Joe Paterno (an unmitigated tragedy)

May the lord bless and keep Joe Paterno and may Joe Paterno rest in peace butttt…I have a comment for those of us who are left behind.

Perhaps Joe Paterno was an icon to some…but good or bad…right or wrong…his failure to render a decision more than a decade ago will define his career. Joe Paterno becomes a tragic hero like so many before him. In many ways, I respect Joe Paterno for the good things he accomplished but I don’t respect the ‘powerful’ icon who lorded over a public university for the ‘self serving’ mission of becoming the so called ‘winningest’ coach in football history. And make no mistake, Joe Paterno lorded over Penn State University under the guise of doing good work.

It would be fair to say, all football decisions went thru Joe Paterno but when it mattered most, Joe Paterno remained silent and failed to make a proper decision. In that regard, Joe Paterno failed to do the right thing when it mattered most and while Paterno built a legacy as a football coach, he had detractors in the world of academia. One former Penn State professor called Paterno’s altruistic focus on academics a farce. But, regardless of those who liked or disliked Joe Paterno, in the end, Paterno failed to help those who were incapable of helping themselves.

A few weeks ago, Joe Paterno responded to his detractors and was quoted as saying (the following quotes are reprinted from the Associated Press):

"I didn't know which way to go ... and rather than get in there and make a mistake… "You know, (McQueary) didn't want to get specific," Paterno said. "And to be frank with you I don't know that it would have done any good, because I never heard of, of, rape and a man. So I just did what I thought was best. I talked to people that I thought would be, if there was a problem, that would be following up on it."

"This is a tragedy," he said. "It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more."

It’s a tragedy because Joe Paterno arguably knew what was right…he knew what to do and moreover he knew his silence was a mistake. Let’s put this into perspective. Joe Paterno spent 60 years at Penn State…45 years as Penn State Head Coach making thousands of decisions in the hottest caldron of all. Paterno made game day decisions…at game speed…where silence is not an option if one expects to be successful. Make no mistake, Paterno built a Kingdom because he was assured and decisive and in that capacity, he told people what to do and when to do it. If Paterno wasn’t good at ruling the monarchy or making decisions he would have never lasted as Head Coach for more than 45 years.

This is a sad lesson for humanity in general and specifically it’s a sad lesson for the NCAA and Universities throughout this land. Here is the lesson that should be taken away. Football is a grand game that should be honored by honoring the rules and metaphorically, playing between the white lines…and the game should never be bigger than the mission of the university…and never…ever…allow anyone…a president…an administrator…an educator…a coach…a clerk…to stay in ‘one’ position for 45 years to build their own little monarchy. And, the same lesson should be applied in corporate America. Maybe the US has it right as it relates to the US presidency. 2 terms…8 years. That’s it!

As it relates to hiring a coach, the rule for every university should be: Come to the job with the intent of doing your best work. Be prepared…work hard…but in the end…you get 4 years to build your program and 2 terms to coach…twelve years max to write your legacy. Thereafter, you can join the university in an advisory capacity. At the very minimum, after 12 years you must move over and allow a successor to bring in fresh ideas…but in no case will you stay on as head football coach thru 7 presidential administrations and recruit and coach young men who are young enough to be your great grandchildren.

May the lord bless and keep Joe Paterno but let us not forget his failure to make the boldest game day decision of all…he failed to protect the youth who were mentored by his staff!

Spartans get redemption (tough road day for Purdue)

The day didn’t start well for Purdue and it certainly didn’t end well.

Due to miserable winter weather including snow and frigid temperatures, the Boilermakers trekked to East Lansing via bus and didn’t arrive until 5:00 AM on the morning of the game. That was unfortunate because the Boilermakers day got worse thereafter. The day ended with the Spartans beating-down Purdue 83-58 for a 25 point victory but the 25 point margin didn’t tell the hopelessness of Purdue’s day in East Lansing.

