AD Josh Whitman open letter on the Big Ten regular season title

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#151      

ugottabjoshinme

ugottabjoshinme
ugottabjoshinme
Calillini said:
And another thing.... they get rewarded for not having the discipline to isolate properly and we and the other teams who did isolate get punished. This is getting wrong on so many levels.
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This is wrong. The Michigan basketball team did not have COVID cases and likely were properly following protocols.
 
#152      

mattcoldagelli

mattcoldagelli
The Transfer Portal
mattcoldagelli
We aren't in the wrong. In all honesty, Michigan isn't in the wrong.

The B1G is in the wrong. There were several easy ways they could have avoided this, and they chose not to. Kevin Warren's first year at the helm of the conference has been a masterclass in how not to lead.
 
#153      

Illinimobile

Illinimobile
Illinimobile
Jon said:
this was great! Also, I am extremely hyped for the possibility that we might literally use an axe to cut the net down. Probably too dangerous to be viable. It would be the most badass image in our school's history to have Masked Ayo holding an axe and a net.
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I had the same thought.
 
#154      

hfhmilkman

H
hfhmilkman
JFGsCoffeeMug said:
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.

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.
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If you watch lots of basketball you would realize that IU, PSU, and NU do not match all and an upset even in favorable conditions was highly unlikely. Michigan is vulnerable to athletic guards who can either shoot over or get around. Carr, Frazier, Caputo, and Watt's finally having the game he is capable is the recipe. You may call the journalist smug, but if I had a parlay of those three games on short rest I take the easy money. PSU has some spunky players, but they just do not have ultra athletic guards to act as kryptonite against the undersized UM backcourt.
 
#156      

Keisersose

Keisersose
Keisersose
WINTer said:
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.
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I don’t think we actually say “confernce champions”. We weren’t named conference champs by the B1G. BUT we can show our record along side everyone else’s record and let that speak for itself.
 
#157      

IndyILL

I
IndyILL
Stim said:
What I’m saying is that we will all remember that the Illini finished the regular season as the #3 team in the country, ahead of Michigan and all other big 10 teams, and who cares whether or not the “regular season big 10 championship” goes with that. Nobody will remember the regular season champ once the tourney champ is crowned and regardless of the outcome there the Illini had an awesome reg season. We only give Michigan life by obsessing about this fake news controversy. But again kudos to josh for creating a chip on the shoulder. He’s a lawyer and former athlete and knows how to get inside the mental aspects. However overall the Michigan people are rightfully laughing at us on this one.
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Stim, with all due respect, you seem to be horribly worried about what other people might think of you. I for one couldn't care less what Michigan fans think of me.
 
#158      

illiniu

I
illiniu
POWURR said:
Channeling my inner GILLISM 🔥 #justwin

Illini Basketball Dancing GIF by Fighting Illini Athletics
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I didn't know this guy could dance! Did he take lessons from Giorgi? Or did Giorgi learn from him? Man, Kendall had moves on the court and could dance in the ring. Mr. Gill is on my list of all-time greatest Illini. Thanks for everything, Kendall.
 
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#159      

Deleted member 747671

D
Guest
Deleted member 747671
Keisersose said:
I don’t think we actually say “confernce champions”. We weren’t named conference champs by the B1G. BUT we can show our record along side everyone else’s record and let that speak for itself.
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I just think that would look very cheesy. I don't remember if Illinois does individual banners for each year of if they have a big conference championship banner with every year listed that they win it. I think it would look much better going with whatever the Illinois norm is. In a couple years people will just look up and see the conference championship banner or the 2021 listed, and yeah people will remember the story, but that's a hell of a lot better than seeing some random "2021 16-4 Big Ten Record" banner. That would just make our claim look like a joke.
 
#160      

Deleted member 747671

D
Guest
Deleted member 747671
mattcoldagelli said:
We aren't in the wrong. In all honesty, Michigan isn't in the wrong.

The B1G is in the wrong. There were several easy ways they could have avoided this, and they chose not to. Kevin Warren's first year at the helm of the conference has been a masterclass in how not to lead.
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Unless you use the Costanza rule, then it's the perfect leadership class!
 
#161      

Deleted member 747903

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Deleted member 747903
hfhmilkman said:
If you watch lots of basketball you would realize that IU, PSU, and NU do not match all and an upset even in favorable conditions was highly unlikely. Michigan is vulnerable to athletic guards who can either shoot over or get around. Carr, Frazier, Caputo, and Watt's finally having the game he is capable is the recipe. You may call the journalist smug, but if I had a parlay of those three games on short rest I take the easy money. PSU has some spunky players, but they just do not have ultra athletic guards to act as kryptonite against the undersized UM backcourt.
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Have you watched PSU this year? Their guards are super athletic.

