Old Spartan football games on Big Ten Network, and how I love them (In particular, 1987 MSU/UM and 1998 MSU/OSU)

I am an absolute sucker for the Big Ten Network's "Greatest games" series. During the slow summer months, these replays get quite a bit of rotation as BTN tries desperately to fill programming time. I find it fun to revisit these games years later, to reminisce about the old uniform designs, the cheesy graphics used in the original broadcasts (the same graphics that seemed so hi-tech at the time), and even other minutiae like the clothing and hairstyles of the spectators. (I can't believe how utterly ridiculous and horrible we all looked in the 1980s. However, I suppose we'll be saying the same things twenty years from now when we watch replays of current games).

A few weeks ago, BTN broadcasted Michigan State's 17-11 win over Michigan from the 1987 football season. This was an especially pleasant treat, because with the exception of highlights on YouTube, I hadn't seen this game since it was originally played on October 10, 1987.

I had completely forgotten that MSU--and Michigan--had run several wishbone plays. Maybe I simply didn't understand the significance of this back then, or else I flat-out didn't notice or care.

I had also somehow forgotten what a slobber-knocker that game was. Twenty-two guys just obliterating each other on practically every play: the direct result of how the game was played back in the 1980s, particularly when the two coaches (Perles and Schembechler) had the same "three yards and a cloud of dust" offensive philosophy.

The Spartans dominated the game, with hapless Michigan quarterback Demetrius Brown almost completing more passes to MSU defensive backs than his own receivers. Still, Michigan scored a touchdown and two-point conversion early in the second half--after Andre Rison coughed up the ball on a fumbled punt return--and were remarkably only down by six points. On two separate occasions in the fourth quarter, the Wolverines had a chance to score a winning touchdown, but each time Demetrius Brown threw a pick. Todd Krumm's interception with under a minute left in the game finally sealed the victory for Michigan State.

The 1998 Ohio State game still blows me away. To this day, it's stunning that the Spartans came back from a 24-9 deficit to score the final 19 points of the game, stop the Buckeyes on a goal-line stand in the final minutes of the game--sealed by a Renaldo Hill interception--and come away with a 28-24 victory over a powerhouse football team loaded with NFL talent. Almost sixteen years later, it still ranks as one of the greatest upsets in college football history.

Julian Peterson drills Joe Germaine in the 1998 MSU/OSU game (AP Photo)

When Ohio State took the 24-9 lead in the third quarter, it looked at that point like the Buckeyes were en route to rolling to a victory. It looked especially bad when the Spartans were forced to punt deep in their own side of the field, but in one of those crazy twists of fate that can completely change the momentum of a game, the ball hit an OSU player at midfield and the Spartans recovered. From that point on, MSU played like a team that was given an adrenaline injection, while the Buckeyes seemed to be waiting for MSU to simply pack it in. The Buckeyes would wait almost the rest of the game for this to happen, but it never did.

Watching the game, I am reminded of how aggravating and frustrating that '98 MSU football team could be. They were capable of crushing Notre Dame (42-3 lead at halftime en route to a 45-23 win) and beating #1 Ohio State at The 'Shoe--yet they could also lose to a weak Minnesota team and follow up the OSU upset with a home loss to Purdue. The Spartans had talent on that team, but it was raw talent. Players like Plaxico Burress and Julian Peterson showed flashes of brilliance that would come to full fruition the next season, when the Spartans finished 10-2.

It's been fun passing the lazy days of summer watching these old games and engaging in one of my favorite activities: reminiscing.

The end of June post

Time for me to get in my end-of-the-month post.

The NBA draft took place last week, and both Adreian Payne and Gary Harris were selected in the first round. Of the two, Adreian Payne--barring injury--should have the best NBA career. He has the length and the inside/outside game.. But I wish both Payne and Harris the best.

Maryland and Rutgers are set to officially join the Big Ten on Tuesday, July 1. I'm underwhelmed by the addition of these two schools, and think it waters down the conference. I suppose Rutgers women's basketball improves the Big Ten, and Maryland men's basketball is formidable, but neither school was added with athletics that much in mind. It's a money grab, plain and simple.

Maybe as time goes on, I'll soften and fully accept Maryland and Rutgers in the Big Ten. But as of now, it doesn't excite me at all. The bottom line is that, in many ways, I don't like the direction college athletics is taking. I don't do well with change to begin with, and this sort of change is irksome for me. I grew up with a Big Ten that actually had TEN schools. Now the conference has added three more schools in the span of three years. I was just finally getting used to Penn State in the Big Ten.

Now, Maryland and Rutgers have been added, and not due to athletics, not due to academics, but in a cynical attempt to stake a claim of the east coast television market. Sure, Jim Delany will claim that this had nothing to do with it, but let's be honest. That's what it was about.

My one post for May

I happened to notice that I'd written no posts during the month of May.

Seeing as how this is my last chance to do so, I am here to rectify the situation. So here is my lone post for May.

I'm enjoying the "off-season." Quite honestly, I'm also still reveling in MSU's tremendous 2013 football season and I want this warm glow to last for as long as possible. For that reason, I can't say I'm "looking forward" to the 2014 football season. Not that I'm dreading it or anything. Certainly not--though it's difficult to see how 2014 could possibly top 2013. As I believe I already wrote in here, the only way for that to happen is if the Spartans finished the season undefeated and went on to play in the national championship game.

Just today, the Big Ten Network replayed the Rose Bowl and followed that up with the Spartans' 29-6 dismantling of Michigan. I never, never, never tire of watching either one of those games. I could easily put those two games (along with the Big Ten Championship win over Ohio State) on an endless loop and watch it for several days in a row without getting bored.

