Packer487

I don't like the sentiment either--especially living in Wisconsin, I'd have preferred that they had won that game since I'm going to take a lot of crap about it on Friday--but let me put it this way: If that Wisconsin game had been for the Big Ten title, or if Michigan came into that game unbeaten and with National Title hopes, I have no doubt that Mike Hart and Chad Henne would've played. As it was, it made no sense to risk either of them in what essentially was a meaningless game for us. Wisconsin was the better team Saturday. And they were without their star running back for most of the game as well (and their backup went down also)--and I believe they're missing a very good WR as well. Their backups made plays, ours didn't. But I do think that the "meaningless" nature of the game caused Michigan to be more cautious with their injured players. Big picture. Everything for the past year has indicated that he's gone, and if Brian says he's heard it from 3 different people, then I don't doubt him. I want Miles. There have been rumblings in the past that he has "loose Morals" or whatever, but no one has ever backed it up with any shred of evidence, which, to me, seems to indicate that it's nothing more than a smear campaign by people who stand to lose their "insider" status if Miles takes the reigns. It's clearly his dream job, and when you can land someone like him, he's gotta be candidate 1, 2, and 3. I think they'd be very wise to interview Brian Kelly as well, though I've heard he's kind of a dick and has his eye on the NFL. Great coach though.

But none of it would matter if Michigan wasn't in the top 14 in the BCS. Which I don't think they would've been had they beaten Wiscy and lost to OSU.

I think you could make a really strong case for Favre as it is. Obviously Brady has had an incredible season, but I guess it just depends on what your definition of MVP is. Some people will vote for the guy with the best stats (Brady), some will vote for the best player on the best team (Brady) and some view it as the player who is most valuable to his team (Favre). Think of it this way: Everyone suspected the Pats were going to be the best team in the league (and granted Brady is a part of their projection). All offseason we heard about how they have the best WR corps evah! And pretty much everyone had them pegged for 9-0/8-1 at worst. What did people think about the Packers? No running game, iffy Wrs, questionable OL, and a QB who should pack it in. They people who were paying attention thought that MAYBE they could make the playoffs, but most had them pegged for 6-10/8-8. And they're already at that upper boundary with 7 games to play. I respect the hell out of Brady based on his track record (and since he played at Michigan) and he's clearly having an amazing season, but I'd venture a guess that there are quite a few QBs out there who would be 9-0 with that Pats team. And it's not all that hard to play QB when you've got 8 seconds every play to throw. One of those WRs is GOING to get open given that much time. Not to take much away from him, because he's been amazing, but I know damn well Favre would be doing the same thing given that much time (I actually think the receiving corps are closer than people believe, but the offensive lines aren't close). Favre has run that offense to near perfection. A good number of his long TDs came on audibles at the line, and he's got the Packers---the PACKERS---just a game behind New England. And until the Denver game he had no threat of a running game to take the pressure off. To me, what Favre has done is more impressive. But again, I'm biased as all hell.

Another day, another 350 yards and 3 TDs for The Man. That's 60,000+ yards if you're counting. And 16 TDs, 8 INTs, an NFL leading 2,757 yards and 6 300 yard games in his last seven (the other was in that monsoon against Washington). And an 8-1 Packers team that can run the ball now. This is just getting better and better.

That's not the way it works. That's how you get things like Texas in the Rose Bowl in 2005 against Michigan or Oklahoma in 2003. The Rose Bowl doesn't have to take the 2nd place Big Ten team if the first team heads off to the National Championship Game. First, the 2nd place B10 team isn't even BCS eligible unless they're in the top 14 (it used to be top 12 I believe) in the BCS rankings--which I don't think we would have been had we beaten Wiscy and lost to OSU. Second, if the Rose Bowl loses a team to the BCS Championship Game, all it means is that they get an earlier selection for who they'd like as the "at large" team. They're not under any obligation to take the 2nd place B10 team to fill that spot. If a win over Wisconsin meant an automatic Rose Bowl birth for Michigan, you would've heard a LOT more about it in the leadup to that game...

So you're saying that he looks like he's 4 years old instead of 14?

