One Frame At A Time: SDSU & VCU
Mitch McGary was unquestionably the star of Michigan's tournament weekend. He will appear several times in later on in this post. But my gawd, Spike Albrecht, you just made the pass of the year on a team with Trey Burke. Take a bow.
Four other reasons this gif wins the weekend:
- You can see VCU's defender rip open Glenn Robinson III's jersey as he runs down the court. This did not appear to affect GRIII very much.
- The bench goes nuts... before GRIII even dunks.
- Both Tim Hardaway Jr. (bottom left corner) and Trey Burke (in front of the bench) hop in identical fashion at the exact same time, like it's a Pavlovian response to Robinson's dunk.
- Spike rounds off his run at the three-point line. Walk it out like crutches, Spike.
All these things are great, and all pale in comparison to the pass itself. Thread, meet needle.
[Hit THE JUMP to see (and vote for) the best gifs from Michigan's opening weekend, also known as Mitchapalooza.]
As always, click the still frames to open each gif in a lightbox.
15. Mitch McGary Approves of GRIII's Midrange Game (SDSU)
This won't be the last you see of Mitch McGary, the bench reacting in hilarious fashion, or the combination of the two.
14. Rise and Fire (VCU)
This shot gave Michigan its first double-digit lead late in the first half. Obviously, that didn't matter as much as it seemed at the time, but this was some great camerawork by CBS nonetheless—and not a bad shot, too.
13. McGary Steal and Score (SDSU)
No big deal, just a 6'11" freshman center jumping the play at midcourt and going coast to coast for a dunk.
12. III-for-III (SDSU)
If not for the bounce on the rim, you'd be hard pressed to find a difference between the first two of GRIII's three consective three-pointers against SDSU.
11. GRIIIgoggles
Yeah, you get to do this when you hit three bombs in a row in your first NCAA tournament game.
10. Trey Burke Can Wreak Havoc, Too (VCU)
Yoink.
9. Oh, Finally (SDSU)
Over 27 minutes elapsed before Trey Burke made a field goal against South Dakota State, so of course once he got around to making one it was patently absurd.
8. [Obligatory Wes Unseld Reference] (VCU)
I normally hate when broadcasts deviate from the standard sideline camera angle; in this case, CBS nailed it.
7. Big Bird Shoots Wounded Duck
Blake McLimans halfheartedly attempted a very long three at the end of the VCU game. It did not go well, but I cannot stop laughing at the bench, which clearly encouraged Big Bird to launch the shot and then, well, I think they were hoping for a better result. Strongly recommend watching Jon Horford (far left end of the bench).
6. Spike Drops Bombs (VCU)
It's the fist-pump that gets me—even our tiny white freshman backup point guard oozes swag.
5. Mitch Rolls The Dice, Again (SDSU)
It's really all he's got, and that's just fine. (Bonus gif with context if you desire such a thing.)
4. "The Easiest Dunk" (VCU)
Sure, Tim. Whatever you say.
3. Silly Hat Salute
I may be underselling this at #3, especially considering the random hand—clearly in desperate search for a high-five—that Tim Sr. entirely ignores at the end. But then again...
2. MCGARY SMASH
Yeah, VCU guy, we saw it too.
Angle the second:
One of the other VCU defenders probably should've called "pick right" with a little more urgency.
FRAMES OF THE GAME(S)
Here's the Spike gif, again, as well as a zoomed-in version of just the bench.
If you don't like this team you should probably stop watching sports.
VOTE
I couldn't believe Spike's pass got through those two guys. I was all ready to bitch about turnovers, and SAY WHAAA?
I'd be lying if I said that wasn't going through my head as well when he went to make that pass. "NO SPIKE, DON'T TRY TO....Wow. WOW. Carry on...."
I still went with McGary SMASH. It was the equivalent of a kick return team getting an enormous crack block. It's gorgeous and not as common as a (very, very) nice pass.
Bacari was talking about this team being the Justice League. McGary is so "the Hulk" it's not even funny. He can't control himself when he gets excited. It's amazing.
Hulk would be the Avengers, not the Justice League. Get yo' comic heroes straight.
March 26th, 2013 at 12:27 PM ^
And Nik as Hawkeye, duh.
But I don't know who gets to be Thor or Iron Man among Hardaway and Robinson.
I really love being able to reflect on each individual bench player's reaction to Spike Magic Albrecht.
in the Spike pass - bench zoom version. He takes about four hops and almost turns an ankle coming down on someone else's foot.
Is that Vogrich with the "stumbling white guy dance" a couple players down from Stauskas?
Holy GOD is this team fun to watch when everything is clicking!
I think the "stumbling white guy dance" is Bielfeldt. He seems taller than the guy to his left (camera's right), who I think is Vogrich.
It's grainy, but I'd put the order, left to right, as: Horford, LeVert, Stauskas (sans yellow top), Morgan, Bielfeldt, Vogrich, McLimans, Bartelstein, Akunne (not as demonstrative), Person.
