Happy New Year

This is an experiment: I am posting from my Droid Razr. On the final day of 2012, I am finally technologically advanced enough to be able to do this.
Full disclosure: I only saw about one minute of today's Minnesota basketball game. I was trying to get the house ready for company tonight and knew full well the game would be a distraction, so I periodically checked the score on my Droid. (No, Motorola is NOT paying me for product placement, but they should).
As I posted elsewhere, there's no reason to freak out about this MSU liss to Minnesota. The Gophers are a good team and beating them in the old barn on New Years Eve was a tall order for any team. Road wins will be especially hard to come by in the Big Ten this season, just ask Indiana who barely beat Iowa this afternoon.
I won't let the hoops loss get me down. I plan on having some adult beverages tonight among friends and enjoying the new year. I hope all of you do the same...and BE SAFE.

A perfectly fitting, but perfectly happy end to the football season (Michigan State 17, TCU 16)

It was at various turns ugly, comical, inept, inspired, exciting, and electrifying. In short, last night's Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl was like the entire MSU football season in microcosm. But unlike most of the Spartans' regular season, the bowl game ended happily.

I have to admit I wasn't too terribly excited about last night's bowl. But in that, I don't think my feelings were unlike those of most MSU fans. Still, by the time 10:15 rolled around last night, I was ready for some MSU football. It felt good to see those guys I hadn't seen since the last weekend of November.

Of course, I was about to change my mind by halftime. The first half of the BWW Bowl was, to be charitable, not MSU football's finest hour. However, I decided not to bail on the team. I don't know exactly why. Maybe it was because I thought there was no possible way the Spartans could play worse than they had in the first two quarters. As it turned out, I was correct.

It was refreshing to finally see the breaks go MSU's way, as they did in the second half. None was bigger than TCU's muffed punt that gave the Spartans the ball at the Horned Frogs' five-yard line, with the Spartans scoring a touchdown two plays later and seizing the momentum. MSU's defense completely shut down TCU's offense and TCU's defense received a big dose of Le'Veon Bell (who most likely played his final game in an MSU uniform).

The bad Spartan fan in me, conditioned by the bad fortune the football team endured all season, kept expecting that somehow TCU would manage to win and deliver another heartbreaking blow to the Spartans. But that never happened. MSU made the plays and caught the breaks. Dan Conroy made arguably the best kick of his career to give the Spartans the 17-16 lead, and the defense stopped TCU in the final minute of the game. Victory for MSU.

Perhaps the most intriguing development of the evening was the benching of Andrew Maxwell in favor of Connor Cook. Cook, though he wasn't perfect, brought a definite spark and swagger to MSU's offense and made some big passes in the Spartans' final drive for the game-winning field goal. The 2013 quarterback competition will be interesting.

At 2:00 AM last night, I was a happy guy. Don't tell me that the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl wasn't important, because I was about as excited as I've been following an MSU victory of any kind. After what this team has been through, they deserved last night's win. Despite the ugliness of the win, and MSU's performance through most of it, I am optimistic (albeit guardedly optimistic) about the 2013 team.

Spartans beat the Longhorns, and a football recap

I meant to get to this yesterday, but 'tis the season for other activities besides blogging about sports.

The Spartans played significantly better in the second half of yesterday's game, as I expected they would, and beat Texas, 67-56. Derrick Nix had a career day.

Heading into the Big Ten season, Michigan and Indiana are clearly playing better than anyone in the conference, but who knows what will happen once these twelve teams start beating up on each other.

The Spartans are playing tough, Tom Izzo defense, which may make up for the team's eyesore of an offense.  The key to their success offensively may be how well Nix and Payne play in the paint, as well as Branden Dawson. Perimeter shooting looks like it will be inconsistent, unless Gary Harris continues to gain confidence throughout the season and can gain a consistent shot.  But good defense can go a long way, and that could carry this team. Realistically, I don't see the Spartans winning the Big Ten this year, but I certainly won't count them out.

***

I never got around to a football recap.

I know the season isn't over yet, with the Spartans soon heading to Arizona to play in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, but by then the college basketball season will be about to get into full swing, and I may not want to write about football.

The Spartans' season was a disappointment, there is no denying.  I didn't make any predictions before the season started because, honestly, I had no idea what to expect. However, I thought 8-4 or 9-3 were realistic  expectations: a step back from 2010 and 2011, but not too far of a drop off.  I didn't expect 6-6. When you get right down to it, this is still Michigan State football. The program has not yet reached the point where it can simply reload each season and one can automatically pencil in at least 8 or 9 wins.

Despite the 6-6 season, MSU really had a pretty darned good team this year. It wasn't one of those 6-6 records of past MSU seasons in which at least a few of the losses were blowouts.  The Spartans lost five Big Ten games by a combined 13 points. The only game MSU lost by more than four points was the non-conference game against Notre Dame. The final score of that particular contest was 20-3, but the outcome swung on a few phenomenal offensive plays by Everett Golson. The game was closer than the final score indicates and, by the way, the Fighting Irish went undefeated this season and are playing for the national championship.

Still, great teams make the one or two plays necessary to seize victory from the jaws of defeat, and too often this season MSU was unable to make those plays. They were a competitive .500 team, and that's about it.

Along the way, the Spartans had a few quality wins. In retrospect, MSU's opening day win over Boise State may be the best one. The Broncos only lost one more game the rest of the season en route to an 11-2 record and a Maaco Bowl win over Washington. MSU's other impressive win was the improbable overtime road nailbiter over Big Ten Rose Bowl representative Wisconsin. Granted, the Badgers lost their starting quarterback in that game, but the Spartans thoroughly shut down Montee Ball and James White. The Badgers came into that game having won 22 straight home games until the Spartans beat them.

The Spartans' defense was absolutely great this season, but the team's downfall was without a doubt offense and special teams. Though Andrew Maxwell did an adequate job at quarterback, Kirk Cousins may go down as one of the top two or three quarterbacks to ever play at Michigan State.

We (fans and the media) thoroughly underestimated how difficult it would be to replace Keshawn Martin, B.J. Cunningham, Keith Nichol and Edwin Baker. MSU has produced so many outstanding receivers over the years, I took it for granted that this year's crop would just step in and not miss a beat. That didn't happen.

Keshawn Martin has athleticism and kick return capabilities that were sorely missed on this year's team. (MSU always seemed to get very little from kick returns this season and often started possessions with poor field position). B.J. Cunningham and Keith Nichol had sure hands and always seem to make big catches when they were needed the most. Keith Nichol was also an exceptionally good blocker. Edwin Baker, despite his fumbling problems, had speed on the edges that Le'Veon Bell simply doesn't have. Baker was sorely missed in short yardage situations.

Le'Veon Bell had a great year at running back, but unfortunately nobody else stepped up as a viable second back. I expected either Larry Caper or Nick Hill to complement Bell, but that never happened.

The inexperienced receivers got off to a rocky start, but improved throughout the year. Bennie Fowler and Keith Mumphery each finished the season with 41 catches. Aaron Burbridge and Tony Lippett both had good seasons too, and Dion Sims was excellent at tight end. Sims may be in the NFL next season, but Fowler, Mumphery, Burbridge, and Lippett will all be back, so the receiver position should have a lot of depth in 2013. I just hope that DeAnthony Arnett can get things straightened out on and off the field, and that if Sims doesn't return, the Spartans have viable alternatives at tight end.

Dan Conroy also was not quite as good in 2012 as he had been in 2011. He was perfect on PATs for the second consecutive season, but only 22 of 31 on field goal attempts compared to 18 for 24 in 2011.

Basically, MSU's defense was just as good if not better in 2012 than 2011, but offense and special teams took a big step back.  It added up to a disappointing 6-6 record, but a win over TCU in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl would end the season on a bright note and give some hope for 2013.

MSU/Texas halftime observations

MSU's lack of perimeter shooting has me troubled, as has their consistent inability to handle the rock. However, Derrick Nix is having a great game, and that is good. The Spartans just need better play from everyone else.

All year I've heard about how Texas basketball was bad this year. Well, I watched a good deal of their game against North Carolina and the Longhorns demolished the Heels. That game was not close. From what  I can tell so far, Texas is good and should only continue to improve throughout the remainder of the season.

It's only halftime, and few coaches are better at making halftime adjustments than Tom Izzo. If MSU can continue to play good defense, which is their calling card this year, and make some shots, perhaps they can pull this game out.

The Courtship of Jabari Parker

Today's the day.

The day when a 17 year-old basketball player from Simeon High School in Chicago finally announces where he intends on playing his college ball.

I don't generally follow recruiting that closely, but this one has been unavoidable. The wooing of this youngster really places the spotlight on how crazy recruiting has become, and the incredible and costly lengths that coaches will go to in order to sign a prospect.

Within the last week, Tom Izzo has flown to Texas and Chicago to be near Jabari Parker, taking time away from his team to remind this kid, "We really want you and are extremely interested in you." Mike Krzyzewski has done essentially the same. How much money does this cost Michigan State and Duke, and all for a player who may not even sign for either school?  It's madness, but what else is new? College sports in general has become madness. Yet I, and many others, continue to support it with enthusiasm, further encouraging the "arms race" between competing colleges and universities.

Stay tuned. At 4:00 or so when Jabari Parker makes his announcement. Only one school and fanbase will be happy, while several others will be sad, having spent many hours, days, and money only to come up empty-handed.

Having written all of that, I will be absolutely elated if Jabari Parker chooses MSU.

Postscript: Jabari Parker chose Duke, and has had an outstanding freshman season for the Blue Devils. Cue "sad face."

