Notre Dame Saturday, and a trip down memory lane

I will spare you any prediction of who will win tonight's Michigan State/Notre Dame game, because I really have no idea. And do you really want my opinion anyway? Probably not. (All I will say is that it should be a close game, maybe not decided until late in the fourth quarter),

Instead, I want to look back on this rivalry, because after tonight's game it will most likely not be renewed for another eight years. For these two schools that have had a long and storied football series, this is an unfortunate state of affairs. However, it's the sad reality of modern college football. Conference realignments (with Notre Dame obligated to play several ACC teams each season) and emphasis on money and recruiting (games in California against the likes of Stanford and USC are more lucrative in these regards than MSU in East Lansing) have pretty much killed one of the game's oldest rivalries.

So I thought I'd take a trip down my own personal memory lane and revisit the Spartans' wins (and memorable losses).

Though the Spartans beat Notre Dame in 1975, I have no specific memory of that game. I'm sure it was on television and I'm sure my parents were probably watching it, but at best it's a blur.

The Spartans' 28-23 win in 1983 was the first memorable Notre Dame game for me. In George Perles' first season, and second game as coach, he took what were essentially Muddy Waters' ragtag recruits and quite improbably beat the #4 Irish in South Bend. As it turns out, Notre Dame was highly overrated at the time, and finished '83 with a pedestrian 7-5 record. Still, the 4-6-1 Spartans had no business beating Notre Dame in South Bend. It was George's first big win as coach, but placed some unrealistic expectations on that team and Perles.

The next MSU win came in 1986, my freshman year at MSU. I have previously written in this blog about my 18-year-old idiot self almost provoking a fight before the game with a guy in a Notre Dame t-shirt. I may be lucky that my college career didn't come to a crashing halt before it had even begun. Instead, I made it back to Shaw Hall and watched the game in an upper classman's room with a bunch of other people. It was my first moment of fun in college, watching Dean Altobelli, Todd Krumm and company eek out a 20-15 win at Spartan Stadium.

Then we had a long drought. There was the nightmarish loss in 1987 (one of the few dark clouds in an otherwise bright sunny Rose Bowl season), heartbreaking and freakish losses in 1990 and 1994.

After a two-year break in the series, Nick Saban's 1997 team registered a dominating 23-7 win in South Bend. Thus began an unexpected five-game winning streak over the Bob Davie led Irish.

 I can remember how shocked I was to come home from work late on Saturday night in 1998 and see that the Spartans had built a 42-3 lead over the Irish AT HALFTIME. That schizophrenic Spartan team had been blown out the previous week at Oregon and I had little hope that they'd be competitive with ND, much less win--but they pulled out a stunner. (Befitting that 1998 team's nature, they lost focus in the second half and were outscored 20-3, but had built such a huge lead that it didn't matter).

The Spartans continued the streak with a 23-13 win in 1999 (Gari Scott with sprinting down the sideline for a TD is etched in my brain), 27-21 in 2000 (freshman QB Jeff Smoker connecting on a last ditch 4th down TD reception to Herb Haygood in one of MSU football's most memorable moments), and a 17-10 win in 2001 that I barely remember.

The only Notre Dame game I have ever attended in person was in 2002. It looked for all the world like MSU would extend the streak to six when Charles Rogers made an acrobatic catch in the north end zone to give MSU a 17-14 lead late in the game. But on the ensuing kickoff the Irish ran the ball all the way back for a touchdown. From that point on, the 2002 season went in a tailspin.

In 2005,  the Spartans won a dramatic overtime game with Jason Teague taking the ball in for the decisive score. This was followed by the controversial "flag planting" at the 50-yard-line of Notre Dame Stadium. The Irish claimed revenge in 2006 in the "monsoon game" when the Spartans blew a 16-point lead and saw the '06 season flush itself down the toilet.

There was the "Javon Ringer carries the team" game in 2008 when he rushed for over 200 yards in a 23-7 win. And who can forget Little Giants in 2010, one of the most exciting wins in Spartan history that was also one of Mark Dantonio's defining wins as MSU football coach.

I could go on about the next few games after Little Giants, but the power of my computer is dying, and Little Giants seems like an appropriate place to end. Who knows what excitement 2017 will bring?

It has been an eventful rivalry and one that will be missed.

On (to) Wisconsin

I've been seriously negligent towards this blog so far this football season.

When will I, or anyone else for that matter, stop doubting Dantonio or MSU before a big game?

