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| Archives :: COLUMNS :: news :: podcasts :: photos :: polls :: stadium expansion | |
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2005 & 2004 archive :: 2003 archive :: 2002 archive MSU defense is key to Fresno win (12/23/01)--Michigan State's defense must rise to the occasion if the Spartans are going to post a 7-5 season by upsetting Fresno State. The ES' game day preview predicts a 38-34 Fresno victory. Wanna know a bit more about how to beat these Bulldogs? Here's how. MSU's defense has been decimated, especially with the loss of four defensive backs. That being said, MSU's run defense has not fared much better, giving up nearly 200 yards per game on the ground. The defensive line is banged up as well, havng lost Josh Shaw and Matthias Askew. Now, consider Fresno State. This team comes in with QB David Carr, ranked #2 in passing efficiency behind only Florida's Rex Grossman. The Bulldogs are averaging roughly 335 yards per game through the air, again second most in the nation. Fresno runs for 163 yards on average, with 78 per game from Travis Gaines. But, in all honestly it's only to keep defenses honest. It will be up to MSU to slow down this Fresno team just enough for the MSU offense to eek out a win. MSU's offense seems to die off as games wear down, and there's no reason to expect this game to be any different. MSU's fourth-quarter offensive woes, led by Morris' Watts failure to operate a late-game running attack, are well documented on this site (see Weekly Column Archive). Fresno likes to score through the air to its pair of 1,000 yard receivers, Rodney Wright and Brian Barrian. Combined, the two have caught 23 TD passes. The way to beat this team is to shut down Carr. But, MSU really has its hands full with the injuries they've faced on defense. Any type of pass rush would be a miracle, and I'm not expecting any. That being said, MSU will probably play nickel defense for much of the game and back off the front line to give the secondary some help. Watch Fresno's running attack begin to soar, and they may well have over 200 yards on the ground. Force them to run -- opposite of the norm -- and MSU has a chance. It will be important to take some time off the clock to shorten the game and keep the Spartans close. But, if MSU allows Carr to open up his playbook with all sorts of high-flying plays and gets MSU into a shootout, well I don't like MSU's offensive chances late in games. Both teams are similar with explosive offenses and suspect defenses. Difference is Fresno State's special teams have made few mistakes and their kicking game is solid. That being said, it'll be a close game, and it will be a blast to watch. I do expect lots of points and wild, big plays from both teams. I wouldn't be surprised if the Spartans led at the half, but it is the second half that MSU needs to control. Fresno's schedule received national attention early, with wins over Colorado (first game of the year), an overrated Oregon State team, and an overrated Wisconsin team (that MSU also defeated on the road). Fresno's two losses are to Boise State on national television and to Hawaii. Both poor losses. But the amount of points the Bulldogs put up is just plain scary. I'll be rooting on the Spartoonies to overcome a shootout and pull out a miracle finish. What a New Year that would bring! Go STATE! (12/14/01)--Michigan State hasn't played a game in two weeks, but it's still the best and funniest football of the year--George O'Leary pulling one over on Notre Dame. See, not only does Notre Dame lose out on its fifth choice for coach, but it also has to pay Georgia Tech $1.1 million to buy out O'Leary's remaining five years. On top of that, the Irish athletic department already paid over $1 million to buy out Bob Davie's remaining four years. And, they still don't have a coach. Wow, if that isn't the biggest blunder in college football in years, I don't see what is. How embarassing. Couldn't happen to a finer program (well, maybe Michigan... but they're too smart for that). My guess is Kevin White, Notre Dame's athletic director, is next on the chopping block (why did he offer Davie a 5-year contract extension after last season anyways? How bewildering!). But, it goes beyond the AD. Notre Dame is a victim of its own success. The alumni have clamored for winning football for years and will settle for no less... now, what decent coach wants to deal with all those expectations without an opportunity to fulfill? Their arrogance of being "higher than a conference" and thus remain independent is coming back to haunt them. Not only are the Irish too bad of a team to be a factor in the national title picture, if they were good enough they still would have to fight for a BCS bid due to their lack of conference affiliation. The Irish have high-and-mighty grade and admission requirements which will back any future coach into a corner because it limits the amount of potential quality recruits. Reality check: the talent now is beginning to look elsewhere. The Irish are so far removed from decency that the young kids even remotely thinking about college, those 12-to-17 year olds, have never witnessed a decent ND football squad. So why bother going to play at a loser school with all this baggage? Furthemore, most kids want to win something... at ND, its either the national title or nothing; a chance at a conference title is not even possible. The prestige of a program that cherishes its Golden Dome and its Touchdown Jesus has left thy hallowed Irish halls faster than the Four Horsemen. The best part of all this: it came during recruiting week. Notre Dame will feel the effects. The Irish should have offered Mercedes and Lexus to quality recruits, won more games, and gone on probation. The effects would be about the same. Notre Dame, welcome to the world of mediocrity. I can't wait until next year. Already you can make it six in a row for the Big Green Machine. Against State, the Irish have no chance. I hope we pummell you into submission. CHock anchors the California and West Coast MSU Spartan cheer section... More of a MSU basketball fanatic (who can blame him), C is aiming to center his work schedule of gigs so as to fly in from the wine country around Spartan home Saturdays. Now, that's dedication, and a great way to use the company dime... (12/4/01)--You come seeking the truth. You visit the Enlightened Spartan for the real analysis, the hard hitting news and accurate predictions. I'm hear to tell you, my friends, that chock has delivered for you. While the other guest commentators have been struggling to put together any prediction that makes sense - recall Sloth's early September season record prediction of somewhere between 7-4 to 4-7 (close only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades, and Sloth's football predictions), and what about Big Bob'scop out of not even coming up with a prediction - chock comes through! Hell, even the ES himself didn't get this one right even though it WAS PLAIN AS DAY. At the end of the regular season, the Spartans are a 6-5 team! As predicted by chock. Let's recall that famous statement dictated on 9-6-01: "The Spartans will finish the regular season 6-5"! Perhaps you're still not impressed by chock's Nostradamus-like prowess on the prediction scene? Let's go over some of the other Prophecies of chock. Let's take Item A - "the perpetual underachievement of Lorenzo Guess". As called, by chock, Guess filled that prophecy very quickly in the season by blowing blocking coverage on two punts, which as a result got blocked by CMU in the first game. He was promptly moved to third string. Perhaps the most insightful prophecy, however, was the following: "I don't care which one of those bozos with the "K" in the Position column next to their name on the roster actually does the kicking, mark my words the field goal kicking this year will be no better than that done at Utica-Eisenhower High School. Special teams will cost MSU at least one game this year." Said game would have to be Northwestern where a combined effort from the two main bozos resulted in five missed kicks (three FGs, two PATs), costing the team 11 points and most likely the game. Let's put that in perspective here. Let's say we had to do it all over again. BW would have had just as much chance for success if he would have walked up in the stands to where the ES was sitting, slap the beer out of his hand, led him to the field and put him in place of Schaefer or Servis. Hell, all he'd have to do is make one out of three PAT attempts and/or three FG attempts to beat those two. Probably
