*Freep Warning* Jalen wants Fab Five reunion to watch MBB in March.

Submitted by Bluemandew on

I like a lot of posters on mgoboard don't often check out the freep. But I heard mention of Jalen talking about a reunion during a tournament game on WTKA this morning and decided to find the article. http://www.freep.com/article/20130128/SPORTS06/130128096/michigan-basketball-jalen-rose-fab-five?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Michigan%20Wolverines

I love the way Jalen talks about this team, how high he is on the players. He talks about hoping to watch them compete for a national title. Just the thought brings a smile to my face. But he also talks about sitting live with all the members of the fab five court side to watch that game. 

That is the part I am torn about. It would be a awsome moment in the history of Michigan basketball. The former heroes watching the current generation. But wouldn't it also take some of the shine of off this current team. The announcers talking about this being the first time Michigan has made a run since the fab five era clips of their final four appearances. All this would be fine. But we all know you can't have the great from that era without talking about the bad the rehashing of the Ed Martin scandal and everything that went with it.

Would it be fair to this current team to have some of their spotlight diverted, to face the distractions that would possibly come from this reunion?

CRex

January 29th, 2013 at 10:22 AM ^

Right, because Martin gave Webber hundreds of thousands of dollars, took Cleaves out for booze and strippers on his official visit, gave Bullock's family airline tickets (plus 70k to Bullock), gave Taylor one hundred thousand, gave Traylor a SUV, etc, but Martin never approached or interacted with the other four members of the Fab 5.  Also these members noticed all the dirty things that went on during the length of Martin's association with the program.  I'm sure Martin just gave Webber a bunch of money to help improve Michigan basketball and ignored all the other recruits.  

Rose is considered to be the only person called to testify who didn't receive large amounts of money.  I've always found it interesting they say "large amounts of money" instead of "didn't take money".  Michigan has opted to to flush the entire period because clearly illegal things happened and we'll never be sure who took what, who turned a blind eye, who said "thanks but no thanks" (and then failed to report the improper contact), etc.  As such all the players involved remain tainted.  

 

saveferris

January 29th, 2013 at 10:52 AM ^

All the evidence suggests that Ed Martin's involvement with the Michigan basketball program started small and grew over time.  I mean if you're going to implicate Juwan Howard, Jimmy King, and Ray Jackson along with Webber and Jalen, then what about Eric Riley?  Or Rob Pelinka?  Or James Voskuil?  Or Dugan Fife?  I mean, by the time the scandal broke, it was clear that Martin's involvement with Michigan had gotten way out of control, but there's nothing to suggest he was as ubiquitous a figure in the Fab Five era.  Just because 4 players took big money doesn't make EVERY other player at Michigan guilty by association.

jmblue

January 29th, 2013 at 3:30 PM ^

Before you indict Michigan, keep in mind that we're the only school that has come clean about our players' dealings with Martin.  Not everyone he paid went to school here.  He started out as a Detroit street agent and only gradually became associated with U-M.

dahblue

January 29th, 2013 at 10:17 AM ^

How long ago was the OSU football scandal (about 19 years after the Fab 5)?    Who is suggesting that Webber be carried to center court on the team's shoulders?  How many people were physically hurt by players allegedly taking money from a neighborhood booster?  Is Michigan "inviting" the Fab 5, or are they, like anyone with the money to do so, buying tickets and watching a game?

Facts matter and Michigan keeps their hands clean until the magical date later this year.  The bball program wasn't ruined by the scandal, and folks should stop blaming Webber for the dark years.  We didn't need to hire a dogshit nobody coach in Ellerbe.  We didn't need to neglect facilities.  Michigan choose to do those things.  Now that excitement is back, why not embrace the most exciting team we've ever seen, especially when they want to simply buy tickets and cheer for the new generation?

saveferris

January 29th, 2013 at 10:29 AM ^

I don't think anybody is talking about white-washing what happened 20 years ago, but just making peace with it.  Right now, it's just this open wound that won't go away and we see the University kind of half-ass sticking their toe in the water with "Jalen Rose Night" or "Jimmy King Night".  Four of the five had nothing to do with the Ed Martin scandal and those guys aren't going to turn their back on Webber, so it seems in both parties best interests to just find some common ground.  Granted this would involve some give and take on both sides, but it would be awesome if we could just celebrate the good the Fab Five did for Michigan rather than pick at the scab everytime the topic comes up.

saveferris

January 29th, 2013 at 1:04 PM ^

I really don't care if they make peace with Terrelle Pryor or not.  I think if Webber and the University could find some common ground as to where he could be welcomed back along with his Fab Five teammates, it would be a good thing for Michigan.  This would likely involve some kind of public gesture on Chris' part of him acknowledging how his actions hurt U of M and apologizing for it and U of M making a gesture that would honor the Fab Five, so form of quid pro quo. 