The Jenison Field House game

Michigan State defeated Tuskegee University on Saturday night. It was the first MSU basketball game at Jenison Field House since the Spartans' 1989 NIT appearance.

I did not attend the game, but watched it on television. It was so much fun seeing Jenison on TV again, and almost brought back memories of watching the Spartans in the days of Magic, Special K, Jay Vincent, Kevin Willis, and Scott Skiles. If only MSU could have replicated that funky old tartan court from the '70s and early '80s, (As a kid, I remember feeling embarrassed by that floor and wished MSU could have a "normal" wood floor. They did eventually end up getting rid of the tartan floor and replacing it with wood sometime in the mid-'80s).

MSU played a lackluster and sloppy first half against Tuskegee, but improved greatly in the second half and won by 36 points. I read many upset and angry posts on the Red Cedar Message Board during the first half, but as usual the complaining was completely over the top.

Nothing can really be taken from this game. It was played in the unfamiliar (for the current players) surroundings of Jenison, in front of a fairly subdued crowd that was nothing like the raucous Jenison crowds of old, against an energetic but thoroughly outmatched opponent. MSU was in a difficult position: you don't want to invite Tuskegee to participate in this game and then completely blow them out, at the same time anything short of a blow out looks to many as a sloppy struggle.

The next few games for MSU, against Bowling Green on the road and Texas at Breslin, will tell a lot more about the Spartan basketball team.

Catching up before I fall asleep

It's extremely early on a Saturday morning and I really should go to bed. However, the house is quiet and I'm getting to do what I rarely have a chance to do when I'm at home: get on a computer and write.

On a day when there has been a tragic mass shooting in the United States, it hardly seems appropriate to talk about sports, but I finished writing about that (and the political kookiness in Michigan) on my other blog, brainsplotch. (Shameless plug)

The MSU alumni basketball game was tonight, but I didn't go. I saw on the MSU Spartans athletic site that the "home" team, led by the Flintstones, defeated the "away" team, which had Steve Smith on its roster. The score was 125-119. (Clearly not much defense played in the game, but that's not very surprising).

I'm looking forward to watching tomorrow's (or should I say "today's") game against Tuskegee at Jenison Fieldhouse. I won't be there in person, but I plan on watching the game on ESPNU. It'll be fun to see Jenison on television again.

I feel at this point that I'm too tired and uninspired to continue with this post, so I'm gonna sign off for now. I will try and get back on here and write about some of the recent events in the Big Ten, college sports, and the Spartans.

Fifth Annual Treasures from the Spartan Attic Big Ten Football Awards

For the fifth year in a row, I give out my much coveted Big Ten football awards.  Unfortunately, I don't currently have time to elaborate on my choices, but will do so later.

Most Valuable Player: Montee Ball, Wisconsin

Best Quarterback: Braxton Miller, Ohio State

Best Running Back: Montee Ball, Wisconsin

Best Wide Receiver: Allen Robinson, Penn State

Best Kicker: Jeff Budzien, Northwestern

Best Defensive Lineman: John Simon, Ohio State

Best Linebacker: Max Bullough, Michigan State

Best Defensive Back: Micah Hyde, Iowa

Best Punter: Will Hagerup, Michigan

Coach of the Year: Bill O'Brien, Penn State

Going bowling! (Michigan State 26, Minnesota 10)...and my week in Spartan sports

It sure wasn't pretty, which seeing as how this MSU football season has gone, was completely appropriate--but the Spartans wore down Minnesota 26-10 and clinched a sixth straight bowl appearance.

As far as the good goes in this game, Le'Veon Bell had a tremendous day (35 carries, 266 yards, 1 touchdown) in what could very well be his final regular season game as a Spartan.

The bad has to be Andrew Maxwell. I hate throwing a collegiate athlete under the proverbial bus, but Maxwell seems to have regressed as the season has worn on. I don't know if it's poor coaching or Maxwell simply not improving. His two interceptions were terrible and he continues to overthrow receivers. The quarterback position should be wide open in the spring and summer, and I'd like to see incoming freshman Damion Terry get a serious look. (And that, my friends, is my two-bit analysis).

Now, I've read some comments from MSU fans basically stating, "What is there to be excited about? Why do we accept mediocrity?" Nobody is accepting mediocrity, and I doubt anyone is excited about a trip to the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, but a sixth straight bowl trip is important for this program. It demonstrates a level of consistency under Dantonio that has not existed in many, many years. Not even George Perles was able to lead MSU to six straight bowl appearances (however, in fairness to George, it was a bit more difficult to become bowl-eligible in the eighties and early nineties). So count me as one of the "sunshine blowers" who is happy to see the Spartans going to a bowl game.

***

I went to two MSU basketball games this week. On Tuesday, my wife was the lucky recipient of four tickets  to the Boise State game. (Her employer is a sponsor of Spartan athletics and receives comp tickets). The seats certainly aren't prime, but it is always fun to attend a game at Breslin.  As it turned out, Boise State (and the officials) offered a stiff challenge for the Spartans. In what was undoubtedly the most surreal game I have ever attended at Breslin, I worried at one point that the arena would break out into a full riot when Derrick Nix was called for a questionable elbowing foul and an irate Tom Izzo received a technical foul. It got downright ugly at Breslin. The Izzone was getting into it with a few Boise State fans behind the Broncos' bench, and police got into the middle of the verbal sparring match. Thankfully, the arena calmed down, the Spartans regained control of the game and escaped with a 74-70 win.

I was looking forward to watching freshman phenom Gary Harris play in person, but he was knocked out of the game when he ran into a moving screen and separated his shoulder. After spending much of Tuesday night and Wednesday morning filled with anxiety over Harris' fate, I (and every other MSU basketball fan) was relieved to learn he will only be out two to three weeks.

On Friday night, I attended the MSU/Oakland game with my sister-in-law's husband, who has season tickets. It was another nip-and-tuck battle against a fairly solid opponent, but the Spartans pulled away in the final four minutes or so and won 70-52. With Travis Trice and Gary Harris out, the guard position has been seriously depleted and that has undoubtedly hurt the Spartans, but perhaps in the long run it'll make them a better team.

Keith Appling had some absolutely "wow!" inspiring drives to the basket. He is an exceptional talent and takes over the game when the Spartans need him the most. Denzel Valentine, though he occasionally makes freshman mistakes, is a great passer and looks like someone who will develop into a dependable scorer. Adreian Payne had one of his very best games. Brandan Kearney. Russell Byrd, and Branden Dawson had some trouble hanging onto the basketball. That really could be said for the entire team: there were far too many turnovers in the game. I suspect some of that may be because two of MSU's best ballhandlers, Trice and Harris, are out of commission.

The Big...Thirteen?...no, Fourteen?

I am completely underwhelmed by the addition of Maryland and soon-to-be-added Rutgers.  Let's call it what it is, NCAA economics at its most cynical. It's a clear attempt to tap into the East Coast television market and not much more.

I don't like the direction college athletics is taking, but there is nothing I can do about it.

My afternoon at Spartan Stadium: (Northwestern 23, Michigan State 20)

First the good news about yesterday's excursion to MSU and the Spartan football game: The weather was perfect for a mid-November Saturday: Sunny, temperatures in the low fifties. Our seats, purchased weeks ago through StubHub, were pretty darned good for the ridiculously low price I paid for them. We were in Section 3, Row 32 on the east side of the north end zone.

We had a pleasant walk from the northwest corner of campus, past Kellogg Center, over the foot bridge crossing the Red Cedar, and cutting through the gauntlet of tailgaters crowding Jenison Fieldhouse on the south side of the walkway and the athletic fields on the north side. As we approached the north side of Spartan Stadium, the Spartan Marching Band was just approaching the tunnel. Our timing was perfect. I took this snapshot with my phone camera:

The Spartan Marching Band's consistent excellence is the one thing that can be counted on even when the football team is mediocre or bad...and this year's team is definitely mediocre.

I wonder if the football gods are now cursing us after two consecutive 11-win seasons.

I really didn't get too emotionally invested in this game, and never really expected MSU to beat Northwestern. However, the Spartans once again had plenty of opportunities to make the crucial plays necessary to win, but could not execute. It's the story of the season.

A few observations from the game:

The turnout was better than I expected. It was a late arriving crowd, as many of them were no doubt enjoying the sunny and warm for November weather, but by the midway point of the first quarter, I estimate a crowd hovering around 70,000. The fans were also into the game and behaved well, reserving most of their ire for the for some questionable officiating [doesn't that sound familiar?] at various points in the game.

I haven't been one of those fans demanding the firing of Dan Roushar, but I had to question MSU's 4th and goal playcall in the first quarter. It was the play immediately after Le'Veon Bell's run to the goal line where it appeared to everyone, except the officiating crew, that Bell had scored a touchdown. On the very next play, Bell ran again and was caught in the backfield. Neither Northwestern nor the 70,000 or so fans were fooled by the play. A play action pass or naked bootleg may have worked--but that's being a Monday morning quarterback.

I still can't believe MSU was winless in Big Ten home games this season.

DeAnthony Arnett made one great catch in the game, then disappeared for the rest of the day. His season has been just one mystery for what has proven to be a baffling year for MSU football.

Heading off to Spartan Stadium in a few minutes for the final home game of the season. I hope we can send off the seniors on a bright note.

Bye week, basketball, hockey, soccer, and the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum

There was no Spartan football this past Saturday, and that was just as well because the MSU football team could probably use a weekend off. I hope they can regroup after that horribly painful Nebraska loss, get healthy physically and mentally, and take out all their frustration on Northwestern this coming Saturday. For what it's worth, I will be at this Saturday's final home game against the Wildcats. It's the second consecutive Senior Day in which I will have my butt parked in Spartan Stadium. I bought the tickets way back in September (from StubHub) not knowing what was in store for this game. I had no idea at the time that the Spartans would enter this game simply trying to get a sixth victory and bowl eligibility.

