Spartans vs Hoosiers (Spartans send a message)

The Spartans sent a message to every so called Basketball analyst who forgot to rank the Spartans in the Top 25.

The message is…Tom Izzo is still coaching in East Lansing…and the story line is the Spartans beat the previously unbeaten Hoosiers 80-65. Yep, the same Hoosiers who previously beat #1 Kentucky. It’s amazing isn’t it? Tom Izzo has been to 42 Final Fours in the past 15 years (minor embellishment) and yet the so called experts overlooked the Spartans as if Izzo was an unknown.

In reality, Izzo has 14 consecutive NCAA appearances including 6 Final Fours and a National title and yet…because the Spartans had an ‘off year’ last year (17-13 overall…9-9 Big Ten)…due to an avalanche of unusual off court issues…the so called experts made a determination that the Spartan program had run off the rails and wasn’t deserving of a Top 25 ranking. Really? It’s a perfect reminder…don’t listen to the so called experts because they don’t know a Basketball (or Football) from a Bocce Ball.

Anyhow, the Spartans are 12-2…they have won 12 consecutive games and manhandled a resurgent Hoosier team 80-65. Let’s take a look at the stats:

8 players logged double digit minutes…while the two Bigs (Nix & Payne) got 22 points and 7 boards…Appling got 25 from the point and 7 assists…Brandon Wood (Sr Transfer) got 13 points and two blocks… and Draymond Green got 11 points, 7 boards and 2 blocks. Bottom line…the Spartans outshot the Hoosiers 55% to 42%...won the battle of the boards 33 to 31…had 6 Blocks…and 17 points from the stripe! Not a bad day at the office!

I wrote this memo prior to the game:

In terms of an early season measuring stick…I am interested to see how the Spartans fare vs Indiana tonight. Prior to the last two (non conference) games I predicted the Spartans would finish #3 in the Big Ten but now…now I’m prepared to tweak my assessment and elevate the Spartans to…let’s just say…north of #3.

In my opinion, the character and chemistry that were missing last year have resurfaced in profusion. Moreover, Branden Dawson (Freshman); Travis Trice (Freshman); Brandon Wood (Sr transfer) are finding a comfort level and add a unique level of athleticism and character. I like this team…a lot. This team is vastly improved over the Spartan team that commenced the season on the USS Carl Vinson.

I will withhold my prediction until after the game but…if the Spartans perform like I anticipate…then I think the sky is the limit.

OK…the game is over…and the Spartans did exactly what I thought they would do…the Spartans dominated Indiana. The Spartans built an 18 point lead in the first half…then Indiana whittled away at the lead and eventually the Spartans fell behind by 9 points early in the second half…but the Spartans regained their composure…and with a trademark Defensive effort…the Spartans dominated the last 10 minutes of the game and beat Indiana by 15 points!

The season is young but you heard it here first…barring unforeseen injuries…the Spartans are headed for a remarkable season!!!

Urban Meyer 'kicks off' by stealing recruit from Spartans!

Here’s an interesting item that appeared in the news today (scroll down)!

Most schools are relegated to one coaching staff but…for some reason…the Ohio State Buckeyes get to utilize the services of two coaching staffs: The Luke Fickell staff is preparing the Buckeyes to play Florida in the Gator Bowl on January 2, 2012…while the Buckeyes second coaching staff…under the direction of Urban Meyer…travel the country recruiting athletes.

Just a question…how many coaching staffs does a university get to deploy?

The Dantonio administration has yet to make a comment on this situation…and more than likely, Dantonio won’t render a statement because it’s not his style. But let’s be clear…the Dantonio administration has, for all practical purposes, lost zero ‘verbal commits’ during his tenure due to an implicit understanding with each recruit.

Each recruit must ‘Camp’ in East Lansing during the summer and then each recruit must have at least one official visit on campus during the school year. Dantonio then meets with the parents or guardians of each recruit and repeatedly tells said recruit (in so many words): this is a cooperative agreement. We promise you a quarter of a million dollars in education in exchange for your commitment so, don’t come to Michigan State if you are unprepared to matriculate for 5 years…earn a degree…become a member of the community…become a member of the team…and become a responsible citizen. In brief…if you’re uncertain about coming to Michigan State under those conditions…then don’t come to Michigan State!

I’m not suggesting Se’Von Pittman would be anything other than a model recruit but I am curious how Urban Meyer has the luxury of ‘free range’ recruiting…without the pressure of game preparation. How is it that Urban Meyer is able to recruit players while another coach prepares the Buckeyes for a game? And this just in…Urban Meyer just broke the ‘unspoken’ law of Big Ten recruiting…that is…Meyer broke the unwritten agreement to refrain from soliciting the services of recruits who are verbally committed to another Big Ten university. For the record, Meyer has captured agreements from two recruits in the past two days: one each from Penn State and Michigan State respectively.

Here’s a word of caution to Urban Meyer: while you have been recruiting Utah (and the west) and Florida (and the southeast) during the past 10 years, the Dantonio coaching administration has collectively been recruiting Ohio and the Midwest for more than 30 years. In that regard, the Spartans broke down the Ohio/Michigan recruiting border during the Tressel administration and currently have 25 players on a 105 man roster that includes only 4 Seniors (and more are on their way). So, is stealing Spartan players your first order of business? Is that how you intend to commence your Coaching tenure?

To my Ohio State friends…I thought the Buckeyes were trying to resolve the issues of questionable ethics…so much for the integrity of Urban Meyer! If Meyer chooses to play outside the white lines…so be it…regardless, the Spartans will continue to play the game between the White Lines and look forward to offering an official Spartan welcome to Urban Meyer when he visits East Lansing on Saturday afternoon, September 29, 2012  (said with a smile) and a Big Ten Victory in mind!

1.   Recruiting: Urban Meyer steals Se'Von Pittman from Spartans

Big Ten, welcome Urban Meyer.

The newly-appointed Ohio State coach made the first impact move of his tenure in Columbus on Monday, when he lured former Michigan State commit Se’Von Pittman from the Spartans, according to Bill Greene of Scout.com.

