Webber state was worse

Looking back, that one is definitely worse. I'll explain to the youngsteers after this meeting with my boss

Assuming you mean Weber St, it depends on what you mean by "worse".

Weber St was more disappointing for sure, as it was Jud's last year, and tournament appearances at all, let alone high seeds, were not regular things. Valentine and those guys were in a Final Four last year, and there's a strong class coming in next year. Plus Izzo. After Weber St, no one was fired up about some dudes named Antonio Smith and Morris Peterson, and Cleaves wasn't on the average fan's radar yet. A Sweet 16 in 3 years, Final Four in 4 years, and National Championship in 5 years seemed so far fetched, no one outside of the program was even wasting their time thinking/dreaming about it.

On the other hand, Weber St was less shocking, because that didn't seem at all far fetched for an MSU team. The youngins here don't remember that the spirit of Same Ol Spartans (if not the actual name) applied to the basketball team as well in the 80s and early-mid 90s. Jesus, we came within a very tiny whisker of being the only #1 seed to ever lose to a #16 seed just 5 years prior to Weber St. Then we had Kenny Anderson's foot on the line. And the Kansas clock incident a few years before that. Whether by our own doing or forces outside of our control, it seemed that you could always count on something going wrong.

Middle Tennessee was shocking because of the incredible success that we have had the last 17 years. But that success helps soften the blow at the same time, at least for me. To be the victim of one of the biggest upsets in a tournament known for big upsets, you need to be pretty damn good, both as a team and a program. I also know that good times are ahead for MSU basketball, as well.

tl;dr - Weber St. was disappointing because it was Jud's last year and a rare opportunity, but wasn't as shocking, because shit always used to wrong for us. MidTenn was shocking because of our success, is not as devastating because it is neither the beginning nor the end of our basketball success.

Every loss diminishes me for I am a part of mankind.

MiamiSpartan wrote:Assuming you mean Weber St, it depends on what you mean by "worse".

Weber St was more disappointing for sure, as it was Jud's last year, and tournament appearances at all, let alone high seeds, were not regular things. Valentine and those guys were in a Final Four last year, and there's a strong class coming in next year. Plus Izzo. After Weber St, no one was fired up about some dudes named Antonio Smith and Morris Peterson, and Cleaves wasn't on the average fan's radar yet. A Sweet 16 in 3 years, Final Four in 4 years, and National Championship in 5 years seemed so far fetched, no one outside of the program was even wasting their time thinking/dreaming about it.

On the other hand, Weber St was less shocking, because that didn't seem at all far fetched for an MSU team. The youngins here don't remember that the spirit of Same Ol Spartans (if not the actual name) applied to the basketball team as well in the 80s and early-mid 90s. Jesus, we came within a very tiny whisker of being the only #1 seed to ever lose to a #16 seed just 5 years prior to Weber St. Then we had Kenny Anderson's foot on the line. And the Kansas clock incident a few years before that. Whether by our own doing or forces outside of our control, it seemed that you could always count on something going wrong.

Middle Tennessee was shocking because of the incredible success that we have had the last 17 years. But that success helps soften the blow at the same time, at least for me. To be the victim of one of the biggest upsets in a tournament known for big upsets, you need to be pretty damn good, both as a team and a program. I also know that good times are ahead for MSU basketball, as well.

tl;dr - Weber St. was disappointing because it was Jud's last year and a rare opportunity, but wasn't as shocking, because shit always used to wrong for us. MidTenn was shocking because of our success, is not as devastating because it is neither the beginning nor the end of our basketball success.

This. Although I think you glossed over the devisation. The tourney was designed for fire and ice, and with brooks and feick, we have enough of an inside game to bang on the boards.

Plus a snow Iverson match up in the 2nd round would have been truly legendary. More so since that back court duo took Philly to the nba finals.

I just remember thinking, that was that stick a fork in msu bball. Fab fucks and uofm going to dominate from here on out. We missed our window. And after Izzo's first two years, boy did it look that way too.