Narduzzi "chastised" (rebuked) by MSU AD
"That's what we tried to do, 60 minutes of unnecessary roughness," Narduzzi said. "Just glad it didn't get called every snap."
"There's no question that Coach Narduzzi was caught up in the emotion of the moment," Hollis said in the statement. "However, that doesn't excuse him from being accountable for his statements. Needless to say, Pat chose his words poorly, and he expressed his regret over making those comments to our local media following practice earlier this week.
"I have taken this opportunity to express to Pat the importance of collecting his thoughts after an emotional game to ensure that he puts his best foot forward with the media and public in the future."
October 22nd, 2011 at 6:50 AM ^
October 22nd, 2011 at 6:57 AM ^
I actually thought "chastised" was too strong a word for what Hollis said (insofar as it means "severe reprimand" or "punishment"). But that's the Detnews headline, which of course is going to blow things out of proportion.
It seems to me that "rebuke" is more limited, and, therefore, more fitting.
October 22nd, 2011 at 7:09 AM ^
October 22nd, 2011 at 9:13 AM ^
And for our MSU friends out there, he learned him up good.
October 22nd, 2011 at 10:02 AM ^
"Lip serviced" or "CYA'd."
Translated:
"Even though our respectable DC was 'caught up in the heat of the moment' he certainly didn't mean to suggest we are a bunch of foul-tempered, thuggin bunch of hooligans. I mean, we are Michigan State and serve as a shining example of sportsmanship, class and integrity. As for Michigan, they can suck it. Bunch of brainiac jerks."
October 22nd, 2011 at 6:54 AM ^
The first professional-sound thing that's come out of East Lansing all week
October 22nd, 2011 at 10:13 AM ^
An AD taking some public efforts to reign in a program whose reputation is under attack and is showing signs of careening out of control? That other state school to the south could probably learn some lessons.
October 24th, 2011 at 11:25 AM ^
take it on the chin if something else happens like this later. He has to protect the institution.
October 22nd, 2011 at 7:02 AM ^
Keep allowing your kids to play recklessly; just don't brag about it to the media, and all is well.
October 22nd, 2011 at 7:38 AM ^
your best foot forward instead of in your mouth. Narduzzi'sstatement shows not only his ignorance, but contribution to the problematic manner of play.
October 22nd, 2011 at 3:03 PM ^
Notice that the rebuke was only for poor media relations -- not for the actual criminal behavior he promoted! Fair enough -- they won on the field -- but this will go on the bulletin board. I think the emphasis on "toughness" just got ratcheted up in A2.
October 22nd, 2011 at 7:55 AM ^
"SHHHH! Don't explicitly advertise our strategy!"
October 22nd, 2011 at 8:09 AM ^
I think there is a question of whether he was caught up in the emotion of the moment vs the possibility that 60 minutes of unnecessary roughness was actually the game plan (along with jumping our snap count *twitch*).
Nice try though, sneaking that in there.
October 22nd, 2011 at 8:34 AM ^
Just what you would expect to hear from a Michigan State coach. Surprised he didn't also mix in "if you're not cheating, your not trying". Dirty program from top to the bottom. I hope when we play them next year in AA we don't let off the gas pedal and go for 2 on the last play of the game and shut them out 57-0. Then Hoke can say, "We played 60 minutes of relentless, tenacious MANBALL".
October 22nd, 2011 at 8:34 AM ^
The Saint Dantonio influence is spreading to the entire athletic department. Everything they do is imitation Brutus. Cheat and then stonewall. Try to injure opposing players and then lie about it. Admit no wrongdoing, but instead chalk up coaching the team to be criminals as "thoughts after an emotional game."
They might as well move MSU to Columbus at this point.
October 22nd, 2011 at 9:02 AM ^
Hard to separate cause and effect. Is the Dantonio influence spreading or does Dantonio just fit for MSU athletics?
October 22nd, 2011 at 8:41 AM ^
Why not an immediate admonishment? Why did it take Hollis 6 days to call him out on a quote that was so obviously thuggish it was repeated over and over in the msm?
October 22nd, 2011 at 11:45 AM ^
the only reason he came out with a statement is because that coach's quote was getting played over and over. again, it proves msu has no conception of right and wrong and only take action when forced to do so.
October 22nd, 2011 at 8:59 AM ^
Caught up in the emotions? This is the type of excuse that might fly for a 19 yr old kid interviewed as he is running off the field. Narduzzi is much older than that and if I'm not mistaken, the comments were made not right after the game. Further, it only took a week for Hollis to say the equivalent of "you probably shouldn't have said that."
October 22nd, 2011 at 10:15 AM ^
Agree completely. I'd love to get paid six figures and be able to say whatever I wanted, regardless of whether it made my employer look terrible afterwards. Narduzzi is living the dream.
Also, it would have been nice to say that Narduzzi's comments were wrong, not just bad PR.
