As good a time as any

Submitted by BlueMk1690 on May 13th, 2019 at 3:05 PM

Why not drop mens basketball or at least go down to a lower division?

We know mens basketball at the D1 level is deeply corrupt. To the point where it can safely be assumed that the vast majority of our competitors routinely cheat and a significant number of them engage in outright criminal activity to secure players’ services. 

We know that this is deeply embedded in the culture of the sport and something most coaches accept as part of the business. It stands to reason that whoever we would hire to replace Beilein would either (1) be corrupt and expect to continue his practices at Michigan or (2) be handcuffed and unable to compete. If a teacher and thinker like John Beilein ultimately threw in the towel...what are the odds wed win the lottery and get someone as classy AND good as him again or someone better even?

It seems like the most likely outcome is unhappy either way...so why not opt out and send a message to the country that reflects on Michigan values in a great way AND would send shockwaves through  the corrupt NCAA system?

MGlobules

May 13th, 2019 at 3:31 PM ^

I get the logic: the only reason a clean Beilein won was because he was also a genius. The odds are not great. . . that we replicate. But that's not a reason to give up.

Have to admit, though, that as an M grad with deep roots in Michigan, A2, and the U I am not convinced that I will be able to follow with anything like the passion and love that I have for the last 12 years.

Let's see who Warde hires.

TrueBlue2003

May 13th, 2019 at 5:32 PM ^

The benefits of cheating are 1) both overblown and not as necessary as people think around here and 2) the ability to win without cheating isn't as difficult as people think.

1) in the era of one and done, most of the guys valuable enough to get paid are also done in a year or two and that means you only get one year of a highly talented but also highly flawed player.  There aren't many teams to win the title built on one-and-done's. 

2) We're seeing more success from programs like UVA and Villanova (and Michigan, MSU, Texas Tech, Wisconsin, etc) that almost certainly don't cheat and develop the second tier of players into good teammates after 2-4 years.

There are elite coaches that can win without cheating.

Since we have the ability to attract and pay elite coaches, the idea that we won't find another one is silly.

Neversatisfied

May 13th, 2019 at 4:02 PM ^

It could have been worse. He could have went Benedict Mattison and took the OSU job. Bad day to be a Michigan fan no doubt, but that doesn't mean we should quit playin hoops. The knee jerk reactions of this fan base are truly amazing though. 

TheKoolAidGuy

May 13th, 2019 at 3:07 PM ^

???

The thing I'm most concerned about is the fact that you actually thought about this, wrote a number of paragraphs, and think this is a feasible/good idea.

inb4 delete.

BlueMk1690

May 13th, 2019 at 3:16 PM ^

You can only whine about all the ills of the NCAA for so long before you have to consider the question “well what are we doing about it”?

Too common on this board to seize the moral high ground without considering the consequences or responsibilities that follow from recognizing the essential corruption of a system.

ijohnb

May 13th, 2019 at 3:13 PM ^

Jesus, this is getting crazy.

A person can get tired of something and want a change.  It looks like Beilien got tired of coaching college basketball and wanted a change.  It does not have to be any deeper than that.  We will make a good hire and compete at the high end of the conference next year. 

 

 

blueday

May 13th, 2019 at 6:40 PM ^

People change jobs all the time now.  There is no loyalty. No longer will a company be able to walk out a loyal employee after 20, 30, or 40 years of service. We saved ourselves from bad leadership by moving every 5 years. Good for us 

Rabbit21

May 13th, 2019 at 3:14 PM ^

This is a bad take and you should feel bad.  There are plenty of programs that aren't cheating where the players and coaches manage to get up in the morning and compete.  Yes, this sucks, but no reason to pick up our ball and go home.

Sten Carlson

May 13th, 2019 at 7:21 PM ^

I'm honestly not sure I've read anything dumber on here in 10 years.

DOWN THE STRETCH THEY COME!  THEY'RE NECK AND NECK LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!

In the black silks it's Mongo's Irish People Never Grow ... and in the white silks its We Should Just Quit!  It's going to be a photo-finish folks!

theytookourjobs

May 13th, 2019 at 3:15 PM ^

I found some words......... you are a stupid asshole for writing this.  What an incredibly stupid post.  I bet current players and recruits just love reading this shit.  Unreal

A Lot of Milk

May 13th, 2019 at 3:19 PM ^

I say we go the opposite direction. Make the payment of players legal by allowing Michigan Basketball to compete in the NBA!! We can get revenge on Beilein for betraying us (/s) and allow our old stars to come back and compete with us. An NBA Michigan squad of Hardaway, Burke, Stauskas, GRIII, Caris, Duncan, and more?? Primetime matchups with the Warriors and Bucks right at home in Crisler Center?? Who would say no to this????

BlueMk1690

May 13th, 2019 at 3:24 PM ^

Michigan could work toward legalizing player payments and re-enter the fray after comprehensive reform.

In reality, the practices of high level collegiate athletics in their current incarnation are highly contradictory to the ideals and mission of a university. Calling this proposal “dumb” because you like basketball and go to bed in Michigan boxer shorts doesn't constitute a legitimate argument.

 

Robbie Moore

May 13th, 2019 at 4:00 PM ^

You've stirred up a hornets nest, BlueMk. But who can dispute this:

"...the practices of high level collegiate athletics in their current incarnation are highly contradictory to the ideals and mission of a university."

Come on folks, we all know that is true. Who among us defends the NCAA? Hmmm? Anyone?Thought not. 

Not that I favor BlueMk's prescription but that doesn't mean the problem he describes is not real.

BlueMk1690

May 13th, 2019 at 4:22 PM ^

No doubt a radical proposal in a forum where it is unlikely to find much favor. This forum basically takes the position that we should do our utmost to win a competition that incentivizes corruption...while decrying corruption. By linking the professional future of people to their success in such a competition we actually incentivize corruption ourselves, too.

Note how Beilein was criticized by many for recruiting failings when we all knew what it would take to recruit at a higher level.

You cant do that and then talk about the corrupt NCAA and whine about Pitino etc. it really does just make you a sore loser and hypocrite.

 

StephenRKass

May 13th, 2019 at 3:19 PM ^

Smh. Where is the /s tag? You're so mad that you really propose this lunacy? Now, I don't want Pitino at all, and I am thrilled it looks like Michigan won't go down that road. But there are decent coaches out there, and Michigan will be fine.

BlueMk1690

May 13th, 2019 at 3:53 PM ^

Im not mad. I have thought about this for a long time. In fact, it is highly difficult to justify collegiate athletics in their current shape and form morally or intellectually. 

The most legitimate response to this proposal would actually be - why stop at basketball? 

I would struggle to answer that. Maybe because basketball is the most corrupt and not as significant as football to the identity and brand of the university?

Solecismic

May 13th, 2019 at 6:18 PM ^

That ship sailed (more or less literally) when Harvard and Yale competed in the first inter-collegiate sporting event 166 years ago - a rowing race.

It's justified because it's fun.

It's only when people take it too seriously and start to examine it from this type of intellectual perspective that they lose sight of why it's fun.

The problem with your theory is that the analysis has always led to the same conclusion. The minute inter-collegiate sports attracted an audience was the same minute they were no longer intellectually or morally pure.