"Little nephews"

Submitted by Alumnus93 on

When Mike Hart once publically referred to MSU as "little brother", I was not happy about it,  because there is no more of a unifying force than saying something like that... and when you dominate an opponent, you shouldn't be crass about it. But he said it, and they ran with it. So be it.

Well,  Derrick Nix just referred to MBB as  "little nephew".....   to quote him... "We had to share it with our little nephews," center Derrick Nix said. "And that (stinks)."

Now is the time for Michigan to run with it, and let karma stick the condescension back in their faces.  

TexanGOBLUE

March 5th, 2012 at 10:32 AM ^

They can't try to piggy back off what Mike Hart said by calling them little brother. It just makes them look so stupid for trying to call us little nephew. This makes Sparty look like whinny losers. Pathetic and not original.

MGlobules

March 5th, 2012 at 10:39 AM ^

that sticks in the craw like Hart's comment did. "Little nephews"? Not even close.

We've won three out of four and they lost a starter to a torn ACL yesterday. Would love to see them for this year's rubber match in the B1G Tourney final. 

Jskohl88

March 5th, 2012 at 10:55 AM ^

1) I really don't care. Sparty can complain all they want, spartybutthurt, SpartyNO! Etc, but they have to deal with us being champs. Lovin it.



2) Hypothetically if I/we cared, wouldn't this comment be a little concerning? Not in a basketball sense, but in a familial sense. The point of "little brother" is to play on the stereotype of big brother beating up on little brother, which is often true in many families. If "little nephew" is being used in the same sense, then what does that say about Sparty uncles? Oh wait, nothing we didn't already know...

ThWard

March 5th, 2012 at 10:56 AM ^

Hart's comment was probably ill-advised, but it came on the heels of Hart going 4-0 against Sparty.

 

Derrick Nix is 3-3 against U of M, with the rivalry turning from "hammer and nail" to "competitive equals."  It comes off as incredibly lame and unnewsworthy.

Heinous Wagner

March 5th, 2012 at 11:09 AM ^

That Uncle Sparty sure is something. He cries when things don't go his way, is rude and interrupts other people in public and likes to set furniture on fire. Damn. I wish he'd go back to being that "hey kid, pull my finger" uncle I knew and loved. 

pdgoblue25

March 5th, 2012 at 11:17 AM ^

When Mike Hart said what he said it was perfect, we had just ripped their hearts out, and what he said was implied, which made it that much better.  Add in that it was Dantonio's first year, and he made such a big deal about beating us.

This is just blatantly trying too hard to get us back for something that still stings.

dahblue

March 5th, 2012 at 11:27 AM ^

Here's the thing...State has only seen improvement when (and because) Michigan is down.  Their bball program only grew strong when Ellerbe led us into the wilderness and Izzo was able to pull recruits from rolled over SUV's.  Their football program only saw a few good years because RR (or whomever you choose to blame) allowed State to recruit better talent than normal.

Michigan doesn't need State to be down in order to rise.  Our bball team has won 3 of 4, a B1G title and, for next year, is bringing in a top 5 class.  All of this was done with MSU performing well.  In football, all Hoke had to do was remind folks that "This is Michigan" and the proper order was restored.  

Little brother will forever measure anything and everything against us (see, for example, comments about "little nephews" after State lost to Ohio State).  Michigan only needs to measure itself against...Michigan.  After all, this is Michigan. 

GoBlogSparty

March 5th, 2012 at 12:22 PM ^

While your point holds true for football probably, it carries no weight for basketball at all. The rise of 1 does not depend on the fall of the other. Case in point, Michigan does not have a single player on their roster that carried an MSU offer. MSU has Costello (incoming), Kearney, Byrd, Roe (left team), and Green that all had Michigan offers. With the contrasting styles the 2 coaches run and the fact that you need less players in basketball to do well, I don't see MSU's success diminishing with the rise of Michigan's success. If anything, both teams will be contending against each other for B1G titles in the next decade or so. Purdue, on the other hand is probably screwed for the next few years because they were banking on landing Dawson and Harris from their own backyard.

dahblue

March 5th, 2012 at 1:47 PM ^

While I applaud your courage to post here today after that glorious finish to Sparty's conference slate, you seem to have completely missed (and/or) proved my point...

