"Because they're Michigan and you are NOT"
First post by the way, so if I F it up...sorry.
So I was listening to 107.3 in Grand Rapids this morning as they have the local sports guys on until 9:00AM and I like to hear their thoughts on this weekends games.
They had Jerry Palm on from CollegeBCS.com (who by the way had pegged M to be in a BCS bowl before the season started) and were asking the typical stuff about the BCS, who will be 1-2, do you have to be in the top 14, etc... Well Ray Bentley (i think that is the name) who is a Sparty Slappy asked the question about how is it fair that Michigan would trump the loser of the Big Ten Title Game. Clearly he is preparing for the meltdown when Sparty loses. Well Jerry's response is money:
"You know many are going to hate to hear this but THEY ARE MICHIGAN AND YOU ARE NOT."
I totallly fist pumped when I heard that. He then followed up with "MICHIGAN IS MICHIGAN."
The questions went in a different direction from there...
Go Blue!
November 28th, 2011 at 9:16 AM ^
1) That show is completely unlistenable.
2) Ray Bentley has brain damage.
November 28th, 2011 at 9:13 AM ^
Jerry's comments emulate the reality State fans hate to hear. They seem to focus more on "getting slighted by Michigan" rather than actually winning vs Wisconsin this weekend. I got tired of hearing this over and over this weekend.
November 28th, 2011 at 9:33 AM ^
I had a similar impression from this weekend. MSU beat Northwestern, finished 10-2, and is playing for the Big 10 championship this weekend and all the Sparty faithful could focus on was:
- Michigan almost lost to a bad OSU team
- Michigan is not a BCS caliber team
- Michigan is not "back"
I'm really starting to think you have to have some kind of neurotic defeat of the mind to be a Spartan fan.
November 28th, 2011 at 9:52 AM ^
Interesting. MSU beat OSU by 3. And that was with the Tatgate players still suspended. Using the "Michigan almost lost to OSU" reason seems rather foolish.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:03 AM ^
that they lost to another sucky Notre Dame team and Nebraska (both of whom we beat). So if they loose to Wisconsin (and thus have 3 losses), they deserve to be passed by a two loss Michigan for a BCS berth.
As stated - really, they should be focused on beating Wisconsin again. They're path to the Rose Bowl or out of the BCS is a clear one, based all on their own wins and losses.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:19 AM ^
OSU played Bauserman half the game and didn't have Posey. Nuff said.
November 28th, 2011 at 2:27 PM ^
I mean, not really from a personal perspective, but I get fan angst. The part I was amazed by (and probably shouldn't have been) was in the papers all the PLAYERS on MSU talking after the game how big beating Northwestern was so they didn't have to share the Legends title (like that means jack shit without winning the Big Ten title) with Michigan, and how it's better to be in the title game instead of Michigan. Whereas I don't think there was a single Michigan person thinking after we beat OSU "wow, I wonder how this relates to what MSU is doing". We didn't care. They lose to Northwestern, and it's like "ha-ha", but that's about it. They use it as motivation to win a game.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:23 AM ^
http://www.wbbl.com/FlashPlayer/default.asp?SPID=23371&ID=2322908
about 3:40
edit: it's also pretty funny he says they could fall below Nebraska for the capital one bowl- "again that's kind of unfortunate but they're Nebraska"
November 28th, 2011 at 11:19 AM ^
for including the link.
November 28th, 2011 at 9:20 AM ^
Another good reason is that if you aren't ranked in the top 14, you can't get selected for a BCS at-large spot. It's the rules, and I don't understand what Spartans don't get about that.
November 28th, 2011 at 9:24 AM ^
Doesn't the simple fact that they're Sparty fans explain why they can't comprehend that idea?
November 28th, 2011 at 9:26 AM ^
Touché
November 28th, 2011 at 9:34 AM ^
Math = Spartan Kryptonite
November 28th, 2011 at 10:06 AM ^
Tear gas = Spartan kryptonite.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:46 AM ^
Burning couch = Spartan Spinach
November 28th, 2011 at 12:53 PM ^
"Little Brother" = Spartan reality
November 28th, 2011 at 10:45 AM ^
I don't think you're being fair. To count to 14, you've got to take your shoe off and that takes a while. You gotta give Sparty some time to figure this one out.
