Saw it first on UM Hoops:

John Beilein and company are slowing building an impressive resume, knocking off #4 UCLA and #4 Duke, and they earned that today. During post game the ESPN analysts were waxing poetic about the genius of Beilein. I heard Rodriguez mention (I believe at the Bust?) that there’d be some football recruits in this weekend and they’d be at the Duke game. That’s good. Full house, hyped crowd, ending with a roaring chorus of “it’s great to be…”. I voted in my own poll thinking the Blue would be on the outside looking in for the NCAAs. You’ve got to think this team has a good shot now. Hey – this hoops thing is Dyn-o-mite! P.S. – There’s actually a bit of significance to the JJ Evans pic. I went to school during the Fab Five era, the Duke games were huge although we had little success. Anyway, my buddy Rosey had class with Jalen Rose and I think, the rest of the Fab Five. The instructor asked the students to name their favorite TV show and why. When it was Jalen’s turn he dropped this: “Good Times. Because I lived it.” On top of that, JJ was played by Jimmie Walker, the namesake of Jalen’s estranged and now deceased father former NBA’er Jimmy Walker. Related: – MLive Recap – Happiness…

[Ed: This is an update on last night’s post on the 1997 Championship Ring that has appeared on eBay. The seller contacted me and revealed the name of the original owner. This isn’t an attempt to embarrass anyone, answer some questions about how this important item in Michigan history ended up on the open market.] The seller contacted me back, I’ve got the player’s name. Once again, I don’t know the circumstances or details of how this ended up on eBay and I don’t want to get into all that. The seller claims the ring belonged to Demetrius Smith, a fullback on Coach Carr’s great team. Smith was kicked off the team in the summer of 1999. I don’t remember the circumstances around all of this, I’m digging a little bit, but here’s a follow-up story in the Michigan Daily from July 1999 after Smith was kicked off the team for alleged involvement in an embezzlement ring at a nearby Big-K. According to the Daily piece Smith was not charged with anything: On June 23, allegations of a six-person embezzlement ring from an Ypsilanti K-mart surfaced. Smith’s name was included – as well as two other Michigan football players – and the story quickly became national news. Five days later, Diane Smith [Demetrius’ mother] received a phone call from Debord.…

From the MLive summary of the 2008 Michigan Football Bust, here’s former dual threat quarterback Rick Leach who was at the bust representing the 30th anniversary of the 1978 team: “I’ll make you a promise before I go,” he said. “My promise to you is, I know that day’s coming. Maybe you had your fun and got your pound of flesh out of Michigan after 33 years. I don’t care if it’s Mark Dantonio, Charlie Weis or – you better believe it – Jim Tressel. Your freakin’ day is coming.” Then Rodriguez added this gem: “Rick Leach, you’ve been a true friend,” Rodriguez said. “I know there’s media here, so some things I would like to say maybe I shouldn’t. But all the things you said Rick Leach, amen.” Related: Leachapalooza: The Best of Rick Leach on WTKA 12-09