Chait Strikes Again
The estimable Jon Chait continues to fill the pages of New York Magazine with perspectives gleaned from his love of UM basketball (and he also is a devoted football fan). Check out his last two posts:
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/03/what-white-people-dont-see-watching-basketball.html
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/03/cbs-white-basketball-player-is-basically-jesus.html
March 20th, 2014 at 10:33 PM ^
What's wrong with being cocky? This is the exact thing I hate: Old white guys who focus on image too damn much. Stauskas is having fun while he plays, and I don't think he's crossed the line. I guess you want everyone to play sports like they're puritans......
March 21st, 2014 at 12:18 AM ^
Aaron Craft isn't lauded because he's white. He's lauded for the following:
- First team All-Big Ten (Media) (2013)
- Second team All-Big Ten (Coaches) (2013)
- 2× Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year (2012 & 2014)
- Third team All-Big Ten (Media) (2012)
- Big Ten Tournament MVP (2013)
- 2× Academic All-American of the Year (2013–2014)
- 3× First Team Academic All-American (2012–2014)
- Elite 89 Award (2012)
- All-Big Ten Defensive team (2011, 2012, 2013)
- All-Big Ten Freshman team (2011)
Sorry, I love Jordan Morgan, but that's not Jordan Morgan. Craft has had a great career, much better than most players in NCAA, regardless of his race. They talked about Bracey Wright in a similar way. The thing Chait does is write in a way that makes you think that Craft is getting unusual praise when in reality he's not getting any more praise than any other star player from a traditional powerhouse school.
That being said, the "angelic countenance" was totally absurd.
March 21st, 2014 at 12:46 AM ^
Uh, you do realize that most of those awards were given to him by the same media that everyone is bashing for overrating Craft in the first place? You can't really claim a player isn't overrated by using the exact same people who overate him in the first place as evidence.
2013 all big ten - 1st team media, 2nd team coaches
2012 all big ten - 3rd team media
March 21st, 2014 at 11:55 AM ^
You think that the media is making this average player into a superstar? The guys played 32 mins a game on a good Big Ten Program for years. The guy led his team to the Elite 8 last year and has set NCAA records for defense. His teams have competed for Big Ten titles every year except this year. Is he overhyped? Sure. So is every other main player on every other major program.
Morgan has always been a great role player. He's up there with Stu and Novak as guys who laid the foundation. But, he's not Aaron Craft.
March 21st, 2014 at 11:51 AM ^
Craft gets all the accolades ...... and he's an average college point guard. Craft wouldn't even play for many coaches including Beilein.
Teams literally don't guard him because his shot is so awful. He has to pass the ball .... he can't shoot it.
I've been telling friends for last few weeks that we are going to miss Craft. I wish he could play for 8 more years.
March 21st, 2014 at 11:59 AM ^
Craft would be our starting point guard this year if he was at Michigan. He'd start on every Big Ten team, except maybe MSU. We've gotten a little spoiled if we think Craft wouldn't play at Michigan.
brandon inge called and said this whole idea is ridiculous.
My guess is that overhyped NCAAB players are disproportionally white. It would be interesting to get some data. I'd love to see:
- Who do fans think is overhyped in college ball? Does it change when you split out fans by race or gender?
- Do commentators vary on who they overhype when you split them by race?
It's a little tricky because most of the overhype characteristics - leadership, grit, toughness, character - are hard to measure, but I think you could still do some interesting work.
I read this discussion and find myself wondering why Craft isn't referred to "as not just a shooter", and Stauskas isn't particularly lauded for his gritty winnerness.
March 21st, 2014 at 10:47 AM ^
Well, there is this
...and this
Yes, Aaron Craft belongs in the Ohio State pantheon