What a football season it has been!

The Spartans have played three games since I last wrote in here, and they've won two of them.

I was at the October 21 Homecoming victory against Indiana: a warm, gloriously sunny Saturday. I have never seen a Homecoming game as festive as this year. The stadium was so packed--and security so tight--that it took us until about midway through the first quarter to get to our upper deck seats. The game itself was painful until MSU woke up late in the fourth quarter to score two touchdowns and sneak out with a 17-9 win.

Last week, very little went right in a 39-31 overtime loss to a good Northwestern team in Evanston. But the Spartans more than made up by bouncing back to beat #7 Penn State 27-24.

There hasn't been anything overwhelming about MSU's Big Ten wins this season. They have won five games by a combined 25 points. Even if it isn't pretty, the team finds a way to win.

My son and I were at the Penn State game, but I regret to admit that after the stadium was evacuated, we didn't return to the see the conclusion. We had prior engagements that evening, so I watched the second half from the warmth of my living room. But here is a salute to the hardy people who stuck around to cheer the Spartans on. Well done!

There is a lot to like about this year's team. Just the fact that they have more than doubled last year's win total is reason enough to rejoice.

Brian Lewerke has thrown for 400 yards in two consecutive games. He established a new single-game passing yardage record against Northwestern and threw for another 400 yesterday against Penn State. Considering he still has two more seasons left at MSU, he could end up as the most prolific passer MSU has ever had.

The Spartans have a slew of excellent young receivers, but Felton Davis III has established himself--at least for now--as the number one guy. He was seemingly all over the field yesterday and made phenomenal catch after phenomenal catch.

So with Iowa blowing out Ohio State yesterday, the Spartans find themselves amazingly playing for the driver's seat in the Big Ten East race next week against the Buckeyes. For the fourth time in the the last five years, it is Michigan State--not Michigan--who goes up against Ohio State with a potential championship on the line.

I admit that after last season's 3-9 debacle, I wasn't sure if Mark Dantonio could get the program back to championship level. How wrong I was. He has to be a prime candidate for national coach of the year.

I fully expect the Spartans to be underdogs in Columbus next week, and I think that's the way they like it. Ohio State has proven themselves to be fallible, and though I don't expect them to look as bad as they were against Iowa, in no way do I think they are a guarantee to beat Michigan State. I have finally learned not to doubt Mark Dantonio.

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.

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?

Michigan State 55, Penn State 16

First of all, sorry for yesterday's somewhat disjointed pre-game post. I was in the midst of experiencing my usual jitters and was sort of babbling.

Takeaways from the game: How could I have really doubted that Connor Cook would play on Senior Day? Not only did he play, but he was brilliant, and the offensive line may have had its best game of the season, or close to it. Cook was untouched and may have finished the contest with a completely clean uniform.

My jitters continued through the first half, and only because I knew what was at stake in this game, but looking at the game now, what was there to fear? Yes, Penn State was able to move the ball in the first half--using a particularly effective screen pass that seemingly went for at least nine yards every time Hackenberg threw it--but the Nittany Lions still only came away with 10 points by intermission.

Calmed by a Stella Artois, I did better in the second half. I had also muted the television as the ESPN broadcast crew were irritating. I try not to complain too much about play-by-play announcers, but I swear these guys were waving blue-and-white and scarlet-and-grey pom-poms in the booth.

By the time Jack Allen took time off from the offensive line to run for a 9-yard touchdown, the game officially became a laugher. With MSU up 55-16, the guys in the booth were reduced to talking about Christian Hackenberg's draft status. (I'm still trying to understand where the love affair for Hackenberg comes from. Strong arm? Maybe. "NFL body"? I suppose I can see that. But he has little mobility and I've quite simply never seen him do anything spectacular. Then again, if he had any sort of offensive line to protect him with regularity, perhaps his ability would be more obvious).

Well, real life calls and I need to cut this post short. More later...

Penn State pre-game post

It's been awhile since I last wrote in this blog. I spent the beginning of the week still basking in the afterglow of the Ohio State win. Listened to some local sports talk radio and watched the Big Ten Network's replay of the game. On Monday evening, my wife and I went to Breslin Center to watch the MSU basketball team clobber Eastern Michigan. By the middle of the week, it was Thanksgiving and an afternoon stuffing my face with food, beer, wine, and champagne while watching the Detroit Lions annihilate the Philadelphia Eagles and the MSU hoopsters run away from Boston College in the second half of their Wooden Legacy tournament game.

This undefeated Michigan State sports week continued last night, as MSU basketball finally put away a pesky Boise State team. I hope that this wonderful week will be topped off with the Spartan football team defeating Penn State today and clinching the Big Ten East division title.

