Two More

There’s something profound to be said here, something that someone with writing talent should probably be penning instead of the fat guy that makes your food on football Saturdays.  Michigan has reached the Final Four.  It is an amazing and rare feat.  It results in a t-shirt that is OK to wear, unlike those "Sweet 16" or "Elite 8" shirts, which are only passable at schools in leagues that survive solely on auto-bids.  It brings national attention, and has once again introduced America to John Beilein.  They seem to always forget about him.  That's probably because we do too.  

Probably not anymore.

Michigan plays basketball, winning basketball, but more often than not this year, that basketball has been ugly to watch.  I know this because I lived through the frustration of watching it a Crisler Arena all season.  It is not the same as Duke-North Carolina (of course, they're at home now).  And I would say it's just ugly to the casual fan, but that would give the impression that the basketball elite like it.  They don't.  When Michigan slips by a team holding them under 60 points, the defense gets praised in a backhanded complement kind of way.  Defense wins, but I guess it's not great to watch.  Tell you what though, I'm getting used to it.  For many years of the Beilein regime, wins and losses were predicated on hot and cold shooting.  Ugly meant a loss.  The 2018 version of the Wolverines can overcome cold and ugly.  And if they happen to get hot, they are unbeatable. 

I will say this and this is important:  There are two more wins to get.   The Final Four is not a final destination.  Sparty will tell you otherwise because of their abysmal record when they arrive there.  Final Four shirts are cool.  National Championship shirts are forever.  They don't age.  Michigan has to defeat a group of miracle workers on Saturday and a Blue Blood juggernaut on Monday.  We've got another net to cut down.  

Still enjoying the ride.

Go Blue!