“I’m no spring chicken.”
Those were John Beilein’s words last night when asked how badly he wanted to win a national title this year.
No, Beilein isn’t retiring soon — he quickly confirmed that, and again, he will very likely be approached about an extension after the season — but he understands that getting to the Final Four is a chore in itself, and winning a National Title means beating the best of the best.
This time around, though, it’s an 11 seed standing in the way of a title game, and while Loyola (Chicago) is good and has earned its spot, this is one the Wolverines should win.
Beilein, as most know, is a very religious man. When the cameras were off and he started walking back to the locker room to pack for the bus ride to the hotel (and the dance off with Jordan Poole, reminiscent of Stifler vs. Bear in American Wedding), we reminded him that Loyola (Chicago) had Sister Jean on its side … the 90-year-old nun who has become the school’s inspiration during this tournament, present at every game.
“We’ll combat that with a bunch of priests,” Beilein said with a grin.
He’s done it many times, in fact, including in East Lansing earlier this year when the Wolverines handled the Spartans.
“Monsignor Jerry Vincke made the trip, and he said the rosary the whole way up,” he said.
Divine intervention won’t be the reason Michigan wins or loses, of course. If that were the case, many of the coaches with national titles … well, wouldn’t have national titles. Beilein deserves a championship the way he runs his program, but as we all know in hoops …
Other thoughts from LAX, having Ubered through Crenshaw past a dude on a street corner holding a sign saying, “Jesus Loves Gangsters, Too” with a phone number to call and a billboard that read “Crystal Meth is Death – Stop it NOW!” (Note to Carlos … I’ll pay the extra $5 next time to avoid this shortcut), watching Michigan vs. BU Elite Eight hockey on ESPN3 …
• Amazing how our hot takes go cold after several months. Two examples — how much Michigan would struggle with forward D.J. Wilson having declared for the NBA Draft, and how the Wolverines were in trouble at the point guard position.
We were among those questioning whether or not Beilein blew it when he passed on MSU’s Cassius Winston for Lima (Ohio) product Zavier Simpson, and the coaches — whether they’ll admit it or not — probably were, too, after the first half-year with Simpson.
“You probably would have poisoned that last year,” Beilein quipped to Simpson before the NCAA Selection Show when Simpson passed him a water, a joke about how much the two butted heads.
The uncertainty at the position was the main reason they went after grad transfer Jaaron Simmons … who, by the way, was one of the happiest guys in the locker room Saturday night. He hasn’t had the role he envisioned, but he’s been a key backup and the consummate teammate.
For those who missed the story of how Winston/Simpson went down, Winston was ’95 percent’ going to Michigan, he told the coaches, but wanted to reschedule his official visit, having delayed his commitment for a long time.
Make no mistake — he was heavily favoring the Wolverines, but his father consistently told us, ‘we’re not going to be pressured into a decision.’
Michigan wasn't pressuring, per se, but Beilein needed a point guard, and he wasn’t about to be caught with his pants down. Simpson happened to reach out, and even though ‘X’ wasn’t all that happy U-M hadn’t shown earlier interest, his dad, Quincy (Coach Q.), convinced him to stop in on the way back from a trip to Wisconsin.
The trip went swimmingly. Beilein told Winston his opportunity had passed and took Simpson’s pledge.
Winston is a great player and a much better shooter, but you tell us who you’d rather have on the floor at crunch time?
For the record, and to his credit, Paul Konyndyk of Spartanmag.com said it when Winston committed to MSU and Simpson to Michigan that he loved Simpson’s game, noting he was a bulldog and a guy he’d take on his team any day (noting, of course, that Winston was a great get, which he was).
Also for the record, when we went to East Lansing for the game earlier this year, we spoke to an MSU insider who had spoken to Winston earlier in the week. Winston confirmed the story, saying Beilein wasn’t keen on him bringing friends and rescheduling, and that proved to be the deal breaker. Winston also told the insider he was “absolutely going to Michigan.”
You need confident players to make it to a Final Four, and Simpson has it in spades. Playing against the ‘junkyard dog’ defense of Florida State brought out the best in him. In fact, it doesn’t get any more junkyard dog than Simpson and redshirt sophomore Charles Matthews.