In other Spartan news, basketball season started on Friday, November 10 at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany. Unfortunately, the MSU basketball team lost to UConn, sending the Spartans' "gimmick game" record to winless. Listen, I agree that scheduling these unique games is great for MSU's national profile, but at some point it sure would be nifty to actually win one. Thankfully, the Spartans more than made up for this loss by beating Kansas on Tuesday night in what was an outstanding team performance. Gary Harris looks like the best MSU freshman hoopster since Jason Richardson (at least in this blogger's humble opinion) and Keith Appling made some brilliant plays in crunch time. After feeling really down about the team on Friday evening, I know am greatly encouraged after the Kansas game. Thus is the up-and-down roller coaster life of a sports fan.

In this past non-football weekend, the MSU hockey team split with Michigan (losing on Friday but pounding the Wolvies 7-2 on Saturday) and the Spartan soccer team defeated Michigan 2-1 on Sunday to capture the Big Ten soccer tournament. Clearly, as you have no doubt gathered from this blog, I'm primarily a football and basketball fan (though I have been to a handful of games at Munn Ice Arena and usually watch the MSU icers when they are on TV), but I always enjoy it when MSU wins in any sport.

This brings me to the non-sports segment of our program. On Sunday, my wife and I took our two boys to the brand-new Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum on MSU's campus. The museum had its open house that day. Like many other Lansing-area residents, I was a bit dubious of the building as it was being constructed. The architecture brought to mind the image of a dented sardine can. However, as the building neared completion, my opinion softened. By the time the museum approached its grand-opening, I was actually excited. For a museum dedicated to contemporary art, the architectural style made perfect sense, and I suppose I simply got used to seeing it alongside Grand River Avenue. It's odd metallic appearance was no longer quite so jarring.

As we walked towards the museum on Sunday, I felt myself becoming emotional--but emotional in a good way. I have seen many changes to MSU's campus in the last few decades, most of them positive. However, I never thought I'd see a modern, cutting-edge cultural addition like this. I was suddenly struck by how far Michigan State University has advanced since I was a student in the late 1980s, and now we have this wonderful museum that may attract art patrons from around the globe.

Entering the museum and looking at the art pieces and installations, many of which were highly conceptual and challenging, I pondered the juxtaposition of this avant garde art and sleepy Midwestern East Lansing. Old EL, though it is not by any means a hick town, may have to play a little catch-up to meet some of the demands of the hip art patrons who may be invading the city. I suppose time will tell.

It's NEVER easy being Green (Nebraska 28, Michigan State 24)

One would think that after being a Spartan fan for 35+ years, I'd be used to gut-wrenching losses, but I gotta tell you they never get easier, and in the pantheon of brutally painful losses, this one against Nebraska was a doozy.

A few posts ago, I wrote that all the emotion had essentially been beaten out of me throughout this season--well, as you probably could guess, that was not entirely true. I was up and down an emotional roller coaster throughout this game and was left speechless by the result--so ins short, I had plenty of emotion to give in this game.

Before I start going off on the officials for the absolutely horrendous pass interference call that gave Nebraska first-and-goal and, for all intents and purposes, the win--let me say that there was plenty of terrible officiating that went both ways.  Michigan State also had plenty of opportunities to ice the game, but were never able to make THE big play to accomplish that goal. That's been the story of this football season.

There were so many opportunities for the Spartans to put the final nail in the Huskers' coffin: the inability to pick up a first down on the final possession (just like in the Michigan game), the Johnny Adams penalty on the shoulda coulda been touchdown interception. (If you ask me, that play was the turning point in the game. MSU would have had all the momentum and a 17-point lead if that touchdown counts. Instead, the ball ends up on the MSU 10(ish) yard line and the Spartans only keep the ball for less than a couple minutes. Just a KILLER turnaround.

(I have gone back and viewed Johnny Adams' alleged penalty and it is, at best, a questionable call. More than the phantom pass interference, this call was the one that was the turning point in the game).

To tell you the truth, after that interception touchdown was called back, I had a sense of impending doom. Rip me all you want, but it probably comes with the territory of being a Spartan football fan. The game felt like the 2009 Iowa game: a game in which the Spartans, for the most part, played a very good game but just could not make THE DEFINING play to seal the deal. All throughout that '09 Iowa game, I had a feeling that it would not end well, and I had the same feeling today.

Well, enough about this for now. Maybe I'll write more about this later. All I really know at this point is that Obama better win on Tuesday or this will be one brutal Fall.

Can the Spartans finally beat Nebraska?

Michigan State has never beaten Nebraska in football. In fact, the Spartans have never come within two touchdowns of beating the Huskers. In the teams' six previous contests dating all the way back to 1914, MSU has been outscored 205-37, Even if the 1995 and 1996 humiliations are removed (50-10 and 55-14 losses at the hands of some great Tom Osborne-coached teams) the Spartans have been outscored 100-13. The Harlem Globetrotters and Washington Generals have a closer all-time head-to-head record than MSU and Nebraska. (Okay, that is a bit of an overstatement--but at least the Washington Generals have one win over the Globetrotters).

Now that I've established how one-sided this series has been, isn't it finally time for MSU to get a win? This streak can't last forever, and the Spartans will want to make amends for one of their worst performances of the 2011 season, a 24-3 loss to Nebraska in Lincoln.

I hope that the Nebraska fans don't invade Spartan Stadium en masse. I hope that MSU's defense can continue what they did last week against Wisconsin's run game and shut down the Huskers' high-powered offense. But most importantly, I hope that MSU's offense can expand upon the good things it did last week down the stretch against Wisconsin--at least do enough to outscore Nebraska. I'd be happy with a 10-7 or 14-13 type of win.

(I am watching the Michigan/Minnesota game while writing this and Michigan's offense looked absolutely woeful in its first possession of the game. Devin Gardner is playing in place of Denard Robinson and all I have to say is "ouch, not pretty.").

I will not make any predictions regarding the MSU/Nebraska game, since my predictions are never accurate, but I will of course be rooting mightily for a Spartan win.

MSU/Wisconsin replay on Big Ten Network

I'm taking a break from the Detroit Tigers game and watching the Big Ten Network's replay of the MSU/Wisconsin game.

Something I forgot to mention in my previous post is that the Spartans' wide receivers have quietly improved, with Keith Mumphery and Tony Lippett in particular having some huge catches in the game-tying drive.

William Gholston had a good game and what a great hit on Montee Ball in the first play of overtime. Wisconsin's offense became anemic when Stave left the game.

Great catch by Bennie Fowler to win the game. After the rough year he has had, he deserved it.

Now I am enjoying watching the befuddled look on Bret Bielema's face after the Spartans won the game in overtime, similar to the look he had after the Rocket game last year. Also amusing are the shocked and dazed looks on the Wisconsin fans' faces.

Now I have switched back to the Tiger game to see that Buster "Peach Fuzz" Posey hit a home run to give the Giants a 3-2 lead. I need to remember the warm feeling of the MSU game to ward off possible depression from the Tigers woeful World Series performance.

Spartan stunner (Michigan State 16, Wisconsin 13)

It's about time the stars aligned in Michigan State's favor, and they did yesterday in Madison. It was an unexpected victory, and an ugly victory (have there been any other kind victories for MSU this season?), but a great victory all the same. It just may have been a season-salvaging victory.

After a litany of three-and-outs, the Spartans saved their best offensive drive of the season for when it mattered the most. it was a masterful 12 play, 75 yard touchdown drive that began with 6:06 left in the game and lasted 4:58. The Spartans tied the game and then won in overtime.

What's particularly mind-boggling about this game-tying possession is how inept the Spartans had been on their previous five possessions of the first half, in which they ran a grand total of 17 plays for 56 yards.  But maybe, just maybe, finally making big plays to win a game is the confidence builder this team needs going forward as they face Nebraska, Northwestern, and Minnesota to close the regular season.

Once again, the Spartans' defense was outstanding. They held Wisconsin to only 190 total yards and a minuscule 19 yards rushing. It's a safe bet that MSU's defense will keep them in ever game throughout the rest of the season.

***

Well, if I seemed like a downer in my last post, I apologize. I really didn't see this coming, but what a pleasant surprise.  After what the MSU football team has been through, they deserved it. I thought MSU could keep it a close game, as they have kept every game close this season, but I thought winning in Madison might be asking too much. I was trying to be a realist, not a pessimist. Who, besides perhaps the MSU players themselves, saw the defense dominating Wisconsin in this manner? What MSU fan predicted the offense finally doing just enough to get a victory in a hostile environment in which the Badgers had won 21 consecutive home games? The answer is probably not many.

***

The leaves are piling up in my yard, so I alternated between raking outside while listening to MSU announcers George Blaha and Jim Miller on the radio, to occasionally coming back inside to watch the game on television. I found that my relatively blase attitude toward the game was helpful, keeping me emotionally balanced through the entire afternoon. I'll have to see if this holds true next Saturday when the Spartans play Nebraska.

For now, I'll enjoy this unexpected MSU win over the Badgers. Outside of Michigan, there are few other teams I enjoy bearing more than Wisconsin.

