It’s funny how things work out sometimes. You take a guy who has spent so many years at the University of Michigan that he starts to call the arch-rival “ohio” rather than Ohio State, and becomes the very fabric of what the school’s athletic department is all about.
Dare we say he could have even developed a disdain for the colors scarlet and gray.
And then an opportunity arises. Like the chance to jump to the highest level possible. That’s exactly where former Michigan head basketball coach John Beilein is right now. He brought the Wolverine program back to relevance to the point where the Cleveland Cavaliers have taken note and hired him to be their next head coach in the NBA.
From Michigan to … yes, O-H-I-O.
Well, Beilein was introduced at a press conference Tuesday and he started by calling Michigan “the best university in the world” in his opening comments, but also embraced all things Ohio.
When referencing the opportunity in front of him, Beilein went all Urban Meyer with the below quote passed on by Ben Axelrod.
When in Rome do what the Romans do, or in this case, when in the Buckeye state, do what Buckeyes do. In all seriousness, even the most ardent Ohio State fan would agree that Beilein is all class and carries himself well.
Whether or not he’s able to bring this Cavalier team to new heights without LeBron James remains to be seen, but we know he can be an Ohioan despite being fully Michigan.
In case you want the video yourself, click on the below YouTube link of the entire press conference provided by Cavaliers Webmaster, and go to about the 46:48 mark and have a listen yourself.
