He just doesn’t know his own record against Beilein, especially after Beilein had his own players in the fold, or who last went to an NC game, or how he’s looking over the last two seasons against us. Michigan fans themselves have had a hard time believing the evidence that was before their eyes.
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Izzo says these things and he comes off as such a jerk. Maybe he truly is just a jerk. I think it’s deeper than that. I think he LOVES that he is adored by his fanbase, and that he has long been considered the best coach in Michigan and one of the best in America, and he can’t handle that that’s NOT the case, at least not anymore. Coach B is proving himself to be so much the better coach than Izzo. I have heard Izzo compliment other programs, sounding genuine about it, but he can’t do that with Beilein and Michigan. It’s kinda sad. The truth is, Beilein doesn’t care. Michigan State is an important game to Coach B, of course, but every other game is very important, too. To Izzo, Michigan and Beilein are more important. It’s the rivalry, AND it’s Izzo’s ego. He can’t stand that Coach B is the better coach and, right now, and really for a few years now, Michigan is the BETTER PROGRAM! I love our coach. To quote one of our favorite UMhoops posters, Izzo "can get the hell outta here!
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This! Extremely well said, Buckets. I agree with all of your points but I think point number two is absolutely SPOT ON. I CANNOT understand Izzo’s substitution pattern. I know it’s his team and it’s none of my business, but , my oh my, it’s crazy. It’s almost as if he were a HS coach who was getting all kinds of pressure to play kids. As to points one and three, he’s got one guard who can shoot the lights out, when he’s NOT guarded, but “can’t guard his own shadow,” and he has another guard who is quick and can guard people but who is just an awful shooter. He’s ruined Langford, a great kid with talent, and so has to play McQuaid who is really streaky, and that’s it.
I still think Bridges is VERY talented, but I think Izzo has kind of ruined him. He probably realizes he made a horrible decision coming back, or going there in the first place, and unless State makes a remarkable run in the NCAA Tournament is probably going to regret it for a long. I think, this year, he will gladly “get the hell outta East Lansing!”
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Purdue - can we beat Purdue today ? It will be tough
Yeah, that’s right, let’s forget Michigan State. They’re history. On to Purdue. Next game mentality. Purdue is REALLY good. Vince has been struggling, though, since his injury. I hope doesn’t go off today, but Carson, WOW! That kid is special. Dakota Mathias. I used to hate that kid, and I probably will today, too, but he is so tough. He can shoot it, lights out, from pretty much anywhere, off the dribble, coming off screens, step back, AND he can defend. They’ve had depth issues but Cline is pretty solid, and now Eifert and Eastern are coming along, and Haarms backing up the big guy, the giant really. They’re gonna be really tough. I just think they are a very good basketball team. So are we. Beilein. Sometimes I just get a feeling. I’m working on trying to get one for this game. We’ll see. I know this, I’m so proud of our kids. I just hope we have enough legs to play well, to do what WE do! Play well guys. Play well, and we’ll see. Go Blue!!!
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This! I loved this write up by Orian. I loved it all, but especially in number five when Michigan broke the press, got it into the frontcourt, spread the floor, and went into that three man passing game (really four, Simpson touched it, too, but got it right back to Duncan) and the State players were running around trying to get to the ball. The old adage of pass the ball, the ball moves faster and than players do, and then Duncan takes it to the basket with the floor completely spread for the “and one.” Loved it. That is basketball! But what I loved most of all was the Beilein quote at the end. Compare that with Izzo. No, don’t, because there really is no comparison.
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Just re-reading Izzo’s presser transcript (reading because I don’t want to upset the equilibrium of a nice Sunday morning) and chuckling over the comment, made twice(!), about Matthews’s and Simpson’s early threes–they weren’t on his scouting report, they were almost–almost–illegitimate!
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Great post !
MSU spacing is terrible. Way too much pressure on Bridges, he is good but he’s not Magic Johnson.
That being said CM did a great job on Bridges.
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An opportunity get a banner today (and get some revenge against PU). C’mon fellas!
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Think there’s a chance that we run out of steam today, but I hope the kids play with abandon–I really think that we’re deeper than Purdue.
A win today puts the season win percentage at .800. Not to shabby.
