What a great weekend. Michigan scored commitments from eight different players during junior day, the basketball team won its biggest game in over a decade, and the hockey team won. In case you missed our coverage The White Tiger broke down the basketball game, Holdin' the Rope took us deep into space to try to make sense of the win, and the three of us give our Big Ten power rankings. Past that I took a long look at what last weekend means to the rest of the 2013 recruiting cycle.
What's that, you want more news?
Daniel Wasserman: The microcosm of Zack Novak - The Michigan Daily
With Novak sitting, the Wolverines outscored the Buckeyes, 8-6. It wasn’t a run that significantly widened the margin, but it was perhaps a sign of what will happen when Novak leaves. His younger, more naturally talented teammates will take what he left them — the groundwork and a blueprint for success — and improve upon it. It might be slow. Don’t expect National Championship banners to hang in two years, but watch, as the program will continue to move on an upward trajectory.
Zack Novak may not be the best Michigan basketball player of the last twenty years, but it is hard to argue him and Stu Douglass aren't two of the most important.
COCK OF VICTORY: OHIO 2012 BASKETBALL at Wolverine Liberation Army - Obligatory C.O.V. from the WLA.
Notebook: Michigan rises in polls, Burke nabs fifth Big Ten freshman honor, Beilein on Big Ten call — UMHoops.com - If you aren't reading UMHoops daily for Michigan basketball news, you're doing it all wrong.
Burgeoning Wolverine Star: Coaching your way to victory
Beilein nullified arguably the best player in the country during the final stretch of a tight game by.... I don't know, working on his players' footwork? Obviously the team didn't sell out on Sullinger, opening easier shots for the rest of the Buckeyes. So I don't know what was said, but the entire scenario was sublimely Beilein. With a team in serious foul trouble (Ohio State was in the bonus at the 12-minute mark of the second half) and a group of big men that would struggle to compete with Sullinger in any situation, Beilein stuck to his base defense and coached the team to a win. This is the epitome of a coach putting his team in the position to win.
It isn't often that Beilein impresses the Michigan blogosphere's resident pessimist. I wholeheartedly agree with Chris on this one, Beilein controlled that game like a puppeteer.
Touch the Banner: Recruiting Update: February 20, 2012 - TTB rounds up the offers and happenings of the weekend on the recruiting front.
Tremendous: How? - In just a couple months Tremendous has taken off from a start up to one of the top three Michigan recruiting sites on the web. This is a great look at where Michigan's recruiting success is coming from.
Liz Vukelich: Let the hockey team enjoy its dance - The Michigan Daily - The hockey team isn't doing too bad either.
Combine is critical to how Michigan's Mike Martin stacks up in loaded DT draft - Who is betting against Mike Martin in the NFL combine? /Crickets
ANDREW JACKSON SOLVES EVERY PROBLEM IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL - Every Day Should Be Saturday
I do not think you fully understand me on this issue. I want to do this so very badly. Please, please, please say something about oversigning, and I will march to whatever godforsaken crabapple orchard you call home, burn its limbs with the most aromatic of kerosenes, and watch you wriggle like a catfish stranded on the bank as I sign the transfer papers from this earth to the fiery valleys of the hell you so richly deserve.
You don't mess with the principles of a free market when Andrew Jackson is around, son.
Using the QB Score to Rank College Quarterbacks' Efficiency in 2011 - California Golden Blogs
Cal fans, do you feel less concerned about facing Braxton Miller and Ohio State next season? He runs like the wind, but he passes like a blindfolded Brock Mansion.
CGB's compares quarterback efficiency rating to QB score and comes up with some interesting results.
2012 Football Mascot Power Rankings: Fruit and vegetable edition – Campus Union - The Fighting Okra pull an upset over everyone's least favorite poisonous nut.
ESPN Took a Harsh Stand With the Max Bretos One Month Suspension | The Big Lead
By that same definition, we would question Max Bretos’ suspension. The ESPN anchor asked Knicks analyst Walt Frazier: "if there is a chink in the armor where can Lin improve his game?" Conversational speech deserves greater leeway than premeditated writing. Bretos uses the "chink in the armor" idiom in its correct context. He doesn’t smile, linger over "chink," or give any indication this was an intentional play on words. Even claiming this was "a Freudian slip" is specious, since that would imply the use of the expression was not in its proper context or there was a subconscious intent for which there is no evidence.
Ty Duffy gives his take on the recent controversy at ESPN over a Jeremy Lin headline. As always, Duffy nails it.
BASKETBALL CLUB, INC. | The Classical
The Sacramento team represents a placeholder: a spot in the NBA, a ticket back into the action. There has been precious little consideration of the players this city would inherit, some of whom are on long-term deals that would make their presence a given. Maybe it’s jumping the gun to talk about Cousins or Tyreke Evans, but it furthers this view of the Kings as BASKETBALL TEAM. They make rich women sparkle and right history for deserving cities. There is, however, next to no interest in the team itself.
Bethlehem Shoals on the precarious position of the Sacramento Kings. Not related to Michigan or college sports at all, but sometimes you've just got to hold great writing up for the sake of great writing.