SPORTS MEDIA POUNDING AGAINST MSU CONTINUES IN FACE OF SPARTAN SUCCESS

Wow, that was a somewhat dim "Monday after", don't you think? Michigan State overcame a dozen big injuries and a crooked defeat only to come-from-behind and win the league championship this season, but the sports media is abuzz with sideways glances and cockamamie viewpoints on the Spartans.

As soon as the match-up with Alabama was announced, Vegas set an opening line close to 10 points for The Crimson Tide, even though MSU lost only a single game by a only single point after a nationally publicized bad call by the officials. We know Vegas makes lines based on what people will bet, but as such, they are a frequent index of the public view of a team or a game.

Public opinion is largely guided by viewpoints expressed in the media, and we awoke yesterday to the following anti-Spartan campaign:

On 730-AM Lansing sports radio Monday morning, the hosts were criticizing Connor Cook and Mark Dantonio. They said Dantonio should not have shared his innermost feelings by saying he sometimes felt his team was "favored" by the heavens above. They also picked on Cook for misunderstanding protocol expectations in a ceremony that was never rehearsed and was held immediately after he had been in the highest level of athletic competition for more than four hours; even though Cook clearly apologized, it was still considered a story.

On the "Huge Bill Simonson" Show Monday afternoon, his question-of-the-day was, "Do the Spartans stand a chance against Alabama?" All one can say is WOW. MSU has outscored every team it has played except one that finished with one more point. How likely IS a blowout in this match-up, Bill?

The Detroit Free Press published an article suggesting that MSU was a "sacrificial lamb" for Alabama. The infamous Drew Sharp claimed that the only reason Michigan State moved up two spots in the polls was because Oklahoma would have had a home-field advantage in Dallas (or some such reasoning).

This opening line by Vegas will gradually drop as gameday approaches and people take a closer look into the dynamics of the situation and the realities of the match-up. But people are left with a residue of media assertions that the Spartans are doomed, they don't belong where they are, it's only a matter of time before the bottom falls out, etc.

Think I'm stretching things a bit? Consider this: MSU wins the league title on the field of play, rotating injured players all game long, making the plays necessary to be successful, beating a previously undefeated team that's ranked in the Top Five, and is rewarded with a two-spot rise in the standings. At the same time, Michigan sits at home playing hopscotch on the Diag, and the Wolverines are rewarded with a one-spot rise in the standings. And Drew Sharp says the extra step up for Michigan State was just a gift to Nick Saban, nothing about the Spartans' performance this season.

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TOPLESS HARBAUGH INCIDENT REMINISCENT OF LARRY HARRISON SAGA

Do you remember Larry Harrison? Can you recall the last things he did to get in the news? We think not, that's why we're writing about him today. If a Spartan did what that Wolverine did, only a decade ago, everybody would be very familiar with the story.

But let's start with Jim Harbaugh. He publicly disrobed, going topless with plenty of folks around, only to be hailed as an over-exuberant, playful, life-loving football fanatic who exudes a boyish charm. Right?

We know that a man going topless is not illegal, but in the annals of college football history, we can't name any other major college coach who took his shirt off in public, can you? No doubt, it's a least a bit odd. And there is certainly nothing meritorious about it, especially considering the pasty-white flab shots that were transmitted across the Internet for weeks.

Our point about Harbaugh in this incident is that he did something completely weird and at least a bit anti-social, and his adoring fans in the sports media cut him yet more slack for a really questionable decision. Even in an impromptu game of "shirts-vs-skins", he had all of the authority necessary to quickly and quietly decide that his team would be the "shirts" before going forward with his fun and games. Nobody would have questioned it, and perhaps more importantly, nobody would have noticed.

Are you getting the idea that Harbaugh likes to be noticed?

He is an attention-diva.

So the sports media reports on and interprets an unprecedented and borderline anti-social body exposure incident by Harbaugh as unbridled enthusiasm for his job. Would the same behavior by Mark Dantonio draw the same media response? Hmmm.

Now back to Larry Harrison, by now you're wondering who the heck that guy is, right? Okay, we will tell you, with supporting links to prove we're not making this up.

Larry Harrison was a University of Michigan football player with NFL aspirations who also decided to take off some of his clothes. Okay, maybe all of his clothes. And he played a game while undressed, but his game had only one player, and the player's name was Peter. The audience was not nearly as large as Harbaugh had, and it was comprised only of college-age females who were in their own house during the show.

Please read the stories that are linked (above) to get all of the details, as we don't plan to list them all in this article. Then ask yourself, what if the football player in this story was from Michigan State, would the sports media ever let us forget about it?

Consider if a current MSU football player with NFL aspirations did the same thing as Larry Harrison. Do you really think the story would be swept under the carpet as the media did on behalf of the UM player?

Sure, there were stories and a few reports, we're not saying it was a "cover-up", but the professional sports media is required to publish those basic stories when the events happen. We're talking about the media narrative that permeates our cultural consciousness, leading most people to think things and even believe things based on "what they hear" on a regular basis. (This may sound like psycho-babble, but at least it's not complex psycho-babble. This is pretty basic stuff.)