Greene tweeted the news of Pittman’s commitment switch.

Pittman, who hails from Canton McKinley High School in Canton, Ohio, is Scout.com’s No. 9 ranked defensive end.

He committed to MSU over the summer but now is Ohio State’s 18th verbal commitment of the 2012 class and the second since Meyer took the helm.

Outback gets B1G's best!

The Outback Bowl doesn’t get to pick first amongst Bowl selectors but the Outback Bowl arguably got the Big Ten’s best team…and arguably the Big Ten’s best show.

I won’t spell it out, but strength of schedule is a good place to start. Tell me the last time a Big Ten team beat Ohio State, Michigan and Wisconsin in consecutive weeks? The answer is…you have to back to 1776 or just before the revolutionary war to find the last team to accomplish that feat…and talk about strength of schedule…the magnitude is tantamount to Chief Pontiac, warrior chief of the Ottawa’s who proudly defeated the British and then the French and humbly informed them…this land belongs to the Ottawa’s (said with smile from my home in Pontiac).

And don’ forget the Big Ten’s best record. The Spartans earned the Big Ten’s best record for the second consecutive year…and by that measure…and according to historical format…the Michigan State Spartans are your Big Ten Champion. But that was then and this is now and the Outback Bowl gets the Big Ten’s rising star…and college Football’s best theatre.

The Outback Bowl gets a veritable highlight reel dressed in Spartan Green & White when you consider…“Little Giants” (faked Field Goal for victory)…”Mousetrap” (faked Punt for victory)…the “Rocket” (Hail Mary for victory) and who can forget a blocked punt and a blocked Field Goal in the same night against Wisconsin on October 22…but most recently the Spartans added a little more ‘show time’ with stunning football execution via an improvised ‘lateral’ from Keith Nichol to BJ Cunningham to ‘underscore’ a stunning Touchdown in the inaugural Big Ten Championship game.

And, speaking of the Big Ten Championship game, let’s talk about that game with the benefit of a ‘long lens’ and less emotion.

If you’re reading this thru ‘green & white’ lenses then the Spartan loss to Wisconsin was disappointing but there is no shame…because the Spartans played like the Champions they have become. As you recall, I didn’t predict a Spartan victory but I did declare the Spartans were statistical favorites to win the Big Ten Championship game…and in that context, I was correct.

Moreover, I called…nonsense…on the so called experts who casually installed the Badgers as 9 ½ to 10 point favorites. Hey ‘odds-makers’…maybe you didn’t get the news…the Spartans won the first game on October 22!!! Anyhow, without equivocation, the Spartans won the game of Statistics but lost the game of miscues. The Spartans played well enough to win…they acquitted themselves like Champions…but give Wisconsin credit…the Spartan Defense gave the Badgers fits all night’ but Wisconsin was able to hold on…and hang a ‘W’ with a little help from the Spartans.

Here are the numbers: The Spartans held the Badgers to 126 yards rushing (or 120 below their average) and rendered the ‘unstoppable’ Montee Ball…‘stoppable’…in the second half (137 total…but less than 35 in 2^nd half) and turned Montee Ball into a passer and receiver in lieu of a running back…but, in total, the Spartans held the Badgers to 345 yards total offense (132 yards below their season average).

Moreover, the Spartan Defense had Russell Wilson on the run for most of the game…sacked Wilson 3 times, humbled his running game and held the ‘unstoppable’ Russell Wilson to minus 5 yards (-5) on 7 rushing attempts and further held Wilson to 187 yards passing compared to his season average of 221. So, with the exception of two ‘gut wrenching’ “Transcontinental” passes (an endearing football term from my era) that seemingly floated in the air for nigh on 60 seconds before they found their target…the Spartans did virtually everything needed to win.

Moreover, the Spartans rang the bell for 471 yards of Offense (88 over their average) at 7.4 Yds a clip…rattled off 190 earth rattling rushing yards (51 more than their average)…and struck through the air for an aerial assault of 281yards (37 more than their average). So, by any measure, the Spartans won the statistical battle (471 to 345) but unfortunately lost the battle of miscues…and thereby lost the game on the scoreboard.

But the BCS won’t share these ‘stats’ with you because they ‘pick and choose’ the stats to best tell their story. They will conveniently forget to tell you the Spartans lead this ‘so called’ mismatch from the 10:21 mark of the 2^nd Qtr through the 3:34 mark of the 4^th Qtr and that translates to 36 minutes and 36 seconds. Not bad for a team who was supposed to lose by 10 points.

And, let’s not forget, everyone outside of East Lansing was pulling for a Badger victory because it would enable the BCS to send ‘pre addressed’ invitations to ‘pre arranged’ Bowl selections…not to mention the so called experts who picked Wisconsin to ‘run away’ with the Big Ten Championship prior to the season…and the same experts who picked Nebraska to ‘run away’ with the Legends Division…unfortunately, they didn’t count on the Spartans to spoil their party by earning the best record in the Big Ten for the second consecutive year.

Nevertheless, the next challenge awaits the Spartans. The Spartans earn an opportunity to play Georgia (10-2 and 7-1 SEC) in the Outback Bowl. Georgia lost ‘back to back’ games to Boise State and then South Carolina to start the season but then rattled off 10 consecutive victories until they finally lost to LSU 42-10 in SEC Championship game. Georgia now owns the #3 ranked Defense in the country displacing the Spartan ‘D’ who fell to #5…while the Bulldogs own the #39 ranked offense in the country compared to the Spartans who are ranked #60. Advantage Georgia? Not so fast.

I’ll break down each team and give you my prediction in the week prior to the Outback Bowl but if you’re awaiting the Spartans to fall off the radar in 2012 (like so many experts do…at least those who don’t do their homework)…here’s a teaser…the Spartans return 20 of their Top 22 Defensive players and the Spartans will also return 13 of their Top 22 on the Offensive Depth Chart while bringing in a ‘3’ deep QB roster including an Elite 11 QB who has been ‘quietly’ learning his craft in the Spartan system for the past two years.

