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Unverified Voracity Needs Maverick To Come Along Comment Count

Brian

HAPPY BIRTHDAY. It's Mark Dantonio's birthday, on this fine March 9th. 3/9, truly the one and only day Mark Dantonio has entered this world. Also Notre Dame went 4-8.

Mom was right. Remember the bizarre end to Malik McDowell's recruitment, which more or less ended with his unhappy mother pounding a shoe on the table demanding that he go to Michigan because he needed to do some growing up and Ann Arbor was the best place for that? Point, mom:

Allow us to explain how a 6-foot-6, 295-pound prime athlete with long arms and big hands who runs a 4.85 40 is on the “losers” list. Said one team: “Worst interview we did.” Added another: “Awful interview. Awful.” What concerns scouts most is that for all his tremendous upside — watch him destroy Michigan, for instance — McDowell’s production and tape don’t always match up. Scouts feel like he takes plays off too often. And when they asked him about that, he got defensive. They also asked him about his attitude and work ethic, which were concerns. Many of those questions remain unanswered.

Rumors were swirling around McDowell all season; the unceremonious end to his MSU career would seem to confirm most of them. MSU has a culture problem, and a lot of it traces back to the back-bends they did to get McDowell and then keep him in the program.

This should not be construed as a general assertion that all moms are right all the time, because no baby needs a sleep sack that makes him look like Roald freakin' Amundsen. We heat this house for a reason! It's to keep the people warm! I digress!

Rather stark way to put this. Hockey pairwise risers and fallers this year:

It's bad man.

Meanwhile, Red confirmed the story that had been out there about his return to the Michigan Daily:

He intended to retire last year, which he planned at the beginning of that season. But with a new athletic director in Warde Manuel, Berenson opted to stay to aid Manuel’s transition.

“He didn’t wanna go through hiring a coach — he hadn’t even moved into his house yet,” Berenson said. “And our team played well and I thought they were responding well, so the reasons to stay were those things.

“We’ll revisit all this at the end of the year, but I’m trying not to worry about it right now. It’s just a matter of when — whether it’s this year or next year."

I've mentioned this before: Red could have said "hire Mel, I'm going to go buy a boat, goodbye." That would have helped avoid this season that's going nowhere and not even building to anything. It also may indicate that Michigan's search will be more open than I thought it would be.

This is interesting because there are a couple of guys who look like really good coaches out there:

  • UML's Norm Bazin just won Hockey East (again) and will take the previously moribund Rivermen to the tournament for the fourth time in his five years.
  • Providence coach Nate Leaman will take the Friars to the NCAA tournament for the fourth straight year; prior to his arrival their last bid was in 2001.
  • Denver's Jim Montgomery has been excellent in his four years with the Pioneers. Denver is a historical power and may be able to hang on to Montgomery, but if his salary is in the same range as the rest of the NCHC it's around 250k. Wisconsin just doubled that for Tony Granato. If Michigan's serious they can point the money cannon at just about anybody.

Or they could hire a conference commissioner, I guess.

All praise Maverick Morgan. John Gasaway:

Once upon a time the Illini beat the Wolverines easily in Champaign, and afterward one of the victorious orange-bedecked men branded UM as “white collar.” Since that moment Beilein’s team has outscored its Big Ten opponents by 0.13 points per possession. The Michigan staff should hire that guy.

Michigan's been the best team in the league since. Purdue finished the conference season at +0.12.

Etc.: Now is the time of year when people go to minor conference basketball tourneys and report back with excellent prose. Firing Tom Crean would be weird. Also: not that weird. BYCTOM on the Northwestern pass thing. 24/7 on Eli Brooks and Isaiah Livers.

Comments

Benoit Balls

March 9th, 2017 at 4:21 PM ^

the worst part about sleep sacks is if you have a diaper blowout, then the sleep sack becomes the worst water balloon ever.  You throw the sleep sack away, and for a millisecond, think about maybe tossing the kid too.

Thats one of a million memories that seems funny now, but wasn't at the time.

Joined: 11/27/2010

MGoPoints: 5168

WolverBean

March 9th, 2017 at 5:20 PM ^

Sleep sacks are not to keep your baby warm. They are to keep your baby from realizing he/she has hands, which he/she can then use to do things like scratch the side of the crib, or pull out a pacifier and throw it across the room, or smack themselves in the face and then be shocked because they don't yet understand that this is a bad idea, or otherwise do all sorts of things other than sleep. You realize this when they start to roll over and it's no longer safe to keep their arms pinned at night, and they suddenly stop sleeping, or wake up suddenly every time their arms move in their sleep. Not that this is happening in our house right now, for the second time...

