MICHIGAN MEN'S BASKETBALL- '23 -'24 Season.

[hack]

In the least surprising development, John Bacon nails it. You might have to click on this a few times; it appears to be so well read that it's crashing his site on and off:

https://johnubacon.com/2022/02/what-juwan-howard-did-and-what-michigan-should-do-about-it/

[Mike]

Reasonable as usual.

[lineygoblue]

If anyone expects Wisconsin to do anything other than bellyache and fully claim the victim role, they're kidding themselves. Their AD/President ain't doing anything to any-body.

And LOL at the suggestion that Juwan Howard needs "anger management" counseling. Get real.

[THE_WIZARD_]

I think liney needs anger management...

[iam416]

I think I said 5-7 games. Maybe a third of the season.

[CGVT]

Punishment fits the crime.

Gard should get a couple of games too, but it will probably have to come from the NCAA

[iam416]

Gard did nothing. No one gets suspended if Howard doesn’t lose his shit. It’s ridiculous to suspend Gard because Howard is a terrible loser. On the other hand, fuck Wisky and Gard, so whatever.

[froot loops]

If anyone expects Wisconsin to do anything other than bellyache and fully claim the victim role, they're kidding themselves. Their AD/President ain't doing anything to any-body.

And LOL at the suggestion that Juwan Howard needs "anger management" counseling. Get real.

Dude, you literally claim the M is the victim all the time.

[CGVT]

Gard did nothing. No one gets suspended if Howard doesn’t lose his shit. It’s ridiculous to suspend Gard because Howard is a terrible loser. On the other hand, fuck Wisky and Gard, so whatever.

Howard got what he deserved.

If Gard doesn't grab Howard as he is trying to walk past, nothing happens.

On the other hand, fuck Michigan and Howard, so whatever

Jesus.

[hack]

Juwan got what he deserved, but, man, give me Wisconsin's AD. That guy handled himself very impressively for a guy who had two assistants lay his hands on opposing players in a brawl.

Footnote re our AD: the press release spelled Joe Krabbenhoft's name as Joel. Warde's just a fuckup head to toe, but I'll choose to interpret that as a purposeful slight just to feel better.

[froot loops]

I'm glad they didn't fire him. The suspension seems adaquate, I think Wisconsin is about as annoying program as there can be, their whole program is based on getting under your skin.

At the end of games there needs to be comity.

[lineygoblue]

I was spot-on about what Wisconsin would do. Absolutely nothing. Pure as the driven snow.

Howard's 'punishment' is about right. Mostly its as severe as it is to placate the talking heads from Bristol CT to LAX. And, Manuel is trying to show that he's 'serious' and 'tough'. Its all nonsense. And its all a big show.

I hope Howard comes back a little contrite, but more focused on being a great coach. He has that capability, and he needs to make sure that comes thru all this. His players love and respect him, and nothing that has happened over the last 2 days will change that. He can move on and become a better coach, and a better man, and I hope that's what happens.

Michigan's players are going to get crap from all remaining teams they play. The trip to Columbus will be especially severe. There will be lots of jaw-jacking going on to get them to lash out. And the sports media will be hoping that happens. This incident has given them two days of talking material. Another incident probably gives them a week.

Phil Martell is a good, experienced coach. I hope he can get the guys' attention, and get them focused on finishing the season. Tournaments are meaningless at this point. I hope they don't even go to the NIT. Just be done with the Big Ten tournament in the first game, and let the season die.

And for the feelings I ruffled a bit earlier about the stupidity of handshake lines, which I continue to believe are stupid by their very nature, ... maybe players should be allowed to voluntarily participate in this "must do" tradition. If they don't wish to participate, then let them head to the locker room. When M played OSU back in November, and the game ended, at least half of the OSU players went immediately into the tunnel. They didn't hang around and 'shake hands'. They left, and I don't blame them. I'd do the same thing. Same goes for basketball games. If they don't want to shake hands, then go to the locker room. LaBron does it all the time. Is he not a good example of all that is great about sports?

Hang tough, Coach Howard. You were wrong but you don't deserve about 99% of the crap that is being thrown at you right now.

[iam416]

Wisky acted fine. No need to suspend people because M’s coach lost his shit. And good on Warde for apologizing — M definitely was the team in the wrong. Time to move on. Or nail yourself to the cross.

[iam416]

Obviously, there is no handshake line in football. That’s a preposterous comparison. Handshake lines are only a problem if a poor loser of a coach loses his shit. I would think the better approach to getting rid of them is to simply tell coaches to not fucking punch other coaches. That seems to work about 99.99% of the time.

[lineygoblue]

Or, .. maybe a 5'8" or shorter coach should not grab a 6'9" opposing coach and demand that he listen to his explanation about his coaching strategy. Howard was intent on a blow-by until Gard grabbed him.

That would have worked as well.

But, .. pure Wisconsin.