could have done it with the beer in his hand. All told, there were a lot
of encouraging signs this season - Smoker played great. Rogers may actually
live up to his billing. The team was exciting But in the end, a big case of the same old, same old hit the Spartans and they escape slightly better than last year. Them
Bulldogs from Fresno State ain't gonna be easy (12/02/01)--I have to say, my initial impressions on MSU going out to San Jose for a third-tier bowl game were very optimistic. But, as I realized who our opponent will be, I thought we may be walking right into a deadly trap. First, if you are going out to San Jose, let me recommend a few places: Drinks -- the LiPo in Chinatown (of all things, it has a shrine in the back corner of the bar); Food -- Cha Cha Cha in Height/Ashbury (for spicy Caribbean voodoo food); Late Night Disco -- Nikki's BBQ (funk music, lower Height). Man, I miss Frisco. Fresno State is 10-2, with wins over Colorado (first game of the year), Wisconsin and Oregon State. While that may be initially scary, Colorado has become a much improved club, MSU beat Wisconsin by 14 points, and Oregon State has been a disappointment this year (but narrowly lost to Oregon on Saturday). The Bulldogs two losses were 35-30 against Boise State and 38-34 at Hawaii. Fresno's offense averages 43 points per game, with per game scores of 24, 44, 32, 37, 38, 25, 30, 34, 52, 38, 61, 40, and 70. Both teams are known for explosive offenses and average to (as in MSU's case) not-so-average-because-of-injuries. This game should be a shoot-out. Fresno is led by Heisman candidate QB David Carr. MSU is led by Heisman candidate RB TJ Duckett (that is argumentative). Anyhow, expect lots of passing and plenty of points. Maybe a final score in the neighborhood of 45-41. It is great to see MSU go to a bowl game to take on a decent opponent. The Spartans came out on fire against a very poor Missouri team -- will they be able to do so vs a much better Fresno squad? MSU needs the experience for next season, and could have used going to any bowl... Motor City or not. At least I can watch the tube while planning my NYE gig! (11/26/01)--On Nov. 4, I told my wife to pack her bags for either Florida, Texas or California for New Years. On Nov. 11, I told her Texas or California. On Nov. 18, I told her to unpack her bags, that I'd be road-tripping down the windy 69 to the Big DEETROIT. Now, I'm asking "where's the glitter and ornaments. I'll be home for Christmas." How disappointing, but I guess it should have been expected. I predicted an 8-3 schedule, as did 42% of other pollsters before the season began. Other predicted results were: 19% said 9-3; 19% said 7-5; 7% said 12-0; and 6% said 6-6... Of course, I predict with my heart more than with my mind, so those results should be no surprise. Let's root on the Big Green one final time and then say our prayers that we get to drive to Pontiac for a sure-fire snow tailgate. Hey, anything for one more tailgate. Plus, it gives this team more experience... something badly needed. Go STATE! Watts has got to go II... the running game does matter, Mo! (11/26/01)--Major criticisms, again, of the MSU offense this week revolve around offensive coordinator Morris Watts. #1 -- Whenever Dowdell came into the game, JoePa, everyone in the stadium, and a national viewing audience knew it was going to be a running play. Maybe Morris Watts should start thinking about mixing things up and STOP TELEGRAPHING THE PLAYS!!!! #2 -- Once again, Morris Watts gave up on the running game. Hey, sure we relinquished a 17-point lead. But, we also were not down by 17 with a whole quarter left... Why not continue to mix up the plays instead of passing it on every down? It was NOT a panic, desperate situation that early in the game. It also puts our QB at a major risk of injury, as well as lets all of our future opponents know that we are just a second-half passing team with no confidence in any other offensive weapons as the game winds down. I once again strongly emphasize the need to be rid of Morris Watts. The Penn State game is a perfect example of not mixing up the plays, expecially in enemy territory. This year has become a passing frenzy, and we end up digging our own grave each time we try to win strictly through the air. MSU's best hope for this season is 7-5, after starting out 5-2 with a win over Michigan. Disappointing I would have to say... not defensively (injuries), but offensively our inability to maintain or capitalize on leads in the second half. Morris Watts, the offensive coach responsible for successful offensive execution (which means scoring points in the second half of games), needs to take responsibility for the atrocious play-calling in the second half of games this year, as well as the inability for him to get the team focused and execute when absoloutely necessary. Oh well, as is the common Spartan monicker: "wait 'til next year." See ya in Pontiac with Mr. Perles for the Motor City Bowl. (11/21/01)--In the calendar year of 2001, here is what MSU has done to UM in the three major sports (6-0-1): MSU 26, UM
24. Football Since 1997-98 season, MSU owns the following records in these sports vs Mich: 18-7-2 (.731) Hockey: 9-3-2
(streak: 3-0-1) More Spartans vs Nittny Lions... I'm expecting a pretty good effort from the gridders this week. While it may not equal my savvy prediction of 47-17, I am expecting the offense to turn up the steam a little against a JoePa team that's won four of its last five. I'm hoping Watts will get his head out of his butt, rub his crystal ball, and find a way to mix up the offense. Get the running game going, Mo, and stop telegraphing the plays to our opponent. Don't just GIVE UP on the run! I'm predicting MSU to win out and land a bid in either the Alamo Bowl or the Silicon Valley Bowl in San Jose. A 7-4 season, plus a win over U-M and a possible 8th win, would be a big improvement with all the injuries we've had to suffer this year. Thanks for the 3:30 tailgate ESPN! I'll be 'gaiting at 9am sharp with turkey leftovers, bratwursts, and plenty of brew and spiked nog! Fire Mo Watts... it's time to go! (11/19/01)--The vultures are circling around Spartan Stadium these days, waiting to eat the leftovers of this battered football team. Wait, I have an idea... let's hand over Morris Watts and let those cannibals tear him to bits! While I don't doubt the massive injury bug is causing a major impact on the team, coach Watts is not helping matters. Of course, the team has to hang onto the ball as well -- but, still Watts is a lingering