One Frame At A Time: Iowa & Michigan State
John Beilein, with 4:01 left, more enraged than he's been since Costco raised the price of tube socks:
John Beilein, 1:33 of game time later:
John Beilein is Walter White if Walter White is also Benjamin Button and boy did this sentence get convoluted in a hurry.
Also, note Michigan's 8-0 run over that span. Coaches, if you have the self-control to not lose your mind at every opportunity, the moments when you completely lose your mind have a much greater impact. This is the Law of Beilein, and I'm totally not basing it on one piece of circumstantial evidence. Nope.
[Hit THE JUMP for Nik Stauskas, more Nik Stauskas, various reactions to Nik Stauskas, and a whole lot more from the last two games.]
As usual, click the links/stills to open each GIF in a lightbox, and don't forget to vote for your favorite at the end of the post. Also, I acknowledge I've shorted you some worthy Stauskas GIFs. Stay tuned this week for something better.
HONORABLE MENTION
JALENCEPTION*. Iowa game, short version. Jordan Morgan takes cheap shot, laughs. GRIII somehow lays in lob from behind the backboard. Morgan rejects Basabe. Denzel Valentine passes to... the Izzone, and Sparty is very proud of the catch. Russell Byrd has no idea what's going on you guys. Morford, activate!
15. Maize Rage GIF Spectacularr
The BTN busted out some fantastic B-roll footage of the Maize Rage during the Iowa game. There's MESMERIZING FAKE BEARD....
...and a look worthy of the hashtag #stauskashadmelike:
Then, after the game was over, they captured a group of Maize Ragers dancing to "All I Do Is Win":
Yes, I came perilously close to titling this "whitepeople.gif".
14. OFFICIALOLS
"Jordan and Derrick, how'd you feel about the officiating in this game?"
Oh. Meanwhile...
"You want a what? A tall stout? A wine trout? I don't even know what that is or how it pertains to basketba--oh, too late, jump ball."
13. Save and a beauty
Impressive dexterity, J-Mo.
12. Air Caris
Dude to the left of the basket really enjoyed that one. Less so the cameraman impacted by Roy Devyn Marble.
11. Walton and-one, part one
The preceding play features a gorgeous outlet pass from Stauskas. Impressively, that's only the second-best outlet pass from this game.
10. The dagger
Block, runout, flip, swish, lead.
Here are all of Stauskas' three-pointers in one montage. Enjoy.
9. GRIII slam/Spike Florida redux/bench pandemonium
Yes, Spike did it again, and it wasn't even his most important steal of the night (foreshadowing). Alternate looks: GRIII dunk replay(!), zoom-in on the bench(!!!). Max Bielfeldt is a treasure.
8. Stauskas and-one
In case you didn't catch it the first time, he made it clear this was an and-one.
7. WIN THE GAME
This doesn't add much that the original still doesn't contain, except that it's even more clear in the GIF that absolutely nobody—save walk-on Sean Longeran, at the very end—paid any attention whatsoever to Coach Mitch. HOWEVER, never stop doing stuff like this, Coach Mitch.
Also, I totally forgot to include this one while doing the rankings and creating the poll. Utilize write-in votes as necessary:
I like to imagine Mitch does this whenever he sees Nik walking around campus.
6. Stauskas crossover lookaway destruction
Damn, son. Just... damn.
5. Spike Albrecht, free safety
Actually, have you seen the depth chart for 2014? Brady Hoke may need to look into this.
4. The Outlet of Destiny
This whole play is magnificent, of course, especially because of who's involved. Jon Horford, Michigan's backup center, blocks Keith Appling. Caris LeVert, the rail-thin late pickup of the Fresh Five, makes the exquisite outlet pass. Derrick Walton, true freshman point guard, finishes while drawing the foul on the other end. Perhaps the biggest play of the MSU game didn't involve Stauskas or GRIII.
Now, let's look at this outlet pass, which is somewhere between art and pornography. LeVert catches the ball like this:
He somehow processes where Walton and MSU's defenders are in a split second, lofting a pass that bounces a few feet in front of Walton, who's in a full sprint, and perfectly between the two recovering Spartans:
The ball bounces directly into Walton's arms in ideal position for him to drive before Travis Trice (the last man back) can get to a spot where he can properly contest the shot or draw a foul:
That is beautiful.
3. ANEURYSM OF LEADERSHIP 2
"HOW CAN THIS ESTABLISHMENT NOT CARRY KRAFT SINGLES I PROMISED THESE KIDS A POSTGAME GRILLED CHEESE PARTY."
"Oh, I also don't appreciate being bumped in the nose."
2. Walton's and one, part two
What, you thought I wouldn't highlight this finish from a better angle?
Post-shot reaction captioned because Internet:
Daaaaaammmmnnnnn, indeed.
FRAMES OF THE GAMES: Stauskiss
If not for this, voting/ranking this week's GIF crop would've been arduous bordering on impossible. Thank you, Nik Stauskas, for making this easy.
VOTE
Re-uploaded poll to include the second Walton and-one, which I accidentally skipped over the first time. Apologies if you already voted, though the Stauskiss is running away with this one regardless.
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*Brian: oh man
i think we're trying to ignore jalen rose now
Me: I know, I just couldn't pass it up. too perfect.
especially since him saying "Jalen Rose" in reverse looks eerily like "...know what I'm sayin'?"
Brian: whoah
January 28th, 2014 at 3:27 PM ^
Interestingly #9 bench pandemonium features a not having subs Bacari "Spock" Alexander. Didn't flinch.
January 28th, 2014 at 3:31 PM ^
That GIF is just mesmorizing.