In a game reminiscent of the Spartan ‘blow out’ at Iowa City on January 10, when the Spartans beat-down Iowa 95-61 for a 34 point victory, the Spartans stifled the beleaguered Bolermakers at every step. In addition to pounding the Boilermakers on the court…as a side note, the Boilermakers took a worse beating by the overly enthusiastic Izzone! In fact, when Coach Painter realized the game was out of control…he took to arguing with the Izzone while the game spun out of control on the floor.

How bad was Purdue’s day?

The shooting statistics provide the Cliffs Notes. At approximately the 15 minute mark of the second half, the Stat board at Breslin read:

·         Spartans              FG = 67%             3P% = 70%

·         Boilermakers     FG% =23%           3P% = 8%

What? I’m a Spartan and I view the world thru slightly tinted ‘Green & White’ lenses…but can that be right? The Spartans were shooting 67% from the field…and 70% from beyond the Arc? Yes indeed. No misprint! To finish the day, the Spartans were 30 of 50 (60%) from the Field…and 7 of 13 (54%) from beyond the Arc. Meanwhile the Spartan ‘D’ was resolute and relentless.

The Spartan ‘D’ held Purdue to 4-21 in the first half…and finished the day 18 of 62 (29%) from the field…and 3 of 20 (15%) from beyond the Arc. To underscore the Boilermakers miserable day…Robbie Hummel had two points for the day (no misprint). Hummel, the #5 scorer in the Big Ten was held to ‘two’ points on 0 for 11 from the field (as in Zero)…and 0 for 6 from beyond the Arc. Hummel collected a mere two points on 2 for 2 from the stripe. That’s it. I haven’t checked historical stats but this was arguably Hummel’s lowest point production of his career. Bad travel day, yes…but credit the Spartan ‘D’!

Hummel played 22 minutes overall but every time Hummel went to the bench for a ‘breather’…the Izzone relentlessly chanted: We want Robbeee…We want Robbeee…We want Robbeee…

With respect to the Boilermakers and their travel drama…and the attendant fatigue related to their unfortunate travel day…I acknowledge, the Boilermakers may have been suffering ‘bus lag’…but you have to give credit to where credit is due. The usually good Spartan ‘D’…was extraordinarily relentless on this day. There literally were ‘no’ open shots!

The Spartan D was fast to  the ball…they anticipated and Defended ahead of the ball…they closed the lane…they contested points at the Arc…they contested drives at the Baseline…and they were not about to lose the ‘street fight’ under the basket. At about the 10 minute mark of the second half…the Purdue players and coaches looked as if they wanted to throw in the Towel…take a hot shower…and prepare for a pleasant bus ride back to West Lafayette!

About the only highlight for the Boilermakers was 19 of 24 (79%) from the stripe. You could also say, the Boilermakers got a fair number of rebounds (34) but a little analysis is due. Most of their rebounds came off of long caroms as the result of twenty futile 3 point attempts that resulted in long rebounds ‘right back’ to the shooter. Rebounds yes…hustle rebounds…NO!

In the end, the Spartans atoned for two losses in the past week with a ‘break out’ day versus Purdue who was 14-5 overall and 4-2 Big Ten and tied with the Spartans to start the day. In all, 16 Spartan players saw action…8 players logged ‘double digit’ minutes…11 players scored…4 players scored in double figures…and there was incredible scoring efficiency because no player took more than 8 shots. Meanwhile, the shooting percentage was off the charts…and the Spartans got 34 Rebounds…6 Steals and 5 Blocks.

And how about 6’9” & 270# Derrick Nix? He has been much maligned during his career but, I’m defending Derrick Nix because I’m taking the Derrick Nix bus all the way thru the Tournaments…hopefully to something Special. As a friendly reminder, Nix recommitted himself to Spartan Basketball last summer. He lost ‘more’ than 30 pounds…stayed in East Lansing over the summer and holidays to work out and stay on mission…and last Tuesday Nix was 6 of 9 (66%) from the field…1 of 1 from the stripe…3 Rebounds and 1 steal and 13 points in a mere 24 minutes.

