MSU Player on Michigan's Lack of Respect

Submitted by Shalom Lansky on
When asked about Michigan and the rivalry, Trevor Anderson (MSU, DE) said the following about Michigan: "Before the game last year, Coach D told us that if you haven’t played Michigan, within 30 seconds you’ll realize why we don’t like them. After about 15 seconds, I realized why I didn’t like them. Just the total lack of respect that they have for our school in general. Not just the program, but the general lack of respect they have for us.” He also called the lack of respect "sickening." I have no problem with these comments, they come from a good healthy dislike that should be present in a rivalry but I question the accuracy. No matter how we, as fans, feel about MSU I've always heard that Michigan's players respect the rivalry. Especially since many of the players are quite familiar with each other from high school (many players from MI on both sides). I wonder what Michigan's players did in 15 seconds time on the field to show a lack of respect for MSU? Did we not compliment them on their prison tatts? Were we too quick to dismiss their contribution to American agriculture? Did we not take note of their prize winning cow? Did we mutter too loudly about Sparty's "juiced" appearance?
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OMG Shirtless

September 29th, 2009 at 4:18 PM ^

By all means leave them out then. I just meant were they from the press conference, were they from a Booster club function, or were they from a pep rally for the students when someone may be playing to the audience more than stating their actual feelings, you know just to put a little context to the situation. I wasn't criticizing you actually. If I was I would have done the "source?" or "link?" response. I did find the other sources though.

Joined: 08/16/2009

MGoPoints: 1435

bdubya

September 29th, 2009 at 3:29 PM ^

You can't listen to Sparty about respect. Ever since they flipped out over having a flag planted on their field after previously planting their flag on another field, I just kind of laugh them off.

Joined: 07/01/2008

MGoPoints: 153

rlew

September 29th, 2009 at 3:38 PM ^

Regarding the "what did we do in 15 seconds?" I don't think you can read that literally. It's just nonsense. As for the entire quote, it reads as nothing but whiny. It's typical Sparty. If you have to talk and talk and talk about how you feel disrespected, you're simply drawing attention to your inferiority complex and doing nothing to gain that respect. At this point, it's clear that Dantonio's only motivational ploy - the only tool he has - is about "gaining respect" and, more specifically, "gaining Michigan's respect." You don't get there that way and you definitely don't become a powerhouse that way. The "we're going to show Michigan we're as good as they are" is not the path you take to build a serious college football program. You may be able to have an occasional good year with that tactic, but not much more than that...

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 3236

BNags

September 29th, 2009 at 3:40 PM ^

for acting like a complete jackass. What "respect" do you deserve from the team that has owned you to the tune of 67-29-5 over the 101 games played. If you want "respect," shut your mouth, play the game, and win two in a row for the first time in 44 years.

Joined: 04/13/2009

MGoPoints: 428

MCalibur

September 29th, 2009 at 5:15 PM ^

The ghetto part is just a dumb choice of words (at a minimum) but I know what this is getting at. The week before the High School my wife teaches at came back this year a kid got hit in the back of the head with a golf club and died while he was trying to break up a fight his brother was about to get into. The reason for the fight: his brother got 'disrespected'. The respect card is a limp ploy to make up for a lack of self-respect.

Joined: 07/16/2009

MGoPoints: 2361

STW P. Brabbs

September 30th, 2009 at 6:54 AM ^

I understand what you're saying, and perceived disrespect is definitely a stupid reason to get in a fight. But what turns your story from 'unnecessary fight' to 'tragedy' is the sociopath with the golf club. As someone who was clubbed unconscious from behind with a tree limb in college (while trying to make sure a friend didn't get attacked from behind in a fight), this hits home. I agree wholeheartedly with your first sentence, too.

Joined: 08/27/2008

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BNags

September 30th, 2009 at 10:40 AM ^

for your grammar and type-o policing. The Board is certainly better off that you took the time to point out my type-o and "poor choice" of the term "ghetto." However, I do believe that in your future post, you should focus on adding substantive comments to the topic, as opposed to spelling and grammar checks. This is a UM football board, not a 10th grade grammar class.

