Congrats Sparty

Submitted by MGoPietrowski on
Hate 'em or Hate 'em.
That's one hell of a defense.
Thanks for bringing a little cred back to the BiG

Yeoman

January 1st, 2014 at 11:38 PM ^

To be fair, a lot of those passes against KSU were slighly-forward flips on jet sweeps--functionally runs, but statistically passes.

But as one of the most vocally Borges-supportive people here, I agree with your assessment. Whether this works, going forward, depends largely on whether he can keep his imagination in check and get some basic plays going. I saw some reason to think that was going on behind the scenes this year, even if we didn't always see it on Saturday, and it's what they did behind the scenes in 2009. But I agree that he can be too creative for his or the team's own good.

No college team can run a full Walsh-style WCO. Borges knows that, but will he try to do too much?

LordGrantham

January 1st, 2014 at 8:39 PM ^

Stanford did everything possible to lose this game.  Three dropped INTs, penalties galore, atrocious playcalling, taking a FG instead of going for the TD.  Just awful all around.  The refs gifting MSU 4 points didn't help either.

trueblueintexas

January 1st, 2014 at 9:03 PM ^

It certainly couldn't have been the good defense, 300+ yards passing, and strong running game that MSU had that had anything to do with the outcome. Jeez, give some credit where it is due. Stanford played their game, MSU played theirs. MSU won. Simple as that.

umumum

January 1st, 2014 at 9:50 PM ^

While it is true that if Stanford caught a few more balls--particularly on the defensive side--they might well have stolen a victory--the fact is that MSU absolutely dominated the last 3 quarters.  In fact, State gave Stanford 10 points and fumbled away another 3-7 of their own.  But let's only focus on how State might have loss.

evenyoubrutus

January 1st, 2014 at 8:39 PM ^

They earned it. They beat the odds and the expectations, they deserve to enjoy this moment and this season. They are basically what our coaches want our program to be.

Congrats.

MGoPietrowski

January 1st, 2014 at 8:40 PM ^

Michigan sucks this year, I still try to be classy and half of you act like rude ass douchebags, and you wonder why more than half of the kids in MI are picking Sparty over UofM.



I'm done with this blog. While it often showcases the best and classiest of the Michigan fanbase, it really highlights those of you assholes that makes the tough time even tougher.



Fuck you and your bullshit attitudes of arrogance and being flat out mean.



Go blue

Fuck you guys

In your asses



I'm out:

victorsvaliant01

January 2nd, 2014 at 12:20 AM ^

Hit your limp dick on the way out, you tool. You deserve what you're getting if you're that clueless to actually START a topic like this. A congrats on the Rose Bowl thread is one thing--this is an entirely different animal. And you paid, dearly...asshole.

NateVolk

January 1st, 2014 at 8:41 PM ^

Like anyone who roots for State is going to read this silly congratulations and care.  Quit trying to pile on the self-suffering by rubbing your own nose deeper in the mud over our lackluster season. Sparty fan will do that to you gladly too many times to count in the next 12 months.

It's phony. They don't think you have class and you don't think they have class, so this is totally pointless.

SECriminals

January 2nd, 2014 at 11:23 AM ^

It was kind of a relavent game by a conference team, and more so, the highest prize that the whole conference shoots for and a game the conference has in common.  I'm not saying that when Wisconsin or another big ten team won the Rose Bowl or another team won something big in another sport that this board erupted with love, but I'm sure there were references and discussion in some type of thread saying way to go or job well done or just, wow, that was impressive, without hurting Michigan in any way.  Disdaining or just not caring about another team doesn't mean that objectively recognizing an impressive effort by team x is worthy of uproar, or really an energy at all.  If anything, it shows good, healthy fandom capable of appreciating something we all love done well, and a little class and maturity, and it's not like he said Go State, so who cares??  Hopefully Michigan dominates the Big 10 starting next year and the glory is all ours again, but a tasteful, pretty harmless post in the mean time shouldn't derail our chances.  Good for them, that's it, move on, be a Michigan Man and Go Blue...

 

 

NateVolk

January 1st, 2014 at 8:42 PM ^

Like anyone who roots for State is going to read this silly congratulations and care.  Quit trying to pile on the self-suffering by rubbing your own nose deeper in the mud over our lackluster season. Sparty fan will do that to you gladly too many times to count in the next 12 months.

It's phony. They don't think you have class and you don't think they have class, so this is totally pointless.

B-Nut-GoBlue

January 1st, 2014 at 8:42 PM ^

Good on 'em.  They deserved it.  That defense is known as a very good one but I think it's underrated and should be discusses as on of the better defenses assembled in the last decade, Alabama/LSU-like.

NateVolk

January 1st, 2014 at 8:42 PM ^

Like anyone who roots for State is going to read this silly congratulations and care.  Quit trying to pile on the self-suffering by rubbing your own nose deeper in the mud over our lackluster season. Sparty fan will do that to you gladly too many times to count in the next 12 months.

It's phony. They don't think you have class and you don't think they have class, so this is totally pointless.

Soulfire21

January 1st, 2014 at 8:46 PM ^

There's a difference between giving credit and dick riding them.  It's a great win to top off a great season for MSU, and it is good for national perception of the Big Ten.

MonkeyMan

January 1st, 2014 at 8:46 PM ^

What a great day for Mark D.- a big pay raise and a Rose Bowl win. This is actually a good thing for UM though. Every time a Big ten team wins a spotlight game- like this one- it makes people take the B1G a little more seriously. If UM should ever win the B1G soon, then this improves our chance to get invited to a playoff type bowl. Having a B1G that sucks does not benefit UM in any way. We need tough competition to make us work harder, we need a conference that is respected enough to get a serious bowl invite. Like it or not- our destiny is tied to that of every B1G team. We need this win.

uofmfan_13

January 1st, 2014 at 8:56 PM ^

Seems to be 4-4 or 3-5 in conference, perpetually looking up to Michigan St, OSU, Wiscy and even Iowa and Nebraska.  That is what is seems like right now.  I agree that could change - but the past 5 years shows that it hasn't.

