Can I tell you why Dantonio is a really good coach?

I know that you know this. And I know that some guys who cover the beat may have pointed this out, but let me try to put it in more basic terms.

There is a lot of cliche speak in sports about how big certain games are, teams' ability to bounce back from certain things, etc. I don't want to lend credence to boring cliches, but there is no more concrete truth in sports than a gambler's truth. And while I am not some kind of handicapping soothsayer, I have lost enough over the years to know the truth about a lot of things.

Let down games are very real. And motivation is key.

How do you motivate a team to play hard and take care of business after all of their goals are dashed in a single night? IMO I don't think you can. There was literally nothing left to play for after that night. I didn't even consider the possibility until late in the 3rd quarter when I looked at my seatmates and said - wow. There is nothing left for these guys to play for. This season is over. There was no chance OSU was losing 2 games. Zilch. Zamboni. Zoozaroni.

I know that Maryland, Rutgers and PSU are not the toughest of opponents, but many, many teams would have let down in those contests. MSU didn't. Coach D kept them hungry. Somehow. I honestly can't even fathom it. They were playing for a Division Championship, a Conference Championship, a Final Four berth, and a National Championship one week. The next week - nothing. A "premiere" bowl game and no shot at any of the aforementioned stated goals.

And they showed up, and kicked fuckin' ass in each of those games.

Coach D is special.

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:I know that you know this. And I know that some guys who cover the beat may have pointed this out, but let me try to put it in more basic terms.

There is a lot of cliche speak in sports about how big certain games are, teams' ability to bounce back from certain things, etc. I don't want to lend credence to boring cliches, but there is no more concrete truth in sports than a gambler's truth. And while I am not some kind of handicapping soothsayer, I have lost enough over the years to know the truth about a lot of things.

Let down games are very real. And motivation is key.

How do you motivate a team to play hard and take care of business after all of their goals are dashed in a single night? IMO I don't think you can. There was literally nothing left to play for after that night. I didn't even consider the possibility until late in the 3rd quarter when I looked at my seatmates and said - wow. There is nothing left for these guys to play for. This season is over. There was no chance OSU was losing 2 games. Zilch. Zamboni. Zoozaroni.

I know that Maryland, Rutgers and PSU are not the toughest of opponents, but many, many teams would have let down in those contests. MSU didn't. Coach D kept them hungry. Somehow. I honestly can't even fathom it. They were playing for a Division Championship, a Conference Championship, a Final Four berth, and a National Championship one week. The next week - nothing. A "premiere" bowl game and no shot at any of the aforementioned stated goals.

And they showed up, and kicked fuckin' ass in each of those games.

Coach D is special.

Truth.

Heat Miser wrote:If MSU had nothing to play for, what did Maryland, Rutgers, & PSU have to play for?

Making a bowl game. Knocking off the reigning Big Ten champs? Are you serious? MSU got every team's best effort this year. Except for maybe Michigan.

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:

Heat Miser wrote:If MSU had nothing to play for, what did Maryland, Rutgers, & PSU have to play for?

Making a bowl game. Knocking off the reigning Big Ten champs? Are you serious? MSU got every team's best effort this year. Except for maybe Michigan.

This is true.

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:I know that you know this. And I know that some guys who cover the beat may have pointed this out, but let me try to put it in more basic terms.

There is a lot of cliche speak in sports about how big certain games are, teams' ability to bounce back from certain things, etc. I don't want to lend credence to boring cliches, but there is no more concrete truth in sports than a gambler's truth. And while I am not some kind of handicapping soothsayer, I have lost enough over the years to know the truth about a lot of things.

Let down games are very real. And motivation is key.

How do you motivate a team to play hard and take care of business after all of their goals are dashed in a single night? IMO I don't think you can. There was literally nothing left to play for after that night. I didn't even consider the possibility until late in the 3rd quarter when I looked at my seatmates and said - wow. There is nothing left for these guys to play for. This season is over. There was no chance OSU was losing 2 games. Zilch. Zamboni. Zoozaroni.

I know that Maryland, Rutgers and PSU are not the toughest of opponents, but many, many teams would have let down in those contests. MSU didn't. Coach D kept them hungry. Somehow. I honestly can't even fathom it. They were playing for a Division Championship, a Conference Championship, a Final Four berth, and a National Championship one week. The next week - nothing. A "premiere" bowl game and no shot at any of the aforementioned stated goals.

