Final thoughts after MSU-Northwestern

These thoughts are from Mark Dantonio and Pat Narduzzi, comments that I felt should be printed somewhere but couldn't make the game story:

Narduzzi: “I don’t think it’s devastating at all. Probably it’s devastating to you guys, because it’s kind of something that’s bred. But we’ve changed that attitude, that had nothing to do with it. It’s one game, and we will come back ready to go.”

Dantonio: “The true key to me is that we stand together. We face whatever we’ve got to face, we stand together, we move this thing forward. While it may not be popular with some people, some people on the outside, it is what we will do on the inside. And it is what will ultimately allow us to be successful.”

I believe those comments sum up the general feeling from the MSU camp after the game. What do you think?

Comments

[edb]

The scoreboard is the only true indicator of whether MSU's attitude has changed, and I don't think it lied today.

Narduzzi pretty much threw his players under the bus with his clever little comment about MSU not be able to stop Eaat Lansing High School today. So what was his own culpability, given his stubborn insistence of blitzing an opponent that was picking apart his defense?

Disgraceful.

[GoState]

I don't think Narduzzi has ever seen a spread offense before this game. A lot of the blame goes to the defensive coaching staff.
Once again, very nice play calling towards the end of the game Treadwell or did we hire Baldwin back, it's hard to tell.
If they don't beat Indiana, this season is definitely over....4-8 just got a lot closer to becoming a reality

[Bearsguy]

How can you people give up after a couple of losses? You are like the Eqyptians wanting to go back to the plagues.

[KoolAidGuy]

Mmmm. The Kool Aid is good! I especially enjoyed the Coaching job of John L. Dantonio and staff. This team was so ready to play. Remind me again of why we fired the last set of coaches. Oh yeah, losing games we were supposed to win. I can't wait to see the yardage put up by teams with real offenses. But hey, the team played so well....the kool aid is good!

[David]

Narduzzi & Dantonio can talk all they want about standing together, blah blah blah. However, this is the bottom line: MSU's defense has been torched 2 weeks in a row. Even worse, it was shredded by 2 offenses on opposite ends of the football spectrum. Wisconsin likes to pound it w/a power running game. Northwestern likes to finesse you with the spread. Both offenses worked with equal effectiveness. Since entering Big 10 play the offense has been clicking on all cylinders. Meanwhile, the defense has regressed to being (gasp!) John L. Smith like.....That's NOT a good thing.

DSR

[Vel in Tampa]

MSU stunk up the place. Our defensive backfield is well below average. Our Quarter back is just below average. Add to that, I had to sit through the play by play via George Blahha who has to be the poorest excuse for a play by play person in all of college sports..Dull dull dull. I had no choice, I live in Tampa Florida, The great Big Ten Network isn't even a dream for us..

[Marc]

If giving up 500 yards passing, and losing to a team that got beat at home by DUKE isn't devastating, then I don't want to witness a game they think is.
On the other hand, if they want to keep the chances of a bowl game alive they pretty much have to say what they're saying. I think these players are fragile after the last few years and the coaches are still trying to convince them they can bounce back. If the coaches shred them now, they'll just go into the old "here we go again" mold.

[Cmoney]

First, I'm sick and tired of hearing comments like..."Next week we will be ready"..."Played hard, didn't get it done"..."It’s not about you, it’s about us". I personally think the AD (Mason I guess) should STOP all media coverage for assistance coaches and players and only interview the heard coach before and after all games this season--that’s it; that’s all this program deserves!! All this "hot air" talk makes me sick and its just verbal diarrhoea. I've heard it for FAR too long—JUST WIN GAMES—all else is BS….Seriously, if I hear one more player saying “We just gotta fix it and move on” I will vomit all over my computer. Simple—stop talking and start doing.