There are currently three Spartans who are reportedly on their way to the NFL. Pick any one of those three, imagine if they pulled "a Larry Harrison" around the MSU campus, and consider the media fire-storm that would have ensued. This type of behavior goes well beyond a couple of wild pitches in batting practice, and look what the sports media did to MSU over that one.

So Harbaugh catches yet another break from the sports media, while nobody notices how totally strange he behaved that day, and the UM player who did so much more gets lost in the dusty sidelines of sports history. The sports media treatment of Michigan, especially by comparison to Michigan State, has formed a distorted public viewpoint about the two schools for decades.

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MICHIGAN COACH JOHN BEILEIN RIDES TEAM TO "COACH-OF-THE-YEAR" AWARD FOR 2016

FOR THE UPDATED TEXT OF THIS ARTICLE

PLEASE CLICK HERE

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BEILEIN CRAPS OUT ON RECRUITING TRAIL

FOR THE UPDATED TEXT OF THIS ARTICLE

PLEASE CLICK HERE

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A BRIEF HISTORY OF UolM RUNNING UP THE SCORE

Having read the recent article, HERE'S PROOF THAT UM "RAN UP THE SCORE" AGAINST MSU IN 2002 FOOTBALL GAME, it seemed that a lot was left out.

Those chUMps are whining about a single TD. Yet those obsessive historians ignore their sordid past.

Let's take a look. Just a sample, mind you, otherwise it would have to become a serial post.

The largest margin of victory of the Spartans over UolM was in 1967, a 34-0 shutout. Using 34 points as the marker, UolM has exceeded that margin of victory over the Spartans 12 times.

10/12/1898: 39-0
10/8/1902: 119-0
10/12/1907: 46-0
10/12/1912: 55-7
11/4/1922: 63-0
10/3/1925: 39-0
10/9/1926: 55-3
9/29/1945: 40-0
11/9/1946: 55-7
9/27/1947: 55-0
10/8/1983: 42-0
11/2/2002: 49-3

With the exception of the 1983 game, all of those were played in AA.

In 1902, MSU (Michigan Agricultural College) had a total enrollment of 689 students, which included 158 women. In 1902, UolM had a total enrollment of 3792 students. No gender deliniation provided in the records.

Compare this to 2007, when UolM had 41,042 students versus Appalachian State with 13,997 students. That was a D-IA versus D-IAA with a student body ratio of greater than 3:1. In 1902, the student body ratio was about 5:1, which makes it more of a D-I versus D-III match.

So, go back to the 1902 score and decide whether or not UolM ran up the score. One other datum to consider when viewing that score - UolM was recruiting, MAC was not. UolM was the equivalent of a semi-pro team and MAC was barely out of the club sport category.

Fast forward to 1937, when NCAA reclassified MSC as a Major football program. MSC had a total enrollment of 1203 students, which included 503 women. UolM had a total enrollment of 11,777 students, which included 3514 women. That is almost a 10:1 ratio (> 11:1 male students).

Scrolling forward, MSU enrollment had achieved parity with UolM prior to the 1978 NCAA split of Division I into I-A and I-AA.

1945: UolM 15,437 MSC  4,308
1954: UolM 30,570 MSU 16,234
1964: UolM 37,945 MSU 31,268
1974: UolM 42,495 MSU 43,459
1984: UolM 34,347 MSU 40,272
1994: UolM 36,408 MSU 40,254
2004: UolM 39,533 MSU 44,836
2014: UolM 41,924 MSU 50,085
(Main campus enrollment only, Fall enrollment)

Of the 12 games played where UolM ran up the score, 10 of them happened when they were beating up on a team from a much smaller school. They did this all the time.

Year Record PF-PA
1901 11-0-0 550-0
1902 11-0-0 664-12
1903 11-0-1 565-6
1904 10-0-0 567-22
1905 12-1-0 495-2

Who did they play?

1901
Albion (MI) in AA
Case Institute of Technology (OH) in AA
Indiana in AA
Northwestern (IL) in AA
Buffalo (NY) in AA
Carlisle Indian School (PA) in Detroit
Ohio St. in Columbus
Chicago (IL) in AA
Beloit (WI) in AA
Iowa in Chicago
Stanford (CA) in Pasadena

1902
Albion (MI) in AA
Case Institute of Technology (OH) in AA
Michigan St. in AA
Indiana in AA
Notre Dame (IN) in Toledo
Ohio St. in AA
Wisconsin in Chicago
Iowa in AA
Chicago (IL) in Chicago
Oberlin (OH) in AA
Minnesota in AA

1903
Case Institute of Technology (OH) in AA
Albion (MI) in AA
Beloit (WI) in AA
Ohio Northern in AA
Indiana in AA
Ferris St. (MI) in AA
Drake (IA) in AA
Minnesota in Minneapolis
Ohio St. in AA
Wisconsin in AA
Oberlin (OH) in AA
Chicago (IL) in Chicago

