Potential NCAA Tourney M-related storylines
Looking at Andy Glockner's (way too early) bracket projection on SI.com (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-basketball/news/20130122/bracket-watch/?sct=uk_t11_a5&sct=hp_t14_a10&eref=sihp )) ), I was intrigued by the potential 2nd round matchup between #1 seed Michigan and #8 seed San Diego State in a West regional game in Auburn Hills. If it were to happen, it would represent the first time Steve Fisher faced his former program after his dismissal and be, I'm sure, the main storyline in the media leading up to the game. Could you imagine the buildup especially since the game would be at the Palace?!?
So that got me to thinking - what are some other potential off-the-court storylines that Michigan may be a part of in this upcoming tourney depending on how the bracket lays out? Amaker's Crimson could be a potential 1st round matchup if Michigan falls from a #1 came to mind but I'm sure there are more that I'm overlooking.
January 24th, 2013 at 4:38 PM ^
Just pray that Burke's fake girlfriend is in good health.
January 24th, 2013 at 4:41 PM ^
I would rather see us drop down to a 2 seed into the midwest region than be a 1 seed in the west with Arizona
January 24th, 2013 at 4:45 PM ^
I don't know, I live in AZ and watch a good bit of Pac12 ball and Arizona has used smoke, mirrors, and bad officiating to win a lot of close games against not so good competition. Yes, they beat Florida after a strange and unrepeatable comeback and their win vs. Miami (YTM) is looking better, but otherwise they have been underwhelming.
January 25th, 2013 at 10:38 AM ^
I believe his concern was more focused on the fact that we'd be playing a de facto road game against Arizona in the west division. Even if Arizona is a very beatable 2 seed, you don't want to play someplace where they'll essentially have a home crowd.
January 24th, 2013 at 5:38 PM ^
I am not scared of Arizona in the slightest. Florida looks like the scariest two seed right now.
January 24th, 2013 at 4:43 PM ^
I'd like to see Michigan in the same side of the bracket as Ohio and OHIO, so we can beat them both.
January 24th, 2013 at 9:54 PM ^
Can be brought back out again...with perhaps an updated player to replace Zack.
[IMG]http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c274/Budtooz22/Michigan_Sign_Small.jp…]
January 24th, 2013 at 4:44 PM ^
January 24th, 2013 at 4:48 PM ^
No offense, but this is endless.
We could get placed in a bracket with Duke or UNC...the teams that knocked out the Fab Five. We could end up facing a conference team in the Elite 8. We could face a team Coach B used to coach. We could play Detroit at the Palace.
There are a million potential storylines...I'm not sure why we're talking about this one?
This link/thread was already posted. The same storyline was brought up in the original thread. When Lunardi does his bracketology, there are interesting storylines there as well. Not sure they're worth a thread until it's finalized.
January 24th, 2013 at 4:52 PM ^
Isn't that the OP's point? This is a thread to come up with some potentially fun storylines. I like it. The potential for creativity in the offseason is what makes this blog exciting to read. Don't be a Debbie Downer.
January 24th, 2013 at 4:53 PM ^
It's a POTENTIAL storyline. And it's a huge POTENTIAL storyline, much larger than Coach B playing Richmond, because Fisher A) won the last NCAA championship here and B) Was dismissed for his role in a major NCAA scandal.
Also - potential storylines that would drum up media interest end up happening more often than you may think - the selection committee has a sense of drama and sometimes a sense of humor.
As to this being discussed already, I wasn't aware - so mods feel free to delete.
January 24th, 2013 at 6:09 PM ^
I'm just saying it's endless. It's also not like this is the one year it could happen. This is a potential storyline EVERY year.
Every season if Michigan and SDSU make it to the tourney, they can play each other.
I'm not being a Debbie Downer, I just doesn't see the point of discussing POTENTIAL storylines until there is POTENITALLY a chance for it to happen. For example, if we're a 1 seed and they're a 4 seed, we may see each other if both teams take care of business beforehand.
It just seems silly to me to have a thread based on something that isn't...(can't find the word). I listed a bunch, we could have a rematch vs. Ohio. Or Play Ohio, Cincinnati and Ohio St. all in a row. I mean we could sit here all day and come up with stories. We could play S. Carolina, the team we played in the Outback Bowl.
There are literally thousands of scenarios. I'm just saying we should wait until the bracket plays out before we make a thread for any of them. That's it. Sorry I offended so many. If this was a new Bracketology or "Way Too Early" Bracket Thread then sure, let's look at all the cool matchups. But that's not what this is (based off the title).
January 24th, 2013 at 6:55 PM ^
So you're telling me that us getting OHIO in the first round last year had nothing to do with chance?
January 24th, 2013 at 5:02 PM ^
I have to admit that if we somehow got matched up with Detroit in the first round in the Palace... That would be awesome.
January 24th, 2013 at 5:14 PM ^
I think our boys would take the Pistons to school...
January 24th, 2013 at 6:13 PM ^
I'm actually a firm believer that a college team could beat a pro team...
