One big difference between Hoke and Dantonio (along with Sparty)
Sparty hopes for Michigan to lose no matter the context.
Hoke does not (the following quote is in regards to the MSU-ND game this weekend).
(The rest of this freep article discusses EMU and ND in general terms. Not much more to read, so try to not click unless you feel a deep curiosity about info you can likely find at other sources . http://www.freep.com/article/20110915/SPORTS06/110915016/Brady-Hoke-will-root-Big-Ten-Michigan-State-Notre-Dame-game )
"I think you always root for the Big Ten," Hoke said this morning on his weekly appearance on WXYT-FM (97.1). "We're a great conference. I'll probably look at it a little more critically because of that test we have down the road with them. They're two good football teams there, we've got two good football teams playing at 12:01 (p.m) here Saturday."
September 15th, 2011 at 12:39 PM ^
Hoke's not an ass?
September 15th, 2011 at 3:58 PM ^
Ass seemed like a nicer word than what came to my mind.
September 15th, 2011 at 12:44 PM ^
Have to admit I've been impressed with him so far.
September 15th, 2011 at 12:50 PM ^
Yep, this is the key difference between those two. One's an adult and the other's a child.
September 15th, 2011 at 2:49 PM ^
You nailed it. Could you possibly imagine Hoke trash talking an MSU player like Dantonio did with Hart?
September 15th, 2011 at 7:05 PM ^
I can't imagine an MSU player running his mouth like Mike Hart either
September 15th, 2011 at 8:10 PM ^
He started it first!!!
Also, your imagination sucks b/c the reality of Jerel Worthy's tattoo happened recently.
September 15th, 2011 at 12:48 PM ^
He is a better man than me.
Lets go Irish!
September 15th, 2011 at 12:49 PM ^
To be fair, one difference that they have going for them is Dantonio's ability to recruit nationally. Man, do I envy their class.
September 15th, 2011 at 12:51 PM ^
has a penis?
September 15th, 2011 at 12:53 PM ^
is one?
September 15th, 2011 at 1:13 PM ^
oh yeah buddy. ur on fire!
September 15th, 2011 at 12:52 PM ^
I understand the whole pro-Big Ten idea, but I just know that if tSIO went on to lose their remaining games this season I would not feel any sympathy and don't think Hoke would either. Though of course that means we would have beaten them! Sure the Big Ten doing better is usually good for Michigan but if tSIO does terrible that only helps Michigan in terms of recruiting. i.e. Kyle Kalis.
I think the same approach can be taken from Sparty's perspective as well. If I were a Sparty fan I would hope for Michigan to lose every game possible because the fact is that Sparty needs every edge it can to recruit players against their big rival. You know this is the case because even after the previous three years, Michigan is dominating Sparty right now in recruiting.
So in general I am all pro-Big Ten as long as it does not involve your big rival i.e. tSIO for Michigan and Sparty for Michigan. Maybe if tSIO has a few down years, I'll want them to be good for the whole rivalry, but right now I am all about them losing and Michigan using that to become a power again.
September 15th, 2011 at 1:45 PM ^
I think you're right about the recruting issue. We go head to head far more often with MSU and OSU for recruits than with any of the other schools. A nonconference win by another B1G team helps the league's cred (good) but also helps that team recruit against M (bad). I suspect that for the 9 other teams--even Nebraska and PSU--the first factor would outweigh the second, but not for MSU and OSU.
September 15th, 2011 at 3:46 PM ^
MSU is coming off a Co-Champion year and has beaten Michigan 3 years in a row, yet all this domination is not translating to their recruiting the 2012 class. I also don't understand this point of view when everyone complains about all the "easy games" that get scheduled prior to the Conference Season. If the Big Ten is the toughest conference, then there is no need to schedule tough non-conference games.
But my viewpoint kind of follows the Marine Corp point of view, in terms of prioritizing respect.
Unit,
Corp,
God,
Country.
I'm not trying to equate the two exactly, just point out similarities, and the benefits of the association. Michigan benefits when the Big Ten benefits. I think this is a lesson that Texas is learning right now.
September 15th, 2011 at 4:10 PM ^
I don't think recruits care that much about individual wins and losses, unless it's a situation where the coach needs to win to keep his job. Otherwise, recruits probably figure that they'll make the team better as soon as they arrive, so it doesn't matter how they did the year before.
September 15th, 2011 at 7:23 PM ^
Michigan is Michigan...and should market and want the Big 10 to excel...
And frankly, the buildup to an undefeated game like 2006 is much more gratifying than the small "tingle" one gets if Ohio or MSU lose non-conference games...I would rather beat the best.
Go Blue!
