LSJ claims that Lewan dragged Gholston by the facemask
top of the page
October 16th, 2011 at 8:02 PM ^
He did... after Gholston tried to break his wrist and tried to break Denard's neck. Even if Gholston haden't done anything yet that game, offensive linemen continue blocks like this all the time, and nobody would have noticed if Gholston haden't reacted by punching him in the neck.
October 16th, 2011 at 8:04 PM ^
even if he did it's almost like justification from Sparty for all the personal fouls and late hits on our players.
October 16th, 2011 at 9:29 PM ^
Many Spartan fans tried to justify the Tropp & Conboy attack on Kampfer based on Kampfer having once gotten into a fight with Milano (wrestler) on campus.
Fact is Lewan probably was taking it a bit too far (although I have not seen the replay - just saw it live from afar)...after: Gholston deliberately tried to injure Lewan on the first drive, Ghoslston deliberately tried to injure Robinson...along with plenty of late hits. Gholston should have been thrown out before the punch.
And the fact remains a punch to the throat is a 15 yard penalty even if Lewan did what he did and it is an ejection.
Anyone who says Gholston didn't play exceeding dirty either is dishonest, irrational, or didn't see the game.
October 16th, 2011 at 8:03 PM ^
Lewan definitely did. Does that make it right that Gholston threw a punch? Hell, no. Should've been PF on Lewan, PF + ejection for Gholston.
October 16th, 2011 at 9:42 PM ^
No doubt about it - he should have been ejected from the game. More importantly, in my opinion, is that Dantonio should have benched him for the rest of the game. But, in keeping with Sparty's thuggish history, Gholston was right out there in the next series. You stay classy, Sparty!
October 16th, 2011 at 8:10 PM ^
Thanks, good clip
That PLUS the Mouton punch PLUS the Matthews kick even together don't add up to the facemask grab. And thats over the last what, 5 years?
October 16th, 2011 at 8:43 PM ^
Yeah I saw that video too, and that hardly classifies as a foul. I have seen so many blocks like that, to react with a punch is absurd. Classless, nothing else to say.
October 16th, 2011 at 9:57 PM ^
Caveat, I don't know very much about football. Am I wrong, though, in my understanding that if you pancake a player you're blocking, you're allowed to keep them down until the whistle, as Lewan did, by pushing, as long as you're not holding?
October 16th, 2011 at 8:04 PM ^
Denard's neck; makes perfect sense.
October 16th, 2011 at 8:29 PM ^
You have the two events reversed. Gholston tried to break Denard's neck because fuck him, that's why.
October 16th, 2011 at 8:06 PM ^
I can't edit my other post, so I'll just say ths...
He did not drag anybody by the facemask, that is a gross exaggeration. He held him down after the play by grabbing the bottom of his facemask. This guy makes it seem like he was throwing Gholston around by the facemask.
October 16th, 2011 at 8:06 PM ^
They also claimed that Anaximander had the shape of the Earth nailed too, right?
October 16th, 2011 at 8:10 PM ^
This is typical Spartyhead drivel, not owning up to the facts that MSU was a thuggish bunch on Saturday. Lewan provoking, barely enough to deserve a punch to the throat. Should've been tossed, isn't that the rule in the NBA?
October 16th, 2011 at 8:25 PM ^
But in the NHL it might not even get you a penalty, so it's all relative.
October 16th, 2011 at 8:10 PM ^
New Thug U.
October 16th, 2011 at 8:12 PM ^
Lewan tried to break Gholston's knuckles with his face.
October 16th, 2011 at 8:14 PM ^
October 16th, 2011 at 8:17 PM ^
That newspaper is a joke and not worth your page views.
October 16th, 2011 at 8:30 PM ^
Lewan was doing anything wrong, looks to me like he was holding his head down, then when 2 lifted his head up Lewans hand slipped down his helmet onto the facemask. I'm pretty sure that if Lewan wanted to keep 2's head down, his arms are stronger than 2's neck. There would have been more of a struggle to lift his head...
October 16th, 2011 at 8:37 PM ^
lewan could have done a body flop on gholston if he wanted. in fact, that's what you're supposed to do. he held back. the play was still going on even after he let up.
October 16th, 2011 at 9:27 PM ^
Cheap stuff happens on every play. The punch wasn't cheap, it was against the law. That pisses me off more than the helmet yank on Denard. But what gets at me more than both of those, is that the kid was able to walk off that field. If i am Lewans teammate I put my elbow in 2's throat on the next play, then again and again. Bottom line. No excuses.