It's not like football.
With that said, could Michigan beat the Pistons? Sure, once out of a countless number of times. With that said, it wouldn't be 110-2 like some people think.
But if you took one of those all-time great teams and put them against the all-time NBA's worst. I think it'll be a much more competitive series than people think.
January 24th, 2013 at 7:56 PM ^
I agree that a college team could win, but I still think it'd have to be extreme cases though. For example I think last year's Kentucky team (a historically good college squad) could take last year's Bobcats team (the worst NBA team ever). The difference between basketball and football (I think this was pointed out on Mike and Mike) is that NBA teams typically only use an 8 man or so rotation, so a college squad with 5-6 future NBA players could compete with that. Football on the other hand has 53 NFL players when a team like Alabama might have maybe 11 or 12.
January 24th, 2013 at 9:40 PM ^
No way. You have to keep in mind, basically every NBA player was a very good player (if not star) in college. When guys like Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims can't make it on any roster, that tells you about the level of play there.
January 24th, 2013 at 11:37 PM ^
It's basketball, it's a different sport.
The best college kids beat the Dream Team (and I know Chuck D fucked up the rotation, but it was still some of the best NBA talent in the world).
I'm not saying they'd we regularly, but if you take the best college TEAM (not an all-star team) and put them against last years Bobcats. They're going to win a least a game in a best of 7.
Especially when they had 2-3 guys that would've started for the Bobcats LAST year (Davis, MKG, Jones).
That is more important that some team has a good college player (ie Manny Harris) as its 12-15th man. That just means they're deeper. When's the last time you saw any 12-15th man get meaningful minutes in a game of basketball?
Some of those UNC teams with 5-6 NBA lottery players would be the same thing.
January 24th, 2013 at 5:02 PM ^
People have talked a lot about the advantages of playing at the Auburn Hills site. I don't want to say Michigan's locked that up, b/c it's still early, but I think there's a very high probability that, if the season continues as its gone, Michigan will be there as a top 4 seed.
A more interesting question is which Big 10 team gets seeded in the Midwest, and gets to potentially play in Indianapolis. It seems almost assured that the winner of the Big 10 will grab a #1 seed. (MSU got a #1 last year with a 27-7 record). But the NCAA, for attendance and excitement reasons, has to want Indiana to play in Indianapolis. Would the committee send Michigan or Michigan State out of region if they finished ahead of Indiana, and put a #2 Indiana in the Midwest (maybe with Louisville as the #1)?
Another interesting factor about the Indianapolis site is that they chose IUPUI to be the "host school" meaning that Butler is also allowed to play there. (The host for Auburn Hills is Oakland U).
January 24th, 2013 at 5:06 PM ^
I believe higher seeds get placed closer to home. So if Michigan finishes above Indiana, they are getting Indy. ( As far as those two go.) They aren't going to send a 1 seed to Los Angeles so a 2 seed can play at home for ticket purposes. That would defeat part of the purpose of seeding.
January 24th, 2013 at 5:21 PM ^
The regional sites are strictly given out on a #1 seed basis.
January 24th, 2013 at 5:32 PM ^
They are, but what happens if Louisville gets a #1 seed (granted, their recent poor play may make this less likely). The committee could slot Louisville in as the Midwest #1 in Indianapolis and send the higher seeded Big 10 team to LA, if Arizona falls off, or to DC, if Duke does, and put Indiana in as the #2. (I'm thinking Kansas or Florida are good bets for Arlington).
January 24th, 2013 at 5:52 PM ^
If Louisville is ahead of the Big Ten team on the S-Curve, they'll get priority to Indy.
January 24th, 2013 at 5:05 PM ^
I personally think the biggest potential story line could be if the NCAA gets rid of the tournament this year and unilaterally crowns UM as National Champions For All Time. The same day, the President Obama signs an executive order making it illegial for people to put a 'the' when talking about Ohio State because of how "just plain stupid that shit is." Could you imagine the press that's going to get? It would be awesome.
January 24th, 2013 at 5:08 PM ^
Thank you for helping contribute to Mr. Yosts point. Well done sir.
January 24th, 2013 at 5:13 PM ^
January 24th, 2013 at 5:25 PM ^
A flood would add one more Great Lake and would almost make Michigan an island. That would be neat.
January 24th, 2013 at 6:51 PM ^
Whatever body of water created in that instance would have the impact of making all the other lakes merely the Good Lakes or the Slightly Above Average Lakes. The addition of Ohio in that scenario just detracts so much from the Great Lakes that I shudder at the thought.
January 25th, 2013 at 8:30 AM ^
in T-Shirt, Long Sleeve or Hoodie form? and where?
January 24th, 2013 at 6:12 PM ^
January 24th, 2013 at 6:18 PM ^
I'd love to shave three hours off my drive to DC or NYC. Yes please!
January 24th, 2013 at 6:47 PM ^
January 24th, 2013 at 5:07 PM ^
January 24th, 2013 at 7:03 PM ^