September 15th, 2011 at 4:26 PM ^
Whether or not the rival team winning or losing plays into recruiting, I think the main point here is Hoke is showing some class. Whether or not he actually wants one team or the other to lose each week really isn't something he needs to get in the business of telling the media. Sometimes you need a coach who knows how to be political with the media and not create some kind of distraction/firestorm. I think Hoke has shown how to be passionate about winning and motivate his team without being disrespectful to opposing teams/coaches.
September 15th, 2011 at 12:55 PM ^
I'd bet my house that Coach Hoke would never address the comments made by an opposing player after a loss.
Pride, blah blah blah.....jagoff.
September 15th, 2011 at 12:57 PM ^
That is pure Fort Schembechler coach speak. Who know what he really thinks? Brady just likes to play it close to the vest with the media.
September 15th, 2011 at 1:23 PM ^
He probably just doesn't give a shit what they do. As long as we beat them it doesn't matter. That goes for everyone I'm sure. I doubt he's rooting for them per se but the point remains that if the Big Ten is perceived as being "strong" it helps Michigan's cause as long as we beat those teams. Michigan beating an undefeated Sparty is better than Michigan beating a winless Sparty. You'd think Sparty would realize that but they don't beat us enough that it would matter for them.
September 15th, 2011 at 7:00 PM ^
I doubt Hoke would allow himself to be caught wearing a vest. Even if he was wearing said vest only for the purposes of playing things close to it.
September 15th, 2011 at 12:58 PM ^
MSU can't be better than Michigan unless Michigan isn't operating at full strength. Them wanting us to lose every game is just a reflection of that reality.
September 15th, 2011 at 1:04 PM ^
This is always something that makes me wonder. Obviously as a Buckeye fan, I want what is best for my team. So I always pull for all the Buckeyes' opp. to be at their best and do their best in all their games, then lose to OSU. I will cheer for Toledo to beat Boise tomorrow night for this reason. I will cheer for MSU to win this weekend. But with rivals (and it's tough since you guys have three big rivals, to our one) I always enjoy watching lose. I enjoying watching UofM lose, but if they win against ND, it doesn't piss me off, as long as we beat you guys.
Now in bowl games I always cheer for the Big Ten, especially against the SEC. When UofM beat UF, I was cheering for ya. That's the only example of that I can think of off the top of my head. That had special circumstances too, because I always had tremendous respect for Carr (I'll avoid spelling his first name with extra L's). I always hated that Cooper couldn't beat him, but respected the hell out of him. He was a class act. So I liked seeing him go off with a win.
September 15th, 2011 at 1:25 PM ^
I want Ohio to win every game until we get there. It's far sweeter to beat a strong and confident team, than it is beating a loser. It's a much better win.
Other than that...Ohio gets what it deserves from the NCAA. I do want to see the NCAA get their beat-down as well!
Go Blue!
September 15th, 2011 at 1:26 PM ^
I can see that but I can honestly say there's not been one circumstance that I've ever rooted for OSU. bowl game or otherwise. you guys are usually good enough that it doesn't matter so when you lose a game it usually make me happy rather than feeling bad for the Big Ten or something. I'll admit, I was watching the Toledo game closely hoping Toledo would pull it out.
September 15th, 2011 at 1:41 PM ^
I USED to root for you guys every game but one, but after this summer's popcorn fest, I would love to see OSU knocked and dong punched a few times after embarrassing the conference.
Sparty is the only B1G team I wish to lose every game, every year, forever and ever Amen.
September 15th, 2011 at 4:40 PM ^
I agree with this. If OSU sucks, it makes the whole conference look crappy since, and I hate myself for saying this, but there's really no denying it, they have been the face of this conference for some time now. If sparty goes 0-12 nobody will really give a shit, but it's hilarious for us. I guess the same goes for ND except the national media will go nuts about it.
September 15th, 2011 at 1:08 PM ^
Classy move by Hoke.
I wish Dantonio would do the same.
September 15th, 2011 at 1:09 PM ^
we've got two good football teams playing at 12:01 (p.m) here Saturday.
September 15th, 2011 at 1:22 PM ^
It's all relative. I'm sure EMU would beat at least 80% of high school teams in the nation, therefore it is probably in the 95th percentile of all football teams. That's pretty good if you ask me.
September 15th, 2011 at 11:32 PM ^
on the Eagles.
September 15th, 2011 at 1:18 PM ^
Not threading-jacking here, but saw this via the Lunchtime Links on ESPN on my lunch break. Thought it kind of fit with this topic (to a minor degree of course)
It goes to show you that Sparty is classless and is paranoid about things, or making excuses on why they were getting stopped up until a fake FG that barely beat ND last year. After reading the short bit, Narduzzi seems like (looks like one too) a real jackass and a big tool
September 15th, 2011 at 1:36 PM ^
...is that Narduzzi is a horse's ass. I just love the pass-agg in his comment:
"Whether they're stealing our signals, I don't know. But we've got something (changed this year) on the signals too. You never know. Guys are thieves, you know."