Today, Nix was 5 of 7 (71%) from the field…2 of 4 from the stripe…4 Rebounds…2 Assists and 12 points in a mere 17 minutes. Nix is a magician with the ball down low…he doesn’t miss and his defensive footwork is extraordinary for a Big Man. On the other hand, his partners in the middle…specifically 6’10”…long & lean…Adreian Payne (18 min…3 Rebounds and 9 Points) and 6’9”…sturdy…Alex Gauna (5 min…2 Rebounds and 2 points) means the Spartan ‘BIGS’ contributed 9 Rebounds…2 Assists…1 Block and 23 Points for the day. All in all…a pretty fair day for the BIGS and arguably a position group unmatched (in my opinion) in college Basketball.

With 7 games into the 18 game Big Ten season…Ohio State, Michigan & Michigan State are tied at 5-2!

As it relates to the balance of the season…road games will continue to make Big Ten teams pay a painful price but team depth (just like football) will be the difference maker…and in my opinion, no team has more depth than the Spartans. There is an enormous amount of talent on this Spartan team and the Spartan ‘BIGS’ really make this team special.

Will Derrick Nix continue to improve and lead the way to something special?

I think so…we’ll see…stay tuned!

Spartans at Wolverines (Big Ten road is tough)

Prior to the game, I said…the team who gets the early lead will have an opportunity to build upon that momentum and close the deal.

That’s not exactly a novel argument but that’s exactly what Michigan did and it proved to be the difference maker. In a game measured by a single digit…the Wolverines fast start was meaningful and measurable. Michigan got the nod for ‘home field’ advantage and I think the familiarity of Crisler enabled them to sprint to a fast start but in the grand scheme of things…give Michigan credit…they got the ‘W’. They made the Spartans look tentative!

The Spartans had a strong defensive showing in the second half by holding Michigan to a mere 24 points…..buttttttttttttttt Michigan got out to a fast start by scoring 36 points in the first half and that is waaaayyy too many by Spartan standards. The Spartans are usually unbeatable if they hold their opponent under 60 points but allowing 36 points in the first half changed the Spartans game strategy, and in turn, Michigan took advantage of their hard work.

While Michigan was playing a short bench (only 6 players with double digit minutes) I thought the Spartans should have ‘forced’ the ball into the middle at the beginning of the game…even though Michigan was making it difficult…because I thought the Spartan advantage was their size and strength in the middle…and I thought they needed to force that issue until they wore down Michigan.

I thought the Spartans could exert  their will and create foul trouble for the Wolverines…but they didn’t. The Spartans only got to the line 5 times. Derrick Nix (6’9” & 270) and Adreian Payne (7’3” masquerading as 6’10” & 240) are unique assets. Nix is big and forceful and Payne is ‘long’ and athletic. Who can stop that duo over 40 minutes? It takes time to loosen up a Defense…but sooner or later the Michigan D (any D) would break with that type of relentless pressure. But the Spartans didn’t force the issue and my assumption is simply speculation!

For  his part, Nix scored 13 points on 6 of 9 (66%) from the field…and for Nix, from the field means 3 and a half feet. Nix is a magician with the ball down low…he doesn’t miss. And when Nix goes up with the ball…the world goes up with him. Payne on the other hand had 4 points on 2 of 3 (66%) from the field…once again…his points were scored within a 4 foot arc. To me, feeding the ball inside is tantamount to throwing a 10 yard curl over the middle to a 6’9” & 270# Tight End. All but unstoppable. But, the Spartans have a coach and I’m just an observer…….  

In the end, the Spartans weren’t kind to themselves. They gave up (and Michigan earned) 36 first half points and by Spartan standards, that is way too many. Nevertheless, the Spartans battled back with their Defense in ‘high gear’ and held Michigan to 11 points thru the mid way point of the second half and thereafter, the Spartans took their first lead 47-44. The Spartans held the lead for the better part of the last 6 minutes but with momentum on their side…they failed to score in the last two minutes and if you hope to win this type of game…you must control your destiny…and the Spartans failed to take advantage of their late game fortune.

