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Amidst Controversy with Michigan’s Coach Juwan Howard, Dave Portnoy Provides Sharp Football Priority Check

Published 12/11/2023, 6:26 AM EST

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Assuming one has enraged Dave Portnoy, there could be just the solitary cause. One must have insulted any permutation or combination of the three entities Portnoy prizes the most. They are, in no particular order, Taylor Swift, the New England Patriots, and his alma mater, the University of Michigan. As for the Patriots, Portnoy’s assessment of them has turned harsh in recent months.

Regardless, Dave Portnoy stayed loyal to all three. Now, the basketball team, particularly coach Juwan Howard, has courted controversy. Rumors swirled about an altercation between Howard and his assistant, with some reports claiming that the former had been sacked. Amidst this fresh new headache, Portnoy offered an update regarding where Michigan’s priorities lie.

An important clarification from Dave Portnoy

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Dave Portnoy reiterated, via a post on X, that Michigan’s primary focus lay in winning the playoff semifinal against Alabama. The Crimson Tide are the Wolverines’ first opponents in the Rose Bowl. They got the invite after winning the Big Ten Conference championship. In their second meeting in three years at that stage, the Wolverines blanked the Iowa Hawkeyes 26-0. Given Jim Harbaugh is 1-6 in the Bowls with Michigan, this game takes on a life of its own.

The post was a reply to another alleging Juwan Howard had an altercation with someone on his staff. Having beaten the Iowa Hawkeyes on Sunday in basketball, the Wolverines had quite an eventful flight back home. Howard was, apparently, at the center of that particular storm of rumors spreading like wildfire. It begs the all-important question: what exactly happened?

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The controversy surrounding Juwan Howard

According to the Blue & Maize Review, there was no physical confrontation between Juwan Howard and his assistant on Thursday. There were only words exchanged. Also, the same source verified Howard will neither step down nor be told to. Meanwhile, Michigan basketball program remained unaffected throughout Sunday and after the game amid the controversy, the report stated.

Dave Portnoy Bets $1,000,000 on Michigan Wolverines With Unprecedented Confidence After Big 10 Victory

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However, this is not the first time Howard found himself in hot waters. In February 2022, things turned ugly for Howard as he was suspended for five games and fined $40,000 for hitting an assistant coach from the University of Wisconsin. At the time, Howard slapped Joe Krabbenhoft after Michigan lost to Wisconsin. The incident also involved three players who were suspended as well. Luckily, Howard’s recent clash with his assistant did not turn ugly as before.

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Written by:

Anirudh Haridas

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I am Anirudh Haridas and I am a US Sports Writer at EssentiallySports. As a stalwart ice hockey fan, I delved into the US Sports arena, driven by the phenomenal pace of the sport. From creating insights on various Olympic avenues like surfing and swimming to covering stories around equestrian and rodeo sports, I bring versatility to my writing.
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Edited by:

Suman Varandani