Spartan football, Halloween, and a little Gladys Knight

Amazingly, I have taken the Michigan loss pretty much in stride. I didn't expect the Spartans to win going into the game, and they played better than I expected. It's really remarkable to think that it took a field goal on the last play of the game for Michigan to escape with a win.  The only down-side is that we as Spartan fans missed the pure enjoyment of watching the entire University of Michigan fan base spin out of control had the Wolverines missed that field goal and lost.  This could have been the most enjoyable week of schadenfreude in Michigan State history. Oh well, so it goes...

Call me a lunatic, but I don't think Michigan State is a bad team. They have been in every game this year and have lost three Big Ten games by a total of six points. The difference between winning and losing is slim, it often simply comes down to one or two plays. Unfortunately, MSU hasn't been able to execute the one or two plays that separate the winning team from the losing team. These were the plays that MSU  made in 2010 and 2011.

If I were to pinpoint the biggest disappointment for me thus far, beside the won-lost record, it's the lack of a go-to running back besides Le'Veon Bell. Bell is durable, tough, and dependable, but he doesn't have much speed. I thought that Nick Hill or Larry Caper could provide a little speed as well as a dependable complement to Bell, but that hasn't happened. Larry Caper has disappeared and I don't know know why, and Nick Hill hasn't brought much to the table this year.

***

Halloween is a nightmare for the Spartans.

In games played either on or less than a week before Halloween, Michigan State is 0-3 the last three seasons, and has lost five of the last six. I don't know if there is any significance to this statistic--probably not--but I find it interesting. Last year, I remember going out to a Halloween-themed store to look for a costume while MSU was playing like zombies against Nebraska. The year before, the Spartans went out to Iowa and I watched the final few minutes of a blowout loss to the Hawkeyes before heading out to a Halloween party.  In 2009, the Spartans lost a close game to Minnesota on Halloween night, when it appeared that the Gophers benefited from some home-cooking by the zebras.  One has to go back to 2008 for the last time MSU won a game the weekend before Halloween. The Spartans defeated Michigan, 35-21.

Unfortunately, the Spartans have to play in front of 80,000 plus red-clad Badger crazies in Madison, so realistically I don't see this trend changing today. (UPDATE: Wow, was I wrong!).

***

Between MSU's bummer of a football season and close losses to the likes of Notre Dame, Ohio State, Iowa, and Michigan; the Detroit Tigers' recent losses to San Francisco in the World Series; and the Detroit Lions' thus far lousy season, I feel emotionally spent this autumn. As a sports fan, I finally feel rather numb to defeat and I don't think I will be bothered by anything else bad, sports-wise, that happens the remainder of 2012. As Gladys Knight once sang, "You hurt me for the last time/Got no tears left to cry."

Michigan 12, Michigan State 10

As the old expression goes, all good things must come to an end.

I have been spending more than a reasonable amount of time reading the posts on the Red Cedar Message Board, and as could be predicted most everyone on there is at DefCon 1.  Fire Roushar! Bench Maxwell! We suck!...blah, blah, blah.

I know that it's asking too much for "reason" from rabid MSU fans after a last-second loss to our bitter rival, but some of these RCMB threads are borderline insane.

I'm shocked at the level of contempt for Andrew Maxwell. He does need to improve his accuracy in long-range passing, but he's not the primary problem for MSU. A decimated offensive line and a lack of play makers on offense have really hurt the Spartans.

For the fourth year in a row, MSU's defense did a great job in containing Denard Robinson. MSU's defense did everything conceivable in giving the Spartans a chance to win the game, but the offense once again could not pick up the slack.

I don't know where MSU goes from here. The team now has three Big Ten losses by a combined six points. The Rose Bowl is out, as is a BCS bowl game.  At this point, MSU will have to fight and scratch to get into any bowl game.  I don't know what the psyche of the team will be, and the coaching staff faces one of its biggest challenges in keeping these guys' spirits up.

Halftime: Michigan 6, Michigan State 0

After much deliberation, I decided to bite the bullet, take my medicine, and watch the game in real time.  So far, unfortunately, it is playing out about the way I thought.

MSU's defense has done about as well as could be imagined containing Denard. The problem is, the Spartans just can't get anything going on offense. That pretty much sums of the season.

The missed field goal by Conroy hurt. For whatever reason, he is not having the seasons he had in 2010 and 2011, but I suppose the same could be said about other players on MSU's team.

If MSU can get anything going on offense in the second half, they have a shot. I'm worried that if the offense continues to struggle, the defense will get tired and we could be looking at Michigan taking advantage of a fatigued defense and scoring some cheap touchdown(s) late in the game.

Well, I am trying to remain positive. It certainly doesn't help that MSU's offensive line continues to suffer casualties. The Red Cedar Message Board reports that Dan France is out with a concussion. (Yes, I know that message boards can't always be trusted with correct information). Pretty soon, Dantonio will be having open tryouts for the O-line!

Catch you after the game, and GO STATE!

Iowa 19, Michigan State 16...and Michigan is up next

I've been putting off writing this post, I will admit. But I didn't intend on putting it off until the morning of the Michigan game.

I was out of town last weekend, so I didn't see much of the Iowa game. I listened to the second half on the car radio and watched the end of the fourth quarter and the double overtime in a brew pub, surrounded by people indifferent to the game so I was one of the only lunatics who seemed to care what happened.

I'm still trying to figure out how the Spartans lost. It makes no sense to me.

It's an understatement to say I was disappointed after the game. As I often do (and need to STOP doing), I posted a few "sky is falling" posts on Facebook, going so far as to preemptively congratulate the Wolverines on their win over State. I was rightfully called to the carpet by my fellow Spartans.

Now it's the Michigan game. What happened last week doesn't matter anymore. As the cliche goes in rivalry games, you can throw out the records (not that Michigan's record is that much more impressive than MSU's). However, it looks like MSU's back is really against the wall in this game. The Spartans have struggled to score points, and they are facing a good Michigan defense in a game that looks to be stacked in the Wolverines' favor. The game is in Ann Arbor, it's Denard Robinson's senior season and his last shot to beat MSU, and there is no way Michigan wants MSU to extend it's winning streak in this rivalry to five games. Then again, all the pressure is really on Michigan. They HAVE to win this game. Maybe that will allow the Spartans to play looser.

This is a game in which MSU has to whatever it takes to win: pull out trick plays, play with controlled fury, do anything in their power to make Denard's day a living hell, force some turnovers, play well on special teams, and find ways to score points. All of the obvious stuff.

The Old Brass Spittoon (barely) stays in East Lansing: Michigan State 31, Indiana 27

As I watched the nightmare of the first half unfurl in front of my eyes, I had numerous unhappy and verbally explicit thoughts about this year's football team and how utterly unprepared and uninspired they appeared. I felt better when the team performed more to their capabilities in the second half and escaped Bloomington with a win. Many fewer expletives were uttered in the general direction of my television.

I still don't know quite what to make of this team, but I can't help but assume the rest of the year will be a struggle.

The woes really seem to begin with the offensive line. It needs to either get healthier or somehow improve with the players currently starting. Le'Veon Bell seems to earn every rushing yard himself with little help from the O-line, and there were times I worried for Andrew Maxwell's health and well-being--and this is against INDIANA, with the worst defense in the Western world.

The defense looked ridiculously unprepared for IU's hurry-up, no huddle offense in the first half, but did improve considerably in the second half (or maybe the Hoosiers ran out of gas, who knows?).

The Spartans should be able to sneak by Iowa next week on Homecoming, but after that it looks dicey at best. I have to admit that I think this could be the year MSU's four-game winning streak over Michigan comes to a halt. (The Wolvies were impressive against Purdue, then again who knows how good the Boilermakers really are). Then there is the gauntlet of Wisconsin on the road and Nebraska at home. Perhaps if the offensive line improves, Aaron Burbridge continues to emerge as a legitimate receiving threat, while the rest of the receiving corps improves, the Spartans have a shot at winning two or maybe three of the next four games. But those are a lot of "ifs".

If Dion Sims is out for any length of time, that will add another giant "if" on the already large "if" pile.

This season looks like an inevitable step back from 2010 and 2011. Best case scenario looks like an 8-4 finish and a half-way decent bowl game.

Our hated rival the Indiana Hoosiers

Bragging rights are up for grabs today as storied rivals Indiana and Michigan State do battle for the Old Brass Spittoon. (Tongue firmly in cheek).

The only game I attended last year was the final home game, when the Spartans dismantled the Hoosiers 55-3. I worry that today's game could be closer, despite Indiana's wretched defense.

There are only a few MSU/Indiana football games that stand out in my memory. My freshman year at MSU in '86, the Hoosiers upset the Spartans in what was a litany of close and extremely disappointing losses for that year's team. The following season, the Spartans clinched the Big Ten title and a trip to the Rose Bowl by defeating Indiana 27-3.

One of the biggest regrets of my college career (if not my life) is that I didn't purchase 1987 season tickets. I went to only two games in '87 and they were the two worst home games of the season (a 31-3 loss to Florida State, where the only consolation is that I can say I saw Deion Sanders play football as a collegian--and a 14-14 tie with Illinois in a chilly Homecoming drizzle. Both of these tickets I purchased from fellow students who for whatever reason where unable to use them). That year's Indiana game saw both the Spartans and Hoosiers amazingly playing for the conference title, and Lorenzo White famously ran the ball 56 times for 292 yards in leading MSU to the win.  I watched the game in someone's room at Shaw Hall.  As soon as the game was over, I walked directly to Spartan Stadium, entered the stadium through the tunnel (which was amazingly open, perhaps as a safety valve for the flood of revelers who had poured onto the field). I walked onto the artificial turf and joined in with the delirious MSU fans. By then, the celebrants were beginning to disperse, and the ones remaining weren't quite sure what to do with themselves, and were probably pondering which local drinking establishment to relocate their revelry. The most vivid memory I have from that evening is how squishy the artificial turf felt under my feet. I wasn't expecting that.

