So, over the last few years I've mentioned this in a few of the posts praising Beilein (or saying he should be fired) but I wanted to put it up here again as a farewell (it's not overly detailed but it seemed long for the board so I put it in the diaries). 

While Tommy Amaker brought the program out of its darkest days, Michigan basketball was still fairly mediocre by the time Coach Beilein arrived. After a bumpy first season, Beilein posted an early upset over #4 UCLA in only his second year and led the team to the second round of the NCAAs. He went on to win 278 games for the Maize and Blue including several great tournament performances.

What most impressed me was his ability to run with- and beat - the nation's top coaches. While at Michigan, Beilein defeated nearly all of the elite coaches of his generation at least once. Here is the list:

Tom Izzo, Coach K, Bill Self*, Roy Williams, Jim Boeheim*, Billy Donovan*, Jay Wright, Bo Ryan, Rick Pitino*, Jim Calhoun, Matt Painter. That group has, by my count, 21 national championships among them, dozens of Final 4s and God knows how many wins. 

He also won against great second tier coaches: Rick Barnes*, Steve Alford, Bob Huggins, Bruce Pearl*, Bruce Weber, Tubby Smith (won 2 NCs at Kentucky), Jamie Dixon. And he defeated beat up-and-comers like Chaka Smart* and Porter Moser*.

The only one missing is John Calipari. Coach Beilein only got one shot at him and it ended on a heartbreaking late 3 pointer in one of the best tournament games Michigan has ever played.

Now - I know all of the top coaches have all beaten each other so this shouldn't be out of the ordinary for a top program. And Coach Beilein's head-to-head record against some of them (particularly Coach K and Self) was not great. But, think about that list for a second. If you remember the Ellerbe years, this is unbelievable. Coach Beilein truly returned Michigan basketball to national prominence. And, of course, he did it the right way; he always conducted himself with class and dignity. His recruiting was beyond reproach and I can't recall even a minor scandal in his program during his tenure at Michigan (maybe Mitch McGary smoking pot while he was hurt - thanks NCAA). 

I was one of Beilein's biggest fans and I feel he never got enough recognition, considering he could compete with the best coaches in the game and he turned Michigan into a destructive force each March. I always hoped that he would win that elusive national title he so richly deserved and then retire as a Michigan Wolverine. And there would never be an asterisk next to that national championship in the record books.

Coach Beilein, we're in your debt. Thanks for everything and good luck in the NBA. 

* - includes a win in the NCAA tournament