Rooting Conundrum - MSU or ND??
So ND plays MSU in East Lansing on saturday night and I don't thnk I've ever had such a hard time figuring out who to root for. We play both teams, so head-to-head is a wash. Thought process, in bullet form:
Pros of Rooting for MSU:
- Big Ten Pride.
- Gives us the opportunity to ruin their undefeated season.
- ND loses two in a row, on national television, has legit chance to start the year 1-4. HAHA ND we hate you.
Pros of rooting for ND:
- They have a better shot than MSU at finishing the year with a good record/national ranking, which would help us in the long run.
- Would give us an extra boost of confidence to see a team we just beat go on the road and win.
- MSU loses at home on national television. HAHA MSU we hate you.
Thoughts? I'm leaning towards rooting against MSU, just because I hate Dantonio.
September 16th, 2010 at 4:39 PM ^
*You spelled "for" wrong.
September 16th, 2010 at 5:22 PM ^
I don't think hiring MSU grads is a very sound business model. Unless you are in the business of burning couches or organizing Posse Roundup & Engineer / Woman Beatdowns.
September 16th, 2010 at 6:07 PM ^
Don't you mean "for me"?
EDIT: Beat to the punch. Fail.
September 16th, 2010 at 4:02 PM ^
While I detest both State and ND, I'm rooting for ND in this one. Let's see the State downfall begin early this year with ND, Wisc and then us. We have to deal with State fans all year. ND fans only come around once each year...and we already beat them.
September 16th, 2010 at 4:02 PM ^
Historically i'd have gone with MSU, but given the last 2 years of their BS i wouldn't mind them getting smacked around.
September 16th, 2010 at 6:55 PM ^
I always used to root for MSU, except when they played us. However, a few years ago it occurred to me that many of their fans root against us almost every, if not every, game. I now, without exception, root against MSU.
September 16th, 2010 at 4:04 PM ^
think of it as a win-win situation...someone's gonna lose, and it will be a team you hate.
Personally, I want MSU to lose just so that in-state kids start really losing interest in State early. Plus, I love a good "Sparty, NO!!" moment in EL. I can totally see Rudolph and Floyd going wild with a "healthy" Crist wingin it all game and the occasional gash from Allen.
September 16th, 2010 at 4:06 PM ^
I don't just hate Notre Dame. No, I HATE them. That's all-caps bold hate. I hate Michigan State -- that's your general annoying in-state rival hate.
Michigan State isn't significant enough to garner my full-on HATE. Let them win Saturday and get all huffy for a few weeks until we put them in their place on 10/9.
September 16th, 2010 at 4:06 PM ^
ND all the way. I sit next to an MSU grad who is annoying the crap out of me as we speak.
September 16th, 2010 at 4:08 PM ^
But if Crist plays and ND wins states excuse will be that the only reason we won was because Crist was injured. ND already uses this excuse. Im undecided myself but im gonna watch and hope that somehow both teams somehow come out as losers. with that being said I still hope that MSU beats ND and Wisconsin that way when we beat them our win will look even better
September 16th, 2010 at 4:10 PM ^
It would look worse if ND loses with Crist healthy for the whole game. Then Sparty would talk about how they defeated an uninjured ND. We could always refute that with our horrible kicking and penalties, but those conversations will fly right over their heads. ND wins big.
September 16th, 2010 at 4:06 PM ^
and stadium collapse
September 16th, 2010 at 4:48 PM ^
I cannot condone the stadium collapse comment, and a tie is not an option, but I like your style. I'll root for a 3-0 victory by MSU in quadruple overtime.
September 16th, 2010 at 5:19 PM ^
How about a quad OT which finds one team backed up on its own goal line after a bizarre string of personal foul penalties ending 2-0 on a safety awarded due to a hold in the endzone?
September 16th, 2010 at 4:07 PM ^
ND beating MSU will have the Spartans mentally down and questioning their abilities. That benefits us going into the game at MSU.
We already beat ND, thats in the past. Whatever helps us beat MSU in a few weeks, even if a marginal advantage, is welcome.
September 16th, 2010 at 4:07 PM ^
In all seriousness. We beat ND therefore I want ND to win so that by the transitive property we beat MSU
September 16th, 2010 at 4:54 PM ^
Transitive property for the win!
