Weekend Roundup, Banner Hanging Edition: 3/5/12

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Championship Sunday Picture Page

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Were we always this fired up about regular season titles? I guess I always thought of the Big Ten tournament champion as the Big Ten champion. I felt that way in '98, when Michigan won the inaugural Big Ten tourney. College basketball is a game predicated on tournaments. I'm pretty sure Kentucky didn't cut down the nets Sunday afternoon and declare themselves the regular season National Champion. In March, nobody cares about regular season championships. Nobody that is except a banner-starved fanbase that just wants to hang something from this century and get a ring for the fingers of a couple of un-recruited kids from Indiana.

Banners really mean something around here. We've hung our fair share, as well as unceremoniously taken a few down. The 1986 Big Ten banner and 1989 National Championship banner have remained. But that's getting to be an awfully long time ago. I can remember thinking it was a long time ago when I was here as a student. For a college student today, those banners might as well be from 1956.

But there will be fresh cloth to hang from the rafters now. 2012 Big Ten Champions.

It took this…

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To beat this...
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Before needing to find a way to root for this…
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To beat this…
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Hoping to cause this…
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And place an order for this...
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Somehow, it all worked out. But there's lots left to do. Plenty more banners up for grabs. Plenty more rings.
The Big Ten tourney bracket is now available. We're up on Friday at 6:30pm vs. the winner of Northwestern-Minnesota.

All That's Left is All That's Left

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Sparty was Sparty on Tuesday night, getting run out of the gym in Bloomington, so the only thing left that is out of Michigan's hands is a matchup between two teams, in a place you hate...that will likely cause you to in some way root for a team you have wished painful death upon for the bulk of your life.  The rest is in the hands of the Wolverines. 

#13 Michigan is heading to Champaign for a Thursday night battle with the Fighting Illini.  Illinois has dropped 9 of their last 11, and is spiraling to a point where Bruce Weber has found himself on the hot seat.  At the same time, Michigan comes in carrying the burden of history on its backs, going 0-13 over the last 17 years in Champaign, and will have to deal with a wounded animal in Illinois, who needs to win out and win a couple of games in the Big Ten tournament to make the NCAA's.   Michigan will also have to contain Meyers Leonard, a 7'1'' rebounding machine that has broken out for 43 points in his last two games.

You should anticipate having to deal with the frustration of Leonard keeping possessions alive after Illini misses.  Mix in one or two 3-4 minute Michigan scoring droughts and an emotional Illinois team playing for its seniors and for the beleaguered coach, and well, we're looking at another great night of frustrating Big Ten hoops.

It's a recipe for...well, it's a recipe for something.  

Other previews:

 

 

Be there, 7pm, ESPN

GO BLUE!