Just Stop It Before It Starts
We just played the 15th best team in the nation. Hearing the boos at the big house and witnessing how dark the liveblog got at times makes us look like spoiled brats. Our young team made many mistakes that are easily fixed and mainly due to nerves and inexperience. Denard cheered for his teeam when he was hurt/pulled.
Our team got knocked on its ass and got up and hit back. Got knocked on its ass again and got up and hit back again. Thats boys turning into men. That is the making of a dynasty.
We gained 522 yards! Our defense held Iowa to 383 yards. We are making progress. We are 5-2. We are getting better. Think of how much we will improve when our guys are 21 and 22 years old like everyone else they are playing.
Wisconson just scored 12 seconds into the game on OSU. That makes me smile. Now lets not clog up the board multiple late game threads!
October 16th, 2010 at 7:47 PM ^
probably booing the offensive geniuses that run the O. Who preceeded to get stopped countless times
October 16th, 2010 at 7:30 PM ^
I'm not sure I'm a fan of a guy trying to tell people to stop before we get a chance to vent. I saw things that we have seen the past 3 years from this team. I will be reasonable that we have to let the rest of the season play out before we start making rash decisions. But from what I've seen, Rich Rod just might not be the right guy for this place at this time. I had hope for him, but I see lack of certain football fundamentals that are hurting us every saturday. That being said, I think we can compete against PSU with two weeks of practice. We just need that win to get to a bowl game, and we will let the mastermind David Brandon take it from there. I do not think anyone would disagree with me if I said that we all trust David Brandon with the keys to the athletic department and he will make the right decision.
October 16th, 2010 at 7:30 PM ^
People are going to be despondent because we are built on pattern recognition. And combine that with homerism, you have a very dangerous mix for spontaneous combustion I don't think this requires a lot of introspection. Iowa is an older, more balanced and more experienced team. Those teams will beat us. I believe we will get to seven wins for sure and possibly eight wins. This is not the same team from last year. If people can't see that then I don't know what else any of us can say.
October 16th, 2010 at 7:33 PM ^
October 16th, 2010 at 7:33 PM ^
We don't boo the team, but if you make a terrible playcall I will boo the playcall. I'm sorry but if we keep running and they keep stuffing the run...WE HAVE TO PASS! You can't just keep running and pray to God you hit a homerun...
October 16th, 2010 at 7:35 PM ^
187 yards rushing on 4.5 yards per carry.
Is it that hard for people to check a stat sheet before posting?
October 16th, 2010 at 7:36 PM ^
I believe it is also appropriate to boo a coach that, for the second week in a row, decideds to punt the ball on 4th and short in a critical momentum situation.
That was impressive.
October 17th, 2010 at 2:47 AM ^
Fourth and 4 isn't really short-yardage. I'm not surprised fans booed, but that was probably the percentage play.
October 16th, 2010 at 7:41 PM ^
it stings.
October 16th, 2010 at 7:50 PM ^
I am trying to be patient but for those who aren't...it is OK. I think we have a right to be frustrated. I am not going to sit here and call for RR's job (mostly because I wouldn't know where to go from here), but if someone else does, I promise I won't be the one giving you negative points.
As for everyone getting on people who are upset and and frustrated and tired, and telling them to get off the board, give me a break. I hate seeing people get negged big time because they want us to win, and because they are frustrated that we have won a total of 4 Big 10 games in 3 years. Just let people be pissed, and remember that it does not make them any less of a fan.
October 16th, 2010 at 7:58 PM ^
I agree man. I hate seeing people negged from critical comments. what kills me is the poeple that just dont see the big picture of what is going on on the field regarding x's and o's and the people that don't understand our youth and size out there. I am so proud of some of those kids out there. No way should some be playing against 23 year old 5th year seniors. But I'll tell ya, just wait till they are that old and they will be laying some people out! We are young! We are Young!
October 16th, 2010 at 8:15 PM ^
Agreed! I am excited to see these guys mature and turn into some great 3 and 4 year starters. I think Demens and Kovacs are going to be fun to watch, I really enjoyed both of them today.
October 16th, 2010 at 8:53 PM ^
When I read FOUR wins in the Big Ten in three years I was a sad panda. That is disheartening.
October 16th, 2010 at 7:51 PM ^
Sit back, see how this team develops And please support your team! Go Blue!
October 16th, 2010 at 7:55 PM ^
October 16th, 2010 at 8:19 PM ^
I know the M.O. here is to just put on a happy face after every game, win or loss, but I don't know why anyone would pretend to feel good about this game. The yardage thing is an illusion, based on a fourth quarter where Iowa was up by 21 points and the defense slackened to keep people in front of them. This team cannot do any of the following things:
a) tackle
b) stop a team on third down
c) keep the ball against good teams (4 turnovers today)
The excuses about youth are all well and good. I just refuse to sit around and smile like a dope while we lose these games. We were a guaranteed 9-10 wins a year (with an occasional blip that we would all acknowledge) and a New Year's bowl team. Now we can't beat any team with talent and we're getting passed by the Spartans as the top team in the state. That won't necessarily return like you are all assuming. Unless someone hires Dantonio away, but is that going to happen this time? Maybe we should...
At any rate, have fun with your MGoSpacePoints. Bring all the realists and aggravated fans tired of losing and lame excuses to the point where they can't view the blog anymore. If that makes you feel better it's your right. The sad thing is that it's just denial. We are becoming irrelevant, like Notre Dame, Tennessee, or Nebraska pre-Pelini.
October 16th, 2010 at 9:14 PM ^
Thank you Mr Obvious. Except for the irrelevant part. Irrelevant doesn't get M on ESPN against BG. M is relevant, you are too blind in anger/dissatisfaction to see anything.
