This Kid Will Kick Your Ass, Alex

After the home-bed-pooping performance against Wisconsin, all the air was let out of my "let's watch basketball" balloon.  I wondered if this team, which from what we've seen is able to compete with the ACC and the PAC-10, is ready for Big Ten style play.  It's a worry, especially in these transitional times, where we not quite sharp enough for the full Beilein gameplan, and not quite big and tough enough to bang the boards against Big Ten foes on your average Wednesday evening.  Now, bare in mind that a single game does not a conference season make.  But the Wolverines showed a little something that my man Jerry Reed (East Bound and Down) would call "intestinal fortitude."  They didn't back down from Illinois.  They didn't crack under the pressure of what could be construed as the earliest "must win" game in conference history.  They didn't falter when their three-pointer lifeboat left the game after taking an elbow to the eye from the double turncoat turned Fighting Illini Alex Legion.

They played bigger than they are.

Davis, 6-9, was driving and looked to be going for the dunk when Harris, 6-5, jumped and met him in the air.

And if they continue to do that, they CAN compete in this league.  They CAN make a run for postseason play.

Michigan wins, 74-64, on 40% 3-point shooting against the nation's 3rd best 3-pointer defense (25%), ending Illinois 7-game winning streak.  Of note, LLP got the start and poured in 13 and had 5 assists.  Also, big Zack Gibson hit double digits in scoring (10), and Kelvin put up 9, including a nail-in-the-coffin layup in traffic in the waning moments.  Michigan's schedule will allow Novak to avenge his 6 stitches when they play at Illinois on 1/14, after this week's games at Indiana (Wed) and home against Iowa (Sun).

GO BLUE!

It's Like Dogs and Cats Living Together

First off, a belated Merry Christmas and an early Happy New Year to you and yours.  I hope you got everything you were hoping for from Santa Claus, and that you've got your New Year's resolutions all written down and ready to implement for a great 2009.  Moving on...

Down is up.  Up is down.  Michigan Basketball, who has rarely sniffed the ass-end of the polls over the past 10 years finds itself ranked #23/#24 in the AP/USAToday respectively.  Going into Big Ten play, which commences Wednesday at Crisler against Wisconsin, the Wolverines have already notched their 10th victory, matching their total from last year.  Fast and vast has been the improvement from last year.  More important than their record, or their victories over Duke and UCLA, has been their watchability.  They nail threes from every position.  They play defense.  They run plays.  Then they shoot more threes.  They dive for balls.  They press.  They push it up court.  Then they shoot more threes.

Are they moving in the right direction?  Jerod Ward thinks so, so you should too.

Harris and Sims fill the superstar quotient, and could lead the team on their own but don't have to.  Lovable characters are donning the white jersey, like the man with a dagger cloaked in a babyface in Zack Novak, a massively improved Jevohn Shepherd, and the recent addition...perimeter defender specialist and gunslinger LLP.  The supporting cast and the bench are making things look so different than what we are used to, that you'd swear that none of these faces ever graced the freshly lit court at Crisler Arena.  Absolutely, positively, FUN TO WATCH.

Basically the polar opposite of what you experienced from August 30th to November 22nd.

So if you are a fresh-faced youth with no knowledge of Michigan Basketball history, hop on this bandwagon, revel in your ignorance, and rush the court.  If you are an old timer and remember that the teams of the 70's, 80's, and early 90's left a mark in college basketball that far outweighs the crap that Little Brother has been slingin' your way....then welcome.  Welcome to the "Road to Detroit."

Just A Little Taste

It's been a long autumn.  If you missed the trip to Minnesota (which based on the crowd there, you did) then your last viewed sliver of positivity as a Michigan fan came on September 27th.  That's a long time ago.  And this just in...you've got the longest wait EVER for a chance to peek at victory again.

This fanbase is starving.

This night for me, for the better part of a decade, has meant airplane reservations, hotel reservations, and citysearching for the best steakhouse.  The BCS selection show has come and gone, and Michigan was unmentioned.  The other bowl selections have come and gone, and Michigan has gone unmentioned.  The reality should have sunk in weeks, even months ago.  But for me, it didn't.  It took a full fledged pasting at the hands of the Buckeyes to show just how far away we are, and effectively shut down this blog for the better part of two weeks.

Enter the smelling salts....

Far be it from me to attempt to find solace in one sport through another, but it's important to recognize that while every Michigan Football fan is not necessarily a Michigan Basketball fan, every Michigan Basketball fan IS a Michigan Football fan.  That's why on Saturday, the Maize Rage gave Yankee bleacher style recognition to Rich and Rita.  That's why the arena cam found its way to Lloyd and Laurie, resulting in a raucous standing ovation.  That's why, as a group of athletes wearing maize and blue did the unthinkable, and the court was smothered in joyous celebration, it was impossible to make the comparisons/assumptions between our two West Virginia bred coaches.

But we shouldn't make this about football today.  Michigan knocked off Duke on Saturday for the first time since 1997.  On that day 11 years ago, we were just two weeks removed from rushing the field after beating the Buckeyes and completing an undefeated regular season.  We knew exactly what to do when we knocked off #1 Duke...we rushed the court.  That night, Charles Woodson won the Heisman trophy. It was a great weekend.  This, my friends, was also a great weekend.  What it means with regards to the remainder of the season and hopes of a tournament birth remains to be seen, but what it means right now is not in question.  National recognition...recruits in attendance...a sold-out Crisler arena...two victories over top-5 opponenets...Michigan Basketball is back on the map.

Helllllllloooooo Basketball

Michigan Basketball upset #4 UCLA tonight, 55-52, getting their 3rd win of the season, matching the number of wins from the entire football season (so far), and inspiring just a bit of hope in the world of Michigan sports.

The reward for this David over Goliath effort?  Play Duke twice in 15 days.  Ahhh yes, tomorrow in the Garden, 7pm, Saturday in the Horseshoe, high noon.  One down, two to go.

Weekend Roundup, To Hell With Notre Dame Edition: 9/9/08

Here's what happened around the internet while you partcipated in feats of strength...



• Terrance Taylor is amused by the fat man's comments from last April.  [Michigan Amused by Weis Comment - ESPN]


• Matt Cassel came in to relieve Tom Brady (we'll miss you TB) when he suffered a season ending knee injury.  His brother, Jack Cassel, relieved Wandy Rodriguez (no relation) after he injured his right oblique in a baseball game.  That's weird.  [Dealing with injury? - Fanhouse]


• Threet to start.  LT Ortmann out with disloacted elbow.  Matthews, Brown, and Shaw will be back.  [Monday Morning Michigan - MLive]


• The top ten best college tailgating scenes.  I've seen 7,6,5, and 4.  Tough to beat Penn State, though I think Johnny Cleveland would give the nod to LSU.  [The Road Warrior - ESPN]


• Post game Lions thoughts that will make you laugh out loud over at The Wayne Fontes experience.  Even better, go back and look at their first quarter live blog.  Love those Lions.


• Watch the Beaver with this week's edition of Friday Night Lights from Varsity Blue.


• When your basketball team is getting recognition for their grades...you've got yourself a real shitty basketball team. [Wolverines Honored - MGoBlue]


• When your basketball team schedules Maryland, Duke, and UCONN...you've got to wonder what your athletic director's grade point average was. [Basketball Schedule - MGoBlue]


• Polls...we're not in 'em.  But Wisconsin is, and if they knock off Fresno this weekend, we will have ourselves a top 10 test for RichRod and friends.  [Polls - CBSSportsline]