The issue of respect

Submitted by Wendyk5 on

As I comb through all the msm stories about today's game, the majority of them seem to be about respect. Michigan State wants respect. And they seem to want our respect. They want us to acknowledge them and the game we play against them every year. They wanted to make a statement today with their physical play because, dang, why doesn't anyone respect us??

The funny thing is, they don't seem to care about the rest of the Big Ten. They're sick and tired of not getting our respect. So now they've won four years in a row, and STILL, this respect thing. Why is winning not enough? Why the huge need to make a a big, physical, over-the-top statement that may or may not hospitalize our players? Why is winning not enough? 

Respect will not come this way, Michigan State. Respect is earned, and never forced. I have never respected anyone who tried to force it on me, and neither have you. Maybe we're different than most, but Michigan fans respect sportsmanship. Competitiveness with good will. Winning and losing with grace. And we respect the rules, we really do. 

So if it's our respect you want, try some of those things. It just might work next time. 

massblue

October 16th, 2011 at 8:21 AM ^

MSU has played this game with a different level of aggressiveness than us.  Even when we won this game back in 2007, we were being dominated in the tranches.  We just had too much talents to lose that game.

I am wondering if all those those penalties were signs of the importance of this game to MSU players and their hatered for UM? They do not seem to want our respect. They just hates us with a vengence.

milla61

October 16th, 2011 at 11:18 AM ^

Aggression is one thing, throwing punches and trying to twist someones helmet off while they're laying on the ground is totally different. That's not aggression that's just plain dirty. You can't respect someone when they have the mindset to win at all costs. If you play fair and clean and beat me then I will respect you. I wont like you but I will respect you. If you beat me by purposely trying to injure me and throw cheap shot punches then I will never respect you.

flysociety3

October 16th, 2011 at 12:22 AM ^

Couldnt agree more... but sadly, I think the entire culture of East Lansing... the coaches, players, fans, students contribute to the problem... classless all the way around

Genzilla

October 16th, 2011 at 12:24 AM ^

"Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi couldn't get too mad about the six 15-yard penalties called on the Spartans for some form of unnecessary roughness Saturday. 'That's what we try to do,' Narduzzi said after Michigan State's 28-14 win against Michigan. 'Sixty minutes of unnecessary roughness. I'm just happy it didn't get called on every snap.'"



http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/andy_staples/10/15/michig…

Newk

October 16th, 2011 at 12:28 AM ^

Yeah, that's bizzare. I don't know what the hell he means.

It's clear that Dantonio has whipped that entire program into foaming-at-the mouth hatred for Michigan ... which seems to be pretty effective. Perhaps it demands respect, but not admiration.

SalvatoreQuattro

October 16th, 2011 at 12:42 AM ^

It is up to UM to respond. Michigan needs to hit back legally. MSU several times went over the line and they rightfully should be condemned. But Michigan State is winning because they are the more physical team. I have no problems with Narduzzi's strategy, but the methods. Punching is beyond the pale.

flysociety3

October 16th, 2011 at 12:27 AM ^

I just hope the B1G catches onto this... or I least hope that people are well aware of how that program operates.... our Dance Team and Marching Band gets spit on, flicked off, and cussed out by football players? hahaha what a joke.

Bryan

October 16th, 2011 at 12:27 AM ^

Minnesota. They're terrible in every way and might be one of the worst teams ever. But you know what? They lose with class. No cheap shots, no punching or twisting of the neck. They might not win anothe game this season, but with every one of those losses comes more of my respect.

NateVolk

October 16th, 2011 at 12:34 AM ^

They have it on certain levels. Not on others though. In some areas they lost respect today.This is ultimately going to be great for the Michigan program. They do a lot of things on the field that are good too. We'll need to continue to grow and develop for next year. 

I really have a lot of confidence we will.

AMazinBlue

October 16th, 2011 at 12:34 AM ^

some decent teams outside of the the B1G.  Winning 10-11 games in the conference and then getting beaten by 40 in a bowl game doesn't help.

The cheap shot crap they pulled today aside, I respect the victory they got today.  They outplayed Michigan on both sides of the ball.  But I don't respect the program because of the way they go about things.  they always have this huge chip on their shoulders and seem to have this "hey, look at me" thing going on.

I thought their unis looks ridiculous and the cheap shots were juvenille.  ESPN won't show any of the cheap shots on SC and it will all go unnoticed.  What is going to get noticed is the four in a row and that each time Michigan starts out undefeated it's Sparty that starts the slide.  To stop that Michigan needs to come out in two weeks and destroy Purdue and then destroy Illinois the following week.  If Purdue is the only other victory Michigan gets this season, the perception will be that nothing has changed in AA.

