Props to Michigan and Shoalzie/Wolverine Steve

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

I reminded my Michigan buddies that it's been almost 1,000 days since UM beat MSU in either football or basketball... so they had to get one eventually. But that was merely a last resort shit-talking tactic to assuage the pain of the beat down I knew (and everyone knew) was coming today. Still had a chance to pull out a miracle in the late moments, but for the most part, this game wasn't in doubt.

Props to Michigan on the win and the season thus far. Although I despise everything about them, I enjoy watching the way they play the game of football. Who doesn't love multiple fullback dives in one game?The balance on offense is a marvel, and something I hope MSU's OC is taking notes on. Instead, Dave Warner prefers to pound the ball between the tackles on every fucking down like he's got the Dallas Cowboys' offensive line. Down 20 in the 4th qtr? No problem, let's run it up the gut for three yards! The UM defense is obviously very good as well, though I'm not sure how good as they have yet to face an elite offense.

Michigan is a senior-laden team. This is their time to beat OSU. If not this year, I don't know when.

[Shoalzie]

State played as good of a game as they could've possibly played today. I tease Dantonio for his choice to go for two when an extra point at least keeps their hopes of (another) miracle win in play but he's the best part of that football program. They'll recover from this down year. I'm counting on it. State is going through what Michigan could go through next year...lose a ton of key seniors and drop down a level or two as a team.

Even if something bizarre happened and they lost today, Michigan's season still rides on November 26. You can't lose that game with this particular group of players. This is Harbaugh's best shot at a B1G and national title unless his recruiting classes live up to the hype. This team is mostly Hoke's players but he doesn't do what Harbaugh is doing with them. He's taken this program to another level. But if they truly are on the next level...they win in Columbus on November 26.

I don't want to call this season a failure if they don't make it to Indy but there's nothing else on their schedule other than that game in Columbus that should get in their way to a conference title and a berth in the playoff.

[Shoalzie]

http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf ... cisio.html

Dantonio also defended his decision to go for a two-point conversion with one second left on the clock -- a play that resulted in Jabrill Peppers picking up a fumble and returning it for two points. He said that because the ball can't be advanced on an onside kick attempt, the game was effectively over.

"At the point in time, we're probably losing the game," Dantonio said.

To me, the only hope they had at the end was to kick it deep and hope for a fumble or lose ball in the end zone. Of course there wasn't enough time to score after recovering the onside kick. What he did yesterday would've been the equivalent of not sending anyone to rush Blake O'Neil last year on the final play. If you want to win the game, do whatever it takes...even if the odds are slim.

And going for two...what did that accomplish? You kick the extra point to make a 6-point game and then you could score a freak touchdown on the kickoff and win with the extra point. That to me came off as a little soft for a guy who has such a hard-on for beating Michigan. We can all thank Mike Hart for that.

[WolverineSteve]

I was at the game, the score tightened up a bit but the result wasn't in doubt. Enjoyed a few Sparty tailgates before the game and the fans were mostly pretty cool. Mfans took advantage of the massive ticket dump and comprised about 25% of the crowd. The only disappointment for me was State's lack of sportsmanship for not having the trophy on the sideline at the end of the game. It is customary for the winning team to receive it on the field and Sparty's pettiness cost the kids their moment.

But it's over and the shittiest trophy in sports will be displayed at Schembechler Hall, time to move on to Maryland.

Thanks for the props, it was a fun day in EL.

[Screw_Michigan]

Congrats to UM for winning its second game against MSU in nine tries. Good job, sport.

[WolverineSteve]

Congrats to UM for winning its second game against MSU in nine tries. Good job, sport.

I prefer 8th of the last 15, or 70th of the last 110.

[Screw_Michigan]

Get out of the past, pal.

[Left Seater]

To me, the only hope they had at the end was to kick it deep and hope for a fumble or lose ball in the end zone. Of course there wasn't enough time to score after recovering the onside kick...

And going for two...what did that accomplish? You kick the extra point to make a 6-point game and then you could score a freak touchdown on the kickoff and win with the extra point. That to me came off as a little soft for a guy who has such a hard-on for beating Michigan. We can all thank Mike Hart for that.

A fumble is the only option there. A free kick untouched by the returning team that hits the ground in the endzone is dead by rule.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

...shittiest trophy in sports...

No way. The Paul Bunyan is bad ass.


Shittiest sports trophy is a distinction that should be held for this monstrosity:



Looks like something I woulda gotten a barely-passing grade on in 8th grade shop class.