And they showed up, and kicked fuckin' ass in each of those games.

Coach D is special.

While I think he's a good coach for many reasons, one of the measuring sticks of any coach is how hard the kids will play for you. I don't think anyone can ever say that Dantonio's teams don't play their ass off. That's all him.

Good post. Totally agree

B/c he win gamz

-blantch

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:Coach D is special.

Because he's allowed me to be smug at the vast majority of Holiday dinners for the past 5 years as my scUM loving relatives commiserate among themselves over the state of their football program. I love Coach D for that and always will.

TLDR

couldn't agree more.. +1

Robert J Sakimano wrote:couldn't agree more.. +1

We missed you Bob. We'll, when I say we I mean mostly just me. Anyway, how was Thanksgiving?

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:

We missed you Bob. We'll, when I say we I mean mostly just me. Anyway, how was Thanksgiving?

thanks, man - missed you too.

Thanksgiving was good - uneventful, which is the way I like it. Pretty laid back 5-6 days. How was yours?

Robert J Sakimano wrote:thanks, man - missed you too.

Thanksgiving was good - uneventful, which is the way I like it. Pretty laid back 5-6 days. How was yours?

Please do not have old people "how was your weekend" conversations.

Thank you,

Management

Turtleneck wrote:

Please do not have old people "how was your weekend" conversations.

Thank you,

Management

have I been warned?

Robert J Sakimano wrote:
thanks, man - missed you too.

Thanksgiving was good - uneventful, which is the way I like it. Pretty laid back 5-6 days. How was yours?

OK. Travelled down to Louisville to visit the in-laws last Wednesday. Traffic around Indy on 465 was kind of brutal, but once we got there it was a solid visit. Plenty of bourbon to drink.

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:I know that you know this. And I know that some guys who cover the beat may have pointed this out, but let me try to put it in more basic terms.

There is a lot of cliche speak in sports about how big certain games are, teams' ability to bounce back from certain things, etc. I don't want to lend credence to boring cliches, but there is no more concrete truth in sports than a gambler's truth. And while I am not some kind of handicapping soothsayer, I have lost enough over the years to know the truth about a lot of things.

Let down games are very real. And motivation is key.

How do you motivate a team to play hard and take care of business after all of their goals are dashed in a single night? IMO I don't think you can. There was literally nothing left to play for after that night. I didn't even consider the possibility until late in the 3rd quarter when I looked at my seatmates and said - wow. There is nothing left for these guys to play for. This season is over. There was no chance OSU was losing 2 games. Zilch. Zamboni. Zoozaroni.

I know that Maryland, Rutgers and PSU are not the toughest of opponents, but many, many teams would have let down in those contests. MSU didn't. Coach D kept them hungry. Somehow. I honestly can't even fathom it. They were playing for a Division Championship, a Conference Championship, a Final Four berth, and a National Championship one week. The next week - nothing. A "premiere" bowl game and no shot at any of the aforementioned stated goals.

And they showed up, and kicked fuckin' ass in each of those games.

Coach D is special.

Thinking back to Coach D's year, and going off of memory here I remember his big pitch to the fans was we will show up, and we will play hard to the end of the game.

I remember his first season even though we lost a five games, almost every game was exciting to the end.

Look at his first year at MSU...

http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/michigan-state/2007-schedule.html

All those games were competitive to the end of the game, which was right off the bat a huge difference from the year before.

Also, just watching that Penn State game this weekend I think people forget what a house of horrors Happy Valley was for us. Even terrible PSU teams would find a way to beat the Spartans there.

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:

OK. Travelled down to Louisville to visit the in-laws last Wednesday. Traffic around Indy on 465 was kind of brutal, but once we got there it was a solid visit. Plenty of bourbon to drink.

that sounds like a good trip..

I intentionally tried to limit the alcohol this past week.. a bloody Mary, couple of beers and a glass of wine on Thanksgiving day. Hung out a little bit on Saturday with some friends at Dagwoods.. other than that, not a lot of drinking.

of course, I was with my immediate family. When I see my extended family later this month, I expect the alcohol consumption to increase exponentially.

