Jeff Riger: Can A Win Against MSU Close The Gap?
So I'm told all the time that Michigan is a football school and that nobody really cares about Wolverine hoops and the sad thing is that fans seem to actually believe this. I can't tell you how many times Michigan fans have been bragging about spring football while Michigan State has been dancing in the Final Four and stealing all the attention in the state once again. And while I totally disagree with that mentality and think those fans are bad fans, I guess I can understand why they feel this way.
Since, let's say 1995, Michigan Basketball has been irrelevant and why wouldn't it be? When you have to live through the corrupt Fab Five, Brian Ellerbe being absolutely clueless, Tommy Amaker and his inability to develop any player or to wear a tie, add it all together and that would kill any fan base. But now you look at Michigan, and they have a chance to at least get people to believe again, at least get people excited again as they get ready to take on Michigan State at Crisler on Saturday afternoon. A win and the Wolverines probably go dancing while a loss more than likely lands them in the NIT and keeps fans interested in other things then basketball.
The few Michigan fans that remain think this game can change the course of the program. They think a sweep of the Spartans would for sure catapult the Wolverines to the success that Michigan State has experienced and while their hearts are in the right place, they are living in a dream world. People love to use the term "closing the gap" and with a sweep, will Michigan be doing just that? The answer, hardly! MSU has been to 6 Final Fours in the last 12 seasons, they have won a National Title, every player that has stayed four years under Tom Izzo goes to a Final Four, and you see what I'm getting at? Let's say Michigan wins on Saturday, does 2 wins all of a sudden erase the absolute embarrassment that has been hoops in Ann Arbor over the last decade and a half? Furthermore does it mean that all of a sudden Michigan has taken over the Spartans as the predominant hoops program in the state and the country? Of course not!
It will take a lot more than a couple of wins against a rival to be able to claim that the tide has shifted in the state. In fact it's more than just beating MSU, it's about making the tournament on a consistent basis, it's about competing in conference, and it's about long runs in March. John Beilein was asked today if playing MSU on the last game of the season at home with a chance to go to the tournament is a dream scenario. His answer "I think the dream scenario really is for both of us to be in the final four one day that would be a dream scenario and playing each other in the championship game." Beilein gets it! All the success that MSU has had and all the failure that Michigan has suffered can and will not be forgotten with a couple of regular season victories, it's going to take much more than that. So is Michigan closing the gap? The answer is no, they are not any closer to being thought of as a Michigan State type program, but with a win Saturday they can close another gap, the one that separates them from respect and relevance
Watch the vides below of John Beilein and Zack Novak as they talk about getting ready to take on rival Michigan State.