question mark with his play-calling. I make my case: 1. Abandoning the running game. Watts didn't even try vs. Purdue. He forced the issue early in the first few drives, running when nothing was there... failing to mix up plays. Then, he only spot-used the running game whenever the Purdue defense would expect it.... By the middle of the third quarter, the running game was all but gone as was TJ Duckett on the sidelines. But, early on, Watts seemed to give up: only 7 carries for Duckett at the half? That's criminal. Watts should stick with a game plan which intermigles the run with the pass on less-than-obvious situations... Once again, as in every game this year, our running game was not even used as the game entered the late stages. It made our offense one dimensional and forced Dowdell to make all the plays. That's tough for a freshman -- playing his first full game on the road in the big Ten. 2. Not using Dowdell's running abilities. If Dowdell was a realistic possibility to start vs. Purdue, why was the team not prepared to use his outstanding running abilities? Didn't see the option at all, and you'd think the Spartans would figure out how to use the spread with a running QB a la Northwestern or Purdue. Instead, Dowdell had to fend for himself and run while under duress. 3. Not using best players on key plays. Once again, vs. Purdue we saw Watts remove Rogers and Haygood on various third-down plays (specifically the pathetic I-option play in the third quarter). I just don't understand it... why would you EVER take out your best players when you need them most? It doesn't make any sense. If any changes are to be made, this one would be for the best: Fire Watts, and let's move on to a coach that will put together a cohesive game plan... and stick to the plan. Maybe Nick Saban was right: there was a reason why he fired Watts when he first got to MSU. Morris Watts is like spoiled milk: he's past his prime. (11/12/01)--Michigan State did not have the effort, nor the preparation, to defeat national powerhouse Nebraska this weekend after the Spartans gave up 480 yards on the ground -- the second most in the history of Spartan football. The Huskers, typical to their tradition, completed just four passes but dominated with its multi-set option attack all day long... something the Spartans could never figure out and an attack that Spartan defensive coaches failed to adjust to at halftime. Michigan State now falls to 0-3 against Nebraska in its meetings over the past decade. Wait. It was Indiana, not Nebraska. Oh, well, you couldn't tell the difference on Saturday. Indiana ran through the Spartan defense like swiss cheese. The Big Green was made to look like little green men running around for their lives all afternoon, giving up long-distance and long-time scoring drivers to the "Big Red". It seemed every time Indiana had the ball, they would score, no matter where the Hoosiers were on the field. Coach Williams takes some of the blame for this loss, as much as he takes the credit for the victory over Michigan the week before. Yes, after such a huge win over their archrival, it can be expected that the Spartans would have difficulty getting "fired up" for the Hoosiers. And, that is where the players take the blame for a pitiful lack of effort... especially defensively. The lack of effort was very disappointing. However, the coaching staff failed to do its part as well. The defense never adjusted to the Hoosier offense... Indiana threw all of 5 passes in the first half and ran the ball a good 40 times. Yet, MSU failed to make Indiana throw the ball to beat them. MSU continued to use a two-deep zone for the majority of the first half, and no adjustments were made at halftime to address the "obvious" concern. Indiana's speed to the outside was a death wish for MSU, as the Spartan defensive coaches made no adjustments to take the option away. It was mind-boggling to see Indiana run the same play over, and over, and over again without MSU making any changes. What did MSU practice for all week??? A passing assault? Wait -- MSU made an adjustment once. On third and five in the third quarter, MSU brought Thornhill up to the right wing and Stanley on the left wing, then moved its safeties in. All of a sudden, MSU had seven on the line and no safties. Indiana was stunned and had to call time-out. They THREW the ball for a first down, but it was the only time all game that Indiana was forced to throw the ball. Why did MSU not make that adjustment for the majority of the game? Here's the weekly coaching blunder list for Bobby Williams and the Spartan coaches: 1. Morris Watts giving up on the ground game at the end of the third quarter. Once again, Duckett rarely received the ball late in the game. Although MSU was down by just 3 points, Watts clearly panicked and abandoned the running game. When will Watts learn to stay with his bread and butter??? The INT at the end of the game from Smoker was with 2:00 left... still with plenty of time to use Duckett down the field for a winning drive. Why not use Duckett at all in that drive??? How maddening! 2. Lack of defensive adjustments at the half to respond to the option. MSU failed to react. This was the biggest blunder of the game. 3. Having that fake field goal in the play book. Ok, I know Jarrett called the play, but why would you even have your kicker run the ball in the play book? That makes no sense, especially on 4th and 12. But, Rayner, all 170 pounds of him, isn't exactly a running back. He's a freshman, too. 4. Taking Duckett out of the game too often. It seems that Duckett gets one play, and then is out, even when he gets a good head of steam and gives the team some momentum. Why remove your best players when they are playing their best? 5. Lack of preparedness. It looked like we were playing Nebraska. The team was not prepared to play Indiana, and coach Williams did not have MSU ready to expect the Indiana running game. Give credit to Indiana. The Hoosiers were prepared and put together a great game plan to win the game. MSU failed to react to the Hoosiers' game plan -- Indiana deserved to win. Now, MSU must fight to settle for a decent bowl game. As much as our hopes were lifted last week, they have been deflated this week. It isn't a stretch to see MSU beat Purdue, lose to Penn State, and beat Missouri. That would make MSU 7-4 overall, and Sun Bowl or Alamo Bowl bound. Another thing to consider: MSU's three Big Ten wins are against teams that are a combined 11-8 in Big Ten games. Its three losses are against teams that are a combined 6-11. But, it's time to focus on Purdue. The Boilers are last in offense in the Big Ten, but sport a potent defense. They will be angry after being pounded by Ohio State, 35-9, last weekend. This is a game MSU must win to keep hopes alive of an improved season. Both teams will be fighting for respectability, but let's hope Bobby has this team more prepared. Otherwise, we may be headed right back to Saban-like mediocrity. (11/7/01)--All you Michigan backers, alumni, fans: stop your whining, pissing, and moaning. It's time to move on. MSU won the game fair and square. You need to learn how to lose with grace and style... something we Spartans have learned how to do all too often. First: you never should have put yourself in the position to let MSU get to the 2 yard line as time ticked away. Second: the game did not end with :01 left. Michigan still had to make a play at the end. You could have won if you had sacked Smoker, knocked down the pass, or if the pass had sailed incomplete. But, the pass was complete, and the officials ruled