1904
Case Institute of Technology (OH) in AA
Ohio Northern in AA
Kalamazoo (MI) in AA
Physicians & Surgeons (IL) in AA
Ohio St. in Columbus
American Medical (IL) in AA
West Virginia in AA
Wisconsin in Madison
Drake (IA) in AA
Chicago (IL) in AA

1905
Ohio Wesleyan in AA
Kalamazoo (MI) in AA
Case Institute of Technology (OH) in AA
Ohio Northern in AA
Vanderbilt (TN) in AA
Nebraska in AA
Albion (MI) in AA
Drake (IA) in AA
Illinois in Champaign
Ohio St. in AA
Wisconsin in AA
Oberlin (OH) in AA
Chicago (IL) in Chicago

45 home games, 4 neutral sites, 8 away games

Homefield advantage was very real in those days. Keep in mind, the Model T production started in 1908. The Wright Brothers went to Kitty Hawk in 1903. The first practical airplane was flown in 1909. The modern toilet was designed in 1906. A team typically travelled by train, arriving in time to walk to the stadium carrying their gear just in time for the game. Trains of that age typically ran at 20-30 mph, so a team would have to leave several hours to arrive in time, sometimes travelling overnight and sleeping on the train. Food service on trains was non-existent.

(We won't even get into whether the thugs recruited by UolM actually enrolled.) FYI, in 1906, UolM was censored by the Western Conference (aka Big Ten) for failure to comply with conference recruiting regulations.and members were not allowed to schedule games. UolM left the conference in 1907 and was readmitted after 10 seasons.

So 80% of those games were at home and more than half were versus non-peer opponents. Go back and look at the scores. Did UolM run up the scores on any of those teams?

Perhaps a second look at the recent MSU TD will be seen in a slightly different light.

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HERE'S PROOF THAT UM "RAN UP THE SCORE" AGAINST MSU IN 2002 FOOTBALL GAME

Time for a quick fact-check about Saturday's game. Many (not all) Michigan fans are claiming that Michigan State Head Coach Mark Dantonio was "unsportsmanlike" because he "ran up the score" against UM. We all saw a run-only drive using no timeouts, but still, they complain.

The last time the Wolverines had a chance to "run up the score" against MSU was in 2002. The final score was 49-3, begging the question about gratuitous scoring at the end of a blowout.

There is no doubt that Michigan

"ran up the score" against Michigan State in 2002.

Here is the link to prove it.

This link brings you to the ESPN game box-score. You are looking at the fourth-quarter record of that game, and you will see all of the plays run by both teams. Please note several facts proving our point:

• Michigan took a 35-3 lead into the fourth quarter of that game, then scored two more touchdowns.
• The final UM TD was scored with 1:03 on the clock, meaning they could have kneeled down, but chose to continue pushing forward.
• The Wolverines THREW THE BALL FOUR TIMES WITH A 42-3 LEAD and less than six minutes to play in the game.

The record therefore PROVES that Lloyd Carr "ran up the score" against MSU in 2002. By contrast, the Spartans never threw the ball on their final drive Saturday, while protecting a 17-point lead. And this was after Michigan aggressively converted a two-point play after touchdown and tried an onside kick.

So let's keep the facts straight in the debate about "sportsmanship". The University of Michigan Football Program set a tone in 2002 that has not been followed by Michigan State. The decision by Dantonio to keep running-between-the-tackles at the end of the game hardly qualifies as "running up the score".




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A-TOWN AND R2G DEBATE: Is it Better for Spartans when chUMps are Good?

Form M-Live reader comments on: Mark Dantonio empathizes with Brady Hoke, prefers to keep focus on Michigan State

ATownAndDown - @TheATownAndDown 
I know I don't follow U of M that closely but weren't the coaches really high on what that freshman QB they had come was doing. Maybe Hoke needs to go all in and see if that guy is the answer. I mean the defense has been doing a pretty darn good job and the points seems to be coming from turnovers. If I am a coach, I am doing everything I can to show signs that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. If you get the freshman QB to look decent in a pro-style system and the defense continues to look decent, maybe there is something to show that you are building something.

Unfortunately Hoke is 4 years in and you would think he would have guys in place to be competing at a high level by now. Its not great for the conference. I mean don't get me wrong: I want MSU to beat U of M every year but the B1G is better when U of M is ranked. I would prefer to beat a 7-0 U of M team then 5-2. Hope that if Hoke goes they put someone in there that doesn't take 2-3 years to get the program back. B1G is behind the 8-ball enough.


return2glory | SpartanResource.com

I'm of the opinion of 'let them drown". Other Big Ten schools ranked highly and beating major out of conference opponents is preferable to giving Ann Arbor any hope at all. I'd love to see less than 50K in attendance in the Pig House. I'd love to be able view them as "a minor irritation". Remember being called that? They (coaches and administrators included) can't even call another conference institution by their correct name! Success for anyone but them. It's a rivalry. There is supposed to disdain. It is part of what makes it fun. Why would any team want success for a rival? Do Auburn fans want Alabama to remain great? Once you've got your foot on their throat, you don't let up. They never did when we were gasping for air. I'd love to see Purdue, Indiana and Rutgers out-recruit them for some big time players. Hey, you can say it will never happen, but we never thought this 7-year dismal run in Ann Arbor would happen and here we are - it's reality. Let's enjoy seeing how bad it can get!