Second, if we lose to Indy next week Coach D is going to have a very tough road ahead of him this year and NEXT: 1.) The players emotions and “metal toughness” will be destroyed and it will make it that much more difficult for him to change there mind-set next year as well 2.) The media will continue to view us as a “flopper” and a program that “accepts mediocrity”—with a local media doubting you then it makes everything, especially recruiting, very very difficult. 3) I think fans will agree with me that with this disgusting lose, they are already looking to basketball (I kinda have)…And that’s not good for any “rebuilding” program (which I disagree with people that is a rebuilding year—coach D has better players here then at Cincy, not to mention all of his coaching staff)…4. ) And I bet you see a decrease in attendance next week. So in short, this Inday game will definitely determine if we will be 4-8 or a 6-6 (or better) team this year.

It hurts me to say this, but the article in the Free Press, by our UofM leaning journalist, Drew Sharp…Has hit the nail on the head. I think you should read the article. I have never once agreed with him, but today is the day.

So please spare me with the diarrhoea chit-chat and earn our respect with an absolutely 100% necessary win next week and a bowl game victory.

[Cmoney]

Sorry for all the mistakes in my post..just was a little mad

[The Spartologist]

While there were several instances where we just didn't make plays, I think our coaches get a large portion of the blame. It was obvious quite early in the game that the blitz was not going to work because NW gets rid of the ball so quickly. But Narduzzi kept calling the blitz leaving receivers unchecked. It doenst matter how well your zone defense if they've got 3 receivers in an area/zone and we've only got 2 defenders there. Once Narduzzi put a man on the third receiver (see Eric Gordon), we finally got some pressure on the QB.

Second, Ringer was on fire and we don't even let him touch the ball in OT. Did Treadwell think the clock was running in OT?? 4 straight shots at the endzone when all we needed was a first down. Give the ball to Ringer. They couldnt stop him.

[gogreen]

Vel in Tampa, George Blaha is one of the best play by play callers ever. The only guy I can listen to. At least he doesn't muck up the broadcast with incesant catch phrases or talk about the good ol' days when he was a player (of course he never was) like so many do. He calls a very unbiased game and always gives the opposition the respect they deserve. Not to mention he's been calling MSU football games for ~ 20 years so he actually has a clue about what he is talking about unlike the major network broadcasters. He should go down as one of the greats and unfortunately doesn't have the face for a major network so will never get the recognition he deserves.

Respect Blaha!

P.S. - Best play calling duo ever is Blaha and Laimbeer calling Piston's games...

[Marc]

No, gogreen, the best play calling duo ever is Ernie Harwell all by himself. It doesn't get any better than that. Blaha can't even carry Harwell's microphone.

[John Sheldon]

Dear Bo Schembechler in Tampa: How did MSU giving up 500 yards to one QB turn into a George Blaha bash? This man led me from the age of 5 -- right to left across my radio dial -- through Pistons champioinships, a decade of dominance over ND and a mountain of terrible losses. Bless this man. Take Brent Musberger with you on a loss to U-M and see how much you miss Blaha. Or the clowns who did the UW game last week on TV. Blaha is a class act. And PS -- Big 10 Network is on DirecTV. Dive in.

[gogreen]

Marc,

I've never been a big baseball fan but I'll take your word.

I just really enjoy listening to Laimbeer saying something like "I didn't see any foul on that" after a completely obvious charging call...he's probably the most biased color guy ever to call a game, but man, I love it.

[gogreen]

"In 2002, Blaha was the recipient of the prestigious Ty Tyson Award for Excellence in Sports Broadcasting, awarded by the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association"

[California Spartan]

I made a few comments on the "insert your rant" thread and signed off after it was mentioned that was what the thread was all about. Well let me tell you that I do not understand how bashing the Spartans helps us now or in the future particularly with recruiting. USC lost to Stanford tonight. I did not hear USC fans second guessing their coaches, players etc. Yes they are shocked and discouraged. However, they will not berate their coaches but will expect continued success. I cannot beleive any true spartan fan would address MD as John L. Dantonio- smells of U of M fan masquerading as one of the spartan faithful

[Gary Mole-er]

fellas...lets all just go and have a few drinks! I'll drive!

