That's what I'm talkin' 'bout

Wolverines developing a seige mentality

I know it's a pretty tiny sample size, but I get a lot of sense of what is happening among U of M fans -- the true blue bloods, not so much the Walverines -- talking to my U of M fan/season tix holder co-worker. He knows a lot of people in/around Schembechler Hall. He's become quite the fan of mgoblog and likes to relay to me stuff said/written there.

I've noticed lately that he wants to talk about the Rather Hall fight. He's repeatedly said Winston shouldn't have been able to "walk from jail onto the practice field," and, by comparison praises Rich Rod for dumping Milano (the kid that beat the crap out of Steve Kampfer) and Justin Feagin.

His new thing is to constantly bitch about Rosenberg and the Free Press. He goes on and on about how the Freep never bothered talking to "victims" of the Rather Hall fight and only talked to parents. He complains about Rosenberg's "hatchet job" on Rich Rod and the whole extra practice crap. UM's not getting a fair shake in the media, especially Rich Rod, as far as he is concerned. He says this is the general consensus.

The hardcores are circling the wagons. They're getting defensive about the way MSU is covered vs the way UM is covered. The local media is now "out to get them" (my words.)

But when I gently suggest to him this has been the way MSU has been treated for 30+ years, he likes to pin that back on Perles, Ferguson and all the division that has been in the program. He doesn't seem to want to consider that the media made more out of the negatives and less out of the positives.

This is an interesting time to watch UM football (the program, not the games.) You can almost smell the fear and paranoia.

Go State!

Tomorrow's MSU's biggest (football) game of the season. The Spartans take on the hated Wolverines of the University of Michigan. Michigan's off to a great start this season and MSU is...well...off to a not-so-great start. But the winner of this game is not decided by past records or even what has happened so far this season. The game will be won or lost on the field (obviously) tomorrow. Throw out the record books! Throw in every other ridiculous college football cliche that comes to mind.

As bad as State's season has been so far, a victory over Michigan wouldn't shock me at all. MSU's probably not as bad as the record suggests and UM's not as good as its record suggests. Gun to my head, I'd pick the Wolverines to win. But I have a pretty good feeling about this game. I say it's a 55-45 chance UM wins. Why? I don't know. Even people that know alot more about college football than me often get these things wrong.

Go Green! Go White! Go State!

Football's back! But...

I'm having a hard time getting excited about it. Five years ago, I lived for college football, mostly for Michigan State football. I loved spending entire Saturdays -- or as much of those days as I could manage -- watching games from all over the country. The turning point for me came when MSU's coach was John L. Smith and his teams only managed four (4) wins a few seasons in a row. Some might say I jumped off the bandwagon. I never stopped loving MSU football, but when they bottomed out it was a wake-up call for me that there are more important (and entertaining) things in life than college football.

The last few years I've tried to carve out enough time each fall Saturday to watch the Spartans. I make no time for other games, even ones that would be great to watch. Family and other personal time is more fun when it's balanced with a little football, and vice versa.

Yesterday I watched the Spartans trounce lowly Montana State, 44-3, in the season opener in East Lansing. The game, quite frankly, was boring. When there is nothing at stake, it's simply harder to enjoy the game. I don't regret spending 3 hours and $25 to watch the game at a local watering hole, but I don't think I would have been heartbroken to have missed the game, either.

This fall I'm actually more excited about the Beatles remastered CDs than I am football. Surely that will wear off once I actually get my box set from amazon.com. For now, though, hearing that great music remixed and remastered is all I can think about (in terms of entertainment.) It's hard to focus on much else. Next week can't come soon enough.

Go State!

It's impossible not to be excited about my MSU Spartans in the Final Four tomorrow.

The entire town's abuzz. For the first time that I can remember, folks here in the Detroit area have Spartan fever (this is Wolverine country, after all.)

I think State can take down UConn. Will they? I think State has a 50/50 shot at a victory tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to it.

Go State!

The Big Ten Champs

Cheers to the MSU Spartans men's basketball team who won it's first outright Big Ten conference title in a decade.

This is a great Spartan team. Here's to hoping they do some damage in the NCAA tournament.

Izzo and the Spartans continue their domination of the Michigan Wolverines

During so-called "Rivalry Week" on ESPN, Michigan State, once again, beat the lowly Wolverines. UM won the last two games in the series played at Crisler, but couldn't hold off the Spartans tonight.

