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Earlier today my bride…

Earlier today my bride showed me an article that said JB was interested in coming back.  I think he could be a good short-term caretaker but not a long term solution.  Was Wes Miller mentioned?  Currently at Cincinnati in B12.  Over .500 there and his previous stop at UNC-Greensboro.

I'm not sold on FAU coach.  He's playing with super-duper-seniors just like BYU's 30-year-olds.

Juwaun is the Michigan…

Juwaun is the Michigan version of Brian Dougherty minus having a power 5 job before he was handed the keys.  Both were members of a celebrated team while Juwaun was a key member vs Dougherty was a small part of an era's great team.

Juwaun is the polar opposite of the coach he replaced.  Beilein was well known at every stop as someone who could identify and develop talent.  His system was innovative.  There are many mentions of the sophomore leap his players took under his tutelage. 

Juwaun is not a good identifier or developer of talent and his schemes are not innovative, instead they are brought from his time in the NBA.

Michigan basketball will be better when Juwaun Howard is no longer the coach.  They are currently the worst team in the BigTen and there is nowhere to go but up.  Even sideways with hope for improvement will be better than hopelessness and apathy.

Bryce Drew if M is going to…

Bryce Drew if M is going to take a flyer.  Took Valpo to dance 2x as coach in 5 years.  Flamed out at Vandy because doing well at Vandy is impossible.  Went small school again and has taken GCU to dance 2x in 3 seasons, lost to #2 & #3 seeds.  Currently looking like 3rd dance after taking over a garbage program.

I watch a lot of small school basketball on ESPN+ and his teams are very solid.  He's still in his 40's too.

Two present or future B10…

Two present or future B10 teams and 2 present or future SEC teams.  That was the message sent by the committee. 

Kansas-  Played tournament…

Kansas-  Played tournament without Self and assistant got outcoached.  Early exit.

Duke-  1st year coach.  Made the tournament and early exit.

Kentucky-  Has been a shitshow for a while and fans are ready for a change

Arizona- 2nd year coach.  Made the tournament and early exit

UCLA- Experience coach.  Lost to a near-blueblood team that was peaking at the right time.

Michigan State-  Fuck Sparty, They always seem to benefit by good matchups early in tournament.

Michigan- 4th year coach.  Didn't make the tournament and lost in 2nd round of NIT.

I watched because I'm a…

I watched because I'm a basketball junkie.   The poorly kept secret is that the North Texas coach is moving up after the season is over.  Fran all but said he's going to Texas Tech.

Big Ten plays basketball like it was played 10 years ago.  Low post players are a thing of the past.  Bullyball works within B10 because that is how they are all built to play.  Now basketball to the rest of the world is about stretch 4's and guards, Euroball.  Beilein was successful because that is how his teams played and it is why PSU had success in the B10 tournament.

Purdon't with their "all-world" post player lost to a smaller quicker team that can shoot the lights out.  Wisconsin got caught by a team that can shoot & plays excellent defense.

Most of the assumption is…

Most of the assumption is that JH is a college coach.  I do not believe that is the case.  He comes from an NBA background where someone gives you the pieces to develop your game around.  In college the coach also has to put the roster together.  One of the complaints I heard many times in coaching discussions is that in current basketball you have former guards coaching bigs and as a result there are very few bigs that have the full skillset anymore.  M has a coach that was a big and guard play (shooting and defense) is truly atrocious.

JH has brought some innovative things from the NBA and I believe he would be a better NBA fit than college.  I think Jett is one-and-done after seeing seeing Houstan go NBA last year.  Looking at faces and body language there will be some transfers out of the program from the starting lineup as well.  A few don't belong at this level and some you can tell just aren't a fit for one reason or another.

Johns wasn't a star at M but he played valuable minutes and occasionally played to his potential.  He is doing quite well at VCU averaging 28 min and 12pts vs 13.4 min and 3.2 his Sr year at M.  Zeb is also there.  I don't know what triggered his abrupt departure but he is getting 18.7min and 6ppg vs 8.8min and 2.0ppg.