MSU had won. The UM radio broadcast on WJR was embarassing -- calling the officials "cheats" and "disgraceful." You NEVER have heard that from MSU announcer George Blaha, even on his Pistons broadcasts. Wolvies stop acting like sissies and start acting like men. Take it like a man, assholes. MSU deserved to win. We kicked your ass for the better part of the game. I'm glad you are hurt and angry. You Wolvies deserve it, and have shown yet another reason why I hate you. I hope you lose all the rest of your games, and I hope Minnesota kicks your ass on Saturday. You suck. Go GREEN! (11/5/01)--Never thought I'd have the opportunity to say it but the truth is: Bobby Williams outcoached Lloyd Carr on Saturday. MSU, coming off arguably the most emotional and exciting finish in its storied football history, must feel good about itself and the way coach Bobby Williams has the program headed. It's headed way up. Against UM, Michigan State committed just one turnover and two penalities. Meanwhile, the Spartans managed to break TJ Duckett loose for 211 yards against the nation's top-ranked run defense, which entered the game giving up on average just 54 yards. Smoker, while being sacked 11 times, also didn't throw an interception... smart direction from the Spartan staff to instruct him to hold onto the ball instead of throwing an ill-advised pass. It kept MSU in the game. All the second guessing on whether or not MSU should have gone for it on fourth down as opposed to punting was correct by Williams... the criticism could have been justified if MSU had lost, but Williams clearly had a game plan to keep MSU close to the end. And it worked. Williams' game plan included minimizing mistakes, keeping MSU close to the end, running the football, and stopping UM from making big plays. All worked, and MSU won the game in its wild way. The second half decision to double up on Walker and take the safety away from run-support worked brilliantly... and it was an unexpectedly successful halftime adjustment. The fake-punt-pass from Jarrett to Rogers in the first half was a good call... we needed to continue the drive early to make a statement. Only criticisms are: 1. Morris Watts panicked at the end and gave up on Duckett. TJ was running with authority for 10 yards a pop, but Watts didn't give TJ another carry after the 8-minute mark. Why? It didn't make any sense. 2. Taking Duckett, Rogers, and Haygood out on third down and 5 with four minutes to go. Why take your best players out of the game when you need them most? 3. Roll out by Smoker with 17 second left. That made no sense, and nearly cost us the game. Why not let TJ Duckett run with it instead of Smoker?... see #1 above. That was a bewildering call. 4. Time out to punt it after #2 above. Why take a time out if you decide to punt? We needed the time out later. But, in the end, the football gods looked down on MSU favorably. While the above 4 points were critical errors, it was the overall scheme of Bobby Williams that proved successful. Who would have thought that MSU would run as well as it could? And, it was a big surprise that MSU defense played so well... especially against Walker in the second half. MSU was better prepared and more disciplined; something you usually expect from a Lloyd Carr U-M team. MSU deserved the victory: it played better. After the game, I was with some Michigan fans that were hurt and stunned, but did not understand why it was such a big win for us. I said: "you guys win too much. We always lose these types of games. It was our turn to win a big one. We needed it more." After that winning play, I screamed, cried, and kissed the stadium. God, I love MSU. (11/2/01)--The Enlightened Spartan wrote a letter in response to a wonderful article on reality hitting Nick Saban smack in the face down at LSU. I figured I would share it with all you Saban-haters. Here's the beginning of the article: LSU
job a whole different ballgame -- 11/02/01
-- By Wright Thompson BATON ROUGE -- Something changed last Saturday night for Nick Saban. Twenty-three months after he took the LSU job, it finally happened. Late in the first half of the loss to Ole Miss, LSU's love affair with its head coach ended. Tiger nation turned on him. Maybe just for a week, but it was a turn, nonetheless. Saban was going to be different, remember? He wanted to take the Tigers to national prominence, and he had a plan to do it. He still could very well be the man to bring LSU fans back to their precious 1958 -- unless he's run out of town on a rail first... link here for the full text." Now, here's the ES' letter in response: Dear Mr. Thompson: I, and most other MSU Spartan fans and alumni, loved your article on Nick Saban: "LSU love affair with Saban is over." It's popular up here in Michigan. Let me tell you a secret about Nick Saban from a MSU Spartan alum: what comes around goes around. Here's a guy (Saban) that was supposed to be MSU's savior when he was hired... yet, the first four years under his tenure were the definition of mediocrity, as MSU endured 6-5 and 6-6 seasons. Saban never won a bowl game at Michigan State... the three times MSU went to a bowl game with Saban at the helm, the Spartans got their ass kicked. It was embarassing. When MSU finally had a decent squad, Saban bailed out in mid-season handing the reins to current MSU coach Bobby Williams who promptly kicked Florida's ass in the Citrus Bowl. That team was arguably the best MSU team since the Spartans won the 1965 national title, yet Saban didn't want to see it through. MSU fans read the writing on the wall early when Saban began courting NFL teams beginning in the second year of his stint at State. We could see that he had a glass heart -- you can see right through it; he hasn't a loyal bone or organ in his body. Case in point: his staff refused to pack their bags for the bayou... Saban left alone. Now, we Spartans are glad that you Tigers have to wallow in the misery of Saban's mediocrity. How long will it take for LSU to get the message? How many more 6-5 seasons? All we can say is: we're glad you have him now, and he won't have you for long. -- The Enlightened Spartan Thank God I'll be in the stands (10/31/01)--Brent Musberger is coming to town to report the MSU-Michigan game this weekend for ABC-TV. All I have to say is, "thank God I'll be in the stands." Musberger is arguably THE most opinionated sports reporter in college football today. It's been a long time since his days at CBS, anchoring the "NFL Today." And it shows. Unless your team is Michigan, Ohio State, or Penn State (a.k.a The Musberger Triad), expect to be slighted in the broadcast. It's not that Musberger "bashes" Michigan State or Musberger Triad opponents. Rather, Musberger just fails to acknowledge MSU or opponents of his Triad. He inflects his voice with excitement any time a long ball, a big run, or a jarring hit is expected from his Triad; yet, he fails to show the same excitement for the Spartans or Triad opponents. Musberger talks on and on about the key players from his Triad, how wonderful they are as people, students, or "ambassadors of the game;" yet, rarely does he do the same for the "other side" (aka our side). Perfect
example is Musberger's article on abcsports.com
this week: "This is an annual neighborhood feud. Spartan coach Bobby
Williams is as uptight as you can get. He is the only coach this season
that has banned Gary Danielson and me from practice. Obviously, Williams
is under pressure to beat Michigan. The Spartans are decimated at defensive
back, and they will have their hands full with Marquise and the Wolverines.
