NCAA Sanctions Press Conference -- Player Comments
5/8/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Comments from U-M Press Conference
Regarding NCAA Infractions Committee Report
Sophomore Center Graham Brown
On his reaction to the news ... "It was a shock when we first heard the news, but after a couple minutes we knew we had to get over it and get ready for next season. I think you have to thank everybody involved in getting this resolved: President Coleman, athletic director Martin and coach Amaker. We are excited about next year's team. Even though we may not have a national championship to strive for, we still have the Big Ten Conference season and the Big Ten Tournament to look forward to."
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On going through another season with no post-season play ... "Last year's season should help us out a little bit. We will be going through much of the same things we dealt with last year. Even though we didn't start well we had a very prosperous year and hopefully this year we can build on that and do even better."
On the possibility any of his teammates will leave Michigan ... "No one is leaving. Everybody right away was very supportive of the team and coach Amaker. We are all Michigan men and we are all proud to play for this great university."
On how he looks at the Fab Five era ... "You can look back on that period of time with a little bitterness, but those guys had a big part of what Michigan is today. My love affair with Michigan began when we won the national championship in 1989. It is hard to look back at them at times. My brother, who was a team manager back then, and I talk about it every once in a while and he has a hard time with it because he was knew the guys closely."
On being punished for past players' mistakes ... "We understand that things had to be done. We all knew something was going to come of it, but we have to move on from here. We are just going to move on next year and see if we can win a Big Ten championship. Right after we learned what was going to happen everybody dedicated themselves to the team and knew we needed to get ready for next year."
On not being able to control everything in life ... "You can't control everything in life. We couldn't do anything about it. Things had already happened and we have to do what they tell us and move on from there."
Senior Tri-Captain Colin Dill
On the team's mood ... "Our whole mood as players is that it is time to move on. We can't have any effect on what the NCAA ruled, so we'll just focus on playing basketball and look forward to our next season coming up in November. Our focus is on the court and winning games."
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On the team meeting Wednesday night ... "We had a team meeting last night and Coach Amaker told us what the decision would be. He talked to us about how we felt about it and we told him that the players supported him and the staff and really wanted to be here. It was nothing they had control over, so all we can do is buckle down and stay focused. We're all Michigan men and want to stay around to play for the school."
On entering his senior year with the possibility of having no postseason play ... "What would disappoint me would be not having a chance to win the Big Ten. The fact that there was a postseason ban handed down to us isn't going to get us down because we still have a chance to win our conference."
Sophomore Guard Daniel Horton
On if he plans to transfer ... "I talked to Coach (Amaker) about it to make sure, but when he first told us what was happening I said I was staying. At the same time, I had to see what was best for me and I had to be a little selfish. When I talked to my dad and I told him I wanted to stay he said he wouldn't say anything about any other options I may have had."
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On his feelings about not being able to participate in the postseason for a second year ... "For me, like everybody else, I think it is not fair. There is nothing I can do about it except to continue to play basketball. It is just another thing we will have to deal with. No one else can tell us how we should feel when we practice just as hard as they do, but we do not have the same opportunities to reach our goals as they do. It is tough, but we just have to practice hard and play hard every day and try to win as many games as possible."
On having the investigation over with ... "I am glad it is over with. This is something that has been hanging over our heads since before I came here. If it gets overturned, we will probably be one of the happiest teams in America. At the same time, if it does not we are still going to work hard and play hard every day."
On if he talked to his teammates about staying ... "I tried to talk to a few guys individually, and I talked to the incoming freshmen to see where they stood. When Coach told us, he made sure I was one of the first guys to speak out and I said I was staying and that nothing has changed and that we still have goals to accomplish. Like last year, we can still win the Big Ten championship and that is something we came very close to last year. With the added talent and experience of being older and stronger, it makes our chances even better."
On if anyone gave any indications of leaving ... "No one gave any indications of leaving. I am not leaving and I said that. My parents just wanted to make sure that was best for me."
