MSU: 11/11/11 Hoops, Ships, Wings, and Sans Lucious

As indicated with the paint job, 11/11/11 on the Breslin Center floor.... and as noted by ESPN, it looks like it will be a reality. Ink in Michigan State, North Carolina, San Diego State, and the Naval Academy... to play on Veterans Day 2011 in San Diego. Freaking genius... though the ES put a little fools' gold in the Spartan Nation about a football game on the Nimitz back in 2003..

MSU - Lucious vs. scUM = 16 pt win

Tonight, MSU is a 10 point favorite over the scUM Yellow Bellies in the post-Lucious era. The game could not have come at a better time, as the struggling Big Green should light fire and get back on track after a brutal first half of the season. Korie Lucious was playing poorly, misfiring on his passes and his shots -- moreover, he was a distraction for the team. As Izzo showed him the door, it provided an opportunity and impetus to get the chemistry right. As the unmatchable and loveable Dickie-V put it: "Don't fall asleep on the Spartans." Yes, that would be foolish, and Izzo will just prove you naysayers wrong, once again, for the umpteenth time, as one of the Final Four teams standing in March Madness. The Big Green need to shore up its defense and contest more shots, and need the ball to just go in (something Lucious couldn't provide)...... but methinks Sparty will be dancing mightily come March.

Prediction: Michigan State 78, Michigan 62.

MSU football 2011-12 early rankings at #12 and #16

OK - sorry Spartan fans... Delayed posts by the ES here. Da ES is swamped into dissertation work, so your patience is appreciated. But, two important points.

#1 - Michigan State ended up ranked in football #14 in both the AP and USA Today polls (see below). Not too shabby - much better than what most of us anticipated at the beginning of the year.

#2 - The Spartans are ranked decently in very early power rankings for the 2011 season. Look at Rivals at #12 and at SI.com at #16 .

Sez Rivals:"Almost all of the key skill-position players will be back, and if Dantonio and his staff can remake the linebacker corps, the Spartans will be in excellent shape." Sez Andy Staples at SI: "Quarterback Kirk Cousins and tailback Edwin Baker lead a large group of returning starters that should keep the Spartans competing for the Big Ten title. After laying an egg against Alabama in the Capital One Bowl, Michigan State has a lot to prove in the first season of the new-look Big Ten."

Harbaugh to 49ers

Harbaugh to 49ers: $5 million/5 years = $25 million deal.

Whew, we're safe and should kick the Yellow Belly arse for many years to come.

Michigan: "You officially suck"

The Sloth lays it on the line with his NEW "effing sports blog". Here's a sample with his take of watching Rich Rod and Michigan duke it out in the gutter.

"The net effect? Michigan has already lost Rodriguez recruits with the uncertainty surrounding Rodriguez, and is quickly pissing away the recruiting window to close on pending recruits with a new staff for the 2011 season. It is looking more and more stupid, and very publicly, for not having already fired a coach that everybody (even Mark May, for Chrissakes) agrees should have been fired, and for not having a new coach ready to step in and transition into the job.

Congratulations, University of Michigan, what was already a lousy situation (from your perspective, not mine) is even worse (or better). You officially suck, perhaps even worse than my beloved Spartans or any of my various beloved Detroit sports teams have ever sucked. Your football program is in the shitter, and you have successfully alienated some of your most-successful program alums (Harbaugh, Miles, among others)."

SIMPLY FANTASTIC. ES is all warm and fuzzy, thanks Sloth!

Sugar Bowl: Root AGAINST Ohio State and hypocrisy

ES is pulling for Arkansas over Ohio State - big time.

It's a vote for hypocrisy otherwise. If Tressell had a problem with the NCAA decisions and had a proper value set he would suspend the five players immediately. He decided not to, and so I hope they lose based on principle and integrity.

HATE Ohio State.

Enjoy Rich Rod and keep us laughing

Why is Rich Rod's firing being postponed? Lack of commitment from Harbaugh, and lack of being sold on Hoke from scUM alumni. Hoke's resume is less than impressive. Do you want a coach whose previous job was a clerk at Dairy Queen? Such is Hoke's resume re: San Diego State... In other words, who wants to be #2? Everyone knows JH is #1, and BH is #2. That don't look good.... Thus, postponement.

Let's be realistic. The problem facing the scUM job is the same as the ND job - who wants the headache? Get a life and be proud of your accomplishments, and don't get on your high horse thinking your shit don't stink. But not for the AA-faithful, who are bleached and polished so white and shiny, they blind themselves. It's a riot to watch reality hit the scUM faithful smack in the face, only to see them rebound again and again into the same scenario. It is tough to learn when you are blind, deaf, and dumb.

It's all a hilarious romp in wonderland.... welcome to Spartanland, Yellow Bellies! This is our world, and no surprise you've landed in the world we used to live. Enjoy the spoils, keep Rich Rod, and keep us laughing.