It's a question IMO of what big ten team the Motor City bowl would rather have...Indiana or MSU. Both would generate tons of fans and have a good showing at Ford Field. I would think MSU would have a slight edge in the team being more attractive but it's close. That's if they're tied in the Big Ten (I don't know if the tie-breaker would then factor in..). MSU would probably sell some tickets just based on general interest from Spartan fans in the Detroit area who don't feel like driving 2+ hours to the MSU games. If Indiana is ahead of MSU, I don't think there's an option. The folks over at the RCMB seemed to think there's a rule against a bowl going a run down the ladder, so to speak. The Spartans would be smart to go ahead and beat Penn State. Indiana isn't great, but they'll have a shot against Purdue.

Beating Wisconsin and losing to OSU wouldn't have put us in the Rose Bowl, even if OSU had beaten Illinois as well and ended up in the title game. To make a BCS game as an at-large, you have to be in the top 14 of the BCS, it's not just automatically the second-place Big 10 team. In that scenario, I really don't see a 9-3 Michigan team with a loss to App State and without a great win (PSU and Illinois were nice enough, but nothing special) as a team that they'd be looking to send to the BCS as an at-large team. I mean, it mattered, because you never want to lose games, and you never want to go into your rivalry game with a loss. But it wasn't important enough that they risked Hart. And thanks to OSU's loss, we still have a shot at an outright Big Ten title, which is pretty incredible since Mallett has played roughly 40% of the snaps this season and Hart has been in and out of the lineup. They're bowl eligible now. But with a loss next week to PSU and an Indiana win against Purdue (which isn't especially likely, but Purdue really isn't good either), MSU would still finish 10th in the Big Ten by themselves and probably would be home for bowl season.

Do you really think that they'll suspend those guys for the Michigan game? I'll be shocked if it happens. If it's up to Tressel, he'll probably suspend Robiskie for the first defensive series and Jenkins for the first offensive series. Those are huge losses for OSU if they don't get to go. I'm looking forward to next weekend. Hopefully Henne and Hart are good to go. That team just isn't the same without #20 out there...

He did have like a 97 yard TD. But this game didn't matter whatsoever to Michigan. More good experience for Mallett-and everyone saw first hand the ups and downs of having a freshman QB. The only thing that would've mattered is we would've clinched a share of the Big Ten title in light of OSU's loss. But either way, we're in the Rose Bowl with a win next week and the Capital One Bowl with a loss. Hopefully with Crable's 2 personal fouls today it means that he WON'T have one next week. That's a dumb, dumb kid.

I don't think the NHLN had launched in the US yet. Dish Network didn't start carrying it until October 17 per Wikipedia, so that might be the reason we were still able to get that game.

This isn't good. According to the schedule on TSN's website, the Wings are slated to be on the NHLN at least 5 more times this year--and possibly more based on fan voting (What's that all about "Which game DON'T you want to see in your local area??"). http://www.tsn.ca/nhl_network/feature/?fid=10435 The game tonight wasn't even listed on the schedule, so there could be more. And guess what? Sunday's game against Chicago is slated to be on the network as well! Thanks NHL! I'm going to be mega-pissed off if I lose TWO games in a 5 day span to a ******* network that I can't ******* get. And oh! Wings' fans only chance to see Alex Ovechkin this year thanks to our asinine schedule? Let's throw that one on the NHL Network too! f*** you Bettman. Assclown.

This is some bullllllllls***. Bad enough that they have the Wings scheduled for a week off, but then they don't put their game on Center Ice? WTF!

It's just amusing that Dantonio and a couple of the MSU players were making light of Michigan for losing to App State, and then they went out and lost to the team that lost to the I-AA team. I wonder if Caulcrick feels like they "lost two games on Saturday". It must suck to have to live vicariously through another school for doing something that they themselves haven't been able to accomplish in over a half decade, despite it being their Super Bowl every year....

MacLeod has updated his blog: http://redwingscorner.blogspot.com/2007/11...s-practice.html Osgood is starting Wednesday (makes sense with how he played against Nashville at the end of last year--not that they're the same time), Hasek will start Friday. Kronwall is out. Death, taxes, and Kronwall getting injured. He's useless. Hudler might be scratched. Lines: Datsyuk-Zetterberg-Holmstrom/Hudler Franzen-Filppula-Samuelsson/Hudler Cleary-Draper-Maltby Drake-Ellis-Downey/Kopecky Lidstrom-Rafalski Lebda-Lilja Meech-Chelios Osgood Hasek

Forgot to post the link to the RCMB thread about Dantonio's original comments: http://www.spartantailgate.com/forums/msu-...me-re-scum.html