There are a lot stats to support Michigan’s win…or a Spartan loss…for example, the Spartans predictably won the battle of the boards 31-18 and held ‘M’ to 29% from the Arc…but Michigan shot a solid 51% from the field…won the battle of steals 8 to 5…won the battle of Turnovers 8-14…and even won the battle of Blocks 5-1. So, Michigan came to play!

The bottom line is Michigan held serve in Ann Arbor…they have won three consecutive games versus the Spartans…and now the pressure is on the Spartans to reverse their fortunes by beating Michigan at Breslin on Feb 5. It will be a difficult assignment. But between now and then, the Spartans play Purdue (4-2) and Minnesota (2-4) at home before travelling to Illinois (4-1) Jan 31…and then returning home to play Michigan. The promise of a 15 game winning streak has been humbled!

Nevertheless, the Spartans have a ‘young’ and gifted team…they are a special team…but in my opinion, on this night, Michigan made them look tentative…and a fraction of a second in a Track meet is trouble.

Spartans vs Wolverines (and the winner is.....)

The pre game hype is building to a crescendo…there’s a lot of frantic conversation on Sports Talk radio…but who will win the game?

The game between Michigan and Michigan State is becoming a rivalry again. Certainly, it’s more entertaining and more spirited than when Brian Ellerbie or Tommy Amaker were coaching in Ann Arbor. And, as it relates to the importance of Basketball on the Michigan campus, the Wolverines are sending a big message. They renovated Crisler (which had become antiquated)…invested in a practice facility (which was conspicuously missing)…and, for his part, John Beilein’s program has consistently gotten better each year, especially with the addition of Bacari Alexander to Beilein’s staff. Let’s just say, Alexander’s presence can be felt as it relates to the improved intensity of the Wolverine Defense and Rebounding.

But, in all of the pre game conversation, I have heard very little as it relates to statistics…meaningful statistics! In the end, statistics don’t play the game but they are a barometer earned over 18 games and so…the statistics are meaningful…and they are measurable. What can’t be measured, of course, is game strategy and who will be forced to change their game strategy and play ‘catch up’. In other words, playing from behind in a competitive game such as this, is a game changer so…the team who gets the early lead will have an opportunity to build upon that momentum and close the deal.

In that context, the game is being played in Ann Arbor…so Home Field advantage goes to Michigan which means...Michigan has the opportunity to get out to a fast start!

But let’s look at the ‘key’s statistics…first offensive stats: (I apologize in advance for the formatting mis alignment)

                                                                                ‘M’                                         Spartans

·         3 Point Attempts                              24PG                                     15PG

·         3 P as % of ttl shots                         31%                                        21%

·         3 P conversion %                              24.8                                        36.3*

·         Field Goals %                                     46%                                        48%*

And, defensive stats:

·         Rebound Margin                              2.7                                          10.1*

·         Steals                                                    5.0                                          8.3*

·         Blocks                                                   2.4                                          4.9*

·         Defensive FG%                                 41.2                                        37.9*

*Advantage

3PA: Michigan is slowly becoming more of an ‘inside-out’ team but 3 point shots continue to dominate their game. The Wolverines are taking nearly 30% of their shots from beyond the Arc! That’s a lot. In their most recent game at Iowa City the Wolverines took 31 shots (37%) outside the Arc compared to Iowa who shot  modest 12 shots from beyond the Arc. More importantly the Wolverines only converted 8 of 31 for a meager 25% from beyond the Arc and lost that game 75-59. No margin for error with the Three!

The ‘Three’ is a great weapon but it’s no different than throwing vertical in football. A 50 yard vertical pass is appreciably lower percentage than a 15 yard crossing pattern. Sometimes it’s just better to get 3.4 yards per attempt and move the chains (to mix metaphors). But, if Michigan is hot from beyond the Arc…then look out…otherwise, a missed ‘Trey’ converts to a ‘long rebound’ on a fast break going the other direction.

