OT: MSU Billboard in Detroit

Because they have a rule where they can only win the Big Ten Championship once every 20 years and go to the Rose Bowl once every 20 years.  Well this was their year and they didn't even make the Rose Bowl.  Poor Spartans

Wiscy went because they have a tradition of being excellent.. what was that State? oh, tradition/ past don't matter?

hmm.. think again boys

It should read:  MSU, worst school in the Big Ten until Nebraska joined*.

*See USNEWS.

Please allow me to preface the comments below with the statement that I cannot stand Sparty on any level and would rather beat them more than any other team in all sports.

Howeva......

Sparty's anger at where they got slotted is justified IMO.   If you look at the three teams tied above the Big 10 and their head-to-head records Sparty looks like the nod:

OSU: 0 - 1 (loses to Wisconsin, doesn't play MSU)

Wisconsin: 1 -1 (loses to MSU, beats OSU)

MSU: 1 - 0 (beats Wisconsin, doesn't play OSU)

I know that's not how they break ties in the Big 10 for the Rose Bowl but it's hard for me to argue that they don't have a point in being upset.  I know we sure would if the situation was the same. 

Oh wait...it WAS (kinda) back in 1973 when we tied for the title with OSU and Sparty voted to send them instead of us.  Maybe this is Karmic payback.

The best MSU excuse is their complaint that their schedule was too easy and therefore didn't give them a chance to win the tiebreaker.  Also in no circumstances should a school put up a billboard if they want to be respected.

I actually understand why MSU is angry because 11-1 from an AQ conference is 11-1 and should be recognized.  That said, as the season progressed Wiscy and OSU destroyed teams left and right while MSU needed last-minute wins and close calls against NW, Purdue, and PSU to keep their dream season alive.  Voters and computers notice that, along with the fact that MSU couldn't sell out their stadium for most games, and that is why they are going to play Alabama.  It may suck because this was probably their best chance to make a BCS bowl game for years to come, but barely taking care of business while other schools get stronger as the year progresses will do that to you.

Also, does MSU have some deal with billboard providers in the state of Michigan?  Didn't they also post billboards after beating UM for the first time in years in 2008?  Seems like a waste of money for people who should be doing something more important with it, like delivering my pizza on time!  (oh yeah, I went there).

It's tough luck on Sparty's part that their first 11-1 regular season ever sees them not playing in a major bowl game. Still, I don't know how anyone can objectively look at the seaons of each of the top teams and reach the conclusion that Sparty is more BCS worthy than Wisconsin or OSU.

Should have scheduled OSU and held their own against Iowa. They are such sore losers.

Sigh....State (like all Big 10 Ten teams) has ZERO input on who they play in conference.  They only control the scheduling of their out of conference games.

Hence the sarcasm in my response.....

Please, someone with gif skills I don't have, make one of the final two on "The Bachelor" with Bucky getting the Rose. The Internet demands it.

Wisconsin loses to an 11-1 team

State gets absolutely embarrassed by a 7-5 team

END. OF. STORY.

I remember going to Subway in late October, when Sparty was unbeaten (just before getting smoked at Iowa) --- they were #5 in the country.

So what did I see at Subway...a special where you could buy one MSU ticket and get one free for the Purdue game. WTF????

You mean an 8-0 team, ranked #5 in the country, has to resort to a 50/50 raffle at a Subway to sell out its CONFERENCE home game???

We're not talking FAU or UMass here.

You want RESPECT then sell out your home season, especially when the team is 8-0 and ranked #5 in the country.

The morale of the story: MSU is a hoops school (and a great one at that) and a pretentious football school. They took advantage of UM's worst 3-yr stretch since the 1960's to win three in a row. Match up MSU with UM's 2002-04 teams. We sweep.

They lose any reasonable competitive spirit arguments.  I mean, they were absolutely lucky not to get that second loss and not even be in the conversation. Wisconsin was destroying all comers by the end of the season.

The argument that could garner some sympathy is why did they NOW change the rule of the last tie-breaker to some BCS nonsense from the age old "team that hasn't played in the Rose the longest time gets to go" for just a couple of years before the Championship game?  It may not have always sent the best team, but there was some conference fairness in having the team that hasn't had a chance in going in the longest time getting to go over a team that had just been there. That was part of the gripe with the post-tie game vote...that OSU had just been there, so they thought the ADs would vote Michigan in.  It later became rule, and if it still existed, MSU would have gone. I thought that was a more egalitarian rule, and would have more sympathy for a Sparty making that argument. But no, in typical fashion, they have to ride the "we beat Wisconsin horse"....which just makes anyone not wearing green and white snicker. 

plus another thing to think about is which bowl committee would ever want to pick Sparty first, they don't travel well. They cant even sell out their own stadium. Not even during their best season ever. They sold out what, like 2 games all year?

should adopt a zero tolerance policy on putting up stupid billboards.

That's about as laughable as the spot the Freep put in the paper congratulating them on their 9-3 season in '08. Way to reach for the stars there sparky.

as would Ohio State. I'm not too worried, it'll be difficult for them to whine about how they were robbed once Alabama has their way with them.

FYI, the billboard is also in GR at the 44th street exit of 131.