The Bullying Meme

I like it.   There are only 28 guys that were on that team in 2011 that are still playing for UM.  That means there are a slew of guys that are thinking "I'm not going to let anyone bully me".  Having a guy like Lewan and Schoffield say "it happened to us, don't let it happen to you" is going to serve its purpose.   Let's the young kids know that MSU is tough and they better be ready, and at the same time, let them know there is payback for UM.

EDIT:  I also love how no one at UM is talking about last year's win.   It's all about revenge for 2011.   "We're not done yet..."

Didn't seem to get pushed around. Should be better.

To run the ball down there throats and I want absolutely no penalties doing it. Now I don't think we can run down their throats completely but do think we will keep them off balance and run enough to expose them. Play man and well throw high to fun chess and find Gallon in space. I'm also comfortable setting the staee personal foul over/under at 3 and taking the over.

Michigan 34-27. I think the magic number is 28. Tough for us to get there but I think that puts too much pressure on their offense to match.

One would think that it should, and I'd much rather hear this sort of talk than something lighter, but after Lewan called the Akron win "embarrassing" and then we came out against UConn looking the way we did, it's not always the case that the rhetoric leads to on-field performance.

As I said though, being aggressive and tough starts with (IMO) thinking and speaking that way.

Just because I love Key and Peele.

This whole idea of toughness as defined by "running the ball down their throat" drives me nuts.  Like it somehow more manly to run the ball into a brick wall of defenders for -2 yards instead of swinging it outside to a wide out for an easy 7 yards.

Somebody should poll the Penn State players which team they thought was "tougher".  The one that ran the ball straight at them for negative yards (and scored 40 in basically 5.25 quarters of play) or the one that ran bubble screen after bubble screen and scored 63 in 3.5 quarters.

I know which team they'll answer was smarter.

I'm all for the occasional mea culpa, but saying "we were bullied" makes Michigan sound like a directional school.  It is certainly giving Sparty fans a lot of reason to laugh at the Wolverines and at us for being their fans.  

Hopefully, the maize and blue get this year's version of the "last laugh" on Saturday.

After the MSU basketball game at Crisler, I remember a quote from Trey about knowing that Sparty would try to bully the team.

Personally, I feel like football is just a dirty game, but MSU players seem to go too far with the unnecessary roughness at times. And Michigan isn't the only fan base to complain about their style of play. 

None of it matters. The word "bullying" strikes a chord with a lot of people now.   Michigan has to overcome  the "unnecessary roughness", facemasks, holding and pass interference, and just play football. 

In my opinion, there's really no excuse why Michigan football, which has recruited at a level superior to MSU for many, many years, should be losing football games to MSU on a regular basis.  Now there are very good reasons for those past 4 losses and the one butt-hair win like last year, but there's really no excuse for it. 

That all said, I can dislike Dantonio all I want, but I think MSU football is in a far better state now than it ever achieved under far better coaches like Darryl Rodgers, George Perles and Nick Saban. 

I think MSU's days of beating Michigan on the regular are over though, probably starting next year.

But mark my words, Spartan fans will  no doubt surf these 4 or 5 "dominating" wins over Michigan for the next half century. 

 

The RCMB has pinned Lewan as a racist, bully and dirty... I am waiting for them to pin the word "murderer" on him. But that message board is like middle school so.. you know its expected.

I think this is all terribly overblown. 

1.  Has everyone forgotten that Michigan beat State 13-10 last year in a physical game that is exactly the type that now it is widely believed Michigan cannot play, yet alone win? 

2.  What happened in the 2011 game was not bullying, but Sparty, Gholston especially, engaged in Buckeye-level cheapshots that would make George Perles blush. 

3.  The best team, not the toughest team, or by extension the team that takes the most cheap shots, usually wins this game.  I think it's great that Sparty's head is swelling right now.  See, Sparty has never lacked for confidence.  Stupid and cocky is the mark of a true Sparty.  The truth is that this is an evenly matched game, as Michigan has the playmakers to offset what Sparty does on defense, and as a team Michigan has a higher ceiling.  Anyone who is confident in winning a close game is a fool.  (See Jeff Seidel's article where he is "98.2%" certain that State will win by 3.) 

4.  There is more upside than downside risk for Michigan in this game, so let's relax. Losing this game is not going to ruin the season.  Sparty is favored, and if Michigan loses a close game so be it.  After the UCONN game it was clear to me this was a Gator Bowl team.  If you want to talk about frustration due to the lack of progress the program has made this year, your case is already made with the Akron, UCONN, and Penn State games. But it is likely central Florida for the Holidays either way.         

 

It is clear that State is in Michigan's heads. That is the very reason you play a physically intimidating style of defense. As a defensive back in my playing days I purposely honed a reputation as a fearless, no-regard-for-personal-safety hitter. I wanted opponents to think that I was a little bit nutso. I hit a receiver at every opportunity on every single play as if I were trying to run through him. This resulted in many a dropped pass as the receiver turned to locate me before securing the pass so that he could brace for the contact. Because he knew it was coming. I had more than my share of opponents carted off the field. Call it dirty if you wish.

Really good defenses have a twelveth man on the field. His name is intimidation. Those of you old enough to have witnessed the 1997 Michigan defense firsthand know very well what I am talking about. That defense delivered blows that stopped play while bodies were carted off the field on numerous occasions. How ironic that Michigan State has now adopted this style of defense.

The very reason you play a physically punishing style is so that your opponent cannot concentrate solely on offensive execution. He must also factor in self preservation.

I loved that Michigan 1997 defense. This 2013 Indiana offense would have been completely out of rhythm against that defense. There would have been hits that made us cringe. There would have been receivers short-arming passes. There would have been receivers starting fist fights out of frustration. What there would not have been is receivers snatching balls away from DBs.

Until Michigan plays defense like that again, we will wait for another national championship.

 

I agree that the Spartans are coached for '60 minutes of unnecesarry roughness' whereas the 1997 team was coached to 'lay the wood'. This is by no means 'apples to apples'. That said, you can be physically intimidating without being dirty. The rules allow for physical intimidation without the Spartans brand of thugery. Our defense can certainly stand to be more physical. I don't recall the last time a Michigan DB laid an impressive stick. Too often I see them pass up the opportunity to make a hit.

The hit voted most ferocious in college football belongs to the 1997 Michigan football squad.

"1997 What hit could possibly top this list after the collisions you've just seen? How about a hit that immediately ended the careers of both players involved? Michigan safety Daydrion Taylor hit Penn State tight end Bob Stephenson so hard on the final play of the first quarter in the teams' 1997 game in Happy Valley that it horrifyingly knocked both players out. Stephenson was later diagnosed with a Grade 3 concussion, while Taylor underwent neck fusion surgery. Our choice for the Biggest Hit in College Football History is so legendary that the Big Ten Network did a feature on it last fall on the 15-year anniversary of the play, showing the permanent effect it had on both Taylor's and Stephenson's lives. We're just glad neither player was permanently injured during a hit that looked like two freight trains colliding."