ATownAndDown - @TheATownAndDown
While I agree with you to the extent that the B1G does not revolve around U of M, I do have to disagree with you that the B1G can be just as good with a ranked IU team.

As much as some MSU fans want to ignore it, U of M is a brand. You can debate history, last 50 years, last 10 years, or whatever. There is a reason why when a U of M team goes 5-0 the national media ranks them and heads start to turn. There is a reason why winged helmets and the block M are recognized in California, Texas, Florida as it is in Michigan. There is a reason why ESPN has a CFB Nation page for U of M. They are a team like Nebraska, like PSU, and like OSU that extend in the minds of college football fans across the country.

A relevant U of M team is going to carry more weight. Why did beating OSU in the B1G Championship Game turn so many heads? Would it have been the same if it was even Wisconsin? I doubt it. Look at how we view other conferences. How does the Big 12 look without Texas? Does Baylor fill that hole of perception in the minds of the masses like Longhorns Nation would if it was doing the same thing? That is the same way that the rest of the college football world looks at the B1G. U of M, PSU and Nebraska being relevant teams matters. Nebraska is at least ranked. PSU has an excuse and appears on the mend. U of M though...?

Look I am with you in hating the Michigan Man rhetoric about what his team did a million years ago. But the fact is Wisconsin has been a solid program for years and they still don't get the respect that U of M does on a national level. Think if MSU played this years schedule and beat a top-10 ranked Nebraska, beat a 7-0 ranked U of M, beat a ranked OSU even without Miller, beat a ranked PSU, and then went to the B1G Championship and beat a one or two loss Wisconsin. Anyone think that run doesn't turn the selection committees heads. You know all those games are national games that are getting talked about on the national sports talk for a week in advance. That is what the conference needs because that is what the SEC has had for years now.

return2glory | SpartanResource.com
I'm not saying you are wrong about any of it. I get the logic. For me, the minor benefit it gives the conference (and indirectly MSU), I'm not into the idea of Michigan being a power. Aside from my general dislike for them, they are our primary recruiting and media competitor. Their fans are also in our face exaggerating both past and current success (when they have it). If they were located in another state, I might be able to swallow the, "it's better for MSU when Ann Arbor has a good football team". But in reality, it just aint so - emotionally or logistically - at least not for MSU. MSU, Ohio State, and Notre Dame are the primary benefactors of Ann Arbor sucking. I care most about my team. Let them suck.


ATownAndDown - @TheATownAndDown
Go look at MSU's recruiting class. Only 4 of 13 are from in the state. If you ask me, MSU appears to be moving into a new class of recruiting that extends beyond the "backyard"

As far as media, all of that revenue is split among the conference. Gone are the days of local media contracts. All the significant money comes from the major networks to the conference as a whole and is split. That is why once the B1G Network boosted the B1G's revenue you started to see all the other conferences get their own networks. Its the whole union vs. individual worker concept.

Look I like to have a good laugh at all the folks that pointed out MSU's warts and said "That doesn't happen at Michigan because we are Michigan" and now getting to see them grow the same warts. But remember when the perception thing bit U of M in the butt in 2006. We laughed then too. Do you think we are immune from that? Where is the perception of the B1G since 2006?

I have pointed it out before. 4 spaces isn't a lot. There are 5 power conferences so someone isn't dancing. There are any number of situations were you can see 2 conferences getting left out. IMO I think there is going to come a day where MSU is going to need to rely on the strength of the conference. Do I want MSU to have beaten a U of M team that is 10-2 or a U of M team that is 6-6 when that day comes? I know my answer doesn't involve the term "humble pie" in it


return2glory | SpartanResource.com
A-Town - In response to your four points...

Recruits - You don't look at players we got, you look at players we wanted and didn't get. Many are UM's roster and verbal commitment list. UM sucking for several more years can change that.

Media - I'm just talking publicity. When the teams are equal, Ann Arbor gets disproportionate attention. If they suck, we don't have to deal with it.

2006 - Big Ten perception began decline. MSU gained respect and chUMps began their era of sucking. I'll take that deal.

4 spaces for power 5 plus one undefeated non-power: See the original three keys to a one loss Spartan team (from a "weak" Big Ten) getting into the football playoffs.

-R2G


ATownAndDown - @TheATownAndDown
Reply to: @return2glory | SpartanResource.com and @Boognish Rising 

I think [you] are looking at this from an emotional point of view and not one of logic and reasoning.

