Catching up with Spartan sports

I haven't been too engaged with MSU sports this winter, certainly not as much as I have in the past. As I wrote in my previous post, events in our country and the world have rendered sports not as important or noteworthy as they once were.

Ironically, this season I have tied my personal record for Michigan State men's basketball games attended in person. I've been to eight games this season, and it would have been nine if my younger son's birthday hadn't been on MSU's senior day. (I decided to stay home and hang out with him). The Spartans have won every game I've attended this year, and my overall "in person" win-loss record is 46-3.

However, when I'm not at Breslin, I haven't been watching Spartan hoops that much. I think I've watched about one or two games on television. I just can't sit still long enough to watch a 2+ hour game on TV.

It's been a bumpy, rocky season. There have been key injuries and a young core of players who've had to learn how to play together, but it looks like maybe they are finally doing that. Miles Bridges has been excellent almost all year, but it's taken Nick Ward, Joshua Langford, and Cassius Winston most of the season to come into their own. After all the ups and downs they've been through, the MSU hoops team remarkably sits at 10-6 in the conference with an outside shot of tying for the regular season title. Who really saw that coming? Before we get too excited, though, the Spartans' final two regular season games are tough road contests against Illinois and Maryland. 10-8 is a real possibility.

The other news on the MSU sports landscape hasn't been as uplifting. The Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal has given Michigan State unwanted publicity, and the football program has a dark cloud hanging over it with a sexual abuse investigation of its own. It seems that ever since getting demolished by Alabama on December 31, 2015, the football program has hit the skids both on and off the field.

Oh, and the hockey program is a complete train wreck.

So the only reasonable bright sides this winter have been men's and women's basketball. But even the women's team has had a scare with Coach Suzy Merchant's health problems.

That's where we stand right now. I'll revisit this blog when March Madness begins.

Sports don't seem very important right now

I've been away from this blog for quite some time. The truth of the matter is I just am not in the mood.

I don't want to get political here, but current events in our nation have made sports not seem particularly important. At least not important enough to write about.

I am not necessarily putting this blog in mothballs, but I may not write in here nearly as much as before. My impression is I don't have many readers anyway, so it may not matter much to anyone.

But while I'm in here, I may as well acknowledge the MSU basketball game against Michigan tomorrow. It was a game about which I felt fairly comfortable until the Wolverines demolished Indiana by 30 points. I still think that the Spartans should find a way to beat Michigan at home, but it could be a death struggle. I will go out on a limb and predict a 73-67 MSU victory. But if Michigan won, I would not be shocked.

I don't know the next time I'll write in here, maybe I'll surprise myself and write immediately after the MSU/UM game, but I really don't know.

Is this rock bottom?

With the recent election results, sports are about the furthest thing from my mind, but here goes:

 I don't know what to say about Michigan State football anymore. I watched the entire MSU/Illinois game and I was shocked. Shocked at how anemic the Spartans looked against a weak opponent. Shocked at how uninspired the whole team played after having played a good game against Michigan.

I gave up the opportunity for free tickets to today's Rutgers game. I just can't take this anymore, and I can't become further depressed by freezing in a half-empty stadium watching the Spartans in a death struggle against an equally pathetic Rutgers team.

I don't even know how much of this game I will watch on television. I suspect not much.

I am so out of sorts that I completely forgot about last night's basketball game against Arizona. I'm disappointed that the Spartans lost--I suppose that eventually MSU WILL win again in a major sport--but encouraged by how well Miles Bridges played. This is a Spartan team that is still learning to play together. I assume that once they gel, they will be outstanding.

Back to football, I don't even know if I should give a prediction for today's game. Honestly, I don't have much faith in this team anymore. It saddens me to write that. Just for the heck of it, I will drink a large glass of green Kool-Aid once more and say that somehow, someway, the Spartans actually find a way to win at home today. Final score: MSU 23, Rutgers 20.

Putting the Middle Tennessee State game to bed, and what is going on with hockey?

In case you're wondering, I'm over the Middle Tennessee State loss. In fact, for whatever reason it never bothered me nearly as much as it apparently did my fellow MSU brethren. Don't get me wrong, it pretty much ruined the tournament for me (I've barely watched since the loss), but nobody has had to talk me off any ledges.

Even if MSU had made it past the first round, I'm frankly not convinced the Spartans were any guarantee for the Final Four anyway.