So, to all the pundits who have predicted the collapse of the Spartans for 5 consecutive years…sorry to disappoint…because the numbers say something else…and don’t wait for the Spartans to go away anytime soon because the Depth Charts suggest the Spartans are just getting started…sorry!

And to the BCS who overlooked the Spartans in favor of teams with weaker strength of schedule and less wins over ranked teams…that’s OK…the Spartans will take their college football show to a venue who appreciates great college football. And one last item, to the guys adorned in BCS Blue Blazers…you may not be able to find East Lansing on the map…and you may not like the fact the Spartans are spoiling your old boy cocktail parties…but student/athletes (recruits) are turning their compass toward East Lansing!

Hey BCS…maybe you should visit East Lansing some time (said with a smile).

Spartans vs Badgers (all you need to know)

In spite of the odds (the Spartans are 9.5 point underdogs)…the Spartans will reluctantly take the field against the ‘mighty’ Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday night!

I say reluctantly (with a smile) because according to the ‘so called’ analysts…the Spartans don’t have a chance. I guess the analysts are getting all their information from ‘On-Wisconsin.com’ because according to the analyst, the Spartans will be unable to stop Russell Wilson and moreover, they don’t have any chance of stopping Montee Ball…do they? Let’s be fair…both Wilson & Ball are good players…but come on, I guess the analyst didn’t watch the first meeting and/or forgot to look at the stats…or I guess it doesn’t matter because they have already anointed the Badgers as Champions!

But, I don’t listen to the Analysts because they don’t do their homework, and in this case, I don’t intend to bypass the numbers because the numbers tell the truth…so let’s take a look.

To start, the Spartans had the best record in the Big Ten for the second consecutive year and the analysts have also conveniently forgotten the Spartans beat Wisconsin in the first meeting and dominated the game when you consider the Badgers were trailing 31-17 with only 8 minutes remaining. By the way, the Spartans have won 3 of the last 4 and each of the last two against Wisconsin. That’s OK…the Spartans don’t need the love of the public or the love of the analysts. The Spartans will play the game as they always do…and simply let the pads do the talking!

I’m not a fan of revisionist history…so let’s take a look at the ’actual’ stats compiled during the game on Oct 22.

The game started with the Spartans ‘relinquishing’ 7 points to the Badgers 4 minutes into the game. It was a nice drive so give the Badgers credit. Then, on the first series after the ensuing Kick Off, the Spartans committed an unlikely fumble by ‘sure handed’ Edwin Baker in their Red Zone. Not a good spot or a good time for a fumble. From that spot, let’s just say the Spartans graciously granted the Badgers another 7 points and the Badgers lead 14-0 with only 7:12 off the clock. Good for Wisconsin, but the score was less about Badger execution and more about Spartan miscues. At any measure, the score was 14-0 but that was the end of Badger scoring for the next 37 minutes.

In the 2^nd Qtr the Badgers lost yardage and were ‘pushed back’ to the two yard line and on the next play… in the face of heavy pressure, Russell Wilson was flagged for Intentional Grounding from the End Zone and the Spartans got 2 points for a Safety.

The Spartans scored the next 23 unanswered points resulting from four different scores: a ‘Safety’…a 34 yard TD run by Keshawn Martin…a 35 Yard pass from Kirk Cousins to BJ Cunningham…and a blocked punt that was recovered in the End Zone for a TD by Bennie Fowler (Nice job Spartan Special Teams). Bottom line, the Spartans sprinted to a commanding 23-14 halftime lead. Carving off 30+ yards at a crack…does that translate to superior Spartan team speed? You be the judge!

In the 3^rd Qtr, Wisconsin finally got on the board for the first time since the 7:42 mark of the first half and kicked a FG at the 8:29 mark of the 3^rd Qtr. What does that mean? It means the Badgers hardly came out for the Second Half with guns blazing! After the FG, the score was 23-17 in favor of the Spartans! Then back come the Spartans!

To start the 4^th Qtr, the Spartans scored on a pass from Cousins to Keshawn Martin  and then Cousins converted a Two Point conversion on a pass to BJ Cunningham and the score was 31-17 in favor of the Spartans. Along the way the Spartans blocked a FG nevertheless the Badgers scored at the 8:10 mark…and finally scored again at the 1:26 mark of the 4^th Qtr while the Spartans were deployed in ‘Prevent Defense’. Game tied 31-31.

And, you know the rest…with 1:26 remaining, the Spartans methodically moved the ball down the field…the Spartans had the Badgers ‘back pedaling’ in Prevent Defense…and then the Spartans methodically threw up the ‘Rocket’ for a game ending TD. Luck? You create luck. The Spartan line had to block…Cousins had arguably and hour to set up and throw the pass…and three receivers stood ready in the End Zone. But, let’s not forget the placement of the pass. If three Spartan receivers (Cunningham, Sims & Nichol) were intended to form a ‘Bullseye’ in the End Zone…then the ball was placed ‘spot’ on target…directly in the middle of the Bullseye. Luck? How many teams could efficiently set up the play and methodically execute with seconds clicking off the clock?

Anyhow, as it relates to time of possession, the Spartans allowed the Badgers a total of 28 minutes and considering that Wisconsin had the ball for the first 7:12 of the 1^st Qtr…it means the Badgers only had possession for approx 21 minutes for the balance of the game.

Prior to this game, the Badgers were averaging 50.17 points per game and more than 523 yards per game but the Badgers were discombobulated by the Spartan Defense. The Spartans forced Russell Wilson into 6 huge mistakes…a Safety…3 Sacks…and two Interceptions.

Are the Interceptions important? Yes indeed. Considering that Russell Wilson had only thrown 1 Interception thru the first 6 games but was forced to throw two Interceptions under heavy pressure is huge statement. Moreover, the Spartans blocked a FG and a Punt. And, in summary, the Spartans held the Badgers to 19 points less than their 50 point average (on that date) and 80 yards less than their 523 yard average (on that date) and the Spartans did that without William Gholston their prodigious 6’7” 280# Defensive End. I may have ‘green & white’ lenses but, that hardly sounds to me like a Spartan team that got pushed around by the Badgers. And, oh by the way, the Spartan have won 3 of the last 4 meetings against Wisconsin including the last two. 10 point Underdogs? Really???