R2G you are talking about MSU not being able to get recruits or not getting balanced media coverage unless U of M sucks. From a personal standpoint, I would rather earn those things than have them given to me because the other guy is an also ran. But I think this shows exactly what I have been saying too: U of M has been average for how long now and yet they still carry the weight that they do. You don't just find a program like that laying around. Do you think that recruits and media are going to starting paying more attention to an MSU team that goes 4 for 5 in this era or if that run came against U of M teams that were on par with those they fielded in the 70's. If you want people to think you are the best, you need to beat the best.

I think if you look at ND, you can get a good idea that U of M isn't going to just fade away. ND was mediocre from the mid-90's until 2012. It was nearly 2 decades of new coaches and reliving the good ol' days. Heck even before 2012 they were an 8-5 team. Even that 2012 team did look like it belonged on the field with Bama. Last year they were a 9 win team and opened ranked 17th this year. After "big" wins against Rice, U of M and Purdue they are now a top-10 team and some folks are rumbling about a national championship birth. Why is that?

The media and the state of college football doesn't allow programs to fade. Its been nearly a decade since U of M was relevant and you still have national radio shows and television commentators discussing what is going on in Ann Arbor and what it means for the future of that program. It isn't going to take a lot for the bus to magically get back on the road. Let's say that U of M endures another coach that averaged 7-8 wins and gets canned. Its been nearly 2 decades and new coach rolls into Ann Arbor and U of M opens 8-0. How mad are you going to be that all these media outlets and fans start to boast about a championship run? Its going to happen. The same way it happens for Florida. The same way it happens for ND. The same way it will happen for Texas. Heck look how hard they are trying to push USC like its a top-10 program again.

In my opinion its a waste to sit here and hope that U of M turns into Indiana. I would rather focus on my squad getting better and hope that U of M comes back and we can dash championship dreams as opposed to beating a dead horse. Its better for the perception of MSU and that is all I care about. Our program can't control the perception of any other program. Give me 15 undefeated teams that MSU beats every time. Then tell me that MSU isn't the best team in the land.

return2glory | SpartanResource.com
Reply to; @ATownAndDown - @TheATownAndDown @return2glory | SpartanResource.com @Boognish Rising

A-Town, Corrections to your twisting of my points to help make your argument:

I said that I didn't disagree with your points. I also said I don't care that UM sticks. If MSU keeps winning, we don't need UM to be any better than they are now. Basically, I don't see any need to want UM to be elite if MSU is elite without them.

I didn't say (paraphrased) "no success for MSU unless UM sucks". I said we can win more recruiting battles against them when they suck.

I want to beat the best. I just don't care that UM is not among the best. I actually enjoy it when they suck.

I didn't agree or disagree with your premise that it would be even better if MSU were a top five program while UM was also good. I basically said that I don't want them to be good and I just prefer them to be lousy and MSU stay great. If MSU is great, it is not important for UM to return to the days of six total program Rose Bowl victories. I don't even want them to get a sniff.

I know Ann Arbor will not fade away. I didn't say they would. I know they will be elite again someday. That day will come sooner than I want. I prefer to not root for it to happen as earlier than it has to. I prefer to root for whoever is playing Ann Arbor this week and next week and forever.

I'm not mad about about UM's moles in the media. I just enjoy that they are powerless to help them win games. I enjoy that Minnesota is the biggest game their schedule right now. I just prefer they suck for so long that some of the illusion and mystique wears off and fades away. I'm not saying it will happen, but I see no need to root for them to regain prominence.

To me it's a waste of time to hope UM gets better. I find it enjoyable that their "championship hopes" are dashed before the conference schedule even begins. I am way more concerned about my favorite team. I don't see any need to root for our arrogant rivals who project a false image about what Michigan really is. I'm not suggesting we can control perceptions about other programs. I'll take the 15 undefeated seasons for MSU as you suggested. If UM were to miss a bowl game for those 15 years it would be even better.

It's simple. You want them to be better because you think it somehow benefits MSU. I want them to suck because if MSU keeps winning, we won't need them for anything.

[I love seeing articles about the fall-out in Ann Arbor like THIS.]


Insert From "SpartanMan82"
I am very entertained by the psychodrama that is now Michigan Football. I have been enjoying all of the bridge-jumping by chUMps of all shapes and sizes the past few weeks, especially since the Utah game. It has been a very pleasant experience to watch them flounder about aimlessly this season, thrashing each other more than they have done to their opponents.

The only complaint I have is all this stuff that the Mainstream Michigan Media Machine (M-4) is trying to pump out about the B1G Conference "needing UM to do well". Why not Illinois, the home of Red Grange? Why not Purdue, the former cradle-of-quarterbacks? Why not Minnesota, the thundering herd of the 1930's and 1940's? What about Nebraska, one of the historically greatest programs in college football history? Why is it that the B1G Conference does not seem to need those schools to do well?

Only Michigan counts to the M-4. The claims that the conference "needs them" are pure bunk written by chUMps and the folks who are paid by them to push their propaganda.

