This is us in 2006. Seats in the student section, known as the 'Maize Rage', of the then monikered Crisler Arena were general admission, meaning first come, first serve. Thanks to our apparent fanaticism, this meant, by showing up early enough, we could sit pretty much anywhere we pleased within the student section. And where we pleased was directly behind the visitor's bench, usually the row behind the visiting team's parents. This led to ample heckling opportunities - usually the opposing team was too disciplined and focused on the task at hand to noticeably respond to our taunts. But when they did, it was that much sweeter. One of my proudest moments (besides being given free Domino's and an unfortunately warm Diet Pepsi by the super hot dance team member during their first half pizza giveaway once) in 'Amaker's Army' (the (in)famous and exclusive cheering group Kellyn, Jake and I created) was being cussed out by the surly former coach of Iowa, Steve Alford. Turns out it wasn't much of a feat, as that guy's clearly an a**hole anyway, but hey, at the time it was noteworthy.
We're getting in their heads! We're making a difference with our quips and barbs! No, no, no we weren't. But it was fun regardless, and I have fond memories of our weekly, sometimes bi-weekly, treks through the cold Ann Arbor winters of '05-'06 and '06-'07 to go watch hoops. But the team back then, despite our best efforts at distracting the opposition, just wasn't very good.
They were decent, but not great, and just couldn't get over the hump and get into the tournament. It was frustrating to come so close and flame out in the Big Ten tournament and be discarded into the lame NIT. It's funny - NIT success is supposed to predicate at very least a ticket to the Big Dance come the next March. But our NIT success would just forecast an inevitable return trip. It was obvious what had to be done. Disband Amaker's Army. Well, at least fire it's namesake.
I always liked Tommy. Never liked his ubiquitous mock turtleneck, but until the end I always had the belief that he was going to restore Michigan's place in the college hoops hierarchy. But it never happened. It's strange now to think that the expectations have changed so much in such a short span of time. But success will do that, and the recent run of success that's been slowly building up in Crisler Center is thanks to Coach Beilein, his staff, and their dediction to combining doing things the right way with the know-how and skills to actually win games. The previous administration, they did things the right way too. Shoot, Amaker's a Coach K protege. But his offense, a variation on the vaunted 'give the best player the ball and let him shoot...every time', couldn't have success in the Big Ten. Combine a brilliant offensive basketball mind and top tier talent and you're going to have an entertaining team to watch that actually wins games. And you might even make the Final Four.
I wish I could be down in Atlanta this weekend to witness the final steps in the comeback story that is Michigan basketball. Hopefully they can survive and advance without me yelling stupid stuff at Jim Boeheim and (most likely) Rick Pitino. But even if things go awry, I will be satisfied knowing that the expectations have been raised, from not embarrassing the M, to simply making the tournament, to competing for championships, and that runs to the Final Four will not be thought of as once-in-a-lifetime but as something normal that happens when March rolls around.
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| I think we've found the sizzle. |