Juwan is a good coach with…

Juwan is a good coach with someone else's players.  That fits with being an NBA coach.  Michigan basketball now sits in the same place Beilein had it after putting out the Amaker dumpster fire.  JB's teams started to regress and so are Juwans.

JB cleaned house and hired better assistants then his teams became elite.  Juwan inherited elite and it is becoming good.  I do not think Juwan will clean house.

My prediction:  Jett is one-and-done, Jace finishes his degree on the bench, and Juwan takes a pro job after not making the tournament.

I miss Coach Beilein.  

I miss Coach Beilein.  

Yes, I completely agree. …

Yes, I completely agree.  Phil's rotations were much different than Juwan's and I liked them.  Bufkin, Frankie, and Terrence should have played much more with that lead.  Up 17 there was no reason to be running with the starters into the ground.  These past few weeks and the ones upcoming are a grind, catch rest where you can. 

I believe that the 2nd half collapse was physical and mental.

The two best teams were in…

The two best teams were in the game but that didn't make it a good game to watch.  My wife who doesn't follow football like we do commented on the size and speed of players from both of those teams.  "Where do they get them?  They are huge and fast!"  They are the best $ could buy, dear. 

With NIL college sports has become pro sports with younger players, no salary cap, and no draft.  Look at what A&M just did in recruiting.  When the backup Qb at tOSU has $1.2M in NIL contracts the big boys can just belly up to the bar and not hide it anymore.

Remember when Clemson was rumored to have pursued Rashan Gary with $300k?  That no longer even gets the phone answered.  Caleb Williams will openly make somewhere around the NFL average next year wherever he lands.

Logged in to mostly agree. …

Logged in to mostly agree.  Jones needs a very short leash if not starting Collins.  The only run that I can recall in the game where everyone was in sync had Collins at 1 and Diabate at 4.  I think they managed to go up 11 at one point, maybe more.

There is no more upside with Johns.  We've seen what he has and Diabate is already showing flashes of being much better.  Jones is just out of sync and costing the team dearly.  5:1 turnovers in the grad transfer vs true freshman.

Better to take the lumps now and learn how to play together with the young guys to be ready for a tournament run.  Right now Jones is a square peg in a round hole.

Proof that Northwestern…

Proof that Northwestern doesn't mind sucking.  He currently lives with his family 20 minutes from the NW campus.

Where was the high-low set…

Where was the high-low set that was unstoppable against FSU?

That had to be a very…

That had to be a very frustrating game for him.  Many possessions he was alone in the corner waving for the ball only to watch it reversed to the other side or a bad shot go up.  But, he seems like a helluva team player who didn't put about it.

Good luck to the young man whatever his future plans may be.

Pretty awesome doing The…

Pretty awesome doing The Robot as part of bench mob.

$ and access to talent. …

$ and access to talent.  Nobody talks about LC until the tournament.  Big East and Big Ten are on TV several nights times a week.

Pretty uninspiring hire. …

Pretty uninspiring hire.  There is enough good teams in that league that Marquette will still be the equivalent of Butler.

Shaka has shown he is no better than Jamie Dixon or Rick Barnes. If I had a rooting interest I would be more excited to see a coach on the rise not one on the decline.

Shaka had already peaked when Texas hired him and was on the decline.  They just wanted a flashy name.  I'm guessing Marquette did the same.

I will be shocked if Moser…

I will be shocked if Moser isn't coaching DePaul or Northwestern next season.

Too late.  Football has…

Too late.  Football has delivered so many dong punches over so many years that it has just become the season after baseball and before basketball.

Partially yes.  Another…

Partially yes.  Another factor is refs from lower levels seeing the size, speed, and physicality of basketball like they had not seen all season.

A ref from The Patriot League goes an entire year without officiating the big boys.  It jumped out to me over the weekend when a ref from the Colonial(?) was calling anticipation fouls.  In that league there would have been fouls on the plays.

Last night OSU vs OSU had the same thing.  Refs were calling phantom fouls and tipped balls out of bounds.

 

It's part of the 1st weekend every year. 

