Best Performance vs MSU
October 20th, 2014 at 11:10 AM ^
We had a great team that year, though, and MSU was terrible. That's the major difference.
October 20th, 2014 at 11:13 AM ^
October 20th, 2014 at 11:20 AM ^
Yup. They're just like OSU fans in that they only count the most recent stretches. Everything else in their minds never happened and they refuse to believe the argument that rivalries are cyclical.
October 20th, 2014 at 11:22 AM ^
In 2009, when they were giving themselves chapped dick over beating Michigan consecutively for the first time since long before I existed and after losing six in a row in either blowout or "Sparty No!" fashion, I'd have been right there with you. Five out of six, it is time to stop resting on the past. That's exactly what will get us our next MAC coach and MSU losing streak.
October 20th, 2014 at 11:35 AM ^
When they win the next 36 in a row and take the lead in the overall series then, and only then, will I stop relying on history. Don't piss on the legacy of Bo, Mo, Lloyd etc. You think those players didn't earn those wins? Should we count by decades only? Perhaps Sparty like in six year increments (unless they have lost all six of those years?). I'm tired of Michigan fans not respecting the legacy of excellence. I get it that the current AD doesn't respect it, or seem to get it for whatever reason...but as a fan I can appreciate the dominance and acknowledge that Michigan will be back (as always).
FWIW, what's going to get you your next MAC coach or keep your current one is David Brandon still running the god damned athletic department.
When 15k fans don't renew this year you'll get your 7 million dollar national hire.
October 20th, 2014 at 11:43 AM ^
You think those weren't some of the funnest days of my youth? Of course I "respect" the legacies, but they're just that, legacies. They have no bearing on today. Why would any MSU fan say, "Yeah, we own Michigan now, but I guess it's not that big of a deal, I mean, they used to kick our asses all the time"? I'm sure they acknowledge it (internally), but I'll bet the genuine attitude for most is, "Who cares? I'm enjoying the present!"
I agree 100% on Brandon, but it's also slavery to legacies and "Michigan Men" that had enough people on board to enable Brandon to make the disastrous Hoke hire.
October 20th, 2014 at 12:43 PM ^
Their delusional fanbase might parrot the talk radio but really, before their current streak who had won six straight? These people are defined by a history of being second best in the state, something of a football afterthought, Staee, Tony Mandarich and Sparty No. Maybe Mike Hart was right the whole time.
FWIW, I enjoyed the present in Michigan Stadium but two years ago when Sparty wasn't owning anything. Ulimately, Sparty fan has to acknowledge internally or otherwise the fact that over the years it's been Michigan's series. Sparty might have a period of success now and then (see the 50's) but it won't last. The reason it won't last is because it can't last. Michigan has too much institutional interest, too much money in, too much debt and too much committed to their football program being successful (see donors) not to just can Brady Hoke et al. in 3 months and hire the most expensive guy available (I mean, the new AD can hire the most expensive Harbaugh/Miles/(please be Jim Tressel) available.
If Brady Hoke/DG somehow catch lightning in a bottle this weekend like tOSU last fall then great. If not, I'm confident Les Miles fixes things. The thing is, internally or otherwise, Sparty fan is aware of this also.
October 20th, 2014 at 2:44 PM ^
I really doubt they care. They have either the 1st or 2nd best coach in the big ten. Whoever we hire won't hurt them at all.
There's no real reason why things ''can't last'' for them except delusional fans like you that say that to yourself over and over until you believe it. There's no reason that MSU can't have a good program while Michigan has a good program. They have the money and facilties to be able to keep things rolling now.
Also their period of success went from 1950 to 1969. I'm not willing to wait that long.
October 20th, 2014 at 9:25 PM ^
Here's how it works: delusional fans like me stop donating money to the AD, stop buying high priced season tickets, buy them through secondary vendors and suddenly 80k fans are in the stadium and the whole thing blows the hell up.
While it is true that both programs have the ability to be successful the idea that Michigan won't return to dominance with competent coaching and administration is ludicrous. End of the day, the school leadership has to be accountable via hiring and winning to the season ticket base or their revenue goes away.
Should they be motivated to hire the best available after this season? Unless 80 k is their goal then yes. That debt servicing on the stadium improvements also exist let alone the monies spent and debt serviced on non-revenue.
Excellence is the standard and has to occur. Miles, Harbaugh(s), whomever has to make it work.
"Won't last because it can't"
October 20th, 2014 at 2:37 PM ^
And I'm tired of Michigan fans and players not respecting Michigan State despite the fact that they've won 5 of the last 6. They come out and hit us in the mouth every year and yet every year like clock work it's back to calling them little brother before the game.
October 20th, 2014 at 11:27 AM ^
fans only ever want to talk about the times they have beaten us, now granted they have kicked our ass since 2008 and we got them in 2011 but still they act like anything prior to 2008 never happened... but i guess thats what happens with all of the bandwagon jumpers that state has had in recent years... oh wait, i forgot they don't have bandwagon fans, because you can only root for state if you went there...
now its the exact opposite with OSU fans because the majority of them remember what life was like during the cooper years...
October 20th, 2014 at 11:36 AM ^
Eh, I can argue against that. There are a log of OSU bandwagon fans that only started caring since 2002. They might be die hard now, but a lot of them didn't care as much before Tressel got there.
October 20th, 2014 at 11:27 AM ^
East Lansing in 1985, we won 31-0 but still left about 17 points on the field with a missed field goal and two interceptions thrown by Harbaugh when we were going in for scores.
Still a nice win. A recap about this game in the Detroit News started with this...
"Spotting the University of Michigan two touchdowns is like giving Carl Lewis a 20-yard head start."
I miss the days of us being Carl Lewis. Today, we're more like a middle school kid running cross country but stopping every 30 feet to use our asthma inhalers.
October 20th, 2014 at 12:35 PM ^
Kind of sad that we have to live in the past when thinking about this game, isn't it?
October 20th, 2014 at 1:02 PM ^
That's what I'm saying! It's great to celebrate a storied past for the hell of it, but when you have to resort to it because it's the only way to feel good about a rivalry...
October 20th, 2014 at 12:39 PM ^
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October 20th, 2014 at 1:01 PM ^
I hope people who can remember the '90s aren't old timers, at least not yet...
October 20th, 2014 at 12:47 PM ^
October 20th, 2014 at 12:51 PM ^
2003 was one of the best Michigan teams on offense and defense (and placekicking) in the last 20 years. It just couldn't punt.
October 20th, 2014 at 1:00 PM ^
No kidding! Take away some disastrous special teams that cost them the Oregon and Iowa games, and that squad competes for a NC. Now, they did get shown up pretty badly by USC (a team that also should have been playing for all the marbles) in the Rose Bowl, so they likely wouldn't have won it all, but they definitely should have been right there.
October 20th, 2014 at 1:06 PM ^
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October 20th, 2014 at 1:08 PM ^
October 20th, 2014 at 1:19 PM ^
Thought this thread would be about what the reasonably best expected performance would be from us this weekend, and after thinking about it, I expect the offense to score at most one TD, I'll be surprised if they score 2, and shocked if they score 3. Can't believe Hoke earns $4M a year.
I'm not even sure, at my age, if I'll have the fortitude to watch this one.
October 20th, 2014 at 2:53 PM ^
2002.