Here are the Stats:

Off Plays:             Wisconsin 62…Spartans 63

Rushing:               Wisconsin 220…Spartans 109

Passing:                Wisconsin 223…Spartans 290

Ttl Off:                  Wisconsin 443…Spartans 399

Ints’:                      Wisconsin 2…Spartans 0 (Spartans forced Russell Wilson into 6 huge mistakes…a Safety…3 Sacks…and two Int’s)

Penalties:            Wisconsin 6-40…Spartans 0-0 (not bad for a so called ‘dirty team’

Possession:        Wisconsin 28:29…Spartans 31:31

*Indicates disadvantage

Bottom line:

A lot will be written about Russell Wilson and his ability to ‘break down’ Defenses but, let’s be honest…the Spartans have played an impressive cadre of mobile (and elusive) QB’s including Braxton Miller (OSU), Denard Robinson (UM) and Taylor Martinez (Nebraska) and the advantage has gone to the Spartan Defense each and every time. As it relates to Defensive Deployment, the Spartans have filled the gaps and sealed the edges thereby limiting the opportunities for ‘break away’ QB’s (to ‘break away’) and in so doing, the Spartans have piled up an enormous number of sacks…tackles for loss…Interception…and stopping the run.

Want an example? The Spartans held Denard Robinson (and Devin Gardner) to 27 yards rushing (Robinson 42 & Gardner minus -15)…including 7 sacks… while limiting Robinson to 9 completions on 24 attempts (37%) and 1 interception. Want another example? The Spartans held Braxton Miller (and Joe Bauserman) of OSU to (-43…that is minus 43) yards rushing…9 sacks and 1 Interception. Moreover, the Spartans held OSU to a meager 35 rushing yards. Let me get this straight. In three consecutive weeks, the Spartans got 19 sacks versus Ohio State (9), Michigan (7) and Wisconsin (3)…so is that an anomaly or a great Defense?

Are we supposed to think the Spartans will suddenly be incapable of getting to the Quarterback? Are we supposed to think that Russell Wilson will suddenly ‘run wild’ when others couldn’t? Here’s a thought. The Spartans only got 3 Sacks vs Wisconsin compared to 9 & 7 for OSU and UM respectively. But, William Gholston missed the Wisconsin game but he will return for this game. All I can say is…look out Russell Wilson!

By the way, I haven’t noticed the ‘so called’ experts point out any of these facts…do they read the stats before they make their predictions? Presumably not!

As it relates to Wisconsin running game, everyone is raving about Montee Ball and, to be fair, Montee Ball is a gifted running back but, he didn’t frighten the Spartans in the first meeting and he won’t frighten the Spartans in the Championship game. In the first game, the Spartan ‘D’ filled the ‘Gaps’ and limited Montee Ball to 115 yards (or 20 yards below his average).

So, as we approach this game…let’s remember, the Spartans are the #3 ranked Defense in the country for a reason (only Alabama and LSU rank higher)…they only allow 100 yards rushing per game and when you add the Spartans  ‘Big & Fast’ Defensive secondary who allow less than 164 yards per game…it’s hard to fathom the Spartans are 10 point Underdogs.

Is it possible to win by 10? Of course. It’s possible for either of these teams to win by 10 points but installing the Badgers as 10 point favorites is an incredible lack of analytics and an incredible measure of disrespect in my mind. Wisconsin is a fine team…give them credit…but historically they have proven they do not comfortably wear the mantel of ‘Road Warriors. They dominate in their domain in Madison but falter on the road…and where is this game being played? The game will be played on the road in Indianapolis and the Spartans are the Home team. And, did I mention the Spartans have won 3 of the last 4 games including the last two?

I won’t predict the score and I won’t predict the winner…but the numbers speak for themselves and in that context the Spartans are the statistical favorites to win the ‘first ever’ Big Ten Championship game! Enjoy the game…I’ll be there!

Thanks for reading!

Memo to BCS: This just in...Spartans capture Big Ten best Record

Dear BCS, Pundits and Football Analysts,

I know you are busy at this time of the year feeding data into your respective computers but, this just came in: The Michigan State Spartans achieved the Big Ten’s best record for the second consecutive year.

Perhaps you overlooked that fact based upon the articles I read. Also, I apologize in advance because this is a long memo but, there are a few things I want to share with all. After all, it’s probably difficult for you to keep track of all this data, but in 2010, the Spartans achieved a 7-1 Big Ten record and shared that record with Wisconsin and Ohio State. You remember don’t you…Wisconsin was chosen for the Rose Bowl and Ohio State was selected as an ‘at large’ BCS Bowl…while the 11-1 Spartans were shunned by the BCS. You remember don’t you? You remember the Spartans beat Wisconsin but Wisconsin went to the Rose Bowl? That’s OK…no offense…we’re not complaining.

But something funny happened this year…there were no teams to share the Big Ten title (or, I mean share the best Big Ten regular season record). I know you expected the Spartans to fall off the rails this year (everyone did) but, sorry to disappoint. The Spartans repeated this year with a 7-1 Big Ten record while Wisconsin dropped to 6-2 and Ohio State dropped to 3-5. And, I know you will ask about the other Big Ten teams such as UM, Penn State, and, of course Big Ten newcomer Nebraska. You remember Nebraska? They were chosen as ‘run away’ favorites to win the Legends Division this year, but Nebraska didn’t run away. How did that happen? Did the analyst really look at the racing form or did they simply bet on the color of the silks? Anyhow, check it out…here are the cumulative records of the Big Ten’s power programs for the past two years:

1.       Spartans                              14-2 (88%)

2.       Wisconsin                            13-3 (81%)

3.       Nebraska                             5-3 (63%)…one year record

4.       OSU                                       10-6 (63%)

5.       Penn State                          10-6 (63%)

6.       UM                                        9-7 (56%)                            

Yes, I know there have been distractions and organizational changes at a few programs such as Penn State, Ohio State and UM to name a few…and let me say, I feel their pain. After all, we’re Michigan State…who has had more organizational upheaval than MSU over the past 40 years? But, let’s be honest, no one worried about the Spartans upheavals in the past because opponents were content to steal a ‘W’ and laugh after the game. And to those who lament that things have not been so good at their respective ‘U’ due to organizational changes and adversity, then welcome to the Spartans world prior to Mark Dantonio (said with a smile).

