We all know that last season brought with it the end of Michigan's remarkable string of five consecutive sweet 16s.

So many players, assistant coaches, along with two head coaches, were part of at least one of those runs to the NCAA tournament second weekend.

But there was only one who was there for the entire ride, and that's Sadi Washington.

Until last season, all coach Washington knew, while at the University of Michigan,

was taking a trip somewhere in late March for a regional semi-final.

Late in the conversation I'm about to share with you with Coach Washington,

we'll talk about last season.

I termed it as a low, yet Sadi said it was a missed opportunity, and last year

certainly can be described as both, but that phrasing from Sadi and the full answer that followed

took me back to a moment I'll reference at the end of his answer. This was from Terry Mills's

halftime interview with Coach Washington on our radio broadcast in the regular season finale

at Indiana. Michigan, of course, and that game was down early. They rallied late in the first

half and went into the break with some momentum. Yeah, Coach Washington, your team was pretty much

dead in the water. Ten old run to finish that first half. Tea, we ain't never dead in the water.

It's wintertime. It's go time right now, Tee. We ain't never dead in the water. It's winter time. It's go time right now, T.

We ain't never dead in the water.

Of course, Michigan did not win that game.

The Wolverine season was indeed dead in the water four days later with an uninspiring

effort against Rutgers in the Big Ten tournament.

But Saudi Washington's answer to my question about it mirrored his response to Terry Mills back in early March,

albeit with a bit more in-game oomph to it.

There cannot be any panic, any sulking, at least not long term.

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