Joined: 04/13/2009

MGoPoints: 428

STW P. Brabbs

October 1st, 2009 at 8:53 AM ^

Sure, sure - the important part was that I made fun of your little ol' spelling. Go ahead and use that one. I would not have bothered to comment if I didn't question a substantive part of your post - the, yes, poor choice in words. Your juxtaposition of calling something ghetto while mangling the bejesus out of the very next word was low-hanging fruit that I couldn't resist tacking on at the end.

Joined: 08/27/2008

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MLAWyer

September 29th, 2009 at 4:04 PM ^

I actually don't mind this quote at all. I think this player has it on the head. It's not that I don't respect the team or the rivalry, I just don't respect people who go to Michigan State. If you can't get into college...

Joined: 01/23/2009

MGoPoints: 26

Erik_in_Dayton

September 29th, 2009 at 3:49 PM ^

...is that Obi Ezeh and Donovan Warren began w/in that fifteen seconds presenting a major-by-major breakdown of how U of M outranks MSU scholastically according to Newsweek and US News & World Report. Then they started in on how U of M's swimming team is better than MSU's and it just all went to hell after that...

Joined: 12/03/2008

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Raback Omaba

September 29th, 2009 at 3:51 PM ^

This is why they are Little Brother and I hope that Rich Rod runs up the score on these guys. I want to see their fans leave the stadium before the end of the third quarter. Run up the score coach...it's soo not like Lloyd Carr, but these guys deserve it. Run up the Score...Please, Run up the Score.

Joined: 03/07/2009

MGoPoints: 1629

Happyshooter

September 29th, 2009 at 7:16 PM ^

Run up the score coach...it's soo not like Lloyd Carr, but these guys deserve it
Carr did run up the score on MSU once. It was after Bobby Williams was being a jerk and Carr just steamrolled MSU and kept shoving the score up. Bobby was fired the next day. I was there, and it was a great day in the stands.

Joined: 04/11/2009

MGoPoints: 465

Mr. Maize

September 29th, 2009 at 3:51 PM ^

It was only a matter of time before one of their players said something stupid this week. I can't believe it took until Tuesday, to be honest. In regards to a lack of respect, I think the only answer is pre-game hugs (done within the first 15 seconds). Though, that may be difficult to fit everyone in so a group hug during Circle of Terror? Will that suffice to Little Brother? What a joke. As someone else said, just shutup and try to win back to back games against us.

Joined: 09/23/2009

MGoPoints: 583

bronxblue

September 29th, 2009 at 3:59 PM ^

Well, considering that MSU began the game with the ball and Mr. Anderson plays on defense, my only guess is that someone on the Michigan sideline used sign language to insinutate that MSU is a school of ill repute with questionable morals.

Joined: 11/22/2008

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ish

September 29th, 2009 at 4:02 PM ^

i'm fairly confident that if you asked him to elaborate or cite specific examples he couldn't. whenever i hear about a "lack of respect" or "lack of love" i just assume the person quoted is an imbecile. almost always right.

Joined: 06/30/2008

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wildbackdunesman

September 29th, 2009 at 4:08 PM ^

I think they are just trying to drum up some drama to fire them up. He didn't mention any specifics, why? Also, UofM players have been very uncontroversial through the media, while the MSU players are the ones slighting their rival. Hypocrites.

Joined: 07/16/2008

MGoPoints: 30282

VictorsValiant09

September 29th, 2009 at 4:14 PM ^

What I always say to this is, give us a good reason to respect you, and we will. Whether it's on the field, in the classroom, or in the community, do something contradictory to your nature which will suggest you have some shred of decency. It's amazing how they always find a way to tarnish their reputation even more.

Joined: 04/05/2009

MGoPoints: 561

Ernis

September 29th, 2009 at 4:31 PM ^

In the article one player is quoted, "I think everybody has a hatred for Michigan." It's almost to say, "Everybody who's anybody..." or "Everybody with a soul..." or "Everybody who isn't an elitist prick..." hates Michigan. What elitism! Yet this is elitism turned on its head: elitism of the herd. In the herd no one is greater than any other. Mediocrity is the rule and any exception to that rule --whether better or worse-- is baaaaaad. Let's all play nice and be friends, right Sparty? WRONG! This is football! There are winners and there are losers. Perhaps this alleged lack of respect is well-deserved. Comments like that point to "Yes!"