At any measure, you win what you win (right BCS?)…and you lose what you lose….or, more concisely…in the inimitable words of Bill Parcells…’you are what your record says you are’. So, does that mean the Spartans are an automatic lock for a BCS Bowl? Not so fast according to the BCS Rankings!

Seemingly the BCS prefer a more esoteric means of determining BCS rankings than simply looking at ‘won/lost’ records. In that context, I hate to review minutia but, humor me for a moment…let’s take a look at comparative victories. That’s the way you do it, right BCS?. So here’s a look. Penn State beat opposing teams with a cumulative Big Ten record of 33%... Wisconsin and Michigan beat teams with cumulative Big Ten records of 39%...(all of this seems meaningless to me but, keep in mind, these are BCS rules) while the Huskers fared the best because, the Huskers beat teams with a cumulative Big Ten record of 55%. Wow…nice job Nebraska…if only you didn’t lose three games…or said another way…Welcome to the Big Ten.

And, how about Big Ten losses?.

I know you have those sophisticated BCS Computers and I know this computation is low level Calculus for the BCS but, the Spartans only had one Big Ten loss compared to two losses for Wisconsin, Michigan and Penn State and, of course our new friends in Lincoln lost three. Sorry, I didn’t mention the Buckeyes…they lost 5. Anyhow, the Spartans ‘signature’ loss came on the road at Nebraska…Michigan lost on the road at MSU and at 4-4 Iowa…Penn State lost at home to Nebraska and on the road at Wisconsin…Wisconsin lost on the road to the Spartans (we’ll come back to that later) and they lost on the road at 3-5 OSU (is this clear as mud?) and, of course, Nebraska lost at Wisconsin…then lost at home to 3-5 Northwestern and then lost at Michigan!

So, what does all of this say? It says there is incredible parity and balance within the Big Ten and with the greatest of respect to Bo & Woody, those days are over! Welcome to the new Big Ten spelled B1G because here is the new lineup of coaches: Bielema; Dantonio; Ferentz; Fitzgerald; Hoke; and Pellini. And it would be unwise to overlook Danny Hope at Purdue or Jerry Kill at Minnesota. And, good luck to you Urban Meyer…you’ll need it!

So, when you run all of these discombobulated stats and information through the BCS computers, what answers do you get?

Let me help you out. You should get the following information. You should come to the conclusion that the Spartans achieved the best Big Ten record for the second consecutive year…the Spartans took care of business at home (14-0 for past two years)…played 4 (and beat 3) of the other Top 5 teams in the Big Ten…and achieved the most consistency over the past two years. But, there is no gloating about success in East Lansing because the Spartans take full accountability for each and every painful loss over the past 40 years (in fact, we’re reminded about our historical ups and downs by each football analyst and with each BCS vote)…right BCS?

But, if the Spartans humbly take accountability for their historical losses…then on the other hand, the Spartans are unabashedly unapologetic for taking pride as it relates to climbing the Big Ten mountain when no one said we could…against the cynics…against all odds…against all skeptics…against all pundits…against the odds makers…against the ‘so called’ Football analysts…and against the BCS.

Let’s remember, no one other than me (and a few of my Spartan Brothers) predicted a Big Ten repeat for the Spartans!

So what is MY bottom line and what are my conclusions? If you honestly ‘break down’ the statistics and take the name off the program then you arrive at a logical conclusion…a conclusion that everyone is failing to acknowledge…and that is…the Spartans are the ‘statistical’ favorites (needless to say, not the popular favorites) to win the Big Ten Championship!!! And here’s a friendly tip for the Odds Makers who installed Wisconsin as 9.5 point favorites. The Badgers only lost two games…both on the road (one to the Spartans and one to OSU) and where is the Big Ten Championship being played? And, who is the home team? Yep, the game is being played on the road in Indy and Michigan State is the home team. I can see you nod in the affirmative BCS…now you’re getting it…but do the odds-makers?

Of course, the pundits (and of course you, BCS) predict otherwise because, let’s be honest, all of you predicted the Spartans would be 7-5 overall and 3-5 Big Ten this year. Thank goodness I do my own analysis and pay no attention to the so called experts. So here is a friendly tip for the BCS…you can disrespect Mark Dantonio and the Spartans all you wish but, numbers don’t lie and the numbers speak for themselves. Whether you like the Spartans or not…the Spartans intend to take the vote out of the hands of the BCS and control their destiny. There are no automatic wins in the B1G but, the Spartans will proudly walk onto the field in Indianapolis on Saturday night with full faith and resolve…and with the vested intent of winning the Big Ten Championship. And, if they do…they will continue to march and ‘proudly’ march thru the front door of the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on New Year’s Day without the help of others. Or as Athletic Director Mark Hollis would say…”with the paint of Roses on our Cleats”!

I don’t want to let the cart get ahead of the horse (and I already have) but, what about next year you ask? The so called analysts will predict more of the same…7-5 overall and 3-5 Big Ten. Why? Because, they won’t do their homework…and they won’t look at the roster and they will make a prediction about a school they don’t know…and a school they don’t like. But, it doesn’t matter because the Spartans will field another Top 3 game changing Defense (probably better...certainly deeper…and with more experience) and with a formidable cast of new skilled players on Offense including a ‘three deep’ roster of Pro-Set QB’s who are unable to earn playing time in 2010 due to the incredible play of an ‘un-recruited’  3Yr incumbent. At any measure, the Spartans will commence the 2012 campaign with the intent of climbing to a new plateau.

