flipped to Louisville. CBS has a short piece (HERE).
I couldn't find a story off the bat about the refusal to sign an LOI, but all in all, a rough day for John Groce, I assume.
November 15th, 2013 at 7:18 PM ^
I believe the third guy was Leron Black, whose LOI came in late. They did get him though. Sorry if that takes the edge off anyone's schadenfreude.
November 15th, 2013 at 6:08 PM ^
Yep, being top ten in average stars three years in a row is depressing the hell out of me.
November 15th, 2013 at 6:15 PM ^
dear god, the OP was just trying to make people feel better and everyone is killing him. if it doesn't make you feel better, just move on to another thread or website.
November 15th, 2013 at 6:40 PM ^
Towns Jr., Bates-Diop, Looney, Booker, Blackmon, Bates-Diop, Tate, Bluiett.
Beilein was after all of these guys heavily at some point and whiffed. It did not go well for us. Chatman & company make up a decent recruiting class but significantly worse than '12 and '13 despite a final four run.
We had some bad luck this year as well.
November 15th, 2013 at 6:52 PM ^
The Final Four run will impact the '15 class more than the '14. Basketball recruiting starts at such a younger age than football. Most of these kids have been in contact with coaches and other high-profile players for years.
November 15th, 2013 at 7:31 PM ^
November 15th, 2013 at 7:07 PM ^
/s
November 15th, 2013 at 7:57 PM ^
Back injuries are no joke. If McGary's back continues to bother him, it could seriously affect his output throughout the year. Am I out of line in believing if he has a sub-par year due to the injury, he may actually come back for a Junior year?
November 15th, 2013 at 10:21 PM ^
November 16th, 2013 at 7:32 PM ^
If he has such an injury-riddled year that his draft stock plummets, that probably means he's not helping our team that much. Doesn't seem like a scenario that is good for anyone.
November 15th, 2013 at 8:06 PM ^
November 16th, 2013 at 11:15 AM ^
That's harsh.
At least Hand did not do the hat dance. He put on an Alabama hat and that was it. No trashing the Michigan or Florida hats. He's not that kind of kid.
November 15th, 2013 at 10:27 PM ^
November 15th, 2013 at 10:27 PM ^
November 15th, 2013 at 10:27 PM ^
November 15th, 2013 at 11:22 PM ^