Michigan Monday: Happy To Be Invited

There is nothing worse for a kid than not being invited to a "cool" party.   The Michigan basketball program has been that kid in high school since the late 1990s.  The only party they got an invite to most of the time was the NIT.  Michigan's last invite to the cool party was 2009, which was the first time since 1998. 

Not this year!  The upside for this year's team was clearly the NIT.  Michigan took basically the same team it had in 2009 and finished with a losing record the next year.   The combination of Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims got Michigan back to the tournament, but could not repeat that feat the next year, and both players headed for the NBA.  

So, Michigan would have one of the youngest teams in the nation with no seniors and a bunch of true and redshirt freshmen getting a ton of playing time.  The projected finish in a tough Big Ten was anywhere from eighth to 11th place.  Michigan finished fourth and lost to the No. 1 team in the nation in the Big Ten tournament. 

John Beilein clearly has done the best coaching job of his Michigan career this year with this overachieving team.  It has been a fun ride most of the year (minus the six-game losing streak).  Michigan is now an eight seed in the NCAA tournament, taking on the much-maligned Tennessee Volunteers, whose coach, Bruce Pearl, lied to the NCAA. The SEC suspended him for eight conference games.

I hope Michigan beats Tennessee and plays Duke in the Sweet 16, because I know the Wolverines wouldn't be afraid after playing OSU three times, Kansas and Syracuse.  Even if they lose on Friday, this year has been more "cake then frosting."  Starting on Friday, it's nothing but frosting, and I hope the young Wolverines enjoy it and come back next year and play championship basketball. 

Fab 5 30 for 30 Last Night

I thought this documentary was real and entertaining.  I appreciated the openness that each player had during the piece.  It was a special time and the documentary showed the highs and lows of those two years.   The Fab 5 put Michigan basketball on the map.  The 1989 National Championship run was special, but the Fab 5 took the Michigan program to another level, though it also destroyed the program for 10+ years. 

Ed Martin Scandal:  How was Ed Martin a Michigan booster? I would like that to be proven. Like Rose said, Martin gave money to many Detroit high school players.  Yes, he paid some Wolverines.  But what about players that went to other schools?  Did he pay Spartans?  Did he pay Golden Gophers?  The answer is yes. 

If he did, how could he be a Michigan booster?  I don't agree with Martin paying players, and yes, Michigan should have been punished for its players taking money, but Ed wasn't paying players to come to Michigan.  He was paying players for a return when they made it to the NBA.

Chris Webber:  Yes, I wish the entire situation with him and Ed Martin never happened, but what's in the past is in the past.  He was a young kid and the LeBron of his time.   He picked Michigan because he wanted to be part of something special.  He was right, as it was a special time, but he was wrong to take money from Ed Martin.

I have to agree to what Mitch Albom said. If he took $300,000 from Ed Martin, what he did do with it? Around Ann Arbor at this time, it was pretty well known that Chris struggled with money for CD's, food, etc.  So my point isn't whether he took the money or not, but rather that there is more to this story than we know.  If Chris wants to tell it, it's up to him.  If he doesn't, he should be remembered as a special part of the Fab Five, and we all should just move on.

Anything sound familiar?

• A team that wasn't supposed to do anything ends up a high seed in the NCAA tournament
• One of the youngest teams in the nation
• Potential Duke matchup
• Wins over Michigan State
• Close game during the season over the top team in the nation 
• OSU being the top seed in the tournament and Big Ten Champion

This team clearly was not the top recruited class in the country, but there are some interesting parallels to that Fab Five team.  Either way, this time of the year is much more exciting when Michigan is participating. 

Friday's game is at 12:40 and will be on Tru TV.