The 2011 Big Ten championship game broke my heart.
I can still picture the official tossing the yellow flag while Keshawn Martin was in the process of returning a Wisconsin punt deep into Badger territory in the waning moments of the game, and knowing with a heavy heart that his long return was not only coming back, but the game was essentially over. I can also picture Russell Wilson, on fourth down, eluding MSU defenders like a matador and throwing a spectacular 36-yard pass to keep the winning Wisconsin drive alive. If MSU had stopped Wilson on that play, the Spartans probably could have sealed the victory. There were many "what-ifs" and "woulda coulda shoulda's" in that game. It took me days to get over the agony of that loss.
I don't want a return of that game. I don't know if my heart can take it. Of course, I've said that on countless occasions, but I always come back for more.
The thing about being a fan is that we always want our team to be successful no matter what. But the more successful ones team becomes, the higher the stakes. Now, MSU compiling an 11-1 record and the Big Ten Legends Division title isn't quite "good enough"--which is completely absurd. I would have been ecstatic if someone had told me, during the dark days of the Bobby Williams/John L. Smith era, that the day would soon come when the MSU football team would record three double-digit win seasons in four years and go to seven straight bowl games.
But it's just not enough. Gotta win that outright Big Ten title. But I have to keep in mind that, regardless the outcome of tonight's game, it's been a great season. This beats the hell out of the misery we Spartan fans have had to endure for far too many seasons.
I know I'm biased, but I see this game as a battle between what is right about college football versus what is wrong with the game. I don't like Urban Meyer, as I've already mentioned in this blog. He seems just a little shady and at least somewhat ethically challenged, not to mention arrogant. I see a Michigan State victory as proof that a team can win with players that were overlooked as high school recruits. Proof that hard work and a team concept (MSU) can overcome an athletic budget equal to the GNP of some small nations and a team loaded with 4 and 5 star players (OSU).
And then there are the Ohio State fans. I'm sure there are some out there who are intelligent and reasonable, but I have yet to encounter many of them. Most seem completely maniacal and almost comically arrogant with little to no knowledge of any school or team beyond their beloved Buckeyes.
So let me conclude this post by imploring the football gods to smile down upon the Spartans tonight. How much longer must be suffer? Isn't 26 years long enough to wait for an outright Big Ten title and a Rose Bowl berth? Can you please throw us a bone? Thank you in advance...and as always, Go Green!
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Gearing up the Big Ten championship game
If this was boxing, Michigan State would be Joe Frazier. The battler, the scrapper, the fighter who, despite being a bit undersized, never ever quit and made his opponents earn everything they attained. Frazier didn't win every fight, but if you fought against him, you damned well felt every punch.
In this boxing analogy, Ohio State is Muhammad Ali. Glamorous, sexy, seemingly effortless.
As is generally the case in almost any big athletic contest it enters, Michigan State is the underdog. The Spartans enter the game with a chip on its shoulder. MSU is a defensive team, and defense is decidedly unglamorous.
I have no idea who will win tonight, but MSU definitely has a shot. Play within themselves, don't get too caught up in the emotion of the moment, play the same aggressive, relentless defense that got them there. The same defense we saw against Michigan. I don't expect the Spartans to dominate Ohio State's offense the same way they did Michigan's, but the key to victory may be to simply limit the Buckeyes' scoring chances in the red zone. On the other side of the ball, Connor Cook needs to remain the same steady performer he has been for the last 3/4 of the season, and don't be surprised one bit if Coach D throws in a few trick plays.
And don't forget special teams. Great special teams play has been a hallmark of the Dantonio era, and this year is no exception. Mike Sadler is the best punter in the Big Ten, and it's obvious why Michael Geiger was the most highly recruited placekicker last year. In a close game, the final could very well be decided by special teams play.
There is still a part of me that isn't sure what to expect from Ohio State. Are they a team that has been playing with one arm tied behind the back all year? Have they put in just enough effort to win their games, but are saving their very best for this game? Could we be in for a repeat of the 2011 Capital One Bowl against Alabama? I highly doubt it, but it's in the back of my mind. I'd prefer to compare this to the MSU basketball team's 1999 Elite Eight game against Kentucky. It was, to that point, Tom Izzo's biggest game as coach, and the MSU basketball team was on the ascent and trying to make a name for itself. Most of the national pundits predicted a Kentucky win and gave MSU little chance, but the Spartans shocked everyone by decisively beating the Wildcats, though the game got off to a rocky start with MSU falling behind early 17-4. Still, it was a signature win and established MSU basketball as a program to be reckoned with on the national stage.
