At a certain point endlessly complaining about things mostly outside the schools control (Beilein’s choice to leave, two underclassmen going pro) and absolutely out of our own just sort seems like you’re finding reasons to be miserable to everyone here.
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Based on Sam’s update Cooley may be in the mix too
Since no one on this board can change anything about the basketball program, what you’re advocating is that no one should complain, criticize or express dissatisfaction about anything. I assume that thinking also applies to football, hockey, baseball, etc.
No complaining? It’s what happens on sports chat boards. No one has to read them if they only want to read glowing optimism and praise.
But all you’re doing is endlessly picking fights.
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Personally, I’ll be extremely happy if it’s Juwan. Boom or Bust and I believe that’s the best route to go.
In my opinion, the Shakas and Cooleys of the coaching world will always be there. I would be okay with Shaka and wait-and-see with Cooley. I just don’t think they’re much different than what you can get any other year outside of the very few homerun hires. (In other words, if Juwan does well and leaves or ends up not succeeding, we’re back in the same spot and didn’t lose much ground.)
Might as well go for it with Juwan. Personally, I think he’s going to do great. He’s going to recruit well. I really don’t see any worries there. I think he’ll be very good Xs and Os too. If he keeps Yak or Saddi, or brings in his own strong Assistants, I’ll be pretty ecstatic with the hire given all the circumstances. There’s excitement to his hire, at least to me.
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Every one of my posts has been about the basketball program and about the same issues that everyone else here is discussing. I haven’t insulted anyone, I haven’t attacked anyone, I haven’t made anything personal. If disagreement isn’t to your taste, and if you don’t like hearing anything that isn’t unabashedly positive, that’s entirely your business.
BTW based on what Webb said this morning, it sounds like Juwan would like to keep 2 of the current assistants.
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Too easy to assume its Yak + Saddi?
yak - great D/recruiting/coach in waiting if juwan goes to NBA in 4-5 years
Saddi - great michigan ties, closest to head coaching experience on staff but coaches bigs like juwan
Haynes… started to pick up offensive duties last year, but “least experienced”
feels like you need at least one of your own guys (ideally head coaching experience in college) but maybe im crazy to think you keep all three assistants and keep rolling
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As everyone on this board is well aware, the most important criteria is height. After all, that’s how we judge all of our recruits right? Beilein is only 6’2 with shoes on. Clearly Juwan is head and shoulders above Shaka, Yak, and LaVall when it comes to height. Shall I provide photo evidence?
On a serious note, John Beilein was my favorite coach of any sport of all time. He is an enigma. He’s the only coach to do things completely cleanly by the book and he is among the absolute best coaches at player development and coaching offense. He transformed our program and his parting gift is to leave Michigan with its head coaching position being the most desirable it has or likely will be anytime in the next couple of decades. Let’s use that momentum please.
John Beilein is not available anymore and I would argue that in our next coaching search, trying to emulate him is a fool’s errand. The most important criteria should be recruiting. I’ll say it again, recruiting. Not player development. Not X’s and O’s. Not experience. Not how long the coach is likely to stay at Michigan.
Recruiting.
Why recruiting you ask? I’ll tell you. It’s because the college game in its current state is all about talent. Talent wins championships. It’s true that Coach K and Cal don’t cut down the nets every year, but that’s due to lack of chemistry, depth, or rotten luck. Still they win more than most. We have seen over and over that talent wins championships and that reloading is the most surefire way to win. We won’t find another coach who develops players the way Beilein did and even then there was plenty of attrition. This is the era of talent, until the 1-and-done rule goes away at least. Coach K learned this lesson a few years ago and we should follow suit. (Yes I admit, Coach K is my second favorite coach behind Beilein)
But what if we hire a coach who has his sights set on the NBA and leaves us in 3-4 years?
- So what? 3-4 years is not uncommon for a coach to leave for a promotion, or get fired for failure. No one can predict the future and avoiding a coach who can bring 3-4 years of success because he may leave is silly. Every coach will leave eventually.
- When you recruit 1-and-done players, you don’t have to promise them that you will still be there for their entire college career!
- If the coach leaves in 3-4 years but the level of the program has not dropped, we can hire another great coach.
- If we focus on a coach who isn’t ready now but will likely be here long term, that means that after 3-4 years, if he struggles early and hasn’t turned the ship around, he leaves the program in a much worse position because the job will be that much less desirable.
Juwan Howard is my top choice, followed by either Yak or Shaka. None of them has proven much success with the X’s and O’s but they should all be able to recruit (I know, I know Juwan hasn’t proven this yet but I love the potential). Trying to emulate Beilein is not likely to work. Let’s go out and find us the best recruiter we can.
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Most of us, myself included, have been saying that Juwan would be likely to keep Yak. Now, I’m not sure he’s more likely than Saddi or Dre.
Beilein is an offensive coach who gave Yak a lot of responsibility and autonomy. As I understand it, it was an unusual arrangement in CBB. Juwan is more of a defensive coach and he might want to structure things differently. Yak might find a job at Texas more appealing even if Juwan wants to retain him.
What is everyone’s current odds (of who you think will be hired not based on who you want)?
If Howard is our guy, but Yack is not his guy, well, that’s how it works.
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is anyone else worried that fab five forgiveness is gonna muddy the waters?
i personally love the fab five and think its time to embrace the players and move forward. not sure thats universal across fan base and do people see it as a distraction that could end up undermining howard?
the counter point is, it feels like howard has so much momentum and no other head coach jobs, does not hiring him also cause blow back but in the reverse direction
i for one will support whoever it is, will the rest of the fanbase?
The only Fab Five alum that has lingering animosity toward him is Webber. And it’s not even all that much IMO. He was an honorary captain for football in the fall IIRC.
I’m sure MSU fans will say we are dirty by default now and Izzo might crap himself from his high horse at the idea of anyone from the Fab Five coaching at Michigan.
I don’t think it’ll be a big issue. From all accounts, Juwan Howard is just a flat out good dude. And I’ve never heard anybody say anything negative about him, ever.
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If Juwan kept two assistants, I would think one of Yak or Saadi would be out? I guess I’m just speculating. Based on descriptions, Juwan is a big man developer and defensive guy. That’s a combo of Yak and Saddi. Saddi is also the top assistant, so if he wants a guy that has head coaching experience to be the 3rd, Saddi may want to look elsewhere or he takes on a demotion essentially.
yes the red cedar message board is already calling us hypocrits and talking about juwan having a car while at UM and saying we are gonna become dirty and this will ignite izzo’s fire lol
i love the idea of howard towering over izzo as they shake hands after we get a W
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Yet if we hired someone off of their staff, the media would question our ethical standards and launch an investigation into how much he knew about the coverups in EL.
We may need a breakdown of Cooley…
I like him a lot
Great recruiter, great personality, offenses are a train wreck (decently worse than Beilein defenses pre donlon/yaklich)
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