enlightenedbum

March 8th, 2011 at 4:31 PM ^

Honestly, I could buy it with two assumptions:

1) Stu or Zack gets really hot from outside.

2) Someone on the other side of the bracket beats Purdue.

Still highly unlikely, but theoretically possible.

unWavering

March 8th, 2011 at 4:38 PM ^

I don't understand why they all picked OSU besides Forde.  MSU didn't win the B10 tourney even when they were vastly superior to everyone else in the conference.  It seems like teams care less about the B10 tourney if they are a lock for March Madness

MfaninOH

March 8th, 2011 at 4:53 PM ^

Is Pat Forde God now?  ESPN is a joke.  I couldn't care less what ANY of their "experts" say about anything.  I watch sports, played sports and coached.  I don't need some dork telling me what I already see and know.

Just about all of us fans know as much or more than ANY of the analysts on TV, radio, blogs (including here), etc.

ESPN and others pay guys huge money to GUESS.  All they do is speculate.  If I had a dollar for every time one of their people said "I think" in a 24-hour period, I could stop working.

Michigan is NOT very good (Yeah, I know.  I'm a troll, or a closet Ohio State fan, etc. because I am honest and critical of Michigan - GASP!).  When you "signature victories" are Harvard and "close" losses to real programs, that is worthy of one thing:  National Invitational Tournament.

Face it.  We ALL made fun of Notre Dame and Charlie Weis because their big claim was they ALMOST beat USC.  That's how many of you sound about Michigan basketball this year.

They have beaten NO ONE.  Spare me with beating East Lansing High School, too.  They are TERRIBLE.  We have beaten a lot of terrible teams this year.  Teams that do that, while losing to GOOD teams go to the NIT.

jmblue

March 8th, 2011 at 5:00 PM ^

Before you disappear again:

Do you still think there is literally zero chance of Michigan making the tournament, as you've said repeatedly?

Do you still consider John Beilein the absolute worst coach in the country?

 

Braylon 5 Hour…

March 8th, 2011 at 5:03 PM ^

It's something an ESPN guy said about a Michigan sports team, this is a Michigan sports blog, therefore it gets posted.  If you want to run your mouth about how the basketball team is bad because everyone we've beaten is terrible, that's all well and good.  Right now, we're a projected tournament team and we're playing pretty well.  if you actually are a Michigan fan, then you'd be like "well hope Forde's right, I will be rooting for that outcome", in the middle of this other whining.  

The fact is, basically every tournament prognosticator right now has us COMFORTABLY in the tournament pending Big Ten Tournament results, so regardless of your yelling for us to make the NIT, right now there's a + 50% chance that we won't be in the NIT.  I don't think we're going to win the BTT, I'd be thrilled if we beat Illinois, and no one is saying we're a top 10 team.  Even so, I'd rather listen to Valenti talk about Michigan sports than you.  

Everyone Murders

March 8th, 2011 at 7:12 PM ^

I think the fact that the original post included a picture of a giant pitcher of Kool-Aid suggests that perhaps Pat Forde's words were not taken as (gulp) Gospel.  In fact, a casual reader might fairly conclude that the poster thought Pat Forde's prediction was a bit over-the-top.  

So no, Pat Forde is not God now.  And yes, I understand your question was rhetorical.  

HAILtoBO

March 8th, 2011 at 5:39 PM ^

I love it. As long as they're hitting their shots and keep up good ball movement then they have a great shot. When they start being shooting freely thats when they run into trouble, but when they find someone open thats when they are at their best. Kind of common sense but thats their best basketball.

Wolvercane

March 8th, 2011 at 7:04 PM ^

Forde (sort of) defended his pick in his Forde Minutes

"Dark horse: Michigan. The Wolverines' only two losses in the past eight games were by a total of three points, and one of them came courtesy of a fluke banked-in 3 at the gun. If Michigan gets a semifinal shot at Ohio State, it might have a chance -- if it can make enough shots."

and

"Minutes pick: Michigan (17). The Minutes billed these as lunatic picks, right? Well, this would qualify. But John Beilein has never lost his first Big Ten tourney game, and if the Wolverines can win one, hey, maybe they can win three."

Most of all I am liking the sign that Beilein has always won his BTT game. I don't know about you, but I am lacing up my dancing shoes!


bronxblue

March 8th, 2011 at 7:47 PM ^

I have always thought of Forde as a bit of a hack, but this team is playing really well right now and getting that first-round bye is huge.  I still think a team like Purdue or OSU can work them over pretty well, but you never know what will happen along the way.  If UM only has to go through one of the "Big 3" in the BTT, then yeah, they could win it all.  But if it comes down to OSU and then Purdue or Wiscy, that might be too much.