The violations from the Fab Five era and a handful of others resulted in probation and shame. The administration took down the Final Four banners, a Big Ten tournament banner and vacated wins from those years. The university also disassociated itself from players involved in the scandal, mainly Chris Webber, the late Robert Traylor, Maurice Taylor, and Louis Bullock among others until 2013.
Jalen Rose played on the Fab Five teams and is now an analyst for ESPN. Rose was a commentator for the Illinois-Michigan game tonight and had some things to say about the immediate future regarding the Michigan program. He wants to see those banners back up.
“Of course, I’m a Michigan fan. I’m an alumnus, I have an endowment at the University,” he said tonight before broadcasting the Michigan-Illinois game at Assembly Hall. “I bleed maize and blue. I want our banners back up in January 2013. Of course I do.”
Looking up at the large ring of honor at Assembly Hall and seeing dozens of banners for a program with less history than U-M got him going.
“Look around this arena, see how they appreciate their players, what they brought to the table,” he said. “Ninety percent of those guys, you don’t even know who they are. That’s an appreciation they show their players. Michigan has retired (five) jerseys in their lifetime, been to six Final Fours and I was playing in two of them.”
“I hope so, I think so, I have a lot of faith,” he said. “I really like Mary Sue Coleman, the president and obviously Dave Brandon, the AD.”
Rose can keep hoping because I think the current administration won't want to bring up the past. I would like to see the banners restored, but I just don't think that'll happen. They'll probably stay locked up in the basement of the library.
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