October 22nd, 2011 at 9:16 AM ^
Yeah, the guy stopped our offense with late hits and personal fouls. What a genius. You won Pat, even though your team seems to lose everytime you open your mouth. You're rewarded with college gameday. Enjoy your beating tonight.
October 22nd, 2011 at 10:07 AM ^
Disagree. They stopped our offense with stout defense. The late hits and personal fouls were unnecessary and didn't help them. (Yes I know they took Denard out on a cheapie, but by that time it was game over.) In reality, the cheap stuff didn't help them, and exposed their character both during and after the game. In short, it was stupid which makes it the perfect strategy for MSU.
October 22nd, 2011 at 10:16 AM ^
Exactly, we can complain about there thuggish ways, but it becomes sour grapes to try and connect that with us getting soundly beaten this year.
October 22nd, 2011 at 10:47 AM ^
They were the better team on the field that day. We didn't execute in blocking, passing, tackling and in some cases coaching. Give State it's props they outplayed us and that's why they won. The thuggery that happened just clouds their win.
October 22nd, 2011 at 9:19 AM ^
October 22nd, 2011 at 9:56 AM ^
Narduzzi needs his medicine. He wants to play that style of football luckily for him Bielema (and next week Pelini) have no problem playing that style either... You wanna live by the sword, you're going to die by the sword.
<br>
<br>On Wisconsin.
October 22nd, 2011 at 9:58 AM ^
He meant it. He teaches it. That's the only way a whole team of players does it. End of story.
October 22nd, 2011 at 11:42 AM ^
The MSU defensive coordinator’s “joke” about wanting "60 minutes of unnecessary roughness” reminded me of OSU pres Gee’s “joke” about being afraid of Tressel firing him. The "joke teller" thinks it's funny because it is very close to the truth.
Yet, really it is no joke, when a school like MSU recruits and retains kids having been arrested for violent crimes, and encourages “unnecessary roughness.” Although the B10 did not even acknowledge Gholston’s “neck twist” of Denard, that maneuver could seriously disable a QB. There are blood vessels and nerves surrounding the spinal cord, which when twisted, are likely to impair the QB's motor function, if not worse. Damage to the cervical spinal cord can even paralyze the diaphragm, which enables breathing, and may kill someone.
Football is already a dangerous-enough game, even without clearly intentional acts to injure someone. 33 high school football players died from an injury suffered while playing the game between 2000 and 2008 (link). Probably due to increased awareness of dangers, the incidence of brain damage from concussions also has risen dramatically.
In addition, Narduzzi’s so-called “joke” may reveal a deeper problem with the training methods of Dantonio’s program. Remember, Dantonio at OSU coached a player named Reynolds, who was caught on tape using a technique taught by the military—a chop to the throat—to intentionally disable a Wisconsin QB. Was Gholston’s neck twist of the UM QB not also a clearly intentional act? In fact, a blow to the neck, as Gholston attempted by punching Lewan, also is a technique taught by the military.
Narduzzi’s statement and the high incidence of player arrests for violent acts also raise other concerns. Performance-enhancing drugs are often associated with such violent acts, as well as the widespread arrests witnessed in the MSU program. Indeed, William Gholston’s brother, Vernon, who rapidly burned out in the pros, was widely believed to have used performance-enhancing drugs throughout his career at OSU (see link). While I am not accusing MSU players of widespread drug use, and I lack access to the university drug testing records for William or his brother, I do think that their behavior does justify more frequent testing of MSU players.
Further, the team’s behavior and Narduzzi’s statement justifies a deeper look by the NCAA and Big Ten into the program’s other training methods.
Finally, the incident underscores the need to reformulate the types of behaviors in NCAA FB that are unsportsmanlike and even dangerous. IMO, it’s negligent that the B10 penalized Gholston only for the punch of Lewan and apparently chose to ignore the "neck twist." Unless that practice is stopped, a player may get paralyzed or die.
http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2011/10/michigan_state_athletic_direct_1.html
http://www.kxly.com/news/23513997/detail.html
http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opinion/report/030110_hghtest/just-say-no…
October 24th, 2011 at 12:43 PM ^
Among several errors, Vernon Gholston is not Tom's brother. Way to discredit your entire argument (which may all be valid!) by stating a factual inaccuracy.
Anyone want to re-do all this 'research' and post the actual results?
October 22nd, 2011 at 11:30 AM ^
that people here were telling us to shut up and get tougher about the issue while the MSU AD, meantime, had to get out in front of the thing before it sullied MSU's rep a la Miami.
Now I think we CAN let it go.
October 22nd, 2011 at 12:10 PM ^
It really sucks that this is a bye week...
October 22nd, 2011 at 1:22 PM ^
October 22nd, 2011 at 2:58 PM ^
Its obvious the Big Ten ordered this along with the Gholston suspension. If the AD was going to admonish Narduzzi on his own it wouldnt have taken 6 days!