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Jeff Riger: Enough With The Moral Victories Already

I know, I know, nobody cares about Michigan basketball! Right?

Well I do and if you do then feel free to read on, if not....thanks for helping out the web views by clicking on this blog.

On Thursday night the Wolverines traveled to Bloomington to take on the "unbeaten at home" Hoosiers and padded that stat as Michigan was edged out 73-71. The particulars of the game don't matter all that much, but here are a couple just to show you that I watched. Michigan trailed by 7 at the half and made several bad decisions down the stretch to eventually lose. Whether it was an ill advised 3 pointer or a badly timed foul, Michigan killed themselves numerous times as Indiana went on to victory. Late in the game the Maize and Blue trailed by just 2 points for numerous possessions while Tim Hardaway Jr. and Stu Douglass tried to nail 3 balls with absolutely no luck. In fact they were bad shots, that were low percentage and really never had a chance to go in from the get go. I know, I know that's what Michigan does, shoots form behind the arc, but considering they got back in the game without the 3 ball it seemed fitting to finish off the game the same way. The bottom line is they lost and I'm getting sick of it.

Let me explain...

I'm not upset that they lost, but rather of the text messages and phone calls that came after it. On several occasions I was told by various people that I was not allowed to be upset about the game because the team is still building and they are far better than they used to be and apparently I should be happy about that.

And I get it!

I witnessed the "train wreck" that was the Brian Ellerbe era!

I was around for Josh Moore, Josh Asselin and Leon Jones!

I was heartbroken by the NCAA tournament ban.

I was mortified when Rick Pitino picked Louisville when so many so called sources predicted him to go to Michigan. Of course the Wolverines had to settle for Tommy Amaker and we all know how that turned out.

What I'm trying to say is I know how bad and irrelevant the program has been and I know I should be happy that they are back and even ranked. But it is not enough!

You see, for what seems like forever now, I have been waiting for Michigan to go back to the tournament. And when they finally did a couple of seasons ago, I was ecstatic. They even won a first round game before losing to Blake Griffin and Oklahoma in the second round. Then there was last year where the team was much better and mauled Tennessee in the first round only to lose to top seed Duke by a bucket and miss out on the Sweet Sixteen. Last year's team even swept Michigan State which could not have even been imagined 2 years before the fact. So I know things are getting better and I'm happy about it. But the time needs to be now where they take the next step.

I am sick and tired about hearing how I have to be happy because the team is competitive. Or how Michigan is a football school and nobody cares about the round ball. The worst is the people who root for the Wolverines in football but then move to East Lansing for the hoops season to cheer for Tom Izzo and Company. I put up with these people with hopes that one day things will be better and Michigan will once again have expectations.

Well that time is now!

This was the first time in over a decade and a half that both Michigan and Indiana were ranked while playing each other in the regular season. It felt good! The college basketball world actually cared about the game, they even hyped it up. IN the past ESPN would only play this game because there was nothing else to put on? This was a Michigan team that had just lost two games coming into Thursday night. This was also a team that has budding super stars in trey Burke and Hardaway Jr. and a bunch of solid senior leaders in Douglass and Zach Novak. Michigan is good and it's about time people realize that.

It's funny to me how Tom Crean took what seems like a decade to get Indiana back on the map and they were expected to win, but Michigan, a team that has had more success than the Hoosiers recently is always picked to lose. I know IU beat Kentucky and Ohio State on their court while Michigan doesn't quite have the same credentials, but who cares.

I understand Michigan lost to the better team Thursday night. But what I don't understand is how I'm supposed to be happy that they almost won. Aren't we passed that point?

How long do Michigan hoops fans have to settle for moral victories instead of being upset that the team lost a game that they had a chance to win?

David Brandon obviously has high expectations because he built the much needed facilities that the school needs. John Beilein obviously has expectations because he has seen what his players are capable of.

It's funny that the same fans that wanted to run Lloyd Carr out of town for 8 and 9 win seasons are the same people that are so excited to celebrate close basketball losses to good teams.

And that is fine; just stop telling me that I have to celebrate those same MORAL VICTORIES.

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