Speaking as a fan, I have come to despise Ohio State almost as much as Michigan--(although Michigan has been such a Keystone Kops operation in recent years, I've come to pity them more than hate them). It's really the Urban Meyer factor, the guy comes across as so incredibly smug and arrogant. I have never really had that much of a problem with OSU in the past, but I'd love nothing more than to stop that 24-game winning streak and deflate Meyer's enormous ego just a tiny bit.
This is probably the biggest football game Michigan State has played since 1966. A victory would be huge for the program and for the national perception of MSU football. As usual, I'm trying not to get overly jacked for the game, but realistically I know that no matter what the outcome of the game, I'll probably be up until about 4:00 in the morning. That's just how I operate when it comes to MSU sports.
Win or lose, I'll be back later to either celebrate or commiserate. And, as always, Go Green!
In this boxing analogy, Ohio State is Muhammad Ali. Glamorous, sexy, seemingly effortless.
As is generally the case in almost any big athletic contest it enters, Michigan State is the underdog. The Spartans enter the game with a chip on its shoulder. MSU is a defensive team, and defense is decidedly unglamorous.
I have no idea who will win tonight, but MSU definitely has a shot. Play within themselves, don't get too caught up in the emotion of the moment, play the same aggressive, relentless defense that got them there. The same defense we saw against Michigan. I don't expect the Spartans to dominate Ohio State's offense the same way they did Michigan's, but the key to victory may be to simply limit the Buckeyes' scoring chances in the red zone. On the other side of the ball, Connor Cook needs to remain the same steady performer he has been for the last 3/4 of the season, and don't be surprised one bit if Coach D throws in a few trick plays.
And don't forget special teams. Great special teams play has been a hallmark of the Dantonio era, and this year is no exception. Mike Sadler is the best punter in the Big Ten, and it's obvious why Michael Geiger was the most highly recruited placekicker last year. In a close game, the final could very well be decided by special teams play.
There is still a part of me that isn't sure what to expect from Ohio State. Are they a team that has been playing with one arm tied behind the back all year? Have they put in just enough effort to win their games, but are saving their very best for this game? Could we be in for a repeat of the 2011 Capital One Bowl against Alabama? I highly doubt it, but it's in the back of my mind. I'd prefer to compare this to the MSU basketball team's 1999 Elite Eight game against Kentucky. It was, to that point, Tom Izzo's biggest game as coach, and the MSU basketball team was on the ascent and trying to make a name for itself. Most of the national pundits predicted a Kentucky win and gave MSU little chance, but the Spartans shocked everyone by decisively beating the Wildcats, though the game got off to a rocky start with MSU falling behind early 17-4. Still, it was a signature win and established MSU basketball as a program to be reckoned with on the national stage.
Speaking as a fan, I have come to despise Ohio State almost as much as Michigan--(although Michigan has been such a Keystone Kops operation in recent years, I've come to pity them more than hate them). It's really the Urban Meyer factor, the guy comes across as so incredibly smug and arrogant. I have never really had that much of a problem with OSU in the past, but I'd love nothing more than to stop that 24-game winning streak and deflate Meyer's enormous ego just a tiny bit.
This is probably the biggest football game Michigan State has played since 1966. A victory would be huge for the program and for the national perception of MSU football. As usual, I'm trying not to get overly jacked for the game, but realistically I know that no matter what the outcome of the game, I'll probably be up until about 4:00 in the morning. That's just how I operate when it comes to MSU sports.
Win or lose, I'll be back later to either celebrate or commiserate. And, as always, Go Green!
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Another ugly loss to the Heels; and bring on the Bucks
I'm back home after a long 12-day vacation. Believe it or not, it's good to be back in slate gray, soggy Michigan.
***
Uptight, uninspired, sloppy, soft. All of these adjectives are appropriate descriptions for the MSU basketball team's 79-65 loss last night to North Carolina.
It was a game that reminded me a little bit of the 2003 blowout loss against Duke at Breslin (which coincidentally took place ten years and one day prior to last night's game): The Spartans finally get a big name, blue blood opponent into East Lansing and completely wet the bed. It was not a good night to be a Spartan.
For whatever reason, Michigan State is snake bit against North Carolina. It's amazing to think that Tom Izzo is 0-7 against Roy Williams. At this point, MSU's perpetual struggles against the Heels seem psychological. Something about the mere sight of those baby blue uniforms causes the Spartans to freeze up and play horribly.
I'm still in a football mood though, and I hope that this Saturday's Big Ten championship game has a better result than last night's horror show at Breslin Center. Nothing would give me more pleasure than for the MSU football team to wipe the smirk off Urban Meyer's pompous face.
