Coming at this from a Spartan grad perspective, nearly everything you said is correct with regard to the letter that Hollis sent out. The one thing I will correct you on is that PSL's have existed between the goal lines (approx) since about 2005 or so (IIRC). My big issue with this is the timing of it all. Yes, now is the time due to an uptick in the program, but perhaps the university would be better served if we went to a Rose Bowl more than once in a generation and a half (One RB appearance since the 60's). You then have to consider that nearly all parking on campus requires a donation to purchase a parking pass. This again ups the cost of the tickets. My four MSU tickets will cost me in total (tickets + PSL+parking donation+Parking) over $2300 this year. FTR, my four UM tickets will cost me about $2200. The way I see it, build the program, sustain it, then ask for more money. At that point, you will get it.
Those of you on here poking the bear about not selling out the home games...Look at it this way. How many sellouts did UM have in the late 60's-early 70's? That is where the MSU program is right now. Like it or not, they have turned the corner and will not (hopefully) return to their old ways. You also have to remember that the press largely ignored MSU for about 20 or so years which also resulted an the downturn in interest. If you constantly hear about how great something is (and UM was from about 75-??) people will naturally want to watch those games. When I was growing up in the 80's you couldn't even get an MSU game on the radio unless we were playing UM...and then I was at that game. Remember, its easy to back a winner...Look no further than the Pistons.
Believe it or not, there are a lot of Spartan fans that are ready to see Cousins go...myself included. He is an incredible leader and comands universal respect in the locker room. My issue with him is tha the plays a lot like Brett Favre. The highs are incredible (UW game, UM game), but the lows are 10X worse (NU, ND, Iowa, Alabama though that was a team issue as well, etc.). He won a lot of games over the course of his 3 years starting, but he was also the chief factor in losing games as well (2X to ND with picks at the 10). Maxwell was a HUGE get for MSU and he will do just fine. The O-line will be better, Worthy will stick around, and MSU has 3 really good RB's (if only Baker can hang onto the ball). From a Sparty "Homer" I honestly expect 8-10 wins next year.
I joined his gym about 2 months ago and it is great. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a gym. I talked to him yesterday about RR's new job and asked him point blank if he is looking to move. He told me that he is not going to go anywhere. He spent the better part of the last 25 years going around the country and is pretty much ready to settle down. This may be just the sales guy in him trying to keep his membership, but he has always been straight with me when I talked to him.
I agree with parts of your post...but I do have to comment on some of it. Dantonio has done a great job of building the program after BW and JLS set it back 25 years. That said, Hoke should win the B10 COTY.
The UM-MSU may have been their worst game, however, maybe that had something to do with MSU being the best D UM faced all year. If you look at the game objectively, many of the mistakes were made due to the MSU D (though the 4th & 1 play call didn't help). I don't think you could reasonable make the arguement that had MSU played under control (a lot to ask, I been with this team for nearly 30 years) the game is out of control quickly. UM drives were extended due to RIGHTLY called PF's. Baker dropping the ball going around the corner for an 80 yd TD, Keyshawn Martin simply dropping the ball that at least would have been a huge gain (possibly a TD).
Remember the UW game was TIED when the hail mary pass was completed. The game goes to OT and anything can happen there. It was not a guaranteed loss as you stated.
I will say it again so nobody accuses me of being a homer sparty...UM will get the BCS bid if MSU loses, not because they earned it on the field, but because of money, fan following, increased advertisers, and ratings. That is the way the rules are written.
I will never complain about this...but I will complain about 2010 and 1999...but that is for another day.
I agree with parts of your post...but I do have to comment on some of it. Dantonio has done a great job of building the program after BW and JLS set it back 25 years. That said, Hoke should win the B10 COTY.
The UM-MSU may have been their worst game, however, maybe that had something to do with MSU being the best D UM faced all year. If you look at the game objectively, many of the mistakes were made due to the MSU D (though the 4th & 1 play call didn't help). I don't think you could reasonable make the arguement that had MSU played under control (a lot to ask, I been with this team for nearly 30 years) the game is out of control quickly. UM drives were extended due to RIGHTLY called PF's. Baker dropping the ball going around the corner for an 80 yd TD, Keyshawn Martin simply dropping the ball that at least would have been a huge gain (possibly a TD).
Remember the UW game was TIED when the hail mary pass was completed. The game goes to OT and anything can happen there. It was not a guaranteed loss as you stated.
I will say it again so nobody accuses me of being a homer sparty...UM will get the BCS bid if MSU loses, not because they earned it on the field, but because of money, fan following, increased advertisers, and ratings. That is the way the rules are written.
