Robert Traylor's leadership lies at the heart of team's strength

John Leroi Out of Bounds

The Wolverines' NIT title in March was all Fisher could be proud of the first week in May. After a disappointing season, where he had to boot then-sophomore swingman Albert White, one of Michigan's brightest stars, off the team, Fisher was staring at dismal sights.

Already one big man short after senior-to-be Maurice Taylor decided to take his 12 points and six-rebounds-per-game to the NBA, Fisher just watched Michigan's best player and most adept leader walk out of his office, ready to follow Taylor to the benches of the NBA.

Robert Traylor had blown everybody's mind, especially Fisher's, deciding -- after telling me he was "110% sure" he wouldn't join Taylor in jumping ship -- that he would leave Michigan and declare himslef eligible for the NBA.

A press conference was scheduled. Nobody could believe it, but who in the world except for Peyton manning holds a press conference to announce that he is staying in college.

The Detroit News got ahold of the story two days before Traylor's press conference. I wouldn't blame Fisher if he leaked it himself. Traylor's home in Detroit was flooded with so many phone calls and inquiries from family and friends in those two days, that Traylor, a target for the bulk of the NCAA's investigations, ultimately decided, for whatever reason, to stay at Michigan.

Now Fisher at least has that umbrella. A big, big umbrella.

The Wolverines may be losing some respect because of NCAA rules infractions, some of which involved Traylor. They may have lost even more when Fisher offered a scholarship to a community college superstar from Flint, then revoked it when they discovered he had pleaded no contest to sexual assault almost a year earlier.

Fisher may be losing his recruiting touch after his second straight class that is in the bottom third of the Big Ten. The Wolverines may have lost a terrific recruiter when assistant coach Scott Perry left to take the head coaching job at Eastern Kentucky. They lost 12 points a game in Taylor, their starting power forward all season. But if the Wolverines lost Traylor, they would have surely lost their sanity.

Traylor is the Amazingly Traylor, barely 20 years old, a man who still cries after tough losses, a man who chose Michigan in part because it was so close to home, a man who isn't very well spoken with the media, is the glue that holds this team together.

Taylor's loss is relatively easy to recover from. He never became the star he should have been. Some nights he didnŐt even looked like he tried very hard. One game the 6-foot-9 245-pound Taylor was outrebounded, 9-1, by Iowa reserve point guard Ryan Luehrsmann, a 6-1 165-pound freshman.

Taylor's best games cam against Northwestern and some exhibition team from Australia that wore practice uniforms for their scrimmage against the Wolverines. Those were the only two games in which Taylor scored more than 20 points this year.

Traylor's numbers were better, he played better in the NIT (26 points and 13 rebounds in the title game against Florida State earned Traylor the tournament MVP) and he is constantly improving his game. He's developing a good outside jump shot and he is a phenomonal passer and has amazing quickness for a man who tips the scales at 300 pounds.

But Traylor is more to the Wolverines than just numbers. He is Michigan's only true leader. He was a Michigan co-captain as a sophomore, a spot usually reserved for juniors or seniors. He never gives up on a rebound. He cares about Michigan.

And he is a charismatic leader that everyone on the team looks to for leadership.

With all due respect, Louis Bullock and Maceo Baston could not have carried this team to any better than a .500 Big Ten record. Neither could Taylor.

But Traylor can.

And Fisher is thankful for that.

09-03-97