Why do I feel Ok?

because you can see what this team can be in the future.

if you're anything like me you walk into your house at the end of the day and see your M diploma hanging on the wall and you say to yourself... "yep, life ain't bad."

For some reason I woke up this morning and promised that I wouldn't get pissed if we lost. Amazingly it worked. I guess we're still lucky to be 4-1; we could just as easily be 2-3. And we're only going to be better because half of our starters are freshman and sophomores. But we will lose some good seniors next year, especially the 2 RBs, Graham, and Brown. Hopefully Warren stays and their backups do well.

we had a bad game on the road in bad weather. it happens. let's get ready for iowa.

And tell me you still feel ok. I hate Sparty propaganda. But, hopefully we'll come out and beat an Iowa team that actually got a scare from Arkansas St. If there is one positive we can take out (and to be fair, there's more than one) it's that Tate Forcier has looked like Joe Montana, Brett Favre, and John Elway with the game on the line...as a freshman! Imagine what he'll be like as a senior. That's a reason to feel ok. Same with Stonum. I've been waiting for him to have a game like this for a while.

I had class this morning (I'm out in California), so I recorded the game and just finished watching about an hour ago. I was PISSED for most of the game until I saw Tate, the Comeback Kid, start to do his thing. When it went into OT I told my wife: "Of course I'll be disappointed if we lose, but I'm glad we finally showed up!" All that to say, I am disappointed, but I like where we're headed. Our offense looked like they had the swine flu for most of the game, but we are most definitely headed in the right direction. It's only going to get better.

I think the mood would have been different had we not rallied and gone to OT. Despite how we played the rest of the game, it was all easily forgotten after Tate and Co. worked themselves back into the game at the end. We ended up losing but honestly when watching both those teams, especially at the end, I couldn't help but think our team has a greater ceiling for the future than MSU does. It's a loss, but one that unfortunately was necessary for this team. We're still very young, and I'd rather go 11-1 and win the NC than go 12-0 and lose it. We're not gonna go 11-1 but I'm just saying...

This really was a tough game too. I personally think playing on grass was tough on our speed players, that in addition to the whole host of already mentioned caveats for this game. We play that one at home I think we not only get the win but don't get outplayed for most of it either.

was that it was to State. If the game had gone like this against OSU, PSU, etc. we would have actually been pretty happy we almost pulled it out after not being effective and being outplayed for 3 1/2 quarters. There are more tough games ahead, hopefully the team (and coaches!) will really learn from this one.

Because you just saw a young team, led by a young quarterback make a great 4th quarter comeback and you realized that if the defense gets better and the o-line continues to improve this is a team that could legitimately compete for a national title in the next 2 or 3 years. That wasn't just another comeback - it was Tate's first road game and against a rival. That was a ballsy performance and despite the INT in overtime, you can be excited about it.

Going back to 1990, a loss to MSU has not spelled "doom" for the season (unless you live in MI, and have douchebags for neighbors, co-workers and classmates, who will not let you live it down). Our record in years (and bowl appearances) we lost to MSU: 2008: Aw, you know 2001: 8-4 Citrus 1999: 10-2 Orange 1995: 9-4 Hall of Fame 1993: 8-4 Hall of Fame 1990: 9-3 Gator (19 years and only 6 Sparty wins? It made me feel better just typing that ...). On the other hand, in those same years, here are MSU's records and bowl appearances: 2008: 9-4 Capital One 2001: 7-5 Silicon Valley 1999: 10-2 Citrus 1995: 6-5-1 Independence 1993: 6-6 Liberty 1990: 8-3-1 John Hancock Historically, then, UM has done pretty well after a loss, (actually doing better on average than MSU) whereas MSU has struggled to maintain its high. If we can come back against Iowa next week, (and everyone now realizes that you can't let up on the gas against anyone) we have the potential to do just fine.

I thought of the same thing- young team.. learned a lot... a moral victory. Then I came to my senses and told myself- screw moral victories.. when I go to the big dance I want to screw the prom queen of victory.

if we ended the game the way we played the entire 3 1/2 quarters. Coming back and having state get lucky at the end of the game, and they got lucky, we had all momentum. It ended on our terms so that's probably why you don't feel so bad.

Forcier is clutch, which has saved us in three games now. Yeah, we're 4-1, but it was a close loss and things are looking good for the future. Besides, we all know that we're going to lay the smackdown on them next year in the Big House.

After a few hours. I had a feeling MSU was going to be a tough game (as I'm sure everyone else did). I think the reason I came away with the same feeling as the OP is....it feels like no matter what the score is, we are *in* the game, any game. Tate was incredible down the stretch and I thought that was a pretty unlucky bounce in OT. I feel pretty good about Iowa too. Let's get fired up for that.

Yup, not feeling too bad. It was a good game and we played very well at the end of the game. At the end of the day, I'm still a Wolverine, and really, that's all that is important.

Feeling ok after a loss is never a good thing. Hopeful for the future, glad that they came back at the end, and showed heart, fine. Even when we were 3-9 last year, a loss was never ok. There should always be a bad feeling after a loss, even if it's not overly devestating, you should not be 'ok' or 'fine'. A loss is a loss, and it sucks ass.

MSU played over their heads, we didn't show/meet that intensity for 3Q's in our first road game and STILL nearly won. This year that's good enough dammit. Next year, not so much. The only thing worse that my Sparty friends trying to razz me about the loss is going to be listening to all the fair weather fans bitching about the loss like we just played ourselves out of the BCS championship game.

Because I went to the University of Michigan, and that means I am better than everyone else in the world (aside from other UM alumni). We played terribly for 3.5 quarters and still should have won a rivalry game. FYS and GO BLUE! Iowa is going to get their shit pushed in next week.

OP, I agree! We're 4-1. Yes, that was a bummer of a loss, but we're 4-1. Given where we were last year, that we have walk-ons getting significant time on D, and freshmen QBs, etc. etc., 4-1 is something to be really excited about. It's fun to see things coming together this year and see this team grow. I was thinking about this earlier this week, and I actually think in future years we'll look back on this year as a very, very fun season to watch. Why? In future years there will be higher expectations, pressure, etc. and if we aren't getting 10+ wins/yr people will be disappointed. Right now, anything above .500 is something to be truly excited about, and we're .800. We're getting to see a good team with a lot of heart overperform the expectations that were placed on it, vastly improve over last year, and has given us some exciting games this year. Don't get me wrong the loss today sucks, but overall things are looking good from where I'm sittin.

for about 4 or 5 hours afterwards. The first hour was especially upsetting. But that is until I was finally able to step back and start gaining perspective. Still beats the hell out of 2008. State won't know what hit them at the Big House next year.