I will never complain about this...but I will complain about 2010 and 1999...but that is for another day.
Not really...Most of us understand what the line is. It means nothing as to who they think will win the game. It has to do with getting 50% of the money on one side and 50% of the money on the other side. In 2010, UM was favored by 5 points and nobody, even UM fans, thought UM had any chance to win the game. Someone mentioned that MSU doesn't travel well and UW would have a huge advantage. The entire allotment of tickets for MSU sold out in about 2 hours.
MSU grad here and I am new to this board. I was on "tailgate" but it is so bad that for any real football info I actually came here. First off, I am really impressed with UM this year and they are about two years ahead of where I thought they would be. Robinson is actually starting to resemble a real QB. That being said, UM takes a step back next year due to the schedule (every big game is on the road except MSU).
At the end of the day, all MSU has to do is win against UW. Unlike many of the MSU "fans" out there, personally I think that there is no better place to be...in total control of your own destiny...Should MSU lose, they are at the mercy of the BCS and will probably be passed over by UM due to fan following and money (advertising, etc.) if UM can get into the top 14 in the BCS rankings. I don't like it, but that is the reality. As I tell my MSU bretheran...string together 8-10 years of 9 and 10 win seasons in a row then people will take notice. Until then we have nothing to talk about since every team in the B1G has been to a Rose Bowl (except Indiana and Minn) since MSU last went on 1/1/88.
Here is where I differ from a lot fo you on here. You can bang your chest all you want about ND, but remember that it took basically a miracle to beat a "bad" ND team at home. MSU played them the next week on the road with ND's entire season at stake. When you combine that with Cousins playing like he was a freshman in HS and Rousher calling one of the worst games of his life, they had no chance. Nebraska...Score says it all...again on the road. MSU went to Iowa and took care of business and not to mention that little game in East Lansing. My point is that if you want to talk about teams that MSU lost to and UM beat, you need to talk about the teams that UM lost to that MSU beat. This on top of the fact that you don't play UW this year.
I know I am going to get flamed and killed for this post, but I just wanted you to know that like UM's fan base, not all MSU fans are homer idiots and can be objective.
Recent Comments
Coming at this from a Spartan grad perspective, nearly everything you said is correct with regard to the letter that Hollis sent out. The one thing I will correct you on is that PSL's have existed between the goal lines (approx) since about 2005 or so (IIRC). My big issue with this is the timing of it all. Yes, now is the time due to an uptick in the program, but perhaps the university would be better served if we went to a Rose Bowl more than once in a generation and a half (One RB appearance since the 60's). You then have to consider that nearly all parking on campus requires a donation to purchase a parking pass. This again ups the cost of the tickets. My four MSU tickets will cost me in total (tickets + PSL+parking donation+Parking) over $2300 this year. FTR, my four UM tickets will cost me about $2200. The way I see it, build the program, sustain it, then ask for more money. At that point, you will get it.
Those of you on here poking the bear about not selling out the home games...Look at it this way. How many sellouts did UM have in the late 60's-early 70's? That is where the MSU program is right now. Like it or not, they have turned the corner and will not (hopefully) return to their old ways. You also have to remember that the press largely ignored MSU for about 20 or so years which also resulted an the downturn in interest. If you constantly hear about how great something is (and UM was from about 75-??) people will naturally want to watch those games. When I was growing up in the 80's you couldn't even get an MSU game on the radio unless we were playing UM...and then I was at that game. Remember, its easy to back a winner...Look no further than the Pistons.
Believe it or not, there are a lot of Spartan fans that are ready to see Cousins go...myself included. He is an incredible leader and comands universal respect in the locker room. My issue with him is tha the plays a lot like Brett Favre. The highs are incredible (UW game, UM game), but the lows are 10X worse (NU, ND, Iowa, Alabama though that was a team issue as well, etc.). He won a lot of games over the course of his 3 years starting, but he was also the chief factor in losing games as well (2X to ND with picks at the 10). Maxwell was a HUGE get for MSU and he will do just fine. The O-line will be better, Worthy will stick around, and MSU has 3 really good RB's (if only Baker can hang onto the ball). From a Sparty "Homer" I honestly expect 8-10 wins next year.
I joined his gym about 2 months ago and it is great. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a gym. I talked to him yesterday about RR's new job and asked him point blank if he is looking to move. He told me that he is not going to go anywhere. He spent the better part of the last 25 years going around the country and is pretty much ready to settle down. This may be just the sales guy in him trying to keep his membership, but he has always been straight with me when I talked to him.
