HERE COME THOSE DIRTY WOLVERINES

An increasingly common misperception found on sports web site comment threads suggests that Michigan State Football players "played dirty" against Michigan in recent games, and that claim is supposed to mean something. Unless they're saying the referees aren't making all the calls.

Hey wait, there is some evidence of missed calls on UM penalties against MSU, including in recent years. For example, these clips come from the game two years ago, the one where some folks claim the Spartans did such nasty deeds...this is a "playlist", so each of these short clips will play in order no matter which one you click:

• Will Gholston is fouled multiple times by Taylor Lewan before finally getting up and foolishly throwing a punch. Why only one flag on this play?
• Roy Roundtree openly facemasks Johnny Adams, with no flag thrown. Why no penalty on this play?
• Craig Roh grabs Edwin Baker by the facemask, again no call. (Note the referee with a perfect view, watching the play.)

Also on that same playlist:

• Jonas Mouton punches a Notre Dame player, and again, there is no penalty assessed.
• Greg Matthews kicks an Oregon football player years ago, no infraction in Michigan Stadium.

Here's a pretty good summary of the roots of the misperception, coming out of the game from two years ago. It marked the fourth consecutive win for MSU, hence the need for Weasel Nation to create a distraction by advancing this type of story. As for Lewan, here's some background on the guy who prides himself on playing dirty.

By the way, it's not just in football that Wolverines play so dirty, but they are caught more often in basketball. Here's some evidence of UM Basketball players getting chucked from games and suspended for "dirty play":

• Zack Novak
• Manny Harris A
• Manny Harris B
• Manny Harris C

The Wolverines played so dirty in basketball recently that the B1G felt compelled to make an announcement about the situation:

• http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2009/02/62336374/1

So don't let any chUMps yank your chain this week, claiming that Spartans "play dirty", as if it's more true about MSU than any other school, including UM. They are about the same as everybody else in all things, including football.

Dirty in football, dirty in basketball, the Michigan Wolverines are surely "America's Dirty Team". 

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