Sparty will get beat down by Wisconsin and then get beaten by them again in the Championship game and go to the Cap One Bowl.

UMgradMSUdad

October 16th, 2011 at 12:47 AM ^

It's kind of sad in a way. To them, the game with us seems to be the one and only regular season game they point to all year.  It really seems like a spoiled little brother throwing a tantrum because he's jealous of his big brother's successes. A tip for MSU, though, raging against Michigan won't make your inferiority complex go away. 

 

SysMark

October 16th, 2011 at 12:48 AM ^

Most of what you are seeing comes from their coach.  He may put on a nice, classy public face but when it comes to Michigan he is a fanatical low-life.

Wendyk5

October 16th, 2011 at 1:06 AM ^

You remind me of the Grinch. The Grinch tries to steal Christmas from Whoville, but when he wakes up in the morning and sees the Who's rejoicing, even though all their presents and cherished material possessions have been taken, he is stunned. He doesn't understand that for the Who's, Christmas is about more than the presents. For you, winning is the only endgame no matter how you get there. But for us, it matters how we get there. That's the difference between us. And I'm not trying to be flip or arrogant. We hate losing as much as you do, but if we won by playing dirty, we wouldn't rest easy like you and your coaches do. 

Newk

October 16th, 2011 at 1:11 AM ^

We're no more or less superior than we were yesterday. The infuriating thing about Sparty is that they just EXPECT that a) Mich fans/alums think they're better and b) that MUST change because of the result of a football game.

Attention everyone: we are all just as decent (or despicable) as we were yesterday. Michigan is still a great institution, it's great to be a Wolverine.

Is it great to be a Spartan? I don't know, I don't know anything about that. But if it is, it shouldn't hinge on one game.

/end rant

BlueBarron

October 16th, 2011 at 1:13 AM ^

When has anyone here made any kind of prediction like that? Where are you drawing your conclusions from? Even Brian predicted an MSU win in the preview. Michigan State has been better than us in each other last four years. We all understand that, there's no reason to rub it in. It only makes yourself look bad.

I don't understand how people can call Michigan fans arrogant while being so blatantly arrogant themselves.

mgoblue0970

October 16th, 2011 at 1:41 AM ^

 

You still don't get it... Yes, Sparty won today.  We all saw it.  Congrats.  4 in a row.

But as long as Moo U. continues to think the way to build themselves up is by tearing others down, Moo U., will never truly get the recognition it craves.  

 

> the one day a year where you can't delude yourselves into

> believing you're superior

Poor misguided Sparty.  Do you really think that anyone in AA gives a shit what you think?  Michigan is one of the top universities in the nation.  Moo U. aint.  Michigan isn't arrogant.  We're just better. Get over it.  I have a ton of sprit and pride in my school, the degrees I earned, and all the hard work and sacrifice I put in to get where I am.  If you think this one day a year is going to change that, then you're a fucking moron.

Moo U. is the Jersey Shore of college football.

uminks

October 16th, 2011 at 3:02 AM ^

will once again become that easy win on our way to multiple b10 championships. But at least when Michigan starts beating you on the field again we won't literally beat on your players!

Anyways, I'm a Michigan fan for life. The only team I respect is my own team! Win or lose I will always be a wolverine fan!

SalvatoreQuattro

October 16th, 2011 at 1:03 AM ^

because you obviously have no clue they mean. Nothing in her post was rationalizing or making excuses for what happened today. Rather, she is criticizing the manner in which your team performed. MSU won fair and square. The extracurricular stuff was not the reason you won. But that is what makes it disappointing. Such poor behavior in an otherwise laudable effort does tarnish it in some people's eyes.
<br>
<br>MSU has who four straight. Congrats. But MSU is still a regional program. It has never been to a BCS bowl and won only ten games twice in 40 years. MSU has exactly two BTT's in 20 years.MSU has not beaten a good OOC opponent not named "Notre Dame" since the 00' Citrus Bowl. MSU is again being out recruited by Mchigan except this time the coach is a guy who has as many national title rings as Dantonio and who understands that physicality is required to win in the BIg Ten.
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<br>MSU was the better team this year. That is why everyone picked MSU to win. But you should know that things can turn quickly on a rivalry. After all it was 4 years ago that MSU won for the first time in 7 years. Pride comes before the fall, Sparty.

snowcrash

October 16th, 2011 at 2:53 AM ^

You played better than we did and deserved to win based on what happened before the whistle. But if I were an MSU fan I would not show up on any other team's board talking trash because I would be too embarrassed by that display of thuggery the team put on today. You have a thug coach who runs a thug program, and no one respects a thug.