Here are some blurbs from the Freep Press's article about the game

The Spartans have won 16 of (the last) 19 in the series.

Michigan had won its last two home games against Michigan State, but led the latest matchup just twice in the opening minutes.

* * *

Michigan State is 7-0 in true road games, joining Connecticut, Louisville and Utah State as the only undefeated Division I teams on opponents’ home courts.

The Wolverines have lost seven of their last nine and might’ve been tired against Michigan State, playing their third game in just six days.

I love it! UM's built-in excuse for being awful tonight was that they were "tired." Perhaps it's just that they are a mediocre, at best, team playing the team that should win the Big 10 this year and which is sitting at no. 9 in the national polls.

This never gets old. I hope the Wolverines are lousy for decades to come.

Is there a football game today?

OK, I'll come clean. I know today is Super Bowl Sunday. I have to admit that if I hadn't stumbled across CNN or MSNBC the last few days, I wouldn't know who was playing in it.

I love college football. Most of my football watching is limited to following the Michigan State Spartans. I no longer have the time or desire to spend 15 hours every fall Saturday watching the other games. I have even less inclination to follow the NFL. In fact, I dislike pro football. To me, it's boring.

The Super Bowl is an event. The game is secondary. I'm neither interested in the game or the event. Lots of folks love to have Super Bowl parties at their homes, at bars, private clubs, etc. But I don't need a football game as an excuse to sit in front of the TV and overeat. I could do that on my own if I wanted.

I've been to many Super Bowl parties but I just find them...boring. I might be the only male in America that couldn't care less about this game. I guess I care enough about it to tell y'all why I don't care for it.

I won't check the score. I won't turn on the game. I won't try to find out who won. I probably won't even have on the news. I'll probably find out the game outcome while I'm standing in line at the local deli and a TV is blaring the news of the week.

For the rest of you, I hope you have fun. I know this is a big day. For me, though, I think I'm going to be reading or writing.

Thank you Spartan seniors

Congratulations on a 9-4 season.

Thank you for representing very well the Michigan State University, its football program and the entire Spartan nation.

Best of luck to you in the future.

Congratulations to the Georgia Bulldogs

The better won the Capital One Bowl today. Hats off to you and your fans.

Go Spartans! Beat the Dawgs!

The Michigan State University Spartans take on the the University of Georgia Bulldogs in the Capital One Bowl, Orlando, Florida, on New Year's Day.

I love my Spartans. I don't expect them to win, though. I'd say MSU's shot at winning is 25 to 30%. The Bulldogs, I think, are a more talented team (despite their 9-3 record which matches MSU's) and they are playing what is virtually a home game.

If MSU wins it will be because the defense plays perfectly, Ringer runs for over 100 yards, and Spartan receivers hang onto the damned ball. The receivers need to make Brian Hoyer's job a bit easier or it will be a sad day in Orlando for them.

Either way, I'm looking forward to the game. I'm proud of the Spartans. Go Green! Go White! Go State!

Little brother knocked big brother out cold

It took a half dozen years to do it, but the Michigan State Spartans finally beat the (once) mighty Michigan Wolverines. It took 18 years to do that at Michigan Stadium. The score: MSU 35, UM 21.

The score wasn't even that close. Michigan got a free touchdown from the replay official. There is no doubt that the controversial pylon play was not a TD and Jim Delany, Big Ten Commish and UM grad, said as much. MSU also missed 3 field goal opportunities.

Javon Ringer hung 194 yards on your pourous defense and scored 2 TDs. A former walk-on receiver, Blair White, had 4 catches for 143 yards, including a 61 yard TD. A former walk-on...

MSU didn't get any help from clock operators or uncalled penalties. This game was a drubbing, an old-fashioned ass-whoopin'.

Wolverines fans have already tried to downplay their loss, claiming MSU was lucky to catch UM in a "rebuilding year." I won't even waste my time highlighting all the raw talent on UM's team. Lets just say that if coaches around the country could take entire rosters and had to chose between UM's and MSU's, they'd probably pick UM's.

The "it's a rebuilding year" excuse is lame. It's loser talk. MSU has been perpetually "rebuilding" since Duffy Daugherty last walked the sidelines. In fact, they've been rebuilding my entire life! If we need to discount victories during the opponent's "rebuilding years," UM's last 31 victories over MSU have to be tossed out the window.