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article...034/1048/SPORTS This was his best comment: "It's inbred in me," Dantonio said. "It exists in me and everybody who's a true Spartan, not the ones who give their donor seats to Michigan Wolverines. Shocking. Here's the thread from the Red Cedar Message Board when it happened. It's fun to see how funny everyone thought it was. I bet these are the same people saying OMG CLASSLESS at what Michigan did at the center of the field. Don't dish it out if you can't take it. Hart at least has an excuse. He's a kid. They say stupid stuff all the time. Like I said, the "little brother" comments weren't any more classless than Stanton's "University of Puke" comments that people adored him for. Dantonio is a man! He's 50! He's not...a kid! The fact that he's throwing insults at a 22 year old is pretty pathetic. Just the fact that they had a countdown clock counting down to the Michigan game shows who Big Brother is. I guarantee that thing ain't counting down to Purdue right now. Hoyer and Dantonio don't seem to know--or care--who they're playing this week. It's all about 362 baby!

It depends what was said and if there was any reason for it (say Caulcrick took a cheap shot at Taylor during the game or something). All we've heard is that Caulcrick claims Taylor came up to him after the game and swore at him a few times. There's two sides to everything. And Caulcrick is one of the last people who should be talking about a program not winning with class. Sparty disrespected Michigan after the App State game. Between Dantonio's "Moment of Silence" comment and some of the guys saying "It feels like we won 2 games today" did you really think that Michigan was going to take it? They proved it on the field, there's not a player on MSU's team who knows what it feels like to beat Michigan, and they were still running their yaps after App State did something they haven't been able to do since 2001. Screw that. It'd be nice to take the high road, but Sparty deserves whatever they get. Karma's a *****. And I want a beejer from Shiri Appleby. Want in one hand, s*** in the other and see which one fills up first. You think MSU didn't want to make a statement after Michigan beat them 49-3? Or after the big comeback in Ann Arbor? MSU may have some bulletin board material for next year but with the way their coach can't seem to STFU, I'm sure he'll be throwing plenty Michigan's way. You shouldn't need any extra motivation. It's Michigan/MSU. And there's the difference between Michigan and Michigan State. The focus should be on Purdue. Not when you get to play Michigan again. The "One game season" is alive and well! Why are you little brother? Because you do s*** like that.

Exxxxxxxactly! Caulcrick, you're a hypocrite. Talk about winning with class (not that you'd know anything about winning period in this rivalry), but you were one of the first ones running out to plant the flag at ND. Wait, wait, wait. Hart was out of line for calling them "Little Brother" (which isn't exactly uncommon), when their own coach asked his team when they were going to stop bowing down to Michigan? Was it necessary for Hart to say that? No. Probably not. But was it any more classless than Stanton's "University of Puke" comment a couple years ago? Nope. Stuff like that is all part of the rivalry. You think it's OMG AWFUL if it's the other team saying it, and you think it's hilarious if it's one of your players. State fans LOVED Stanton for that comment. Even if he failed in his life's purpose, since he was "born to beat Michigan" and all... Dantonio was completely out of line for throwing an insult at a 22 year old kid, if for nothing more than he's old enough to know better. He's what? 51? 51 freaking years old and he's throwing height jokes at someone who just beat his team for the 4th straight time? What are you, a fourth grader? Concentrate on beating them, and stop worrying so much about insulting (poorly, at that) one of the top RBs in the country. Not to mention the fact that, ya know, his running back Ringer is the same size as Hart. And how did this "war of words" start? Because Dantonio made his "moment of silence" comment after Michigan lost to App State. The fact that he reacted the way he did after Michigan pulled their little stunt after the game just makes him a huge, blubbering ******. Did he really think that he could kick Michigan while they were down and there wouldn't be a reaction from the players after they beat him, on his field, in a game that he had been pointing to all season--enough that he had a clock installed to count down to it? Please. Dantonio is just stirring things up because it's the only way he can make his program seem relevant. They're 1-5 in the Big Ten, ahead of only Minnesota. They're more than likely not going bowling despite a 4-0 start, which made it almost a gimmee. They just lost their 6th straight game to Michigan. Say what you want to about Lloyd Carr and the way he treats reporters, or the way he kind of snubbed Bellotti after the Oregon game a few years ago, or how he can't beat OSU as of late, but I'd be absolutely shocked if he ever threw a personal insult at a player on another team like Dantonio did. With all the "363 days" comments that Hoyer and Dantonio have made, it really makes me wonder if they even have the slightest clue who they're playing this weekend. The only thing missing was Dantonio slapping himself. That would've made it absolutely perfect. All in all though, they've done nothing to curb any thoughts that they really are "little brother" or that that inferiority complex in East Lansing is going away anytime soon.

