Bleeding Green

All is Well

Stealing a line from Animal House, I think everyone should take a deep breath. Ok, things have not gone quite according to plan. Every Summer I sit down with a college football preview, read up on MSU, this year’s opponents, and make a semi-educated guess at the regular season W/L record. Optimistically, I had it at 9-3, pessimistically 6-5.

Live chat with video: Talkin' Spartans with Barry Kiel & Joe Rexrode

Coming at 2 p.m. Eastern today on LSJ.com & GreenandWhite.com: LSJ.com Assistant Sports Editor, Barry Kiel and MSU beat reporter, Joe Rexrode discuss the upcoming match-up against Michigan, last week's game against Wisconsin and the many surprises so far this season on this week's episode of Talkin' Spartans. br>

Live video broadcast will begin at 2 p.m. Eastern, with an interactive live chat running during the show.

Coach Dantonio: Please start Keith Nichol:

It's not that Ihink Cousins is a bad quarterback, I don't. I think he has the capacity to play real well. I just think we need to try something a little different, and I think that something is Keith Nichol.

I'm going to give you some of my reasons, maybe you want to give me some of yours-either pro or con for starting Nichol in our next big game.

• Nichol executed late in this game against Wisconsin in a way we could have used much earlier in the game.
• Nichol is more mobile, and has the willingness and ability to run the ball. This helps a lot when our offensive line has a leak.
• Nichol overcame a lot of adversity just to get to East Lansing. He got a bunch of criticism when he left for Oklahoma and didn't get a lot of warm fuzzies when he came back. He got to play the part of punching bag all last year while he waited for his eligibility to kick in this year.

I don't care about quarterback controversies, but I would like to see a win next week.

What say you Spartan nation? It's raining buckets here in Kentucky so maybe I'm all wet.

GO GREEN!

Steve, Flatwoods, KY 

Son of a Badger! (Yes I am, and I really hate playing these guys)

Confession: Dad is a Badger, and a Wildcat, actually having graduated from both. But I still really want to beat these guys. I saw MSU beat these guys in the 80's and was amazed that they took to the field afterwords and partied like it was 1999. Maybe we can do that some day in Spartan Stadium, though I'd like to do it after a win....

So here we go roaring into Big Ten season. This game obviously offers many challenges for us Spartans.

First, they have an awesome record at home (104-2 or something, I forget the actual number). I think they must have some ghosts from previous military conflicts (Camp Randall) hanging around helping them cheat or something.

Second, they look a lot like us. They are not an "elite" program, but they seem to always play up to their opponents level and give everybody a good fight. Like a lot of teams in the Big Ten, I think they are under rated. So even if we beat these guys, I don't think we'll get the recognition we should.

Lastly, I am not sure anyone knows what to expect from this team. They always appear appear to be a bit unpredictable. It's times like these I'm glad I'm not a coach for MSU.

Here's my question: What is it going to take to beat the Badgers?

Personally, I say stick with what is working which would be an all out air attack. Obviously we have the skill at Quarterback and with our receivers. Run the ball when you have to, but let Cousins/Nichol and the receiving corps do their thing. It seems to have worked well so far.

What say you my Spartan friends? What would you do if you were the Coach?

GO GREEN!

Steve in Flatwoods, Kentucky

Did you know the Badger is a critter that can Twitter?

This seems a little weird to me. Check out the AP article in the GreenandWhite.com.  It appears that the coach of the Badgers, Brett Bielema, is reading our players' Twitter messages as well as that of his own players. I have some questions about this.

• First, what could our players possibly say that could give him an edge? Certainly they're not talking about what plays they have been practicing or what injury they may have sustained?
• Second, wouldn't his time be better spent studying plays of his opponents on video or something?
• Lastly, what other new technologies are out there that are changing the game or that a coach might use to get the upper hand?

Help me out here. I don't get out much and I'm just not tech savvy...

GO GREEN!

Steve in Flatwoods, Kentucky

Live chat with video: Talkin' Spartans with Barry Kiel & Joe Rexrode

Coming at 2 p.m. Eastern today on LSJ.com & GreenandWhite.com: LSJ.com Assistant Sports Editor, Barry Kiel and MSU beat reporter, Joe Rexrode discuss the upcoming match-up against Wisconsin, last week's game against Notre Dame and the many surprises so far this season on this week's episode of Talkin' Spartans.

Live video broadcast will begin at 2 p.m. Eastern, with an interactive live chat running during the show.

OK, Let's take some deep breaths and start with some daily affirmations, cause gosh darn it we're good enough, we're strong enough, and people like us! (except Wolverines)

Ok, Ok, we all saw what happened. If you're like me, by now you've probably already read at least a couple articles on the win that almost was.

Why I Dislike Notre Dame

I really dislike the University of Notre Dame. Let me count the reasons why:

Week 3: Talkin' Spartans Show with Barry Kiel & Joe Rexrode

LSJ.com Assistant Sports Editor, Barry Kiel and MSU beat reporter, Joe Rexrode discuss this weekend's game match-up MSU at. Notre Dame, last week's game against Central Michigan and the many surprises so far this season on this week's episode of GreenandWhite.com's Talkin' Spartans.

Week 2: Talkin' Spartans Show with Barry Kiel & Joe Rexrode

LSJ.com Assistant Sports Editor, Barry Kiel and MSU beat reporter, Joe Rexrode discuss this weekend's game match-up MSU vs. Central Michigan and MSU's depth chart in this week's episode of GreenandWhite.com's Talkin' Spartans.