Detroit Media Conspicuously Silent About Michigan’s Postgame Conduct Following Blowout Loss To Arizona State

The behavior of some Michigan basketball players following the Wolverines' blowout loss Thursday night to Arizona State was embarrassing, and it directly reflects the character and values (or lack thereof) held by head coach Juwan Howard and the University of Michigan.

Hear how categorically unhinged that sounds?

If the lede of this story seems like gross exaggeration, the connection of dots that aren't connected, and jumping to downright irresponsible conclusions, that's because it is. It's all of those things.

That's how several in the Detroit media chose to cover the tunnel fight that happened following MSU at Michigan at the Big House last month. Of the many members of the media corps peddling such a blatantly biased narrative, some were obvious hacks, others were fan-site "reporters," and far too many call themselves journalists, charged with the noble and sacred duty of impartially seeking the truth.

Given that contingent's dogged pursuit of the story behind Tunnelgate, you'd think at least one or two of its members would at a minimum ask one question about Michigan's confrontation with Arizona State in the immediate aftermath of the No. 20 Wolverines' 87-62 loss to the unranked Sun Devils in the Legends Classic final, right?

Survey says...

I guess actual journalism is a little too hard-hitting. Turns out haphazardly publishing anonymous, unverified allegations from sources who earn paychecks from one of the parties in a given controversy is way easier and much more comfortable. Plus, it earns you cozy relations with the folks in Ann Arbor, and gets you one step closer to your own office at Schembechler Hall.

Seriously, it's a relevant question, especially given the context that postgame conduct has been incredibly topical for U-M athletics of late. There's also the teeny, tiny news peg that MICHIGAN'S HEAD COACH MISSED FIVE GAMES LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF A POSTGAME CONDUCT ISSUE OF HIS OWN!

My point here is not to equate the scuffle U-M basketball got into with ASU on Thursday night with the fight in the Michigan Stadium tunnel on Oct. 29, because that would be a false equivalency. What I'm calling out is a clear, demonstrable double standard among the Detroit media's coverage of the state of Michigan's two Big Ten universities. It's hard to miss, especially in this instance.

Do you honestly think the Detroit media would gloss over the chance to ask Tom Izzo or Mel Tucker about their team having to be separated from their opponents after a blowout loss? I doubt that would happen in a vacuum, and I am absolutely certain it wouldn't if MSU's coach was less than a year removed from striking an opposing coach.

If what transpired with Michigan on Thursday night happened with MSU, we would be subjected to at least a few days' worth of think pieces fretting over the greater cultural issues in the East Lansing and MSU communities. But MSU wasn't involved here on Thursday night. Michigan was.

And so the song and dance continues.