This will be your usual heavy hitting Big Ten rivalry game. I can't wait
to see how Lloyd Carr and Michigan are doing this season." Brent
can't wait to see Michigan, but what about Michigan State? (especially
after we kick UM's ass!) And, Musberger's knock at coach Williams for
not letting him into see practice is unjustified - hey, Brent, join the
club with the rest of the media - you are no better than any one else,
you prima donna! It's an embarrassment to ABC-TV, unless you are a Musberger Triad alum. It is a surprise that he remains a member of the elite in sports broadcasting today. However, it is really a shame that seemingly no professional from ABC has decided to take Brent aside and tell him to tone down his rhetoric, or even it out so as not to slight to one side. Too much respect in the profession, I guess. That still doesn't make it right. And, when I review the tape of MSU beating UM this weekend, I'll keep it on mute until the last seconds tick off the clock and hear Brent mumble in his disappointed voice that his beloved Wolvies have lost to Spartans and knocked UM out of the BCS picture. It's worth an MSU victory just for that. (10/27/01)--Well, its about time! MSU opened up a can of whoop-ass on the Badgers in the second half on Saturday, sending those bucky-Badger bastards reeling for a Motor City Bowl bid. MSU's offensive line, under fire all season, just seemed to be so pissed off in the second half that they opened up holes that your mother's grandma could've scored on. The best was early in the third quarter -- when all of a sudden TJ Duckett busted out for a 48-yard TD run. Only then, he topped it off on the next drive with a career-long 68-yard run. He was in the clear to score, but the big man just ran out of gas. The best sign of the season was that MSU finished up the drive by putting it in the end zone, as opposed to trying to salvish a FG out of the drive. MSU's Charles Rogers was HUGE... Five catches for 206 yards! That's 40 yards a pop! In the second half we just bombed the ball deep, and more often than not, Mr. Rogers neighborhood was open for business. But, today, what was so great was seeing the Diesel break out. The big man just brutalized the UW defense when needed by putting down his shoulder and bulldozing over the UW defenders on third-and-shorts. And, give lots of credit to the offensive line, which came to play today by opening huge holes for our RBs to blow through. MSU had 563 yards of offense today! 237 rushing and 326 passing, with Duckett picking up 186 on 23 carries... we just whooped them in the second half. I figure that coach BW said at halftime: "Do you want me to get fired? I'm gonna lose my job unless you guys figure it out? Come on, man!" And it worked! Thing is, we threw the deep ball early and often, Smoker must have thrown 15-20 passes of 25+ yards... what took Mo Watts so long to figure it out???? We should have used the same game plan vs. Minnesoter. Bottom line: Good job, BW! The guys were ready, and we kicked their ass! MSU scored four TD's in the second half, its biggest offensive explosion of the season. It was also coach BW's first road Big Ten win of his career. What a big win. And timely. After witnessing U-M at Iowa, it looks like the Wolvie pussies could be had on Saturday... we shall see. GO GREEN! Kick U-M's ass! (10/21/01)--MSU has undoubtedly some of the best talent in the Big 10, especially in the skill positions. However, following MSU's dismal performance at Minnesota on Saturday, one has to reassess the reality of where the Spartan football team is, and where it is going. MSU's talent is being severely handcuffed by the coaching staff. Against Minnesota, Morris Watts seems to abandon his success with TJ Duckett right when he begins to show some promise. And, controversial fourth down calls leading to either poor play calling or poor punting has put the Spartans in a questionable situation. Minnesota is not one of the Big Ten elite. I don't care what anyone says -- they are not. If MSU or any other team cannot defeat the Golden Gophers, then those teams don't deserve to be considered among the best in the Big Ten. And, that is where we are with our beloved Spartans today. Once again, MSU has managed to put itself back into the "average" category. The Spartans are 3-2 and headed directly for a 6-5 season, if . The coaching staff has to own up to this loss -- MSU was not prepared whatsoever, especially defensively, and the offensive woes continue. Defensively, the Spartans could not stop Minnesota on the ground -- giving up over 300 yards. Very, very poor performance by the MSU defense. It is disturbing, surprising, and frustrating. Offensively, lets take a good hard look at MSU in the second half this year. Statistics can be misleading, but not in the Spartans' case. *Outscored 45-10 in the 4th quarter. MSU has been outscored 45-10 on offense in the fourth quarter this season (14 other points scored on two kick returns vs. NW and a safety vs. Minnesota). Minnesota 14-0, Iowa 7-3, Northwestern 10-0, Notre Dame 0-7, and CMU 14-0. *11% success on possessions. MSU has had 36 second half possessions through its first five games, and has scored three TDs and one FG: that's an 11% success rate of second half possessions. MSU scored on 1-of-6 possessions vs Minnesota, 1-of-8 vs Iowa, 0-of-6 vs Northwestern, 1-of-8 vs Notre Dame, and 1-of-8 vs CMU. * Expanded red zone: 3-of-11. MSU's expanded-red zone offense in the second half has been awful. Of 11 possessions within the 35-yard-line in the second half, MSU has scored three times: 2 TDs, has kicked 1-of-5 FGs, has made 2 turnovers, turned over one on downs, and ended one as time expired. * Third down coversions: 14-of-41 (33%). MSU has converted just 33% of its third downs in the second half, and has not converted a fourth down (0-of-3) in the second half. Bottom line: MSU's offense is overrated. And, so seems its defense if it is such a sieve against another mediocre team. MSU seems to have no problem moving the ball between the 30-yard-lines, but after that the Spartans seem to dry up. Offensive coordinator Morris Watts needs to take full responsibility for not preparing his team mentally to be able to convert a drive into points. Quite plainly, he should be fired. He is past his time. And, coach Williams needs to get his team better prepared for future contests... there is much too much talent on this Spartan team to watch it collapse into mediocrity. I just can't see this coaching staff prepare the Spartans to win another game on the road: losses at Purdue and at Wisconsin, and don't expect a Spartan win at home vs. Michigan... again, if MSU can't prepare vs. Minnesota, then what's to expect them to be able to handle the Wolverines? Especially against the brutal U-M defense? That leaves home victories vs. Penn State, Indiana, and Missouri. 6-5. Etch it in stone. More on this later... Who is better: Iowa or Minnesota? (10/17/01)--Who is better: Iowa or Minnesota? I think we're gonna spank Minnesota. Iowa had a tougher defense than even the Enlightened Spartan expected... the Hawkeyes did a good job of stacking against the run, and not falling into Morris Watts' pathetic trap of running to set up the pass. But, think about it: if not for an MSU fumble on its own three, if not for the punt block leading to another three yard drive, and if not for the late "mop-up" TD with six seconds left, MSU would have won 31-7. That's impressive "bend but don't break" defense. Minnesota's own press release this week states "the offense is just about ready to take off." Yet, their pass efficiency rating is 82nd in the nation. And their total defense is ranked #80 nationally. As far as State goes, our offense has not yet clicked on all cylinders. We score early and find ways to stave off the opponent. However, when we do pass it, we have a pass efficiency rating of #15 nationally - very effective. State is only a third down here-or-there from busting games wide open. I say this is the week. Minnesota is confident they can get it done, and we haven't yet hit on all cylinders. I think Minn gets over-confident and goes flat. They've had their chances against other teams and have been close but come up short. Not this week. Now for other reasons why Minnesota sucks: Minnesota football is pathetic. There is no aura or mystique to it anymore. They don't even have their own stadium, and the school takes the "woosie" attitude by playing in a dome. Get a life -- football is and should be the life blood of a campus, and the Golden Gophers should be ashamed for having homogenized it. Maybe we should consider kicking them out of the Big 10, let alone kicking their ass. This is a school with big-time football dating back 120 years, yet they have only defeated Michigan State a dozen times in its history (MSU owns a 23-12 record vs. the Gophers), including 17 in a row from 1977 to 1998. I'm predicting a big MSU win. MSU will ROLL! MSU 41, at Minnesota 9. (10/15/01)--Michigan State seemingly was in control for the majority of Saturday's game vs. Iowa, leading the contest grom the get-go. The Spartans put together just enough offense, forced more takeaways defensively, and even had an edge on special teams to come away with the three point win. However, enough Spartan mistakes nearly cost the team, again... The game proved that the only team that seems able to beat the Spartans are the Spartans. Offense
