The University of Michigan athletic department has started to take the form of its closest neighboring major city, Detroit. Everyone is trying to move out and surprisingly it has nothing to do with the weather. Junior-to-be Center Ekpe Udoh (Pronounced Epp-Ay You-Doe) has announced that he will be leaving the basketball program after two years of service. In those two short years Ekpe managed to propel himself to the #5 spot for all-time blocks in Michigan basketball history. He also earned a spot on the Big-Ten All-Defensive Team after averaging almost 3 blocks this past season. He went home to Oklahoma a while ago to get in touch with his roots and ponder his future. After a month of oil rigging and cattle brandishing or whatever it is they do down there, he found out what was inside—a man who did not want to return to Ann Arbor.

Ekpe’s averages of 6 points and 5 rebounds were anything but sexy, however his length and defensive presence kept an undersized Michigan squad protected against larger line-ups. His transfer whereabouts are presently unknown, but take comfort in the fact that it’s definitely NOT Ohio State this time.

Ekpe’s departure creates a chance for Center Zach Gibson to fit the Beilein mold of a huge white trash 3-point shooting machine and become the next Kevin Pittsnogle. Gibson looks like a 7-foot choir boy as it is right now. Someone get the kid started with about 10 tattoos-- he’ll earn the rest.