November 28th, 2011 at 11:29 PM ^
Or unzip your pants. And that still leaves them, um, short.
November 28th, 2011 at 9:21 AM ^
He is no Michigan fan, for sure, but he is a MAC guy and was the first one I knew on board the Brady Hoke bandwagon.
November 28th, 2011 at 2:41 PM ^
True, Ray Bentley played linebacker at Central Michigan, but his father played football for Michigan State. In fact, little Ray Bentley spent his toddler years in Michigan State's family housing as his father already had at least two children before his years at Michigan State. So, yeah, Bentley is a Michigan State slappy.
The other "personality" on the show, Bret Bakita, also attended Central Michigan, but is a Michigan State season ticket holder, for reasons that escape me...
November 28th, 2011 at 4:56 PM ^
wait, state fans that didnt go to state? Isnt their fanbase all MSU grads??
November 28th, 2011 at 9:23 AM ^
It is a pretty screwy system that playing for the BCS championship can screw you (if you lose) relative to other teams in your division whom you supposedly bettered. Not that I have tons of sympathy for Sparty and its weak-ass fans on any other score.
November 28th, 2011 at 9:59 AM ^
It doesn't screw you if you lose. You're not entitled to a BCS game for finishing 2nd in the Big Ten. If you win the Big Ten you get your BCS game- if you don't, you might have to be the winningest team in CFB history and have a massive, travelling fan base that likes to spend money to get selected for a game but that's the nature of the beast. Sparty needs to beat Wisconsin and prove they're the best if they want to go and then they won't have anything to complain about.
Seems to me we'd rather be in their position than ours but apparently they'd rather turn that into being inferior to Michigan as well.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:53 AM ^
If you loose any game, regular season, conference championship, bowl game, NC game, it impacts your rankings, and your prospects. They have lost two already. If they had beat either ND or the Huskers, and then lost the B1G championship game, then they would would have a platform to argue from. They - not Michigan - controlled, and still control their BCS or bust destiny.
November 28th, 2011 at 11:39 AM ^
I actually hate the BCS for this reason. It tends to reward the teams that have been rewarded in the past instead of the teams that are showing up this year. Now admittedly, MSU can take matters into their hands and beat Wisconsin and end up in the Rose Bowl.
November 28th, 2011 at 9:27 AM ^
Completely money answer! Plus, he had to know how much that would drive the State fans nuts...even monier!
November 28th, 2011 at 9:28 AM ^
The BCS is a system designed to do one thing, match #1 vs. #2 and make money in the process. The rest of the BCS system is collateral damage.
Besides, if Michigan State has any complaint, it would be that they are the only Big Ten team this season with one conference loss, which, any other year, would have been enough to win the conference outright and head to Pasadena. But because the Big Ten wanted the money that comes from a championship game, well, this is one of the byproducts.
November 28th, 2011 at 9:45 AM ^
The cut to when Brady Hoke says, "This is Michigan fergodsakes." Is great everytime.
November 28th, 2011 at 9:46 AM ^
I love the Hutch, Hart and Brady cameos in this one.
November 28th, 2011 at 12:19 PM ^
Hopefully I'm wrong, but I don't think we'll ever see a more talented an offense ever take the field at Michigan than the 2000 team.
Sick sick sick team. Brady, Hutch, Backus, Terrell, A-Train, Walker, Shea....
That was a killer opening video.
November 28th, 2011 at 1:31 PM ^
...but Henson was the QB. Brady's senior year was '99.
'97 was actually ridic talented on O:
- Griese (NFL)
- Floyd (NFL)
- Howard (NFL)
- A-Train (NFL)
- Streets (NFL)
- Knight (NFL)
- Tuman (NFL)
- Backus (NFL)
- Hutch (NFL)
- Brandt (NFL)
- Jansen (NFL)
- Thompson (NFL)
- Shea (NFL)
Oh, and that Woodson guy played some offense.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:29 AM ^
I get goose bumps every time but when Woodson came on the screen and those who followed....damn. That was a great day.