Speaking of the Final Four, my NCAA bracket is completely shot to hell. All of my Final Four picks have bit the dust. At this point, I'm reduced to finding the teams that would bother me least if they won it all, and pull for them. Those two teams are, in order, Villanova and Oklahoma. (I am most certainly NOT pulling for either North Carolina or Syracuse)

In other news, Mark Hollis has thrown his public support towards Tom Anastos and Anastos will get at least one more year as Spartan hockey coach. I really don't follow the hockey program closely enough to decide if this is a good idea, though allegedly Anastos has a good recruiting class coming in. Part of me cynically believes Hollis doesn't want to admit he screwed up the Anastos hire in the first place.

All I know is that if the hockey team has another season as awful as this one, the screws will turn much tighter and the small but vocal hockey fan base will clamor even more vociferously for a change.

Hockey is an absolute shell of what it was when I was a student (1986-1991). Students waited in line for season tickets, and the demand was so great that two different half-season packages were doled out. Of course, a large factor in hockey's popularity back in the '80s was that basketball then was woeful and football generally mediocre.

With Tom Izzo turning the basketball program into a national power, and Mark Dantonio (maybe) doing likewise in football, hockey's struggles are less noticeable. Frankly, outside of a handful of hockey diehards, I don't get a feeling that current students give a hoot about hockey. I'm not sure if the athletic department feels much pressure to improve the program. It feels like an afterthought these days. Perhaps this will only change if basketball slips in the future, or enough disgruntled hockey fans put up a big enough fuss.

An abrupt end to the basketball season

What is there to say?

Michigan State ran into a spirited team in Middle Tennessee State that out-worked, out-hustled, and out-shot them. The Spartans, unfortunately, played one of their worst games of the season when it mattered the most.

It's an incredibly sad way for Denzel Valentine, Bryn Forbes, Matt Costello, Colby Wollenman, and [maybe] Deyonta Davis to end their collegiate careers.

It also concludes what has been, outside of the Big Ten Tournament championship  (remember that?) and a first-round NCAA tourney win for the women's team, a bad week for MSU sports; and also, a bad week for two people associated with Spartan basketball, Branden Dawson and Mateen Cleaves. More on them later.

Back to today's game. I have to admit that, due to an unforeseen circumstance, I wasn't able to see most of it. Instead, I followed on my phone, listened to Will Tieman and Matt Steigenga's largely incredulous and mournful radio broadcast, and then finally the last 6 minutes or so of the CBS TV broadcast. Poor Steve Smith, former MSU standout, probably wishes to never have to provide color commentary for another MSU hoops game. Under the circumstances, he was unfailingly professional.

It was a stunning way for the season to reach conclude, and I still feel a bit numb. Strangely enough (or maybe not strangely), I'm neither angry nor even particularly depressed. More like shocked and numb. The Spartans seemed so out-of-sync today that I suppose I had a sense of foreboding throughout the game, and this gave me time to prepare myself for the inevitable.

Every single time it seemed that the Spartans might get it together and take the lead in this game, Middle Tennessee State responded with a score. In the final three minutes or so, the Spartans did what I rarely ever see them do: they panicked. Middle Tennessee, to borrow the tired old expression, smelled blood in the water and put MSU away.

Now to Branden Dawson and Mateen Cleaves. I'm disappointed with Dawson's situation (accused of domestic assault), but I am downright sick and despondent over Mateen Cleaves' sexual assault charge. Not that I know Cleaves personally, but from what I do know of him (or think I know of him), it seems completely out of character. If Tom Izzo, someone I consider to be of high moral standing, chose to name his son after Mateen, then that says a lot about Cleaves--or so it would seem.

It's now up to the court of law to decide. Maybe there is a dark side to Mateen Cleaves that few know about? I hope that's not the case, but if it is--and Cleaves committed the crimes of which he's accused, he needs to face the consequences.

Michigan State/Purdue pre-game dispatch

I watched the Big Ten Network's replay of the Michigan State/Maryland game and I have just a few observations of the game:

*I swear that every time Jim Nantz would say, "It's been [such and such] minutes since Maryland has scored," the Terps were guaranteed of draining a 35-foot 3-pointer. I counted, and this occurred at least three times during the game.

*I try not to get down on the play-by-play/color guys too much. (If I can get away with it, I'll simply watch games with the sound turned down). However, I have to say that Grant Hill seemed to have a hard time hiding his Maryland pom-poms. Perhaps he forgot the Terrapins are no longer in the ACC.

