NIT Edition Snowflakes

I don't understand how we can literally just stand around and shoot 3's so often? Nothing complicated about it!?

It's actually hilarious to watch Denzel and Forbes 2 sub 100 players just run shit at state when Michigan plays soft as pudding.Besides Walton I don't see one player that plays with toughness while state will make another final 4 and besides having 5 NBA players like belien had Michigan will always be superior.

Two years in row without making the tournament just shouldn't happen.  Sun-shine blowers can make all the excuses they want*, but any momentum from the two long tourney runs will have been completely wasted.  M will look like a flash in the pan (perhaps rightly).  It's frustrating as hell to watch Wisconsin succeed with a younger team than us after they lost their fucking coach mid-season. 

At least we won't have to worry about early departures.  Irvin isn't the greatest player, but I feel bad for him.  He has to work incredibly hard on the defensive end, because he plays out of position, and is expected to carry the team offensively.  It's notable that the two good Michigan players who have caught the most shit from fans were Irvin and GR3, and both were stuck playing the wrong the position.  I gurantee Irvin would look like a much better offensive player if he wasn't stuck trying to body up bigger guys on the other end. 

* I especially like the sports gambler who informs us that JB usually beats the spread.  That's great.  I'm glad that once oddsmakers have watched Michigan get smashed early this season, we managed to lose the remaining games by fewer points than they expect us to.  I'm sure recruits are impressed as well. 

I don't think Beilein is on the hot seat, but his seat has to be at least lukewarm going into next Fall. At this point it's really hard to say that the program is heading in a good direction, and there is more or less zero momentum in any one area. Seem to just be stuck in neutral, slowly rolling down the hill.

At this point I'm afraid that all the progress this program made in the great 2012-13 seasons has been completely undone by the shit stinkers we've put up the last two seasons. This is not a good, attractive program right now, and Burke/Stauskas are not walking through that door. This program is nowhere remotely close to where it was 2-3 years ago, and if there isn't a jump in results next year, or if the incoming freshmen don't come in and make big splashes, Manual might have some decisions to make. Missing the tournament two years in a row is unacceptable.

Beilein should not be going anywhere this year, but for god's sake bring someone in that can teach this team some defense.

Value Senior leadership? Senior production? Does anybody here understand what happened to State when Valentine went down? LeVert is our Valentine. Spike is our emotional leader. We played most of the season without our arms. Get a clue people. Show a modicum of intelligence.

This is Indiana's board last year. Fire Tom Crean. This is Purdue's board last year. Fire Matt Painter. In the immortal words of Rocket from Guardians of the Galaxy, here I am, surrounded by a bunch of Jackasses. And I am kicking grass.

I love JB.  Love him.  As a leader of young men, an offensive genius, and an ethical leader in a shady "business."  I am proud that he is associated with UM.  He is a winner.  B1G titles plus we were damn close to a NC and a Final 4 the following year.  He restored national relevance to the program.  Developed many players into NBA draft picks.  Love him forever for those things.

And.

JB frustrates me.  No defense.  Bad loses last year.  Not enough good wins this year.  Recruits are not developing.  I understand injuries played a part, but that isn't enough of the story.  The results have been below expectations last year and this year.  If we have an out of body experience in the B1G tourney we might make the NCAA tournament.  But we'll most likely not win more than one game if any.

My Michigan Fan perspective tells me to love him forever and give him cushion.  He's earned our patience and respect.  His ethics and passion epitomize the culture of Michigan.

My A-hole business experience guy perspective tells me that JB is treading on thin ice.  The expectations at the UM are excellence in academics and athletics.  The basketball team isn't excellent.  It's honestly hard to watch.  JB makes $3.5M per year.  Three and a half million dollars per year.  That's a huge amount of money.  The stakes are high.  It's a big job.  He knows it.  It's a big boy business.  Results for 2 seasons are well below expectations.  (My expecatation is that we field a team of top talent and are competing for B1G titles, in the NCAA tournament 80-90% of the time, and making NCAA runs 2 or 3 of every 5 years.)

I want to feel like we should give JB one more year out of loyalty.  But next year doesn't look like it will be any different than the last 2.  And I can't bear sitting here in one year lamenting that we didn't do something sooner.  So the bottom line for me is that I think we should part ways and move on to the next chapter of UM basketball.  I don't know who the Unicorn Candidate would be, but I'm willing to roll the dice rather than stay in neutral.

 

We struggle with "long" teams like Iowa.  

Big Ten teams have learned to defend Beilein's outside-in system.  They push out on the 3-point line and use their length to block the passing lanes back inside.

In last night's game, there was plenty of open space inside but we could not get the ball in there, as much as we tried.  There were too many Iowa hands and legs in the way.

 

I think there 2 possibilities.

1. Manuel is new and focus is really football. Let basketball wallow in safe mediocrity for a while then fired JB a few years down the line when buyout is a little less(?)

2. he requires results and has boosters, sponsors, possibly Harbaugh in his ear fueled with nice guys finish last in his head and he's fired at end of next year after similar results.

I don't see him here in 3 years regardless as there's no hope on the horizon with this system or roster.

JB is proud and has little to prove. If they fail next year I think he walks. He is mid to late sixties. Manuel may strongly encourage the walk, however.

Archie Miller!

big fan of JB. what a classy, good guy, in a sport where most of the winners are jerks - see coach K, izzo, vampire pitino, etc.

BUT (all caps), he may be done. unless he finds a renewed energy and passion this off-season, and unless some of the squad develops, he is simply not getting it done. this team was really really hard to watch, same as last year. just not good basketball, and not fun. another year of this and it may be time for him to retire.

 

 

Watched the last 5 min last night. What a shitshow.

Wide open 3 ...off backboard & misses rim completely. Wtf really?

 

Serious question. Who could be possible replacements? In today's college basketball world it seems like the only way to get recruits it's by getting your hands dirty with AAU/high school coaches, that being said is anyone recruiting at a top level and doing it with integrity?

To say this team doesn't have the talent to compete is somewhat of a cop out. This is essentially the SAME TEAM that took Wisconsin from last year to the wire. The same Wisconsin team that would've won the big ten this year going away. The fact of the matter is the players on this team have not progressed this year, in many instances have gotten worse. Irvin for example. Played great at the end of the year last year, this year he is a shell of himself. It is what it is, we still have a chance if we win two games but I'm not getting my hopes up.

Also can chat man needs to be starting over Robinson. It's been clear for the past month chat man has been their best player off the bench. Makes shots, passes well, and asserts himself well on defense. Also battles for rebounds. I like what I've seen from him I just don't know why he isn't playing even more than he is. Robinson is a joke right now.