As I write this, I am half-watching the Ohio State/Michigan game and rooting for the Wolverines to lose. The worst case scenario for me is a Michigan win over the Buckeyes and MSU losing to Penn State. That is a complete nightmare scenario and best to not even ponder as it will cause me heart palpitations and sweaty palms.

Honestly though, as long as Michigan State takes care of Penn State, I really don't give a damn who wins the OSU/Michigan game.

As far as today's Penn State game goes, I believe that the Spartans will be fully dialed in. They know what's at stake, and they've been through too much this season to let this game slip through their hands. Put pressure on Christian Hackenberg, who has been sacked 36 times this season with his porous o-line, and make his afternoon hellish. 

Nobody outside of the Duffy Daugherty Football Building knows if Connor Cook will play today. I have a sneaking suspicion that he will not and it'll be up to Tyler O'Connor and Damion Terry to run the offense again. If this is so, I just hope they an continue to do what they did last week against Ohio State, and that L.J. Scott, Gerald Holmes, and Delton Williams can build upon what they did in what may be a resurgent MSU running game. I'm putting my green sunglasses on and predicting a 23-10 MSU victory.

Ugly basketball

I endured Michigan State's brutal loss to Maryland last Saturday in what has to be the ugliest Spartan basketball game of the season. Somehow, I kept thinking that MSU might miraculously make a run in the second half to make it a game, but that never happened.

 

It with some trepidation that I watched the MSU/Penn State game on Wednesday evening. After the Maryland debacle, I felt a little gun shy. Initially, I thought maybe I'd only watch the first half, then if the game was bad, switch over to The Middle and The Goldbergs on ABC and periodically check the game to see what was happening. Well, the ABC sitcoms were repeats, so despite MSU only clinging to a 2-point lead, I figured there was no excuse not to watch the game to its conclusion.

 

Penn State, and in particular D.J. Newbill, seemingly could not miss a shot after halftime and it looked for all the world like a replay of the Texas Southern game. Fortunately for MSU, Nittany Lions' coach Pat Chambers--who it must be said bears a striking resemblance to Daddy Warbucks--gave the Spartans a big boost when he was T'd up. Sometimes a technical foul called on a coach will inspire that coach's team to play harder, but in this case it spurred the Spartans on. But even when it looked like the Spartans had seized control of the game in the final few minutes, their absolutely atrocious free throw shooting almost did them in. Still, MSU made enough good plays down the stretch to win an ugly game.

 

So now I'm faced with the same conundrum regarding tomorrow's road game against Nebraska: How much of the game do I watch? Do I watch at all? I suppose I will end up watching, but I may need to be lubricated with enough adult beverages to endure what has recently been some painful basketball.

Michigan State 34, Penn State 10

Michigan State won a workmanlike, businesslike 34-10 game over Penn State on Saturday, putting the finishing touches on a 10-2 regular season (7-1 in the Big Ten).
 

In various circles, I've heard that somehow this football season is a "disappointment," but I don't see it that way at all. Reality often does not--and cannot--live up to expectations. And, really, didn't Michigan State end up in exactly the same place they started? The Spartans began the season ranked #8 in the AP poll and they finish the season ranked #8 in the AP poll, with an opportunity to move up if they win their yet-to-be-determined bowl game.
 

Michigan State could still, when the dust clears, end up as the highest ranked Big Ten team.
 

Certainly, the Oregon and Ohio State games did not end with the desired results. Oregon, though, may be the best team in the nation. Beating them in Eugene is no small task for anyone. Ohio State clearly had the Michigan State game earmarked since December 7, 2013 and played its best game of the season. So those are the two losses.
 

What should be encouraging, and maybe even thrilling, for MSU football fans is how the Spartans played in their other ten games--in particular the three game following the Ohio State game. MSU played those games with focus and determination. Granted, the competition that Maryland, Rutgers, and Penn State offered was not stellar, but MSU did exactly what they should have done and throttled all three. This isn't as easy to do as it appears on paper. 

 

These are glory years in Michigan State football the likes of which I have never seen in my lifetime. In the past, the pattern was an occasional good season that stood out like an oasis in a desert of mediocrity. Under Mark Dantonio, it's four 10+ win seasons in the last five years. For a geezer like me who remembers the bad old days, this is heaven on earth; and not making the college football playoff will not dampen my enthusiasm one iota.