I watched the Big Ten Network's replay of the Michigan/Ohio State game, and couldn't get over how terrible Ohio State's defense looked. Now, that's not saying the Buckeyes will play the same "matador defense" against Michigan State, but I don't see OSU suddenly transforming into the 1970s Pittsburgh Steel Curtain in a week's time, so the Spartans should be able to move the ball and score points on Ohio State. If MSU can find a way to contain OSU's offense, particularly Carlos Hyde, who is perhaps slightly more dangerous than Braxton Miller, then victory is certainly attainable. Containing that Buckeye offense will be MSU's biggest test of the season. It's really a matter of "picking your poison" when discussing Hyde or Miller. Both players are dynamic offensive play makers.
Ohio State is the final stop in the "Payback is a Bitch Tour 2013." Time to make the Bucknuts pay for the game they stole in East Lansing last year. I have no doubt the Spartans will, as the cliche goes, "leave it all on the field" Saturday. As long as Jim Delany and his black robed Big Ten minions don't send a decree to the officials to "assist" Ohio State in the game, I like the Spartans' chances.
As far as the conspiracy theories regarding this championship game, I'm happy that this has already been addressed by the media. (Kudos to Drew Sharp, by the way, for bringing this up at the MSU press conference this week. As you all know, I'm not a big Drew fan, but he deserves props for addressing this issue). This places the spotlight squarely on the officiating crew. Any questionable call will be magnified, so the officials should go to great pains to call the game as fairly as possible...or so it would seem.
***
Where would a win over Ohio State rank in the pantheon of great Michigan State football victories? It's a question I've been mulling over in my head the last few days. Considering the stakes in this game, and the national prestige and high ranking of the Buckeyes, a win in the Big Ten championship would have to rank in at least the top three MSU football wins of my lifetime.
***
Uptight, uninspired, sloppy, soft. All of these adjectives are appropriate descriptions for the MSU basketball team's 79-65 loss last night to North Carolina.
It was a game that reminded me a little bit of the 2003 blowout loss against Duke at Breslin (which coincidentally took place ten years and one day prior to last night's game): The Spartans finally get a big name, blue blood opponent into East Lansing and completely wet the bed. It was not a good night to be a Spartan.
For whatever reason, Michigan State is snake bit against North Carolina. It's amazing to think that Tom Izzo is 0-7 against Roy Williams. At this point, MSU's perpetual struggles against the Heels seem psychological. Something about the mere sight of those baby blue uniforms causes the Spartans to freeze up and play horribly.
I'm still in a football mood though, and I hope that this Saturday's Big Ten championship game has a better result than last night's horror show at Breslin Center. Nothing would give me more pleasure than for the MSU football team to wipe the smirk off Urban Meyer's pompous face.
I watched the Big Ten Network's replay of the Michigan/Ohio State game, and couldn't get over how terrible Ohio State's defense looked. Now, that's not saying the Buckeyes will play the same "matador defense" against Michigan State, but I don't see OSU suddenly transforming into the 1970s Pittsburgh Steel Curtain in a week's time, so the Spartans should be able to move the ball and score points on Ohio State. If MSU can find a way to contain OSU's offense, particularly Carlos Hyde, who is perhaps slightly more dangerous than Braxton Miller, then victory is certainly attainable. Containing that Buckeye offense will be MSU's biggest test of the season. It's really a matter of "picking your poison" when discussing Hyde or Miller. Both players are dynamic offensive play makers.
Ohio State is the final stop in the "Payback is a Bitch Tour 2013." Time to make the Bucknuts pay for the game they stole in East Lansing last year. I have no doubt the Spartans will, as the cliche goes, "leave it all on the field" Saturday. As long as Jim Delany and his black robed Big Ten minions don't send a decree to the officials to "assist" Ohio State in the game, I like the Spartans' chances.
As far as the conspiracy theories regarding this championship game, I'm happy that this has already been addressed by the media. (Kudos to Drew Sharp, by the way, for bringing this up at the MSU press conference this week. As you all know, I'm not a big Drew fan, but he deserves props for addressing this issue). This places the spotlight squarely on the officiating crew. Any questionable call will be magnified, so the officials should go to great pains to call the game as fairly as possible...or so it would seem.
***
Where would a win over Ohio State rank in the pantheon of great Michigan State football victories? It's a question I've been mulling over in my head the last few days. Considering the stakes in this game, and the national prestige and high ranking of the Buckeyes, a win in the Big Ten championship would have to rank in at least the top three MSU football wins of my lifetime.
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