Do More, Say More
our student manager turned walk-on is better than yours and knows it
The nature of the tournament means you may not get much of a chance to savor a great victory before much of its luster is worn off. Thursday night was, without question, a great victory, and I'm going to make a conscious effort to give it the savoring it so richly deserves.
Upon approximately my hundredth rewatching of the video containing all 14 (FOURTEEN!) of Michigan's three-pointers against Texas A&M, I came to a startling realization. I was genuinely, unironically glad that Reggie Miller, whose commentary I normally find obnoxious at best*, was calling the game for TBS. For one night, he was the perfect person to call a basketball game.
[*I'm pretty sure this video was made in jest. I hope, at least.]
Reggie Miller made a Hall of Fame career from hitting threes—often audacious, sometimes outrageous threes, seemingly always in critical circumstances—and talking a spectacular amount of shit. His game was loud, his personality louder still.
As Miller watched the Wolverines rip the Aggies limb-from-limb, his usual schtick disappeared and genuine joy broke through. He called shots and reacted with glee as they unfolded before his eyes. He found a kindred spirit in Moe Wagner. At one point he uttered "ooh, my goodness" while so taken aback it's almost lost beneath Kevin Harlan's exhilaration.
Michigan did not just rain in a torrent of threes. They matched them with Miller-like theatrics that escalated with each strike.
The show turned to a full-blown three-ring circus, Oakland-style, by late in the first half. Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman, the silent killer of the squad, lined up a long-range shot in transition. By the time the ball actually went through the net, 60% of the team was back on defense.
Robinson's arm went up the moment the shot did
Not a whole lot changed after halftime other than Michigan's willingness to cede Texas A&M post-up buckets, which lack both efficiency and swagger. Reggie wasn't here for that. Reggie's here for this.
Michigan's team shirts say "DO MORE, SAY LESS" this postseason. It's in the spirit of a John Beilein team, to be sure, but not this one, not anymore. This team is embodied by Moe Wagner removing his mouthguard to talk trash, Charles Matthews laughing in Nick Ward's face, Zavier Simpson's biggest mood, Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman coldly staring down his shot while the rest of the team merrily turns the other way, and student-manager-turned-walk-on CJ Baird flashing three fingers after drilling a 25-footer. Effervescent ailurophile-slash-tournament hero Jordan Poole, perhaps the most brash of the bunch, inspires art such as this Smoothitron masterpiece:
This has turned into a team that'll take your lunch money and throw your empty wallet into the woods. Every once in a while, as they did on Thursday, they'll use that money to buy your mom a nice meal. Maybe they'll take her out again tonight.
March 24th, 2018 at 12:12 PM ^
money to buy your mom a nice meal.
Love it!!
Maybe they'll take her out again tonight.
PS: (Still in my prayers mate)
March 24th, 2018 at 12:11 PM ^
Trash talking in another language must be awesome. The other guy doesn't know what you're saying but he knows you're trashing him - that's gotta sting even more.
March 24th, 2018 at 12:15 PM ^
This season and this post are more delectible than gas station pizza and a crisp, citrusy IPA on a non-work night.
March 24th, 2018 at 12:18 PM ^
I'm ready.
March 24th, 2018 at 12:24 PM ^
The only reason this 90's teen from Indiana ever cheered for a non-Jordan Bulls team was because Reggie talked so much shit and nailed so many threes. Not bad fora 6'6" guy who could barely dunk and was only the second best basketball player in his family.
March 24th, 2018 at 12:42 PM ^
Shop smart, I am an Indy native who learned to love sports in the 80s and 90s as well. Reggie was Indiana sports for an entire decade. He was lethal and so easy to cheer for!
Yep. I graduated from a small school about an hour north of Indy in 98. The Pacers with Reggie were so much fun back then. I could cheer for them knowing that I could enjoy them all the way to the point the Bulls destroyed them, and it would be a fun trip.
March 24th, 2018 at 12:40 PM ^
That one is worth celebrating and reliving! Thanks Ace, and I could not agree more on Reggie's commentary - it was one of the highlights for me.
Here are my thoughts after rewatching the entire 1st half that I just shared on a board post of the youtube link:
Z got into the paint whenever he wanted.
Likewise, no one could stay in front of MAAR.
Z's defense on Starks prevented any offense from developing.
On the rare instances where Davis or Williams got the ball in the post, Wagner, Robinson, or Teske made life very hard on them.
We wanted the loose balls more, and we were rewarded.
Matthews' decision making on offense was flawless. That, to me, is more important than his execution in hindsight, as it is more predictive of the future. Also, his execution on offense was nearly flawless as well.