The rise of State bball (though they were always decent to good) to a contender only came about because of the fall of Michigan bball.  Izzo would not be the lucky lil leprechaun he is but for the arrival of Brian Ellerbe.  

My point was simple - the rise of State (in bball or football) depends on Michigan.  If we fuck up enough, then you'll be able to eat more than scraps and leftovers.  The rise of Michigan, on the other hand, has nothing to do with State. 

GoBlogSparty

March 5th, 2012 at 10:31 PM ^

Again.....the first line in your post was: "Here's the thing...State has only seen improvement when (and because) Michigan is down."

If you don't want to focus on the last few years, go back to 1978. Michigan finished the season as #1 overall under Johnny Orr. MSU won the national championship the following year. So, I completely stand by my point that the rise of one has nothing to do with the state of the other. UM does not have to be in the dumpster in order for MSU to succeed or "see improvement" to use your own words.

dahblue

March 6th, 2012 at 8:34 AM ^

Ok...remove Magic Johnson from the equation and all else holds true.  Tom Izzo owes his everything to Brian Ellerbe.  Dantonio owes his (brief) everything to Rich Rodriguez.  Beilein and Hoke?  They needed no fall from MSU in order to bring Michigan back to its rightful place.

readyourguard

March 5th, 2012 at 11:36 AM ^

What's the chances Nix was referring to Ohio State as his little nephew.  He never menions Michigan by name, does he?  And State's loss gave Ohio State a share of the title too.

bronxblue

March 5th, 2012 at 11:38 AM ^

To be so petty that, after winning a share of the B1G title, you start talking smack about your rival is just silly.  I don't get that logic being displayed by Nix, but whatever.  Be happy that you went from unranked to a top-2 seed in the NCAA tourney.

CLord

March 5th, 2012 at 11:38 AM ^

You got it backwards.  Sparty did not run with "Little Brother."  The media did, in part because it is an accurate historical depiction of the football rivalry.  G

Guys like Nix reference "Little Nephew," and MSU fans chant "Little Sister," not so much to embrace being Little Brother, but instead to demonstrate just how much "Little Brother" is on the Sparty mind,and that they'll make every futile effort to reflect the monicker.

Just a giant, beautiful case of MSU umadbro, evidenced each time they try.

Further, UM being "Little Nephew" even in mbb is ridiculous given the overall basketball record remains:

UM 93 wins

MSU 74 wins

Asking us to embrace Little Nephew is massive derpage.  Thus be negged.

jmblue

March 5th, 2012 at 11:51 AM ^

The "Little Sister" retort is very Sparty.  It makes no sense.  How could we be the little sister of our little brother?  It's like they searched for the first retort they could think of it, without even considering whether it would be a good one or not.

OTOH, if they were to call us "Big Sister," that would be somewhat clever and turn the "Little Brother" thing on its head.

VictorsValiant09

March 5th, 2012 at 11:48 AM ^

Does RCMB remind anyone else of an Internet message board from the 90's?  It looks absolutely archaic, not to mention the emoticons.

In other news, who cares about MSU.

Big Ten Champs!

saveferris

March 5th, 2012 at 11:54 AM ^

It pleases me that Michigan earning a share of the Big 10 Championship hurts Sparty so much....and yes boys, Michigan did EARN their share of the title, no matter how much you try to spin the truth to suggest we didn't.

Enjoying our banner and enjoying the schadenfruede.

lhglrkwg

March 5th, 2012 at 12:26 PM ^

Derrick Nix should be happy that they got any of the big ten championship. They lost their last 2 and nearly lost to Minnesota too. We won 7 of our last 8 and lost to Purdue. MSU's the one that backed into a big ten championship

Tater

March 5th, 2012 at 12:45 PM ^

Why do I like this so much?  Because it shows that their players are incapable of remotely original thoughts.  It also makes me remember that imtitation is still the greatest form of flattery.

rtsannes62992

March 5th, 2012 at 1:59 PM ^

I think they're more of the drunk uncle that hasn't done anything with his life and is usually the last to find out about family functions in hopes he doesn't show up.

BlueLotCrew

March 5th, 2012 at 4:59 PM ^

So, what you're saying is that things haven't changed a bit. Hes still fat, probably slower, and can't ball worth a squirt of piss.