This year's Indiana game has very little at stake. The Hoosiers are simply trying to win a Big Ten game, which is something they have not done in a few years, and the Spartans want to get their once promising season back on track. I fear that the combination of Indiana's Homecoming, their desperation to get a win, and MSU's probable depression after the OSU loss could equal a bad Saturday for the Spartans, but that may simply be my usual "glass-is-half-empty" outlook on MSU football.

Ohio State 17, Michigan State 16

The weather was beautiful, the atmosphere was electric at Spartan Stadium, but the result was not what I wanted. More later...

***

Update (Saturday, October 6, 2012): Not surprisingly, I never got back to this post in a timely manner. As I wrote, the weather could not have been more beautiful last Saturday. The sun was out and temperatures hovered in the mid-60's.

Michigan State did enough to beat Ohio State, with the defense creating three turnovers, but once again the offense can't sustain any drives. Ironically, the real killer was a defensive miscue when Johnny Adams was beaten on a 63-yard touchdown pass from Braxton Miller to Devin Smith. It occurred in the third quarter when MSU had its only lead of the game, 13-10. If the defense had been able to force the Buckeyes to punt, perhaps the Spartans could have maintained their momentum.

I have the sneaking suspicion that this is just going to be "one of those years."

Below is a picture I took from the game. I think this was in the fourth quarter on a drive in which Ohio State had to settle for a field goal.

 

Braxton Miller in the shotgun (Mark Neese photo)

Ohio State

Quite unexpectedly, I have become the beneficiary of a ticket to today's Ohio State game. Many thanks to my sister-in-law and her husband for thinking of me when this ticket became available, and for my mother-in-law agreeing to watch my sons. (My wife is, as I write this, en route to San Antonio for a business conference).

For the record, this will be the third time I will have seen the Ohio State football team in person at Spartan Stadium. The first time was 1988, when George Perles' Spartans beat the Buckeyes 20-10 in John Cooper's first year as head coach. The second time came in 2004, as I witnessed Ted Ginn, Jr. go crazy and almost single-handedly beat the Spartans 32-19. (Ginn had a 17-yard touchdown run, a 60-yard punt return for a touchdown, and topped off his day with a 58-yard touchdown reception). Amazingly, the Spartans overcame a 17-0 deficit to take a 19-17 lead with 5:59 left in the game, but this was the dark days of the John L. era, and the Spartans promptly played dead through the remainder of the game).

I have a lot of preparation to do before heading out to the game, so I need to wrap this up. I expect to give a full report later.

Go Green!

Michigan State 23, Eastern Michigan 7...and thoughts about the (Not so) Big Ten

As a lifelong Michigan State football fan, there is that sense of impending doom that often materializes sometime near the first 1/3rd of the season. It's a feeling that all of ones high hopes for the season are about to come crashing down to earth. Thankfully, this has rarely happened in the Mark Dantonio era--with '09 being the only year that comes to mind--but it has occurred many, many other years under the regimes of Darryl Rogers, Muddy Waters, George Perles, Nick Saban (yes, even Saban), Bobby Williams, and (shudder) John L. Smith. I fear that it could be about to happen this year.

I watched the MSU/EMU game at my brother's house in Owosso. He and his wife were having a house-warming party. I thought that by the time we arrived at his house at 4:30, the game would be a complete Spartan blowout and I could ignore the game and spend more time socializing. I certainly did not expect a life-and-death struggle with the lowly Eagles. I sat with my dad on the couch, drinking a Leinenkugel and imploring someone, anyone, to catch a damned pass.

MSU's football team is at a crossroads this season: either the offense will not improve and the team is headed for a 3-5 or 2-6 record in the Big Ten, or the team has bottomed out, Dantonio's fury will make the players catch fire, and the offense will improve just enough to carry the team to a good Big Ten record (6-2 perhaps) in a year in which the conference is terrible.  All I know is that someone besides Dion Sims has to step up as a viable receiving threat, or we could be in for a long season.

The one thing helping MSU is that the Big Ten is god-awful. Let's take a look at the teams:

The undefeateds...

Minnesota 4-0 with no wins that really stand out as impressive. I'm sorry, but a triple overtime win over 1-3 UNLV doesn't blow me away, nor does a 17-10 home win over 1-3 Syracuse. Jerry Kill does have the program headed in the right direction, but I am not sold on them quite yet.

Northwestern The Wildcats are also 4-0, and at least deserve credit for beating three teams from BCS conferences, although Syracuse, Vanderbilt, and Boston College are hardly powerhouses.

Ohio State Probably the best of the unbeatens, with a stout defense and a playmaking quarterback in Braxton Miller. However, they were uimpressive in their win over UAB, but the Buckeyes often seem to sleepwalk against weak non-conference opponents. I'm still not quite sure what to make of OSU.

The undisputed bad teams...

Let's start off with Iowa. The Hawkeyes are horrible: losing to a middling MAC school at home is inexcusable (just ask Michigan State). Illinois is also bad, getting shellacked by Louisiana Tech at home. Indiana barely beat Indiana State and lost to Ball State. Add the Hoosiers to the list of lousy Big Ten teams.

The jury is still deliberating on these teams...

Michigan State might have the best defense in the conference, but the offense is struggling mightily. The Ohio State game is a pivotal for the Spartans. As I've stated over and over on this blog (and it's no secret to anyone who follows MSU) the Spartans must find one or two more players who can actually catch a ball consistently.

Denard Robinson was horrible against Notre Dame, but Michigan's defense played well and the Wolverines only lost by a touchdown. Michigan has a bye week before starting the Big Ten season on the road against Purdue. That is a game that will tell us a lot more about both teams.

Of the three Big Ten teams that played Notre Dame, Purdue was the closest to actually winning. The Boilermakers may be the best team in the conference, which is akin to being the world's tallest dwarf. (No offense intended towards dwarfs).

After an awful start to the season, Penn State is actually presenting a pulse. The Nittany Lions may still end up in the "undisputed bad teams" category, but after two consecutive wins I will give them the benefit of a doubt.

For all the offensive woes that MSU has experienced this season, Wisconsin's are even worse: The Badgers are currently ranked 113th among all FBS teams in passing yardage, 88th in rushing, and 102nd in points scored. (MSU's ranks in those three categories are 61, 55, and 104--as a whole, slightly better than Wisconsin). Danny O'Brien hasn't come close to adequately replacing Russell Wilson, and Montee Ball's struggles are mystifying. The Badgers may still end up in the ranks of the terrible.

The Badgers' first Big Ten game is against Nebraska, a team that has played well, with the exception of a road loss to UCLA. Nebraska could end up as Big Ten champion.

All told, an inauspicious start for the Big Ten. But it was probably inevitable. The best football players in the nation are in the South and West. The Midwest has been losing its population and economic clout for four decades, and football--the most expensive of sports--has declined here also.  The Big Ten as a second-tier football conference may be the new reality.

Eastern Michigan

The Eastern Michigan Eagles are coming to town and I have a feeling they are in for a whipping from an angry Michigan State team. This is probably the worst possible scenario for EMU to play MSU, as I'm sure the Spartans will be in a foul mood after last week's Notre Dame debacle.

On the subject of Eastern Michigan, it's remarkable that they even still have a football program. EMU has not won a MAC title since 1987, and that is the only MAC championship in the 40 years that Eastern has been in the conference. The average attendance for home football games is less than 10,000 per contest. EMU, in order to help pay the bills, depends on big paydays from games like tomorrow's probable drubbing at Spartan Stadium.

I have a graduate degree from EMU, so I have some perspective on the culture in Ypsilanti, or at least as it existed between 2000-2004, when I attended school there. When I was a student, I never noticed any buzz or enthusiasm towards EMU sports, even when the game was against an intrastate rival like Central or Western. Of course, this may have something to with the fact that (surprise, surprise) EMU sports teams were terrible, and I was spending the majority of my time with graduate students who were not interested in sports.

The biggest strike that EMU has going against it is that the shadow of the University of Michigan looms large over all of Washtenaw County. Unlike fellow Mid-American Conference brethren Central Michigan and Western Michigan, Eastern is only eight miles away from an enormous university with twice the student body of EMU--and this is not just any enormous university, but one with just about the most storied and famous athletic programs in the nation. There's really no way EMU can compete against that, and not only can they not compete, they can barely keep themselves afloat.

But EMU also has themselves to blame. I trace it back to 1968 when Eastern decided to demolish its football stadium, located on the southwest corner of the main campus at the corner of Oakwood and Washtenaw. By this point, EMU was transitioning into primarily a commuter school and desperately needed parking, so Briggs Field was sacrificed to make way for a commuter lot. Briggs Field's replacement, Rynearson Stadium, was built several miles west of the main campus making it difficult for students to get to games and killing any excitement on the main campus on football Saturdays.

Eastern didn't help itself by getting rid of the Hurons nickname. I know this brings up the whole issue of political correctness--and in general, I'm not a big fan of Native American nicknames, but eliminating "Hurons" in favor of the bland and boring "Eagles" alienated many EMU alumni.

Ron English is the new coach at EMU, and has injected some signs of life in the program, but it's hard to imagine EMU's football program ever becoming a consistent winner or a draw for fans. There just seem to be too many inherent disadvantages in Ypsi for this to be possible.

When your offense is "offensive": Notre Dame 20, Michigan State 3

I'm writing this immediately after the MSU/ND game, and I'll just write it as I see it, but try not to be too emotional or hysterical. It's one game, and things can improve...at least I hope.