I followed up watching the MSU/Maryland replay by watching a little of the Purdue/Michigan game. The Spartans will have their hands full with Purdue's big men: Hammons, Haas, and the "almost Spartan" Swanigan. I know this is probably stating the obvious. If the Spartans can just hold their own in the paint and knock down the outside shots they didn't make yesterday against Maryland, they should be okay. I hope they didn't expend too much energy in dispatching the Terrapins. This game might go right down to the wire.

See you on the flipside.

White-knuckler against Maryland

I don't think there is a sport that sends me as perilously close to cardiac arrest as basketball, specifically Michigan State basketball. One would think by this point, after decades of white-knucklers--most of which end up in Spartan victories--I'd be used to it. I'm getting a little better at keeping it together in these games. The expletive count is down since I got married and had kids. In addition, after all the success MSU has had under Tom Izzo, I kind of expect the Spartans to find a way to win despite whatever adverse circumstances befall them.

The second half of today's Maryland game was about as enjoyable as a teeth cleaning or maybe a hernia operation (yes, I've had one so I'm speaking from experience). In any case, the Spartans overcame turnovers, poor shooting, great defense from Maryland, and a largely M.I.A. Bryn Forbes to find a way to win. Huge kudos to Deyonta Davis, whose blocked shot late in the game (14 seconds left? I can't remember, it's a bit of a blur now) was the pivotal play of the game.

So now it's on to a second consecutive appearance in the Big Ten Tour championship, this time against Purdue. I assume the Boilermakers will have a large contingent in Indianapolis. I hope that the determination of MSU's seniors will be enough to get the Spartans' fifth Big Ten tourney title.

A happy Senior Day

As a fan, I know I've watched a pleasant and successful MSU game when an occasional "damn" is the worst expletive to leave my mouth.

It was almost the best possible Senior Day. It could only have been better if Bryn Forbes had more success behind the 3-point arc (he was a human-like 1 for 6). The Spartans got off to a good start, kept a resilient Ohio State team at arm's length, and won fairly easily 91-76. Considering how well the Buckeyes had played coming into the game, and how desperate they are to get off the NCAA tournament bubble, this was no small task. Ohio State has a good team and when they are given a opening, Lyle and Loving can shoot lights out.

This Michigan State team just finds ways to win in any conceivable manner. Try and take away the perimeter shooting, and the Spartans will find Costello, Davis, Schilling, or Wollenman in the low post for easy lay-ups or dunks. Try and stop the big men, and they'll kick it out to Valentine, Forbes, or Harris for an uncontested (or little contested) jump shot. There's a reason MSU is leading the nation in assists. They have an uncanny ability to find the open man.

One of the hardest parts of being a college sports fan is that we are only able to enjoy these players for a limited time. I think I'll miss Costello, Forbes, Valentine, and Wollenman more than any other Spartan senior class I can remember. They are at least on a par with the 2005 team (Hill, Anderson, Torbert) or 2000 team (Cleaves, Granger, Peterson).

Farewell to four unforgettable seniors

Michigan State fans will say farewell today to one of the greatest group of seniors to ever come through East Lansing: Matt Costello, Bryn Forbes, Denzel Valentine, and Colby Wollenman.

I predicted a breakthrough year for Costello, and I'm happy to say he came through. His defense and rebounding in particular have been so outstanding that he may very well be selected by somebody in the NBA draft. But beyond that, Costello brings a childlike enthusiasm to the game that is infectious. People who don't follow MSU basketball may be put off by Costello's exuberant demonstrations, but I've never considered Costello a showuboat. He plays the game with the spirit of an oversized 10-year-old.

Bryn Forbes has blown most people away with his prolific 3-point scoring. Few players come off screens more brilliantly than Forbes, and his shot fakes have embarrassed many an opposing defender. I've been referring to him as "Stephen Curry, Junior" through most of the season. I don't know if Forbes will be drafted by the NBA, but I have no doubt he'll be playing professionally somewhere next season.

Stories of Denzel Valentine were legendary even when he was a prep player at Lansing Sexton and, along with Bryn Forbes, leading the Big Reds to a state title in their senior year. I still regret not watching Valentine and Forbes play Okemos High School when they were in my neck of the woods. (At least I've been able to see them many times in college). I thought Valentine would be an excellent college player, but I didn't foresee him becoming a potential first round draft pick and possible national player of the year. The kid has truly been a joy to watch grow as a player these four years.

