Dantonio flexes Muscle!

Mark Dantonio coach of the MSU Spartans, heart attack survivor, Outback Bowl Champion, public speaker, master of ceremonies and now official time keeper for MHSFCA seminar held Kalamazoo this week. Okay, maybe I'm being a bit sarcastic here with the above info, so after you read this article found in the Detroit Free Press you be the judge.

By Dantonio cutting off Michigan's Jeff Hecklinski, an assistant coach and recruiter for going over allotted time by some accounts, he came off as smug, rude and a control freak. Each person on the panel had allotted time, there really is no need at an event like this to step on another coaches toe's. By doing this to an assistant coach, it comes off as petty and smug. Maybe Coach Dantonio is so set on making MSU vs. Michigan a bigger rivalry he is willing to make himself look unprofessional. I wonder if he would have done it were Hoke been able to be there?

There is no doubt, in my mind that MSU is trying to go over and above to make this football rivalry even bigger. After the events of the last few years I think Michigan, its fans and players understand there is more to the MSU vs. Michigan game that once thought, but as my blog post in the past, it just isn't the number one rival for Michigan. Someday, maybe it will become so but right now, MSU has done things to lessen the success they have had on the field by making such an issue out of this rivalry.

It is almost bizarro world, these two schools have switched places recently. Michigan is on a 3 game winning streak in Basketball, a sport in which MSU has dominated. Somehow Michigan fans aren't allowed to bring that up. As Basketball is the sport MSU deems as a sport where history can be talked about.

MSU has dominated Michigan over the last 4 years in football, probably the worst few years in Michigan's history but the future looks much more bright than in the past. Fans of the State program won't allow history to be used in the argument.

Either side you fall on this rival; Green or Blue, Spartan or Wolverine, there is no doubt a head coach flexing his muscle is hardly looking out for the little guy, no more than the position coach who goes over minutes talking to coaches. There was an agenda here, bravado in a setting like this can back fire and make you look more weak than 'for the people'.

Detroit to Play the Mid Winter Classic!

But Not host it.

The NHL once again is going half way with the Wings. The NHL has kept in the west, made them travel more than any team in pro sports, forced them in to so - so rivalries and in somes eyes done the Wings zero favors.

The Mid Winter Classic, the outdoor game that showcases the NHL in a great light, takes the players back their youth and is a money windfall banza for the communities that host it. So finally the NHL are in positive talks to allow the Wings to, host it, in Ann Arbor.

Ann Arbor, it's a great college town, the biggest non race stadium in North America. No doubt the NHL sees the glitz of putting 110,000 paying fans in the seats to get that record for attendance to a NHL game. What are there any negatives?

Of course Ann Arbor could hold the game, but where are people going to stay, how will moving around town be in winter months and is the NHL selfish in forcing this game here for only a number.

Red Wings fans have been loyal to hockey for over 15 years due to the product on the ice but they have put up with watching playoff games til 2am on work nights. The Wings is still the top ten selling jersey in pro sports and every YEAR this team draws more fans while on the road than most home teams play too.

Ilitch has been an ambassador to the game of hockey. He has championed hockey in this area and around the world. He has put his money into a product at times the rest of the world could give to craps about. He has also made sure the product is second to none.

The Ilitch family should have total say on how this game goes down and its location. They deserve that. Lets hope something gets worked out. I think its important for hockey, NHL, the City of Detroit and the Red Wings.

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Tide Turns: Rolls the Mad Hatter!

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Some said 'Bama didn't belong, some said LSU was to strong. The last time they played each other it was one of the most boring games in SEC history. Two football teams matched up and put up a baseball score. Surely it wouldn't happen again? Could the final game of the college football season for 2011 end up in a kickers duel?

Well it almost happened and as boring as the first meeting between these two games this game was close.

Alabama came into the game with lots to prove, like deserving to be there. Avenging a loss from earlier in the season where they put up yards but couldn't find the endzone. 'Bama also wanted to show everyone they should be there after a vote that had them below OSU in the polls. The SEC bias pushed its ugly head thru and put TWO SEC teams in the national championship game.

LSU was trying to become the first team to beat four top 5 ranked teams since Notre Dame did that in the mid 1940's. LSU had beat most silly all season, had an amazing defense a highlight reel offense and special teams that made many hold their breath. They were no doubt the best team in the land. The only question after the SEC championship game was...who would they play.

Flash back to 2006, #1 Ohio St. hosted #2 Michigan, the game was back and forth, showed flashes of amazing offense. It also had a feat that had only happened one time in Ohio St history, the Buckeye fans took a moment of silence for Michigan's legendary coach who had passed only hours before kickoff. Bo had passed and the bitter rivals showed respect. Ohio St. won the game 41 to 39. That was the last game of the season in the Big 10, the writers spoke and what they said only held true for that year.

There would be no rematch! Michigan didn't get to play them again. But why did 'Bama get a shot at LSU again? Why not give it to Oklahoma St.? Well they lost to a lessor team on a field goal and it was clear 'Bama and LSU were the two best teams in the land.

The giants of the SEC matched up with 44 days to prepare. To put that into perspective, they will start spring ball sooner than the time it was between games from 'Bama last opponent til the BCS title game.

It started out much like the last one left off, Defense ruled the day, well mostly by 'Bama but even with LSU's defense being on the field for most of the 1st half, a Kicker was front and center of the scoring. At the half it was 9-0 'Bama. So thru 6+qtrs of football, we hadn't seen a touchdown and watched "non football players" put the only points up in these two games.

The second half led to much of the same, 'Bama moved the ball but settled for field goals and the LSU offense struggled to the tune of 91 yards in offense on 44 plays. LSU only mustered 5 1st downs and sadly ran only 4 plays on 'Bama's side of the 50.

All night, LSU struggled on offense and 'Bama dominated on defense. LSU's QB Jefferson was horrible and couldn't hit his passes all night. The vertical passing from the start was doomed and LSU never adjusted to 'Bama's defense.

So much was wrong with this game. It was the 1st BCS shutout, the 1st time a #1 team had been shutout since 1996. A kicker was the most dominate figure in the game and even thou there was an, oh by the way touchdown scored in the 4th qtr. by one of the two Heisman runner up, neither "honeybadge" or Richardson had a huge impact on the game. (Yes I know Richardson scored the TD but wasn't the game a forgone conclusion by that point?)

It was an ugly game all night long and as a football fan, I have to say it was boring. Very boring. We were within 10 minutes of seeing the last TD of the season scored by the ill placed GoDaddy.com Bowl which featured a MAC team. That game didn't have the stakes that the BCS did but was much more exciting.

Maybe it's time for a playoff system in FBS!

Oh, Roll Tide! Congratulations to a remarkable team for winning the 2011 National Championship.

Updates

Sorry I've been neglecting my blog. Life just does that sometimes.

The football season is in the playoff mode.

This has been a crazy few weeks not including the holidays. The Lions clinched the playoffs since 1997 and had a record setting QB.

MSU beat the 4th best SEC in an exciting bowl game and finished a great season and maybe had their best class ever.

Michigan oh, Michigan. What a way to turn it around, I think the game they played against VT had the football Gods smiling at them. I think that game made up for the trip on Desomond, the 12 second clock against MSU and the holding and non TD call vs. Iowa this year. They probably shouldn't have won the game but they did and BLUE is back.

In other news, people like to talk smack on twitter and that's kinda life on the interwebs. I even got hit on by a cute media member in Chicago. Love the internet.