First of all, the important parts. Tonight's drink of choice was Pinot Evil pinot noir. Finished up the last bit remaining in the bottle: one glass in the first half and a refill in the second half. As it turned out, I probably should have just guzzled an entire bottle of wine to make me pass out in order to avoid the ugliness I witnessed on the field.

This offense has GOT to improve. It can't get much worse that it was tonight...or can it? I am willing to give credit to Notre Dame's front seven, but for cryin' out loud can anyone on MSU's team besides Dion Sims catch a pass consistently? And why does Andrew Maxwell feel the need to throw every pass like its a Justin Verlander fastball? You need to put a little more touch on those throws, Andrew (says the blogger whose highest level of football achievement was intramural "Air Force" football--where said blogger was decidedly the most mediocre participant on the field).

Michigan State was not helped by the consistently bad field position they had--and here is where the loss of Keshawn Martin was really and truly felt. Nick Hill was not able to return anything tonight. At least part of the credit has to go the Notre Dame's punting, but something tells me Keshawn could have returned at least one or two of those punts for a significant gain.

The Spartans also had a few chances to change the game's momentum, with both Max Bullough and Chris Norman almost intercepting Everett Golson. Speaking of Golson, he is a talented young quarterback. Paticularly impressive is his ability to throw on the run. He's elusive with a great arm, and he did not make any mistakes in the game.

MSU's defense played quite well, but looked gassed in the fourth quarter. They were on the field too long and it showed on the deciding drive of the game when ND took it from their own 4 yard line, into Spartan territory, and booted a field goal to make the score 17-3.

I believe I made it through the entire game without hurling any F-bombs, which is good for me. Then again, my kids were in the same room with me, so I was on my best behavior for the most part. But honestly, the game was such a snooze that it was hard to get overly angry. Frustrated, but not angry.

I have to stop making predictions on MSU games. I'm always wrong, and that's because I go with my heart and not my head.  But even I couldn't have predicted such a terrible offensive showing.

If Notre Dame doesn't crush Michigan next week, I will not be happy. This Irish defense should be capable of making Denard Robinson's life most unpleasant.

Thus begins a week when I will attempt to avoid most sports talk radio, as well as the hand-wringing, complaining, and name-calling on the Red Cedar Message Board (the main MSU sports-related message board on the world wide web, for those not in the know).

I sure hope this Notre Dame defense is the best MSU will face all year, because if it's not, we could be in for a disappointing year.

I can't help but wonder how far MSU will fall in the polls after this one. #17 or so? I'm disappointed that MSU laid such an egg on national television (ABC and not just ESPN) with the Goodyear Blimp overhead and the national championship trophy on the sideline. It's just further proof that life is never easy for MSU fans.

Watching the Notre Dame game right now...

...and of course I am disappointed. Were we all just whistling in the graveyard with this MSU offense? The offensive line has been owned, Maxwell has no touch on his passes, and MSU has nobody who seems to be able to consistently catch a pass besides Dion Sims.

Then again, this could end up being the best defense the Spartans have faced all year. I am very impressed with the Irish's front seven. Still, I can't help but think that Cousins, Martin, Cunningham, and company would have been able to muster more than 3 points.

(By the way, I've turned the volume down on Musburger and Herbie. I can't take them anymore).

Well, Maxwell just threw a long incompletion and that's all she wrote for the Spartans. Kelly doing the classy thing and taking it on a knee. I tell ya, if ND doesn't just crush Michigan next Saturday, I will not be happy. Notre Dame's defense looks very good.

This Spartan team looks like some of George Perles' teams that had really good defenses but offenses that couldn't get out of their own way. I'm thinking of the 1988 team, in particular for some reason. Seems to me the offense that year started off very slow (and the team had that 0-4-1 start) but improved in the second half of the season. Someone tell me if I'm remembering this wrong.

It's all over. Notre Dame ran out the clock and won 20-3. 

Notre Dame, my two-bit analysis, and other stuff

The Spartans play Notre Dame tomorrow, and I'll be darned if I know what to expect from either team.

It seems likely that MSU's defense will show up to play, and probably play well. But the X-factor is Notre Dame's offense. Cierre Wood, from what I've heard, will be back in ND's backfield. How effective will he be? Will he be rusty after his exile? How much will Theo Riddick play, and will he share time with Wood? Of course, I don't know how effective Notre Dame's running game will be against Michigan State, anyway. It may not matter whether Wood or Riddick play. On the other hand, I may be getting too cocky, and from my experience as a Michigan State fan, that is not good. Best to maintain a degree of humility.

Notre Dame's huge tight end, Tyler Eifert, is another player who concerns me, but aside from him it doesn't look like the Irish have many big play threats at the receiver position.  (Speaking of Notre Dame receivers, is it just me or does it seem like the Irish always have some huge tight end on their team? Through the years, they've had guys like Kyle Rudolph, John Carlson, Anthony Fasano, and many others. Much as Evanston, Illinois must have a factory that produces undersized and shifty quarterbacks, South Bend, Indiana has one that manufactures 6'5" 250 pound hulks that catch footballs and steamroll everything in their wake).

Michigan State's offense is also a question mark. I assume that Andrew Maxwell will continue to improve at quarterback, but will any pass catchers besides Dion Sims step up? I'd love to see DeAnthony Arnett, Bennie Fowler, Keith Mumphery, Macgarrett Kings, or anybody emerge as a playmaking receiver. I'm sure Notre Dame will do everything they can to contain Le'Veon Bell and MSU's running game, so it will be imperative for the Spartans to get something going in the air against ND's untested defensive backfield.

And that is my two-bit, completely unsolicited and non-expert analysis.

 Two nights ago I had a dream that Michigan State beat the Irish, 24-16.  Then again, last night I had a dream that the Spartans lost. Being an optimist, however, I'll stick with my Wednesday night dream and predict that MSU will defeat Notre Dame by that 24-16 score.

***

For me, and most other MSU fans and alumni, the Notre Dame game is the second biggest one on our schedule after the Indiana game and the battle for the Old Brass Spittoon...ha, had you going there, didn't I? All right, with all due respect to the Hoosiers, I think we all know the most important game on MSU's schedule. Anyway, the Notre Dame game is pretty darned big, and with the Spartans dominating in recent years, I suspect it's become more important for the Golden Domers. That being said, with Notre Dame's recent announcement that they are (kinda sorta) joining the ACC in football, it would be a major shame if MSU's rivalry with the Irish ended permanently after next year. You know what, it would be worse than a "major shame"...it would be a travesty. MSU and Notre Dame have a football series that dates back to 1897, Notre Dame was one of the first major football powers to agree to a home-and-home series against Michigan State, and helped MSU (then known as MSC) join the Big Ten. It's a storied rivalry that deserves to be respected and continued in perpetuity.

***

I'll conclude this post with another episode of "Mark tells you a story". This one involves Notre Dame and my first full day on MSU's campus back on September 20, 1986. Looking back on it now, I'm lucky it wasn't my last.

I recall that it was a sunny and pleasant Saturday morning and I decided to take a walk in order to purchase a "Beat Notre Dame" button at the Student Book Store on Grand River Avenue. Heading back towards Shaw Hall from SBS after making my purchase, I was surrounded by the sheer gorgeousness of the campus and was joyous over my new-found freedom as a college student. I was swelled with Spartan Spirit. As I walked south just beyond Beaumont Tower, I spotted a young man in a Notre Dame t-shirt walking towards me. He was strolling alongside, presumably, his girlfriend.  They both appeared to be enjoying the beautiful September morning as much as I was.

Already pumped up with Spartan pride, and acting like an impetuous teenager, I made some smart ass remark as I walked past the Notre Dame fan (I don't remember what, but probably something along the lines of, "We're gonna kick yer ass today!"). The ND fan did not take kindly to my remark, and made a move to challenge me to a fight. His quick-thinking and reasonable girlfriend grabbed his arm and said something like, "Just let it go." He heeded her advice and the two continued on their way.  I, too, resumed my walk and when I returned to Shaw, joked about the incident with some of my floormates--but there was a part of me that was shaking just a little about the silly scuffle I just narrowly avoided with that Fighting Irish fan who was prepared to live up the nickname.

I owe a debt of gratitude to that guy's level-headed girlfriend. Thanks for preventing us two idiots from ruining our Saturday.

As it turned out, the Spartans beat Notre Dame that day, 20-15, with Todd Krumm finishing the day with two big interceptions and Lorenzo White rushing for over 140 yards.

It was an odd, but ultimately happy, first full day on MSU's campus.

A fan in absentia: Michigan State 41, Central Michigan 7

Full disclosure: I missed almost the entire first half of yesterday's MSU/CMU tilt because I went with my wife and eldest son to see The Dark Knight Rises. (It was an adrenaline-charged blast of a movie, but the main thing I took from it is that being a Gotham City police officer is a thankless job).

I didn't make it home until early in the third quarter, at which time the score was 31-0. All of the fireworks had ended by that point, and it was time for the second string. Of what I saw in that third and fourth quarter, not much made an impression other than Macgarrett Kings, the freshman wide receiver. He had two catches and is fast, with shifty moves.

From what I could tell, the Spartans simply took care of business. There was nothing fancy or earth-shattering about the Spartans' performance, though it was good to see the passing game improve, albeit against an inferior opponent.

I admit that I wasn't sure what to think about MSU playing a Mid-American Conference team on the road, but I've come around to believing it was a great event for the State of Michigan, and good public relations for Michigan State. Let's keep money in the state, because with our financial and economic problems, we desperately need it. Michigan State looks good for giving up what would have been a home game to create the biggest sporting event in Mt. Pleasant/CMU history.

