Fire John Beilein
January 11th, 2017 at 11:05 PM ^
The last month has pushed me into this camp. It's time to move on. I cannot defend him anymore. He hired a defensive specialist and the defense has collapsed from its already-atrocious state.
January 11th, 2017 at 11:20 PM ^
January 12th, 2017 at 8:46 AM ^
Sam and Ira have been in full apology mode all morning. It must be tough being required to be the coach's friend.
January 11th, 2017 at 10:51 PM ^
January 12th, 2017 at 1:06 PM ^
You got shit because you had a shitty title.
January 11th, 2017 at 10:51 PM ^
We have the game thread and a coaching candidates thread, but I guess the OP just had to make sure everyone knew his opinion. Snowflake at its finest here.
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January 11th, 2017 at 10:54 PM ^
Relax. Everyone walks on pins and needles to post appropriate shit all the time.
We are all frustrated about this program. It's a new thread, deal with it.
January 11th, 2017 at 11:25 PM ^
January 11th, 2017 at 11:46 PM ^
There's been a lot of discussion on here about improving the quality of the posts. Well the only way that happens is if we and the mods work at it. Sorry, but I'm allowed to post my displeasure with his post if I think it is redundant and a waste of space.
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January 11th, 2017 at 11:57 PM ^
Perhaps you should do YOUR part and stop posting.
January 12th, 2017 at 1:30 AM ^
I'm going to make one now about why I think we need a new basketball coach. My unique perspective is definitely worth of its own thread. And no one is allowed to comment otherwise apparently.
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January 12th, 2017 at 10:43 AM ^
It's not like that's a common occurence (yet)
January 12th, 2017 at 7:21 AM ^
lighten up Francis.
January 11th, 2017 at 10:55 PM ^
January 11th, 2017 at 10:51 PM ^
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January 11th, 2017 at 11:31 PM ^
January 12th, 2017 at 2:59 AM ^
This is actually what the players say about every single opponent.
January 12th, 2017 at 3:16 AM ^
I think the argument for firing is a bit over the skis. He made the tournament next season. I think he gets another year (a hot seat year, but another year nonetheless) and I'm ok with it.
But, to the comments about the "worthiness" of the thread, I may disagree with the argument, but this is not an absurd thing to discuss at all. As you say, it's getting difficult to defend this. I got home late, checked the score, saw that Michigan gave up almost 50 in the first half, and didn't even bother to turn the game on. Because I knew.
January 11th, 2017 at 10:51 PM ^
This actually happened. My dumb ass expected to compete for--even win--the B1G.
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January 11th, 2017 at 11:34 PM ^
January 12th, 2017 at 12:07 AM ^
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January 12th, 2017 at 1:16 AM ^
It's always a bad sign when your players were better as freshman than they are as seniors after you've coached them for 3 plus years.
January 12th, 2017 at 8:39 AM ^
Walton is playing hard, but Irvin lacks the ability to be the go-to guy, no matter how hard he wants that to be true. He's pretty much a one trick pony right now who can't succeed if his long range two-pointers don't fall. His ball handling is suspect, his decision making is suspect, and yet he plays hero ball too often to the detriment of the team.
January 12th, 2017 at 9:58 AM ^
Irvin is absolutely better than when he was a freshman. His shooting is down, but he's also added alot to his game. He's actually competent ni PnR, which would have been laughed at early in his sophomore year. Has he developed into being a primary option? No. He is not a primary player. Because he's being asked to do things he's not suited to do does not mean he hasn't improved at all.
Walton on the other hand...not sure what happed to him. His freshman year and sophomore before the injuries were right on track to becoming a very good player here. He's lost his attitude and game.
January 12th, 2017 at 10:57 AM ^
Was my favorite player on the team his first 2 seasons, but now I just get annoyed watching him play. It's like he's in his own head on offense where he doesn't even look to penetrate half the time, which is frustrating because when he does it opens up the floor so much for everybody else and allows them to attack against a shifting defense versus a set one, which virtually none of them have the skill set to do successfully.
Last year I thought there were some mitigating circumstances that could explain away his struggles, but this year has been extremely disappointing, even early in the season when I thought we'd be good.
Massive regression and one that has mirrored Beilein's declining performance over the same period.
January 11th, 2017 at 10:55 PM ^
i realize Beilein needs to go, but he ain't getting fired, warde seems too slow to react.
January 11th, 2017 at 11:00 PM ^
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January 11th, 2017 at 11:32 PM ^
Well... Red's still coaching... but I guess he bought himself another year with last year's team... but if this shit continues, where he says "one more year" after every disappointing season then yes, you could make the argument Warde is slow to react.
But I wasn't certain about Beilein... I felt he at least deserved this year. But yeah, I'm starting to lean toward fire by end of season, at this point... we'll see how the season shakes out though.