Inside the Paint: I don’t have the luxury of charting ‘Points in the Paint’…but it would be fair to say, the Spartans are leading in that category, too. Why? The Spartans have gone to the FT stripe 23 times per game…while Michigan is only getting to the stripe 15.6 times per game. So given UM’s propensity to shoot the Three and given the few times the Wolverines are getting to the Stripe…the logical conclusion is Michigan is settling for the ‘outside jumper’ and not exerting their will inside the paint.

I won’t take the time to go thru the Defensive stats individually because I think the Defensive stats are self explanatory. Given the fact both teams have played 18 games overall and approximately one third of the Big Ten schedule is in the record books…the Spartans have demonstrated a discernible edge in ‘key’ Defensive statistics.

But, will the statistical edge translate to a victory for the Spartans in Ann Arbor or will Michigan hang a ‘W’?

The ‘key’ stat in favor of Michigan is Home Field Advantage. If the Wolverines get off  to a ‘Fast’ start in front of their home crowd then look out…but if Michigan rapidly fires ‘Threes’ and gets into foul trouble as they did in Iowa City…thereby enabling Iowa to go to the stripe 28 times…then Michigan will take a step backward tonight.

What do I think?

Just like football…on average, I think Defense trumps Offense…so, advantage Spartans…but it’s the Big Ten…it’s a street fight…and the team most prepared to run a half Marathon tonight will win!

Spartan Basketball (a bad day at the office)

In an earlier Post, I warned that Northwestern could be a dangerous game for the Spartans…and not only did the Cats prove to be dangerous but they exceeded expectations!

Northwestern was seemingly on a mission and soundly beat the Spartans 81-74. In spite of their shortcomings, starting with Northwestern’s short bench…obstacles are no problem when you’re on fire. 5 Northwestern players exceeded their season point averages: Crawford + 3; Shurna + 3; Hearn + 4; Marcotuillo + 2 and Curletti was an eye popping +12.

In summary, Northwestern shot 50% from the field, 47% beyond the arc and 72% from the stripe defying the Spartan Defense that previously held opponents to a meager 37% from the field.

To overcome their shortcomings, Northwestern implements the Princeton ‘motion’ Offense and it was running smoothly yesterday as they beat the Spartans ‘time and again’ on ‘back door’ breaks. For the most part, the Spartans played well, certainly not poorly…but Northwestern was not going to be denied on this winter afternoon in Welsh-Ryan Arena.

The Spartans lead 12-6 at the 15 min mark and they lead by 25-16 at the 9 min mark but the Cats slowly whittled away at the lead and only trailed 31-27 at the 2 minute mark…but as they whittled away the lead, it was obvious that their confidence was growing. With 1:09 remaining, the Cats took the lead for the first time and then the lead exchanged hands but with time expiring in the first half…Shurna buried a three point shot from arguably 6 feet beyond the arc to take the lead 39-37 going into the half.

Shurna’s shot was a metaphor for the game. His shot was unorthodox, it was a line drive with no arc, almost impossible to make and yet it flew thru the net like a heat seeking missile. The officials could have stopped the game at that point and awarded the win to Northwestern because the script was written.

If there was any question the Spartans would come back to dominate the second half, that question was answered on the opening play of the second half. The Cats took the ball and ran the basic Princeton ‘back door’ cut…beat the Spartans and scored on a goal tend and the script was written in stone.

Thereafter, the Cats never relinquished the lead. They lead 51-45 at the 15 minute mark and 62-52 at the 10 minute mark and the Spartans couldn’t mount a meaningful run. The game ended with the Spartans allowing 81 points for only the second time this season and the only other time they relinquished 81 points was a 90-81 win over Lehigh.

Northwestern is always dangerous and I knew they would present a unique set of matchup problems…personnel…systems and so on but, in the end, the Spartans had the talent to win but on certain days…talent isn’t enough, and on this day Northwestern would not be denied.

