The MgoBlog Confession Booth: Beilein
On this beautiful Sunday, I must confess that I have sinned. Earlier in this year I doubted Beilein and thought that it was time to consider going in another direction. Since then Michigan basketall has been fantastic in so many aspects, and I now realize that I was wrong. Anybody else want to share their Michigan confession in the MgoConfessionBooth? Also, Go Blue! Big 10 Champs!!!
was pretty sick of watching the team. and then, #boom.
I was wrong. Outstanding coaching job. I learned a lot being totally off the mark on this.
We need to also have a thread like this for all the people who bashed and didn't want JH back in 2010. There were A LOT of them on here. Vast percentage.
Paging Mainen. Maizen please report to the thread
it's crazy to think a bunch of 18-20 year olds can improve their play during the course of the season. who knew?
In January, I started thinking maybe we should start the process for a graceful exit for Coach B. I AM GLAD I WAS WRONG!!!!
In January, I started thinking maybe we should start the process for a graceful exit for Coach B. I AM GLAD I WAS WRONG!!!!
I literally came to MGoBlog to post a penance thread.
In 2008, I was a senior. Michigan had been bad for a long time. The student section had basically nobody in it throughout most of the season. It was Beilein's second year.
He promised to bring donuts for the Maize Rage Core one time if we came early enough. He brought the donuts as promised before a game in October. There were probably twenty people there with only two hours to go before tipoff.
He addressed us. "Thank you guys for coming early. I need you guys this year." We gave a cursory cheer. Then - and this surprised me - he barked at us a little bit. "NO. You don't understand. Our team isn't where it needs to be. We're not very good right now, but we're going to get better. I'm not just saying it - I need you guys this year."
Flash forward to December. We beat Duke in a thriller in front of a Maize Rage that was 85% full. Before the next game, the players came out early after warmups and went into the Maize Rage and shook hands and gave high fives. I could feel the crowd slowly starting to believe.
So I went to the Maize Rage leadership and pitched an idea for a t-shirt. It was a pretty simple design - BELIEVE was written in block letters, and they cast a shadow that read "BEILEIN." The guys loved it, and we sold out in no time. I personally gave John one of the shirts, and I also was able to give one to Erin Andrews.
So it is with a heavy heart that I admit my sins and offer penance. I stopped believing.
I wish I could say I didn't know better. But the truth is, I knew better back when I was younger.
I was missing for a while, but now I'm back. I believe again.
March 13th, 2017 at 12:42 AM ^
is the way to repent!
Well done, good sir.
Maizen, I think this is the thread for you!
It wasn't that long ago maybe a month when Maisen Started a thread that bashed Coach. He was pissed about the D for sum reason. Then spent most of Thread defendin
Basically made up random defensive stats putting us in the 150s or something to try and push his narrative, got called out on it, threw a fit, and started over in several threads. I've never seen someone with such an irrational hatred for a head coach, particulary one of the nicest and best head coaches to ever grace us.
That guy was the worst. Even when it was clear the team was turning things around, he was too much of an asshole to concede his stupid internet argument and he kept digging in. If he's gone, good riddance.
in defense in kenpom after the first Nebraska game. Just to keep the facts straight.
Maizen, I know you're out there you (as of this moment) gutless piece of shit. Just apologize. If you're truly a Michigan fan you will be forgiven. If not, then fuck you and the Sparty you rode in on.
March 13th, 2017 at 12:12 AM ^
We really shouldn't single out any one critic at a time like this. Besides, Maizen has only posted once in the last 8 days (embedding a tweet with no commentary in a bracket projection thread).
Frankly, he doesn't even have to apologize for not being enthralled with Beilein. People have different opinions. Some of his critiques, while perhaps ones people (like me) would disagree with, are still relevant. But he has had virtually nothing to say about this entire run. I would hate to think that he has found this week less than enjoyable since he hates granting anything good about Beilein, but perhaps is has been miserable for him. If so, he has my genuine pity--missing out on something as truly joyful as this is a terrible price to pay for having an opinion about sports that you don't want to be undermined.
March 13th, 2017 at 12:35 AM ^
You have infinite mgopoints so I will defer to you, but he's gotten weirdly personal towards me before, and I think many people agree he's exactly the kind of a-hole who should get called out for their badness.
March 13th, 2017 at 12:56 AM ^
How does one get that many points? Not even sure WD has that much and he took down Dave Brandon.
He's gotten personal with a lot of people, including me. My post here is a not-so-successful attempt to be magnanimous, rather than simply fisking his posting history for takes that are extremely poorly aged.
His opinions are strong and I often disagree strongly with them, but opinions themselves are things that can be lived with if couched in language that attempt to persuade and discuss rather than insult and demean. I leave it to other readers to decide whether or not that has occurred.
I still wish he could recruit better.
Sure. But a lot of teams win by recruiting guys and developing them, turning them into quality contributors as sophomores and juniors and seniors even if their NBA prospects are limited. Teams like Wisconsin and Xavier and Butler and Gonzaga and so on.
It looked dicey earlier this season. But things turned around.
This is the team Beilein worked for. This is what he wanted. And he's hanging a banner.
"Teams like Wisconsin and Xavier and Butler and Gonzaga and so on"
Xavier: better recruiting classes than Michigan 3 of last 4 years.
Butler: better recruiting classes than Michigan 2 of last 3 years.
Gonzaga: better classes than Michigan 3 of last 6 years.
When you become the winningest coach in UM history, and that's not even the highlight of the week?
Yeah, you're on a roll. Congrats, Coach.
He can take a group of well, lets be honest unknowns or unheralded guys struggling and win another banner.
The way this team came together was fascinating and wonderful to watch. JB recruits a certain type of kid for his program. At times, he's criticized for putting together a team good, high character kids--some ppl have referred to them as "white collar". The way the team has evolved through low points in the season, I can't help but compare this team to the MSU football team this year. After this year, Bellein deserves to stay as long as he wants.
Beilein is everything that is right about collegiate sports. Especially in a sport with so many gray areas.
March 13th, 2017 at 12:49 AM ^
College basketball has become really dark and ugly. Coach Beilein is a ray of light.
He is a wonderful representative and ambassador of our beloved Michigan.
I always felt that next year would be the year to put Beilein on the hot seat if things didn't go well. That has since gone away.
I was beyond critical of JB and the team. Still had my pitchfork out til the 2nd state game. I've never seen a team in any sport turn things around like this. Very happy for the kids and JB and am genuinely excited for the future. Never thought I'd say that in a million years. Go Blue
I've been a huge Beilein guy since he was announced. I stopped watching the team this winter, and thought for the first time maybe coach was past his prime. Didn't want him fired, but thought we'd peaked. I was disappointed in him and the team. Never should've doubted. Holy cow, what a coaching job, and what heart by those kids. Incredible. How lucky are we fans to have them to cheer for? Go Blue!