September 16th, 2010 at 4:08 PM ^
that is all
September 16th, 2010 at 4:08 PM ^
I have some good friends who really love ND, so as long as UM beats ND, i kind of pull for them in the rest of their games just so my friends are happy. they do the same for me and UM.
September 16th, 2010 at 4:21 PM ^
ND is usually right behind OSU on my shit list, but I abhor Dantonio with such passion that I begrudgingly have to go with ND. Also...Sparty NOOOOO!!
September 16th, 2010 at 4:30 PM ^
I hate both teams but, we already beat ND. I want Sparty's dreams crushed and demoralized while losing by 28+ points. Oh, and I want Dantonio to cry.
September 16th, 2010 at 4:09 PM ^
We have already beaten them, and I would love to see sparty going into its annual death spiral as early as possible.
September 16th, 2010 at 4:09 PM ^
It is more important to college football for ND to have national recogition and since we beat them I would like our win to look better (as stated by earlier posts). Also no one realy cares if MSU is any good in college football outside of East Lansing (and really why should they?).
I will be rooting for ND this weekend, although Earthquake and Locusts aren't bad either.
September 16th, 2010 at 4:09 PM ^
It is always better for Michigan when Notre Dame struggles. You know that Sparty will eventually revert to the mean, so I don't mind if they stick it to the Irish. Also, I want teams Michigan plays later on to be as highly rated as possible, so that it makes Michigan's win look more impressive.
September 16th, 2010 at 4:10 PM ^
Comedy. You root for comedy.
The greatest MSU-ND game of all time was the monsoon game, as it was hilarious.
Though I would have preferred MSU to win, because I never, ever root for Notre Dame. It is the one and only time I mildly prefer the Buckeyes to win though that's something like 392nd ranked behind things like earthquake, meteor, hurricane, tornado, alien invasion, etc.
September 16th, 2010 at 11:53 PM ^
September 16th, 2010 at 4:11 PM ^
ND, because I hate Dantonio and I want MSU to lose to a team at home that we beat on the road.
But to more important news, packs of wild dogs have taken over most of the major U.S. cities.
September 16th, 2010 at 4:15 PM ^
Normally just having the stadium blow up is this best option but, barring that happening, I'm rooting for ND in this one. It makes our win look better - a team we beat on the road going on the road to beat a decent team. And, in the end, I think ND will have a better record at year's end, which helps us. Also, I'm surrounded by more Sparty fans than ND fans so MAYBE losing this game will shut them up (although it's not likely). I also think any Sparty loss is great for us because maybe we won't have to hear about how they are "taking over!" Lastly, I doubt they come into our game undefeated so I'm not concerned with giving them their first loss, maybe just their first beating!
September 16th, 2010 at 4:18 PM ^
Hope nd come madder than hell,ready to put a ol fashion on sparty.
Please take them behind the woodshed BK...
September 16th, 2010 at 4:24 PM ^
We've already beaten them, so they can say nothing to us. We might as well watch them beat Sparty on national television, god I hate Dantonio. Plus it makes our win in their house look that much better. Now let's just hope Te'o isn't hurt too bad by the beating Omameh put on him.
September 16th, 2010 at 4:25 PM ^
I also have a new found respect for ND fans after attending the game in South Bend last week. Truly classy people unlike the f*ckbags in East Lansing.
September 16th, 2010 at 4:22 PM ^
go ND. make our win look better.
September 16th, 2010 at 4:24 PM ^
September 16th, 2010 at 4:24 PM ^
NEVER, EVER root for ND, under any circumstances.
Never say never? I'm saying NEVER. I hate MSU but generally pull for B10 teams, even pull for OSU in their bowl games. Like to see the conference do well.
September 16th, 2010 at 4:28 PM ^
I never understood the pulling for the Big Ten argument when it comes to teams like MSU, or OSU. Yeah, I get we want our conference to be strong so we don't turn into Boise State, having to fight for respect if we went undefeated. But still, I hate every team we have to play, and I like seeing them lose. I am the biggest fan of any team Ohio State, or Michigan State are playing. When there's a team that has a chance to beat Ohio State, I go through the same emotional ups and downs as if Im watching Michigan. Just my opinion, but I never got it, I love seeing those teams lose.
