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Barry Sollenberger Sollenberger in Paradise |
Eleven years have passed since Michigan last won the Big Ten. Eleven years. In that time, the Wolverines have had four consensus All-Americans, six first-team Big Ten selections and eight players selected in the first round of the NBA Draft.
Still, there has been no Big Ten title.
Despite the Rumeal Robinsons, Terry Mills and Fab Fivers who Steve Fisher has coached in his eight full seasons, the Wolverines have remained Big Ten-titleless.
So what's the point? That Fisher should be fired? No. Well, at least not now.
He's accomplished too much. In fact, the Big Ten title is perhaps the only jewel missing from his crown.
Fisher has won a national championship. He's coached Michigan in two other NCAA title games. He was the architect of the most famous recruiting class ever.
Still, Michigan hasn't won the Big Ten since 1986. With the talent Fisher's had, that's ridiculous. Perhaps this is why he is a lightning rod for many Michigan fans.
You've heard all of the complaints before: His players aren't disciplined. They stand around on offense. They don't block out on defense, etc., etc.
In fairness to Fisher, the Big Ten isn't easy to win. Still, Fisher has had talent. Too much talent to go this long without a title.
And yet, the title almost surely will slip through his grasp again this season. Despite Maurice Taylor, Maceo Baston, Robert Traylor and Louis Bullock - four players who helped make up top-ranked recruiting classes in 1994 and 1995 - the Wolverines are all but out of the race, trailing Minnesota by three games in the loss column with seven to play.
The Big Ten drought burns Michigan fans. Still, Fisher isn't about to change his style - even if there are always 13,562 coaches at Crisler Arena.
"People that say things at games, most of the time, don't know what they're talking about, to be honest," Fisher said. "That's not disrespectful to them. I know what I'm doing and ... I think we're doing things the right way."
He might sound bitter, but he's usually right. Fisher didn't just fall into this job. When his mentor, Bill Frieder, left Michigan before the 1989 NCAA tournament, Fisher stepped in as interim coach and led the Wolverines to six victories and the NCAA title.
For his efforts, Fisher certainly deserved the permanent job.
But college basketball is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately? world. Lately, the Wolverines and Fisher have been moving farther away from the Big Ten title.
Three years ago, they finished second in the conference. Two years ago, they finished third. Last year, fifth. Currently, they are mired in fourth place.
Why this disturbing trend?
Perhaps its due to Fisher's emphasis.
"I would much rather have this ring," said Fisher, speaking about his 1989 national title ring, "than the ones I have in a drawer from '85 and '86 when we won the Big Ten titles."
Fisher is right to concentrate more on the NCAA tournament than the Big Ten. But that doesn't explain why Purdue has five league titles to Michigan's none since '86.
But, Fisher's job isn't in jeopardy. Michigan isn't about to fire a coach who has the third-best winning percentage in the NCAA tournament among active coaches.
"Steve Fisher has done an outstanding job," Frieder said. "I think you have to rank it a solid 'A.'"
Well, he deserved highest marks for that first season, but since then, Fisher hasn't made the grade.
In fact, some Michigan fans think Fisher should be booted now. That the success he's had with recruiting is based more on Michigan's name than on anything he's done.
This talk is a little premature. But Fisher has had a lot of time and talent to capture the Big Ten. If he doesn't do it soon, say, in the next two years, one thing is for sure.
The "Fire Fisher" chants will be right on the money.
- Barry Sollenberger can be reached over e-mail at jsol@umich.edu