Bitter Sparty Quote about the Big Chill

Submitted by James Burrill Angell on

Didn't think I saw this posted before but I stumbled onto this article about the Big Chill on ESPN http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5910000 .

The gist: that the game was just a novelty act and does nothing for the sport.

and of course.....who else to add their two cents but Sparty A.D. Mark Hollis who is always quick to try to denigrate any accomplishment by Michigan:

"When we did it in 2001, it was like the Apollo mission," said Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis, who, as an assistant athletic director in 2001 spearheaded the Cold War that attracted 74,544 fans to Spartan Stadium.

 Since then, we've seen games at Lambeau Field, Fenway Park and Camp Randall Stadium in Madison. College hockey takes the spotlight briefly. The crowd scatters, the rink is torn down, and the lasting impact on the college game and its growth is difficult to measure.

 "Now, it's like the space shuttle," Hollis said. "They're taking off and landing and you don't even know it. It's becoming routine."

 

Hollis you whiny cry baby, if you didn't notice the Big Chill, you're blinded by your hatred or were the fireworks for those five goals not bright enough or loud enough for you to notice. Go back to your room.

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Hockey

goblue7612

December 14th, 2010 at 2:48 PM ^

Hate to be a stickler, but that picture is part of the NASA microgravity project where student engineering teams get to fly their projects on a C-9 microgravity flight through NASA. Only undergraduates are allowed to be on the flight (meaning that I being the team's graduate supervisor was not allowed to experience microgravity), so not an alum in that picture. For the one person out there who is curious here's a link http://microgravityuniversity.jsc.nasa.gov/

Joined: 03/02/2010

MGoPoints: 1182

MGoAero

December 14th, 2010 at 10:06 AM ^

She's my best friend from college, so I can point her to this post and maybe she can answer you directly.  You've taken this too far, guys.  Enough.  This picture was never intended for this crap.  It's an innocent picture celebrating an academic achievement by a student.  Leave it alone.

Joined: 03/16/2009

MGoPoints: 887

pullin4blue

December 13th, 2010 at 7:45 PM ^

What Sparty fails to realize is that the conventional wisdom was that we needed two in-state teams in order to sell out the Big House and make this event a success. When MSU returned many of the allotted tickets they were sold to Michigan fans and the event remained wildly successful.

Now that we know that we can sell it out, WITHOUT MSU, we can do it again with the team of our choice. This event needs to happen every 4 years, no sooner. The event needs to maintain its novelty, and it needs to be something that every Michigan senior has the ability to play in if he stays for four years with Michigan Hockey. 

Joined: 08/14/2009

MGoPoints: 1597

nuclearblue

December 13th, 2010 at 8:45 PM ^

1. the state of Michigan loves it's hockey

2. UM Hockey is a relatively strong seller (for college hockey, anyway)

3. It's a unique event, and a chance to be part of the largest crowd to ever watch a hockey game.

4. Tickets were fairly cheap, giving more incentive to buy them.

 

The game would have been that big if we had been playing a contender (ND or Miami - OH) or even a middling CCHA team.

Joined: 12/11/2010

MGoPoints: 309

Bryan

December 13th, 2010 at 5:52 PM ^

You put a fucking ice rink outside. You know, like how the sport was first played. 

And don't compare Apollo missions, Hollis. Until you have a grad, let alone A WHOLE CREW fly a space mission from your school you can sit in the corner and shut up. 

Joined: 07/10/2009

MGoPoints: 14777

dahblue

December 13th, 2010 at 5:51 PM ^

There seem to be many fine whines out of EL lately...most of them involving their poor, disrespected football team (and yes, I realize that our football team got thumped this entire season).  They even have a billboard by the Rose Bowl, in effect, complaining that they aren't playing there.  You can find more whine in the Detroit News today where they complain about the lack of respect from game-pickers, none of whom think State will beat Alabama (mostly because they aren't idiots).  Alas, when a team lucks into a handful of wins, has one of the weakest schedules in the conference and loses by 30 to Iowa...no respect shall follow.

Of course, Hollis and company probably aren't complaining that they're the only 3-loss bball team in the top 25.  

Joined: 11/09/2009

MGoPoints: 5253

Michichick

December 13th, 2010 at 6:24 PM ^

Headline: "Billboards send Michigan State's message to Rose Bowl".  Who on the Rose Bowl selection committee will see a billboard on a metro Detroit freeway? It's not for the Rose Bowl, it's so all the MSU fans can cry together that they got screwed out of a BCS game.  MSU doesn't travel well and doesn't have the national cachet for good TV ratings. Never mind that they couldn't even sell out their own stadium in the best football season they've had in over 20 years.

Joined: 09/15/2009

MGoPoints: 169

MGoRob

December 13th, 2010 at 5:52 PM ^

If memory serves me correct, the MSU's AD comments are kinda taken out of context here.  I believe he was also replying to when we might see another outdoor hockey game or if it'll be held every year.  To get that many people to an outdoor event, you need a gimmick like first time at Wrigley, Lambeau, or biggest crowd to ever witness such as teh Big Chill.  Non-hockey fans won't come out every year for this, and that's what I believe he was referring to with the space shuttle analogy.  How often do you watch the shuttle lift off?  Compare that to to 60's when they were new, what % of America do you think watched that shuttle take-off?

Joined: 03/14/2010

MGoPoints: 4429

aaamichfan

December 13th, 2010 at 5:52 PM ^

In other news, the MSU Athletic Department is still searching for grieving families willing to spend the estates of their recently deceased fathers on highway billboards. Inquire within.

Joined: 10/23/2009

MGoPoints: 14362