In fairness, nobody knew quite what to expect from the Spartans after the completely "meh" Furman game, but as I wrote in my last post, Dantonio likes it that way. Why would MSU want to go all out against Furman when they don't have to, and show its hand to Notre Dame?

So the Spartans went out and steamrolled the Irish for three quarters, before letting up a bit on the gas pedal and making the game somewhat close. However, when the Spartans absolutely needed to make plays to seal the victory, they did so.

Of course, we still don't know exactly how good Notre Dame is. But the fact remains: any time a team plays and defeats the Irish in a night game under the outstretched arms of Touchdown Jesus, it is a big win.

In a little over an hour from now, MSU opens up Big Ten play against Wisconsin, another team that is difficult to get a read on. On one hand, the Badgers beat LSU, on the other hand they struggled a bit with Georgia State last week--and the Badgers start a redshirt freshman quarterback today.

If this game goes according to almost every other Michigan State/ Wisconsin game, it'll be decided by less that ten points either way.

I'll go ahead and pick the Spartans to win, 24-17.

Notre Dame game day

I've been putting this off for two weeks, but seeing as how it's game day, I can't procrastinate any longer.

Well, the Furman game wasn't quite what I expected. Though I never felt the Spartans were in danger, it was closer than I'd have preferred and it was not an enjoyable game to watch whatsoever.

Nobody knows what to think about this MSU football team, and Mark Dantonio prefers it that way. They enter Notre Dame Stadium this evening as a total enigma.

It's important to not allow the result of tonight's game completely color our expectations for the rest of the season. It'll be a difficult environment for the Spartans, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if they lost. I'm not trying to be pessimistic, just realistic.

One thing I've learned over the last nine years, however: doubt or question a Mark Dantonio team at your peril.

If the Spartans lose, they can still go on to have a great season, as happened in 2011 and 2013.

47 years ago today: the Game of the Century

 

 

On this day, forty-seven years ago, Michigan State and Notre Dame clashed in a titanic battle of #1 versus #2. In a controversial ending, Notre Dame "settled" for the tie, and maintained its number one ranking. Though unsatisfactory at the time, the fact that the game was a tie is the reason people still talk about the game to this day.

Enjoy this vintage black-and-white YouTube video of the entire game.

What in the H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks is going on with MSU football?

Mark Dantonio and his koaching staff? (or is this the officiating crew at the MSU/ND game?)

I'm not sure if the above picture is that famous incompetent police force, the Keystone Kops, or the MSU football coaching staff (or should I say, koaching staff). In any case, they both have the same degree of expertise--at least in recent weeks. And the same can be said for the officiating crew that worked the Michigan State/Notre Dame game.

I've had a few days to stew over the latest head-scratching, gut-wrenching Michigan State football loss. The more I think of it, the angrier I get.

What in the hell is going on with this team. More specifically, what in the hell is going on with this coaching staff? Has Mark Dantonio lost his mind? I never thought I'd be so critical of Mark Dantonio, but he has really bungled this 2013 team from the spring game until now.

Yes, the team is 3-1; but it's the rockiest, ugliest 3-1 I've seen in quite some time.

Why in the world was Andrew Maxwell thrown into the game on the final drive, only to inexplicably run out of bounds on 4th and 20, sealing MSU's fate. Did Maxwell forget the down-and-distance? Even if so, it doesn't look good for him to make such a huge mental error in a pressure situation. It didn't look good for the coaches to throw him into that situation in the first place. And was Connor Cook really playing that badly? I don't think so. The team was only down by four points!

The coaching staff is in serious danger of alienating all of the quarterbacks and dividing the team if this dog and pony show continues.

And don't get me started on some of the offensive play-calling, specifically the ridiculous R.J. Shelton trick play, which destroyed a promising Spartan drive in which MSU was gashing Notre Dame on the ground.

But not all of what happened on Saturday was MSU's fault. I don't like to crow too much about bad officiating, but the pass interference calls against the Spartans were some of the worst officiating decisions I've seen since last year's Nebraska game. When poor officiating has a direct impact on the result of a game, there is a problem. This was definitely the case in the Notre Dame game.

That's all I have for now. I think I need to take some prozac and decompress.

A step in the right direction

I missed almost the entire first half of the MSU/Youngstown State game because my cable provider, Xfinity, deemed it necessary to not only show the Michigan/Akron game on the primary Big Ten Network channel, but on both of the overflow BTN channels. I'm assuming this was Xfinity's decision, or maybe it was the Big Ten Network. Either way, I found this to be disappointing. Still, I probably can't fault BTN/Xfinity too much, because the Michigan/Akron game was exciting and without a little homecooking that saved the Wolverines' hides, may have been the biggest college football upset this side of 2007's Appalachian State/Michigan game...(and Appalachian State was arguably a much better team than Akron).

