I’ll never understand why OSU cancelled the game against us. They would’ve beat us even if 18 guys were out due to Covid protocols.
AD Josh Whitman open letter on the Big Ten regular season title
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Regular season big ten may be irrelevant to you but to the players that played their butts off....I’m sure it matters to them.
RockyMtnIllini81
- Golden, Colorado
There are differences, but I think the rule change was unfair to Indiana. Before the season it was agreed that only teams that played at least 6 games would be eligible to play in the conference championship. Indiana was 6-1 and Ohio State was 5-0. Ohio State was ineligible to play. So the rule was changed. The change took something from Indiana. You can argue that the rule change was justified - so OSU could get blown out by Alabama. Bottom line is it was a change and a school that followed the rules was denied the chance to be conference champion. Sound familiar?
Deleted member 11228
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Wasn't unfair to Indiana, they LOST. If you want fairness win and you have nothing to worry about. You really going to sit here and tell me that Indiana should have played instead of Ohio St when they lost to them head to head. It was completely fair and Indiana needs to shut up about it. They didn't win the game they needed to win. No ones fault but their own. And changing the rules was the right thing and FAIR thing to do. It would have been silly to put Indiana in that championship game when they don't have scoreboard.
Your right about one thing. Josh is brilliant! Everything else......not so much.
sbillini
- st petersburg, fl
according to JW, sounds like that's what they agreed too. That's why it was short-sided. Your example is obviously an extreme one, but technically is correct.
As I said in a previous post, the second teams started to voluntarily not play games just because they didn't feel they were ready, those previously agreed to rules should've been thrown out the window. But agreeing to using win %age as the metric in the first place opened us up to this controversy.
JFGsCoffeeMug
BU:1 Trash cans:0
- Chicago
Not "teams." Team. It should be singular. Michigan was the only one that screwed around and intentionally didn't make up their games. And everyone else in the conference knows it. We're vocal right now because we were the most impacted, but I guarantee you there are other programs that are whispering about what Michigan did. They'll remember too.
#justwin
Kind of agree with that. The season is what matters. The tourney is just a fun thing. The winner wins the tournament, not the B1G.
Deleted member 747671
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That was pretty significant. ADs don’t typically call that sort of attention on themselves or their conference like that. My initial thought is that he has to have some support from other ADs and/or others within the B1G office. You don’t post something like that publicly otherwise. That was such a strong letter.
I’m guessing Illinois will recognize this team as co champs, pay underwood his bonus, raise a banner. Just don’t get cute with the banner. Make it exactly like our other conference championship banners. Treat it like it’s completely legitimate, unlike the commissioner.
I’m guessing Illinois will recognize this team as co champs, pay underwood his bonus, raise a banner. Just don’t get cute with the banner. Make it exactly like our other conference championship banners. Treat it like it’s completely legitimate, unlike the commissioner.
The regular season is anything but irrelevant. Playing 20 games compared to 17 and winning head to head is totally relevant too. You got it assbjckwards dude!
Serious Late
- Peoria via Denver via Ann Arbor via Albuquerque vi
Just here to say that if the football season didn't feature a national story about the B1G walking back its decision to require 6 games played in order to qualify for the conference championship game, then it is much MUCH more likely the conference makes a different decision on this issue.
A football ruling resulted in Illinois not being named B1G Basketball Co-Champs. What a weird time we find ourselves in.
A football ruling resulted in Illinois not being named B1G Basketball Co-Champs. What a weird time we find ourselves in.
Deleted member 11228
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Definitely don't don't agree with this at all.
JW
- Vancouver
Apparently the goods folks in Ann Arbor, who lost at home by 23 points, believe they are the true Big Ten champions and we are pathetic (for beating them at home by 23)
gbmwolverine.com
Michigan Basketball is the Big Ten champ; Illinois’ claim is pathetic
Illinois beat Michigan basketball. There's no denying that. But any attempt by Illinois and Brad Underwood to claim the Big Ten title is beyond pathetic.
gbmwolverine.com
JFGsCoffeeMug
BU:1 Trash cans:0
- Chicago
That writer wants to act like he is the champion of basic logic, but he's already lost me after the opening two paragraphs. His argument seems to be that Michigan likely would have beaten IU, PSU, and NU if they had rescheduled all of their games and played the full 20. His reasoning? Michigan beat those teams the first time they played.Apparently the goods folks in Ann Arbor, who lost at home by 23 points, believe they are the true Big Ten champions and we are pathetic (for beating them at home by 23)
Michigan Basketball is the Big Ten champ; Illinois’ claim is pathetic
Illinois beat Michigan basketball. There's no denying that. But any attempt by Illinois and Brad Underwood to claim the Big Ten title is beyond pathetic.
