rob f

July 19th, 2014 at 10:38 AM ^

Coach Beilein has it in such a quiet way that he still comes off as a very genuine and friendly man and teacher.   Recruits and their parents---especially those who want both an all-around quality college experience and possible development and advancement to the next level---have to feel real good about their chances upon commitment to Coach B's program.

Those who pass on the opportunity when offered by Beilein?  Well, that's their mistake and I wish them well---in the end, they're the ones who may look back some day and regret a lost opportunity.

M-Dog

July 19th, 2014 at 9:54 AM ^

People don't like Duke here, but of all coaches, John Beilein reminds me most of Coach K.

It's good there is not much age difference between the two or Duke would come after Beilein when Coach K retires.  Don't know if Beilein would actually leave though.

It was so awesome to see John Beilein build our program up from scratch, and he is now able to reap the rewards.  

When he lost to Harvard - Tommy Ameker's Harvard - early on, it was the low point of his time here.  Admit it, we thought the hire was a mistake . . . a Princeton system guy who can't recruit about to have his lunch eaten by surrounding competitors who recruit top 10 classes evry year and know how to let them play and win.  

UMfan21

July 19th, 2014 at 11:51 AM ^

Nor have I. When Amaker was fired I disagreed mainly because I did not think any good coaches were available. Tubby Smith was the premiere coach available and he ha already gone to Minnesota.



Then Beilein was announced out of the blue and I was ecstatic. I won a fair number of bets against Sparty fans in state over the years who do not believe in Beilein.

Wolfman

July 20th, 2014 at 8:17 PM ^

Coaches, successful one, meet the attractiveness criteria of the alumni and the students. We wouldn't want Dantonio, no matter if he won a NC which will never happen because they are a part of the BIG and had Saban, arguably the best right now at deciding which 85 are the best suited to get him close enough to allow his coaching to take them the rest of the way.  He can do this in the SEC because they put in almost as much time - it becomes easier after four years - deciding who they will be asking to leave as they do extending offers to the incoming players. As much as I respect what both coaches have been able to do there I wouldn't want either patrolling our sidelines any more than I would want a Holtz in AA. Just by holding a winning record over UM lately, the MSU fan base loves Dantonio, even though it's really his DC they should fear losing.   However, just because UM has enjoyed a few years of beating Sparty more times than the reverse, I think they all hold IZZO in high esteem and understand if not for Magic, Jud wouldn't have been able to get them to the NCAA finals.  Izzo, on the other hand, has made numerous significant tourney runs.

And when Saban beat us to win the Big X, as then known, then Fl in the bowl game, we wouldn't have wanted him here.  Now Brady, other than losing a few pounds -my own opinion in how a fb coach should look - seems to be the perfect fit as to what he says, how he conducts himself, command of UM fb history and traditions, etc. And he obviously recruits in the same sphere as Meyer and now, it appears, Franklin.  Seems, I said because it still is going to take double digit Ws every year to satisfy the fan base and we have to do away w/those silly close wins and sometimes losses to inferior opponents.   

1974

July 19th, 2014 at 12:01 PM ^

I've never had much against the university or most of its students. Since the '90s, maybe, I haven't had much against its players (thinking of Laettner, "Wojo", et al.). I still want them to lose, though.

Why? Coach K.

He's obviously a hall-of-famer and a talented guy. What a huge ego, though! He comes off as very insecure and unlikeable. His (to date, anyway ... Collins looks promising) lame coaching tree speaks volumes. It seems to generally be all about him.

alum96

July 19th, 2014 at 9:53 PM ^

I hated that team from the early 90s since it had dudes like Hurley, Laettner etc but those are guys like Chelios or Laimbeer or Mahorn that if they were on your team you loved them but opponents hated them, so it was all good.  I dont hate the program and I am sure Coach K is not perfect but overall i think Duke is viewed in bball a LOT like UM or ND is in football (but with better recent results).  Many people see them as an uppity program, with a certain arrogance and that is frankly how many viw us and ND in football.

Lucky Socks

July 19th, 2014 at 3:05 PM ^

I had a discussion/argument with a few posters months ago about Coach K and I just don't get where this opinion comes from.  I don't want to start another internet argument, but what is your opinion based off of?  Serious question.  Am I missing something?  

I genuinely believe his is class act.  Sure, he comes across as prickly or arrogant in some press conferences.  But these coaches are hyper-competitive.  It's much more difficult to keep your cool 100% of the time than it is to act like a douche now and then.  And in their defense, the media probably asks them redundant/stupid question (this particular paragraph directed toward the poster above).  

