Bridges Officially Returning Next Year
I seriously don't know how Izzo does it, but its amazing how he convinces kids to do what is clearly not in their best interests. Bridges is almost a lock to be a lottery pick and he didn't even submit his name for evaluation.
This quote from Izzo, shows the level of brainwashing going on: "But this is not about Miles, it's about the university and it's about you the fans."
http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2017/04/miles_bridges_nba.html#…
Contrast that with JB's approach of actively encouraging DJ, Mo and other players to do what's in their best interests and pursue the process "agressively:"
John Beilein said Wednesday night, speaking with reporters prior to U-M basketball's annual team banquet. "I encouraged them to look at this aggressively and go after it if they really felt it."
http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2017/04/john_beilein_encourag…;
makes absolutely no sense
April 13th, 2017 at 10:19 PM ^
Why did Josh Jackson go to Kansas instead of being a Sparty? Go listen to today's Mgblog podcast. Izzo is not really interested in the best interests of Bridges, he has to get another championship to validate his leagacy.
For a supposed "players coach" Izzo has certainly selfishly fucked over a lot of them from a future earnings standpoint over the years.
Sparty
April 13th, 2017 at 11:33 PM ^
We're talking about a kid who isn't exactly poor but hasn't ever had serious money. The risk here is that he might end up only super-crazy rich instead of super-duper-crazy rich. Do you think a kid like Bridges can even comprehend or appreciate the difference? I'm not sure he can. I think he realizes that -- due to insurance policies -- he is, as a matter of fact, going to be drowning in money next year.
So why not be a college superstar, chase tail with your long-time best friends, and pursue a national championship for a little while longer rather than jumping to become a full-time employee?
Like I said, probably the wrong decision; but I can't really blame these kids for looking at things from a different perspective.
Uh, because if he blows out his knee, he's not going to be super-crazy rich or super-duper-crazy rich.
If he blows out a knee, then he's collecting super-crazy-rich money.
and think of two wordsZ: Phil Hubbard. If those gifted enough to be guaranteed that type of money would consider the above name, I think they might have a change of heart.
Really suspicious that Sparty is literally the only team that projected 1st rounders (Summers, Davis, Payne, Bridges) regularly stay at.
Out of that list I think only Miles Bridges and Gary Harris were surprises to stay.
Izzo has not pulled many top-10 caliber recruits, and he has done a mediocre job developing talent. I think that has led to him having a lot of 4 and 5-star players stay longer than would have been expected from recruiting hype.
Considering Eron Harris blew out his knee a few feet from Bridges it's pretty interesting decision. Probably the highest profile guy of late I can remember to go back - he is mocked #11 or #12. I think Gary Harris was later teens when he went back for his sophomore year.
Definitely preseason top 3 now and they may even beat Duke for once (or twice) in Izzo's career.
This will be a tough roster talent swing with Bridges staying combined with the possible departure of Wagener and/or Wilson. Izzo getting him to stay after such an underachieving season is akin to ND continuing to draw interest from top HS recruits after a 4-8 season. Quite headscratching really.
Sweet!!!
April 13th, 2017 at 10:10 PM ^
It's all about Izzo and if someone needs to forgo $3-4M in the next year, that's just the price that must be paid.
April 13th, 2017 at 10:38 PM ^
The greater the victory
April 13th, 2017 at 11:00 PM ^
April 13th, 2017 at 11:16 PM ^
April 13th, 2017 at 11:16 PM ^
April 13th, 2017 at 11:18 PM ^
Man, some schools have all the luck. Basically everything that could go right for that athletic department over the past year has gone well for them.
Wait, what's that you say? Their entire year has been an ongoing tire fire with more tires added almost daily? Congrats on sticking around another year Kelvin Torbert...errrr....Miles Bridges.
April 13th, 2017 at 11:53 PM ^
For crying out loud. He's a freshmen. He wants to return. That's great, imhe. I'm kinda fed up with those whose irrational hatred of Sparty colors everything. Relax. Their football team is falling apart. I think Wagner and Wilson come back. Michigan will be fine. Yeah, I'd like to see Beilein geet a few more solid recruits, but I have no complaints, and I don't begrudge Izzo what he is doing. And they definitely have a few guys going to the NBA. I don't like Draymond Green or Valentine, but hey, at least they're playing ball still. And MSU currently has more guys in the NBA than Michigan. So they've got that going for them.
April 14th, 2017 at 12:35 AM ^
on behalf of Miles. If you recruit top 5 star talent, your job is to get them into the NBA as a high draft pick after their freshmen seasons.
If Izzo hadn't coached and recruited MSU to such a terrible season, MIles would have been gone.
I don't see that as anything other than a coaching failure on Izzo's part...
April 14th, 2017 at 10:04 AM ^
Sure but there would also be a lot of people, myself included, who whould be happy(we're not idiots) while at the same time wondering what in the hell is he thinking?
Good for Bridges and MSU. Probably would have been picked in the teens this year, should be top 10 next year. They should be pretty damn good, but could also fuck it up. I hope he gets an insurance policy like a lot of college football players, I'd hate to see that happen.
April 14th, 2017 at 11:49 AM ^
The fact that Bridges is coming back or the fact that Izzo keeps attracting top tier talent. There are way better coaches out there for preparing you for the NBA.
April 14th, 2017 at 11:53 AM ^
Another early tourney exit and whining by Izzo next March.