Now, time to look forward to a big home night game against Notre Dame. I think it's time for payback after what happened last year. Am I right?

"The Play": Dave Yarema breaks my freshman heart on October 4, 1986

A few posts ago, I mentioned a long-ago football play that tore my insides out and inspired me to write a goofy little college essay entitled, "A Sappy Ode to Spartandom."

These days, it seems that almost everything can be found on YouTube, and sure enough, I was able to find a clip of this heartbreaking play--one that I had not seen since it took place almost 26 years ago, and one that I have since simply referred to as The Play.

Let me set the scene: I was a young, rather innocent, completely excited, and somewhat naive freshman at MSU in the fall of 1986. I was an eighteen-year-old kid who had finally broken out of his humdrum, small town existence in Michigan's thumb region and was enjoying the big wide world of college life and was absolutely thrilled to possess Spartan season football tickets, which had been purchased during that summer of '86, while waiting in anticipation of officially becoming a college student.

I was extremely hopeful about the Spartans' football season, and felt that it was going to be a year culminating in a Big Ten title and Rose Bowl.  Lorenzo White was coming off a tremendous 1985 campaign in which he rushed for a school record 2066 yards and finished fourth in the Heisman voting. Quarterback Dave Yarema was a senior and had two great receiving targets in Mark Ingram and Andre Rison. The Spartans had finished the '85 season with a 7-5 record and there was every reason to believe they would improve on it in 1986. I was convinced that my freshman year at Michigan State would be THE YEAR.

And then the season began...

After losing a close road game against Arizona State, the Spartans beat Notre Dame (on what was my first full day as a student on MSU's campus) and then pulverized Western Michigan. MSU entered its Big Ten opener against the #11 Iowa Hawkeyes looking to get the conference season off to a good start in front of a sellout crowd and national TV audience.

Much of that MSU/Iowa game I had forgotten in the last 26 years, other than the fact that the afternoon was a bit chilly and rainy. I consulted the Michigan State 1987 Football Annual for sportswriter Jack Ebling's description of the events that led to "the play." Ebling wrote, "Without question, MSU controlled play. But midway through the fourth quarter, Iowa and its third-string quarterback ruled the scoreboard. The Hawkeyes had taken advantage of two huge mistakes--a kickoff return fumble by fullback James Moore and a nightmarish nap by free safety Paul Bobbitt--to grab a 24-14 lead. Worst of all, the Spartans had lost guard Doug Rogers, their most valuable offensive lineman, for the year on a punt-return clip and tailback [Lorenzo] White for three games on a botched screen pass. Just when things seemed the bleakest, however, MSU battled back. It scored on a perfect pass from quarterback Dave Yarema to flanker Mark Ingram in the left corner of the north end zone, making it 24-21. And after the defense held, the Spartans were moving again. Yarema was never better, taking the team into scoring position. For an instant it looked as if Ingram would score, but a jersey-stretching stop made it first-and-goal inside the 4 with enough time and timeouts remaining."

I can't help but wonder what that season, and life in general, would have been like if Ingram had managed to break free of that "jersey-stretching" and score the touchdown. We will never know. Instead, Ingram was stopped inside the four, leading to the next play...or, The Play.

I remember that Spartan Stadium was in a frenzy, and I along with everyone else in that stadium was convinced without a shred of doubt that MSU was about to win the game in dramatic fashion. In our fantasies, the final score was Michigan State 28, Iowa 24 and we would all storm the field, rip down the goal posts, and party into the wee hours of Sunday morning. Unfortunately, the football gods had other ideas.

At the time, I thought that the perfect (and only) play was a simple running play, but looking back at it now with the benefit of hindsight, I don't fault head coach George Perles for the play selection. Lorenzo White was out of the game, and the ball was far enough from the end zone that a running play wouldn't have necessarily succeeded in getting the touchdown on that play. The play action roll out pass was a good call, but the execution was lacking.

What is particularly interesting about seeing The Play again is how I mis-remembered it.  I saw it only once--in person, from about 70 yards away in the student section on the southeast corner of the stadium. I had forgotten that Yarema rolled to his right and threw across his body. According to Jack Ebling's account in the 1987 football annual, when Perles called a timeout immediately preceding the play, Yarema was told repeatedly by Perles and his assistants to just throw the ball away if the pass couldn't be completed. Apparently, Yarema forgot those instructions and threw the ball directly in the waiting arms of Ken Sims.

When Yarema threw that interception, the life went out of Spartan Stadium in a way I had never seen before or since. In an instant, the stadium went from a roaring passionate frenzy to a funeral parlor.

I can't help but feel terrible for Yarema all these years later.  He was in such distress on the sideline in the immediate aftermath of Sims' interception. Yarema had a great career for MSU, and held a number of Spartan passing records for several years, but never even sniffed a Big Ten title or a Rose Bowl.  His biggest problem was that despite all the big passing numbers he accumulated, he never seemed capable of making the big play in crunch time.

Andre Rison also was completely despondent on the sideline after the play, with his head hidden in his hands. He at least had the satisfaction of winning the Big Ten title the following year, capped off with a Rose Bowl victory.

I remember sadly filing out of Spartan Stadium amongst the walking dead, and trudging back to East Shaw Hall in a chilly drizzle, already feeling as if the entire season had been flushed down the drain. In a way, it had. MSU played Michigan the following week in Ann Arbor, but it was clear the Spartans had no energy as they were drubbed, 27-6. MSU managed to bounce back from the Michigan loss to record three straight wins and, for a little while, it looked as if the team might actually have a good season after all. Unfortunately, the Spartans suffered two stunning three-point losses in succession, to bottom-feeders Indiana and Northwestern, before closing out the season with a lackluster win over Wisconsin to at least salvage a winning season. MSU finished 6-5, but were shut out of a bowl game. 1986 was NOT the year, as it turned out--and the beginning of the end could arguably be traced back to the Iowa game and The Play.

***

I'm at least happy that finally, 26 years later, I can watch a replay of The Play and instead of feeling particularly sad or angry, I feel nostalgic. It's interesting to hear Brent Musburger doing the play-by-play with Ara Parseghian as the color commentator, since I had no idea who the broadcast team was for that game since I was, of course, AT the game and had no interest in revisiting the game until recently.

"A stunning moment for the Michigan State fans," Musburger says after the interception, and that about summed it up. A few seconds later he says that it has just started to rain (as if the football gods were commenting on MSU's demise). That's just as I remember it--so I suppose my memory isn't as faulty as I originally suspected.

I suppose, now that MSU finally has a coach (Mark Dantonio) leading the football program to success not seen since the '60s, it's easier to view this sad old video clip. Hell, even the natural grass field now looks a thousand times better than that old worn out synthetic turf of the 1980s.

***

That late October afternoon, grey and overcast with a mist of rain in the air, I slowly made my way back to Shaw Hall, maybe feeling slightly older and a little less naive. It had become even more clear to me that being a Michigan State fan would never be easy. I trudged back with my floormate Ron, both of us silent in our mourning. I don't remember anything about what happened when we returned to Shaw: probably shared a quiet dinner in the almost empty cafeteria, and I probably then retired to my room and wallowed in pity while listening to The Queen is Dead. 

The 1986 season would go on to be a disappointment for the Spartan football team and its fans, but little did I know that good times were not too far away.

***

ADDENDUM: Here is a podcast, recorded in September 2008, that I recently found on the Spartan Sports Network. Dave Yarema, who served as an honorary captain for the September 6, 2008 MSU/EMU, discusses the 1986 Iowa game and the nastiness from "fans" that ensued. He sounds like a good man, and I'm happy that he has found peace and contentment after his college football career, and that tumultuous '86 season.

http://www.spartansportsnetwork.com/uploads/showsfiles/67.mp3

Beast mode: Michigan State 17, Boise State 13

The one MSU player who was truly in "Beast Mode" last night was Le'Veon Bell, and when I saw this photo posted on Facebook today, I knew I had to post it on this blog.

It was far from the prettiest game ever played, but it was a win against a quality opponent, and in the end that's all that matters.  Here are some observations of last night's Michigan State victory:

Playing the very first game of the season against a very good opponent like Boise State only magnified the relatively minor flaws and kinks in Michigan State's team. If MSU had opened against a weak team like UAB or Youngstown State, I don't think many would notice these flaws because the Spartans would more than likely roll in a blowout.  The value in starting the season against Boise State is that the areas in which the Spartans need to improve are readily apparent.

The good news is that the mistakes MSU made are fixable, and to a large extent were repaired in the second half of the game.  For example, Andrew Maxwell threw three interceptions, all in the first half.  His decision making and overall play improved drastically in the second half.

The defense was outstanding, and was as good as advertised. Le'Veon Bell made quite a statement in a nationally televised game, and Dion Sims will be a big, bruising target for Andrew Maxwell.

On the subject of Maxwell, I was disappointed to read so many disparaging comments about him on Facebook during the game by Spartan fans. (I must force myself to stop looking at Facebook during MSU football and basketball games, there are too many hysteria-driven comments).  Folks, it was his first game as a starter...and it's not as if he was going up against Eastern Michigan or Kent State. This was Boise State (72-6 record since 2006) under the lights on national television.  That would give anyone a case of stage fright. Overall, I think Maxwell had a good game, and much better in the second half when it mattered the most.

Looking at Maxwell's deficiencies, the good part is that they are all fixable. Some poor performances happen simply because the player in question lacks talent or physical ability. This is definitely not the case with Maxwell. He is mobile, athletic, and has a cannon for an arm. His problems last night were with decision making, which is a common problem with new quarterbacks. Believe it or not, even Kirk Cousins had those problems in his first year as a starter in 2009, and to a lesser extent in 2010.