Overall, it was a bad day at the office. Nothing went right. The Spartans didn’t play poorly. They shot well (46% FG & 50% 3P). They Rebounded well (37). They got a fair number of steals (6) and blocks (4) but they couldn’t break Northwestern code and this game will be best be forgotten quickly because the Spartans go on the road to play Michigan on Tuesday…and the Wolverines will not be happy given the fact they got soundly beaten in Iowa City 75-69.

Such is the ‘street fight’ that takes place each week in the Big Ten!

Spartan Basketball (measuring intensity)

The Spartans play Northwestern today in a game that won’t get much attention nationally but it shouldn’t be overlooked because it’s another step toward shaking out the Big Ten.

It’s well advertised, the Spartans are #1 in Big Ten and #6 in the country with a record of 15-2 overall and 4-0 Big Ten but moreover, the Spartans are a team that is becoming more cohesive and stronger with each game. It’s worth remembering, the Spartans commenced the season with ‘back to back’ losses to North Carolina and Duke but then set upon a 15 game winning streak.

Northwestern on the other hand is 11-5 overall and 1-3 Big Ten and likely to finish in the bottom half of the Big Ten but don’t tell that to Illinois or Michigan. The Wildcats are 1-3 in the Big Ten but two of those losses were to 4-1 Illinois and 4-1 Michigan. Northwestern lost by one point to Illinois on Jan 4…then lost to Michigan by two points on Jan 11 and don’t forget, Illinois is the same team who beat #5 Ohio State last Tuesday night by 5 points. So the Spartans can’t overlook the Wildcats, but the Spartans haven’t come this far by overlooking their opponents.

In the best measure of intensity, work ethic and chemistry, the Spartans lead the Big Ten in Rebound Margin…#2 in Blocked Shots…#2 in Defensive FG percentage…and  #2 in Steals. Those are ‘hustle’ stats that take opportunities away from the opposition and awards more chances to the Spartans. To put those stats into perspective, here is a comparison amongst the top Big Ten teams:

·         Rebound Margin              9.9          (Ohio State 8.3; Illinois 4.2; Michigan 3.4)

·         Blocked Shots                    4.9          (Illinois 4.8; Ohio State 2.6; Michigan 2.5)

·         Def FG %                             37.3%    (Ohio State 40.0; Illinois 40.5; Michigan 40.9)

·         Steals                                    8.5          (Ohio State 8.3; Illinois 5.9; Michigan 4.2)

Taken by themselves, these defensive stats don’t paint much of a picture but collectively, the Stats paint a picture of relentless intimidation. Just like football…a dominating Defense disrupts the rhythm and flow of the Offense…and an Offense that is out of sync is an Offense that gets frustrated…desperate…and ultimately melts down at crunch time!

And in that context, the Spartans don’t want Northwestern to get into a rhythm. Northwestern lacks depth but they don’t lack talent. John Shurna at 6’9” is particularly troublesome. He is the leading scorer in the Big Ten with an 18.9 PPG avg. Moreover, Shurna is a devastating shooter from the field including beyond the Arc (42.6%) so that causes immense matchup problems for any team because Shurna can post up inside or he can go outside to shoot the ‘3’. Shurna also leads Northwestern in Rebounding at 6.1 RPG and he contributes 2.6 assists. So, Shurna is a complete player who has the wherewithal to change the complexion of the game and he doesn’t quit until the buzzer sounds.

The Spartans also need to be aware of the efficient presence of 6’5” Drew Crawford who averages 17.4 PPG and shoots 51% from the field…and the Spartans need pressure on Dave Sobolewski, the 6’1” Freshman who plays the point. Sobolewski manages the game well…distributes the ball efficiently and gets almost 4 assists per game. And then there is the Home Field Advantage. The Wildcats are a “tough out” at Welsh-Ryan Arena but……….

If I’m placing an emotional bet then I’m betting on the coach who has been to 6 Final Fours in the past 13 season…and that coach is Tom Izzo!!!

