Spike to grad transfer [LOCKED]
Michigan’s Spike Albrecht told ESPN he was granted his release today and plans to play next season elsewhere as a grad transfer.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanESPN) March 29, 2016
MOD EDIT: Alright, we're going to make an editorial decision and just lock this but allow the news and comments to stand. Way too much ridiculous in this thread and I can't in good conscience let it go on. We're better than this. - LSA
March 29th, 2016 at 12:45 AM ^
Huh? What?
March 29th, 2016 at 12:46 AM ^
People here know that it's unlikely that he will be able to play next year, right? He's apparently not even close to being in playing shape.
GUYS but how many games would Spike have played with Caris's injury? Probably ALL OF THEM. A guy with that kind of heart, grit, toughness, and IQ would have scored 20 ppg with the same foot injury, so I don't see how anyone is worried about some hips.
I especially love how many shots he puts up in the gym. Always first to show up, last to leave. We obviously need him more than any other player on the roster.
March 29th, 2016 at 12:46 AM ^
Beilein is making some questionable decisions, he doesn't seem to have great instincts with these matters.
We have some very average and noncontributing players and he decides Spike can't help?
March 29th, 2016 at 12:49 AM ^
So let's have another season of Doyle doing nothing and still not be able to catch a fucking pass.
So let's have another year of DJ Wilson and his "strength gains" stand on the perimeter and jack up a bunch of 3s while missing them all the time.
But let's not try to find a spot for the guy that has the most guts in the program.
I don't care if the guy is 5'10 180 pounds, he had the most heart of anyone on the team in the miserable 2014-2015 season.
Spike has limitations, but he also provides a lot of positive production.
But let's keep around guys that do nothing.
March 29th, 2016 at 12:55 AM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
This is sickening. First Max and now Spike.
Beilein's clusterfuck of a 2014 class has really screwed this program over.
Attendance was at a 5 year low last year, Penn State and Minnesota have higher ranked recruiting classes than Michigan coming in, and any momentum from the 2013 Final 4 run has completely evaporated.
I'm going to gouge out my eyeballs if I have to watch Ricky Doyle and Mark Donnal try and play center next season. And to think this once proud program rolled out guys like Chris Weber, Tractor Traylor, Terry Mills, Juwan Howard, Roy Tarpley, and Loy Vaught, etc down low.
Beilein's best days appear behind him. Would love nothing more than to be wrong. But next year kind of feels like the beginning of the end for him, especially with a new AD in here.
Doesn't help that the new AD is a complete moron as well.
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
I read the thread on No Night games...
Not a lot of praise being thrown Manuel's way.
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
Just out of curiosity, what does one have to do to win AD of the year? I mean, is there a performance metric and who votes on it? Is it just a popularity contest within the AD fraternity?
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
I wouldn't go that far about Beilein's best days being behind him but I haven't liked anything going on in Crisler since we lost to Kentucky on that buzzer beater. Spike was our best player on the court two years ago even with his hobbled hips. I don't think we can get the same production out of the Sacred Heart guy or a freshman.
Two cheats and a coke head are on your list of bigs. So you're asking why doesn't Beilein get more like them?
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
maybe he wants to go somewhere and start or at the least play 20 mins a game, cant blame him.
Ok, Dad
I'll shit myself when I damn well please
he's from indiana and their guards suck
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
Do we know for a fact that this was JB's decision and not Albrecht's? Because I couldn't tell one way or the other based on that tweet, but maybe you guys have heard further details elsewhere.
What if Spike, knowing that Walton is back and that X is coming in, thought that he'd have trouble getting a lot of minutes coming off that injury? What if he wants to go to a smaller program and start for them, rather than get spot duty behind a four year starter and a Mr Basketball Ohio?
Are you still mad at Beilein then? Can you blame Spike in that case?
I'm upset. But I'm not upset about this transfer, I'm upset that Spike missed a chance to play his senior year this season. We could have used him.
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
Yeah I am sure he thought that since he had all those other great coaches recruiting him and offering him scholarships in 2012.
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
And yet you are compelled to cry about that.
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
This sucks! It was bad enough to see Bielfeldt in a non M uniform, but I may cry to see Spike somewhere else. Sure he's not an NBA level dude, but he's got so much damn heart and drive. I wish him the best wherever he lands. Definitely gonna keep track of that guy as I'm sure he'll do big things in life.
Yet, as identifiable as Spike is to this program, this does not look good. Outsiders won't look at the details, they'll see that Spike left Michigan a year after Max did the same thing, which makes it SEEM like people are trying to get out of this program.
Not the topic, of course. Spike leaving the team is real news, and props to the OP for reporting it.
But damn, this board is being shrill about his departure when the only fact we know is that Spike is leaving. We don't know why, but that hasn't kept this commentariat from assuming that it's an evil Beilein forcing out of a beloved player.
Maybe Spike is injured, not likely to get back to playing shape, and in denial. Maybe he's fully-mended, and Beilein is forcing him out. Maybe (and this seems most likely) the Michigan medical staff is highly skeptical of his ability to get ready for and to play in the 2016-17 season. Maybe he thinks he'll get more playing time and exposure at another school. We don't know.
It could be that the tone of the comments is so perjorative because the OP went up at Beer O'Clock, but for fuck's sake, people - let's let the facts come out before demonizing Beilein. (And realize that the facts may never come out because coaches have limitations on what they can say, and furthermore are loath to publicly criticize a departing player.)