Joined: 09/23/2008

MGoPoints: 11480

Shalom Lansky

September 29th, 2009 at 4:42 PM ^

I didn't address this quote b/c I just figured that everyone hates Michigan b/c Michigan is good/great (historically) and pretty much any team we've played more than a handful of times has a losing record against us, so of course we aren't well liked and even hated. Additionally, Michigan gets plenty of national attention, like the Yankees or Lakers or Celtics or Cowboys, and b/c of that everyone hates/resents them. All that being said, I couldn't as easily explain away the "Michigan doesn't respect us, and I could tell after 15 seconds," remark.

Joined: 09/29/2008

MGoPoints: 1666

wildbackdunesman

September 29th, 2009 at 5:12 PM ^

Typical pregame comments: UofM player: 'This is not a 1-3 team, it is Michigan State and we are going to get their best' MSU player: 'everybody hates UofM because they are so arrogant. They put us down so much. It is easy to hate UofM' MSU is full of a lot of DRAMA QUEENS that pretend to be getting insulted while throwing out insults.

Joined: 07/16/2008

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ZooWolverine

September 29th, 2009 at 7:09 PM ^

haha, I hadn't read it that way (partly since the second half of the quote precludes it) but I like it. I think the full quote should have been: "This isn't a 1-3 team, this is Michigan State--they're still going to *somehow* manage to collapse going into the second half of the season. How that will work when you're only 1-3 so far, I don't know, but it might include forfeitting ahead of time instead of actually playing the game." Anybody else think Michigan State's piped in RAWK music should include Aretha Franklin's R-E-S-P-E-C-T?

Joined: 02/27/2009

MGoPoints: 3719

bryemye

September 29th, 2009 at 4:47 PM ^

When he says "he realized" why he hates Michigan within 15 seconds, he means he remembered what his coach told him to say within 15 seconds, which impressed Dantonio, obviously, because he expected it to take him 30 seconds to remember. How they run offensive plays, I have no idea...

Joined: 09/14/2009

MGoPoints: 2692

Ryano

September 29th, 2009 at 4:55 PM ^

I don't believe this guy could tell he didn't like Michigan after only 15 seconds. There is no way anyone on their team can count that high. This is pure speculation on his part. 1,2,3,4,5 Holy sh!t we're halfway there!

Joined: 10/27/2008

MGoPoints: 509

The King of Belch

September 29th, 2009 at 4:56 PM ^

Is all the Sparty backtracking. For the last year all we read was how this Sparty team was headed for a 9-3 or 10-2 season (even Angelique Chengelis had them up that high). Lots of players coming back, this geat coach who had turned around their culture of losing, and a very favorable schedule. Now, four weeks in, and PFFFFFFfffft. On other boards, they're all, "Hey! WE never said we were going to be great" or "Hey, WE thought we'd finish third in the conference" or "Hey! We're young and inexperienced" HAHAHA these guys are a trip. And OH YEAH: they were going to clobber Michigan and the Hillbilly Coach Big Time. From the fans' perspectives, you have UM going in at 4-0, them limping in at 1-3, and Michigan fans nervous as hell, with many predicting a Sparty win. I think what the Sparty player is doing is just passing along the gas that comes from Sparty Nation about UM "arrogance"--not the players or any of UM's coaches. And I don't get it. Yeah, UM fans hate 'em and talk shit, but my feeling is we are loathe to jump up and down screaming about how we're going to pummel them because we're looking at all the circumstances surrounding this week's game. Yet, there they are, telling the world about how big, bad, mean Michigan doesn't take time out of their busy schedules to give every Sparty a foot massage. Pathetic. Please, just this once, do ME a favor, Rich Rod and UM: Kill them.

Joined: 07/21/2009

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