We, as posters, do not really know what other videos may exist aside from the social media ones. I personally want Harbaugh annihilated as much as anyone (I literally can't think of anyone I dislike more right now), but I'm realizing my judgment is clouded in anger because I've been fuming about it for 36 hours and all I can visualize is cold blooded revenge and vile things.
The hard part is we don't know what Mel and Haller have seen beyond social media videos. My angered judgment of their statements last night was out of frustration for being apologetic. If there is another video either in the tunnel or a longer version that shows our guys not only whooped on those guys, but that they also were proactive in seeking the fight then we are commenting in the dark where they are seeing the reality of the evidence. There could also be eye witness accounts. Sadly, aside from MSU players, those may be UM eyewitness accounts, but if the stories aligned when interviewed separately then Mel and Haller's hands are tied. As much as I want them to call out UM right now for their cowardice and hypocrisy, maybe they know a fighting response is better served in a different way on a different day. Unfortunately for many of us, our hatred lacks patience, but this is the CEO and Chairman of MSU football & athletics so they don't have the benefit of saying what we say particularly if they know there could be more to the story that they've seen/heard that we are not privy to. If they cast blame and then a new video comes out that they've seen, it only looks worse. So I guess until we have all the facts we have to sit tight and lay the swords down....reluctantly.
-We know with certainty UM loves to play the victim card because that's all they know how to do. It's embedded into who they are.
-We know they will not do MSU any favors and will try to paint us in a bad light.
-We know half of the media may pile on until this fades with most of that being local news and then the occasional national outlet. It'll fade out of news cycles TODAY and you'll only hear about it on a national broadcast of a UM or MSU game next weekend and then it'll be gone pretty much for good.
-We know our coach and AD are likely fuming inside at the circumstances that led to this.
-We know CMT claims to be a man of no excuses and right now he is responding in accordance with that belief.
-We know true leaders are judged on how they respond to adversity. Well, 2022 is full of it. ****(By the way, on a football related note I think it is good for me to see what our defense looks like these last 2 games with only Bogle, Jeff, P, and Snow missing...70% of its starters playing, rather than being without half of its starters and depth like most of the season. Mel kept telling us he believed in his defensive staff and that we have to execute. Many of us didn't believe him and wanted Hazelton's head. Now that we're closer to health we're seeing a much better product even though we're still incredibly thin at DE and down our best LB along with a gimpy X in back. Maybe, just maybe, he is closer to the situation and understands the reality of our depth and what is possible if we don't have hurricane force headwinds in our face. In that scenario, at least as of right now, it looks like him keeping things in-house and handling adversity was helpful on D. As for the O.....I imagine that will be addressed in the offseason, but it's hard to can an OC mid-season I think since our staff is not loaded with offensive minds.)
-We know leaders can be cut from a different cloth....you can rally your troops publicly, privately, or both. I have to believe our entire team is united right now out of anger and I have to believe, for my own sanity, that Tuck & Haller have strategized how to respond to this and use it to fuel us long term.
-Life is good at humbling people. Maybe this was teaching Mel & Co. a lesson on how to build the foundation of your program and handle adversity. I suspect for Harbaugh, this WILL come back around. You can only be an arrogant prick for so long before it collapses. He's been on the bring of failure to the brink of success to the brink of returning to the NFL out of spite. Now he's back cockier than he's ever been. It is not sustainable. His personality won't let it. He's had to face very little adversity lately. Once his earth starts to shake again, there are enough cracks in the foundation he stands on that things will get dicey. No doubt, we want to be the ones helping to kick it down.
The chip on our shoulder is somehow bigger now than it has ever been for us. This is not fun right now, but I am very confident this is going to be the ultimate rallying cry for Spartans to unite and bounce back stronger than all hell. It all starts now...
The hard part is we don't know what Mel and Haller have seen beyond social media videos. My angered judgment of their statements last night was out of frustration for being apologetic. If there is another video either in the tunnel or a longer version that shows our guys not only whooped on those guys, but that they also were proactive in seeking the fight then we are commenting in the dark where they are seeing the reality of the evidence. There could also be eye witness accounts. Sadly, aside from MSU players, those may be UM eyewitness accounts, but if the stories aligned when interviewed separately then Mel and Haller's hands are tied. As much as I want them to call out UM right now for their cowardice and hypocrisy, maybe they know a fighting response is better served in a different way on a different day. Unfortunately for many of us, our hatred lacks patience, but this is the CEO and Chairman of MSU football & athletics so they don't have the benefit of saying what we say particularly if they know there could be more to the story that they've seen/heard that we are not privy to. If they cast blame and then a new video comes out that they've seen, it only looks worse. So I guess until we have all the facts we have to sit tight and lay the swords down....reluctantly.
-We know with certainty UM loves to play the victim card because that's all they know how to do. It's embedded into who they are.
-We know they will not do MSU any favors and will try to paint us in a bad light.
-We know half of the media may pile on until this fades with most of that being local news and then the occasional national outlet. It'll fade out of news cycles TODAY and you'll only hear about it on a national broadcast of a UM or MSU game next weekend and then it'll be gone pretty much for good.
-We know our coach and AD are likely fuming inside at the circumstances that led to this.
-We know CMT claims to be a man of no excuses and right now he is responding in accordance with that belief.
-We know true leaders are judged on how they respond to adversity. Well, 2022 is full of it. ****(By the way, on a football related note I think it is good for me to see what our defense looks like these last 2 games with only Bogle, Jeff, P, and Snow missing...70% of its starters playing, rather than being without half of its starters and depth like most of the season. Mel kept telling us he believed in his defensive staff and that we have to execute. Many of us didn't believe him and wanted Hazelton's head. Now that we're closer to health we're seeing a much better product even though we're still incredibly thin at DE and down our best LB along with a gimpy X in back. Maybe, just maybe, he is closer to the situation and understands the reality of our depth and what is possible if we don't have hurricane force headwinds in our face. In that scenario, at least as of right now, it looks like him keeping things in-house and handling adversity was helpful on D. As for the O.....I imagine that will be addressed in the offseason, but it's hard to can an OC mid-season I think since our staff is not loaded with offensive minds.)
-We know leaders can be cut from a different cloth....you can rally your troops publicly, privately, or both. I have to believe our entire team is united right now out of anger and I have to believe, for my own sanity, that Tuck & Haller have strategized how to respond to this and use it to fuel us long term.
-Life is good at humbling people. Maybe this was teaching Mel & Co. a lesson on how to build the foundation of your program and handle adversity. I suspect for Harbaugh, this WILL come back around. You can only be an arrogant prick for so long before it collapses. He's been on the bring of failure to the brink of success to the brink of returning to the NFL out of spite. Now he's back cockier than he's ever been. It is not sustainable. His personality won't let it. He's had to face very little adversity lately. Once his earth starts to shake again, there are enough cracks in the foundation he stands on that things will get dicey. No doubt, we want to be the ones helping to kick it down.
The chip on our shoulder is somehow bigger now than it has ever been for us. This is not fun right now, but I am very confident this is going to be the ultimate rallying cry for Spartans to unite and bounce back stronger than all hell. It all starts now...