Colby Wollenman is one of those wonderful, improbable stories that happens every once in awhile. A guy who didn't even intend on playing basketball, but walked on the team and is now a scholarship player who has made valuable contributions to the team. Wollenman's basketball career ends today, but he may have a bright future as a doctor.

It's hard for me to see the Spartans losing to Ohio State today. Even though the Buckeyes are playing for their NCAA tournament lives, and the Spartans will be dealing with the emotions of this big day, MSU should have enough to come away with a victory.

Spartans hammer Penn State

After a few post-game celebratory beers at Harrison Roadhouse, I've returned home after watching Michigan State demolish Penn State 88-57 at Breslin Center.

There was quite a bit of commentary regarding Tom Izzo's criticism of his big men even after the Spartans hammered Ohio State in Columbus. Izzo knows what this team is capable of accomplishing and will accept nothing less than maximum effort. The path is clear for Michigan State to not just contend for a national title, but to win the whole shebang. My feeling is that Izzo senses the landscape of college hoops this season and that this is a great opportunity for the Spartans to finally win that elusive second Izzo national championship.

Today's game was never close. From the moment Deyonta Davis won the opening tip, Penn State never offered up a challenge. From the Nittany Lions side, the most excitement came when Pat Chambers lost his mind after a double technical and I thought police might need to intervene to restrain him. Had his assistant coaches not held him back, Chambers might have done great bodily harm to an official. And I'm only slightly tongue-in-cheek.

It was a sun-drenched and warm-ish day in East Lansing. The crowd at Breslin was lively and seemed to reflect the pleasant weather outside. That said, Penn State doesn't make Spartans fans' blood boil or pulse quicken like Wisconsin or Michigan, so the energy level was nowhere near the fever pitch I've seen against those teams. With the MSU team's level of motivation, it didn't need to be.

Amazingly, the Spartans still have a slim chance of tying for the Big Ten title. Early in the season, I thought Iowa or even Maryland would roll to the conference crown, but they both are struggling. Though Indiana hasn't dazzled me, they are in a position to win it.

Ultimately, the Big Ten championship doesn't matter that much (though it would be gratifying to earn a share), the way MSU is playing right now, a national championship is in their sights.

Michigan State 69, Wisconsin 57

With about under a minute left in the game tonight at Breslin, I turned to my brother-in-law Michael and yelled, since it was pretty loud in the arena, "Wisconsin is the single most annoying [basketball] team in the Big Ten." The Badgers have a knack for getting away with a lot of, shall we say, aggressive play in the paint, getting plenty of calls in their favor, and simply being pesky.

But enough about me griping about Wisconsin, the Spartans put forth perhaps their best defensive effort of the season tonight--or at least the best one I've seen in awhile. (It's easy to let hyperbole get the best of you in the immediate aftermath of a big win). MSU, and in particular Deyonta Davis, shut down Nigel Hayes and they also contained Bronson Koenig, Koenig only had one three-pointer through most of the game, until late when the Spartans' D may have gotten a little lax and Koenig knocked down a few when the Spartans had already essentially clinched the win.

As far as I'm concerned, and granted I view the world through green glasses, Denzel Valentine is national player of the year. He has become a great shooter, and incredible passer and assist machine, gritty defender, and has the ability to drive the lane when the opportunity arises. But beyond that, Valentine is a great leader and makes every player on the floor better when he's out there (and even when he's not). I feel quite comfortable in placing Valentine in the pantheon of great Spartan basketball players/floor generals, a list that includes Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Scott Skiles, Steve Smith, Mateen Cleaves, and Draymond Green,

Shout outs also to Eron Harris (possibly his best game of the season), Bryn Forbes (his great shooting continues), Matt Costello (making a case for a shot in the NBA), and Matt McQuaid (didn't do anything on offense tonight, but has turned in to an excellent defender).

Well, my computer is about to die, and I need to try and get some sleep. Go Green!

MSU/Purdue game

Watching the Purdue game and the Spartans are getting absolutely wrecked so far. They can't buy a basket, are struggling with both Purdue's defensive intensity and their big men, and have been slow on defensive switches allowing the Boilermakers' guards to bury a barrage of 3-pointers. The only bright side so far is that Hammons and Swanigan are on the bench with two fouls.

McQuaid misses two shots from 3-point range. MSU is ice cold so far tonight. If matters don't improve soon, MSU will get run out of the building.