While I know M can win today, I’m not nearly as confident they can win as I was vs MSU. This is a tougher matchup imo. I think M, MSU, and Purdue are the 3 best teams in the league, with OSU a step behind.
Listened to a little of MSU postgame on WJR yesterday. Steginga (sp) conceded M was just a really difficult matchup for MSU.
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Absolutely. I listened to the presser. He was absolutely implying that those shots weren’t legitimate, like they are players who CAN’T make those shots! I also take issue with his use of hyperbole and sarcasm. He called MAARs’ shot a 35 footer! It was probably 24 or 25, it WAS long range, but 35 feet?!? Then later he got this Izzo look on his face, and said, dripping with sarcasm, “that great shot.” And as for that shot, there is something to be said for a shooter shooting a basketball with the correct backspin so that rather than clanking off the rim, the ball dies and goes in. You know, I don’t dislike Tom Izzo. I’ve actually met him, and I’ve actually observed a practice, but he’s got this way about him that is just so grating. He gives “left handed compliments” and uses sarcasm, and he just won’t say, “Coach Beilein is a great coach, an offensive genius, and now he is coaching great defense, too.” He can’t say it. It would just hurt his ego too much. I also wonder if he has ADD because if you watch the presser, especially near the end when he was answering questions, his body was twitching up and down a little, like he couldn’t sit still. Either that or he had to go to the bathroom and wanted to “get the hell outta there.”
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Thoughts on the MSU game:
- X was, of course, instrumental. Winston has been the best offensive player in the conference by a pretty decent margin, and X owned him. I wish someone would ask X how he feels about being left off of the B1G all-defense team; and also a little glad X will be shouldering that chip.
- Bridges settled for a bunch of terrible jumpers in the first half, and I think CM had a lot to do with that. CM had great spacing, staying infront of Bridges laterally, and he was quick enough to contest when Bridges would get frustrated and just pull up.
- Jackson missed a lot of open 3s. It seemed like our gameplan was to let JJJ drift away from the basket when they were on offense, but the game could have been very different if a 43% 3pt shooter had knocked in a few more. That being said, Moe and Duncan missed some wildly open looks, so it all balances out.
Thoughts on Purdue: Time for X to clamp down on the best iso player in the conference: X vs C. Edwards is so key. I think we still let Haas get his, and just try to do even better of contesting 3pt shots. Purdue made some ridiculous shots against us, and they needed to in order to win both games.
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I’ve thought that all year, too, Purdue’s lack of depth I mean. But they’ve been using Eifert and Eastern more, so that concerns me a little. We just have to hope Vince doesn’t go off on us. He’s struggled a bit since being injured, but if he’s on, then they’ve got both Edwards’, plus Mathias and Haas. Cline can really shoot, too. It’s really going to be a tough game. I hope the atmosphere is every bit as electric as yesterday, and I hope, at the end of the game, that atmosphere is just as Maize and Blue colored as it was yesterday! UMhoops nation is really counting on you, therealmirman! Bring us home a victory today! And Moe’s mom, too, she’s 7-0! Go Blue!!!
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I agree with all that is said here and in the original points. I shouldn’t care so much, but they are soooooo talented and the sum is less their parts. Obviously I feel the opposite is true with Michigan.
Izzo just seems randomly sub and it makes no sense. At one point halfway thru the first half he had a lineup of Bridges and Langford on the floor with Tum, Goins and Schilling. With that roster there is ZERO excuse for a lineup like that to ever be on the floor together. Plus the lack of Ward and/or JJJ in the second half was crazy.
I really have a feeling deep down inside that Beilein just beat him in his last B1G game, but it would be great if he hangs around so he can get a little more of what he deserves!
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I would like to see M mix it up a bit today and make Haas unsure of what M is going to do. Double him, front him, try to deny initial position; hopefully find something that’s effective overall, and still run Purdue off 3 point line. Easier said than done. I know
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It is kind of amazing that Jackson Jr and Ward combined for 34 minutes while Goins, Nairn, Schilling, and Tillman combined for 45. Especially only 24 minutes for Jackson Jr. And while he finished with 4 fouls, 3 of them were in the last 2 minutes.
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