What a beat

Michigan lost to Minnesota in the Big Ten tournament today. As a Wolverine fan, it's frustrating.

All year long, Michigan teased its faithful by starting out hot, winning some big games at home, and returning to the Top 25 for the first time in, like, a decade.

But an ineptness for winning on the road hurt the Wolverines. So did losses to UCLA in mid-December and an inexplicable loss to Indiana last Saturday in Ann Arbor. In that game, Daniel Horton scored 34 points, but a slew of ill-advised shots and turnovers, in the waning moments of the game, lost the game.

Injuries hurt, too. With Lester Abram out indefinitely, Dion's turned ankle in crunch time versus Ohio State, and Chris Hunter's late-season knee buckle, it proved to be too much to overcome.

Still, at 18-9 before today's game, they had a shot to go dancing, to jump off the bubble. Two wins would have done it. Maybe even one. Now, it's sad to say that the bubble has popped: I think they'll be NITin' once again...

... In other sad news, the United States baseball team lost to Canada, 8-6, yesterday in the World Baseball Classic. It's acceptable to fall to the Canucks in hockey. Or curling. But not baseball. Not our American pastime. That makes me sick...

... The Pistons won, 106-101, over the Bulls last night. 'Sheed played well and scored inside (my most pressing concern of late), and I was happy to see my boy Ben Gordon post 28 in the loss. So all's well in that realm. Their next game is Saturday at Washington. At 30-30, the Wiz are a dangerous bunch -- especially with All-Star Gilbert Arenas, one of the league's best shooters (and he'll pull from anywhere across half court). Plus, the Pistons lost (in 2OT) to them earlier in the year. But I see that as fuel for redemption for the boys in red and blue. They're ready to rattle off 38 consecutive wins en route to a second championship in three years. (Yes, that means they will win the rest of their regular season games and sweep through the playoffs. Got beef?)