Coach Q. was in his glory on the floor after the game, later apologizing for not getting back to everyone who texted him. So was Dawud Abdur-Rahkman, who we met for the first time after years of exchanging texts, starting during the recruiting process.
“Are you kidding?” he laughed when asked if he’d be in San Antonio. “Do you have to ask? I’d be going if they were playing in Mexico City!”
His son, Muhammad-Ali, laughs with embarrassment at all the attention his dad has been getting. His father coached him in AAU ball … and there are times he still tries from the stands.
“It was tough,” Abdur-Rahkman said before the FSU game of being coached by his dad. “He’s deferred now to coach Beilein, but I’ll see him in the stands from time to time waving at me about something …”
He started laughing.
“I’ll [wave my hand at him] to sit down.”
It’s a great relationship, though, and seeing the parents on the floor taking pictures of their kids cutting the next was priceless.
• As for D.J. Wilson … he probably made the right decision, in hindsight, going No. 17 overall. Beilein was dejected after he left, knowing what could have been with Wilson in the lineup. He probably felt worse when he saw how raw his team was in October.
Instead of sulking, he did what he does best — he put his head down and started developing his kids. He got this group to the Final Four on pure grit, determination and with another great assistant coaching staff weighing in, and while it’s excruciating at times when shots aren’t dropping, it sure can be beautiful to watch outstanding defense.
It will probably be enough to get them to the Final game. It’s going to take more than that to win it, though, but as we’ve seen, this team can be really, really good when shots are dropping, and they seem to be at their best as the underdog.
• Finally, not surprising to see Zack Novak finagle his way into the postgame locker room. If there’s one guy who loves the way this team plays it’s Novak, a junkyard dog himself. He even got some TV time after Moe Wagner hit a triple against Texas A&M.
Novak is as responsible as anyone for helping change the culture of this program.
He wasn’t the only alum there. Some of our dad’s heroes were, too, including the great Rudy Tomjanovich (Rudy T.), sitting a few seats over, Mark Hughes (1989) and more.
It was Ann Arbor West in Los Angeles the way the alums took over the arena, and those there will never forget it.
On to San Antonio, where the Ramblers await.
Those were John Beilein’s words last night when asked how badly he wanted to win a national title this year.
No, Beilein isn’t retiring soon — he quickly confirmed that, and again, he will very likely be approached about an extension after the season — but he understands that getting to the Final Four is a chore in itself, and winning a National Title means beating the best of the best.
This time around, though, it’s an 11 seed standing in the way of a title game, and while Loyola (Chicago) is good and has earned its spot, this is one the Wolverines should win.
Beilein, as most know, is a very religious man. When the cameras were off and he started walking back to the locker room to pack for the bus ride to the hotel (and the dance off with Jordan Poole, reminiscent of Stifler vs. Bear in American Wedding), we reminded him that Loyola (Chicago) had Sister Jean on its side … the 90-year-old nun who has become the school’s inspiration during this tournament, present at every game.
“We’ll combat that with a bunch of priests,” Beilein said with a grin.
He’s done it many times, in fact, including in East Lansing earlier this year when the Wolverines handled the Spartans.
“Monsignor Jerry Vincke made the trip, and he said the rosary the whole way up,” he said.
Divine intervention won’t be the reason Michigan wins or loses, of course. If that were the case, many of the coaches with national titles … well, wouldn’t have national titles. Beilein deserves a championship the way he runs his program, but as we all know in hoops …
Other thoughts from LAX, having Ubered through Crenshaw past a dude on a street corner holding a sign saying, “Jesus Loves Gangsters, Too” with a phone number to call and a billboard that read “Crystal Meth is Death – Stop it NOW!” (Note to Carlos … I’ll pay the extra $5 next time to avoid this shortcut), watching Michigan vs. BU Elite Eight hockey on ESPN3 …
• Amazing how our hot takes go cold after several months. Two examples — how much Michigan would struggle with forward D.J. Wilson having declared for the NBA Draft, and how the Wolverines were in trouble at the point guard position.
We were among those questioning whether or not Beilein blew it when he passed on MSU’s Cassius Winston for Lima (Ohio) product Zavier Simpson, and the coaches — whether they’ll admit it or not — probably were, too, after the first half-year with Simpson.