Livers once again provided energy and spacing with another invisible box score effort that does not reveal his value.
Duncan flashed his beautiful stroke, but his defense and driving to the hoop were extremely impressive.
Mo was unstoppable, and so was his mouth. He won't take crap from anybody, and he is better when fully engaged emotionally.
Poole hit a filthy stepback to start the scoring. We are just scracthing the surface with him.
Simmons runs the offense with a purpose. He had very limited minutes, but he saw Watson wide open and managed to deceive the defense just long enough to get in the position to deliver that pass.
Beilein owned the half time interview. He got a little plug in for the Michigan band and then proceeded to create his own questions b/c he couldn't hear (didn't like?) the reporter's questions. His answers were perfect, and he put nearly the entire emphasis on our defense.
March 24th, 2018 at 12:37 PM ^
March 24th, 2018 at 12:43 PM ^
March 24th, 2018 at 12:47 PM ^
March 24th, 2018 at 12:54 PM ^
And that's why it won't be the blowout Texas A&M was. But it could still be a comfortable win. 4-6 point lead throughout the first. A run in the 2nd to blow it to 15-18, and then end with a 10 point cushion based on not letting up the easy inside shots that we did vs. A&M. Our offense won't be as proficient, but our defense won't be able to let off as much, or any in this one.
Just that it's March, and crazy things happen this time of year.
(But I do think we match up well.)
Depends on who you foul . . .
Teske's killed a man at the free throw line.
With a trident.
Mitch McGary's college career was cut short by the evil cannabis (hunters), and that was a shame, for his sake and for ours, losing the opportunity to enjoy a big man's uninhibited joy playing this glorious sport.
Then it struck me: we're lucky enough to get that joyous spirit in a big man again. Few fan bases get it once but we get it a second time, in Moe Wagner and his gesamtkunstwerk. [German, n., total work of art, concept attributed to Richard Wagner]
The biggest shame was that Mitch came back for his sophomore year and then hurt his back in the offseason. With him in the lineup, there's a good chance that's the 2014 national champions.
The suspension was ridiculous, but I honestly didn't expect him to come back and be here a third year. Would have liked to have seen him as a healthy sophomore though.
Considering that we lost to the National Champions by one last second shot, that's a safe bet.
UK lost to UConn in the final.
Wow, Ace. That last parapgraph is absolutely epic. You get a Reggie, "Oh no he didn't!" for that one. Indeed, a win like Thursday night's is truly one to be celebrated and cherished. In light of the stakes and national spotlight, they don't come around all that often. It's really what makes sports fandom so special. You actually awake the next day with the euphoric feelings having carried over. Did we really just do that? Yes we did. Hope the hot shooting and swagger carries over to FSU. Go Blue!!!
Take care of the ball. We struggled a bit with press the other night and they will pressure out of bounds play like we havent seen (something we've struggled with in the past).
they will use their depth to foul and press us on D the entire game in hopes of wearing us down.
this is gonna be a battle.
which may or may not be applicable
God bless that was beautiful. One after another. And the reaction of the 2 wolverine fans in yellow behind the A&M bench was awesome as was the pained reactions of the A&M bench. At some point you almost (emphasis almost) feel sorry for them.
all you see are his pearly-whites.
To Treasure.
Now we have some work to do. Light it up again boys.
See you at staples. Go Blue.
Just please, please, please can we have it for 3 more games.
the real shirt, DO MORE say less. I luv mgoblog but it just gets you talking heads into the mix.
81-69 GO BLUE!
I also thought Miller's commentary added to the rompous joy of the game.
Somehow it didn't seem to insult or degrade Texas A&M either...kinda like watching Mt. Pompeii from a distant island....you know people are dying but can't help appreciate the wondrous planetary spectacle. On that night every teammate was dialed into the game and each other.
It doesn't need a similar follow-up to validate it...it lives forever. That said, damn, let's do it again.
and its eruptions can be viewed from distant islands. I chose to use the safest viewing point....if you were on the mainland, it would have been more scary....couldn't appreciate the splendor....you'd be running for your life even if far away....
on the island, you'd be sipping from a coconut, not too worried about the carnage....
I'm thinking Capri.
Monday's News: Michigan in Final Four in Basketball and Hockey !
March 24th, 2018 at 11:11 PM ^
Ace is pushing Brian for greatest quote on this site. Maybe it's just the tourney mood that's talking, but I say we have a new "best thing ever written on this site."
This has turned into a team that'll take your lunch money and throw your empty wallet into the woods. Every once in a while, as they did on Thursday, they'll use that money to buy your mom a nice meal. Maybe they'll take her out again tonight.
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