great early, then dies out Defense
holds its own Special
teams gets the nod Herb Haygood is bucking for team MVP awards early on, as well as punching a ticket to the NFL. Haygood had 115 return yards, nine receptions for 119 yards, and two touchdowns (that's 234 all-purpose yards, folks). Without Haygood, MSU would likely be in the cellar. Next
up: Minnesota (10/8/01)--Reality hit Iowa right in the face this past weekend with a loss at #16 Purdue, and now its time for the Spartans to follow it up with a knock-out punch. The Spartans face a critical home game against an improved Hawkeye team this season. MSU, which lost 27-26 to Northwestern a week earlier, needs to jump back into the Big Ten race with a win at home. The Iowa-MSU series has been extremely close over the years, and Iowa now holds a slim 17-15 edge. The Spartans look to be the superior team, but can the MSU coaching staff put together a game plan to minimize mistakes and to capitalize on its outstanding talent? Hmmm... As the Enlightened Spartan predicted, Iowa struggled against a sound Boilermaker defense, eeking out a meager 207 total yards, including 33 on the ground. The two teams punted the ball 21 times between them, with the Boilers scoring 10 points in the final stanza to pull out the victory. Iowa struggled in all facets of the game vs. Purdue and should as well have difficulty against the Spartans--especially defensively against the explosive MSU offense. Charles Rogers has played a pivotal roll so far this season for MSU, and don't expect any different this week. After mounting pressure from the Spartan faithful, expect Bobby Williams to virtually abandon the kicking game from here on out this season. Earl Robinson interviewed coach Williams on WKAR-AM on Friday, stating "we have a bunch of kickers this week and we will make a determination on the kicking game late next week." Not exactly resounding support for the MSU kickers from the head honcho. It's homecoming. It's getting cold. Fire up the cider and rum, it should be a fun week. Abandon the kicking game! PERIOD! (10/2/01)--OK.
I've had it. After listening to everyone's comments on the radio, reading
it in the papers, and now on the Internet, here's the skinny: get
rid of the kicking game. period. 1. Go for it. If you are within the 40-yard line and it is shorter than 3rd and 6 or 7, go for it. Maybe you make it 33% of the time (a realistic average). That's a 33% better chance of making it into the end zone for 7 points than nothing. Remember, if State doesn't convert, our strongest part of our team -- DEFENSE -- takes over. 2. Punt it. If its out of the #1 scenario, then you punt the fuc*ing ball. Play field position, and let the defense that plays so well do its work. Maybe you can get the TD next possession. 3. Go for two. #1 and #2 don't work if its a PAT. Always go for two. ALWAYS. If we can't make a damn PAT, why try? ABANDON THE KICKING GAME. Who says that is necessarily so wrong, anyways??? Not if you play the law of averages... eventually, it will probably even out in the points category. 1 TD = 2.33 FG. I am fed up with this. There is, and shouldn't be, any confidence in this game... Who says this won't happen again? It will. This has gone on for two years now with Schaefer. He can't get it done. Sal Sunseri isn't that great, either. A fumble on a punt early in the game and all the missed field goals and punt blocks this season. He better get his act in gear or have him pack his bags. If our kicking game was even average, we'd be in much better shape. So, ABANDON THE KICKING GAME. It would throw off other teams as well, every team is sed to the same old strategy, same old strategy. Make the other teams earn it by stopping us. Use all FOUR downs! ATTACK! ATTACK! ATTACK! And, our offense would know the onus is on them to make it or come up empty. They're coming up empty anyways, but now they wouldn't be able to lean on the kicking game to bail them out. Make them earn it. Make other teams respect us. ATTACK WITH ALL FOUR DOWNS AND GET RID OF THE KICKING GAME. PERIOD. (10/1/01)--The obvious answer answer to that question is "yes." But, myself as well as the rest of the 700 stunned and half-drunk Spartan crowd from the Gin Mill in the stands, really felt that the game was a tie. Why do you say that? These teams were just about dead even. The Spartans outplayed the Wildcats for virtually the whole game, and if not for all the missed kicks (11 points worth), MSU would have emerged victorious. Now, lets be realistic. MSU was not going to be 12-0 and a national title contender this year. There was bound to be a loss, and there are sure to be a few more on the horizon. But, this game brought much more hope than was originally thought at the beginning of the year. Heck, 19% of those in the ES poll prior to the game picked Northwestern to win by more than a TD... and MSU was up by 2 with :05 left. That being said, MSU has shown that its' skill players are among the nation's best -- Charles Rogers has proved to be a game breaker and I don't even think Herb Heygood knew he could run that fast on the kick return with :18 left. He ran the entire distance, weaving his way in :10 seconds flat. Wow. The MSU defense played much better than anyone could have hoped for. Only giving up 422 yards to the Wildcats is amazing -- and just 75 yards from Damien Anderson. Josh Thornhill played arguably his best game as a Spartan linebacker, bottling up Anderson from the start. The penalties were more under control than in the first two games (except for the unfortunate unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after the Haygood TD which made the extra point a long FG. Schafer put an extra effort into the kick and drove it into the line.. that cost MSU overtime), with Northwestern actually committing more -- 13 for 105 yards -- compared to MSU's 9 for 66. MSU needs to find a way to get the ball into the end zone. Putting Damien Dowdell into the game as a running threat with the triple-I formation was brilliant, and led to MSU's last offensive TD just before half. Throughout the game the Spartan faithful kept yelling "we need points," but the offense just couldn't deliver. Now, we all can lay blame on Schafer for missing three FGs and a PAT, but should the offense have had to settle for that each time? No. Plus, Van Dyke threw an INT early in the game deep in Cat territory. That's four drives within the Wildcat 30-yard line that came up empty. Ouch. Bottom line is: optimism. Northwestern is a very good team and will continue to contend for the Big 10 title. In reality, MSU is much too talented to end up 5-6 or worse. The Spartans should be able to beat up on Iowa, Minnesota, Indiana, Purdue, and Penn State. MSU should also be competitive with the best teams remaining on its schedule: home vs. Michigan and at Wisconsin. That's a 7-4 or 8-3 season, minimum. The timing of this bye week is good. Iowa, which stands at 3-0, looks to be the most improved team in the league. Giving MSU gridders two weeks to prepare should give us an advantage against a Hawkeye club that hung on to win vs. lowly Penn State. I'd expect a big Spartan victory in two weeks. Until then, let's drop the puck and play hockey!