And what is that plateau? The Spartans not only intend to repeat as Big Ten Champions…but tell Nick Saban, we owe him one (or two…or three). Tell Nick to bring his Crimson Tide to the BCS Championship game next year because that’s the next step on the Spartan journey and we would like nothing better than to share with Nick a Spartan victory he never got…and yes Nick…it is possible to recruit at MSU, albeit the Dantonio administration recruit 3’s and ‘coach’ them to 5’s. But, until that time, the Spartans intend to control their destiny and capture a Big Ten Championship! By the way BCS, have you noticed that with a full complement of Coach ‘D’ recruits…off field problems are disappearing? I guess you don’t compile that data!

By any measure, there has been plenty of disrespect passed the way of the Spartans over the years but Spartan Nation can take it…because we were not kind to ourselves in the recent past and we earned each and every historical loss…but remember, the Spartans have a proud history. Arguably the most prolific title run in modern football history…by winning or sharing 6 National Titles in 15 years (51, 52, 55, 57, 65, 66). So, the last 40 years have not been kind to the Spartans, but that was then and this is now and the Spartans have unequivocally compiled the best two year Big Ten record in 2010 and 2011. Could it be back to the future? Maybe…maybe not…but according to the BCS Computers, numbers don’t lie…right BCS??? (all said with a smile…but with a major sense of reality!).

And to BCS Analysts, check in tomorrow because, I’ll compare the statistical matchup between Wisconsin’s #12 nationally ranked Offense versus the Spartans #3 (behind Alabama & LSU) ranked ‘game changing’ Defense.

Thank you for your time!

Spartans vs Indiana (all you need to know)

It’s a few hours shy of kickoff and it’s time to finalize my Spartan prediction!

For what it’s worth, I’m always satisfied when I compare statistics prior to the game to get a comparative feel for position groups…in other words…Offense vs Defense…and Defense vs Offense! In that context, here is my simplistic comparison for tomorrow’s game.

Indiana’s # 107 Ranked Defense (#116 Run & #41 Pass) will face the Spartans # 74 Ranked Offense (#83 Rush & #52 Pass)…and if you reverse positions on the field…it will be Indiana’s #75 Ranked Offense (#56 Run & #76 Pass) vs the Spartans ‘game changing’ #3 Ranked Defense (#12 Run & # 4 Pass).

The kicking game is a push...inasmuch as both teams are ranked #49 (but, the Spartans rarely have to kick) and the Spartans dominate on Defensive Special Teams so give the edge to the Spartans to run a ‘fake’ a Field Goal or force a ‘Block’. At any measure…the Spartans statistically (and visually) pass the ‘eye’ test as the better team.

But, at this late date in the season, here is all you need to know.

If Championship teams earn their respect during the month of November then here are the facts: Coach Dantonio is 11-3 in November compared to 5-19 for his Spartan predecessors during the previous 7 campaigns. So, if you are agonizing over how your Spartan team will fare this month…then all you need to know is that Coach Dantonio hasn’t let you down so far…and it won’t happen any time in the near term!

Here’s a tip…book your trip to Indy…Go Green!!!

Spartan Weekend in Review

Let’s start with Basketball.

The words of Tom Izzo were never more relevant than they were Friday night. It is well chronicled that Tom Izzo has repeated throughout his career: “…we will play anyone…anywhere…at any time”. Of course, Tom Izzo was an unknown graduate assistant when he took over for the legendary Jud Heathcote and so when he became Head Coach he needed to attract recruits and he needed to sell those recruits on a dream. Tom Izzo, the kid from tiny Iron Mountain, Michigan told the recruits what was in his heart…that Tom Izzo fears no team and makes no excuses for the result (win or lose). But the words of Tom Izzo were underscored Friday night.

In an historic event, the Spartans played in the Carrier Classic. The fact that they lost 67-55 seems secondary because the journey to the destination is probably more remarkable. Mark Hollis…the AD who gave birth to the Cold War and BasketBowl…decided to organize a small event on the deck of the Aircraft Carrier, USS Carl Vinson.  Ho-hum, right? Hollis spent a mere 7 years pushing that event thru the Pentagon and in the end, the Spartans added punch to Tom Izzo’s inimitable phrase: anyone…anywhere…anytime.

Tom Izzo’s words played out in real time. The Spartans played the #1 team in the country (anyone)…on the deck of an Aircraft Carrier (anywhere)…and the Spartans casually scheduled the #1 team in the country to commence the season (anytime). How’s that for disregarding the path of most coaches who pump up their records with ‘soft scheduling’? The fact the Spartans came up a little short is almost insignificant because what the Carrier Classic did for Spartan Basketball…Spartan PR…the Spartan Brand…and Spartan recruiting is immeasurable.

Nevertheless, the Spartans played a Basketball game…and while they didn’t win…the Spartans sent a message to the B1G they intend to ‘reload’ and not ‘rebuild’. The Spartans introduced an impressive cadre of ‘new’ Spartans who logged double digit minutes: Branden Dawson, 35 min, 10 pts, 7 boards & 2 blocks; Brandon Wood, 22 min & 7 points; Travis Trice, 20 min, 4 pts, & 3 assists, Alex Gauna contributed 12 min…and highly recruited Russell Byrd only contributed 2 min but, he will contribute more in the future…after all, there are only so many minutes to share.

Of course, we can’t forget the returning regulars: Draymond Green got 13 pts & 18 boards…Adreian Payne had 10 pts & 3 boards;…‘big body’ Derrick Nix has sculpted his body and looks like he is serious about competing and got 6 points & 9 boards…and finally Keith Appling got 5 pts & 1 block in 19 min. All in all, an auspicious way to underscore the phrase “…anyone…anywhere…any time” and not a bad venue to introduce a host of new players who will lead the Spartans into the future. Of course, it’s always best to follow a tough game with an E-Z opponent so the Spartans scheduled Duke for Tuesday night (said with a smile). At present the Spartan record is 0-1 but I say…good for Mark Hollis and good for Tom Izzo!!!

The Spartans also played football on Saturday.

I reported Saturday morning the Spartans would beat the Hawkeyes 28-17 (check my blog for more details: http://daynesdailyspartan.blogspot.com.