January 28th, 2014 at 3:42 PM ^
In the first one, one has to wonder what JB was yelling at the ref. In my unprofessional and uneducated opinion, the reason he didn't receive a technical involves what is said during a heated exchange. Human nature is for coaches to turn the argument personal by questioning the referee's eyesight, morality, and intellegence level, among other things.
Perhaps our coach instead said something along the lines of, "oh didn't you hear, they changed the rules, now i don't mean to be a nuisance, but begging your pardon sir, I think that climbing on the back of a shooter...oh hey Nik, we were just discussing the rule changes, it seems that I don't quite fully understand them...."
January 28th, 2014 at 3:55 PM ^
But no post is more worth it. Thanks, Ace.
January 28th, 2014 at 3:55 PM ^
HE BUMPED ME IN THE NOSE.
Priceless. We had subs, it was crazy.
January 28th, 2014 at 4:03 PM ^
especially Beilfeldt.
January 28th, 2014 at 4:22 PM ^
I'd like to have him around to start my chainsaw. Sometimes it takes a few yanks but I have a feeling Max would be able to handle it.
January 28th, 2014 at 4:08 PM ^
when I first saw it. I watched the replay several times trying to figure out if he reall threw a great pass or was just lucky. I am still not sure.
I tend to think he just threw it ahead to Walton not even thinking that there might be a defender (or two) in the area. But, it sure was pretty.
January 28th, 2014 at 4:11 PM ^
Great job Ace! Just fantastic work. So many great .gifs from these past two HUGE games.
Those MaizeRage shots are just gold.
January 28th, 2014 at 4:14 PM ^
I love that John Beilein makes your grilled cheese joke seem so plausible.
January 28th, 2014 at 4:37 PM ^
And sorry, Cheeks, but your avatar photo isn't MGoFriendly. Might take a little while to show up (due to the site cache) but I've replaced it with a more appropriate "Cheeks" picture.
January 28th, 2014 at 6:07 PM ^
ha! no worries. i only created the "Cheeks" persona in response to all the "swimoutlet.com" ads i've been inundated with while surfing the blog recently. i figured if i'm forced to stare at womens' bikini bottoms anyway, i may as well get to see a side i'm interested in.
in any event, i respect your need for censorship and look forward to the new "Cheeks" avatar you've selected. And if the ad photo for a thong bikini i commandeered from swimoutlet.com offended anyone, i sincerely apologize. if anyone wants to neg me for literally being an ass, i'll take it.
January 28th, 2014 at 4:19 PM ^
Love the pics but man I would have loved a POV shot from(I believe it was Appling) as Walton was standing over him making the and 1 singnal before the ball even dropped through. But if I had to choose one of those I love Belein losing his shit. I thought I'd never see him quite like that, the officiating forced him into it but it was priceless.
January 28th, 2014 at 4:21 PM ^
Was that TO not TO by Spike considered a turnover because the arrow went to Staee? If so that was his only turnover in the game and his first one in B10 play. Standing ovation please.
January 28th, 2014 at 4:43 PM ^
That got counted in the official box score as a turnover for Spike and a steal(!) for Appling(!!). Criminal.
In other Spike statistical oddities, the jumper off the stolen inbounds pass against Iowa is his only two-point make in Big Ten play, and he hadn't attempted a two-pointer in conference play until the Wisconsin game (he's now 1/3, with one attempt in each of the last three games).
January 28th, 2014 at 4:54 PM ^
Well I'm not counting it. As for his shooting stats, he does that just so the announcers can bring up the Louisville game. Which just as he planned they do right on que. Thanks for the blog man it gets a little to Pennsyltucky PSU football here in PA.
January 28th, 2014 at 4:45 PM ^
I look forward to these every week!
January 28th, 2014 at 4:52 PM ^
but the description is FALSE. GR III finishes the play at the end when he kicks Trice in the head. Watch closely for Trice to suddenly grab his face. Me classless, sure. Whatever.
January 28th, 2014 at 8:14 PM ^
kicking trice while he's down ~ that's one of my favorite parts too, and i don't even feel that bad about it. (if he hadn't picked the wrong time to sit up, GRIII would've cleared his head, afterall).
January 28th, 2014 at 5:19 PM ^
and even more now as I look at it, the hapless Spartan on the floor is trying to foul with his leg. It looked potentially very dangerous. I am glad there was not an injury, but it looked like it was meant to be a flagrant 2.
edit: On further review, perhaps I am overstating (no pun intended.)
January 28th, 2014 at 5:42 PM ^
So many good ones. VERY hard to turn down the Stauskiss, but I went for the Outlet of Destiny, which is an awesome play in any event and was also probably the play of the game.
January 28th, 2014 at 8:15 PM ^
I gave my vote to "save & a beauty" - it's the kind of great hustle play Morgan delivers and he deserves some love for some of his blue collar contributions.
January 28th, 2014 at 10:10 PM ^
"since Costco raised the price of tube socks:"
As good of a comedic line as we've every had on MGoBlog.
January 28th, 2014 at 10:34 PM ^
The "WIN THE GAME" .giff is as good as it gets... and yet "STAUSKISS" .gif is as good as it gets. They are both legendary in legendary game. There must be two winners.
I don't get the Brian conversation about Jalen Rose at the end. Anyone care to enlighten?
January 29th, 2014 at 2:35 AM ^
Assuming you understand the ignoring Jalen part. Here's the link to the gif. It's under Honorable Mention.
January 28th, 2014 at 11:20 PM ^
January 29th, 2014 at 3:29 PM ^
I really wonder what was that ref's deal. To get him to back off, Bacari had to jump up and yell, "Hey!"
Anyway, OFAAT is my favorite, Ace.
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