At this point, I'm a little more concerned about the wide receivers.  But once again, it has to be pointed out that all of these guys were starting for the first time in their careers. Both Bennie Fowler and Tony Lippett can fly, it's just a matter of hanging onto the ball.  Look for MSU to open up the passing game a little bit against Central Michigan to help these guys work the kinks out.

Back to Le'Veon Bell for a moment. The man has the most incredible spin move I have seen since Barry Sanders, and I really don't think that's a stretch.

Well, I'm being forced off the computer now, through forces beyond my control. I may or may not get back to this later (probably not). In any event, it was a solid win for the Spartans last night.

One more day...

Out of curiosity, I took a look to see how this year's low number of returning starters for Boise State football compares to years past for that program. Here is what I found, going back to 2009.

2009...14
2010...21
2011...14
2012...6

I have no idea what this means, other than six returning starters is ridiculously low compared to the three previous seasons, which might lead one to believe that Boise State will have some trouble this season. On the other hand, Chris Petersen has demonstrated that he is one of the premiere head coaches in college football, and I highly doubt that he is crouching in fear because he only has six returning starters. He has had several months to prepare for this and my assumption is the new starters will be well prepared.  I also assume that with the higher profile and success Boise State has had over the last six years or so, the Broncos have had incrementally better recruiting classes and, thus, better athletes.

So as usual, I approach another MSU football season with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. Don't get me wrong, the last two years have been great, and there is definitely reason for optimism--but I've been a Spartan football fan for too long to get cocky or over confident. Quite honestly, the preseason hype and love MSU has been receiving SCARES me a little bit.

More later...

A little catching up to do...

I finally get around to writing in this blog, and I have to fight my way through annoying pop-up ads just to write a post.

Only nine days until MSU's first football game of 2012, and I'm steeling myself for another four-month adventure ride.  With new faces at receiver and a brand-new quarterback, there are some unknowns with this team, and I really don't know what to expect.  Boise State should give the Spartans a good test in the opener, and I would not be shocked if the Broncos stole a victory here.  I don't necessarily expect Boise State to win, but they will arrive in East Lansing with no fear whatsoever.  Heck, look at their track record: since Chris Petersen became coach, Boise State has the obscene record of 73-6. In the last four seasons, the Broncos are 51-2! Sure, they lost some significant contributors from last year's team, including starting QB Kellen Moore, but something tells me they have plenty of guys who are just pining to get on the field. This game will not be easy for Michigan State.

Here's a little potpourri of MSU sports-related topics that I've been mulling over for the last few weeks:

Joe Rexrode, the excellent sportswriter for the Lansing State Journal, has left the LSJ for the Detroit Free Press. I'm not surprised to see this guy's career advance.  He's one of those writers whose skills transcend mere sports writing, and it was only a matter of time before his career advanced beyond Lansing.  I've long appreciated his wit, intelligence, work ethic, and great writing, and he should bring a welcome Green-and-White presence to the Freep.

Speaking of good local sportswriters, Jack Ebling's book Heart of a Spartan is officially out, and I'd love to pick up a copy (and I'm sure I eventually will buy one), but I just can't afford the 50 buck price tag right now. It's just gonna have to wait awhile.

I still haven't been on the MSU campus to see the enormous new Spartan Stadium scoreboards, but I've heard they are impressive. My only concern--and it's a lame, splitting-hairs concern--is that, from photos I've seen, the north end zone scoreboard looks "tacked on" the stadium, with the scoreboard supports resembling scaffolding that was left there and never removed. So my concern is merely cosmetic. I hope that  the scoreboard supports will be fully integrated into the Spartan Stadium architecture. (Go ahead and roll your eyes all you want!).

Some time ago, probably during the 2011 football season, I wrote about how I planned on finding and posting my own, literal, treasures (or perhaps, more accurately, garbage) from my personal "Spartan attic."  Well, a few months ago while going through some old papers, I found just the ticket.  I admit that I am an inveterate packrat, and I have saved notebooks from as far back as my MSU student days in the late '80s and early '90s.  In an English 101 notebook from my freshman year in '86, I found a silly little essay I wrote for my own amusement called "A Sappy Ode to Spartandom", and it was written shortly after the MSU football game lost a heartbreaking game to Iowa--a game I attended. So, here it is...

"A Sappy Ode to Spartandom" (written in October 1986)

I thought we were going to win. I honestly thought we were going to win. State had the ball first and goal at the Iowa 3 and there wasn't any doubt in the minds of anyone in the stadium that we were going to run it up the middle for an easy six and win the game. But did this happen? Of course not. What happens? [Dave] Yarema drops back and throws the ball in the end zone for an interception and we lose.

It's games like the one I just described which test the endurance of long-suffering Michigan State fans like myself. Sometimes I even wonder why I didn't go to a school with a better football team, like that snob school down in Ann Arbor. Luckily, I always come to my senses and remember that Michigan State is the best school in the world. 

Michigan State and Michigan State sports have always been a part of my life, so much so that if anyone ways something bad about either one, I take it as a personal insult. Both of my parents graduated from State, so I can remember watching the Spartans on television or listening to them on the radio all of my life. I can still remember the 1974 Michigan State-Ohio State football game in which the Spartans upset the favored Buckeyes. Levi Jackson ran the ball 83 [sic] yards from scrimmage for the winning touchdown. After the game, I knew where I was going to college.

I love Michigan State. Sure, as a Michigan State fan, I always have to hear about how much better the University of Michigan is. However, I never let these comments bother me. There is no school I'd rather go to, and that includes any Ivy League school or Its Royal Highness, the University of Michigan. Whenever I walk home from Berkey Hall after my English class and see the architecture and ivy on the old buildings and Beaumont Tower rising in its infinite majesty, I start playing the fight song in my mind and thank God that I'm a Spartan forever.

And on that note, I will sign off for now. I'm headed up to the Upper Peninsula for a five-day camping vacation, but will try and post one more time before the Boise State game.

One month until football season (and other thoughts)

It has been a long time since I last wrote in here as I have, for the most part, taken a break from Michigan State sports and college sports in general.  That's not to say I have been living in a cave and have not taken note of the Penn State situation or the Big Ten meetings in Chicago, but I have been spending most of my time enjoying the summer, watching in my son's Pony League baseball team in June (and working with him on his baseball skills), watching (and being frustrated by) the Detroit Tigers, recovering from an unexpected hernia repair surgery in July, and occasionally tuning into the Olympic Games.

So let's play a little catch-up: The NCAA handed down sanctions against Penn State, and by-and-large I agree with them.  What surprised me was the ruling that Penn State vacate all football wins between 1998 and 2011, thereby stripping Paterno of the all-time record in victories. My immediate reaction was that the NCAA was piling on.  But at the same time, I can understand the argument that the cover-up of Sandusky's evil during this period gave Penn State a competitive advantage that it most definitely would NOT have had if the world knew what Sandusky was doing.  What happened at Penn State was "lack of institutional control" at its most egregious, so it's hard to argue that they were hit too heavily by the NCAA.

Michigan is getting a lot of love from the media (like that's something new?).  They are the consensus media pick to win the Big Ten football title this year. Michigan should be good this year, but Big Ten champions? I'm definitely not convinced.  Then again, I'm hardly an unbiased observer.

This morning, Jack Ebling was on Staudt on Sports.  Unfortunately, I did not catch the entire interview because I had was in a doctor's appointment (follow-up checkup to make sure I recovered from my surgery, in case anyone is interested).  I was surprised to hear Ebling on Staudt's show, because I thought that Ebling and Staudt (two of the kingpins and elder statesmen in Lansing-area sports) did not get along.  This notion was based on something Ebling said on the radio a few years ago when he called out a certain local sports commentator, but not by name. At the time, it was obvious to me that his anonymous sports commentator was Tim Staudt.  If Ebling and Staudt had differences in the past, it must be water under the bridge now because both guys seemed to enjoy the interview, and Ebling had some interesting things to say about his career as a journalist, the upcoming Big Ten season (he goes against the grain and picks Purdue to win the Leaders Division), and his soon-to-be released book about MSU football, Heart of a Spartan.  The book is a must-buy, as it sounds outstanding.

As we approach the start of college football, I will try to post more in this blog.  I meant to post more this summer, but obviously that didn't happen. I think I was more burned out than I realized and really needed a few months to recuperate, since it's such hard work being a couch potato sports fan.

Stepping off the roller coaster ride

I suppose after almost a month of not posting in this blog, the dust has settled enough for me to get back to it and tie up some loose ends.

Despite MSU's loss in the Sweet Sixteen, I continued to watch most of the NCAA tournament.  In fact, I watched the two Final Four games from the LaQuinta Inn & Suites at 4414 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd. about halfway between Chapel Hill and Durham (though technically in Durham), while on spring break with my wife and kids.  It seemed to me to be a fitting location to watch the penultimate games of the tournament.

To be quite honest, I'm rather enjoying the respite between the end of basketball season and the start of football season  in September.  Between MSU's dramatic football season and equally dramatic basketball season, I'm worn out and need a break.  From September through March, I felt like I was riding an MSU sports roller coaster, and it feels good to get off temporarily and relieve the dizziness.

I don't know how much I'll be posting between now and football season, but I hope that by the summer I'll have some time to post some of the treasures from my own personal Spartan attic.  I've got a few old musty pieces I've written in the past regarding MSU sports that might be fun to post in this blog. 

In the meantime, I'll be keeping close tabs on the upcoming NFL draft to see where some of our former Spartan players end up.