John Beilein Puts Sportsmanship Ahead of Rivalry
John Beilein is one of the most respected coaches in college basketball, and he proved why during the NCAA tournament opening weekend.
Beilein and Michigan had just took care of business against Florida, returning to their second straight Sweet 16. Beilein was exiting the court after an interview when he passed by some Michigan State players coming out of their locker room, and this happened.
Beilein quickly wished the Spartan players good luck before their game against Minnesota. His win one for the Big Ten comment was more of a joke because Minnesota is also obviously in the Big Ten.
I know this isn't some monumental moment in sports, but it just reinforces what a good guy Beilein is.
Consider that Sparty beat U of M three times this season, including the Big Ten Championship game. Beilein definitely has a reason to be a little salty with the Spartans.
Sometimes we take for granted how lucky we are as basketball fans in Michigan. We have two of the best programs in the nation, and two of the best coaches in all of basketball.
Both Izzo and Beilein are stand up guys who don't get enough credit for the job they've done. You don't hear about any recruiting scandals or issues like that from either program. They are exactly what you want in a coach as a player and as a fan.
Please don't try to bring up Izzo yelling at his player during the opening game of the tournament. That was and is a non issue that was blown out of proportion by sports writers trying to find a story line in an uneventful first round.
Both Michigan and Michigan State are playing for a spot in the Elite 8 this weekend. Michigan tips off against Texas Tech Thursday night at 9:30 on CBS. Michigan State takes on LSU Friday night at 7pm on CBS.