Regardless, this is a far cry from OSU carrying Tressel around on their shoulders in public defiance that he or Pryor was ever guilty of any wrongdoing.

Tuebor

January 29th, 2013 at 1:32 PM ^

So in 8 years when Ohio invites Pryor back to celebrate the 2010 Big Ten Championship team you will be supportive?  It would be a good public gesture for the University and Pryor to acknowledge wrongdoings and find some common ground.

 

Or will you be hyper-critical like the rest of our fanbase?

 

 

In my mind the university has no reason to invite Webber back.  All the wins were vacated and sure once his ban is lifted he can come to the games but why should be honor/celebrate a rule breaker?  How do we defend that without admiting our criticism of Pryor, Tressell, and Clarrett was wrong?

Dawggoblue

January 29th, 2013 at 2:09 PM ^

This is what I don't understand.  Why is this fanbase so obsessed with pointing out everyone, especially our rivals, shortcomings. 

Ohio State is more than welcome to bring back Pryor and celebrate his Rose Bowl victory. I think the Tressel thing was funny because they honored him on a day that they would have secured a spot int he NC if it wasn't for him.  The circumstances were poor, but how could you just remove what he did for OSU from their history?

Which leads me back to the Fab Five.  Broken rules or no broken rules, they are a part of this schools history.  All history, bad and good, should be acknowledged. 

Tuebor

January 29th, 2013 at 2:44 PM ^

I like having moral authority so that I can criticize rivals without being hypocritical. 

 

They are a stain on our school's history.  Acknowledged? Yes.  Honored? No. 

 

Also, keep the banners in the basement. 

dahblue

January 29th, 2013 at 2:13 PM ^

There is a world of difference between Ohio football and the Fab 5.  First, the Ohio scandal involved a coach knowing about the wrongs and repeatedly lying about them.  The Fab 5 stuff  involved kids receiving benefits from a non-university booster.  The coach didn't file false papers with the NCAA to cover it up.

Ok...that said, we're talking about a groundbreaking basketball team vs. a good football team. Quick, what's the nickname given to that Ohio team?  Remember that game when only freshmen took the field for Ohio against Michigan?  Remember how Ohio nearly won the national championship even though no one predicted they had a chance?  Really, none of it, eh?

The Fab 5 wasn't just a good team; they literally shocked the world.  It's ok to enjoy that...20 years later.

Tuebor

January 29th, 2013 at 2:36 PM ^

Howard, King, Rose, and Jackson are free to sit courtside if they so choose.  Webber will be allowed next season.  I still don't think the University should officially honor them in any capacity.  Maybe I'm just old fashioned (at 24?) but that is how I feel.

dahblue

January 29th, 2013 at 3:08 PM ^

I hear where you're coming from, but your position would likely be different if you were at Michigan during the Fab5 era.  The level of excitement then...I guess the only comparison would be, imagine 5 Denards on the court at the same time and students from floor to ceiling. It was great.

That said, these guys can buy tickets and sit anywhere they want.  Even in A2.

dahblue

January 29th, 2013 at 3:26 PM ^

That's just perspective as well.  Put a Yugo engine in a BMW, never change the oil, let the tires go flat...and the car will die.  Similarly, name Ellerbe the head coach and let the facilities fall to shit...and the program dwindles.

The Fab 5 didn't cause that pain; the AD did.  Michigan hired a terrible coach.  Michigan refused to keep facilities up.  That's the cause of pre-Beilein pain, nothing else.

saveferris

January 29th, 2013 at 2:54 PM ^

You're missing the point.  I don't see any scenario where we would invite Webber back to a U of M basketball event with his Fab Five teammates without Chris making some kind of conciliatory gesture to the University.  Short of that, I imagine Webber will go on being personna non grata here at Michigan.

