Monday Happy Hour is in a tight spot

FWIW. NBA personnel guy in Miami for #Pistons gamesays he believes Trey Burke is headed back to Michigan. Would go in 30s, he said

— Keith Langlois (@Keith_Langlois) April 8, 2012

Yay, internet speculation.

There has been a bit of chatter this weekend from here and elsewhere that suggests Trey Burke might be reconsidering his decision to leave for the NBA. While it still doesn't seem very likely, there remains a possibility that Trey is back in the maize and blue next year. Even if he isn't, we as a fanbase need to adjust the way we view his decision. Holdin' the Rope on 'Readiness' and the way we like to frame these decisions in our own minds.

We all knew this was an inevitable, that Trey would strongly consider leaving, and that although he is certainly not a top 10 prospect, that doesn't mean that he necessarily shouldn't leave even if there's no guarantee that he's, say, a top 20 guy. Maybe he should leave, maybe he shouldn't. This is a difficult decision, one that could irrevocably alter the path of a young man's life, for better or worse. The problem with this entire thing, for me, is the entire concept of "readiness." He's not ready, people will say, as they said after Morris decided to leave the friendly confines of Ann Arbor.

Even if Burke decides to leave, all hope is not lost with the addition of Spike Albrecht to the 2012 class. Albrecht is about as under the radar as you will find, but that doesn't mean he can't succeed at Michigan. UMHoops:

With Darius Morris and Trey Burke, Michigan relied on a point guard that dominated the ball for much of the last two seasons. That recipe worked well, but it’s not the only way to play basketball. John Beilein’s "two guard" offense was originally designed as an evolutionary measure for one of Beilein’s early teams that didn’t have a true point guard. It’s significantly different than what we’ve seen over the last two seasons, but it’s an adaption that Michigan’s coaches will have to make to survive.

So, yes. Michigan will be fine, you guys. Keep calm and carry on.

More links from the weekend:

Quick Adidas Invitational Reactions

Dawson, Bosch, Mathis and Kenton Gibbs must have talked for about 45 minutes after the linemen were finished for the day. Dawson and Mathis seemed to build a real bond. No doubt that David is incredibly passionate about Michigan.

Much more this week on the Adidas Invitational, but here are initial impressions from Tremendous. Time to get excited about David Dawson and Jourdan Lewis, both of whom could see a jump in the rankings.

Joe Mathis Reaction

His description of the Big House was great. I asked him what he thought of it and if he got to walk down the tunnel. He just kind of stared ahead for a while, almost as if he was thinking about it again. He started to describe it but couldn't really give me the right way to say it. I started throwing out adjectives and we finally agreed on "m

Another positive to the Adidas Invitational, held at Concordia University in Ann Arbor, is that it is another excuse to get players from all over the country into the area to visit Michigan. Joe Mathis took the time to check out Ann Arbor, and he came away thoroughly impressed. Snagging Mathis and potentially his cousin, five-star safety Su'a Cravens, would be a major coup.

Now healthy, Michigan football junior Cam Gordon fully embracing strongside linebacker role - Cam Gordon has seen his share of position switches, but it finally feels like he has found the right one. Were it not for nagging injuries last year he might have held onto the starting job over Jake Ryan or at least split time with the freshman. Having Gordon back in the lineup and comfortable in the defense will be a big addition to the Wolverine linebacking corp.

Michigan football offensive coordinator Al Borges discusses his philosophy on player development

Body learning essentially is the physical process of learning a position and the playbook. For as much as Borges values the "mental reps" earned by reserves, nothing can replace the real thing. "There's nothing like doing," Borges said. "I'm a big believer in 'body learning.' Just physically going through the trial-and-error part of it so you can fix the problem yourself. Mental reps are great, and you have to take them, but the 'body learning' is really important."

Speaking of players developing during spring camp, here is an interview with Al Borges on just what the coaches and players are focused on in the spring, and how that helps spur development all over the roster.

All Hail King Calipari, Breaker of Haters

I am so sick, and so tired, of watching Mark Emmert whine and complain about "student-athletes" in a desperate attempt to hold on to his tax shelter. I am so sick, and so tired, of watching these people screw up things like "division one football play-offs." Hell, these people can't even institute a 4-team play-off because it might mess up their long-standing money trees. If Emmert really thought the one-and-done rule was a "mockery", then he would have said so before he handed John Calipari the trophy. What did he do? He tucked his pink penis between his legs and handed the trophy over to the man who had just owned him. Emmert gave the trophy to a man who basically said Emmert wouldn't have a job much longer. It was probably like having a pornographic dream for John Calipari. Only this time, he actually woke up on a pile of naked women and a glistening pinkie ring fastened around his finger.

Come for the common sense approach to Calipari's title and its effect on college basketball, stay for the Rick Patino premature ejaculation jokes.

Finally, two things on the developing Bobby Petrino situation in Arkansas from Pre-Snap Read:

In This Case, Is Winning Percentage Enough?

There’s Arkansas’ out: Petrino shattered a clearly-stated rule in his seven-year contract. The question is whether Arkansas wants — or has the intestinal fortitude — to use it. Long might endear himself to the fan base, which adores Petrino, should he slap his head coach on the wrist but allow him to remain in his position; doing so, however, might open Arkansas to national negativity. Houston Nutt, for example, wouldn’t survive Arkansas’ internal review. But Nutt wasn’t Petrino; he was mediocre, and far less beloved by the fan base and university boosters. Most telling of all: Nutt’s winning percentage was mediocre. Petrino is a lot of things, but as a football coach, he’s far from mediocre — he’s one of the nation’s best.

No Easy Solution to Arkansas' Conundrum

Family, commitment, responsibility – these are currently no-go words for Petrino, and may continue to ring hollow for the rest of his coaching career. These words also double a coach’s go-to in the living room, when he lists his own qualities in an attempt to convince a recruit and his family to sign on the dotted line. If Petrino could use them before, he can’t today.