Watching those games, though, I still see room for improvement: not with MSU's defense, but with the offense. Connor Cook made enough mistakes in those games that, as successful as he was for the most part, he needs to tighten up his play and make better decisions at times. Of course, he was only a sophomore and I expect that he WILL be a better quarterback in 2014.

For now, I'll continue to revel in the 2013 football season (and if the Big Ten basketball tournament title game against Michigan is replayed, certainly catch that). No need to rush the 2014 football season, there's plenty of time to enjoy the summer and reminisce.

Spring Game...and Earl Morrall

After several weeks away, decompressing after the wild football and basketball seasons, I'm back.

I went to the spring football game yesterday, along with my wife, two kids, and my parents--who drove down to Lansing for the game. It really was an enjoyable way to spend a family get-together, and something a little out of the ordinary to share with my extended family. To make matters even better, we bumped into my sister-in-law and husband at Spartan Stadium, so we were all able to sit together on the west side of the stadium at roughly the goal line.

I can't say I devoted as much time to analyzing the play on the field as I perhaps would have had I been alone. I spent most of my time spending money on food (cotton candy, soda pop, nachos, hot dog, peanuts) to keep the kids happy, chatting with family, and just generally enjoying the sunny April afternoon.

From what I could tell, though, the defense will be strong again. I was looking forward to seeing Damion Terry and he did not disappoint. Terry lined up at slot receiver/flanker in his first play on offense and scored a touchdown with an exciting mix of speed and shiftiness. He also played quarterback for the both the Green and White squads and displayed a strong arm and maneuverability. Terry will be one to watch in 2014.

The spring game also afforded an opportunity to celebrate the 2013 season and what this 2013 senior class achieved in their four seasons at MSU. A great halftime video montage on the scoreboards showed highlights from the Little Giants game against Notre Dame, through all the wins over Michigan, and the bowl game victories culminating in the Rose Bowl. It's been an amazing journey for this football program and one I quite frankly never thought I'd see in my lifetime.

2014 should be another excellent year for MSU football, but the only way 2013 can be topped is if the team goes undefeated and wins a national title (or perhaps loses one game and wins a national title). I don't expect that to happen. It's not that I don't think it can happen, it's simply that to expect such a lofty achievement is setting ones self up for potential disappointment if it doesn't occur.

I don't know how much I'll be poking around on this blog until football season. I'd like to do a season-ending wrap up of what has been a truly great year of MSU sports, but I can't guarantee I'll get to that.

I should close this post with a salute to Earl Morrall, a great Spartan football player who died two days ago at age 79. Not many players have won a Rose Bowl AND multiple Super Bowls. Morrall did both. As an All-American quarterback at Michigan State, he led the Spartans to a 1956 Rose Bowl win, and then played an incredible 21 seasons in the NFL: a career that spanned parts of three decades. It was in the twilight of his NFL career that Morrall enjoyed his greatest professional success. At age 34, he was the 1968 NFL MVP. Morrall had a splendid season replacing an injured Johnny Unitas that season, and quarterbacked the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III against the Jets. Though the Colts lost to Joe Namath and the Jets, they went on to win Super Bowl V two years later where, once again, Morrall replaced an injured Unitas.

As a member of the Miami Dolphins, Morrall won championship rings in Super Bowl's VII and VIII. In the Dolphins' undefeated 1972 season, Morrall once again had to step in for an injured star quarterback, this time Bob Griese. Morrall started 11 of the Dolphins' 17 games that year, beginning in game five of the regular season and extending to the AFC championship game--when, due to a poor performance against the Steelers, he was lifted in favor of a healthy Bob Griese. (Though looking at Morrall's stats from that game, they were not that much different from Griese's). Still, not bad at all for a 38-year-old "has-been" who had been claimed by the Dolphins on waivers in April '72 for a paltry $100. Morrall's efforts that season earned him the AFC MVP award and NFL Comeback Player of the Year.

Earl Morrall stuck around for another four season before hanging up his spikes for good in 1976, thus ending a career that proves that, with perseverance and a little bit of fate mixed in, an athlete can be a late bloomer and achieve great success when conventional wisdom would suggest the opposite.

Farewell to a great athlete and a great Spartan. Rest in peace, Earl Morrall.

Rest in peace, Princess Lacey.

(And hang in there, Adreian Payne). 

 

Why I don't like to make predictions...

Michigan State looked all the world like a team that was gassed and exhausted after the Friday night slugfest against Virginia. The team that lost to UConn yesterday was not the same team we've seen since the first game of the Big Ten Tournament against Northwestern.

More later...

Elite Eight (and beyond)

Earlier in this blog, I know I criticized Bo Ryan. I can't remember the specific posts, but it's easy enough to find them.

 

I'm going on the record right now to say I've changed my tune, and I'm truly happy that he and his Wisconsin Badgers team have earned a spot in the Final Four. Bo Ryan is undeniably a great coach who seems considerably more humble now than he was when he first arrived in Madison. He has paid and his dues and deserves to finally win the big one.

 

MSU beat Virginia last night in a bare knuckled fistfight of a game. It wasn't always pretty to watch--who's kidding who, it was downright ugly--but the Spartans made big plays down the stretch and closed out the game in a fashion that tested the heart health of anyone watching.

 

The worst part of the 10:15 start time was that I knew, no matter the outcome, I'd be so wired after the game that I wouldn't be able to sleep until at least 2 AM, and that's precisely what happened. Adrenaline-induced insomnia set in and I found it impossible to calm down. At least it was a Friday night.

 

MSU takes on UConn for a spot in the Final Four. Quite frankly, MSU has been through too much to lose this game. Now, I don't want to get too far ahead of myself because UConn has been playing well and Shabazz Napier is a hell of a player, but I just don't see the Huskies beating the Spartans.