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 1959

5th Van Tyne

March 9th, 2017 at 7:56 PM ^

Jordan Poole is the recruit I've been the most excited for since Mitch Mcgary.  Saw him live in December and his shooting ability is out of this world.  He went 6-7 and I think he had a hand in his face every time he shot the ball.  He's tailor-made for Beilein.

Joined: 01/03/2017

MGoPoints: 762

MGlobules

March 9th, 2017 at 4:37 PM ^

You know what I'm about to say--please retain Tom Crean. The pleasure of beating his asspantspullingface is so great that it's even worth losing to him now and then,

Sincerely, etc.

 

Joined: 11/17/2008

MGoPoints: 47495

stephenrjking

March 9th, 2017 at 5:04 PM ^

I mentioned Leaman and Montgomery last night, coincidently or not, as possibilities. I'm not that plugged in to what they are doing, but their results speak for themselves.

Norm Bazin seems like less of a possibility. He is a bit older and is a Lowell grad, so the upside is a bit lower and he may be less inclined to move than a guy like Montgomery or Leaman, who aren't at their alma maters.

I would love to make an effort like this.

Joined: 03/15/2012

MGoPoints: 20143524

Alton

March 9th, 2017 at 5:10 PM ^

I have mentioned him before, but he would have to be a top candidate.  He's currently the coach of the USNTDP U17 team, so he woulnd't even have to move if he were to take the Michigan job. 

There is one obvious issue--his alma mater is MSU--but since MSU seems to be stuck in their Anastos fantasy for now, why not snap him up before MSU comes to their senses?

Joined: 07/05/2008

MGoPoints: 13277

Alton

March 9th, 2017 at 5:30 PM ^

Hard to say.  The USNTDP hired him right after he made the NCAA tournament at Alabama-Huntsville.  I don't think coaching Michigan would be too different from coaching USNTDP U-17.  The players are a couple of years older, but it's going to be about the same talent level.  He was certainly the #1 candidate among MSU fans during their last search.

Also, to reiterate, "...he made the NCAA tournament at Alabama Huntsville."  That's something right there.

 

Joined: 07/05/2008

MGoPoints: 13277

Sac Fly

March 9th, 2017 at 5:19 PM ^

Michigan State tried to hire Cole before and it was even reported (falsely) that he took the job. My guess is that him and everyone else they called didn't want it because Comley left it in such a wreck but it's even worse now so who knows? He doesn't want to be the NTDP coach forever.

Joined: 04/03/2010

MGoPoints: 5981

Kevin13

March 9th, 2017 at 5:37 PM ^

let Gwozdecky go and hired Jim Montgomery. I thought they were crazy he had won 2 NC's there and was in the tourney every year, but they never got past the first round. It was a bold move that paid off well for them. He is a hell of a coach.

I wish UM would've made a move a couple of years ago and brought in Mel or an up and comer. Would love to try to get Montgomery now if Mel is not in the cards.

Joined: 01/26/2016

MGoPoints: 16040

Sac Fly

March 9th, 2017 at 5:09 PM ^

Wisconsin got Tony Granato because he played there and the assistant coaches also played there. Getting the other guys to leave their current jobs would not be easy, especially Bazin because he played at UML.

For some reason there's never been a former player who I can remember being a serious contender for the job except for John Madden, who may still have beef with Red and is chasing an NHL job. I really think that Bill Muckalt will be a great coach, but he doesn't have the experience yet.

If they can't get Mel Pearson, the second call has to be to Ron Rolston.

Joined: 04/03/2010

MGoPoints: 5981

MGlobules

March 9th, 2017 at 5:24 PM ^

celebrated long after Mork Dantoni has shuffled off his mortal coil. Now, fellow Mgobloggers, we need RITUALS. Whaddyagot? A statue of him on campus that virgins dance around and festoon with crepe and slime* could be a start. 

*My 13-year-old has the recipe; it involves Elmer's and contact lens cleaner. 

Joined: 11/17/2008

MGoPoints: 47495

Rufus X

March 10th, 2017 at 9:22 AM ^

Red has as much right to go out on his own terms as any coach we've ever had (including Bo). It's pretty sad that he was pushed into staying another year than he wanted to.  Definitely a mistake by Warde.

He was handed Harbaugh on a silver platter - I don't want to hear he was too busy to let one of the all time greats retire on his own terms.  Moving into a new house while changing jobs happens all the time in life - you don't get to take a year off from making key business decisions because your dishes are still in a box.  Especially at the pay rate Warde is making.  Big strike against him, in my book.  

Joined: 10/29/2010

MGoPoints: 3997