John Beilein, with 4:01 left, more enraged than he's been since Costco raised the price of tube socks:
John Beilein, 1:33 of game time later:
John Beilein is Walter White if Walter White is also Benjamin Button and boy did this sentence get convoluted in a hurry.
Also, note Michigan's 8-0 run over that span. Coaches, if you have the self-control to not lose your mind at every opportunity, the moments when you completely lose your mind have a much greater impact. This is the Law of Beilein, and I'm totally not basing it on one piece of circumstantial evidence. Nope.
[Hit THE JUMP for Nik Stauskas, more Nik Stauskas, various reactions to Nik Stauskas, and a whole lot more from the last two games.]
As usual, click the links/stills to open each GIF in a lightbox, and don't forget to vote for your favorite at the end of the post. Also, I acknowledge I've shorted you some worthy Stauskas GIFs. Stay tuned this week for something better.
HONORABLE MENTION
JALENCEPTION*. Iowa game, short version. Jordan Morgan takes cheap shot, laughs. GRIII somehow lays in lob from behind the backboard. Morgan rejects Basabe. Denzel Valentine passes to... the Izzone, and Sparty is very proud of the catch. Russell Byrd has no idea what's going on you guys. Morford, activate!
15. Maize Rage GIF Spectacularr
The BTN busted out some fantastic B-roll footage of the Maize Rage during the Iowa game. There's MESMERIZING FAKE BEARD....
...and a look worthy of the hashtag #stauskashadmelike:
Then, after the game was over, they captured a group of Maize Ragers dancing to "All I Do Is Win":
Yes, I came perilously close to titling this "whitepeople.gif".
14. OFFICIALOLS
"Jordan and Derrick, how'd you feel about the officiating in this game?"
Oh. Meanwhile...
"You want a what? A tall stout? A wine trout? I don't even know what that is or how it pertains to basketba--oh, too late, jump ball."
13. Save and a beauty
Impressive dexterity, J-Mo.
12. Air Caris
Dude to the left of the basket really enjoyed that one. Less so the cameraman impacted by Roy Devyn Marble.
11. Walton and-one, part one
The preceding play features a gorgeous outlet pass from Stauskas. Impressively, that's only the second-best outlet pass from this game.
10. The dagger
Block, runout, flip, swish, lead.
Here are all of Stauskas' three-pointers in one montage. Enjoy.
9. GRIII slam/Spike Florida redux/bench pandemonium
Yes, Spike did it again, and it wasn't even his most important steal of the night (foreshadowing). Alternate looks: GRIII dunk replay(!), zoom-in on the bench(!!!). Max Bielfeldt is a treasure.
8. Stauskas and-one
In case you didn't catch it the first time, he made it clear this was an and-one.
7. WIN THE GAME
This doesn't add much that the original still doesn't contain, except that it's even more clear in the GIF that absolutely nobody—save walk-on Sean Longeran, at the very end—paid any attention whatsoever to Coach Mitch. HOWEVER, never stop doing stuff like this, Coach Mitch.
Also, I totally forgot to include this one while doing the rankings and creating the poll. Utilize write-in votes as necessary:
I like to imagine Mitch does this whenever he sees Nik walking around campus.
6. Stauskas crossover lookaway destruction
Damn, son. Just... damn.
5. Spike Albrecht, free safety
Actually, have you seen the depth chart for 2014? Brady Hoke may need to look into this.
4. The Outlet of Destiny
This whole play is magnificent, of course, especially because of who's involved. Jon Horford, Michigan's backup center, blocks Keith Appling. Caris LeVert, the rail-thin late pickup of the Fresh Five, makes the exquisite outlet pass. Derrick Walton, true freshman point guard, finishes while drawing the foul on the other end. Perhaps the biggest play of the MSU game didn't involve Stauskas or GRIII.
Now, let's look at this outlet pass, which is somewhere between art and pornography. LeVert catches the ball like this:
He somehow processes where Walton and MSU's defenders are in a split second, lofting a pass that bounces a few feet in front of Walton, who's in a full sprint, and perfectly between the two recovering Spartans:
The ball bounces directly into Walton's arms in ideal position for him to drive before Travis Trice (the last man back) can get to a spot where he can properly contest the shot or draw a foul:
That is beautiful.
3. ANEURYSM OF LEADERSHIP 2
"HOW CAN THIS ESTABLISHMENT NOT CARRY KRAFT SINGLES I PROMISED THESE KIDS A POSTGAME GRILLED CHEESE PARTY."
"Oh, I also don't appreciate being bumped in the nose."
2. Walton's and one, part two
What, you thought I wouldn't highlight this finish from a better angle?
Post-shot reaction captioned because Internet:
Daaaaaammmmnnnnn, indeed.
FRAMES OF THE GAMES: Stauskiss
If not for this, voting/ranking this week's GIF crop would've been arduous bordering on impossible. Thank you, Nik Stauskas, for making this easy.
VOTE
Re-uploaded poll to include the second Walton and-one, which I accidentally skipped over the first time. Apologies if you already voted, though the Stauskiss is running away with this one regardless.
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*Brian: oh man
i think we're trying to ignore jalen rose now
Me: I know, I just couldn't pass it up. too perfect.
especially since him saying "Jalen Rose" in reverse looks eerily like "...know what I'm sayin'?"
Brian: whoah