Akunne is the McKaya Maroney of Michigan basketball.
When watching it on TV, I remember being distracted by the camera angle. Totally missed the signature Mitch outlet pass to set up the bucket.
...Tim Hardaway, Jr's granddad who's saluting the dunker of the easiest dunk.
Spike's pass was nice, but McGary smash takes the cake for me. That's the only time this year I've reacted the way I do during a huge hit in football. It was absolutely glorious. I especially loved the responses.
Mitch McGary just killed a guy
slight pause
No, srsly guys, I think he's dead.
Ed: Hopefully this team continues to roll because I never have my eyes on the bench during the game and I obviously miss a few good things.
Ed 2: My reaction when Spike passed the ball through two defenders:
SPIKE! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING! YOU TURN THE BALL OVER... oh shit that was nice, *sips beverage*.
It's good to own land.
Nah, more like Spike (Ernie Digregorio) Albrecht
For the first gif, its obvious to me that the reason GRIII was able to get up so high is because he had help from Trey and THJ with the additional hop they provided.
It's only true if you believe it to be so.
They double bounced him.
Did CBS not record a regular camera angle of the Hardaway dunk?
I have yet to see a single replay other than the below-the-basket cam, which is incredibly disappointing.
Pretty sure that's the only angle CBS showed—there wasn't a timeout until well after it happened, and they didn't show a replay going into or coming out of the next break. Haven't seen another angle in the highlights, either. Definitely disappointing, since I'd like a wide-angle look at it, too.
March 26th, 2013 at 10:50 AM ^
What's equally as disappointing is how POORLY they covered the GRIII jersey tear ordeal.
They completely missed the tear, then they called it blood, then they said Trey Burke was complaining about HIS jersey.
Mind you, they had a timeout to figure out what really happened.
Trey either saw the tear or he saw GRIII on the way back up the floor and he was trying to get the refs attention that they indeed are grabbing and holding (something he'd been mentioning all game).
What's the weird part is that they showed a tight camera angle of Trey jumping up and down grabbing his jersey. Yet, you could see it clear as day on the wide shot after the dunk. He's grabbing his jersey, jumping up and down and damn near running over to GRIII to show the ref he's now wearing one of those overripped And 1 sleeveless shirts from 1998.
The ref had to let the game play on because VCU had the ball but the announcers completely missed what was going on.
I remember McGary had another thunderpick earlier in the game, anyone know when it was?
Also, anyone remember that looong overhand pass from Darius to Morgan a few years ago? Thought about it watching Spike thread the needle
The hilarious peer pressure in and of itself wins it for me, let alone the awkward hesitation, the terrible shot, and the bench excitement.
The hop for the bench was in unison with Hardaway and Burke.
Any chance you have a clip of the first of the two savage mcgary screens he had against vcu? I can't find it anywhere. I'm pretty sure burke got the ball for an open 3 but missed.
Haha, I never noticed Tim and Trey jumping simultaneously on GRIII's dunk. Also about half the bench at the exact same time as them, shit I probably jumped at that moment too, I think you nailed it calling it a Pavlonian response.
On the McGary Smash play, I was hoping Trey would dump it down to McGary on the roll. At Trey's release, McGary is at about the free throw line, building a head of steam to the rim. As McGary looks back to see if the pass is coming, no one else is in the paint and the only defender even close (i) is flat footed and (ii) just saw what McGary did to the other guy.
No problem with Trey taking the shot himself, but the alternate ending had some potential too.
March 26th, 2013 at 10:03 AM ^
Watching the 2nd angle of the pick by McGary live, one can clearly see the cameraman continue to follow Burke for a second, before deciding that the sprawled out VCU player makes for better TV. I like that.
The Spike pass got me up and screaming at the TV. That play alone puts Spike in my top 10 favorite UM basketball players of all time.
March 25th, 2013 at 10:35 PM ^
I admit to not even realizing it was Spike who made that sweet pass until the replay. For whatever reason my attention wasn't fully on the TV until mid-bounce. I assumed it was Burke because you can see him and not Spike right around the time my attention returned.
March 25th, 2013 at 11:10 PM ^
with one thing...calling him Spike "Magic" Albrecht. That's a sparty reference. He's referred to as Tragic in these parts. Isiah works just fine as a replacement or Gary Grant or Rumeal, or Jalen or you get it...Other than that, gosh damn, that play had me doing the exact same thing when I watched. Leaping up right with them...
March 26th, 2013 at 12:05 AM ^
couldn't "Sugar Coat" this one.
Mcgary's face, different words, come on internet
March 26th, 2013 at 10:09 AM ^
Had to register if only to say I am shocked that no one has noticed McGary clearly takes his basketball cues from Chip Douglas:
(specifically right around the 1:43 mark)
You guys play here too? One of the best movie basketball scenes ever.
Where can I go to find thoe RISE shirts that everyone seems to be wearing? I've checked Moe's, and they don't seem to be selling it. :(
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