Saturday, March 27, 2010

Goodbye Mr. Fresh?


News has recently been surfacing that suggests that junior guard Manny "Fresh" Harris is ready to leave the University of Michigan Men's basketball program for the NBA. According to sources, Harris will observe his draft prospects in the near future and, by the deadline of April 25th, is likely to declare for the NBA draft. If Harris decides to declare for the NBA draft, however, as long as he remains agent-free, he has until June 14th to change his mind.

While it seems like Harris, a Detroit native with a big family, could obviously use the financial comforts that come with being an NBA draft pick, I question whether Harris was impressive enough last year to even be an NBA draft pick at all.

Let's start with some statistics: 18.1 points per game, 4.1 assists per game, 6 rebounds per game.

I will acknowledge that these numbers are good, but are they NBA worthy? Even if the reader's response is yes, let's also consider the fact that Harris' team went 15-17 last season (ouch), Harris made slightly over 30% of his three pointers (yikes), shot 80% from the charity stripe (solid), and averaged 2.8 turnovers per game (what if every starter did that?).

Yes, Harris is a great slasher. Yes, in the last 10 minutes of the season, Harris showed great poise against Ohio State. Yes, Harris can create off the dribble. But does anyone else get the impression that last year, regardless of the numbers, he just wasn't as "Fresh" as the Ohio State game at the end of the year evidenced he could be?

Is it possible that NBA scouts saw the same Manny "Stale" Harris on a 15-win Michigan Wolverines basketball team that I did in 2009-2010? The one who jacked up 3-pointers at inopportune times all season long, punched his teammate in practice (which lead to a suspension), and turned the ball over constantly?

Even a "maybe" here still gives hope that Manny Harris will return to Michigan for his senior season to regain his "fresh" form. Without Harris' friend and stud teammate DeShawn Sims, it could be a tough road. But if Harris gets honest feedback about his draft position and the NBA does not come calling as I believe it will not, Harris will have no choice but to accept the challenge of turning around a sub-500 Wolverines basketball team.

My greatest fear, however, is that Harris will have poor draft prospects, declare for the draft anyway, not be drafted, and never make the big money that he has worked hard for his entire life. I would hate to see Harris in Europe or as a mainstay in the NBA development league.

For a kid with such high potential, it would be a shame to not watch him at least attempt one more year of college, where I strongly believe he can only improve his draft position and capitalize on the monetary award that will come with the draft position improvement.

Thoughts? Feel free to share you views about the future of Manny Harris in the "comments" section.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Game of the Week Tonight

Call-in to Game of the Week on 88.3 WCBN-FM Ann Arbor from 7-10 P.M. tonight at 734-763-3500.

We'll be discussing March Madness, recapping home-openers for Michgan baseball and softball, and previewing the NCAA Fort Wayne Regional.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Michigan Softball Home Opener

Check out Michigan Softball's Home Opener vs. Bowling Green tomorrow at 3:00 P.M. on the WCBN Sports Stream and MGoBlue.com!

Michigan Softball is #5 in the nation entering play, fresh off a 4-1 effort at the Judi Garman classic. Bowling Green, out of the MAC, features junior pitcher Zada Lines, who tossed her first career no-hitter earlier this season in a 3-0 win over Dartmouth.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

2010 CCHA Tournament Finals

LISTEN HERE to WCBN's call of the CCHA Tournament Finals, as Michigan seeks an automatic bid to the 2010 NCAA Hockey Tournament against Northern Michigan. With a win, the Wolverines would extend their streak to 20 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and become the first team with a seed worse than #4 to win the CCHA Tournament.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

CCHA First Round Continues Tonight

Listen live to WCBN Sports as the Michigan Wolverines hope to finish off a first round sweep of the Lake Superior State Lakers in the CCHA Tournament tonight at Yost. Use the link in the post below or go to WCBN.org and navigate to the WCBN Sports Stream.

Game Time: 7:35
Venue: Yost Ice Arena
Broadcast: WCBN Sports Stream

Friday, March 5, 2010

Listen: CCHA Playoffs First Round - Michigan Hockey vs. Lake Superior State


We are LIVE at Yost for tonight's Hockey game between Michigan and Lake Superior State. Michigan swept the Lakers over Halloween weekend in the Soo and look to repeat that performance starting tonight in the first round of the CCHA playoffs. Michigan will be playing in the first weekend of the CCHA playoffs for the first time EVER, with a trip to Munn as a reward assuming no upsets of UNO or Alaska by the two worst teams in the CCHA.

Listen Live HERE on WCBN.org's sports stream.

Andrew Seid and Jeremy Kreisberg on the call.

Go Blue!