Former Michigan basketball star Jalen Rose settles into his new career on TV
He stood in the second row, arms waving, trying to encourage the Michigan basketball team he used to play for and the rest of the fans inside Crisler Arena on Tuesday night against Michigan State.
Jalen Rose hasn’t played for Michigan since 1994. Yet when he stepped inside the arena, he instantly became the most well-known current or former player inside.
Former Michigan basketball star Jalen Rose, right, works against Duke's Bobby Hurley in 1992. (File photo)
“It’s awesome,” Rose said at halftime of Michigan State’s 57-56 win over Michigan. “A lot of fond memories. It’s great to see the fans, the players. I’m immersed in the game working with ESPN and playing in the pros and covering sports.
“It’s an exciting time.”
Even though Rose has only been retired from the NBA for a little over two seasons, he’s seemingly been a television analyst forever. In 2001, Rose joined Fox Sports Net’s “Best Damn Sports Show Period” and worked for the show for six years until he retired in 2007.
Then, looking for a more full-time role, he became an analyst for ESPN/ABC - a place he still works as he’s discovered his second career.
“I got lucky,” Rose said. “Because while I was playing 13 years, I was doing 6, 7 years in the media. Now, I look up and this is my eighth, ninth year and I’ve only been retired two or three, so it worked out real well.
“The transition has been a great time.”
It has also allowed Rose to be able to compare decisions with former Michigan star and his longtime friend, Chris Webber, who is an NBA analyst for TNT. They may work for competing networks, but the two have known each other since middle school before both heading to Michigan as part of the Fab 5.
Now, jokes and conversations, especially about the NBA, often come over e-mail.
“We disagree about topics, and I see him picking certain players for the All-Star team and whatever, I send him an e-mail disagreeing politely,” Rose said. “We don’t argue. We just have our opinions and keep it moving.”
As for this year’s Michigan team - Rose still sees the potential for positives despite a 10-10 record.
“The story remains to be seen,” Rose said. “It’s still to be written, really. We still can be a team that can make noise in the tournament if we’re knocking down shots and expand on what we did last year.”
Michael Rothstein covers University of Michigan basketball for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at (734) 623-2558, by e-mail at michaelrothstein@annarbor.com or follow along on Twitter @mikerothstein.
Comments
Lokalisierung
Fri, Jan 29, 2010 : 7:04 p.m.
filled with defeat, makes no sense, doesn't address anything we've talked about...the holy trifecta of posts.
LakeErieMaize&Blue
Fri, Jan 29, 2010 : 6:42 p.m.
Why not? Look how EASILY I taught you!! It took awhile but you finally got it.GO BLUE!!!
Lokalisierung
Fri, Jan 29, 2010 : 3:14 p.m.
No the SCANDEL isn't going to HELP you win this YEAR it's going to help YOU lose this year because IT damaged the PROGRAM years AGO. IT'S also not up to ME thinKing he was in the SCANDEL he ADMITTED it. I seriously hope YOU don't teach OTHERS in your HOUSEHOLD to TYPE like this.
LakeErieMaize&Blue
Fri, Jan 29, 2010 : 3 p.m.
It's called C-Webb and who else YOU think was involved in"the scandel" (let me slow it down now) MADE A MISTAKE!!! Do you understand that.A bad decision in life(that led to punishment you mentioned b/c of said MISTAKE= the consequence of said MISTAKE) and with all MISTAKES(at least in my household)we actually TEACH our kids the reason you don't want to make said MISTAKE(b/c of the consequenses and b/c it's WRONG!) I hope you can understand that.Plus "the scandel"(at least for me) is OLD NEWS!Yeah,I do think it's time TO GET OVER IT!Can we deal w/ the NOW-not yesteryear!! The "scandel" is not gonna help us win this year now is it? Better players,experience,coaching,etc.etc. will do that.Lets GO BLUE!!!
Lokalisierung
Fri, Jan 29, 2010 : 12:35 p.m.
" It's a done deal.Get over it.Learn from it(don't repeat the mistake)and better YOUR life and someone you know by using it as a TEACHING moment(maybe to your kids for what NOT to do in their life)but move on w/ your life!" I'm sorry I really have no idea what you're talking about. I'm refering to a scandel of Chris Webber accepting monies from Ed Martin, to which led to the Fab Fives final four results being taken away, and then the basketball program being put suspension from tournements, probations etc which made is less likely that top recruits would come to the program. That isn't a crazy left field idea, that's how college sports work. You're, for some reasons unkwnown to me, talking about teaching my kids about the mistakes made by the basketball team and wanting me to get on with my life? I don't get it.
trigg3
Fri, Jan 29, 2010 : 9:55 a.m.
wat to go WEST ARBOR!!!
hurd06
Fri, Jan 29, 2010 : 9:03 a.m.
More Jalen Rose comments here: http://isportsweb.com/2010/01/28/we-have-to-bounce-back/
2sweetblue
Thu, Jan 28, 2010 : 11:11 p.m.
At least Fisher could recruit in Michigan now we got shooters who can't hit the ocean. Our programs are a joke just like EVERYTHING in Ann Arbor is.
LakeErieMaize&Blue
Thu, Jan 28, 2010 : 9:50 p.m.
And how did Webbers "scandel"have ANY effect on your life? And again,I ask,HOW LONG until you move on in your life!? It's a done deal.Get over it.Learn from it(don't repeat the mistake)and better YOUR life and someone you know by using it as a TEACHING moment(maybe to your kids for what NOT to do in their life)but move on w/ your life!If Webber was your kid i'm pretty sure you would have forgiven him by now!! Think about it.And as always.......GO BLUE(even w/ "the program killing Fab Five)!!!
Lokalisierung
Thu, Jan 28, 2010 : 7:25 p.m.
@ LakeErieMaize&Blue. Yes Chris Webber's invovlment in the Ed Martin Scandel...hello?
trigg3
Thu, Jan 28, 2010 : 5:33 p.m.
How many wins did they have???
LakeErieMaize&Blue
Thu, Jan 28, 2010 : 5:18 p.m.
Yeah Webber really "killed" the program.Dude get over it!How many YEARS has that been?You don't know any of them but you have"no beef" w/ Jalen!They were a good b-ball team.They served their purpose.LET IT GO.Michigan will be o.k.(UM will survive).For me,the Fab Five was the best thing in Michigan at the time.The first freshmen to do the things that they did(on the court).No they didn't win championships(but the POTENTIAL was there).Look at it this way.Use what happened to the Fab Five as a metaphore on life.Sometimes every decision you make in life is not the BEST decision that you could of made but you pick yourself up,dust off and keep going.The stumble in life shouldn't define your WHOLE life(if you truly LEARN from the mistake and BETTER yourself b/c of the experience).GO JALEN,WEBBER,KING,HOWARD,and JACKSON(The Fabulous Freshmen of Michigan)!!And GO BLUE!!!
Lokalisierung
Thu, Jan 28, 2010 : 4:37 p.m.
I got no beef with Jalen...the whole Fab 5 are completely over rated but it was Webber that killed them & the program.
2sweetblue
Thu, Jan 28, 2010 : 2:29 p.m.
I did not even know Jalen played for Michigan.... I need proof!!