October 16th, 2011 at 9:36 PM ^
No, I don't condone that. I am glad that we had more dignity at the end of the game. It is disgusting that MSU fans are trying to justify Gholston's dirty plays. Just like they tried to justify Tripp and Conboy.
October 16th, 2011 at 8:35 PM ^
Dirty Dantonio's crybaby Gholston got upset at being thrown into the dirt, where he belongs.
October 16th, 2011 at 8:40 PM ^
The best part is he quotes "defensive end Jerel Worthy." Didn't know he was a defensive end. This guy wrote an article about not worrying about Michigan's recruiting dominace earlier in the year. He isn't very good.
October 16th, 2011 at 8:40 PM ^
Yep, sucker punching a dude to the neck is totally justified now.
/s
October 16th, 2011 at 8:49 PM ^
Gholston resorted to playing dirty because he was getting pushed around like a little rag doll by Lewan the entire game. He's a fuckin' pussy.
October 16th, 2011 at 9:10 PM ^
I feel dirty after reading that.
October 16th, 2011 at 9:32 PM ^
Anyone know if Gholston has gotten suspended yet? It would be a crime for him not to, but then again I have seen worse in recent events by MSU
October 16th, 2011 at 9:45 PM ^
Here's the trouble . . . Even in a glaringly dirty game, the losing side looks like sore losers for pointing out the obvious. Its a lose-lose situation. Its clear to everyone (except blind Sparty fans) that MSU played extremely dirty on defense. But we'll be called whiners and sore losers on the Sparty blogs for pointing these things out. (Not that I care)
October 16th, 2011 at 10:01 PM ^
Which is why at every turn, I make no bones about the fact that State won that game outright and in pretty dominating fashion. MSU's win and assaults are completely separate issues.
October 16th, 2011 at 10:10 PM ^
hell a Wisconsin blog talked about how dirty MSU played. This reminds me of Fairley cheap shotting Aaron Murray last year.
October 16th, 2011 at 10:35 PM ^
Then it's a 15 yard penalty. Does that mean everytime you get facemasked you turn the incident into an mma match. Next time someone pulls him down by his facemask is he gonna throw a superman knee to his throat and lock on a rear naked choke? LSJ ... "We'll he grabbed his facemask and pulled him down ... he deserved the kick to the throat.
October 16th, 2011 at 11:22 PM ^
I'll just leave this here
October 16th, 2011 at 11:36 PM ^
And cumulative effect.
What Lewan did is football. Maybe penalized football, but part of the game. Even the punch alone, while outside what football should be, happens. But when it happens, the guy should be thrown out. But not a huge deal.
But when you combine it with the intention injury plays...like the nice embed above, and the obvious Denard helmet rearrangement, it starts to go outside of football. Even the body slam on Denard could be taken as just going too far...if it was in a vacuum. That's the difference. It not like you can't be tough and nasty in football. You can, and if you go too far, you get a penalty. But you shouldn't be out trying to injury a guy. (What a lot of people don't seem to understand is the difference between hurting someone and injuring them). And Spartan apologists can't tell the difference between the two.
October 17th, 2011 at 2:56 AM ^
I know one thing. Those bitches are coming to our house next year. These players won't forget the past four years, and definitely won't forget this year. MSU will get embarassed, and if Hoke wasn't trying to keep a respectful image, I think he'd guarantee a win.
October 17th, 2011 at 6:52 AM ^
I haven't watched this game yet. I listened to it while driving, and the thuggery did not come through. I did watch MSU's game against Notre Dame, and know they were playing dirty in that one as well.
What a class act Dantonio is, and that comes through with his team. I realize they trying to be classy and respectful this year (using coach speak like hard fought, toughest, ect.), but Hoke and company ought to call it like it is next year: "I am coaching the guys to play above it, but we're preparing for fight to the mat, because we know what a bunch of dirty players the Spartans are."
Screw euphemisms, these guys thugs. A coach who really cared would suspend Gholston. If he doesn't, then they deserve whatever thug U comments they get, and opposing coaches should call them on it.
As for Lewan, it looked like he was trying to keep Gholston down (i.e., playing the game, not anything extracurricular), but hopefully he called Gholston his bitch while he was shoving his face in the turf.