46-30 halftime deficit. A terrible first half for MSU, as they are getting owned by Purdue's bigs and the Boilermakers are shooting a scalding 63% from the field. This has Iowa (games one and two) written all over it unless the Spartans can somehow turn it around in the second half.

The Spartans fight and claw back in the second half, and actually take a four point lead late in the game, but can't hang on and lose 82-81 in overtime. It's a heartbreaker, but a team just can't dig as big a hole as MSU did in the first half and expect to win.

Any shot at winning or tying for the conference title is over. Now, just hope to regroup at home on Sunday and beat a very good Indiana team.

Spartans blow out the Wolverines

I'm not sure that anybody saw that coming.

Michigan State absolutely hammered Michigan 89-73 at Crisler Arena and it wasn't really that close. Bryn Forbes impersonated Stephen Curry once again, Matt Costello continued his hard-nosed spirited play, Denzel Valentine showed everyone that he's back to his old self, and Michigan State looks like they officially have their mojo back.

I fully expected Michigan to give the Spartans everything they had, and thought the game may not be decided until the last one or two minutes of the game. Instead, the game was essentially over after about the first five minutes. Michigan did go on a bit of a mini-run late in the first half to cut the lead to eleven, but that was as close as they got. The Spartans led by 16 at halftime, got out of the gate quickly in the second half, built the lead to 30 late in the second half, and the deceptively closer score was a result of sloppy play by MSU's bench players.

From this fan's perspective, this is exactly what I needed after Michigan stole all the attention on football signing day. It actually was a great week for Spartans sports, with the MSU women's hoops team throttling Michigan mid-week, and the Spartan hockey team recording a rare victory when they slipped past the Wolverines in overtime, 3-2 on Friday night. (Unfortunately, the Spartan icers fell back to earth...or ice?...on Saturday night when they lost 4-1 to the Wolverines at Munn. Of course, I was glowing from the basketball win so I took this loss quite well).

But back to Spartan basketball. If you're a fan, you have to feel good about how this team looks right now. Clearly, the road game against Purdue will be a tough game, but one the Spartans can win, With the way the senior triumvirate of Costello, Forbes, and Valentine are playing, a win at Mackey Arena is certainly not out of the question.

Spartans/Wolverines basketball pre-game post

Another Michigan State/Michigan tilt is upon us, so I thought I'd take a few minutes to discuss it before tackling the task of cleaning the dirty cat boxes in the basement.

As usual, I face today's game with a degree of nervousness and trepidation. Though I think the Spartans should win, the game is in Ann Arbor and the Michigan basketball team is about as unpredictable as they come--if their shots fall, they are dangerous, but if they don't, disaster frequently follows. Some point to the Wolverines' drubbing at the hands of Indiana as an indication that the Wolvies are trending downward. Maybe. But I have a hard time believing that they will play that poorly in consecutive games--and this being a rivalry game, I fully expect Michigan to play extremely hard. But I also expect the Spartans to bring the ever-present chip on the shoulder. MSU has three senior leaders in Valentine, Costello, and Forbes who do not want to lose in what could be their final game against Michigan. So, for whatever my predictions are worth (since I'm a shameless homer), I'll pick MSU to win this one in a relatively close game, 82-75.

***

While on the subject of Michigan (a topic that never goes away), I should take the opportunity to clarify what I wrote about Michigan's recruiting event at Hill Auditorium. It's truly great that it raised so much money for the Chad Tough fund to fight cancer, and it's probably unfair of me to come down so hard on Jim Harbaugh. He has to be given credit for creating such a novel idea that was pulled off so successfully. It's exactly the sort of event that Mark Hollis has frequently devised here at Michigan State. Though I'm not always on board with every Hollis creation, I am generally more charitable towards him than I was towards Harbaugh. It was a stroke of genius to create an event that both loudly and extravagantly promoted the Michigan football program while also raising six figures for cancer research. Though I must admit I still view the whole affair with a bit of cynicism, kudos to Michigan for its generosity.

That was a rare moment of conciliation offered to the University of Michigan. I may be getting a little soft in my old age (though if you saw my back-and-forth with Michigan fans after signing day and after the Spartans' 3-2 win over Michigan in last night's hockey game, you might not think that's the case).