A-Town is certainly right that on a national perspective, the conference would benefit from UM avoiding their own self-immolation. But that's only because people have been trained to expect to see them succeed. People can be re-trained. Any other conference program that rises to the top - - - including MSU - - - will eventually be noticed by fans and recognized by the sports media as relevant.

I always remember that George Perles said "they all count one". That means losses as well as wins. Those chUMps only have two losses right now, and I'm the guy pointing out they could still go 10-2. But they are peeing all over themselves right now, and it's a great sight to see!

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Other Comments in the thread:

GruffSpartyisBestSparty
I would rather see a ranked IU than UM. Heck any team for that matter. The [Big Ten] does not revolve around um no matter what their history is, or what their fans desire. The [Big Ten] needs stronger teams, but they DON'T have to be UM. Now is it as fun beating up a team like UM when they appear to be whimpering on the ground? Not really...but the narrative the [Big Ten] is hinging on UM is a joke. Far more teams need to step up than just them.

RosesAreGreen
Crush their nuts.


RosesAreGreen
Spartan fans urged to contribute. Http://www.savebradyhoke.com


Boognish Rising
Count me in on the "let 'em drown" side of this argument.

Army. Pittsburgh. Minnesota. Cal. What do these teams have in common? If you go back far enough, each were once college football powers -winning multiple national titles. Eventually, they faded, and programs such as UM, ND, OSU, and Bama stepped up. To date they still play second fiddle to other programs.

The point is that times change - football programs change - and some never regain the success they once enjoyed, allowing a new guard to take over. I don't see any reason why that can't happen at Michigan. People just assume that the day will come when they will again be relevant, because, hey, they ARE Michigan after all……. right?

The mediocrity has already spanned close to a decade. Another 5 years of mediocrity may very well spell the death of the UM "Brand", as the future players of tomorrow will have grown up knowing UM as nothing other than a middle of the pack B1G team.


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YOUNG JAYRU CAMPBELL IS AN "ALABAMA RECRUIT" - - - AND NOTRE DAME, WISCONSIN, TOO

Are you tired of hearing Jayru Campbell described as a "Michigan State Recruit" as his legal case winds its way through the juvenile justice system? That term makes it sound like MSU has some connection to this high school football player more than any other school. But it's actually not the case.

Campbell is actually a "Prospect" until he signs his official letter-of-intent (along with his guardian, of course). On signing day, the prospect becomes a "Recruit" of one particular school. But not until that moment.

Jayru Campbell may as well be called a "Notre Dame Recruit", a "Wisconsin Recruit", or even an "Alabama Recruit", since those are the three schools to actually offer him a scholarship along with Mark Dantonio. The only difference is that Campbell made some public statement to the effect that he was going to sign with MSU. That declaration, as we are well aware, does not necessarily mean it will happen.

So when the mainstream media continually use the incorrect term to describe this young miscreant, they are staining Michigan State with his misbehavior, even though our coaches have not had him in their program and under their authority for a single minute. To put it quite bluntly, "We didn't do anything wrong here." The offer was made before the juvenile delinquency surfaced, and there is no reason to do or un-do anything with regard to him at this stage, since there is no binding commitment of any kind in either direction.

Sorry about what the kid did, but his actions and status have nothing whatsoever to do with Michigan State University. This is another example of the undercurrent of media bias against MSU that filters subliminally into the subconscious of us all as we consume the mainstream media.

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HEY MEDIA: MSU ACTUALLY DEFEATED OSU ON TUESDAY NIGHT

The Michigan State Basketball team scored an upset victory over 3rd-ranked Ohio STATE on Tuesday night, but you might think that MSU was blown-out from listening to the post-game coverage and commentary. All we hear about is how the Buckeyes made a 20-3 run in the final seven minutes to tie the game.

The Buckeyes made a great comeback, no question. But it came right after the Spartans had trashed them. The visitors climbed out of the garbage can just in time to tie it up. Bully for Brutus. It's been heavily reported that OSU almost scored at the end to win. But MSU almost scored two baskets in the first half that would have made overtime unnecessary. So what? The game is basketball, not horseshoes or hand-grenades.

What about the 55-38 run made by the Spartans over the previous fifteen minutes of game-time? How about the 72-68 "run" over 45 minutes of regulation? Isn't the point to score more points at the END of the game? Why is the winner being represented as a failure?

No media group has presented this game as a great win for Michigan State, asking Tom Izzo how it feels to be in "the driver's seat" of the conference race. Everybody heard about the "men and the boys" comment, and the performances by Adreian Payne and Keith Appling have been well documented. But the overall tone and tenor of the post-game media coverage has been largely about Izzo's temper and how close Ohio STATE came to winning. Even though they didn't win and Izzo didn't even get a single technical foul. And the Spartans sit undefeated at the top of the standings with two road wins in hand.