Robert J Sakimano wrote: that sounds like a good trip..

I intentionally tried to limit the alcohol this past week.. a bloody Mary, couple of beers and a glass of wine on Thanksgiving day. Hung out a little bit on Saturday with some friends at Dagwoods.. other than that, not a lot of drinking.

of course, I was with my immediate family. When I see my extended family later this month, I expect the alcohol consumption to increase exponentially.

You have been warned.

OSU this year seemed like MSU last year something to prove. Remember last year the motto was Chase It.

OSU prepared the entire year for the game vs us and it showed. Now MSU needs to beat OSU next year or we will be considered OSUs bitch again and OSU will have basically said we own the East. Problem is if you lose to OSU, you almost have no shot to get to Indy.

The_Dude wrote:OSU this year seemed like MSU last year something to prove. Remember last year the motto was Chase It.

OSU prepared the entire year for the game vs us and it showed. Now MSU needs to beat OSU next year or we will be considered OSUs bitch again and OSU will have basically said we own the East. Problem is if you lose to OSU, you almost have no shot to get to Indy.

Yup. And the real problem in all of that is the liberals.

Robert J Sakimano wrote:thanks, man - missed you too.

Thanksgiving was good - uneventful, which is the way I like it. Pretty laid back 5-6 days. How was yours?

Glad you enjoyed your time at the cabin.

Turtleneck wrote:

You have been warned.

ever listen to Trampled by Turtles? You should check them out..

(that's what pushed The Gimp over the edge at tRCMB) -

I have. They came through my area this summer but like every time a show comes through, I am too busy doing something else that relates to my day-to-day survival.

Robert J Sakimano wrote:

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:

OK. Travelled down to Louisville to visit the in-laws last Wednesday. Traffic around Indy on 465 was kind of brutal, but once we got there it was a solid visit. Plenty of bourbon to drink.

that sounds like a good trip..

I intentionally tried to limit the alcohol this past week.. a bloody Mary, couple of beers and a glass of wine on Thanksgiving day. Hung out a little bit on Saturday with some friends at Dagwoods.. other than that, not a lot of drinking.

of course, I was with my immediate family. When I see my extended family later this month, I expect the alcohol consumption to increase exponentially.

Ummm.... hate to call you out here Bob, but you could have taught everyone a lesson by showing us how hypocritical the whole concept of Thanksgiving is by working your ass off in some homeless shelter over the holidays. Instead, you selfishly used your personal time and money on yourself and your family. Pretty weak IMHO and kind of a double standard. Just sayin'

SeeRockCity wrote:

Ummm.... hate to call you out here Bob, but you could have taught everyone a lesson by showing us how hypocritical the whole concept of Thanksgiving is by working your ass off in some homeless shelter over the holidays.  Instead, you selfishly used your personal time and money on yourself and your family.  Pretty weak IMHO and kind of a double standard.  Just sayin'

I used my wife's money.. she makes some sweet bank.

Robert J Sakimano wrote:

SeeRockCity wrote:

Ummm.... hate to call you out here Bob, but you could have taught everyone a lesson by showing us how hypocritical the whole concept of Thanksgiving is by working your ass off in some homeless shelter over the holidays.  Instead, you selfishly used your personal time and money on yourself and your family.  Pretty weak IMHO and kind of a double standard.  Just sayin'

I used my wife's money.. she makes some sweet bank.

So she's not buying the social / moral outrage either?

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:I know that you know this. And I know that some guys who cover the beat may have pointed this out, but let me try to put it in more basic terms.

There is a lot of cliche speak in sports about how big certain games are, teams' ability to bounce back from certain things, etc. I don't want to lend credence to boring cliches, but there is no more concrete truth in sports than a gambler's truth. And while I am not some kind of handicapping soothsayer, I have lost enough over the years to know the truth about a lot of things.

Let down games are very real. And motivation is key.

How do you motivate a team to play hard and take care of business after all of their goals are dashed in a single night? IMO I don't think you can. There was literally nothing left to play for after that night. I didn't even consider the possibility until late in the 3rd quarter when I looked at my seatmates and said - wow. There is nothing left for these guys to play for. This season is over. There was no chance OSU was losing 2 games. Zilch. Zamboni. Zoozaroni.

