COLLEGE BASKETBALL FINAL FOUR NOTES : MICHIGAN : Sophomores Have an Image Problem

Every play needs a villain. In the Final Four, Michigan is it.

The talent of Michigan’s five sophomore starters has made them easy targets for criticism all season. Add their flamboyant playing style and playground-bred habit of talking trash, and the bad-guy storyline is complete.

“I’m a little surprised,” Michigan Coach Steve Fisher said Tuesday. “(The image) has kind of come and gone. After the Duke game (Dec. 5), it kind of died off. Now, for whatever reason, it has re-emerged on a national level.

“I don’t need to defend our kids. I’ve had national people as well as officials tell us our kids have been terrific, in addition to their 30 wins.

“You ask coaches in the Big Ten, I think eight, nine, maybe all 11 of them would say positive things about our kids. Not about their ability, but about our kids.”

Temple Coach John Chaney had nothing positive to say about Michigan (30-4) after the Wolverines beat the Owls in the West Regional final.

“I will not comment,” he said when asked how Michigan would fare against Kentucky (30-3) in Saturday’s semifinal in New Orleans. “It might express a bigger problem I have with Michigan.”

Later, Chaney said: “When I see taunting and all kinds of gyrations, I don’t like it. I don’t like coaches who allow it to happen.”