not sure what you mean about other fans wanting Amaker around.  He has taken a program decimated by NCAA sanctions and returned it to the verge of being a national power once again.  His first year, Michgian won 11 games.  His 2nd year, they won 17 games.  His 3rd year, they won 23 games and the NIT.  Last year, he was running 3 and 4 walkons on the court at times when a roster already shortened by scholarship penalties got hammered by starters missing >80 games with injury/suspension.  So I'm willing to give him a break for last year.  2 years prior, though, Michigan had the 4th best record in the Big Ten and they are rapidly proving this year that last year was a fluke.  And at the rate he's had them improving during his tenure, well let's just say that anything is possible over the next 2-3 years.

I've actually been reasonably impressed with Michigan this year.  I guess I wasn't expecting that much after last year, but they've done quite well this year.  Butler is a pretty good win, they pasted an ok Miami team, they got a quality road win at Notre Dame, and, most importantly, they haven't lost yet.  Sure, odds are that only two of the teams they've played so far will end up in the tourney, but kudos to the Wolverines for consistency, and also big ups for a road win against a likely tourney team.  Home court advantage is worth about 4 points, which is about the difference between a bubble team and a ranked squad.  If you accept that Notre Dame is better than a bubble team, then beating them on the road puts you solidly in the rankings.  In the absence of any evidence to the contrary, I'm willing to think Michigan could squeeze in at the bottom of the rankings, although I'm not positive they deserve the lofty perch where computer rankings have placed them.

The big question for Michigan is whether or not Daniel Horton will continue to shoot well.  Most Michigan fans and sympathizers hoped before the season that Horton would yield to more efficient scorers like Lester Abram and Courtney Sims this season, but instead Horton has shot just as much as ever.  The reason Michigan has done well is because Horton has made shots, but there's no guarantee he'll continue to do so as the season goes on.  My guess is he'll fade, but Michigan will continue to be a pretty solid team, and they should almost certainly find themselves dancing for the first time in a long time.