I know that Maryland, Rutgers and PSU are not the toughest of opponents, but many, many teams would have let down in those contests. MSU didn't. Coach D kept them hungry. Somehow. I honestly can't even fathom it. They were playing for a Division Championship, a Conference Championship, a Final Four berth, and a National Championship one week. The next week - nothing. A "premiere" bowl game and no shot at any of the aforementioned stated goals.

And they showed up, and kicked fuckin' ass in each of those games.

Coach D is special.

Agree. The question is, how many 10+ win seasons without getting into the playoff will it take for the natives to get restless? Having suffered with MSU football since the 70s, I am happy as hell about MSU football now, but a new bar has been set by Coach D and 10 wins is now the minimum for a successful season. However, I think we haven't quite made it to elite status yet. Coach D has MSU well respected now and he has effectively killed the SOS narrative, but I think we need to appear in the playoff and get a Natty in the next few years in order to cement our status as elite.

The next question is, will this be a long term thing where the next coach can continue the success, or is this our time in the sun and we had better enjoy it while we can because we are only one President or AD away from a return to the bad old days?

SeeRockCity wrote:

So she's not buying the social / moral outrage either?

you'll have to ask her, brah..

Code_Warrior wrote:
Agree.  The question is, how many 10+ win seasons without getting into the playoff will it take for the natives to get restless?  Having suffered with MSU football since the 70s, I am happy as hell about MSU football now, but a new bar has been set by Coach D and 10 wins is now the minimum for a successful season.  However, I think we haven't quite made it to elite status yet.  Coach D has MSU well respected now and he has effectively killed the SOS narrative, but I think we need to appear in the playoff and get a Natty in the next few years in order to cement our status as elite.

The next question is, will this be a long term thing where the next coach can continue the success, or is this our time in the sun and we had better enjoy it while we can because we are only one President or AD away from a return to the bad old days?

Dantonio is set. I'm guessing that all the 'right' people are happy with him right now. I don't see how you can punish a guy who brought you more success than anyone else in 50 years. MSU isn't seen as elite, even if we want to see it as elite. It won't be 'elite' until you can have another coach sustain the success. We are in elite company right now, but no one looks at MSU as a football destination. 

I think Dantonio is setting his own terms at this point. If he were to fall to having multiple 6-6 seasons, but still have a high graduation rate, that will be enough.

As Rexrode put it, Dantonio is on the "statue plan". No worries...

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state/spartans/2014/12/01/michigan-state-spartans-football-mark-dantonio-joe-rexrode/19725371/

InTenSity wrote:
Dantonio is set. I'm guessing that all the 'right' people are happy with him right now. I don't see how you can punish a guy who brought you more success than anyone else in 50 years. MSU isn't seen as elite, even if we want to see it as elite. It won't be 'elite' until you can have another coach sustain the success. We are in elite company right now, but no one looks at MSU as a football destination. 

I think Dantonio is setting his own terms at this point. If he were to fall to having multiple 6-6 seasons, but still have a high graduation rate, that will be enough.

A return to annual 6-6 seasons with Dantonio at the helm would be a kick in the nuts. I hope he retires before that ever happens.

Code_Warrior wrote:
A return to annual 6-6 seasons with Dantonio at the helm would be a kick in the nuts. I hope he retires before that ever happens.

Wont.

Wonder what the outcry will be when he "plummets" to an 8 win season.

AvgMSUJoe wrote:

Wont.

Wonder what the outcry will be when he "plummets" to an 8 win season.

Calls to scrap the program no doubt.

AvgMSUJoe wrote:

Wont.

Wonder what the outcry will be when he "plummets" to an 8 win season.

I'm going to be very disappointed with our fanbase when that happens. There will probably be a lot of people saying that he's getting too old and set in his ways, that he is unable to adopt to the football world. Probably a lot more calling for Narduzzi to take over. 

I really think that our fanbase is still childish in a lot of ways. People have very short memories and they don't realize that running off a coach like Dantonio would place a black mark on MSU. Hell, look at this year with BBall. People are already saying that the game has passed by Izzo. After everything he has done for this university, I think it is unfair for people to call for him to change positions.