2021-22 wisconsin

1 hour and 22 minutes

The Sponsors

Thank you to Underground Printing for making this all possible. Rishi and Ryan have been our biggest supporters from the beginning. Check out their wide selection of officially licensed Michigan fan gear at their 3 store locations in Ann Arbor or learn about their custom apparel business at undergroundshirts.com.

And let’s not forget our associate sponsors: Peak Wealth Management, HomeSure Lending, Ann Arbor Elder Law, Michigan Law Grad, Human Element, The Phil Klein Insurance Group, SignalWire (use the code MUPPETS), Prentice 4M, where we recorded this, Team Fan Club, and introducing The View from the Cheap Seats podcast by the Sklars, who will now be joining us for the Hot Takes segments. Please go subscribe and like their podcast, and leave your hot takes about this game in the reviews.

1. Illinois

starts at 1:00

Third straight week of a win that points Michigan towards the tournament and a loss that points them back to the bubble. Michigan finally shoots pretty decently against Illinois but the Illini shoot 59% from three. Curbelo doesn't look like a great player coming into this game but shoots 5-for-7 on FGs. The Hunter Dickinson mid-season Renaissance seems to have cooled down - offense and defense both seem to be off. DeVante' Jones is looking like a legit Big Ten point guard. Can Michigan use NIL deals to get everyone back next season?

  

[The rest of the writeup and the player after THE JUMP]

1 hour and 3 minutes

The Sponsors

Thank you to Underground Printing for making this all possible. Rishi and Ryan have been our biggest supporters from the beginning. Check out their wide selection of officially licensed Michigan fan gear at their 3 store locations in Ann Arbor or learn about their custom apparel business at undergroundshirts.com.

And let’s not forget our associate sponsors: Peak Wealth Management, HomeSure Lending, Ann Arbor Elder Law, Michigan Law Grad, Human Element, The Phil Klein Insurance Group, SignalWire (use the code MUPPETS), Prentice 4M, where we recorded this, Team Fan Club, and introducing The View from the Cheap Seats podcast by the Sklars, who will now be joining us for the Hot Takes segments. Please go subscribe and like their podcast, and leave your hot takes about this game in the reviews.

1. The End of the Wisconsin Game

starts at 1:00

We apologize for a bit of technical difficulties with Brian's mic this episode. Brian and Seth discuss the end of the Wisconsin game. Brad Davison remains the dirtiest player in college basketball and Greg Gard defends him. Suspensions have been issued, time to move on with the season.

  

[The rest of the writeup and the player after THE JUMP]

The Big Ten, Michigan, and Wisconsin have issued the expected disciplinary actions for Howard’s attack and the ensuing brawl.

The short version: Howard will be out five games, and Terrance Williams and Moussa Diabate will miss the Rutgers game. The Wisconsin player who threw punches was also suspended a game. Howard was fined $40,000 and Gard fined $10,000.

The longer version: The five-game suspension, all of them with big tourney implications, will go through the end of the regular season. Those include the makeup game with MSU, three more home tilts with Rutgers, Illinois, and Iowa, and the finale in Columbus. He was also fined $40,000. The league’s maximum penalty is 2 games so this can be interpreted as the University of Michigan tacking on 3 more games to address the seriousness of Howard’s actions.

Howard and Manuel released statements through Michigan. Howard’s includes an appropriate apology and a promise that this will not occur again.

"After taking time to reflect on all that happened, I realize how unacceptable both my actions and words were, and how they affected so many. I am truly sorry."

"I am offering my sincerest apology to my players and their families, my staff, my family and the Michigan fans around the world. I would like to personally apologize to Wisconsin's Assistant Coach Joe Krabbenhoft and his family, too."

"Lastly, I speak a lot about being a Michigan man and representing the University of Michigan with class and pride, I did not do that, nor did I set the right example in the right way for my student-athletes. I will learn from my mistake and this mistake will never happen again. No excuses!"

Three players who threw punches will also serve 1-game suspensions. They are Terrance Williams II, Moussa Diabate, and Wisconsin’s Jahcobi Neath. Williams and Diabate will be absent for Wednesday’s game against Rutgers, while Neath will miss a trip to Minnesota.

Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard was also fined $10,000.

Five games for the instigator and 1 for swinging participants seems right. I’ve said my piece. Minus the Wisconsin assistant coaches, the league’s action was not far from the expectation.

UPDATE: Wisconsin came in with a response miles below the lowest possible expectations:

Statement from Wisconsin Athletics pic.twitter.com/Lyo5ai8uHf

— Wisconsin Badgers (@UWBadgers) February 22, 2022

Again, I've said my piece. That Wisconsin somehow managed to come out of all this looking worse than the school whose head coach threw the first punch is an incredible achievement, but doesn't improve the look for Michigan any. Howard will hold to his promise or we're having another conversation entirely.