Sports

October 26th, 2016 at 12:15 PM ^

The constant 300 references are amusing. The state writer compares Harbaugh to Xerxes and Michigan to the Persians and positions it like this is a good thing for state. He compares Dantonio to a spartan king that was crushed, beheaded, and crucified and whose utter and resounding loss sowed the seeds of his society's eventual collapse.

Actually, I suppose that's pretty accurate.

mtzlblk

October 26th, 2016 at 1:05 PM ^

I can never understand why Spartans proudly refer to that whole Leonidas/300 thing as if it is something to be proud of...really?

It was a battle were Leonidas was badly outsmarted (the ultimate "Sparty No!" when Xerxes found a route through the mountains and completely flanked the Greek forces) that resulted in a massive retreat and subsequent slaughter of those that remained. How does that represent something you want to associate with your football team?

I have pointed his out to a few Spartan friends, only to be met with a blank stare...I don't wait long enough for the "300 Brah!".

A few times I have even tried to point out the clear homoerotic nature of the film upon which they bass this affinity and that gets pretty much the same reaction. 

Sports

October 26th, 2016 at 1:15 PM ^

Also eye roll inducing when the columnist states that the Spartans (NTTS) weren't famous for their strength, or tactical skill, or knowledge of war, but for their GRIT. For God's sake, they were a society entirely based on war and the development of the perfect soldier, not a group of white shooting guards. 

Gulogulo37

October 27th, 2016 at 5:21 AM ^

I would respect it if they based their "bond" with Sparta on history and facts. Sparta is an incredible and fascinating part of history with much to admire. But the fact that the relationship with Sparta is basically entirely based on a movie made from a graphic novel is hilarious.

HermosaBlue

October 26th, 2016 at 1:16 PM ^

I'm sincerely wondering if MSU folks are aware that, while Sparta held Thermopylae for 7 days with a rear guard estimated to consist of 300 Spartans, 700 Thespians, 400 Thebans, and perhaps a few hundred others, most of them were killed when Xerxes's Persian Army eventually overran them.

J.

October 26th, 2016 at 3:22 PM ^

Actually, with the exception of the Rutgers game, I believe Harbaugh has played the starters for the majority of the game.  (DL may be an exception due to the amount of rotation there).

Despite what some authors may believe, the word "majority" does not mean "nearly all," "95%," or anything like that.  It means "more than half."  To avoid keeping his starters in for a majority of the game, Harbaugh would have had to have pulled everyone at or before halftime.  That's... not a reasonable expectation.

DCGrad

October 26th, 2016 at 12:16 PM ^

About MSU academics, but they need a new English Department. The overuse of commas and run-on sentences was unbelievable. No wonder they have such a small staff, who would want to be associated with that mess?

bonsai

October 26th, 2016 at 1:03 PM ^

I'm a former Daily editor (96-00) still in journalism, and before reading that column, I never heard of the Pacemaker Award. Maybe it's new since I graduated. I will say this: there are many, many more Daily alums in prominent journalism roles right now than State News alums. And yes, in 1996-99, we were 4-0 against the State News.

bronxblue

October 26th, 2016 at 12:53 PM ^

It is weirdly very MSU to reference a movie from over a decade ago in a column littered with spelling and grammatical errors.  

I remember these columns as a student and thought they were at least fun and interesting, but the past couple have basically been UM pointing out that nothing has changed between the schools except MSU has won a couple more games and MSU being all like "SCOREBOARD!  STAEE SCOREBOARD!  WHY DON'T YOU RESPECT US?" for 400 words.

gbdub

October 26th, 2016 at 12:59 PM ^

Wait, did the Daily actually put a Spartan staffer in the hospital last year? Cuz that's a little rough.

But otherwise, woof. 300 was not a documentary. College football was not invented 10 years ago.

The Spartan, with all their pride in being smaller and twice-weekly, kind of reminded me of complaints we'd get on the Solar Car Team from other teams:

"You only win because you have more [fundraised] money and more [volunteer] team members!"

"So you're saying that, because you're not as good as us, you're better?"

"..." 

gbdub

October 26th, 2016 at 1:22 PM ^

Xerxes the Great, the ruler of the largest empire of the ancient world, while Greece was a tiny collection of squabbling city states?

Xerxes, the king who, when his first bridge across the Hellespont was destroyed in a storm, had the waters of the strait whipped 300 times, and chained with fetters?  (That is so Harbaugh) The second bridge was successful.

Xerxes, who after winning at Thermopylae, briefly controlled all of Greece but for the Pelopponese? And was only defeated by an Athenian led navy at Salamis (conveniently ignored by the first 300 film - the Spartans couldn't sail for shit)? Sure, the Spartans were involved in the victory at Plataea, but that was over a leftover remnant of Xerxes main army led by a lieutenant, not Xerxes himself (so basically Maryland under Durkin - oh wait Sparty lost that one too).

I'm fine with Harbaugh being that Xerxes.

BigBirdBlue

October 26th, 2016 at 1:33 PM ^

Maybe state news recruited a few athletes to write for them this year and also take part in the touch football game. They certainly seemed butt hurt over the daily's numerical advantage.

Rufus X

October 26th, 2016 at 2:03 PM ^

After reading the duelling columns I thought maybe they either just had a bad day or they picked the wrong columnist to write their piece.  I mean, one real college newspaper can't really be that much worse than another, can it?

Wow was I wrong. Example after example of poorly written, shallow, trivial, pedestrian tripe.  Really really bad. Could have easily been a HS paper, if such a thing even existed any more. I appreciate the Daily even more now than I did a few hours ago, and that is saying something.

Thank you, Michigan Daily, for being the undisputed champ. Go Blue!