October 16th, 2010 at 8:21 PM ^
We're not getting better. This is as good as it gets for this year.
October 16th, 2010 at 9:54 PM ^
It is fine to criticize the team, but with this post, you look like a Sparty or Buckeye. That's pretty awful.
October 16th, 2010 at 8:41 PM ^
We are hanging on to punts. I remember not too long ago when that was a big problem.
October 16th, 2010 at 9:22 PM ^
Wake up... seriously, wake up.
How long did it take Saban to turn the Tide around? Oh that's right 2 years , and in the SEC no less. RR is not cut out for the big ten, he has 3 wins in BT play. His hiring divided the fan base, and after 2.5 years I can see why. Guess all they naysayers saw something we didn't.
I really wanted RR to pan out and I honestly thought we would be on the way to a NC this year, after he was hired. There a lot of explanations as to why we aren't, but we haven't even been good. There is no denying this. It is the reality whether you want to believe it or not. So quit neging me because I'm saying something you don't want to believe.
October 16th, 2010 at 9:22 PM ^
We are not spoiled brats. We root for the winningest football team in college football. I have been a Rich Rod supporter but after 3 years I am starting to second guess that support. Lloyd was borring as hell but he knew how to win in the big ten. Rich Rod would be the best OC in the country but I am starting to wonder if he has what it takes to be a head coach in the big ten. Tressell, Ferentz, Dantonio, Paterno, Fitzgerald, and Hope have all out coached Rich Rod. I was tired of Lloyd's borring offense but he was never dominated by all of these coaches excluding Tressell. The defense is embarrissing in year 3 even considering the inexperience. It might be time to face the facts an accept that we maid the same mistake Nebraska made with Callahan. A good coach learns how to adapt to the players he has. Also at some point you have to expect that both your offense and defense would both improve. After watching the Iowa game I realized both Tate and Denard should be on the feild at the same time. If you had to choose one I still choose Denard but he has not proved he can pass against the real defenses in the big ten. Rich Rod should have held over either Ron English or other coaches from Lloyd's defensive staff.
October 16th, 2010 at 9:30 PM ^
we should have held on to a defensive cooridinator that gave up 34 points to App State, 39 points to Oregon? LOADED with NFL talent. Hmmmm.
October 16th, 2010 at 9:39 PM ^
I just think we may have been better off keeping some of the defensive coaches who new big ten football. Lloyd was famous for not prepparing teams against weak opponents. In 2006 English put together a pretty good defense. I would rather lose to an Oregon and an App State team who won 3 straight FCS championships than get my ass kicked by every big ten team and almost Umass.
October 17th, 2010 at 8:14 AM ^
I will agree with you that perhaps we should have kept a few position coaches on D that knew BTen ball.
October 16th, 2010 at 9:36 PM ^
The following are also correctable but they are absolutely inexcusable:
A 300lber getting steam-rolled on the FG attempt
Kicking the mother f****** ball out of bounds TWICE!
Trying to decline A DEAD BALL FOUL.
Kicking the ball out of bounds TWICE. (Did I say that already? Cuz I should probably mention it a few more times).
Taylor Lewan getting another personal foul.
I'm frustrated and I know the board doesn't want any more negative nancy's, but I thought at times we looked like a circus act.
That said, ballsy performance by Tate.
October 16th, 2010 at 10:19 PM ^
For 3 years I have listened to post game pressers where they talk about the good news is that the mistakes are correctable and that we have a lot of coachable moments. Well, where is the correction? Where is the coaching. Yours eyes are not fooling you, the coaching is as bad as it seems!
October 16th, 2010 at 9:55 PM ^
The FG team falling asleep on the field while they ran back the blocked kick was EMBARASSING.
October 16th, 2010 at 9:58 PM ^
It seems this thread started it before it started, no?
RR gets until the end of the year before a decision is made. This game doesn't end the season but the lack of discipline, performance and execution is troubling. Special teams looked as though they didn't even want to be there. Anyway, as a frequent critic of RichRod, I still say that the guy gets the full year to prove what he can do. My fingers remain crossed as it's time to return to winning now, not next season (or the season after that).
October 16th, 2010 at 10:29 PM ^
The way both the o-line and d-line have been pushed around by MSU and IA. I was hoping the O-line would play better. Hopefully Molk can het back next week and the line can improve.
October 16th, 2010 at 10:31 PM ^
I honestly think we need to give RR one more year, at least. But, I'm tired of the "young team" monicker. Our football team is young, our basketball team in young, the cheerleaders are just out of diapers, and MSC just hit puberty.
Fuck it. It's about time we all put on our big boy pants and played like men.
October 16th, 2010 at 10:47 PM ^
Cue Chris Hansen...
October 16th, 2010 at 10:53 PM ^
I'm not going to comment on whether RR should stay or go because I'm not really qualified to do that. But obviously some of these problems are not "easily fixed" or they would have been fixed already. Every week, we hear from the players how they're gong to fix this week what plagued them in the game over the weekend. That's not really happening.
Good things are happening on this team. I just think too many bad errors are canceling out the positives, and the negatives are BIG NEGATIVES (TO's, penalties, botched field goal attempts) while the positives are smaller: we put up huge yards against a supposedly good defense, even though we didn't put up enough points to win the game.
Something is missing here, and it seems like it's coaching. Or we recruited all the wrong players, ones who are uncoachable. The team, even if it's young, should be playing tighter by now.
I hate the fans who boo the team, or call out a player (like the old geezer did in my section when Lewan got the second false start, and the guy yelled, "You just cost us the game!" even though we were only in the second quarter).
Unlike the poster in another thread who claims he's out, I'm totally in for the team. I just don't know what's best for the team at this point.