At the start of the year, I thought that 8-8 might get an NFC team into the playoffs, but I don't think that's going to be the case now--at least not as a Wild Card. Assuming that all the teams currently leading their division will get in (which is just to make a point, things can obviously change) you would have Dallas, Green Bay, Tampa Bay and Seattle in the playoffs. Then the Wild Card standings would look like this, with the top 2 getting in the playoffs: NYG: 6-2 Detroit: 6-2 Washington: 5-3 Carolina: 4-4 New Orleans: 4-4 I find it very hard to believe that 8-8 is all that it will take to get into the playoffs as a wild card. Carolina is probably going to go into a downward spiral with the loss of Delhomme, but New Orleans is on fire. I'd be very, very surprised if they don't have a winning record in the second half. You'd have to have 3 of the following 4 happen for the Lions to be able to get in at 8-8: New Orleans and Carolina be .500 or worse, Washington go 2-6 (they hold the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Lions), the Giants go 2-6 or worse (I guess this would be 3-5 or worse if the Lions beat them). I don't see an 8-8 wild card team in the NFC. Division winner? Maybe, since the NFC West really, really sucks. Either way, I don't think it matters. The Lions, though playing a fairly tough schedule in the second half, will go better than 2-6 down the stretch. I don't think they're a great team, but they're a playoff team. I don't think NYG is worthy of all the hype (look who they played the last 4 games). New Orleans is the team I'm worried about and I really don't want to see them end up in the playoffs--it might be tough for them to get the wildcard, but they're just a half game out of first place in their division. I fully expect them to come out on top in the NFC South.

I'm pretty sure that we're not going to the Rose Bowl if we lose to OSU, regardless of what happens to the Bucknuts against Illinois. It's not automatic that the 2nd place B10 team goes to the Rose Bowl if the Champion is in the BCS Championship Game. We'd have to make the BCS in our own right (and even then I don't think the Rose Bowl would have to take us). With 3 losses and a BCS rating that would likely be out of the top 12 with another loss, we wouldn't be seeing a BCS game. The good news is that the outcome of this weekend's game has no bearing on the Rose Bowl. We could lose to Wisconsin (though, living in Madison, I'd prefer that we didn't), beat OSU, and still go to the Rose Bowl since we'd each have one loss and we would've won the head-to-head meeting.

Yup. It doesn't even have to be a running game that is in the top two-thirds of the league. They just need some semblance of a running game to take some of the pressure off. Even with that one good game against Denver, the Chiefs respected it enough that the play action passes were working. The good news is that in their first 7 games, the Packers played just 1 run defense outside the top third of the league and they rushed pretty well on them (Chicago). San Diego might not be there any longer after what Peterson did to them, but they were there at last check! In the last 9 (including the game that was just played), they'll only see 2 run defenses ranked in the top half of the league (Minnesota and Dallas, both of whom they should be able to throw all over). I'm excited to see what the offense will be able to do now that they've got Koren Robinson back and Donald Lee has shown he can get down the field.

I really can't wait to listen to that tool Mike Valenti tomorrow. It's going to be epic. He might not top his post-ND game rant from last year, but it's gonna be supagood. Pucker pucker pucker!!!!

Time for my weekly "Brett Favre is God" post. Seriously, this is just getting to be unreal. 7-1 at the halfway point? It probably hasn't happened too many times in history that a team has beaten Denver in Denver and KC in KC in a 5 1/2 day span. Brady will get most of the votes--because he is having an incredible season--but if the MVP award really goes to the player who is most important to his team, Favre's my (very biased) pick for MVP of the first half. What he's done, without the benefit of a running game, has been absolutely incredible. Those slants and hooks have opened up the deep passing game. And Donald Lee's emergence (along with Ryan Grant giving us the slightest hint of a running game) have helped as well. Now with teams having to respect the deep ball (our last 6 TDs have been an average of 51 yards) the underneath stuff should open back up. Add in Koren Robinson and we've got 4 guys who can legitimately get deep on the DBs. And how bout Greg Jennings? 6 TDs in 6 games since he's been back. I'm really, really impressed....

I wonder if MSU feels like they lost 2 games today.