If you don't have evidence, don't shoot off your mouth. But that's par for the course with that meathead. As I recall, he was the one who cursed out the MMB (trombone section) after our last win against them. Pure class, him.
September 15th, 2011 at 1:52 PM ^
He's far too classy for this, but I'd love for Mattison to hand this idiot a paper bag after we beat them on their field.
September 15th, 2011 at 3:25 PM ^
It doesn't matter if they were stealing signals. It's Narduzzis job to change them if they are stolen.
September 15th, 2011 at 1:36 PM ^
DERP.
September 15th, 2011 at 1:27 PM ^
I think the big difference is Hoke knows how to not come across like an a$$ to the medial Dantonio never figured out that jaw clenching while being a jerk doesn't hide the fact you are a tool.
September 15th, 2011 at 1:32 PM ^
I think overall, it doesn't matter who you cheer for, or who wins. With a power conference like the Big Ten, if a team goes undefeated, they will likely get a NC bid. It's pretty rare to have 3 undefeated teams, and especially if the Big Ten is having a down year, that would seem to make it even less likely that two teams from stronger conferences could pull it off.
So, what I'm saying is whether your rivals get upset by MAC programs, or they all go 11-1 losing to you...the key is just taking care of your own business. Win your games, and the rest falls in line.
Having said all of that, I do take guilty pleasure seeing Ohio State, Michigan State, and Notre Dame lose.
September 15th, 2011 at 2:43 PM ^
if you are Michigan, OSU, Penn State or Nebraska, you most certainly don't have to cheer for your conference to look good to get the "at large" type of bowl bid. I think that's where the pragmatic conference "pride" comes in.
Or, that's just what I tell myself so that I can enjoy watching other schools in our conference lose. I really hope ND beats Sparty this weekend.
September 15th, 2011 at 2:02 PM ^
is capable of that phenomenon known as smiling?
September 15th, 2011 at 2:44 PM ^
I want Michigan State and Ohio to win every game except when they play us (when they play each other, I root for MSU... State of Michigan pride and all). I also root for them in bowl games (and, to a lesser extent, big non-conference games) because they represent the B1G on the national stage.
However, I never root for Notre Dame under any circumstances (unless it would somehow affect our BCS chances, which has yet to happen). I hate Notre Dame and I have absolutely no respect for that program. It pisses me off that they still have their sweetheart deals with NBC and the BCS despite having done absolutely nothing to deserve such special treatment for 20+ years. They could lose every single game from now through infinity for all I care (until they join a conference).
September 15th, 2011 at 2:40 PM ^
September 15th, 2011 at 3:03 PM ^
September 15th, 2011 at 3:31 PM ^
I almost always root for the Big Ten teams in non-conference, so yes I want MSU to win. I root for the BT teams in the bowl games, I support my team and then my conference.
September 15th, 2011 at 3:41 PM ^
Fact is we got Lucky last week..Not saying I didn't appreciate or love it, but it was luck. Further review, though, leads me to believe that Hoke's demeanor made the luck possible. Kelly's demeanor is as much as a distraction to ND as Bobby Williams' was to Sparty. Dantonio's baby-shit act will wear thin in East Lansing as of the next 1-3 stretch they face.
Go Blue
September 15th, 2011 at 3:58 PM ^
I root for OSU before I root for MSU. Why, you ask? I hate OSU so much and see our rivalry with them as part of the cosmic struggle between good and evil. They're our evil twin, only not nearly as smart or perfect as we and from a state that should be kicked out of the Union. OSU is an important representative of Big 10 football and needs to be good for the sake of our conference and, most importantly, the rivalry. When OSU gets wiped out by an SEC team in a bowl game or by USC, the same old "Big 10 sucks" talk starts up again. (And when OSU wins a bowl game against an SEC team, it is vacated.) It doesn't help that we've been down the past few years.
Weird, overly dramatic talk aside, I want the rivalry to be between two giants and I want to ruin OSU's season. MSU? I want them to disappear back into obscurity from whence they came. They're the little brother, they don't get a seat at the adults' table. If they beat OSU, then not only do they do something we haven't done since 2003, but they also get to fool themselves into thinking that they are nearly as relevant as Michigan and OSU.
September 15th, 2011 at 5:19 PM ^
I try not to extend my hatred of OSU to the state at large, simply because it has given us our current coach, our legendary former coach, and 2 of our 3 Hesiman Trophy winners. Hating the State of Ohio also lowers us to their level, with their stupid "we don't give a damn about the whole State of Michigan" chant.
September 15th, 2011 at 4:43 PM ^
If Hoke acts like an asshole, everybody will use that against us. If Dantonio acts like an asshole, nobody outside of the Big 10 will even know.
September 15th, 2011 at 4:55 PM ^
Hoke is human while Dantonio is a reptile?