The media tries to portray Michigan State as failures at every possible opportunity, but you don't have to open wide and swallow what they're dishing out. There were a lot of circumstances and close-calls (and non-calls) but the big story is that MSU WON THE GAME.




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Little Missygan Honestly

Posted on MLive.com: Michigan's Brady Hoke: 'Honestly, we're a pretty good football team'

"The way our kids stuck together, it was like a high school football game. They were (on the sidelines) chanting ‘defense’ when the defense was on the field."

High school is such an apt description for at least 4 games played this season, probably more could be added to the list if one actually looked at the games. The game that steps forward to the top of the list is the 3OT win over Northwestern, which "proves" the University of Little Missygan (UolM) is a top tier program and the M-4 is ready to propel them back into the top 25 with win at Iowa.

A 3OT win over a hapless 4-6/0-6 Mildcats team is proof of what again? A 27-19 decision means what exactly for a team that averages over 34 points/game?
Beating a middle-of-the-pack 6-3/3-3 Hawkeyes team in Iowa City is probably the apex of the season for 7-3/3-3 UolM, should they manage to get lucky enough to escape with a win. On the other hand, Northwestern took Iowa to OT before losing 17-10.

All this means is, after all the years we Spartans have had to put up with elitist crap posted by dUMb chUMps, Skunkbears, and M-4 (the Michigan Mainstream Media Machine), we are now witnessing this self-proclaimed superior program settling for mediocrity.

As well it should.

Thank you Coach Hoax for your honesty.


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Ranking The chUMps?

From:
MLive AP voter: Alabama gets a pass, Michigan State up one, Michigan narrowly misses spot
Quote:

"The Michigan Wolverines could be back to Top 25 football again, gaining some momentum with that overtime win at Northwestern.

"Yes, Big Blue beat Notre Dame head to head, but there's a transitive properties deal involving Michigan State, and it's hard to ignore the Irish's wins over the Spartans, Arizona State and USC.

"If Michigan wins again next week, there's a good chance they'll be in my Top 25."

UoLM? 7-3, 3-3 UoLM?

The team that barely eked wins against Akron and UConn and got totally dominated by the Spartans and then, after watching reruns, the Cornhuskers showed the MSU game was not a fluke and UoLM really is that bad.

This is the same team that lost to Penn St.? 4OT loss, yes, but Penn St.?
Ok, Penn St. is not all that bad, but UoLM barely eked out a win, 3OT, versus the Mildcats of Northwestern. NU is 4-6, 0-6 in conference play. It's sort of like getting excited about beating Purdue.

Now M-4 claims a win at Iowa will propel the chUMps back into the national relevance? A win over the 6-4, 3-3 Hawkeyes is that significant?

Just another example of M-4 at work.





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Cupcakes and other Urban Legends

We Spartan fans have heard it over and over again and from all quarters. The chUMps and fans of other B1G Ten schools have chewed and spit this at us. The written and broadcast media have taken up the chorus.

Michigan State has a cupcake schedule. No Ohio St. No Wisconsin. No Penn St. And they play FCS Youngstown State! Cupcake schedule.
MSU's schedule is tailor-made for a run at the championship.
The Spartans have played NO ONE.
The defensive is over rated and the stats are inflated from not having played a quality opponent all season.
The offense is pathetic and is only doing as well as it is because MSU has not played a quality opponent all season.

Let's take this one from the top.

B1G Ten Standings

LEADERS DIVISION
Ohio St.         9-0/5-0
Wisconsin      6-2/4-1
Penn St.         5-3/2-2
Indiana          3-5/1-3
Illinois           3-5/0-4
Purdue           1-7/0-4

LEGENDS DIVISION
Michigan St.  8-1/5-0
Nebraska        6-2/3-1
Minnesota      7-2/3-2
Michigan        6-2/2-2
Iowa               5-4/2-3
Northwestern 4-5/0-5

The obvious B1G Ten Championship Game contenders are Ohio St. and Wisconsin and Michigan St. and Nebraska. With 3 or 4 conference games left to go, there is a good chance 2 of those teams will meet up for the title bout. Therefore this analysis will focus just on those 4.

Just the facts.
Looking at the bottom half of both division, it is obvious that the Legends Division is the more competitive division, ergo the more difficult.

- OSU does not meet Michigan St. or Nebraska. It gets Iowa, Northwestern, and as a consolation prize, Michigan. By the way, that is the bottom half of the Legends Division.
- Wisconsin does not meet Michigan St. or Nebraska. It does get Iowa, Northwestern, and Minnesota. Minnesota and Michigan may be on par or Minnesota might make the schedule harder for the Badgers. The jury is still out on that point. Otherwise, it is the bottom half of the Legends Division.
- MSU does not meet Ohio St., Wisconsin, or Penn St. in the regular season having been schedule to play what is not the bottom half of the Leaders Division in cross divisional play. MSU did indeed play Youngstown State.
- Nebraska does not meet Ohio St. or Wisconsin. It does get Penn St. along with Illinois and Purdue. Is Penn St. better than Indiana? The record seems to indicate it is.

