January 29, 2010

Press play to listen

The Michigan basketball team recently lost to Michigan State by one point, all but ending the Wolverines’ chances to return to the NCAA tournament.  The Michigan hockey team faces Michigan State this weekend, and they need a sweep to improve their fading chances of getting back to the tournament themselves.  

For Michigan fans, this is the Winter of Their Discontent.  Provided, that is, only wins and losses count.  But the head coaches of both teams did notch a couple moral victories last week.  Yes, they’ve lost some battles this season, but they’re still winning the war.    

On Thursday, the general manager of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, Dean Lombardi, had some sharp words about legendary Michigan hockey coach Red Berenson and his program.  Lombardi – no relation to the great Vince Lombardi in any way, shape or form, as you’ll see — said, “Red Berenson doesn’t coach. It’s ‘Do what you want.’  Michigan is the worst.”

Now, Berenson doesn’t need me or anybody else to defend him or his record – but I can’t resist.  

Forget, for a moment, Berenson’s two NCAA titles, 18 league titles and record 19-straight NCAA tournament appearances, not to mention the 20 All-Americans he’s produced. 

The crux of Lombardi’s claim that Michigan doesn’t develop players can be refuted simply by looking at guys like Mike Stone, a walk-on who rose to become the team’s Most Valuable Player, on a team loaded with future NHLers; Mike Knuble, who arrived a lightly regarded freshmen from East Kentwood, Michigan, and left an All-American, a U.S. Olympian and now a 12-year NHL veteran, who skates on a line with the best player in the game, Alexander Ovechkin ; and John Madden, who wasn’t even drafted as a freshman – which is rare at Michigan — before he came to Ann Arbor, and is now in his 11^th year in the NHL, where he’s served as a captain, and has won two Stanley Cups.  For the record, that’s two more than Lombardi has won in over two decades as an employee of three NHL teams.  

, it is necessary to receive a sufficient amount of liquid and it is not recommended to sunbathe. If pain in the joints and ligaments occurs, treatment with Ciprofloxacin should be discontinued.

It was such a stupid comment, Berenson did not bother to dignify it with a response.  As they say in politics, if your critic is busy firing bullets into his own foot, don’t grab the gun.  

But when the player who inspired Lombardi’s remarks, Jack Johnson – a former Michigan star who now plays for Lombardi’s L.A. Kings – heard about them, he told his coach he wasn’t getting dressed for their home game that night until Lombardi came down to apologize to him in person.  Lombardi did just that, 15 minutes before warm up, and Johnson got dressed.

You’ve got to admire Johnson’s conviction.  He’s a great player, but Lombardi can send him any time he wants to any team he wants, including the minors.  Johnson’s courageous stand, with little to gain and a lot to lose, tells you something about the kind of players Michigan’s coaching staff develops.   

At the same time this was playing out, Michigan basketball star Manny Harris mistakenly thought one of his teammates had taken a cheap shot at him during practice.  Harris started a fight.  When head coach John Beilein tried to break it up, Harris only made things worse.  Beilein decided to leave Harris at home when the team traveled to play a crucial game the next day against 13th-ranked Purdue.  With their star player out, Michigan lost by ten.  

Harris apologized to his coach, his teammates and the fans.  He returned Tuesday night to play a great game against fifth-ranked Michigan State, but the Wolverines fell just short.  Michigan lost – but Harris grew up.  

I’m just old-fashioned enough to believe that still matters.

Copyright © 2010, Michigan Radio

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnubacon