The last (only) time the Spartans visited Seattle to play the University of Washington was in 1970.It was a different era; Duffy Daugherty was the Spartan coach, nearing the end of his Hall of Fame era.Jim Owens was the coach at UW, nearing the end of his 17-year career.UW won this game, 42-16, to begin a 6-4 season in 1970.The Spartans won the previous year, 1969, 27-11 in East Lansing in an unforgettable season for both schools (MSU 4-6, Washington 1-9).The ES was one year old the last (only) time the Big Green beat UW. The last time the two played was at the Aloha Bowl in 1997, where #21 U-Dubb beat the #25 Spartans, 51-23.
A warning about the West Coast during the regular season
In the last 50 years, the regular season on the West Coast (Pac-10, not Pac-12) has been unkind to the Spartans on the gridiron.
In 2018, the Spartans lost to Arizona State in Tempe, 16-13, in a terribly coached game by Dantonio. They also lost to ASU in 1986, 20-17 in Tempe under coach Perles.In 2014, Oregon defeated MSU 46-27 as both teams were ranked in the top 10.
The ES attended MSU’s thumping by Cal in Dantonio’s first game of his second season, 2008, losing 38-31 in Berkley.Cal’s Jahvid Best and Shane Vereen (future NFL RBs), ran all over MSU for 268 yards on the ground.Nick Sabin got whacked at Oregon, 48-14, in 1998; the ES walked out of Autzen Stadium at half-time and had to take his shirt off as to not be laughed at.So did Muddy Waters, getting his butt kicked 35-17 in 1980 at Oregon; the ES was just getting exposed to MSU and was living in California as a 12-year old, making the trip to Eugene. The ES is 0-3 watching MSU out west.
Way back in 1974, Dick Vermeil led UCLA to a 56-14 win in LA over Denny Stoltz and MSU.
That’s 0-8 vs Arizona State, Cal, Oregon, UCLA, and Washington since 1970.Time for a W over UW!
The Spartans rang the opening bell at the NYSE on Dec. 26. Their stock this year was disappointing.
Well before the bowl selection show on December 8, the Michigan State Spartans knew they would be slotted to play in a baseball stadium as their final game of the year. MSU football's statistical rankings compare similarly to that of the Detroit Tigers - for instance, the Tigers losing 114 games in 2019, and the Spartans ranked 107th in scoring offense in the NCAA.
NY Yankee's Randy Levine
New York Yankee president Randy Levine expanded on why the Yankees fought hard to outbid other outstanding bowl competition from the Quick Lane Bowl, Cheeze-It Bowl, Camping World Bowl, and others: "We learned our mistakes back in the Gotham Bowl in 1962: too much offense," said Levine. "The New York Yankees now have a laser focus to find at least one team that best resembles the scoring output of our Yankee team - last year, the Yankees scored nearly six runs a game [5.8], and Michigan State's scoring output is a proper fit."
One particular bowl stood out in Levine's comments in trying to land the Spartans: "As a historically successful franchise, we used our tough negotiation tactics with the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl to land the Spartans," added Levine. "As a compromise, Titus (O'Neill, the Gasparilla Bowl Chairman) said we'd have to also select an unknown basketball school. Wake Forest was the obvious other choice."
"The bowl selection process worked as well as it ever has," concluded Levine.
Steely Dan is to perform "Deacon Blues" at halftime.
Baseball yes, football no? Yes, Yankee Stadium was meant to be for today's matchup. Today's starting lineup:
P - Brian Lewerke
SS - Cody White
1B - Elijah Colins
2B - Jalen Nailor
3B - Matt Seybert
LF - Josiah Scott
CF - Kenny Willikes
RF - Tyriq Thompson
DH - Raequan Williams
Bullpen - Rocky Lombardi, Theo Day
Outlook: The ES expects Brian Lewerke to have several wild pitches in this game, as he has for much of the season. If Lewerke can get the ball over the plate on a regular basis, unfortunately we can expect many errors from Spartan fielding, with drops by Collins, Nailor, White, and Seybert leading the Big Ten this season. At the plate, Raequan Williams and Kenny Willikes have also been a disappointment with few home runs in big games, registering just one sack each against nationally-ranked competition in 2019. Godforbid the Spartans actually get to their Detroit Tiger-inspired bullpen, with incompetent pitching of backups Rocky Lombardi and Theo Day. In sum, expect an error-filled, offensively offensive game from the Spartans.
Predictions:
Smig: Rutgers wins in the cold
Big Bob: Lewerke throws for 637 yards and the Spartans win 52-0.
Oakland Ronnie: Wake forest wins 45-24 all points coming from Theo day entry into the game in the third quarter on.
RGM3: MSU 24-21. Game winning fg as time expires. Theo Day throws for 180 and 2 TDs.
Big Joe and Phantom 309: MSU 27-14
GVSU Gregger: MSU 21-17
The Duchess of Kirkaldy: Wake 27-14
What the hell is going on? MSU scores a phenomenal 7 points against Arizona State, despite the coaches doing everything to pitch a shut out. Then, they come out and rip Northwestern 31-10? ?? This is one up-and-down team. At least we know the Spartan defense will show up... hopefully they can score.
Luckily for the Hoosiers, the MSU Homecoming Parade was cancelled due to a thunderbolt storm last night - and the skies are clear today to have the game.
Predictions:
J Rand (Nashville): MSU 42-17
Big Bob (Kzoo): MSU 21-20
Sloth (Pittsburgh): MSU 6-3
CHock (San Fran): MSU 17-16
GVSU Gregger (GVSU): MSU 21-14
RGM3 (metro D): MSU 28-10
Big Joe and Phantom 309: MSU 28-3
The Queen of Scotland (Jackson): Who gives a shit? Indiana 17-13
Thy shall loathe thine Irish. As chimed by Shane MacGowan and his Pogues:
And Brian Kelly never had it so good
"We had one million bales of the best Sligo rags We had two million barrels of stones We had three million sides of old blind horses hides, We had four million barrels of bones. We had five million hogs, we had six million dogs, Seven million barrels of porter. We had eight million bails of old nanny goats' tails, In the hold of the Irish Rover. There was awl Mickey Coote who played hard on his flute When the ladies lined up for his set He was tootin' with skill for each sparkling quadrille Though the dancers were fluther'd and bet With his sparse witty talk he was cock of the walk As he rolled the dames under and over They all knew at a glance when he took up his stance And he sailed in the Irish Rover"
So, the halftime show for the MSU-ND game is... the Pogues! For the first time in recent memory, Michigan State University has decided to hand over its halftime festivities to the trovelling band, The Pogues - in honor of our Irish guests. So, with a spoonful of sugar, and a pint of Guinness, let's break down the realities of Saturday:
Lewerke's name (MSU QB) is not Irish. Actually, after spending 25 minutes in The Riv trying to figure it out... I have no idea where the hell he is from - other than it ain't Asia. But he will live a long time, pending any issues with a bus or train:
So, here's a nice pic of South Bend, home of Notre Dame University (below). It explains everything. Crappy town, it is near (or in) the home of the National RV Hall of Fame!!! I wonder what their role is in Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria, etc? Using a Donald-ism "we will be the GREATEST WHITE TRASH ON EARTH! MAKE WHITE TRASH GREAT AGAIN!"
And, on and on we go. Here's some predictions:
Predictions:
RGM3: 28-24 ND
Greg (go back to GVSU homie): 35-24 ND
Joe (from the Italian Stallion who got laid today on snapchat): 28-17 MSU
Brock: 28-24 MSU
Leslie (hottie from Riv): 21-17 MSU
Deb Chang (hottie from MSU HALE): 24-20 MSU
Matt (from Iowa): 23-20 ND
Keith: 24-23 ND
Paul (Australia): 23-17 MSU
Kelly (Butt :): 27-24 MSU
ES sez: MSU QB Lewerke underrated, ND overrated (each year). No Fly Zone back in play... Home, 80 degrees with humidity. On natural turf. Picking out 4-leaf clovers. Dear Sweet Jesus...It's simple. MSU 23, ND 21.
Saturday, October 22, 2016.
7:30 pm ET.
Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium, College Park, Maryland
Weather: 51 degrees, windy
TV: BTN, should only be on the radio
First - figure out the name to the stadium. Byrd Stadium? Capital One Field? Maryland Stadium? Gimme a break.
Second - as my buddy Spaz just put it "How much of the Sparty implosion is the delayed impact of Narduzzi leaving?" Well, no shit. This season has been an absolute turd on defense; no pass rush and a decimated linebacking corps = no defense. These guys are so out of position, it's pathetic.
Third, last week, despite the unfortunate events I went through, I did note that coach D put Tyler O'Connor back into the game in the second half. Why? Whenever a team throws for 400+ yards, as MSU did vs Northwestern, it means you lose. Only 51 yards on the ground? What??? BUT, GIVING UP 54 POINTS IS PATHETIC. TO NORTHWESTERN? MSU STINKS. Happy Homecoming.
This week, we are in College Park, Maryland. Lovely. I didn't know I was traveling to white-trash Melvindale.
Lovely College Park, Maryland.
They moved this gem from Dearborn Heights or Melvindale to College Park
Enough. Time for predictions from the Peanut Barrel:
ES - MSU 38, Maryland 31.
Skooz - MSU 41-37
Brock - Mary 66-15
Joe - MSU 23-17
The ES is with April Jones at the Peanut Barrel, talking about the bye week, the fourth quarter explosion by the Spartans over Indiana, and our coming stint against the Corn. Video footage of the walkup from the MSU-Indiana game with Big Bob, Sloth, and the boys... as well as guest predictions! Enjoy...
The Spartans start out the 2012 season with the coaches giving Michigan State gridders a preseason #13 ranking, right behind #8 Michigan and #12 Wisky. Nebraska is #16 and Notre Dame is at #24. Coaches love that big Spartan Defense as well as our coach, the Doctor Mr. MD. GO BIG GREEN!
The first game in the Stanford Regional is tomorrow, Friday, June 1, at 4 pm ET (1 pm PDT), where #3 seed MSU (37-21) will play #2 seed Pepperdine Waves (34-21) at Stanford Stadium. Will ES roving reporter Chock, or the ES' pal Smig, make it from their homestead around San Francisco down to Silicon Valley to make the game?
Although baseball is boring to watch, it would be great if in the area to go down the road to catch the Spartans making the rare appearance (more rare than a football Rose Bowl appearance) in the NCAA tourney.
According to MSUSpartans.com, on Saturday and Sunday, game times are also scheduled for 1 p.m. and 6 p.m., and if necessary, Monday at 6 p.m. All of the games will be broadcast on ESPN3.com, while audio of Michigan State's games will be available on SpartanSportsNetwork.com and the Spartan Sports Network mobile app. The ES will tune into ESPN3 at home, fer sure... Stanford is the No. 1 seed in the regional with a 38-16 record and will play No. 4 Fresno State (30-26) at 9 p.m. EDT (6 p.m. PDT). Throughout its 128-year program history, Michigan State has never played either school. The only other Big Ten team to make the Field is Purdue, which is No. 1 in the Gary Regional. Check out the Bracket here.
Interesting note on Spartan baseball -- "Former Spartan Kirk Gibson launched the longest ball ever hit out of Kobs Field in 1978 when he smacked a 550-foot blast that cleared the trees in right-center and landed on Adams Field".