I was wrong…I happily admit my error…the Spartans won 37-21. I predicted the Hawkeyes would struggle offensively. And they did. The Hawkeyes #61 ranked offense struggled against the #2 ranked Spartan Defense and, for the most part, the Spartan ‘D’ shut down the Hawk’s running game. Iowa was averaging 156 yds on the ground prior to this game but the Spartan ‘D’ held them to 87 yds total…and ‘powerful’ Marcus Coker was held to 57 yds on 21 attempts for a meager 2.7 yds per. Coker was averaging 122 yds per game.

I also predicted the Spartan Passing Offense would live up to their 237 yard average and they exceeded expectations by rolling up 288 yards…with no Int’s!!! Nice turnaround for Kirk Cousins who rendered 3 Int’s at Kinnick last year. But, I didn’t contemplate the Spartans would roll up a 155 yards rushing against a ‘STOUT’…if not statistically dominating…Iowa Defense. But, moreover a key for the Spartan Offense…no Turnovers! As the season rolls to a close and the Bowl Season arrives, I would like to offer this reminder to the Coaching Staff (ha-as if they need my suggestions).

The Spartan ‘D’ is a game changing unit so, heroics are not required by the Spartan Offense. Efficiency is the word…no Turnovers! The ‘O’ has a lot of weapons so, don’t force the issue…exercise patience…60 minutes is a long time…let the other team make the mistakes…and, when it’s all said and done…there are very few teams who can beat this Spartan team.

All in all…not bad season (so far) for a team that one Detroit Sportswriter predicted would go 8-4 or 7-5. Thank goodness I do my own research and didn’t buy into that poorly studied prediction but, more about that at the end of the year because I intend to reprise my predictions at the end of the season. Nevertheless, as a teaser, at the beginning of the season, I predicted the Spartans would win the Legends Division based upon their organizational stability (wow, how many decades have you NOT been able to make that statement?)…a dominating Defense…overall team depth…and a bounty of returning playmakers!

In addition, as the season draws to a close the Spartans are finally getting some love. The Spartans are ranked #12 in the polls but, they are the highest ranked 8-2 team in the country. And, for all the pundits who thought last year was an anomaly…and for all the pundits who hoped the Spartans would teeter and  fall this year, I say this, I say you haven’t studied Mark Dantonio. Don’t waste your time thinking Coach ‘D’ is a shrinking violet and the Spartans will go away…the Dantonio administration is for real and here are the numbers: 41-17 (70) regular season since his arrival…12-2 (85%) Big Ten over the past two years…a Big Ten title and, oh by the way…they beat both Co-Champions this year. The bottom line: no coach and no coaching administration has done more in the past 5 years!

What will be Coach ‘D’s legacy? It’s a little too early to predict, but when it is all said and done…Coach Dantonio will leave a legacy of historic proportions!

Thank you for reading…Go Spartans!!!

Spartans at Iowa City

Let’s start with the startling ‘Bad’ news…

The Spartans are the dubious owners of a 7 game losing streak at Iowa City that dates back to 1989. 1989? Do you remember where the heck you were in 1989? Ha-neither do I. But all good things must come to an end and, in my opinion, so will this dubious streak commencing on Saturday.

If you have never been to Iowa City, it is every bit as disarming as Lincoln, Nebraska. Located in the middle of the heartland…Iowa fans arrive at Kinnick Stadium by rail via the Hawkeye Express…their fans come to the game attired in ‘Black & Gold’ striped ‘bib’ overalls and extend the obligatory All America greeting…’welcome to Iowa’…’gosh, you guys sure have a good team’…’I wish our Defense was as good as yours’…’I hope you guys take it easy on us today’. Ha-don’t buy it….they don’t mean it.

And just like Nebraska…Football is the only game in town (other than the legendary Iowa Wrestling team) and with that mindset, the fans would just as soon rip your heart out and pin you to the mat while happily cheering…‘Go Hawks’!

So, what should we expect? Here’s a simplistic analysis:

The Spartan fortunes are about to change. While the Hawkeyes are always well coached…they have deficiencies and a lot of new pieces on both sides of the ball. The biggest mismatch is Iowa’s inconsistent offense which is ranked #61 in the  country at 391 yards per game (#59 Pass & #64 Rush)…and that Offense will go ‘head to head’ against the Spartans dominating #2 ranked Defense (#2 Pass & #17 Rush).

What happened against Minnesota you ask? In my mind, the Spartans were emotionally spent after emotional wins against Ohio State, Michigan and Wisconsin and a loss at Nebraska but yet managed to win against Minnesota in spite of a shaky performance. But, the Spartans won’t be emotionally unprepared when they arrive in Iowa City. Watch for the Spartans dominating Defensive line…that has the most sacks in the Big Ten…to get after James Vandenberg who is a lot less mobile than Braxton Miller, Denard Robinson or Russell Wilson.

Let’s be honest, if the Spartans win this game…the Defense will set the tone but, it doesn’t mean the Spartan Offense is incapable of contributing. The Spartans passing offense is generating 237 yards per game and should live up to those numbers inasmuch as Iowa’s #70 ranked passing Defense is yielding more than 233 yards per game. The important thing for the Spartan Offense (no surprise) heroics are not required…just be efficient and DON’T turn the ball over!

So, let’s give the Hawkeyes the obligatory 3 points for home field advantage but, the Spartans prevail 28-17…Go Green!!!

Compass Setting: Spartans north...Penn State south (Hail Mark Hollis)!

While the Penn State empire teeters and spins out of control…let’s celebrate some good news…let’s celebrate the fact Mark Hollis is AD at Michigan State.

What Mark Hollis has accomplished in a few short years is nearly impossible to fathom. My business experience helps me understand that Mark Hollis is a man in perpetual motion, leading the charge to reestablish the “Michigan State University Brand & Spartan Athletics”.

I acknowledge that a single man doesn’t generate all the ideas nor personally dot every ‘I’ and cross every ‘T’…of every plan…and I acknowledge every leader needs a team to execute the plan but, Mark Hollis is a visionary and here is a list…a not so short list…of accomplishments that appear on Mark Hollis resume. Let’s take a look.