NCAA basketball is more…

NCAA basketball is more balanced than ever imho.  Several Bluebloods sitting home watching the tournament with their 1-and-done players because the Covid Season took away from the experience 2nd and 3rd year glue players would get practicing and playing with said Superstars.

This season has been about coaching and the NCAA Tournament should be a job interview for many of these small school coaches that have shown they can slay the dragon and have a solid resume before the tournament even began.  Lower schools in the major conferences such as Minn, NW, and PSU in the B10 should be paying attention.  That's what makes the quick PSU hire even more LOL as Shrewsberry would have been available after the season ended.

Porter Moser and the like are going to make some serious $ next year.  Someone should make a run at Joe Golding as well.

He seems very easy to get in…

He seems very easy to get in his head and throw his game off.  Once that happens he starts passing up shots he should take or forcing bad shots.

Those parts of the game where he disappears is when I see that.

I don't think a big name…

I don't think a big name goes after him yet.  DePaul absolutely will or Minnesota.  He seems like a great coach but that's a big jump for a thin resume.

I think we will soon see how…

I think we will soon see how serious Alabama really is about basketball.  I'm curious if the kick they tires on Dan Hurley as well.

ESPN was most likely writing…

ESPN was most likely writing stories comparing them to the UConn team that got hot and won it all a few years back.

 

That team only got in by winning the BigEast Tournament.

Tom Crean must not have met…

Tom Crean must not have met with the boosters.  Georgia is dogshit in basketball while Kentucky, LSU, and Auburn write checks.

From a spectator perspective…

From a spectator perspective, if I want to see a high school game I can visit one of several gyms in my area.  The prospect of watching rail thin young men who have forfeited their opportunity at college basketball really doesn't interest me.

Look how undeveloped the body on most freshman is.  The vast majority need a year in the weightroom to compete.  Or the kids that grow 6" their freshman year of college in a proper nutrition & exercise program.

A 16 year old making that choice for short-term $ just doesn't sit well with me.  Now that NCAA is doing NIL I see no sense in picking green apples.

Ouch.  Everyone played soft…

Ouch.  Everyone played soft and tired.  It happens.  Oh well, lost to #4 not Northwestern. Learn and grow.

 

Beat Sparty..

"So, how do you know how you…

"So, how do you know how you sleep? And how can you possibly predetermine how you are going to sleep?"

Not sure if this is for me.

In my case knowing side sleeping is bad I put a golf ball in the pocket of my shorts that prevents me from rolling onto my right side.  Eventually you get trained to not roll that way.

A few weeks ago when I wasn't doing that I slept on my right side.  My shoulder flared up to the point I couldn't lift my arm high enough to touch my head.  Ice, painkillers, and the golfball trick have me back to 80% and getting better.

Side sleeping is a no go…

Side sleeping is a no go with bad shoulders.  Both of mine are toast from sports injuries.

We had bought a cheap Zinus from Amazon for the extra bedroom.  I liked it enough to buy more for our room and daughter.  It is cheap enough that I will treat it as disposable.

Bookmarked for when I get my…

Bookmarked for when I get my next coaching job.  Thanks!

I expect an ugly win. …

I expect an ugly win.  Watching teams come off a layoff, shooting is what seems to not click the 1st game.  Xavier yesterday, for example, had many-may good looks at the rim and great shots that just wouldn't fall.  They aren't known for defense however and once UConn started hitting 3's the game was never in doubt.

M plays very good defense and that will be what determines the outcome.  The Fighting Brads will be motivated by the beatdown M put on them last time but I think M prevails in a close one.  Just like the experts predict.

Is there Reddit crowd…

Is there Reddit crowd getting away from GME and becoming a crowd source GM now?

Isn't Fields also draft…

Isn't Fields also draft eligible?  If so, wouldn't Meyer + Fields be a legitimate possibility at Jax?

If true, this is an…

If true, this is an admission by the Athletic Dept that the football coach has been vastly overpaid for his entire tenure at UM.  It also says that JH had zero to little interest from NFL.

He would still be overpaid for Hoke results when Hoke was making 3M/yr. 