Lucky Socks

July 20th, 2014 at 3:18 PM ^

Not that I care at all about getting negged, but I am seriously looking for an explanation of where the negative perception of Coach K comes from.  I won't argue it.  Just wondering if I'm missing something.  

 

Can somebody please explain. Something more than "seems like a douche," please. 

Spunky

July 19th, 2014 at 10:32 AM ^

I really want us to land a major recruit, like Derryck Thornton Jr., but I'd hate for him to leave after just one season. Two years seems too soon, as well. 

carlos spicywiener

July 19th, 2014 at 1:06 PM ^

After 11 years, Ryan got to his 1st final four, not coincidentally, with his first NBA prospect in a long time - Kaminsky. He also made a radical departure from Turtle Ball, opening up the offense with a swing system.... big whoop.

Beilein came a lot closer to wining the damn thing. I'll take his system for the tourney, bar none - other teams don't know how to defend it.

rob f

July 19th, 2014 at 10:47 AM ^

Maybe a bit, but obviously very satisfying for Coach B---during the NBA Draft a few weeks ago, there was no doubt from watching this man that he was very proud of the accomplishments of his students, not at all unlike the way parents are when they see their kids leaving the nest thoroughly prepared for making a life for themselves.

JBE

July 19th, 2014 at 11:05 AM ^

I hope Coach Beilein gets a National Championship before he retires. Not because I want one as a fan - it'd be nice - but because he seriously deserves one.

alum96

July 19th, 2014 at 9:58 PM ^

Yes agree. And I am sick of the "well what did he do before UM" complaints our friends to the west lay on him.  Guess what - it is going to be pretty rare to take Canisius to win the NCAA tourney.  By rare, I mean impossible.  There are probably 10 Beilein's out there laboring at some Div 2 or podunk Div 1 team who do it right, get the most out of their players, and build a great team RELATIVE to what that team's ceiling is.   That is true coaching - not being handed a bunch of Kansas type players and going to the Sweet 16 or Elite 8. 

There are a lot of great coaches at the HS or lower college level who by circumstance, life, chance, etc never get to perform at the highest level.  And they would do just as well or better than a lot of coaches at high end BCS type programs but will never get the opportunity.  I see Beilein as one of those guys and he finally got into a program late in his life where he could display his assets.

white_pony_rocks

July 19th, 2014 at 11:35 AM ^

Don't get me wrong, its a great quote, but I don't fully believe it.  If he didn't care who he didn't get then he wouldn't have offered them in the first place.  When the class is all said and done then it makes senseto stop caring about who you didn't get, but if they lose out on a player they really wanted and needed it has repercussions until they fill the spot.

Raoul

July 19th, 2014 at 12:18 PM ^

After a player commits to another school, what good would it do spending any time worrying about that player anymore? It's completely wasted energy. Good coaches/recruiters simply turn to their recruiting board and see who to target next.

And I don't think successful coaches/recruiters ever believe that they "need" a particular player. That's the way fans think—not coaches. You can't be a successful college coach and think that way.

white_pony_rocks

July 19th, 2014 at 1:32 PM ^

there is a difference between worrying and caring, they don't worry about that player but they do care if they didn't get him because maybe they haven't been recruiting another player at their position very hard or the players they are recruiting in their place aren't looking that positive.  They definitely care if a player commits someplace else because it 100% affects what they do the rest of the recruiting cycle.

Perkis-Size Me

July 19th, 2014 at 12:32 PM ^

Beilein has proven that whoever he gets, whether they're 5 stars or 3 stars, that he will mold them into great basketball players that get better every year.



LeVert was a nobody 2 years ago, and now he's all over 2015 mock draft boards. In some cases a lottery pick. Won't be long before Walton and Irvin get there too.

LSAClassOf2000

July 19th, 2014 at 7:03 PM ^

At least in my opinion, one of the reasons that the philosophy of Beilein works so well is that one of its primary tenets is to maximize the strengths of the players that Michigan does bring in. I think part of that is taking largely unheralded players that fit the scheme and getting the most out of them, but also having players take on a fluid role and actually gain skills on their trek to the pros (if that is where they re bound).

GoBluePhil

July 19th, 2014 at 7:48 PM ^

Is OK but nothing compared to what a college coaching staff is capable of. The strength program, the discipline while playing, the complexity of offenses and the depth of the competition can take a kid with good skills and turn them into much better players. My son was a good player in high school but when he got to college he had to work extremely hard to keep up. His game moved forward more than I ever thought it would. That comes from great coaching and you get that from coaches who have dedicated themselves to the game and can coach at the college level. JB has an uncanny ability to recognize that hidden talent in kids and bring them into the fold. You will notice that most of all the recent recruits have bought into the program philosophy. That's knowing what your getting before the kids commits.