I agree with parts of your post...but I do have to comment on some of it. Dantonio has done a great job of building the program after BW and JLS set it back 25 years. That said, Hoke should win the B10 COTY.
The UM-MSU may have been their worst game, however, maybe that had something to do with MSU being the best D UM faced all year. If you look at the game objectively, many of the mistakes were made due to the MSU D (though the 4th & 1 play call didn't help). I don't think you could reasonable make the arguement that had MSU played under control (a lot to ask, I been with this team for nearly 30 years) the game is out of control quickly. UM drives were extended due to RIGHTLY called PF's. Baker dropping the ball going around the corner for an 80 yd TD, Keyshawn Martin simply dropping the ball that at least would have been a huge gain (possibly a TD).
Remember the UW game was TIED when the hail mary pass was completed. The game goes to OT and anything can happen there. It was not a guaranteed loss as you stated.
I will say it again so nobody accuses me of being a homer sparty...UM will get the BCS bid if MSU loses, not because they earned it on the field, but because of money, fan following, increased advertisers, and ratings. That is the way the rules are written.
I will never complain about this...but I will complain about 2010 and 1999...but that is for another day.
I agree with parts of your post...but I do have to comment on some of it. Dantonio has done a great job of building the program after BW and JLS set it back 25 years. That said, Hoke should win the B10 COTY.
The UM-MSU may have been their worst game, however, maybe that had something to do with MSU being the best D UM faced all year. If you look at the game objectively, many of the mistakes were made due to the MSU D (though the 4th & 1 play call didn't help). I don't think you could reasonable make the arguement that had MSU played under control (a lot to ask, I been with this team for nearly 30 years) the game is out of control quickly. UM drives were extended due to RIGHTLY called PF's. Baker dropping the ball going around the corner for an 80 yd TD, Keyshawn Martin simply dropping the ball that at least would have been a huge gain (possibly a TD).
Remember the UW game was TIED when the hail mary pass was completed. The game goes to OT and anything can happen there. It was not a guaranteed loss as you stated.
I will say it again so nobody accuses me of being a homer sparty...UM will get the BCS bid if MSU loses, not because they earned it on the field, but because of money, fan following, increased advertisers, and ratings. That is the way the rules are written.
I will never complain about this...but I will complain about 2010 and 1999...but that is for another day.
Little bit different here. TT is what 7-5? OU is 10-2? If you are going to go after a fan base or a school, at least make a reasonable arguement...
Not really...Most of us understand what the line is. It means nothing as to who they think will win the game. It has to do with getting 50% of the money on one side and 50% of the money on the other side. In 2010, UM was favored by 5 points and nobody, even UM fans, thought UM had any chance to win the game. Someone mentioned that MSU doesn't travel well and UW would have a huge advantage. The entire allotment of tickets for MSU sold out in about 2 hours.
MSU grad here and I am new to this board. I was on "tailgate" but it is so bad that for any real football info I actually came here. First off, I am really impressed with UM this year and they are about two years ahead of where I thought they would be. Robinson is actually starting to resemble a real QB. That being said, UM takes a step back next year due to the schedule (every big game is on the road except MSU).
At the end of the day, all MSU has to do is win against UW. Unlike many of the MSU "fans" out there, personally I think that there is no better place to be...in total control of your own destiny...Should MSU lose, they are at the mercy of the BCS and will probably be passed over by UM due to fan following and money (advertising, etc.) if UM can get into the top 14 in the BCS rankings. I don't like it, but that is the reality. As I tell my MSU bretheran...string together 8-10 years of 9 and 10 win seasons in a row then people will take notice. Until then we have nothing to talk about since every team in the B1G has been to a Rose Bowl (except Indiana and Minn) since MSU last went on 1/1/88.
Here is where I differ from a lot fo you on here. You can bang your chest all you want about ND, but remember that it took basically a miracle to beat a "bad" ND team at home. MSU played them the next week on the road with ND's entire season at stake. When you combine that with Cousins playing like he was a freshman in HS and Rousher calling one of the worst games of his life, they had no chance. Nebraska...Score says it all...again on the road. MSU went to Iowa and took care of business and not to mention that little game in East Lansing. My point is that if you want to talk about teams that MSU lost to and UM beat, you need to talk about the teams that UM lost to that MSU beat. This on top of the fact that you don't play UW this year.
I know I am going to get flamed and killed for this post, but I just wanted you to know that like UM's fan base, not all MSU fans are homer idiots and can be objective.