[jesusdoesnotcareaboutfootball]

Somebody please tell me why EVERYSINGLE spartan player prays on the S after the game. Is that what Dantonio is talking about when he says "it's what we will do on the inside." It's my experience that when a few kids pray together - its honest. And when everybody does it...it's coaches. It's peer pressure. It's calculated. And it doesn't have any business on the field. God doesn't give a rip about Spartan football...he's got genocide in Africa to worry about. This is a football team not a Wednesday night prayer fellowship.

[jesuscaresaboutplayershealthandsafety]

maybe the players recognize that God has given them talent and they are thanking him for that ability, their health, their safety in a violent game, their teammates' safety, etc.

[jesusdoesnotcareaboutfootball]

Fine do it in the locker room. Do at home. Do it in church. Do it in the sanctity of your own mind. This thing is coach driven. It's calculated. It's a show. Nobody - no kids - no group of anybody does things 100%. There's a lot of kids out there on that S - that are out there for the wrong reasons. I think the coaching staff should spend more time prepping for the game than spreading their religious beliefs.

[jesusdoesnotcareaboutfootball]

Furthermore Jesus doesn't care about players health and safety. He doesn't care if they win or if they lose or if John Kitna is healed miraculously from a concussion to lead the Lions to victory. If God is spending time around Spartan Stadium he's wasting a helluva of chance to heal the sick in Africa to end the war in Iraq, to do something about third world children whose little arms and little legs and little heads are being blown to bits by unexploded land mines, he's losing the battle on AIDS on malaria on povety and war.

And those coaches have no business bringing their religious goals when it comes to fellowship and missionary work and spreading the word of God onto the platform of a Big Ten public University football program.

Teach the kids how to stop a spread offense. Run the ball when you've got a back like Ringer in overtime. Let the kids who truly want to pray - pray on their own - don't pressure the others - worry about the job you've been paid to do.

And stop the postgame show.

[John Rhodes]

Whine, whine, and the great expectations are the same every season after the first few pushovers are beaten then you start hearing talk of "bowl games". Then when the real football with their conference rivals starts, then booing and whining about the coach did this and that wrong. Get a grip, the same problem has always been there. No Talent. And all the wonderful coaches in the land cannot change that fact. MSU is a recruiting nightmare and it always will be. If you're a high school football player do you wanna play for a team that goes to a bowl EVERY year or one that goes to a bowl once every five years?

[Vel in Tampa]

In regards to my George Blaha blog, sorry about the previous spelling, "I calls them like I sees them"....George Blaha sucks...

[Chuck from St. Johns]

Yesireeee Bob. Same Old, Same Old.
Let's jump all over the coaches and their play calling. Remember, these players are J.L's recruits, they are not capable of sustained focus, yet. A Bad pass, a bad route, can't hold a block, can't tackle. Focus, Focus, focus The players didn't execute the plays... On defense, they forget how to tackle, Couldn't get to the QB. To those that complain about blitzing all the time, perhaps that's why the coaches called so many blitz packages, because the defense was'nt getting the job done. Ya gotta try something for heavens sake!!!
And complaining about the coach throwing the whole team under the bus.. He was right to do that. He didn't single out one player in public like J.L. did. To those that quote Drew (Win Games you should)(The supreme knowledge) Dull, of the "Free?" Press: How's this? Appalachian State!!! To those that dis George Blaha, then complain about the game. He must have done a great job for you to "See" what was going on over the radio... How many folks out there turn the sound off the TV and listen to George call the game? He's one of the Best!! Hey Rexrode, nice job!! Coach Dantonio and Staff will cure the players afflicted with "Smithitus" but it will take
a little time to cure it, it took many years of J.L. to infect them, give them some time to get better. There were about 10K empty seats and lot's of good deals on tickets available. The team could have used your "Voice" against NW, Maybe it would have made a difference!?!?! Go State!!

[Frank]

Expectations should always be high, there is no doubt about that. The problem doesn't end with the team not finishing games or the coaches blowing it but it also rests with fans. We're tossing a team under the bus, just like we've done every year for the past 20 seasons. Coach D and his staff are giving us something to believe in, a shot at winning. That's something we haven't had for a long time.