- Both OSU and UW play the same B1G Ten bottom feeders that MSU was scheduled to play. Illinois, Indiana, and Purdue. Nebraska got dealt Penn St. instead of Indiana.
- In case you did not pick it up, neither of the Leaders contenders plays either of the Legends contenders. Reverse is true, too. Legends contenders to not play the Leaders contenders.
- The MSU, OSU, and UW conference schedules are equal. Nebraska has the tougher road, by a little.

Points go to Nebraska for the more difficult crossover schedule.

FCS Opponents.
The chUMps keep ragging that the Spartans played an FCS opponent. All this noise is a feeble attempt to detract from UM playing TWO MAC teams plus UCONN. We will take the high road and not mention that UM barely squeaked by 2 of those robust opponents. Instead, we will delve into the FCS opponents.

Question: How many of the 4 B1G Ten contenders played an FCS opponent?
Answer: All 4.
- Wisconsin beat Tennessee Tech. The Golden Eagles are 3-7.
- Ohio St. beat Florida A&M. The Rattlers are 3-6.
- Nebraska beat South Dakota St. The Jackrabbits are 5-4.
- MSU beat Youngstown St. The Penguins are 8-1.

How do these teams compare?

Total Offense
Youngstown St.   (FCS25) 440.7 yd/gm
South Dakota St. (FCS60) 378.2 yd/gm
Tennessee Tech  (FCS110) 296.9 yd/gm
Florida A&M     (FCS121) 222.6 yd/gm
Rushing Offense
Youngstown St.   (FCS20) 224.7 yd/gm
South Dakota St. (FCS82) 144.0 yd/gm
Tennessee Tech   (FCS96) 127.5 yd/gm
Florida A&M     (FCS103) 114.4 yd/gm
Passing Offense
South Dakota St. (FCS43) 234.2 yd/gm
Youngstown St.   (FCS58) 216.0 yd/gm
Tennessee Tech   (FCS95) 169.4 yd/gm
Florida A&M     (FCS119) 108.1 yd/gm
Scoring Offense
Youngstown St.   (FCS10) 39.4 pt/gm
South Dakota St. (FCS47) 29.3 pt/gm
Tennessee Tech   (FCS80) 23.8 pt/gm
Florida A&M     (FCS114) 15.7 pt/gm

Total Defense
Florida A&M      (FCS17) 326.8 yd/gm
Youngstown St.   (FCS73) 397.3 yd/gm
South Dakota St. (FCS86) 420.8 yd/gm
Tennessee Tech   (FCS90) 426.5 yd/gm
Rushing Defense
Youngstown St.   (FCS30) 133.2 yd/gm
Tennessee Tech   (FCS65) 175.0 yd/gm
South Dakota St. (FCS79) 188.7 yd/gm
Florida A&M      (FCS99) 214.1 yd/gm
Passing Defense
Florida A&M      (FCS#1) 112.7 yd/gm
South Dakota St. (FCS77) 232.1 yd/gm
Tennessee Tech   (FCS97) 251.5 yd/gm
Youngstown St.  (FCS106) 264.1 yd/gm
Scoring Defense
Youngstown St.   (FCS43) 23.9 pt/gm
Florida A&M      (FCS62) 26.1 pt/gm
South Dakota St. (FCS73) 28.6 pt/gm
Tennessee Tech   (FCS97) 33.7 pt/gm

Points go the Spartans for playing the (obviously) best of the 4 FCS opponents.

What about Strength of Schedule? How about just aggregate opponents' win-loss percentages.

Games played to date:
- Michigan St. opponents are 36-40 (0.4737)
- Ohio St. opponents are 35-41 (0.4605)
- Wisconsin opponents are 32-38 (0.4571)
- Nebraska opponents are 30-37 (0.4478)

Points go to the Spartans for playing the (obviously) best schedule of opponents to date.

Unplayed games:
- Nebraska faces 4 teams with a combined 24-10 record (0.7059).
- Michigan St. faces 3 teams with a combined 17-9 record (0.6538).
- Wisconsin faces 4 teams with a combined 21-12 record (0.6364).
- Ohio St. faces 3 teams with a combined 12-12 record (0.5000).

Nebraska clearly has the bumpiest road to Indianapolis.

Finally, the aggregate season records of all opponents is (subject to change as the games are played):
- Nebraska 54-47 (0.5347)
- Michigan St. 53-49 (0.5196)
- Wisconsin 53-50 (0.5146)
- Ohio St. 47-53 (0.4700)

So, the next time some dUMb chUMp starts wagging his tongue about the Spartan's cupcake schedule and what an easy road they have to Indianapolis, just look at him and say:

"Easy? Not much easier than Nebraska and certainly not nearly as easy as Ohio St. (or Wisconsin)."

And for the chUMps, you are not in this conversation because:

6-29

And that obviously means the Spartans have yet to face a quality opponent.
(with apologies to the other teams on the schedule)

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