Any chance Beilein can come back and coach?
Would he do it? What would he need? Could he do it?
The thread about greatest bball teams really got me thinking how fun and competitive even his very esrly teams were. I would take those teams over anything Howard has thrown out there since year 1.
I know hes 71 but 70 is the new 50. We have 80 year olds with alot more authority in this country than a college basketball coach. Please make this happen. I use to love this time of year and I probably wont even watch the tournament, its just so crappy to have a team this bad.
Thanks IGGY :(
Beilein was a fantastic coach. I loved what he did throughout his career - and, especially how he developed Michigan's team.
With all due respect - it's time to turn it over to a new generation. I'm not sure who that is - but, Beilein definitely made his contribution to Michigan athletics.
Now, I'd be perfectly fine with Warde reaching out to him and asking his advice on how to approach things - whether that involves a new head coach or not. Beilein certainly would bring a valuable perspective. FWIW - I think Beileins contributions on BTN are great - his knowledge and experience are deep.
Beilein for AD
You mean the guy who quit coaching Michigan because he couldn't handle player movement and having to turn over your roster consistently AND who generally disliked payments to players? Yeah, totally see how that guy could slide right in and be successful.
I'm really happy and respectful for what Beilein did at UM and he deserves a ton of credit for making UM nationally relevant in basketball but he seems like a terrible fit for college basketball right now and, frankly, I'm still a bit annoyed with him for how he left UM in a lurch that late. Probably best for him to stick to consulting or whatever he's doing now and UM find someone who can win in the current CBB.
I don't remember him being against player compensation.
Here's a recent interview with him and some actual quotes:
“I should never say never about getting back into coaching,” Beilein said. “Who knows? They say it’s better to retire early than late. If the perfect opportunity came along, I would strongly consider the perfect opportunity.”
The resistance to player compensation is a bit of me projecting based on the fact he was very frustrated with guys leaving early for the NBA riches, but I'm comfortable saying when he left he wouldn't have been happy competing with guys paying players above the table any more than he was happy with guys getting paid below it. But if he was fine with it, I still don't suspect he would have been happy dealing with it on a yearly basis.
I do think this quote is a bit more illuminating about his current outlook:
“I quickly learned just how different the NBA is,” Beilein said. “In college, you have the power to do it. You can tell guys to do something, because you want them to do it. In the NBA, you have to have influence. There’s so many data points on why you do certain things, and you need influence as a coach to get guys to understand that. That has to grow over time.
I think CBB has moved closer to the NBA model when it comes to coaching players, and I'm not sold telling guys you want them to do something because you're the boss is going to win the hearts and minds.
As for "never say never" that's a pretty anodyne quote and my guess is he's honestly sad about not coaching because he likes the in-game elements but he also says
“What I don’t miss are the sleepless nights and all of the pressure and preparation that goes into those sleepless nights.”
That latter part ain't going away.
Thats a hard YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May be more realistic to ask if he can/would play an advisory role in hiring the next coach and perhaps stick around in an ongoing advisory role related to strategy, skill development, etc.
This is a really smart thread! Thanks for posting.
While we're at it, we're a Jordan brand school. What about His Airness as Beilein's lead assistant? Might be tough with UNC but I bet the recruits would think it was really cool.
If we needed a coach mid-season to fill in while a coaching search was ongoing; Beilein would have been great. For an actual rehire, no thank you to Beilein. His UM legacy is established and I don't want it tarnished.
Get an up and coming young coach that can be here for 10+ years.
Like Juwan, right?
It's not that crazy an idea. Bill Snyder, Mack Brown and Don Brown all returned to old football jobs in their 60s. I have faith that John Beilein could do the same for basketball if he wanted to.
There are worse options out there.
This is an exceptionally stupid post, even for MineralKing.
Did I miss something? Is basketball played on roller skates now? Has the hoop been raised to 15 feet? Is it 10 v. 10 these days? People act like the game has changed so much due to NIL and the portal…..play defense, rebound and run a creative and adaptive offense while holding people accountable - it’s the same as it was 5 years ago, 20 years ago, 50 years ago. Beilein was not upset about NIL or the portal - he was upset that players left early when he felt they were not ready (Poole, Iggy) - if anything, collectives can help keep those players now so I do not quite understand why people feel that JB could not handle these conditions.
I’d like Beilein back just like I’d like Carr back. Both were great, and both wouldn’t make it through NIL and the transfer portal.
I’ll say it again - do you think Harbaugh handled any of that? He did nothing but coach. The same method can be applied - hire people to handle NIL and the portal - it’s not overly complicated.
Did nothing but coach? The guy that setup satellite camps, scheduled sleep overs with recruits, and offseason team trips all over Europe?
Please don’t act like he did that every week or even every month - the satellite camps and the sleepover were one offs in 2015 & 2016….the trips were just a vacation like every other individual does and I’m willing to bet he handled none of it but just went along for the ride. The hoops team made a trip to Europe as well so I’m not quite sure what your point is. I still stand by my comment that all Harbaugh did was coach - obviously he recruited.
I don't entirely know why it matters if he "handled" it or not. It's a transactional, managerial part of the role and - whether he directly oversaw it - is not really the question or concern. Instead, I believe Belein (among others, like Jay Wright) do not like the underlying culture associated with college basketball. For a lot of these coaches - many of whom may have or actively bent various rules in their favor - the entire NIL, transfer portal, etc. has created a Wild West version of the game they have frankly never known. While I bet many had / have staff members that "handled" these tactics for them, I don't think it's created a particularly enjoyable profession for them anymore. Hence, I don't think Belein is coming back to this new environment of the game...
Don't hire a stop gap. Need to hire a program restoration expert
Beilein is like 90 years old with a bad ticker. Love to have him but his time has come and gone, methinks.
Only if he bizarrely leaves at the last minute again. Greatest basketball coach we’ve ever had but damn was that exit weird
Bring back Zack Novak.
lolz. Sure why not? No law against it. I bet he'd love the new NIL and transfers in addition to all recruiting. Perfect fit
Also, Beilein will always be my favorite basketball coach at any level
I don't think he will. I think he'd instantly hate it since everything he hated about college has gotten far worse. But I'm all for it!
It took years for Beilein to build up the Michigan program. He can't come in and everything will be back to how it was.
I think Beilein left Michigan because he didn't like what the college game has become and it's freakin' worse now.
I would take beilein back in a heartbeat. Not happening but very welcome in my book
I know the OP is getting negged mainly for the sentiment and hawt take nature of the post but I’d take JB back as a bridge to the next head coach in a heartbeat. The problem is that that strategy requires too much work and imagination for glad handing Warde.
We are so lost here…
Hire a defensive-minded head coach and strongly recommend hiring Beilein as an offensive coordinator OR director of scouting.
why would you wish that hellscape on this man?
Guys you dont realize this is a senior laden team. The recruiting class is a joke. This might be a team who wins 3 games next year in the B10. Maybe 6 overall.
There is literally nothing on this team next year. Nothing.
Instead of Bball coach, Does anyone think Beilein would have the chops for AD? Maybe not in the NIL era I guess, but worth a gander…
Just couldn't resist it huh?
As the OP commented in another thread, "Whatever will happen, will happen, what won’t, won’t".
Won't.
Stop it.
He won't be back, and hopefully neither will this topic.
No! John was great but is gone. If we start over, hopefully they will get an up-and-coming candidate that will be here for a while.
hes' not coming back
March 16th, 2024 at 11:37 PM ^
Dude, why?