I agree a stronger Big Ten is important, but by no means does that mean Michigan will raise its level of play to keep up.  In fact, the opposite seemed to happen this year.

mGrowOld

January 1st, 2014 at 9:04 PM ^

Um no.  It may be good for the B1G but "a good thing for U of M" a thousand times no.  Having your in-state rival claim state, conference and now national superiority while the team you love is getting a nationaly televised wedgey from a middle of the pack Big 12 team is not, not, not good.

It is bad. 

bighouse22

January 2nd, 2014 at 1:25 AM ^

I generally agree, but I think the more high profile games that the B1G can win, the better it is for recruiting for everyone.  It will also payoff in terms of rankings for B1G teams down the road.  If Michigan can get their 4 and 5 star talent to improve and perform they will be fine regadless of what MSU can do in recruiting.  

It raises the stakes for this coaching staff.  We will get a sense of the competence of this staff pretty quickly.  We will know we have the right coaches or to move on much sooner, because talent alone will not get it done.

SECriminals

January 2nd, 2014 at 10:53 AM ^

However mGrowOld, a forecast of "Bad" may be giving State's recent run, albeit impressive, more power than it will actually deliver to the intrastate balance. The zero sum theory for the rivalry may seem especially prevalent tonight with the freshness and emotion of what feels something like a final straw tipping the increasingly fragile ship of media exposure, recruiting advantages and pure reputation to Sparty. With reserved wisdom and distinguished class of a true Michigan Man that you clearly bring to this blog, I humbly challenge (or reassure my seasoned MGo superior) of what distinguished and defined the years through which he and the block M came of age together... (Blatant flattery will also stop)

The exclusive attention to the combonation of high standards and honorable values brought a record-setting attainment of excellence sustained by that foundation built in solid concrete over so many years.  A hugely established brand and prestigious identity can be chipped away at in the short-term, suffer damage and setback through its own self-destruction, but it is not relinquishing NATIONAL SUPERIORITY of any kind because the current and recent momentum of a much less recognizable competitor, even if close in proximity.  No matter what year, decade, opposition, philosophy, fad, or flavor of the day drove the game at a particular time, the Michigan way owned the pen to the record books and wrote itself in whenever it damn pleased.  Headlines, familiarity, respect, prestige, much of it undivided with other schools for a LONG time, all permeated deeply into the perception of the collective cultural and sports consciousness (sp?) during this time of historic relevance, making Michigan solidly elite through many generations, regardless of game to game results.   With some trivial disagreement as to when Rome "Officially Fell", we can all pretty much agree that (in general) this prolonged golden age lasted through the Carr era.  My point being to MGrowOld (only using his post as example, not picking on the man) is that a strong, firmly in-tact bucket, forged soundly through decades of committment by the highest grade of players, coaches and infrastructure is a bucket that tonight received merely another drop whose ripples will do very little in defining how the bucket looks in the future.

Sure, maybe dismissive to an undeniably momentous surge and further proof toward a permanent upgrade to an in-state rival's status.  Sooo what.... Is that really threatening to Michigan being elite??  These dooming bloggers who seem to be outspoken especially after tonight, and maybe after future Sparty triumphs are creating unnecessary nightmares and terrible visions of worshipping the inevitable ruthless sparty rule and influence over Michigan, every elite recruit, your healthcare!!! :0  A ship-tipping force capable of tilting the intrastate scales so unevenly that Michigan Football/Athletics' downward spiral is now at the mercy of State's budding momentum is not something that happened last night, nor will it be if they sweep us in basketball and win the national championship, and repeat both next season.  It's not nearly as zero sum as a lot are making it out to be.  Sure, state being relevant in the Big Ten every year will expand their recruiting influence, but does anyone seriously think anything they do in next 5 years is going to attract enough sizzle and sex appeal nationally to not only become a destination for blue chip recruits, but erode and subtract from Michigan in the process? 

I submit that their current success is a lot more than a cute Rose Bowl win in 1988, what they are putting together is definitely impactful for them, and will probably lead to some regional victories that help them do what they do, k, where's the fear? If success between Duke and North Carolina is not zero sum, and both remain elite regardless of their battles with each other, then what gives anyone the slightest threat that Sparty is going to somehow run Michigan out of town, or detract them from doing what they want in any macro, long-term way?  If Michigan is at their best, Michigan will be a juggernaut and have whatever style and identity they please, regardless of what realm Sparty enters into.  If Michigan crumbles to some meteoric fall ending in EMU relevance, it will be because they didn't get their crap together, and coaching turmoil and recruiting uncertainty become issues.   

Inhale, relax, Go Blue! 

JWolve

January 1st, 2014 at 8:45 PM ^

Most impressive, more than their defense, was how their offense improved over the course of the season. Their coaches clearly know how to get the maximum performance out of their team....

BlueinLansing

January 1st, 2014 at 8:45 PM ^

who didn't watch Stanford play all year.  That last play and that formation with that personnel is their bread and butter short yardage play.  NO ONE has stopped it all year untill today.  NO ONE>

 

Congrats to Sparty they were the better team all around today.

B-Nut-GoBlue

January 1st, 2014 at 8:57 PM ^

Thank you.  I'm no expert of Stanford football but I've watched them a few times this season (and past seasons).  They use that play and it works (worked), against everyone else.  Sparty had 21-23 days, not a month, to prepare.  They're just really, really, really good...it's just a fact we must face.