The Sloth agrees that the Big Green has got some kick-ass talent after witnessing the game on the boob-tube... (10/1/01)--I'm wondering if the Enlightened Spartan is even going to bother with a column this week?!?!?! So you thought you were a believer, huh? Well, lemme tell you this... After
Saturday's game, I must admit I am becoming a believer in ole' Coach W
myself, and here's why. Sure, our kickers cost us the game. Sure, we only
had ten players on the field for the Hail Mary and were totally unprepared.
Sure, it looks like Coach W is jinxed in the worst way. Sure, we've got
a T.J.
Duckett, Charles Rogers, B.J. Lovett, Damon Dowdell, Eric Knott and Herb
Haygood. Alright, so he inherited Duckett and Haygood, but they were still
his recruits. Each of those 6 players has the talent to win a game by
themselves at their respective positions. Most of the teams State will
play It's
true, NW outcoached State on Saturday, and were clearly the better kicking
team. But I don't think there can be any doubt at all that State was clearly
the more talented team. And I think that the season will show - SOOOO...when Coach W learns to actually coach a whole game (which I think in time he will), AND when we lose the last vestiges of the Saban era (and that guy truly is jinxed), I think State has some real National Championship talent and momentum going. After all, Saban ruined Van Dyke, but the last 2 weeks he has actually shown that he could have been (and could still be) a damn fine Big 11 QB given the proper coaching. All in all, in fact, I think we're well on our way to my original prediction - that 2002 will indeed by the Year of the Smoker (or at least the Year of the Big Green)... (9/24/01) - OK, I'm a believer. I said coach Williams would have to prove me wrong and he did just that on Saturday with a convincing 17-10 thumping of ND in South Bend. I'm the first to admit I have been pretty harsh on coach Williams -- and I feel rightfully so, with all the mistakes MSU has made dating back to last season. But, no longer. I'm now on the Williams bandwagon. The Spartans played a stronger, more convincing game vs ND this year than they did the past two years in its victories. The score should have been much worse... lucky for ND. Five in a row. Kick-ass! Michigan State was very well prepared for its contest at ND this past weekend. The Spartan coaching staff put together a solid game plan that relied on our strengths and corrected virtually all of the mistakes we had in our opener vs. Central Michigan. MSU looked like a completely different team than two weeks ago. Maybe the extra week helped MSU more than it helped the Irish. Let's take a look at what helped MSU to victory: No turnovers, and forcing two from the Irish. Just three sacks against MSU (read: solid OL play), with three sacks by the big Green (and a much Spartan better pass rush throughout). On nine punts, a 49.8-yard average with a pair of 71-yarders; and, no punts blocked! Rogers emerging as a big-play threat with the winning TD and 116 yards on four catches. Incredible pass defense, giving up just 124 yards through the air. And, great QB leadership -- especially from Van Dyke, who arguably had his best game of his career. The negatives: MSU had just one major negative on Saturday, but something which is very correctible -- 14 penalties, ouch. The only ND points came on a six-yard drive following a 53-yard punt return. Very solid MSU defense. MSU just looked very prepared on the field, although the penalty situation will need to be improved. MSU mixed up its plays nicely, and even though Duckett had only 71 yards, much of that can be contributed to a solid ND defensive line -- the best part of the Irish team. Coach Williams needed to make many adjustments following its mistaken-riddled victory over CMU and addressed nearly all of them with resounding success vs. Notre Dame. The punting game was very, very impressive and the offensive line held its own. Van Dyke had just enough time to find his receivers. The winning TD was a beauty: throwing to Rogers directly into the teeth of an Irish blitz. You would have thought the Irish would have learned by now; that's three years in a row MSU has won on a last second pass thrown into a blitz. Funniest play: absolutely the most pathetic fake field goal I have ever seen. Labinjo hit Setta (ND kicker) so fast after he took the handoff, it looked ridiculous -- I just can't believe ND has that in its playbook. Anyhow, congratulations to coach Williams and the Spartans for having MSU very well prepared. Now, MSU moves from a good ND team to a great Northwestern team -- a Wildcat team that I have picked to win the Big Ten title. State's vaunted passing defense will get its stiffest test of the season next weekend. Now, we shall see how coach W prepares MSU for the spread offense that whooped us in East Lansing last year. I predict he will get the job done. I believe it and I believe in him. (9/21/01)--You call yourself a Fighting Irish fan. You consider yourself one of the ND elite. You wear that #3 ND football jersey with pride. You say that ND has the greatest football team on earth. Even after MSU pounded ND 45-23 in Spartan Stadium in 1998, you stated that ND would "kick State's ass anytime." You continue to mouth off that the Irish can whip any team on any given day. The Irish can't be touched, you say. Bernie, you say Saturday will be a day of reckoning for the Irish. The Spartans don't have a chance on Saturday, right Bernie? Let's talk about reality: Bernie, you've never been to Notre Dame. You've never been to Indiana. Bernie, you've never been further east than Lake Tahoe, California. Hell, Bernie, you've never even been to college. Matter of fact, the closest thing to college you've been is the Flat Iron bar in San Mateo, California, a good 20 miles from Sonoma State University. If you wanted, you couldn't get into Notre Dame if you tried. For that matter, Bernie, Michigan State wouldn't accept you. Bernie, you want more reality? You've never even been to a college football game. The best you can manage is high school. What do you really know about football anyways... Let me tell you a little about Notre Dame football: 1997 - MSU 23, at Notre Dame 7. 1998 - at MSU 45, Notre Dame 23. 1999 - MSU 23, at Notre Dame 13. 