Is it too early to panic about the long-run positions of our MBB, WBB, and Hockey programs vs MSU?
Looking at the results from the last 2 weeks (lost games in all three sports to MSU) and the quality of coaches that MSU has had or recently hired makes me wonder whether UM will be looking up at MSU for the next few years.
MBB: There is no question that our program is trash at the moment. MSU has underperformed for the last few years, but if JH is still around, we will be below MSU.
WBB: KBA is good, but unfortunately, MSU has found a terrific coach. I knew Robyn Fralick because our institution considered her as our WBB coach. We hired a more experienced coach since Robyn was inexperienced back then. She is going to be great :(
Hockey: The jury is out on Brandon. His team has been inconsistent, but the roster lacks depth. However, just like WBB, the new MSU coach, Adam Nightingale, has already proven to be a good recruiter and a good coach.
February 19th, 2024 at 6:11 PM ^
What we should we be worried about is "Do we care about winning"?
Frankly, I don't really think our board or AD care enough.
February 19th, 2024 at 6:48 PM ^
Just watch the Red Wings until spring ball. They are a young, improving playoff bound team with several Wolverines on the squad to root for. They just beat Matty Bernier's Seattle this afternoon in OT! They also score lots of really pretty goals.
Hopefully MSU's G Trey Augustine will go pro next season to the Wings very soon. He may be the best prospect Sparty has had in two decades and at a key position.
I will be enjoying the natty, watching UM water polo( and other "secondary" sports) and the Red Wings. Plenty of time later to worry about basketball and state of CFB/NCAA.
February 19th, 2024 at 7:37 PM ^
Yes, no, no.
This year has been a catastrophe in MBB, but I see no reason to panic in the other two sports. Arico is great at a school where her sport is #4 behind three pretty big powerhouses. Jury‘s out on hockey but they‘ve been through two huge transitions. Replacing a legend is hard, and replacing someone who replaced a legend is too.
And as far as State is concerned, I guess I understand your focus on them just because…but they‘re the inspiration behind Sparty no. It‘s not easy being Green.
February 19th, 2024 at 9:43 PM ^
Concern troll or just genuinely annoying?
February 20th, 2024 at 9:49 AM ^
First and foremost, Fire Warde. He's driving all our sports programs into the dirt with his terrible decisions. Naurato was one of them. Mel should've been retained, being that he wasn't, It should've been Muckalt. Naurato cannot recruit or finish a game.
February 20th, 2024 at 10:58 AM ^
I'm not worried about hockey. MSU is having *A* better year, I'll worry when it becomes sustained. Though it's been fun watching the same State fan friends who told me "lol no one cares about college hockey, but you go ahead and use it to keep coping with the TCU game" when I was getting into the tourney last year, now suddenly acting like lifelong college hockey fans and that it's on the same level as football and basketball.
As for basketball, it's always been my least favorite sport of the three. It sucks losing to them but as long as Izzo is there, which can't be too much longer, the best Michigan can hope for is a run of parity like Beilein eventually achieved. Ho-hum. His coaching tree is nothing particularly special, and when he retires the pressure to nail the perfect replacement will be huge, to say nothing of the pressure ON the replacement. That fanbase will implode if basketball drops off. Especially when in football they just hired their Brady Hoke.