Rich Rod firing at Michigan is a mistake

Rich Rodriguez fired today at Michigan, reported by Fox 2 Detroit at 3 pm. My guess is Stanford's Jim Harbaugh will be hired by tomorrow. scUM AD David Brandon wouldn't fire Rodriguez unless he had someone else lined up. And, right after the Stanford game? Too much of a coincidence.

But, if Harbaugh ain't available, it might be this Brady Hoke guy the ES has never heard of down at San Diego State. That would be beautiful -- another noname, and from a non-BCS conference... HOPE FOR HOKE!

It's too bad. Rodriguez was the greatest coach in recent memory for the Wolverines. His style of play was perfect for the Big Ten. The ES thought his "You Raise Me Up" performance at the season ending banquet sealed the deal - he was quintessentially a perfect fit in Ann Arbor...

Incidentally re: Harbaugh, if the ES was a coach at Stanford or Cal and was offered the position to coach at Michigan State... "sorry" - the ES bleeds green and northern California is God's-own country, the most beautiful and fun place on the planet - the ES would stay at Stanford or Cal. Matter of fact, the ES hopes on getting a faculty gig out there sooner than later.... why go shovel snow for 5 months a year when instead you can enjoy warm weather, the bread-basket/vineyards/hoplands of the year for 12 months? Sorry, the ES would stay and one wonders if Harbaugh will, too.... (FYI - the SAME could be said for Hoke down at San Diego, except warmer with a better beach!)

NCAA and Pryor on edge of indictment

UPDATE - 1/3 - 10:50 pm: And here is a formal complaint filed by some nefarious group, "Playoff PAC," to the IRS. Is the shit hitting the fan for Ohio State and the NCAA? Wow, this one seems legit to some extent...

Or so, it looks that way... read Wetzel's column today and weep more.

The hypocrisy of the NCAA only gets worse. Memorabilia signing to drive used SUVs? And Ohio State's Tyrell Pryor stating, mocking ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit: “I already knew what I shouldn’t have done back two years ago.” Caribbean cruises from the Orange Bowl to 40 athletic administrators, tax-free?

Hey, I'm looking forward to a great Orange Bowl, but the lack of investigation of the finances of college athletics, Ohio State's athletics, etc. by the national media other than Yahoo's Dan Wetzel is truly extraordinary.

The accusation that there was pressure by Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delaney on the NCAA to give Ohio State players, including Pryor, a break in the Orange Bowl makes as much sense as the rationale given by the NCAA that the players shouldn't receive a penalty because a bowl game is a "unique opportunity." Yes, it makes perfect sense. Let that open the floodgates for future violations. Stupid, stupid decision by the NCAA that is not based on values of amateurism and fair play. An interpretation of rules should be based on values and mission -- in this case, when you read core value #2; "The highest levels of integrity" this falls flat and fails the test.

On top of all this, the NCAA may be trying to save itself, but it may be the federal courts that send it to the galley. Former UCLA hoopster Ed O'Bannon is suing the NCAA for using his likeness without payment... it's a class action lawsuit that is in Federal Court, and the comments from many legal scholars (not the ES) has the NCAA sweating. Why? "Legal analysts said that ruling will compel the NCAA to turn over many of its business secrets to the players' lawyers. No previous lawsuit has advanced to this stage." Read this for lots of lawyer-ese on this, but it ain't going away.

The NCAA is backpedaling since the new president, former U of Washington President Mark Emmert took charge. First Cam Newton, now five players at Ohio State for essentially the same thing -> the integrity of the NCAA has taken a hit to the gut and while it may make it to the final round, undoubtedly the public already has indicted the NCAA and sent it to defeat.

How does it feel to be flogged?

Give credit where credit is due. Alabama kicked our ass, 49-7. The best commentary yet from ESPN's Adam Rittenberg sums it up nicely:

"Dantonio has done a lot of good things in his four seasons as Spartans coach, but the program clearly isn't at elite status yet. Michigan State didn't perform like it deserved to be in a BCS bowl and was totally noncompetitive against a 9-3 Tide team. It doesn't take away from the Spartans' first Big Ten title in 20 years, but the loss leaves a sour taste after a special regular season. Michigan State must continue its recruiting efforts and keep upgrading the talent to be able to compete with teams like Alabama. The Spartans lose several outstanding seniors like linebacker Greg Jones but return a pretty good core for 2011."

You know what sucked? When Marcus Hyde (#11) was totally run over TWICE by #3 Richardson and #22 Ingram on the one-yard line into the end zone. What did that say? Our talent doesn't match, or Hyde needs to add 25 pounds of muscle by next year. I'll take the former, not the latter.

MSU emabarrased by Alabama

Not sure what the final score will be, but with 6 min left it is 49-7 Alabama. They kicked our ass, they beat us down BAD.

The good news is that at least we have a benchmark - I'm glad MSU played 'Bama... but we have LONG WAYS TO GO to get to the promised land. We were embarrassed today.

Pound Green Pound!

POUND, GREEN, POUND!

Beat 'Bama's Butt

GO GREEN!

ES Prediction: MSU 27, Bama 23