“You probably would have poisoned that last year,” Beilein quipped to Simpson before the NCAA Selection Show when Simpson passed him a water, a joke about how much the two butted heads.
The uncertainty at the position was the main reason they went after grad transfer Jaaron Simmons … who, by the way, was one of the happiest guys in the locker room Saturday night. He hasn’t had the role he envisioned, but he’s been a key backup and the consummate teammate.
For those who missed the story of how Winston/Simpson went down, Winston was ’95 percent’ going to Michigan, he told the coaches, but wanted to reschedule his official visit, having delayed his commitment for a long time.
Make no mistake — he was heavily favoring the Wolverines, but his father consistently told us, ‘we’re not going to be pressured into a decision.’
Michigan wasn't pressuring, per se, but Beilein needed a point guard, and he wasn’t about to be caught with his pants down. Simpson happened to reach out, and even though ‘X’ wasn’t all that happy U-M hadn’t shown earlier interest, his dad, Quincy (Coach Q.), convinced him to stop in on the way back from a trip to Wisconsin.
The trip went swimmingly. Beilein told Winston his opportunity had passed and took Simpson’s pledge.
Winston is a great player and a much better shooter, but you tell us who you’d rather have on the floor at crunch time?
For the record, and to his credit, Paul Konyndyk of Spartanmag.com said it when Winston committed to MSU and Simpson to Michigan that he loved Simpson’s game, noting he was a bulldog and a guy he’d take on his team any day (noting, of course, that Winston was a great get, which he was).
Also for the record, when we went to East Lansing for the game earlier this year, we spoke to an MSU insider who had spoken to Winston earlier in the week. Winston confirmed the story, saying Beilein wasn’t keen on him bringing friends and rescheduling, and that proved to be the deal breaker. Winston also told the insider he was “absolutely going to Michigan.”
You need confident players to make it to a Final Four, and Simpson has it in spades. Playing against the ‘junkyard dog’ defense of Florida State brought out the best in him. In fact, it doesn’t get any more junkyard dog than Simpson and redshirt sophomore Charles Matthews.
Coach Q. was in his glory on the floor after the game, later apologizing for not getting back to everyone who texted him. So was Dawud Abdur-Rahkman, who we met for the first time after years of exchanging texts, starting during the recruiting process.
“Are you kidding?” he laughed when asked if he’d be in San Antonio. “Do you have to ask? I’d be going if they were playing in Mexico City!”
His son, Muhammad-Ali, laughs with embarrassment at all the attention his dad has been getting. His father coached him in AAU ball … and there are times he still tries from the stands.
“It was tough,” Abdur-Rahkman said before the FSU game of being coached by his dad. “He’s deferred now to coach Beilein, but I’ll see him in the stands from time to time waving at me about something …”
He started laughing.
“I’ll [wave my hand at him] to sit down.”
It’s a great relationship, though, and seeing the parents on the floor taking pictures of their kids cutting the next was priceless.
• As for D.J. Wilson … he probably made the right decision, in hindsight, going No. 17 overall. Beilein was dejected after he left, knowing what could have been with Wilson in the lineup. He probably felt worse when he saw how raw his team was in October.
Instead of sulking, he did what he does best — he put his head down and started developing his kids. He got this group to the Final Four on pure grit, determination and with another great assistant coaching staff weighing in, and while it’s excruciating at times when shots aren’t dropping, it sure can be beautiful to watch outstanding defense.
It will probably be enough to get them to the Final game. It’s going to take more than that to win it, though, but as we’ve seen, this team can be really, really good when shots are dropping, and they seem to be at their best as the underdog.
• Finally, not surprising to see Zack Novak finagle his way into the postgame locker room. If there’s one guy who loves the way this team plays it’s Novak, a junkyard dog himself. He even got some TV time after Moe Wagner hit a triple against Texas A&M.
Novak is as responsible as anyone for helping change the culture of this program.
He wasn’t the only alum there. Some of our dad’s heroes were, too, including the great Rudy Tomjanovich (Rudy T.), sitting a few seats over, Mark Hughes (1989) and more.
It was Ann Arbor West in Los Angeles the way the alums took over the arena, and those there will never forget it.
On to San Antonio, where the Ramblers await.
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