 

A great coach should be motivated to be his best regardless of salary.  The high salary is to retain their services not reward performance.  If you have to motivate with $ you have the wrong guy.

The good thing I see in it is that I know already that I will have Saturdays free this fall instead of getting dong punched. I hope I'm wrong, but I checked out on JH football 2 seasons ago.

So, Michigan Football is…

So, Michigan Football is just like Kentucky Basketball?  I think that is a very, very big stretch.

Only on mgoblog would two …

Only on mgoblog would two  recent natties be considered underachieving when we'd be ecstatic with conference championships.

I'd still like to see 6…

I'd still like to see 6 teams.  #1 & #2 get 1st round bye and #3 & #4 host 1st round games on campus.

More teams plus there could be cold weather games.

As much as I hate watching a basketball game with Bilas he did get it right.  "They should call it the College Football Invitational, not The Playoff"

They are making progress…

They are making progress every time on the floor.  Defense is still very shaky at times.  Offense just needs everyone to figure out their roles.

They will be fine.  All the…

They will be fine.  All the struggles yesterday were related to young players being out of position.  Floor spacing was really bad with two (or more) rotating to the same spot on the floor.  That will get fixed quick enough as the season goes on.

One of the beautiful things about college basketball is if you just keep winning ranking don't matter.

It's always fun to read the…

It's always fun to read the the morning threads after getting blown out.  I wonder how many have changed their tune about keeping JH one more year since 1:30 this afternoon?  Not either pro or anti Fickell but he does have the things that the next coach should imho. 

The next coach needs to be someone who has built a program.  Fickell, Campbell, and some others check that box.  I get static for saying that JH has never built a program but that's what I see.  At Stanford he stuck gold with Luck and what was there already wasn't terrible just terribly coached.  At SF the GM did the heavy lifting and JH flamed out pretty quick.  At M his program building has been awful.

Another thing I think is important is to get a coach who has gone as far as possible in their current position.  If it is a G5 coach then they need to getting hype for playoff or NY6 every year.  If it's a P5 coach they should be doing well but lack the resources at their current school to go further.

A new candidate should also come from a program of success.  Seeing success and how the pieces are put together is very important.  I don't think you can learn how to put a successful program together unless you have been on the inside and seen how all the parts worked together.

Day's 2nd string is probably…

Day's 2nd string is probably a higher ranked recruiting class than M's starters.

I fired my advisor in the…

I fired my advisor in the early summer after paying him to underperform the S&P for several years.  I don't trade individual stocks but have a stable of a few mutual funds I keep but weight differently depending on what I think will happen.  Went 20% to cash back in October because I had no confidence in things plus uncertainty with the election.

Even with 20% in cash my accounts are better than ever.  I missed a lot of post-election upside but it's better than what I was getting paying someone to do it.  I've been slowly incrementing back in with an emphasis on the small cap fund.

Will McCaffrey stay for the…

Will McCaffrey stay for the next coach or his transfer a done deal?  What about Ambry Thomas?

Andrew Luck

Andrew Luck

Every week it grows clearer…

Every week it grows clearer that Harbaugh doesn't know what is wrong and has no idea how to fix it.  Looking back on his coaching career he never built a program.  Rather he took someone else's program and made it work for a little while before leaving or being shown the door.

He's done because it will get no better.  Don Brown should have been relieved at halftime.  Partridge should still be here.  The list of mistakes is long and the results show up on Saturdays.

I hope the next coach is someone that comes from a successful program and has built their own.  I am almost loathe to say it but Fickel has built something good at Cincinnati.  There are others out there but that is the 1st that comes to mind and he has much less baggage than the other one that gets mentioned.

I haven't for a few years. …

I haven't for a few years.  I think "Shea is the Missing Piece" that wasn't was when I resigned myself to the Athletic Dept being OK with football mediocrity.

When does basketball start?

 

 

It's a tossup between USC,…

It's a tossup between USC, UCLA, and Oregon.  PAC12 certainly rules the roost.  

Left Facebook in Nov of last…

Left Facebook in Nov of last year.  It was a convenient tool for keeping in touch with people spread all over the country.  Now we do it the old fashioned way...texts :)