I despise the term full court press, as it’s usually used here as the sole reason Michigan doesn’t land a particular recruit. Now it’s being used as the reason Beilein left? He didn’t stay because Warde was lazy? Because he didn’t show Coach the love?
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A lot of this stuff, whether recruiting or coaching hires, comes down to relationships and perception despite it being nebulous. There’s a reason some people are better “recruiters” than others.
Aside from Martin hiring Beilein and the Hackett regime, Michigan Athleic Directors haven’t really been good at the hiring aspect of big time sports (Football & Basketball).
Hell the guy before Martin had us in the red and Brandon was wasting money on unnecessary marquee signs.
Yeah, if you look at his history, he spent 5 years at Canisius, 5 years at Richmond, 5 years at WVU - and then 12 here. We got a lot out of him. Of course we wanted more still but that’s a pretty good tenure in this era.
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I am sorry, you gotta stop being so negative about this. This is a man who started his career at Newfane High School as the JV coach! He was offered an opportunity to coach at the highest level in basketball. He has proven time and again that he likes challenges and rebuilding programs as he has risen up the coaching ranks. He’s 66, there was no more time for waiting.
Nothing Warde Manuel or anyone else said was going to alter his desires. Some combination of wanting to try his hand at coaching the best players in the world and being fed up with the NCAA game and those who create its negative stench are the reasons he left Michigan.
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A little extra perspective here. JB is tied for the longest tenured coach in program history. As much as it sucks that he left, lets not let that blind the fact that he stayed longer than any that preceded him.
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All true in those last two posts, but none of that is reason to not even try to keep him.
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I think it’s impossible that U of M didn’t "even try " to keep the coach that has the most wins in the history of the program who also was everything we aspire a Michigan Man to represent.
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Absolutely gobluemd16! JB has been successful at EVERY level of basketball except one, the NBA. Knowing JB, the competitor he is, the goal setter he is, there is no question he would want to conquer that level as well. Will he do it with the Cavaliers? I’m not optimistic, but I would never doubt Coach B. That, and what is going on with college basketball, FBI investigations, coaches who are not exactly ethical or clean and having to compete with that while being squeaky clean himself, I think JB decided this is the time. It’s now or never.
Yes, it’s bad timing for us, horrible timing, really, but this was JB’s opportunity and he took it. This notion of Manuel somehow being at fault or somehow botching this is just wrong, in my opinion.
I think, for the reasons above, disgruntlement with the current direction of college basketball, and the opportunity to coach at the highest level, when Cleveland came calling, JB answered that call. I don’t think Warde Manuel had anything to do with it, and nothing he could have said would have changed it.
One more thing. We all agonize over the loss of JB. We’re wailing, “Woe are we. Woe are we. The sky is falling.” But let’s remember, as we look at possible coaching hires, back when JB was hired, he wasn’t that big name coach the fanbase wanted. Yes, he had a lot of experience and a lot of success at lower levels, and had done very well at WVU, but there were people pulling their hair out that we were bringing in another West Virginia coach and they wondered, “Who on earth is this Beilein guy and why are we hiring him?” Well, look how that turned out…Pretty damn good…winningest coach in school history and a coach and program we can all be proud of.
I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’m going to trust Warde Manuel and the powers that be to bring in the right man for Michigan, and I have no reason not to trust him, nor would it do me any good.
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Must be nice to have a college basketball program be the only stresser in one’s life. Oh to be young again. You are taking this way too much to heart my friend. Just one guy’s opinion.
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I wouldn’t say Beilein was that under the radar. The Pittsnogle WVU teams got a lot of publicity. I remember watching those teams and thinking it’d be fun to run an offense like that.
There was a segment of the fan base that wanted an ace recruiter and was disappointed in JB but overall I think he was considered a good hire by most.
Well, as always is the case, let’s just say there were folks in the fanbase who were less than excited with the choice. Yes, he had some success at WVU especially during the Pittsnogle years.
And now, there are people pulling their hair out, or seemingly so, and some will not be particularly happy with whoever the eventual hire may be…in all likelihood.
Agreed, JB was not well known but rather an up and coming coach in several circles. I think Boeheim from Syracuse actually made a call to lend his support for the UM job. Most were surprised at the time he went to UM primarily a football school with little investment in resources.I recall he was the heavy favorite for the Virginia job but he had a big buyout to prevent the move. Most of the WV hoops fans were disappointed JB left for Michigan but were happy Huggins (ALUM) took the job. Notice the culture there did not last after JB left. He recruits special kids who buy into culture and team, team, team! He will be missed that is for sure.
Yeah. I really hope no fan feels bitter towards JB. As a high school coach myself–and diehard UM fan, I would probably make the same decision in his shoes. Father Time is undefeated. Now or never, indeed.
Also, in general, what’s wrong with trying to be the best at your craft…at your life’s work, at your career? Any attempt to spin that as selfish… I’m just not here for that. His loss is devastating, but it doesn’t nor should it diminish the enormous contribution he made to this program. He made Michigan basketball so damn fun.
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I am definitely rooting for John Beilein tonight. Hope he lands Zion!
5th! Gilberts not pleased
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Knicks or Lakers will win the lottery (did not happen)
I wish that Lakers hit the jackpot and everyone cries foul.
comments from John tonight… stevens comments don’t sound pro college
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“attach next year with a lot of enthusiasm”? I wonder where JB got this line from.
I want to cry everytime I hear him talk about his new job
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