Negotiations have begun with Juwan Howard
The leaders and best know that "error" does not mean "era".
The fab five was both an era and an error. Those who love Michigan basketball see it as both. The fab five didn't produce any championships. Bob Knight's teams owned Michigan. The group did loving bestow onto Michigan a lost decade of basketball.
The cherry on the top was a documentary where Jalen Rose stuck his big foot into his mouth only to be embarrassed by Grant Hill in the New York Times.
Hey guy. Why don’t you log off for a few and take a walk or something.
it's so great to have such an expert on coaching hires and what's best for the basketball program. what i don't understand is why they wasted all this time when they could have just went straight to a nameless, unqualified nobody on a message board to fill the position.
that awful undisciplined style that lead to consecutive championship game appearances.
...and an elite 8 as juniors w/o webber.
Ok, so a bunch of NBA owners and GMs who were willing to consider him as a finalist for pro coaching gigs are less knowledgeable than you? Because that's what your implying.
Like I said in another thread yesterday, this is not a pure nostalgia hire. He's an in demand coach who's essentially considered the next man up for an NBA head coaching job, yet we got him to take a job on the collegiate level. He's not an ill-prepared nobody, with no cred who just happens to have played for Michigan. Thinking that is plain ignorant.
You must not have actually followed the Fab Five.
Even then, Juwan was the disciplined father figure of the Fab Five. He was always grounded and analytical. The hot dog antics came mostly from Jalen.
Juwan always had some Beilein in him, right from the beginning.
Is that you Skip Bayless? What type of head coaching experience does Juwan Howard to compare to John Beilein? You are hoping that Howard is like Beilein but being grounded and analytical is a guess at best.
I knew my post would get downvoted because this is supposed to be a day of celebration but I personally don't care. Howard was a great individual player but failed at winning a championship (Big 10 or National) at Michigan. None of the Fab Five won anything at the NBA level as starters. Howard only won his championships as virtually a non-contributing bench player. Howard has won nothing as an assistant and he has zero head coaching experience.
Anyone who thinks this is anything else but a huge risk is sticking their heads in the sand. Howard may win as the head coach of Michigan but I personally would have preferred Michigan hire a proven winner with head coaching experience.
Michigan should not be a program were unproven assistants get to remove their training wheels.
Serious question for you, and not trying to be sarcastic or funny: Who is this "proven winner with head coaching experience" that you would have preferred? I am asking you to name one or two names that fit that bill that would have come. Supposedly Stevens and Donovan (and even Ed Cooley) were approached but not interested. So who should we have gotten?
That is the problem with the timing of this search - there were no better options. We had to choose between (a) middling coaches who had limited success in lower conferences (think Brady Hoke of bball, and I say that as someone who was totally on board with hiring Hoke at the time); or (b) some one with no HC experience who was an up and comer.
We went with option B. Do those guys sometimes fail in their first HC gig? Sure. But some go on to do REALLY well. And the guy we seem to be going with is not only endorsed by so many of his former teammates, but also guys who played for him as an assistant, including guys like Lebron and DWade. Added bonus - he happens to be one of our most accomplished bball alum who was a fan favorite.
To be clear - nobody is saying that this is a perfect hire. But John Beilein isn't walking through that door again so a good leader surveys his options and selects the best one available. That is what Warde seems to have done.
Ok SDogg. Then, please tell us who exactly we should've hired based on the home-run candidates that were already approached.
Out of the known candidates I like Juwan and he may do a really good job, but I do agree that the list of candidates was really sad for a program like Michigan. It’s not clear to me if that was just a function of the terrible timing or if Warde was being far too cheap and/or cautious.
I would love to hear the wealth of top-notch coaching options available in the past week. No, seriously, give me a list of candidates you feel are better.
I doubt SDogg will answer, but I will try to channel him based upon his posts:
1. Pat Riley, either Lakers or Heat vintage, but not Knicks because that version couldn't beat Michael Jordon so hard pass.
2. Chuck Daly Pistons vintage - wait, no strike that, the game has evolved and is way more about 3s and finesse now. This would be a weak hire. We can do better.
3. Phil Jackson, but only Bulls version. Actually, strike him, too. The triangle won't work in today's game and he had a bad run with the Knicks.
4. Coach K from Duke. I mean, come on, we are Michigan, so I am sure he will leave Duke to come here.
5. John Calipari - same reasoning above. Actually, forget that guy. Too many early round exits. would be a meh hire.
Honestly, give me Bill Russell as a player-coach. Best of both worlds there.
My philosophy behind such a hire would be:
1) Proven head coaches that have won at elite college or NBA programs
2) Proven head coaches who have won at mid-majors and looking for a promotion
3) Assistants who are known to have had a major hand in program success.
1) Billy Donovan, Brad Stevens, Chris Beard, Tony Bennett, Jay Wright, Mark Few, Matt Painter, Thad Matta
2) Nate Oats, Eric Mussleman, Gregg Marshall, Joe Pasternack
3) Luke Yaklich
This is why I will never take seriously the post of a lot of you. First, the calls on this board for the firing of John Beilein in 2015. Second, the anointing of Bacari Alexander as the potential replacement for Beilein following his retirement. I think you guys can agree that both moves would have been bad for the university. So please at least have enough humility to recognize that hiring Juwan Howard could be a mistake.
I don't see us winning any championships while he is the head coach.
The Harbaugh search lasted a little over 30 days.
That was a grueling, roller coaster of a search...and I only followed it from my computer.
But your forget, Jim Hackett wasn't Warde Manuel, who I've been told by multiple people here is a fat, stupid, semi-sentient piece of an overcooked Blimpy Burger who will stop at nothing to destroy Michigan athletics.
Jim Hackett was the meat sandwich from Zingerman's purchased on the Friday night before football Saturday. As in, fucking awesome.
Warde Manuel is more like Hamburger Helper than Blimpy Burger. Something you'd eat on a Wednesday night after getting home around 7:30pm.
Problem with Warde, there's no way to compete with the stacked meat sandwich.
Hello.
How about we give Juwan a chance? The timing of JB's departure was awful and under the circumstances, Warde did a very good job finding a solid candidate with Midwest roots (recruiting), playing experience (can relate to current players and recruits that aspire to be NBA players), years of bench coaching experience in the highest caliber league in the world ... and happens to also be a Michigan alum with a undeniable track record of character and integrity Sounds like we could have done a hell of a lot worse to me. I think JH will do well here as long as we give him a fair shot (3+ years). Great job by Warde and Go Blue!
This will continue until official word comes. Some people claiming "sources" have stated that UM's offer was a low ball.
I wonder what the MGoSlack is like. Brian is probably pulling a Detective Pikachu.