Quick question: how'd that work out with MSU?
Stopped reading after that point. I doubt this guy has anything interesting to say. And that tone of unmerited smug superiority is pretty unbecoming for a professional journalist. And if he's not, I apologize for unfairly expecting him to produce quality work product. My bad, Chris. Good effort, buddy. I know you tried your best.
What do you mean “don’t get cute”?
IMO it should just show the 2020-21 conference standings with the teams listed and their records. Illinois at the top of course.
Regular big ten season is irrelevant? That might be the first time I’ve ever heard that statement in my life.
Deleted member 747671
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I mean like don’t try to be clever with like:
Most wins
.5 games up
16-4
just have it be whatever our standard conference championship banner is.
Deleted member 186590
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I agree - clearly JW was very frustrated by the B1G office to write that- but I think he was just sticking up for his team and fans to not diminish the season they had when they made the effort to play all their games and win the most in the conference
I would expect Michigan to do the same - both sides should advocate for their team. JW did it in a classy way and didn’t take anything away from Michigan’s season
I doubt other AD’s are taking a side in this fight
TheFameProtector
- Champaign
And I think it looks even worse to come out and say 'we're sorry you feel slighted by our actions' (paraphrasing). Kind of a back-handed statement if you ask me and just brings even more attention to the issue (well done Iowa!). It's like when somebody says "I'm sorry that made you upset"...no, you should be sorry for your crappy actions, not that I'm upset by them.
IlliniRunIn07
- Tampa, FL
This is an absolutely horrific article. Of course the extreme Michigan bias is an immediate turnoff (but can't blame him since I have extreme Illinois bias). But he's a little too happy to use all caps when it's not needed. Using 'beyond pathetic' twice in a short article shows that his journalism skills are beyond pathetic. His whole argument is "Illinois thinks they should win because they won more games. What they are not taking into ACCOUNT is that they also LOST more GAMES." I think we all realize that. Then he goes on to say that Michigan still would've been co-champs if they lose 2 of the 3 games that weren't made up. Umm, we would've won the conference outright if UM had gone 1-2 in those 3 games. Considering he spends his entire article teaching us math, that seems like a pretty big algebra mistake to make. There's also this feeling that he thinks Illinois staking a claim to the conference championship discredits Michigan's title. It does not. The important point to note is that Illinois receiving a share of the conference championship does not impact Michigan in any way, shape, or form.Apparently the goods folks in Ann Arbor, who lost at home by 23 points, believe they are the true Big Ten champions and we are pathetic (for beating them at home by 23)
Michigan Basketball is the Big Ten champ; Illinois’ claim is pathetic
Illinois beat Michigan basketball. There's no denying that. But any attempt by Illinois and Brad Underwood to claim the Big Ten title is beyond pathetic.
What an absolutely terrible article, thanks for sharing!
"tone of unmerited smug superiority" - I can think of more than a few UM grads (and coaches) over the years that fit that description.
iLL 89ers
- Dallas,TX , Born and raised in Alton,Illinois
Typical Michigan arrogance and ignorance...Apparently the goods folks in Ann Arbor, who lost at home by 23 points, believe they are the true Big Ten champions and we are pathetic (for beating them at home by 23)
Michigan Basketball is the Big Ten champ; Illinois’ claim is pathetic
Illinois beat Michigan basketball. There's no denying that. But any attempt by Illinois and Brad Underwood to claim the Big Ten title is beyond pathetic.
I'm not sure the B1G forced anyone to make up games. It seemed like, in Nebraska's case, they just wanted to play games because it was the right thing to do.
they are a close second only to Notre Dame grads
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