I think that scenario is very distinct from OSU allowing Jim Tressel to "retire" rather than be terminated and then parading him around their stadium as a hero while their school suffers under the sanctions that he caused. 

Michigan's actions at least demonstrate that they took their scandal seriously.

814 East U

January 29th, 2013 at 10:22 AM ^

Bring the guys back courtside...it would be cool for ONE game. Jalen and Jimmy sat next to me courtside vs. MSU a few years back when D. Sims missed a last second layup/shot attempt to win the game. I think that was 2009. No one seemed to notice/care that much if I recall (although it was on Sportscenter).

michgoblue

January 29th, 2013 at 10:28 AM ^

Let me start by saying that I am, and will always be, an unabashed supporter of the Fab 5.  Were they perfect?  Far from it.  Did they, as 17-20 year old kids make mistakes.  Definitely (allegedly definitely).  But, they are a central part of the fabric of Michigan basketball, and that will never change.  For me, personally, the Fab 5 were part of the reason I chose to come to Michigan (in 1994).  Between 21's "hello Heisman" only a few years prior and the "cool factor" that the Fab 5 brought, as a sports nut, Michigan became my dream school.

All of that said, the Fab 5 have no place at the tourney this year.  Why?

1.  Distraction - If our team advanced deap into the tourney, we want them focused.  Sure, Coach Beilein will do as good of a job as any at keeping the players focused, but it would be impossible for them to not get even a bit distracted by the circus that this would create.

2.  media attention - this team has worked their asses of to get to where they are.  From Hardaway working to bring up his dribble and outside touch, to Burke working on his defense, to Staus taking 1 billion shots a day in his back yard, to Morgan losing weight to become more agile, this team has put in the work to get to where they are, and they deserve their moment in the sun.  The media will inevitably talk about the Fab 5 anyway, but why magnify it?  Let these kids have their time.

3.  Perhaps this could be included in #1 above, but I would imagine that there would be many fans of both Michigan and our opposing team who would loudly boo these guys.  Why subject the current players to this.

In summary, I don't see anything good that can come of this.  That said, I would like to see the Fab 5 welcomed back.  Just don't do it in the tourney with so much on the line for these players.  Have them attend the opener in Ann Arbor (once CWEb's ban is over), but not the tourney.

Mr. Yost

January 29th, 2013 at 10:36 AM ^

Fine. That's awesome support and would be "cool."

But we should wait until the ban is over to honor them in any way...but we SHOULD honor them. They happened, period.

 

Also, I love Jalen's idea and support of Michigan, but he doesn't always know what he's talking about. He said Michigan's success is because we started recruiting our own backyard again. Uhhh....Jordan Morgan?

Miami, Columbus, Canada, Indiana, Indiana, Ohio, etc.

Morgan may be the only player on the team from the state of Michigan.

Tuebor

January 29th, 2013 at 12:38 PM ^

Here is how honoring them would go...

 

And now taking center court are the members of Michigan's Fab Five.  These five players took college basketball by storm and in 1991-1992 and 1992-1993 they went to two consecutive final ......... Interesting, the record reflects that they did not win a single game in these seasons.  Welcome back your fab five!!!!

WolverineHistorian

January 29th, 2013 at 10:38 AM ^

Sadly, the last time we made it as far as the Sweet 16, Jalen, Jimmy, Juwan and Ray were on the roster. 

If we can finally make it to the second round of the tournament this year, I think the media will be bringing up those names regardless if they are sitting at a game or not. 

DemetriusBrown

January 29th, 2013 at 10:45 AM ^

Webber wouldn't want to be a part of it anyway. I don't think former players watching any game this year regardless of time and venue would have any impact on how Michigan performs. Having Jalen, Juwan, Ray, and Jimmy show support for a team and university they obviously love is something that should be embraced.

goblue_jb

January 29th, 2013 at 10:46 AM ^

didnt read the freep piece, but i saw a short clip on espn yesterday where they interviewed jalen about the current team, i'm assuming this piece might've spun from those comments.  think its paywalled/insider, but for those interested in the source - http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/colleges/michigan/post/_/id/9795/jalen-rose-on-nations-new-no-1

jalen works for espn as an analyst right? he'd likely be there anyway if/when our team is in a big march madness game.

Elmer

January 29th, 2013 at 11:34 AM ^

Jalen was also on SportsCenter last night and was asked why it took UM 20 years to return to #1?  He said you have to recruit locally in Michigan and he mentioned Glenn Rice and Terry Mills, himself and CWebb, and for Sparty: Cleaves and MoPete.

Help me out here, don't we have just two scholarship players from Michigan?  Are Horford and Morgan driving all of our success this year?

Nice try Jalen.  Try making more sense next time.

 

 

lilpenny1316

January 29th, 2013 at 3:19 PM ^

The balance of power in the state changed with the SUV accident.  Cleaves went to State and the whole Flintstone crew followed.  That Saginaw/Flint area was locked down and all that talent went to East Lansing.  Actually Izzo gets criticized because despite all of his success he doesn't reel in a lot of talent from out the Midwest.  

And don't overlook Jordan Morgan's contributions the last few years.  He's been our best post player for what should be three consecutive tournament teams.  Who knows where we'd be without his contributions.

fritZ

January 29th, 2013 at 10:47 AM ^

Due to the distraction that such a reunion would cause, I would prefer that if it were to happen, it take place at a game with little intrigue on the court.  Penn State, completely defeated in conference play, could be the perfect game for it.  * Disclaimer - when the photos of the new freshman class were going around before the season, my first thought was, "Why is McGary wearing Webber's jersey?"  So, I'm obviously still a fan of the Fab Five.

profitgoblue

January 29th, 2013 at 10:59 AM ^

At this point in MBB history, the Fab Five can probably provide some decent marketing for the team.  Anything that draws even more attention to the team is good, especially for recruiting.  It could be that kids these days don't remember the Fab Five but I bet a lot of kids still watch and know about these famous Michigan alums.  Would them attending a tournament game be a distraction to the current players?  I doubt it unless the Fab Five is a presence in the locker room before the game.  Then again, the players would probably LOVE to meet those guys - collectively, they're probably the most famous "player" in Michigan history  So, in short, I think them attending a game would be a great thing.  I think the only "distraction" would be that TV commentators would constantly commenting about it.

Niels

January 29th, 2013 at 11:10 AM ^

This is a tricky situation. As opposed to Duke, etc. who have a relatively unbroken lineage, there is way more meaning in having the Fab 5 come back. While my experience (was in East Quad with them at orientation back in 91 and witnessed pretty much the whole run) may bias me, I think that they should be welcomed back at some point.

That being said, there would need to be some apologies on the part of the Fab 5 (esp Webber) as well as some acknowledgement that this would be about supporting the current team. Of course it would be more than that but respect needs to be shown for the current team. I would also imagine having them meet the current team behind closed doors first would be ideal.

If this were done correctly, it would be incredibly valuable for the program for the fact is that there has not imo been a more important college basketball team in the past 40 years

bacon1431

January 29th, 2013 at 11:39 AM ^

As long as they don't want some sort of ceremony, I'd love this. Make an announcement that the Fab Five is in attendance during the first TV timeout, they'll get an ovation and it'll be done with. Fine by me.

Hail-Storm

January 29th, 2013 at 11:42 AM ^

Not sure about Webber due to his non-contact and the fact he didn't come forward with it, but the rest have grown and are still a huge part of Michigan basketball. I don't think it takes anything away from what the current team and their success.

Buzz Your Girlfriend

January 29th, 2013 at 11:44 AM ^

I find it interesting that our fan base is the one that forgives Webber/Fab 5 the least. It's like the opposite of Ohio. Other fan bases, and the media especially, LOVE the Fab 5 and LOVE to still mention them 20 years later. They have forgiven, but it seems like the University hasn't, which is something I'm proud of, but not necessarily agree with. 



 

Soulfire21

January 29th, 2013 at 11:57 AM ^

I'm all for it, the punishments have been doled out and we've basically been in the basement for a decade and a half.  The suffering can be over, I think it would be very, very unique and exciting and awesome to welcome them back.  They are iconic to basketball.