2000 - at MSU 27, Notre Dame 21. That's four in a row, Bernie. Michigan State is one of only two schools to ever defeat Notre Dame five or more years in a row, and the Big Green is about to do it again. Bernie, what did Bob Davie say this week: "I think we're closing the talent gap on Michigan State." Thinking that your closing the talent gap is not exactly a resounding statement of support for your team. On Saturday, the Irish are gonna be smashed in the mouth by an awesome rushing performance from TJ Duckett and a high-flying aerial show from Smoker to Rodgers and Lovett. The trio of Irish quarterbacks are all 2000-era Ryan Van Dykes: they can't run, they can't throw, and they can't think. Watch them blow the game again. Bernie, you can have your Touchdown Jesus. After, Saturday, you and the rest of the Irish faithful are gonna need it. Call it MSU 23, ND 21. (9/17/01)--After such a terrible and disastrous week in the US, now it's time for MSU football to get back to work and prepare for the Fighting Irish. ND was listed as an early 9-point favorite on Saturday. How does postponing the Missouri game affect MSU? Did it help or hurt? Well, there are a few ways to look at it. First off, all college football games were cancelled, so each team is in the same scheduling situation (unless a team had a bye week, anyhow. That was not the case for any teams on MSU's schedule). Second, having an extra week should fine-tune MSU (and any other team) that much more... the Spartans should be much more prepared for Notre Dame, with the coaching staff having an extra three days to prepare (and vice versa with ND preparing for MSU). However, I view this as hurting MSU. Both MSU and Notre Dame played poorly in their season openers: MSU defeated a clearly inferior CMU squad, while ND was soundly beaten by a superior Nebraska team. Problem being, if you saw both games, the Irish were more organized, more prepared to play football in their loss than was MSU in its win. The Big Green has much more work to accomplish and correct than the Irish. MSU has not played a worthy opponent (CMU), while ND has played arguably the most worthy opponent (Nebraska). ND has had its measuring-stick game, while this will be a measuring-stick game for MSU. A game vs. Missouri (of which MSU should have been able to win) would help test the improvements that MSU needs to make, and how much further it needs to fine-tune its game for ND. There was room for error vs. Missouri. That will not be the case in South Bend. If MSU has even one kick blocked, or mismanages its timeouts, or receives a delay-of-game penalty in a critical moment, it could cost the team the game. That is a far cry and a lot of work from its ugly performance vs the Chippewas. All being said, I expect coach Williams to make many of these adjustments. I expect all the plays to be called in a timely basis, and for a solid game plan to be put in place for once. I will give coach Williams the benefit of the doubt. MSU has defeated ND four years in a row, and lining up on the gridiron, MSU has more talent and should make it five in a row. Let's just hope the team is organized and prepared. (9/10/01)--If you picked up the Lansing State Journal on Sunday and read the bit about MSU, you would figure that everything isn't in such bad shape in MSU's camp, no? I mean, the paper discusses miscues (specifically the four blocked punts) in brief, but not much other in-depth analysis on MSU. You figured, well there's enough to work on for next week, but we came out with a win, right? Well, coach Bobby Williams solidified his position on Saturday of being the WORST coach in the Big Ten (X's and O's). If you were in Spartan stadium on Saturday, you saw probably the most disorganized football team in history. I thought I was watching a Pee-Wee game, how the game was handled on a coaching level. After having a punt blocked in the first half, a decent coaching staff would make it a priority at halftime to analyze and make adjustments to ensure this doesn't happen again... a blocked kick can and should be a major turning point of the game. So what happened in the second half? Three more blocked punts. All of the offsides, substitution timeouts (you'd think it was basketball, how coach W uses timeouts), false starts..... urrgh! It's maddening. Coach doesn't know what plays to call or who to get on the field half the time. There had to have been a dozen miscues along these lines all together. When the plays did come in to the game in the second half, there was hardly any time to get them off and absolutely no time for the team to get set or for the QBs to audible. Poor, poor preparation. What irks me the most is that the coaching staff does not call plays to set them up for the future. It seemeds as if they see who is on the field for CMU defensively and then try to call a play. Very VERY unprofessional coaching. A professional, successful coaching staff has situations built into their playbook and is prepared to call specific plays under specific circumstances, with little time wasted... and to then pull a surprise play at other phases in the game by going against their earlier tendencies. Instead, MSU seems to be running sandlot football. Or, should I call it "SandLOST" football. Don't see this out of Lloyd Carr's camp in Ann Arbor, I guarantee that. If this continues, MSU is looking at a 1-10 season. Good think we were playing the Chips. If it was Notre Dame, we'd have lost 49-0. Coach Williams, it is time to get organized and get your house in order. The defense played reasonably well I thought, but the offense had no continuity to it and no game plan. And the special teams, well, they weren't special. It leads me to ponder if coach is even QUALIFIED to be a head coach... he just seems lost out there. Hey, don't get me wrong it could have been worse, we could have lost. Or have we already?
CHock anchors the California and West Coast MSU Spartan cheer sectionn... More of a MSU basketball fanatic (who can blame him), C is aiming to center his work schedule of gigs so as to fly in from the wine country around Spartan home Saturdays. Now, that's dedication, and a great way to use the company dime... (9/6/01)--I
thought I hated the banality of the George Perles football teams. An early
loss to Notre Dame, unimaginative play calling, a victory over Michigan
once every third year, and a 7-4 season (give or take a win or loss) followed
by a decent but not a new years day bowl game were as common as Bill Bonds
taking a nip from the bottle before the 11PM newscast. At least you knew
people were going to get hit hard. But last years performance by a Spartan
squad is as embarrassing as when Perles tried to make his grab at the
AD spot. ES
Column: State to open up a can of whoop-ass on Saturday (9/3/01)--Just five days to kickoff!! Back from the long Labor Day layoff, the Enlighten | |
Column
Archive 2001