Now, before I get too warm and fuzzy with Michigan, it has to be said that lately they excel everywhere EXCEPT on the field. There is a constant bellowing bluster coming out of Ann Arbor about September Heismans, August Big Ten Champions, and Recruiting National Titles. I'm still waiting for any of this hot air to translate into results on the playing field.

Off to get to those cat boxes now. I may or may not get back to this blog after today's basketball game, depending on what mood I'm in.

Like Spartan basketball, I am at least temporarily not M.I.A.

A much needed, and greatly appreciated, win for the Spartans over Maryland tonight. This coming after the blowout home loss against Iowa and the two gut-wrenching 1-point defeats at the hands of Wisconsin and (stinkin') Nebraska.

It'll be refreshing to tune into sports talk radio on Monday morning and not hear hours of "What the heck is wrong with MSU basketball?" for a change.

I hope the Spartans have righted the ship.Though it looks like a Big Ten title might be out of reach, bigger goals are still within reach.

Butt kicking at Breslin

When the highlight of your evening at a Michigan State basketball game is hearing "Let's Dance" played over the PA system during a timeout (RIP, David Bowie), you know you have trouble.

I just returned home from Breslin Center and am trying to process what has to be the worst home court butt-kicking MSU has received since Duke came to town in the 2003-2004 season and drubbed the Spartans.

For one of the few times since Izzo has been coach, it appeared the Spartans were thoroughly unprepared for this game. Outhustled, outshot, outrebounded, outcoached in the first half. It was just awful. There is no way to sugarcoat it.

 

The game was a perfect storm: Iowa was focused and executed perfectly, while MSU was out of sync and sloppy. By the time the Spartans woke (a little bit) from their slumber in the second half, it was way too late.

I won't say the sky is falling. It's only January. Denzel Valentine may still not be himself yet. As disappointed and numb as I feel now, I still believe this team can do big things this year. Believe it or not, a conference title is still not completely out of the question, though with two losses already, the Spartans will need help.

The question going forward is this? Was last night an anomaly? I think we can say with certainty that, at this point anyway, Iowa is a better team than Michigan State. In fact, Iowa may be the best team in the Big Ten. But are they that much better? Was this just a matter of MSU not matching up well with Iowa? Or are the Spartans levelling off? Going into this season, most thought this would be a rebuilding year. Then when the team got off to such a great start, expectations changed and the Spartans eventually found themselves at number one in the nation. Clearly, at this point in the season, the Spartan are nowhere near the best team in the country, nor are they the best team in the conference.

Last night's game left me, and probably many other MSU fans, completely befuddled. A struggling Wisconsin at Kohl Center now looks like a much more daunting task than it appeared to be just three hours ago. How the Spartans respond will tell us a lot more about where this team stands.

Spartans rout the Nittany Lions

When this year's Spartan basketball team is firing on all cylinders, which thankfully has happened most of this season, they are an absolute joy to watch. This was definitely the case today, as MSU blew out Penn State 92-65 in State College.

It's windy and snowy outside here in Okemos, so it felt comfortable here on my couch drinking coffee with very little reason to get worked up. It did feel that Penn State was the beneficiary of some ticky-tack foul calls in the first half, resulting in a 19-3 free throw differential. This was the only reason the Nittany Lions were "only" down by 13 at the half.

The Spartans have so many weapons at their disposal. Bryn Forbes lit up the scoreboard in the first half, Matt Costello and Deyonta Davis continue to play brilliantly in the paint, with Costello in particular displaying some nifty moves in the last several games. Gavin Schilling provides strong defense, resembling an immovable brick wall in the post. And, lest I forget, how great is it to have Denzel Valentine back? He worked off his first half cobwebs and looked more himself in the second half, making "wow" passes and burying jumpers.

Now, how about we get some payback against Iowa on Thursday?

Transitioning to basketball

It's now over a week since the Destruction in Dallas, the Cotton Bowl Collapse, the JerryWorld Wreckage, or whatever you want to call it. Anyway, it's enough time for me to thoroughly decompress from the disappointment and move on.

I've emerged from the football cocoon and and slowly making the transition to a basketball frame of mind. Went to the Illinois game and saw the Spartans, still without Denzel Valentine, dominate a sad and depleted Illini team. Despite Illinois' travails, it was the most complete game the Spartans have played without Denzel in the lineup.