I couldn't be more happy for the Spartans. Wolverines, your program is terrible this year. Don't look for sympathy from me. Since your favorite son, Mike Hart, made his "little brother" comments about MSU last year, your team is 3 and 8. Mark Dantonio tried to warn you: pride comes before the fall.

Take heart: you'll be back. If MSU takes care of business, maybe this will remain a competitive rivalry.

Michigan State University: THE university of Michigan

It's rivalry week. MSU vs. UM. Trot out all the cliches: backyard brawl; civil war; brother against brother. Blah blah blah.

The Spartans roll into Michigan Stadium favored by 5.5 after both teams were completely blown off the field last Saturday. MSU is still in Big Ten title contention, though they have to get lucky to share the title this year. MSU needs one more win in the next five games to guarantee a bowl trip. A win Saturday keeps their hopes alive for a New Year's Day bowl.

UM, for the first time in my lifetime, is playing just to get to .500. If they win the rest of their games -- which isn't going to happen -- they can go 7-5. The Wolverines are not used to be in that position. With a conference title completely out of the question and a bowl berth not very likely, UM can play spoiler to the Spartans. A win Saturday earns them a bit of respectability...at least temporarily.

As bad as Michigan is this year, I think they could shock the Spartans. MSU hasn't beaten UM since 2001 and hasn't won in Ann Arbor since 1990. I don't put much stock in history. Different coaches. Different players. Different circumstances. Mentally, though, the Spartans have to forget that the last time an MSU team beat UM on the road, most of these Spartans were in diapers.

State should and probably will win this game. The Spartans want this one badly. Mark Dantonio hates UM and emphasizes this game as maybe the most important single game on the schedule. The kids should be ready to play. The Wolverines are a lousy team this year -- I say that not as a put down or insult but as a statement of fact. This is MSU's opportunity to beat a team that has been better than them almost every year in the last 40 years (with some notable but few exceptions.)

My pick: MSU 31, UM 24.

Go Green! Go White! Beat the Wolverines!

Not yet ready for the big time

The Ohio State Buckeyes blew the Michigan State Spartans off the field today. Sadly, this game was over before the end of the first quarter. MSU was maybe the better team in the 3rd quarter, but they were too far in a hole by then.

MSU's future looks bright. But today's game was supposed to be their opportunity to show that the future is now. A win would have probably meant that the Spartans would have a special season. Now we have to wonder whether they can return to form and find ways to win the remaining games.

The Spartans take on the hated Wolverines next Saturday. Michigan is a talented team that is playing lousy football and which has some mental problems. It's a game State should win. But will the embarrassing loss to OSU linger? MSU hasn't beaten Michigan since 2001 and hasn't won at the big hole in the ground (Michigan Stadium) since 1990. Can they get over that hurdle? Can they break those ugly streaks?

What they do Saturday will show us how much they have improved over last season. Last year was a lot of fun. But if this program wants to develop into a championship-caliber program, 8 wins this season should be the minimal expectation, especially now the Spartans already have 6 wins under their belt. C'mon, boys, beat the Wolverines. Show 'em that Spartans football is back and that today's game was just a bump in the road.

More about the MSU-UM game in the coming days...

Go State!

Beat Michigan!

Spartans! Prepare for glory!

My MSU Spartans take on the Ohio State Buckeyes this Saturday in East Lansing. These two hard-hitting, run-first teams will line up and punch each other in the mouths. MSU coach Mark Dantonio looks to best his former boss and mentor, Jim Tressel. A slew of MSU kids from Ohio -- Javon Ringer, Brian Hoyer, Justin Kershaw, Greg Jones and B.J. Cunningham, to name a few -- no doubt want to prove something against the football power in the home state.

For the first time in years, the 6-1 Spartans look like they actually deserve to be ranked. This will be a tough game, one they aren't expected to win, but the Spartans will play well, maybe even upset the more talented Buckeyes. They certainly have the mental and physical toughness to make OSU pay for every point they get.

I'm pretty excited about this game. After years of horrible football in East Lansing, a lot of credibility has returned. The coaches know what they are doing. The players give maximum effort on every play. They also play pretty smartly.

On paper, Ohio State has more talent, but they've shown some weaknesses over the last few weeks. They are certainly beatable.

If I had to bet straight up, I would take the Spartans in a close upset. The game really could go either way. Win or lose, this is a different Spartans team. I am proud of they way they play and represent the University.

Go State! Michigan State, I mean.