Not having the MSU game on television forced me to do what I used to do in the old days, listen to the game on the radio. (At least the first half of the game, that is). So I had George Blaha and Jason Strayhorn describing the laugher at Spartan Stadium while Michigan was fighting for its life on my TV.

I don't know what the takeaway is from MSU's 55-17 win over Youngstown State. I suppose it was the best case scenario. Connor Cook, in his first start, played extremely well and, at the very least, saved Damion Terry's red shirt from being removed.

It was good to see MSU's offense with a pulse, and to see the receivers make catches. Yes, it was only Youngstown State, but it was still an encouraging sign.

After last year's CMU game, I lauded the play of Macgarrett Kings. For some unknown reason, Kings was not heard from again after that game. Against Youngstown State, Kings was the leading receiver and is, in fact, leading all MSU receivers in yardage. He has good hands and is shifty and elusive. At this point, the Spartans can use all the help they can get at receiver, and Kings provides hope at that position.

And hey, it turns out MSU has tight ends after all. They even showed up to make some catches on Saturday.

Next on the docket is Notre Dame.

I have absolutely no idea what to expect in this game. Is Notre Dame as mediocre as they have appeared in their first three games? It's hard to believe they are. Will MSU's offense continue to make the strides it displayed against Youngstown State? or is that performance, indeed merely fool's gold? It's still extremely difficult to gauge MSU's team, or have any sense of how much Notre Dame has dropped off since last year's strong season.

I've heard it said before that, for Michigan State, the result of the Notre Dame game is often an indicator of how the rest of the season will go for the Spartans. I think using this game as a barometer for the rest of the season is overstated. In 1986, the Spartans beat the Irish 20-15 at Spartan Stadium, but went on to a mediocre 6-5 season. The following year, MSU got run over by Tim Brown and ND, a game that started off badly and never got better--but MSU went on to win the Big Ten and go to the Rose Bowl. In 1998, MSU massacred the Irish 45-23 in East Lansing, but went on to a lackluster 6-6 season. In 2011, the Spartans were routed in South Bend, but ended up playing for the Big Ten title. So my point is, you just never really know.

That said, it's always great to beat Notre Dame, and MSU hasn't done it since the Little Giants play of 2010. With the Irish off the schedule for the next two years, it'd be awfully sweet for the Spartans to knock them off this season. I don't think anyone wants that more than Mark Dantonio.

So regardless of what happens this Saturday at Notre Dame, there's no point in getting either too high or too low.

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.

Michigan State 23, Notre Dame 7: post-game thoughts

As I write this post, I am relishing my "victory beer," a very smooth Indian Pale Ale from the Michigan Brewing Company. It's tasting pretty darned good right now.

Nice, solid win for the Spartans today. I knew that Dantonio would have the boys ready today, and MSU as a team was about as good as I have seen them in quite some time. I felt that for any Heisman talk regarding Javon Ringer to be truly justified, he'd have to bring it against big-name competition. Yes, I know Notre Dame is not a great team, but they have improved from last year and they are still NOTRE DAME. That name is nationally recognized and if you can light them up, you can guarantee that the national pundits will take a shine to you.

Having said that, the long Big Ten season is still in front of us, and the test for the Spartans will be if they can stay healthy enough to finish with a winning record. I am still maintaining relatively low expectations until proven otherwise.

I know that many of the MSU sports chat rooms and blogs will rip Brian Hoyer from here to Grand Rapids for this performance today, but he really was not that bad. Sure, he wasn't great, but he didn't make any mistakes that hurt the team. In fairness to Hoyer, there were some dropped passes that should have been caught. I was happy that when he didn't have an open receiver, he threw the ball away. Jimmy Clausen, who has a great arm and will be a solid quarterback for the Irish, made some mistakes that really hurt his team (particularly the throw into double coverage that Otis Wiley picked off in the end zone). The bottom line with Hoyer is that he's what you'd call a solid "program player," a little like former Spartan quarterbacks Bill Burke and Dan Enos. Some people expect him to be Tim Tebow, and that's just not going to happen. I still believe that Hoyer can have a solid year (have I used the word "solid" too much?). Let's not forget that, although he did have a bad game against Boston College in last year's Champs Sports Bowl, he did play a brilliant second half in last year's comeback win against Penn State.