And I hate the argument that I hear sometimes "Well.. we're not a basketball school." So what??? Why not strive for that level of a program?? You know we have the financial resources.
January 12th, 2017 at 3:19 AM ^
Red's a different case and I think he's almost certainly gone after this season anyway.
Beilein does get some rope because not being a basketball school is a valid point. We're not going to the Elite Eight every year. I don't expect runs like the Burke/Stauskas twofer all the time.
But for some time Beilein did exactly what I hoped for. Competitive team, regular tourney bids, the occasional run. I'm fine with that. If this were a down year that preceded a deeper run with a more experienced team, I'd be ok with it.
But I don't know that we're looking at a team that is building toward a deeper run with an experienced group of seniors. The experienced group of seniors is supposed to be the core this season.
And, uh, it's not going well.
January 12th, 2017 at 7:03 AM ^
January 12th, 2017 at 9:11 AM ^
Excellent point
January 12th, 2017 at 11:51 AM ^
January 11th, 2017 at 10:57 PM ^
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January 11th, 2017 at 11:00 PM ^
January 11th, 2017 at 11:07 PM ^
January 11th, 2017 at 10:59 PM ^
January 12th, 2017 at 7:48 AM ^
Remember when Tyus Battle was committed and the next great savior? Then in the meantime lose out on Langford and Winston. Beilein can't close, time to find someone who can.
January 11th, 2017 at 10:59 PM ^
Would rather line someone else up first at the very least. I actually like the recruits we have coming in so would like the next coach (if this comes to fruition) a chance to try to keep them if he wants. Think he gets the season to try to turn it around anyways.
January 11th, 2017 at 11:07 PM ^
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January 12th, 2017 at 10:49 AM ^
January 11th, 2017 at 11:00 PM ^
People thought that it was Levert being injured etc. but anyone could see the issues rebounding, defensively, shooting etc. last year as well.
January 11th, 2017 at 11:03 PM ^
No, not just anyone, a minority actually. Bball is a tough sport to know if you haven't played for many years. But yes, those have been more of the issues than an injury. Caris wasn't going to be some savior the past few years and make up for the defense, rebounding, and getting out hustled.
January 12th, 2017 at 7:44 PM ^
January 11th, 2017 at 11:00 PM ^
January 11th, 2017 at 11:24 PM ^
Exactly this, it's a system inflexibility issue, not age. Plenty of older coaches doing just fine and succeeding at ages at or older than Beilein - Coach K, Boeheim, Williams at NC, and others.
It's his insistence on running same type of plays, relying on long range perimeter shooting (thankfully Wilson and Wagner getting some post presence finally), and not being able to recruit the kids that the other guys can because their ADs look the other way when bagmen are in the room.
Love Beilein, but time for a coach who can make adjustments and really instill toughness that is sorely lacking now. The incredible class of 2012 seems like a way distant memory right now, and even then, that final four team's talents masked many of the same game plan deficiencies that are way more obvious with lesser athletes we have now. Nik isn't around to drain those 3's anymore.
January 12th, 2017 at 3:25 AM ^
There's nothing wrong with Beilein's offense. It works fine. Relying on three point shots is... exactly where basketball is going.
Recruiting has been a consistent problem. The title game run was a fantastic team, with surprisingly good players everywhere.
I hate to say this, but development seems to be bad, too. Especially defensively. How many guys have looked primed for stardom that have fallen flat? Guys like Aubrey Dawkins regressed badly. Walton hasn't improved much from his freshman season.
I think his offensive system is the smallest issue Michigan has. But just scoring out of that system isn't enough, and nothing else is working.
January 12th, 2017 at 8:33 AM ^
It's a high variability system. You can get hot and go on a nice tournament run, but it's just as likely that you have a cold game and you are done. When those 3's are not falling, there is nothing to fall back on.
I'm also convinced that the Beilein offense is inherently a detriment to the defense. That typical back-to-the-basket Center that Beilein's offense does not have and he can not recruit is the same guy that's your shot blocker and stopper under the basket on defense.
Beilein's offense gives that up, with the approach we will just out-score you. When all cylinders are firing it works, but it's hard to count on it.
Make no mistake, Beilein's team will go on a mini hot streak run at some point this year and we'll all say "Where was that the rest of the season?"
But it's unpredictable and unreliable and not enough to consistently win championships.
January 12th, 2017 at 11:29 AM ^
It is a lack of ability to get the right players in this system. When this offense is working, it is because there is a guard who can shoot or drive the basket (Burke, Stauskas) and a big man that can run the pick and roll game with them (McGary, Morgan). That opens up the shooters once the defense has to collapse on the pick and roll game. Not to mention, all of the players I just named were also the aggressive/fearless leaders on the floor. Who is that go to player now?