I realize Dantonio hasn't even coached a single game at
MSU yet, and that
MSU has sucked the past three seasons in a row etc., but I'm getting real tired of State getting dragged through the mud by in-state kids -- especially Detroit-area kids.
First, all we hear is cranking and moaning from PSL coaches about how
MSU ignores Detroit kids under Cowboy Snakeoil. Fine. They have a beef. Then State hires a coach who comes right in and instead of saying that his Ohio ties are very important to the turnaround effort, specifically mentions in-state recruiting and getting into Detroit as the No.1 keys to success at
MSU.
Then what happens?
State devotes all kinds of manhours for its coaching staff to recruiting the Detroit area hard, and they get stiffed at almost every turn. You can't count Hoover as a Detrioit kid, because he's a KVC suburb kid -- not PSL or other Detroit-proper league.
First it was Barksdale who led
on and then stiffed him. Then it was Cedric Everson on signing-day morning (real classy, by the way). Then right on down the line with the exception of Burrell (who I think is much better than what the so-called experts are giving him credit for).
Gray bolts the state. Demens is likely on his way out, too. Pannell is probably heading to Penn State. This is crazy.
These Detroit kids need to wake up. State is a 90-minute drive away, which is just far enough to get away from home and just close enough for their families to drive up and see them.
Also, I'm really tired of hearing all the moaning about our facilities. To hear these spoiled brats tell it, you'd think the Spartans were working out in a storage locker somewhere, without air conditioning and with only one Bo-Flex machine that they all have to share.
Give me a break. They should see where the guys at Indiana and Illinois have to work out -- and study at -- as compared to State's facilities, which are being even more upgraded as we speak.
In one sense, I'm happy some of these guys are heading out of state and not to Big Blue -- but in another sense, what does this all say about
MSU and the way these Detroit kids see it?
The Spartans are getting treated like a MAC level team by Detroit kids and families. This is probably because Detroit has a giant Blue 'M' stamped on it and all these people hear about State is negative stuff from the Detroit papers and TV stations.
I know we have to see results on the field for that to even start changing. But c'mon ... it's a Big Ten school, with a great academic support system for athletes, a sweet stadium with natural grass and a fanbase that -- aside from being fed up with choke jobs and moron coaches -- is rabid about Michigan State football.
Nebraska has tradition over State? Really?
Oh, so now we're going back to the Tom Osbourne-Tommie Frazier days?
Give me a break. The only recent tradition the Huskers have cultivated is getting their asses handed to them by Big 12 South teams on a regular basis. I personally can't wait until Oklahoma and Texas each make 85 new girlfriends the week they play the Huskers and their over-rated coaching staff.
Just because Michigan State doesn't have the years it won national titles plastered all over the outside of its stadium, like Nebraska does, doesn't mean Nebraska has more recent tradition.
So, I take offense at these guys bolting the state just because they view ScUm as the only Big Ten option in it. That's bull. And when Jonas Gray is getting smothered in the backfield on nothing but sprint draws against Texas, A&M or Oklahoma, maybe he'll realize it.
Also, Callahan has a long history of being a real jerk -- both on the field and off. Does anybody not realize this guy will jump at the NFL if the league ever comes calling again?
Anyway, just had to vent. State is a fine school that deserves to be treated like a Big Ten school in football, regardless of how bad it's been the past three seasons.
Addendum: Honestly, I want kids who want to be Spartans to play for State. Anybody else, no matter their star rating, can take their butt to some other school.