After giving love to Hoyer, I have to admit that if anything bad happens to Ringer, MSU's football season is in serious jeopardy.

During the game, I was thinking that this may have been the best performance by an MSU defense since the Nick Saban era. Otis Wiley is a stud (and if he continues to play as well as he has--will be a high NFL draft pick) , Adam Decker is one tough hombre at linebacker (although does seem to be a bit of a hothead--he needs to temper some of that aggression), and Greg Jones will be playing on Sundays. Fortener had one of the game's most important plays breaking up a sure touchdown pass late in the game.

Overall, a good, tough, hard-hitting game (as would be expected in this rivalry) and a great win for the Spartans. I continue to be impressed with the way Dantonio consistently has this team ready to play, ever since his first game on the job. Bring on Indiana!

What, another football post?

I am still awake when I should be sleeping, but hey, it's Friday night (actually Saturday morning) and I don't feel like going to bed.

Now, let me gab for awhile about an important issue: college football. Later today, at 3:30 PM, Michigan State and Notre Dame will kickoff at Spartan Stadium. I have never seen as much confidence in a Spartan blowout as I have seen on various MSU sports chat rooms and blogs. Why so much confidence? How long have these people been State fans, I wonder? Yes, it's true that Notre Dame struggled against a weak San Diego State team and Michigan virtually gift wrapped last week's Irish victory (and, at least for now, Michigan is not a good team) but what exactly has Michigan State done? The Spartans lost to a decent, but not great, Cal team on the road, manhandled the predictably woeful Eastern Michigan Eagles, and then escaped the drizzly, rainy slopfest last week against Florida Atlantic. The bottom line is that it's way too early to judge how good any of these teams are, MSU and Notre Dame included. Add to that my reluctance to predict a Michigan State drubbing of the Irish based on my 30+ years of getting my hopes and dreams dashed by the Spartans. I've just gotten too cynical and pessimistic to get the least bit cocky about any Michigan State football game.

We will get a much clearer picture of how good Michigan State and Notre Dame are after today's game. I know that isn't a particularly original statement, but it's true. My hope is that Mark Dantonio's toughminded approach will have the Spartans ready to play, and hopefully come away with a solid victory. So far, I like what I've seen of Dantonio as a coach. He consistently has had MSU ready to play every game since he took over the job, that's a hell of a lot more than I can say for his immediate predecessors, John L. Smith and Bobby Williams.

I'm not a Michigan fan, but as one who has lived in this state his entire life I can't help but to have followed U of M football to a certain extent. Michigan football is pretty much ubiquitous around these parts--you can't really avoid it even if you try. Reports of Michigan's football demise seem a little premature to me--I'll believe it when I see it. It seems to me that Rich Rodriguez's new offensive schemes will make more sense to their players as the season goes on, and their offense will improve. (It is certainly strange to see Michigan running a spread offense, though. To me, Michigan is all about the power running game with the occasional long bomb to one of their long line of great receivers: Anthony Carter, Desmond Howard, Amani Toomer, Braylon Edwards, Steve Breaston, etc. I also recall Bo Schembechler running the option on virtually every play back in the late '70s. I have wondered about why a team that gets such a bumper crop of 5-star recruits year after year needs to implement a spread offense. I generally associate that type of offense with teams that need to use trickery to compete with the big boys, like Purdue, Northwestern and Michigan State in the John L. era. Am I off-base here?).

Here's another thing I don't understand. If Michigan gets a top-5 national recruiting class every year and is allegedly stocked with great athletes, why have I heard endless whining about RichRod not having the right players to run his system? This is Michigan football, folks! The winged-helmet, the Big House, and Hail to the Victors! Shouldn't the Wolverines have a stable of blue-chippers to run the spread? A veritable cornucopia of gridiron studs to run the new scheme like a fine-oiled machine? Not to drag MSU into this, but I don't recall John L. Smith saying he didn't have the right players to run the spread back in his first year at MSU. Yes, it is true that John L. inherited a senior quarterback in 2003, but it's not as if Jeff Smoker was the ideal spread quarterback. Still, John L. had his most successful year in '03: 8-5 record and Big Ten Coach of the Year. (Wow, I actually wrote something nice about John L. Smith!).

I don't profess to be a football expert, although I am a big fan of the game. If anyone thinks I'm off-base with these opinions and wishes to set me straight, please comment.

I know that no living humans are reading this blog, so for my pretend make-believe readers out there who are depairing of all the football talk, I assure you that I will at some point write extensively and intelligently about subjects other than football.