John Beilein: The quintessential Michigan Man Posbang
Coach B leaving is bittersweet but he embodied what it means to be a Michigan Man and for that, I raise my sub and water gun in salute to the man who endured a lot, took a lot of crap from us fans when things didn't go the way we wanted but in the end, took a program in ruins and elevated to the highest level many of us didn't think it could attain. Good luck Coach B. Kill it in Cleveland.
Happy to have had him coach this University for as long as he did. He's the man.
I appreciate what he did but this was way too quiet. This is like when my company was sold and no one found out until it was leaked to the papers. We wouldn't have known for weeks or months.
A coworker just sent me an IM saying she saw Beilein at the airport at 2 AM when she was traveling back from Dominican Republic at the baggage claim on May 2nd/3rd. I don't know if this was a return trip from Germany or him sneaking back in from Cleveland. I should ride by his house to see if he already moved out.
We had subs. It was crazy.
The best Michigan man. We are sorry for any who ever doubted him.
Great man. Great leader. Great coach.
Happy to have had him at UM as long as we did!
Ditto X 4
Beilein carried my Michigan fandom through the dark ages, as I'm sure he did for a lot of us. I can't thank him enough for that.
Sucks, man. We had the cleanest coach in all of basketball. A true Michigan Man. I say, rename the court in his honor. I wish him all the best.
It stings that the best coach we've ever had and one of the best people I've ever met personally would choose coaching in Cleveland over staying a legend in Ann Arbor. Combined with the coaches leaving for OSU this year, it feels like nobody sees Michigan as the most amazing university in the world like I do
Can’t blame him. He is choosing to take a job for which there are only 30 positions on the planet. He’s also probably going to see his salary nearly tripled. In the end he’s a guy with a job and career ambitions. WVU fans probably couldn’t understand why he left them for us either.
A. Beilein is and will stay a legend.
B. None of the guys that bolted for OSU were born and raised M-fans or alumni. This happens.
I enjoy the fact that now, a whole bunch of Buckeyes have to root for Beilein to succeed. It's a good enough consolation prize for now.
I know you're trying to raise people's moods right now but I don't think anyone is at the acceptance stage of grief quite yet
Coach Beilein is the best basketball coach in Michigan history. He represented everything that is good about college athletics coaching a sport that represents everything that is bad about college athletics.
Thank you, Coach Beilein. My Coach Beilein bobblehead with the water gun will remain proudly displayed in my den!
GO BLUE!!
Amazing coach, good guy, helped to turn around Michigan in the best way possible. It sucks to lose him but I'll always be a fan and hope he succeeds in Cleveland.
I owe many thanks to Coach Beilein. The relationship I have with my son is so much stronger because of how we bonded while following Michigan's success. He's 17, and many times what I would do to get past his teen-age rebellions (they've all been minor; he's a great example of a respectful Michigan Man) was deflect the conversation to what was going on with Michigan basketball. We talked MANY times about Coach Beilein's life philosophies. One of our favorites is "What's the next right thing."
Such a constant kick in the nuts being a Michigan fan. Get one of the highest rated QB's to commit followed shortly by our best basketball coach leaving. We get so close to being at the top then just drop when we are so close.
Thank you ?
Thanks for the memories Coach B.
Great ambassador for the sport. Followed and respected him since his Richmond days.
Good luck Coach B. No ill will from me. Every man has a right to fulfill his own destiny.
I wonder if the nuts in our base are as mad at him for leaving out of the clear fucking blue as they are when players do. If no, why not?
He elevated the UM hoops program from 15 years of malaise. I'm infinitely sad today to see him leave. I was so proud to have him representing our university.
This does not change my opinion of John Beilein one bit.
It also still makes me irrationally upset.
I honestly don't know how he did it. He ran a clean program with class and won at the highest level. This is why I'm so terrified about the future of the program. Guys like this don't come along often. I have so much respect for him I can't even be pissed at him for leaving. He was just the perfect coach for the program.
It is officially time to name it John MF Beilein Court.
9 tournament appearances in 12 years is the best run ever at a Michigan. Since we can’t pay him the $s pay him the respect he’s earned.
Thank you for so many great seasons!
Has a nice ring to it
*cries in subs* Thanks for the memories, Coach.
Thanks for everything JB! The program, and Crisler Arena, were in complete disarray before he took over. I had water leaking onto my head at the last game in Crisler Arena I attended. Damn near needed a flashlight to walk safely to your seat.
I'm still all for having a statue of JB in Crisler.
John Beilein is the best. He is irreplaceable. I hope we find a coach who is as good; it will be nearly impossible to find a comparable human.
Best of luck coach. He did it the right way.
Also: "We had subs, it was crazy"
I feel like I am in mourning. Thankful for the years he was at Michigan.
Thankful for everything he did and glad he got to play out a pretty fricking great career here at Michigan.
Coach Beilein belongs on Michigan's Coaching Mt. Rushmore, along with Fielding Yost, Bo Schembechler, and Carol Hutchins.
I have nothing but respect and admiration for the man. He deserves a shot at the brass ring.
Hats off to a classy man who was an excellent coach. We'll miss you, Coach B!
It has been a fabulous run for Michigan Basketball with Coach B at the helm. When I first read this today I just wanted to go back to bed. I share the view Coach B and been a fabulous leader, coach, and ambassador for the University of Michigan, and like most others, I am thankful for his time here and wish him nothing but the best.
I love Coach Beilein. Thanks for everything. One last time Hail Beilein!
Sigh. I will miss Coach B so, so much. Great man, great ambassador, great coach and I hope he stays healthy.
That said I can never root for Cleveland to have success. Especially after Gilbert just stomped on our collective testicles with this move.
It sucks to see him go, but if anyone deserves a shot at the sport's highest level, it's him. He pulled our basketball program out of the trash and elevated it to one of the best in the nation, and became the winningest basketball coach of all time here in the process (and without cheating!). Us fans are blessed to have been here to see Beilein's Wolverines.
Johnny B was truly my favorite coach to watch in all my years of Michigan fandom. Being on campus during the formative years of his tenure, it was awesome to feel a sense of security that things were being done the right way in terms of building a program on a personnel level and also in the systems he implemented. It was really the only bright spot in an otherwise depressing period of Michigan fandom. I always enjoyed checking in to see what tweaks he would add from year to year. From a rather frustrating, up-and-down period of being a young fan in the post fab-five years, it was truly night and day for the entire culture of the program to be helmed by his steady hand. Thanks for the memories, the excitement, and helping us all to feel proud to wear the block M in the winter and especially, MARCH!
I am gonna miss him on the sidelines so bad... :(.
But thank you for all you did at Crisler.
