Saw Beilein in the elevator
Little anecdote from yesterday's shitshow:
I work for WCBN (student radio), so I've been watching all the home games from the press box. Since we have so few listeners, I was able to leave the game yesterday once it was clear that it wasn't gonna get going again for a few hours. I was in the elevator, heading down from the press box, and who steps in but John Beilein. Everyone greeted him cheerfully, and I told him "Can't wait for basketball season!" He replied "Can't wait for Big Ten football season. We're getting better, believe it or not."
It's probably just a guy supporting his colleague, but for now I'd like to view it as a sign of good tidings to come. Because if there's anyone or anything we can still believe in, it's John Beilein.
September 21st, 2014 at 11:33 AM ^
John Beilein is the nicest guy I've ever met. I work the basketball camps every summer, and he takes time in his extremely busy schedule to talk to every single coach (30+) coaches and tries to get to know them. He's awesome.
We need to find the John Beilein of the football world for this football team.
September 21st, 2014 at 12:02 PM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 12:14 PM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 12:29 PM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 12:58 PM ^
I don't see the /s, so you must be serious, though I hope you are not. RR was terrible for this program.
September 21st, 2014 at 1:18 PM ^
If we're talking personality, RichRod was a very different kind of guy than Beilein. Much rougher around the edges.
Anecdotally, I've heard a lot of things from people who have met him, which range all over the spectrum on him - some positive, some very negative - whereas I've literally never met anyone who had a bad experience talking to Beilein.
(Pretty much everyone who's met Hoke - I have myself - has had a positive impression of him as a person. Off the field he's pretty Beilein-esque, a really good guy. Now on the field, well...)
September 21st, 2014 at 1:19 PM ^
This is a joke, right?
September 21st, 2014 at 3:26 PM ^
Pffff. Come on.
September 21st, 2014 at 12:17 PM ^
I've said hi to JB a few times, twice in the stadium parking lot (as he was leaving Crisler), and once at an event in A2. Really nice guy, great represntative of this university, and a terrific coach.
I'm a huge Beilein fan
September 21st, 2014 at 11:36 AM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 12:27 PM ^
One of the things that I've noticed in the past few years is that really all the sports have bought into the "family atmosphere" and step in to provide this sort of support at each other's games when they can. Perhaps I should say that I've noticed it more in the past few years, but it seems like it is emphasized in a way that it was not before. It's a very nice thing to see some unity of mission within the body of Michigan athletics.
September 21st, 2014 at 11:40 AM ^
Hail College Radio! It remains among the best parts of my college experience from many decades ago. But times have changed. Considering recent news, I suspect that your WCBN colleagues might be asking whether TMZ Sports bought the elevator cam video of your experience.
September 21st, 2014 at 11:42 AM ^
I initially read WCBN asf WNBC and immediately thought of Pig Vomit.
September 21st, 2014 at 12:24 PM ^
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September 21st, 2014 at 11:44 AM ^
That's a smart guy supporting the organization he's working for and his fellow athletic coaches. The right thing to do.
September 21st, 2014 at 11:45 AM ^
You should have asked him if he was available to coach for Big Ten football season.
September 21st, 2014 at 12:01 PM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 12:21 PM ^
Someone gets it.
September 21st, 2014 at 12:57 PM ^
"I remember when everyone wanted him gone too..." This simply never happened. Your memory is completely inaccurate to the point of being a fantasy.
September 21st, 2014 at 1:36 PM ^
Not everyone, but a lot of people were unhappy after the 15-17 season in year 3. Starting out 1-6 in B1G play the next year didn't help either. At that point, Daniel Horton lashed out at him - and if you read the comments below, the fanbase was divided - you see some people defending Beilein, but also this:
I agree with Horton on this one. This team is far from being a tournament team let alone competing with the top teams in conference.
The kids play hard. The scheme can frustrate other teams at times but overall this systems will never be consistent enough to win the Big 10 on a regular basis.
He makes some valid points, but not in the right way. It's not Beilein's fault, he is just doing what he knows. The blame belongs to..Lee Bollinger and Mary Sue Coleman and the ADs Goss and Martin.