November 28th, 2011 at 11:47 AM ^
November 28th, 2011 at 6:56 PM ^
"This is Michigan fergodsakes" needs to be on every pregame video every year from now on as long as he's coach
November 28th, 2011 at 9:43 AM ^
the FERGODSAKES! part that should follow "Michigan is Michigan and you're not"!
November 28th, 2011 at 9:54 AM ^
Here is an idea for MSU
1.Beat Wisconsin.
2.Go to Rose Bowl.
3. Stop complaining about what will happen if you lose.
You have complete control of where you are going to play on January 2nd. Just win baby. Just win. Why are you so concerned about where UM might be going?
November 28th, 2011 at 10:03 AM ^
Asking why a Spartan fan is obsessed with Michigan is like asking why Ohio fans are classless. It's just the facts of life
November 28th, 2011 at 10:38 AM ^
Sparty fans know that they needed a miracle to beat Wiscy at home. Now, they have to play a thorougly motivated Wiscy team with a QB who has more experience in their system at a neutral site. They are complaining because, despite their braggadocio, they know deep in their souls that they should lose on Saturday before a national audience.
I detest Ohio, but I respect them. OTOH, I have absolutely no respect for Sparty and would love to see Wiscy hang 50 on them on national TV just to make sure they drop in the rankings. I want to see Sparty crushed like a bug. Then, their whining will be extremely entertaining.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:45 AM ^
Plus if MSU loses close they could stay above us the rankings since we lost by 2 touchdowns to them. But a blowout win for Wisconsin would definitely make it easier for us
November 28th, 2011 at 11:21 AM ^
three losses, one of them at the end of the season, they drop below us with a loss regardless of how 'close' it is.
November 28th, 2011 at 12:15 PM ^
aren't going toput a 3 loss MSU ahead of a 2 loss Michigan. The fact is that the top 4 Big Ten teams all beat eachother (Michigan and Wisconsin didn't play) so trying to rank them based on who beat who doesn't work.
The Big 12 is our main concern right now. Need either Texas to step up to take out Baylor or Okie State to beat up Oklahoma enough for the voters to drop them behind us.
EDIT: Also, don't count out Southern Miss. If they can take out Houston, that should send Houston below us in the rankings.
November 28th, 2011 at 9:58 AM ^
Sparty, why are you looking backwards instead of forwards? You beat us (probably for the last time in a long time!) so enjoy it and go play for the Rose Bowl. I have to say though, I LOVE that we're always in your head like that! GO BLUE! And as for Sparty. . .whatever.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:03 AM ^
Another thing that was mentioned on the show that would really add insult to injury is that he projected Nebraska to get a bowl offer before State. MSU is not relevant!
November 28th, 2011 at 10:32 AM ^
I live in GR, and listen to bakita and bently most mornings. Brett Bakita (spelling) has season tickets to state and blatantly shows a bias on his show. Ray Bently is also a huge fan........can't wait til the Monday morning show after the bcs selection to hear the whining. This post made my morning.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:38 AM ^
HOW CAN THEY PICK THE HIGHER-RANKED TEAM WITH THE BETTER RECORD??? THIS IS OUTRAGE!!!
November 28th, 2011 at 12:06 PM ^
That show was bad enough when it was Bakita and Gray, but was at least listenable because Gray would keep Bakita's slappiness in check. Now that it's two hardcore homers (Bentley being the other) it's just a constant stream of Sparty jocksniffing. I mean, come on, at least occasionally pretend to be objective. Even worse is when Bentley is gone for games (he's a color guy for ESPN), they get Ty Hallock, yet another Sparty slappy, as the fill-in.
This should tell you all you need to know about where the general allegiances fall in Grand Rapids, and the lakeshore area as a whole.
November 28th, 2011 at 12:11 PM ^
Stupid packet shaper killing my outbound Internet connection right now.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:43 AM ^
I can see why it's frustrating that you could be ranked lower than a team you beat convincingly and with the same number of losses, but this is a system where a team playing in the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP didn't win their DIVISION, so, yeah.
November 28th, 2011 at 11:17 AM ^