September 16th, 2010 at 4:42 PM ^
Schadenfreude, just to the Big Ten, not to all of Michigan's opponents,
and that is what I don't get.
September 16th, 2010 at 11:57 PM ^
I live in the south and all the SEC fans that root for the "2nd tier" SEC teams like Georgia, Tennessee, USC (ntUSC), etc. are always rooting for the top SEC teams in the bowl games like it's their own team. That doesn't sit right with me at all. Root for YOUR TEAM! Screw your rivals!
OSU is going to be good regardless of whether I root for them or not. They will win at least 9 games every year, so I root as hard as I can for those 1-3 times they walk off the field with their heads hanging. Maybe I'll have pity if they have a year like one of our last two; but I doubt it, because just like us they will never be down for long. Likewise, Sparty will be mediocre, no matter the outcome of their non-conference games.
The Big Ten is not going to be stripped of its AQ status because OSU gets thrashed in a BCS game or Sparty chokes away a non-conference game, so what's the point in rooting for them and feeling like a whore? Not worth it at all, IME.
/bows, departs soapbox
September 16th, 2010 at 4:39 PM ^
In most situations, it makes the most sense to root for any Big 10 team in non-conference play.
In this situation, I'd like to see an undefeated Michigan play an undefeated MSU and for us to pop their balloon. For that to happen, MSU might need a minor miracle against Wisconsin, but crazier things have happened.
September 16th, 2010 at 6:30 PM ^
Plus an ND loss pretty much kills their BCS hopes for the year (I know, as if, but they do hold them out). A loss gives their fans almost nothing to look forward to for the remainder of the season.
Plus, I want it clear that losing on Oct 9 is the clear antecedant to the Sparty collapse this year.
September 16th, 2010 at 4:25 PM ^
and stadium collapse....
September 16th, 2010 at 4:25 PM ^
I always root for the Big Ten in non conference games. Yes, even the Buckeyes. But that is beside the point.
<br>
<br>I grew up in SW Michigan and as God as my witness, I will never ever root for Notre Dame.
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<br>I was fortunate enough to get tickets to the game last Saturday. Seeing Michigan hand Notre Dame a dramatic soul crushing defeat with 27 seconds left was priceless.
September 16th, 2010 at 4:27 PM ^
It's an old sentiment, but I feel this way about it: "A scoreless tie, and the stadium collapses."
September 16th, 2010 at 4:28 PM ^
If we hadn't already played ND, I would root for MSU. They're much less annoying than ND on a national level, and with few exceptions I root for Big 10 teams in nonconference games.
But...since we have already played ND and haven't played MSU yet, we want an indication that ND is better than MSU, which would make it more likely that UM will beat MSU. That doesn't necessarily have to be an ND win: I would settle for a game where ND pushes MSU all over the field but loses due to ridiculous mental errors, bad bounces, and bad calls.
September 16th, 2010 at 4:29 PM ^
I can't stand MSU.
September 16th, 2010 at 4:36 PM ^
Notre Dame may win, but Freakbass will always -- ALWAYS -- lose.
September 16th, 2010 at 4:29 PM ^
September 16th, 2010 at 7:14 PM ^
It's like paper covers rock. It's a rule. And of course it is a really weak rule, I know, compared to rock smashing scissors. Which makes it the perfect analogy for MSU over ND.
I hope for ND hearts to be broken again. As I do every week. I might actually root for ND, if they were playing, for instance, the Taliban, or al Qaeda or the Khmer Rouge or the North Korean national team. But not against a Big Ten opponent.
If I can be pleased with Danny Hope's Purdue team beating the domers, I can certainly get down with Michigan State beating them.
September 16th, 2010 at 4:30 PM ^
ND plz. ND fans are much less insufferable when they win because they're used to it.
September 16th, 2010 at 4:52 PM ^
I'd agree if they were 75 year old ND fans. I assume most ND fans under the age of 25 may not be that "used to it".
September 16th, 2010 at 5:29 PM ^
Compared to MSU? They're used to it. And they've been told they should be used to it.