I agree with you on the two other teams but I wouldn't have bet on Michigan to win easily against PSU especially on the road (I think that was a road game)
 
#162      

OrangeLife

OrangeLife
OrangeLife
Stim said:
Illini are wrong here. Hate to go against the flow. Plus we look like whiners and people that haven’t been there before. Regular season big 10 is irrelevant. Only possible upside is maybe firing us up for post season with the ole chip on the shoulder. If that’s what he’s doing then josh is brilliant. Otherwise it’s kind of embarrassing.
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Troll much? Two posts, both about this topic? Go back to the Michigan board.
 
#164      

GForce

GForce
GForce
Henson71 said:
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
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I bet the IU AD is more than a little sympathetic to our cause.
 
#167      

Cali05

C
Cali05
Stim said:
What I’m saying is that we will all remember that the Illini finished the regular season as the #3 team in the country, ahead of Michigan and all other big 10 teams, and who cares whether or not the “regular season big 10 championship” goes with that. Nobody will remember the regular season champ once the tourney champ is crowned and regardless of the outcome there the Illini had an awesome reg season. We only give Michigan life by obsessing about this fake news controversy. But again kudos to josh for creating a chip on the shoulder. He’s a lawyer and former athlete and knows how to get inside the mental aspects. However overall the Michigan people are rightfully laughing at us on this one.
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A regular season big 10 championship gets a banner hung and generations to come get reminded of that whenever they visit the stadium. Why should we be so worried about how the Michigan fans are looking at us?

I've been very disappointed in the Big 10 office this year.....the football fiasco, now basketball and they never issued anything about a Flagrant 2 foul that caused Ayo a broken nose and concussion.
 
#168      

fulton steamer

F
fulton steamer
hfhmilkman said:
If you watch lots of basketball you would realize that IU, PSU, and NU do not match all and an upset even in favorable conditions was highly unlikely. Michigan is vulnerable to athletic guards who can either shoot over or get around. Carr, Frazier, Caputo, and Watt's finally having the game he is capable is the recipe. You may call the journalist smug, but if I had a parlay of those three games on short rest I take the easy money. PSU has some spunky players, but they just do not have ultra athletic guards to act as kryptonite against the undersized UM backcourt.
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This is the silliest argument of them all. If it was a sure bet Michigan would have won they wouldn't have played the game. You can parlay your a$$ off all you want but Dickinson could have sprained his ankle and Brooks could have had to leave with severe diarrhea in the first minute of the game. You don't know what's going to happen. Again, that's why they play the game. We won more games and MI had a better win/loss %. The BIG made their decision. I think it stinks but it is what it is.
 
#169      

Deleted member 16340

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Deleted member 16340
TheFameProtector said:
It was shortsighted and clearly advantages those teams that play fewer games, particularly those (like Michigan) that started the season really hot. But I appreciate that Josh stated the facts and didn't try to avoid saying this truth. It makes the rest of the letter, along with his argument, much more trustworthy. I also don't think it detracts from his argument, given the facts about teams' willingness -- or lack thereof, in Michigan's case -- to make up games.

Man, I had moved on from being upset about this and was focusing solely on the upcoming tourneys, but after (re-)reading all the events/circumstances in that letter I am pi**ed again!! The most damning part is Michigan's (and really the B1G's) lack of urgency in making up their games while we operated on a very compressed schedule...to actually play all our games. That is indefensible. Michigan/B1G can point to the agreement in Nov. all they want in justifying this outcome, but it is undeniable that they operated slowly to protect their lead in the standings.

Another poor decision lacking in transparency from Warren, but this one antagonizes a huge fan base with a long, loooooonnnnggg memory, a good chunk of whom live in the same city as the B1G headquarters. Have fun dealing with that. As far as I'm concerned, his reputation as commissioner is irretrievably sullied. I look forward to castigating him any chance I can get.

Our only recourse is to demolish Michigan (again) in the BTT. Then, hope we both have a nice little run to the Final Four, where we meet again 32 years later and utterly humiliate them in a historically lopsided game with so many embarrassing video clips that Twitter is trending with "Hail to the Vanquished" for 3 weeks straight and Howard breaks down in tears in the postgame interview, leading Caleb Houstan and Moussa Diabate to decide they had better go play for the G League Elite rather than wear a Michigan uniform.

So may it be.
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Smells much like North Carolina defend those bogus classes (they were in school...)
 
#170      

Goode-for-3

Goode-for-3
Goode-for-3
Keisersose said:
I don’t think we actually say “confernce champions”. We weren’t named conference champs by the B1G. BUT we can show our record along side everyone else’s record and let that speak for itself.
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Is there a rule stating that we can't hang banners on our own court? Who cares if the B10 recognizes it or not? Doesn't Louisville have a NCAA banner in their practice facility that is not recognized? I think it used to be in the rafters on the court too for a long time.
 
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