ESPN mid-day sports center: Michigan in the Zone

[RF2044]

At lunch today, happened to catch a segment on sportscenter about our game. Well, actually it was all about Michigan. The title of the segment was "Michigan in the Zone." And the entire five minutes of time were about how great they've played getting to the final four, how they're on a mission, and what it is going to take for them to beat SU.

Almost as though beating us is an afterthought. Sure, they were complimentary of our tough zone defense, but the whole segment made it seem like U of M winning is a fait accompli.

I'm really liking how this is setting up. I love that nobody seems to be giving us a chance.


Let's Go Orange!!!

 

[jekelish]

It's the whole Bill Simmons "Nobody believed in us!" theory.

Love it.

 

[jordoo]

People don't really pay attention and watch so they form their opinions from what the last guy said and so on and son on and so on. Michigan is also the sexy pick with all that offensive talent and hammering a vastly over rated FL team last round while our dismantling of IU (the most impressive win by anyone this far in the tourney) was already a couple rounds ago and dismissed as a bad outing for them.

 

[CiceroCuse]

I'll play the role of the underdog any day of the week.

 

[Madbiker]

The media clearly wants a Louisville-Michigan final. Mostly because they are in love with Trey Burke. Also because they like higher scoring offensive games. What is so ridiculous is that SU is being cast as a slow down team that doesn't score and wants to play 40 point games. While this is not one of SU's better offensive teams, we are hardly a slow down team.

 

[Scotch]

It also annoys me that the focus leading up to seemingly all of our games is "how to beat the zone." As if the zone is a static gimmick to be solved, and once you solve it, you're assured of winning. M2M teams never deal with this silly storyline, even though our defense is regularly rated above all but the best M2M teams in defensive efficiency.

 

[TheCusian]

It also annoys me that the focus leading up to seemingly all of our games is "how to beat the zone." As if the zone is a static gimmick to be solved, and once you solve it, you're assured of winning. M2M teams never deal with this silly storyline, even though our defense is regularly rated above all but the best M2M teams in defensive efficiency.

I love when the game crew ignores the 5 turnovers and 3 blocks the zone caused, in favor of the one time they passed it to some goon at the free throw line who made a shot he shoots poorly. "This is how you beat the zone..."

It's about consistently beating the zone.

 

[007]

At lunch today, happened to catch a segment on sportscenter about our game. Well, actually it was all about Michigan. The title of the segment was "Michigan in the Zone." And the entire five minutes of time were about how great they've played getting to the final four, how they're on a mission, and what it is going to take for them to beat SU.

Almost as though beating us is an afterthought. Sure, they were complimentary of our tough zone defense, but the whole segment made it seem like U of M winning is a fait accompli.

I'm really liking how this is setting up. I love that nobody seems to be giving us a chance.


Let's Go Orange!!!

I hope the Michigan players are all listening and buying how great they are and how they will shoot holes in the zone. More than happy being the Dog. I think it will give us a psychological edge.

 

[stuckinbig11]

PLEASE. Let them keep talking.

 

[jordoo]

Right you can't play the zone better or adjust once they figure the zone out you are dooomed

 

[asj410]

IIRC, this is similar to how it was back in 2003. All the talk was about what Texas had to do to break down the zone and how TJ Ford was going to obliterate it. I'm glad everyone is picking Michigan. That way, after Syracuse wins we can go...

 

[jdubs30]

But guys I thought if all you had to do to beat the zone is drive and kick it to the open shooters. It's so easy!

 

[Cusefan95]

The media clearly wants a Louisville-Michigan final. Mostly because they are in love with Trey Burke. Also because they like higher scoring offensive games. What is so ridiculous is that SU is being cast as a slow down team that doesn't score and wants to play 40 point games. While this is not one of SU's better offensive teams, we are hardly a slow down team.

I dunno - I've seen and heard multiple sport writers saying the game they want to see is "Ville-Cuse, Round 4". Katz has some round table show on ESPNU where all but one guy (a Big 10 guy) wanted the Big East rematch in the title game.

I think people take prognostications and opinions of sports writers way too seriously.

 

[Orangejet]

It's turning into a joke with all the support that Michigan is getting. Sounds like before the IU game...