A few short years ago, Mark Hollis was the visionary behind the ‘Cold War’ Hockey Game at Spartan Stadium. The game attracted more than 74,000 fans (the largest at the time) and it may sound ‘ho-hum’ today but, Mark Hollis wrote the script…he was the first to organize a Hockey game in a football stadium and since that time, the NHL and other NCAA teams have adopted the idea but, make no mistake…the first game was played on the grass at Spartan Stadium. Nice job, Mark!

Mark Hollis was also the visionary behind the Spartans playing Kentucky in the Basketbowl at Ford Field in front of a regular season crowd of more than 78,000. Again, ‘ho-hum’ right? I’m not speaking about an NCAA Tournament game with 16 teams…this was a regular season game with 78,000 partisans. Again, nice job Mark!

And don’t forget, Mark Hollis was responsible for reclaiming WJR ‘the great voice of the Great Lakes’ to broadcast Spartan games. WJR booms its voice throughout Michigan and the Midwest, and Mark Hollis demonstrated to WJR the power of the Spartan audience and, in that context, WJR once again became the ‘Flagship’ of Spartan Sports. Small item? I don’t think so. WJR was the Spartan voice throughout the 50’s & 60’s but, Don Canham (Michigan AD) got WJR to switch allegiance back in the day. But, Hollis was not to be denied and when he took the reins, he recaptured WJR to become the radio voice of the Spartans. Great coup, Mark.

And, how about rebranding? For Marketing people like myself who got annoyed over years as various MSU coaches or AD’s tinkered with Spartan uniforms to a point that the word ‘uniform’ was an oxymoron, Hollis recognized the need to stabilize the uniforms worn by Spartan teams. Over the last 40 years, Spartans appeared in different uniforms…adorned in different shades of green…stripes today (gone tomorrow)……some uniforms marked with the word State…others marked with the word Spartans...and on and on…it made national media wonder ‘what is uniform about the uniforms?’ But, Mark Hollis changed all that and with the help of Nike…together they created a ‘Spartan look’ for the 21^st century and a Spartan Brand that appeals to young and old. Nice job, Mark.

Oh, and here are just a few people hired by Mark Hollis over the last couple of years:

Mark Hollis, at the direction of President Lou Anna Simon, lead the search for a football coach and made a nice hire, wouldn’t you agree? Mark Dantonio was chosen from a short list of distinguished candidates and since his arrival, Mark Dantonio has achieved a regular season record of 40-17 (70%)…4 consecutive Bowl games…2 New Year Bowl games and, oh by the way…a Big Ten title. And, the last time I looked, the Spartans are tied for first in the Legends Division and just happen to beat both Co-Champions this year! Nice hire, Mark.

And Mark Hollis also participated in the hiring of Suzy Merchant to lead Spartan Women’s Basketball who, by the way, won a Big Ten Championship this year and then Mark Hollis also hired Jake Boss to lead Spartan Baseball and, once again, Jake Boss won a Big Ten title this year. All in all, a nice day at the employment office. Nice job, Mark.

There are more accomplishments but, there are too many to cover here!

But that brings me to today. Spartan Basketball is commencing their season by playing the #1 team in the country and Mark Hollis thought it would be a nice idea to schedule the game on an Aircraft Carrier while it is ‘parked’ in San Diego Bay. Simple? For anyone who has military experience (as I do) and understands the legendary military procedure manuals and protocol that dictates how everything is done (down to and including, how to fold your towels and where to store your toothbrush) and when you open the military manual and there isn’t a page that describes how to schedule a basketball game on an Aircraft Carrier…then you can appreciate how complicated it was to get approval for this game. But, Mark was undaunted and walked his way through the Pentagon as if it were Spartan Stadium to get the result he desired.

So applaud Mark Hollis today and congratulate him for all he has done for Spartan Athletics. Not bad for a young man who hails from the ‘twin’ Michigan villages of Lexington/Crosswll. So hail Mark Hollis…Spartan nation is proud to call you one of our own. And today, as you watch the empire in State College teeter and fall…you can celebrate the rebirth of Spartan Athletics as Mark Hollis leads the charge!

Go Spartans…good luck on the USS Carl Vinson…play like Spartan Warriors!!!

Penn State: unlimited power yields a tragedy!

According to the facts put forth by the Grand Jury this is an institutional cover up and moral injustice of the highest order.

In my mind, this is 'Watergate' and 'SMU' rolled into one. It is a felonious crime (committed within the football department)...allegedly known to all within the Football Department...but a crime outside the purview of the NCAA.

Bottom line...this story captures the imagination of the public because, seemingly the most renowned name in college football...Joe Paterno...'stayed at the fair too long'. Was his power seemingly too seductive to do the right thing? I don't know but the issues are disturbing.

By any measure, the alleged crime committed by Mr. Sandusky was improperly vetted by Mr. Paterno (cover up may be more applicable)...and more disturbingly, the cover up extended all the way thru the AD's office and right up to the President's Office according to best accounts. Why? Presumably to save...the 'good' name of good old Penn State...and maybe save the names of those associated with the most visible symbol of all major universities...Football.

In that context, this is a sad...sad story...especially for unsuspecting students who are not associated with the cover up.

Unfortunately, everyone at Penn State is tainted by this story: Faculty; Staff; and Students not to mention literally hundreds of unsuspecting women athletes and male athletes who compete in a host of non revenue producing sports and I would be remiss to say, the current roster of more than 100 student Football athletes who chose Penn State from a list of distinguished Universities, who work diligently both on and off the field, didn't sign up for this debacle but, today they are all paying a price.

I love the game of college football but it has bothered me for some time that the commercialism of the game...including but not limited to National TV exposure at Noon...3:30..and 8:00 each Saturday...literally hundreds of games telecast on National TV...has raised the stakes of college football to such high proportions that seemingly good men succumb to pressure and fail to do the right thing!

I'm certain Joe Paterno is not a bad man...and I'm certain his intent was to do the best thing while attempting to manage the unseemly affair...unfortunately...the so called 'win-ingest' coach in college football, a man who has been a coach...a teacher...a mentor...a philanthropist, did the wrong thing by not protecting those who are unable to protect themselves.

This is a sad story and the lessons to be learned from the Penn State debacle will resonate for some time!