1. In the race of which MSU team gets to a national championship next, football or basketball, I go back and forth. Obviously, we want both, but, the question is an interesting one, that at its very core celebrates where MSU athletics is right now. When I watched the basketball team get beat by Duke, I sighed that Tom Izzo's group was probably far away from repeating their feat from 2000. Then, they snag Caleb Swanigan and they leap forward. Then, the more I hear about the evolving defensive and offensive lines, I am thinking with a fifth year senior QB, maybe, it will be football. The truth is the 2015-2016 school year could see both programs challenge for a national championship. Only those who suffered through the early 1990's, when MSU fans hoped for any bowl game and just making the NCAA Tournament can right now truly be appreciated. Which one will get there first?
2. I imagine that the citizens of the old Soviet Union were lied to less than the average Michigan fan. They wake up every day and the press tells them about how great the latest coaching staff is doing and the amazing progress and hope swirling around Michigan players. Their moderators go further and predict certain greatness is just around the corner. You almost have to feel sorry for them ("almost" is all I can muster). Every regime, they buy what is being sold and dream about tomorrow. They get so frustrated in the fall when they learn of the lies they have been told, but, they can't live without them and they are ready for the next batch come April. I told my brother, a huge Michigan fan, that the gap between the two programs has perhaps never been wider than it is right now, he didn't argue the point, but, smiled and said "In Harbaugh we trust!" They are very trusting lot. Easily led. Often fooled. Always there ready to tell you that they will be great, again. They just read it on their favorite Michigan blog.
3. Many of us (including me) sold Connor Cook short when the 2013 season started, until he proved everyone wrong who doubted he could be a winning QB. Now, I see the same thing happening with Tyler O'Connor. Everything I am hearing points to steady progress by the Rodney Dangerfield of back up MSU QBs. I am looking forward to seeing him on April 25. I am even hearing that the difference between he and Cook is not as great as many Spartan fans think it is.
4. I think we will see more specialization on this Spartan football team than we have seen in the first eight years of Mark Dantonio's tenure. There are packages for TE and FB, run oriented teams, spread passing and running teams and everything in between. There are packages for every situation. The book on MSU is to play up tempo, so MSU can't get these different packages on the field. We saw this battle in the Oregon and OSU games and it will intensify this season. When I ask who will be playing at a given position, I am asked against what opponent and what down and distance?
This post was edited on 4/12 7:03 AM by Spartan John
This post was edited on 4/12 9:09 AM by Spartan John
2. I imagine that the citizens of the old Soviet Union were lied to less than the average Michigan fan. They wake up every day and the press tells them about how great the latest coaching staff is doing and the amazing progress and hope swirling around Michigan players. Their moderators go further and predict certain greatness is just around the corner. You almost have to feel sorry for them ("almost" is all I can muster). Every regime, they buy what is being sold and dream about tomorrow. They get so frustrated in the fall when they learn of the lies they have been told, but, they can't live without them and they are ready for the next batch come April. I told my brother, a huge Michigan fan, that the gap between the two programs has perhaps never been wider than it is right now, he didn't argue the point, but, smiled and said "In Harbaugh we trust!" They are very trusting lot. Easily led. Often fooled. Always there ready to tell you that they will be great, again. They just read it on their favorite Michigan blog.
3. Many of us (including me) sold Connor Cook short when the 2013 season started, until he proved everyone wrong who doubted he could be a winning QB. Now, I see the same thing happening with Tyler O'Connor. Everything I am hearing points to steady progress by the Rodney Dangerfield of back up MSU QBs. I am looking forward to seeing him on April 25. I am even hearing that the difference between he and Cook is not as great as many Spartan fans think it is.
4. I think we will see more specialization on this Spartan football team than we have seen in the first eight years of Mark Dantonio's tenure. There are packages for TE and FB, run oriented teams, spread passing and running teams and everything in between. There are packages for every situation. The book on MSU is to play up tempo, so MSU can't get these different packages on the field. We saw this battle in the Oregon and OSU games and it will intensify this season. When I ask who will be playing at a given position, I am asked against what opponent and what down and distance?
This post was edited on 4/12 7:03 AM by Spartan John
This post was edited on 4/12 9:09 AM by Spartan John