Spartan Basketball (shaking out the Big Ten)

This isn’t exactly the script written by the so called experts prior to the season but the Spartans are pulling away in the Big Ten while Ohio State and Wisconsin are in free fall.

In case you missed it…the Spartan put on a ‘once in a decade’ show last night and ‘hammered’ Iowa 95-61 for an eye popping 34 point victory. The Spartans got off to an early lead and surged to a commanding 22 point lead at the half. But the second half was a different show. The Spartans put the accelerator all the way to the floor in the second half and lead by 31 points with 10 minutes to play…and stretched their lead to an incredible 43 points with 6 minutes remaining. In fact, at the 6 minute mark, the Spartans doubled the score 86-43.

As the game grew out of control, the Spartans made copious substitutions that enabled Iowa to chip the margin to a mere 34 points but make no mistake…Iowa was befuddled and confused from start to finish.

The Spartans were on fire and played a deep bench. In all, 15 players saw action while 10 players played double digit minutes and 10 players put points on the boards. The Spartans distributed the ball efficiently and got 25 assists that enabled 5 players to score in double figures. In fact everyone who shot the ball took advantage of the opportunity inasmuch as the Spartans shot a blistering 62% from the field and an eye popping 56% from the arc.

Defensively, the Spartans got 37 rebounds, 16 steals and 3 blocks to embarrass Iowa. In fact…I felt badly for Fran McCaffrey the Iowa coach. He virtually melted down in the second half and got an obligatory Technical but the refs could have easily tossed him from the game. At any measure, McCaffrey had a meltdown while his team was pronounced dead on arrival in East Lansing.

The Spartans extended their winning streak to 15 games…and with 14 games to play…the Spartans are getting better with each game and appear to be unstoppable not to mention Tom Izzo seems to be pulling all the right strings.

And how about Illinois? They knocked off #6 Ohio State 79-74 last night and now Illinois is 4-1 and owns second place in the Big Ten all by themselves. Meanwhile Michigan, Indiana & Purdue are in a three way tie for third at 3-1 while Ohio State has played themselves down to fourth place with a record of 3-2. Ohio State isn’t down for the count but they have been knocked against the ropes and it will hard for them to recover

Does that sound like the season predicted by the so called analysts? And by the way, has anyone seen Wisconsin?

Wisconsin is racing in reverse. This morning they are in 7^th place with a meager 1-3 record and, in my mind, it is highly unlikely the Badgers will be anything other than a spoiler when it’s all said and done. The Badgers also have the dubious achievement of marking off 3 consecutive Big Ten losses…to Iowa 72-65, Michigan State 63-60 and Michigan 59-41. Also notable is the fact, Wisconsin suffered ‘back to back’…home…losses to Iowa and Michigan State which is a big statement because Wisconsin has been all but unbeatable in Madison in the past. So, unless Wisconsin has an extraordinary turnaround, they are unlikely to be anything more than a Big Ten ‘spoiler’.

A few teams are poised to make some noise before the race is over. Indiana is young, well coached and ‘scarey’…and the Wolverines are measurably improved on Defense…Rebounding…and protecting the paint and I think that’s due to the coaching influence of Beilein assistant, Bacari Alexander. But it’s hard to measure the Wolverines inasmuch as they have looked impressive at times but they have yet to beat a Big Ten team with a winning record and they haven’t won a Big Ten game on the road…but to be fair, the season is young and they have had limited opportunities. Up to this point Michigan has beaten 1-3 Penn State 71-53; 0-4 Minnesota 61-56 & 1-3 Wisconsin 59-41 (all at home) but lost to 3-1 Indiana in their only road game 73-71.

Michigan will host the Spartans (4-0) on Jan 17…and visit Purdue (3-1) on Jan 24 so, without a doubt, those games will provide a relevant measurement of Michigan’s capacity to compete for the Big Ten title. At any measure, every once in awhile a team captures a unique blend of athleticism, chemistry and commitment and the Spartans appear to be that team.

Unless there is a cataclysm, the Spartans are poised for a SPECIAL season!