The highlight of the game may have come in the final 20 seconds, when a player I'd never seen before--playing without a name on his jersey--finally made it into the game, having spent what seemed like an eternity waiting at the scorer's table just itching for a clock stoppage so he could make his Michigan State basketball debut. The player is Greg Roy, a walk-on transfer from Adrian College. I tend to gravitate towards the guys who occupy the end of the bench, the "human victory cigars" if you will. This is probably because I can more closely identify with these players, since that has often been my role on any sports team I've played on. But it's also fun to see these guys, who work just as hard as the starts on the team--with none of the glory--get a chance to play in a game.

I should also add that we were sitting near two somewhat elderly gentlemen at the game--I overheard one of the guys say that he'd graduated from MSU in 1966--so I decided that I'd be on my best behavior. No jumping up and down, a minimum of fist pumps, and as little cussing as possible (not that I really do much cussing at games anymore. Usually nothing worse than "dammit!). I don't know if the guys would have been offended by my overt demonstrations of emotion, but I didn't want to risk it. As it turned out, the game was never in doubt, so there was little reason for me to act like a spaz. "Good sportsman" goal, therefore, accomplished.

Michigan State/Alabama pre-game post, volume II (and some basketball)

Before I get to tomorrow's football game, let's start with hoops:

I don't know quite how or why, but I stuck with last night's Spartan basketball loss to Iowa all the way until the bitter end. It was easily the worst game our guys have played all season. The struggles last night are due to a variety of reasons. First and foremost, they miss Denzel Valentine...badly. It's not just that Valentine is the team leader in scoring, rebounds, assists, and steals--and arguably the best player in college basketball this season--it's that he is the undisputed leader of the team and makes everyone around him better. Valentine is, as Reggie Jackson once referred to himself, "the straw that stirs the drink." The Spartans were rudderless (or "strawless"?) without him last night.

The amount of lethargy that the Spartans exhibited last night makes me wonder if the death of Tom Izzo's father has effected them. Even Tom Izzo didn't seem to have the same amount of fire that he usually displays. It's natural and expected that Tom would be in mourning right now, and maybe a bit distracted. This could rub off on the players. I don't know this to be fact, but just speculation. In any case, the team should come out with considerably more focus against Minnesota and I'd be surprised if they lost that game.

It looks like Valentine may be able to return for the Big Ten home opener against Illinois, If the Spartans can beat Minnesota and make win two of the three games they play sans Valentine, that is about a good as it could get,

Now on to football:

I'm tired of the hype, I'm tired of listening to all the opinions and punditry, all of the fan trash talk, just bring on the game.

By this point, I'm sure everyone has read or heard the "keys to the game" ad infinitum. Essentially, for Michigan State, it boils down to whether the Spartans can contain--though not necessarily stop--Derrick Henry. (It's not realistic to expect the Spartans to stop the Heisman Trophy winner dead in this tracks for 60 minutes). It's true that a pro-style offense like Alabama's is the best case scenario for MSU's defense. They tend to be much more successful against those type of offenses than the spread, read-option, "throw it all over the field" attacks.

On the offensive side of the ball, will the Spartans be able to run effectively enough to allow Connor Cook and the passing game to be successful? If the Spartans can rush for over 100 yards in the game and at least keep Alabama honest, then that should make Cook's job at least a little easier.

So what would a national championship in football mean to Michigan State? It would be such an incredible achievement that I'm trying hard not to fixate on it. I don't want to be overly disappointed if it doesn't happen.

A national championship for Alabama or Oklahoma would be...well, just another national championship. Business as usual. For Michigan State, it would be a game changer, and the most significant...and improbable...athletic achievement in the school's history. MSU hasn't won a national championship since 1966 (depending on which of the myriad football polls one takes into account),

I'd best not obsess over the possibility of a national championship. There's plenty of time to hash over the ramifications for MSU if and when it happens.

Life (temporarily) without Valentine

My jaw just about hit the floor yesterday when I read that Denzel Valentine will be out for at least two weeks.

At least this happened in December and not in February or March.

Valentine's absence makes tonight's game against Oakland, which was already a difficult game, even more daunting. The Golden Grizzlies will be playing close to their home in Rochester Hills (the game is at the Palace) and will be completely jacked for this game. Oakland is also a damned good basketball team.

There's a real possibility that Michigan State's first basketball loss of the season comes tonight against Oakland.

It'll be interesting to see how MSU responds with Denzel out of the lineup. If MSU does find a way to win tonight, I suspect it'll be an extremely close game: certainly less than ten points and probably less than five.