Michigan State 82, Penn State 67

Last night was the best 40 minutes of basketball I've seen from the Spartans in...I don't know how long. They may have had bigger wins this year against more challenging opponents, but I can't recall the last time when the team clicked on all cylinders for the entire game (or at least until 3:32 was left and Izzo started inserting the "human victory cigars").

Adreain Payne finally played and, though he looked rusty, contributed 12 points in 18 minutes. More importantly, his presence in the post opened up perimeter shooting opportunities for the likes of Gary Harris and Kenny Kaminski.

The bad news was Keith Appling didn't play, but Denzel Valentine had a spectacular game--maybe his best game as a Spartan--and Travis Trice played well at point guard..

Speaking of "best games as a Spartan," how about Kaminski? 7/9 from the field and 5/6 from 3-point range--good for 19 points.

The Nittany Lions came into town riding a 3-game winning streak, but MSU punched them in the mouth early and took them out of the game. Every time Penn State attempted to make a run, MSU answered immediately.

Next up: Wisconsin. They've struggled in the Big Ten, and have even had trouble at the Kohl Center, but something about playing MSU seems to bring out the best in them. Sunday's showdown could be a nail-biter.

Just a short blurb about "'crootin'" and tonight's Penn State game

I don't follow high school recruiting closely--if at all--and, hence, don't treat national signing day as some sort of unofficial holiday. I've always found it pointless to get emotionally invested in the college choices made by teenage athletes.

 

Having said that, I'm happy to see that Michigan State's highly successful 2013 football season is already paying dividends on the recruiting trail. Now, we just need Malik McDowell's parents to get on board with his choice, and this could be Mark Dantonio's most highly rated class.

 

Adreian Payne will be back in the lineup for tonight's basketball game against Penn State, and here's hoping that having the big fella back and being back home in Big Ten competition will inspire the team. They need a shot in the arm after the Georgetown misfire.

Yet another opinion regarding Joe Paterno and Penn State

By this time, everyone in the world has weighed in with an opinion, take, or commentary on the incredibly ugly situation at Penn State.  Here's one more...

I always feared that the longer Joe Paterno remained head coach at Penn State, the greater the likelihood his tenure would end on a bad note.  I knew that it couldn't possibly be anything as awful or embarrassing as Woody Hayes punching an opposing player, but it seemed more likely and certainly possible that the Nittany Lions would have a string of losing seasons, and Penn State would be placed in the uncomfortable position of asking for the old man's resignation.

But never in a million years would I have guessed that Joe Paterno's 45-year head coaching career (61 years counting his time as an assistant) at Penn State would end in such sadness and disgrace.  Never would have I guessed that a football program that, from all outward appearances, represented all that was right and good about college athletics would be brought down by a scandal so sordid and reprehensible.

When Penn State went undefeated in 1994, in the school's second year in the Big Ten, I became interested in and fascinated by Joe Paterno.  I read his autobiography Paterno: By the Book and another book that was an insider's view of the PSU football program called For the Glory.  I came away impressed with Paterno's integrity, and to this day--despite all that has happened recently--still think that overall Paterno is a good man.  Am I wrong to think this?  Have I been duped all along?  It seems possible that as this story continues to unfold, my opinion of Paterno, his staff, and the entire Penn State program may change for the worse.

Of course, the real bad guy in all of this is Jerry Sandusky.  What he did to those boys, if he is proven to be guilty, is nothing short of despicable.

But what was Joe Paterno's role in all of this?  (I suppose all will be revealed in the coming months).  Did Paterno purposely cover up what his friend and assistant Sandusky did?  Did Paterno not fully grasp the seriousness of the sexual abuse accusations?  Was he in a state of denial?  Did he think it would just blow over?

Is it possible that Paterno, like so many others in positions of great power and influence, had achieved a level of arrogance--making him believe that his program was above all of this and it would just all go away?

So far, all I've done is ask questions that, as of right now, have no answers. 

The only thing I know for sure is that I always had the greatest respect and admiration for Joe Paterno and the Penn State football program.  Penn State football seemed to embody such great attibutes as humility, dedication, integrity, and commitment to excellence.  Now I'm not so sure what to think anymore.

One quick thought

I've been meaning to write an extended entry for some time, but have had the hardest time finding the time. Here's one quick thought: Who would have ever guessed that this year's Ohio State/Michigan game would be the third most important game in the state this week. Michigan State and Penn State are playing for the Big Ten title this Saturday, and tonight Ball State takes on Central Michigan in a game with both MAC title and BCS implications (Ball State is trying to stay undefeated and get a shot at a BCS bowl game, CMU is undefeated in the MAC and, along with Ball State, vying for the MAC title). It's been one odd, but exhilarating, year in college football.