Something Missing From Michigan Win in NCAA Playoffs
Michigan won the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. championship by overcoming the added pressure of going through the basketball playoffs with an assistant coach.
But in all the TV hoopla, there was no mention of Bill Frieder, the coach who brought them there.
Mike Downey really captured the situation in his column the morning after. Can you imagine the agony Frieder had gone through the last few weeks? And to have to watch the final in a hotel room on TV? I was awfully disappointed to hear not one word from Steve Fisher crediting Frieder with any contribution to the success of the Michigan team when Fisher accepted the trophy.
The real heels are the Arizona State group who forced Frieder to sign under an unrealistic deadline.
Such a bittersweet win for Michigan.
BOB FUJII
Cerritos
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