On if the investigation was discussed during his recruitment ... "It was not discussed because Coach did not have any idea what was going to happen. They knew of the investigation, but they did not know about the outcome. I did not want to let that affect my decision and I did not want to let that keep me from the opportunity of playing at this university and playing for Coach Amaker."
On if he wishes he knew more before coming to Michigan ... "No, I am not bitter about it or wish I had done more research. I am happy I am here. I would not rather be anywhere else."
On if he knew something might happen ... "I heard things and I did not know if I should believe them or not. I heard a lot of outrageous things. I do not really listen to what other people say. The only statements that matter are what my parents and coaching staff say."
On if he thinks that what he heard today was outrageous ... "I believe it is not fair to us because we work so hard on and off the court to bring prestige back to this university. For one of our goals to be taken away I believe that's not fair, but at the same time that's life."
On if it is unfair since he knew about this possibility coming in ... "I think you misunderstood me. I did not know that we would be banned, or that was even a possibility. I just knew there were some things in the past that could affect the basketball program. I had no idea what those things could mean. Now that they have come to pass I can see what has happened. I am still not bitter about my decision to come here."
On the appeal ... "I hope we win the appeal, especially after hearing what could happen. I do not really know anything about that though. I am definitely happy to hear they are pursuing that, not only for myself, but also for the rest of the team because playing in the NCAA Tournament is something we want to achieve and experience."
On if there is relief that the verdict is finally out ... "I think we feel a lot of relief that it is finally over and we can finally put it behind us and start playing and practicing. It will not affect the way we play and practice, but now that it is behind us we still have things to look forward to and goals to achieve."
On if he agrees it is unfair to punish people who were not involved with the violations ... "I think it is unfair. They could probably find other ways to punish the university without punishing us. It is not really my place to say or to comment to you guys or to other people about it. It is my job to play basketball and get better as a player and help this team and program get better. It is not really my place to comment on those other things."
On the possibility of past coaches who were involved with the violations being able to take a team to the postseason and not being punished ... "It is not really my place to comment on how other coaches or players should be punished. I think it is not fair to me personally, but it is not my place to comment."
On what he would say to the four players in question ... "Those guys have moved on with their lives and I think we should do the same. We need to face the consequences like the adults we are supposed to be."
On the meeting with the coach ... "We met down in the coach's office. The meeting was nothing like the one last November. That one was very sad and it was not something that we all came here to be a part of. This meeting was special. No one shed any tears and no one was upset about it afterwards. I think this meeting put a little more fire into us to prove that we are a good basketball team no matter what adversity we face."
On Bernard Robinson Jr.'s reaction ... "He was the first one to speak out. When Coach said we had an opportunity to leave and play somewhere else he was the first one to say he was staying. He said he was not going anywhere and that there is no sense in whining and crying about it because we have been here before. We had this meeting last year and there were a lot of tears last year. We are all adults so there is no reason to be upset about something that is a part of life. I think he is definitely one of our leaders. He is a senior and he has been through the Big Ten for three years. He is definitely one of our leaders."
On if it will be harder or easier knowing there is no postseason ... "I think it will be easier. We have been through it once. For us to sit here and cry about it the second time around would be very childish. I look at it as a challenge. I think it is something where we can show tremendous character by overcoming this and still have a great season."
On if the team used the lack of a postseason as motivation last year ... "No, that is not the reason we said it is us against the world. We said that because that is the way it is. When we go into other team's arena nobody else is cheering for us and nobody else is on our side but us. It is all we have and we have to rely on each other. In those situations, and now when some of us are down about this, we have to rely on each other so we can pick each other up."
On what motivated the team last year ... "We were playing for pride and that's what we are playing for now. They can take away the postseason and they can take away a lot of things, but they cannot take away the pride of playing for this university."
Contact: Tom Wywrot (734) 763-4423