With the exception of Zach Novak, how many 6' 3 -6' 5" white boys from Indiana and illinois can you recuit before you forget that Big Ten teams are supposed to be big.
I must say that I have to agree. I just had this conversation with my cousin yesterday. Much like RR, I think that JB and his 1-3-1 zone has never been a fit in the big ten. And as for recruiting, he leaves a lot to be desired. He has never brought in a top recruit, or at least a decent big man, which IMO is essential to win in the big 10.
September 21st, 2014 at 1:31 PM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 1:36 PM ^
Seriously, it was not close to "everyone" or even "large." Aside from that, the two situations are completely different anyway.
September 21st, 2014 at 1:42 PM ^
People do not care nearly as much about basketball. Yeah, everyone's on the bandwagon now that they're successful, but Michigan Hockey got more play on this board before Beilein caught on. No one cared.
September 21st, 2014 at 2:02 PM ^
There were actually a lot of people upset with Beilein in his third and fourth years. I remember going to games at a half-empty Crisler and hearing a lot of "This system isn't going to get it done" comments from people.
Even those who weren't necessarily calling for Beilein's firing would damn him with faint praise. The feeling was that he was starting to warm up the seat a bit for his successor, who would recruit better than him. For a while, Brian's take on him was basically "Beilein has a low ceiling, but he might make the tournament sometimes, and that's OK."
September 21st, 2014 at 2:04 PM ^
We tied for 7th in the big the next 2 years after that.
Our recruiting classes were not stellar...
All of this leading to upset people in AA...
So I don't know if your 12 or just plain stupid..my memory is pretty solid..my overall point was it took JB a long time to get things rolling..hoke like JB had to completely rebuild from the bottom up..we need to give him time...also have a great day!
September 21st, 2014 at 5:10 PM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 12:05 PM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 12:08 PM ^
nah, wouldn't fit over the halo.
September 21st, 2014 at 12:07 PM ^
did you ask him if he can coach OL?
September 21st, 2014 at 12:15 PM ^
I've edited the OP to make it a bit more realistic:
Little anecdote from yesterday's shitshow:
I work for WCBN (student radio), so I've been watching all the home games from the press box. Since we have so few listeners, I was able to leave the game yesterday once it was clear that it wasn't gonna get going again for a few hours. I was in the elevator, heading down from the press box, and who steps in but John Beilein. Everyone greeted him cheerfully, and I told him "Can't wait for basketball season!" He replied "Can't wait for Big Ten football season. We're getting better, believe it or not." By the time the elevator reached the lower level I was averaging 18 points and 7 rb a game. Nba.com has me as a mid-first round pick if I come out after this year.
September 21st, 2014 at 12:41 PM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 3:25 PM ^
lol
Beilein has bought years of good will in A2. Would people be very annoyed if we sucked? Yeah. But everyone in their right mind knows this is one of the best coaches in the nation and a terrific head of our program
September 21st, 2014 at 12:50 PM ^
Beilein is smart enough—and a good enough person—to know that there is no advantage or benefit whatsoever from bad-mouthing a fellow coach to a random stranger in the elevator.
I would be suprised if he didn't have entirely different views in private.
September 21st, 2014 at 6:09 PM ^
You don't know. Maybe Beilein is a seer and he knows we are going 8-0 in the conference.
Holy shit that's ridiculous, both the seer and 8-0 parts.
September 21st, 2014 at 1:14 PM ^
. .Beilein did NOT set the world on fire when he first started. He is a coach, he has experienced what Hoke has experienced. Do you think he is "just supporting" or does he actually believe what he said. You are correct I do believe in JB and I tend to think he isn't one to "just say" things.
A little more of his attitude from this blog might go a long way...
Go Blue!
September 21st, 2014 at 1:23 PM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 2:12 PM ^
"This thing's going down."
And did you realize at that moment exactly what he was referring to? Man, Beilein is sooo meta...
September 21st, 2014 at 4:17 PM ^
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September 21st, 2014 at 2:13 PM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 2:41 PM ^
Beilein is such a class act.
Can't wait for the MBB season to begin.