I mean, I don't even want to hit refresh. Usually when things come out loudly from "sources" they prove to be true. If not very soon, later.
It is a job Tom Izzo turned down, and that says something. Now they say the Cavaliers have no talent, but they have two guards who were lottery picks, they just added the league's leading rebounder who makes $22 million, and they have two other players from championship teams who are all-stars and who probably also make a lot of money.
He is feeling good and wants a new challenge, I get that. We are seeing now that the Michigan basketball team does have talent and they are competitive if not better than that. It is also hitting us in the face that even better times are only a recruiting class away.
The NBA standings need not be repeated. Many of the players are said to be, I'll just say distracted. Now comes news that Beilein is unhappy also.
It is a shame that Beilein didn't get fired from Michigan, or that he had some awful contract dispute that caused acrimony. That was not going to happen because he is to nice a guy and he is far to a "wear my emotions on my sleeve" type of guy. Like his Michigan teams at times, he is almost too soft. Sometimes you have to move on from the relatively minor things, like one and dones in particular. My God, how was that going to work with the contracts and egos of NBA players?
It was not a recipe for disaster, but it has certainly turned out that way. The news is probably correct and even if it is strung-out it cannot get any better. Beilien himself has a 5-year $25 contract. Now he is looking like a failure and a quitter.
Beilein is one of those people who always has to be right, like Bobby Knight. Communication is not always his forte, especially with black teenagers. At Michigan there were many, many good times, including bonds with players like Jordan Morgan, Derrick Walton, and Isaiah Livers. There were failures too. One endearing image is Beilein sitting on the bench pouting.
John Beilein did not need a bigger challenge or stage. I think he will always be happiest teaching and coaching basketball, as well as doing things his way. I wish, if he wanted to leave Michigan, he would have gone to a smaller or different place where he could do that.
The change in Michigan basketball has been courteous and considerate. The first giant one was players staying in the game with multiple fouls. The auto-bench rule was no more.
Just Google Juwan Howard, click on images, and it is quite a story. He didn't smile much when he played at Michigan, and he didn't wear a suit and tie either. He looks great in both.
I didn't know. When he first signed-on, no surprise, things were a little off. I remember him on the sideline of a football game and he had not yet hit his interview stride. We heard "this is the job I wanted" and there were some sappy soundbites, but the whole thing wasn't obvious. I have read that extra-large Mr. Howard cried at his job acceptance press conference and someday maybe I'll watch that video.
Uh oh, I couldn't resist the Google images.
Next up, Rutgers on Wednesday.
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