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| News Archives :: archives :: '06 CURRENT :: '06jan-may :: '05aug-dec :: '05mar-jul :: '05 jan-feb :: '04 sep-dec :: '04 may-sep :: '04 jan-apr :: '03 sep-dec :: '03 jan-aug :: '02 aug-dec :: '02 jan-jul :: '01 nov-dec :: '01 jul-sep | ||
LSJ Digs Into MSU Finances; Duffy Behind (2006 May 31)--The Lansing State Journal has an interesting expose on the Spartan athletic department financial picture (link here). A few interesting developments: 1. The Duffy Daughtery Football Building, the second oldest in the big ten, is far behind schedule. Of the $12 million renovation estimate, only $1.8 m has been raised. $6 million of the total raised will be allotted for a new weight room. Various reasons, including the stadium expansion, Berkowitz complex, and even a poser are listed. It is a disappointment that the money hasn't been raised here, but not a surprise: while MSU officials decline to list losing as a reason why they hadn't made the money, the ES sez gimme a break. If JLS goes to a BCS game, you better believe the money would start raking in... hell, the ES would even contribute $100 to a new weight room. But, let's see some wins first! 2. MSU is one on the 12 athletic departments of the 119 D1-A schools that makes revenue. Last year, MSU reported $59.2 million in revenues and expenses of $55.4 million - a surplus of $3.8 million. Of the revenue, $3.1 million comes from corporate sponorships. However, according to the LSJ much of the $3.8 mil has restrictions, and thus MSU reports a zero balance as the bottom line to the athletic budget. But, the LSJ missed the most glaring issue here: these revenues don't get taxed because of the political and corporate influences on higher athletics. MSU one of few never to play I-AA Opponent (2006 May 31)--It is interesting to note that Michigan State is one of only nine teams in Division I-A to have never played a I-AA opponent... and looking into the future, this remains the case. Colorado will reduce that number to eight when they play Montana State in their home opener. The risk of losing by scheduling a I-AA squad is rare -- the exception being when UC Davis beat a crappy Stanford squad last year, 20-17. Add to the fact that I-AA opponents can be added to the win total for bowl eligibility... and you wonder if MSU should start scheduling Valapraiso or Dayton of the Pioneer Conference, or Youngstown State of the Gateway Conference... or maybe Harvard or Yale of the Ivy League? (I-AA teams) The Minny Gophers will play D 1-AA North Dakota State this year and next. In 2008, they'll play Montana State. In 2004, they played Illinois State (they won Music City Bowl that year). In 2003, they played Troy State (won Sun Bowl). In 2002, SW Texas State (won Music City Bowl). Hey, Minny must be doing something right. One more season of MSU bowling at Holiday Lanes, and the ES will say its time to schedule the Ivies and not the heavies. NCAA Approves Replay Challenge Once Per Game (2006 May 31)--Coaches will have the red hanky on the sidelines this fall. The NCAA Football Rules Committee will allow it. Yesterday, the committee approved the proposal to allow one challenge opportunity per team per game, provided the team requesting the challenge has a timeout available. If the challenge is successful, the timeout will be retained, but that will be the only challenge opportunity in the game for that team. If the challenge is not successful, a timeout will be charged. The ES likes this better than the original proposal, because it could have been a real headache for nit-picky coaches and would have undermined referees authority too much. The original proposal, which would have allowed unlimited challenges so long as a timeout was available; if the challenge was lost, then a timeout and future challenges would have been lost as well. Also in football, the rules committee revised its recommendation with regard to halftime. The rule will state that halftime is recommended to be 20 minutes in duration but allow the competing institutions to shorten or lengthen halftime by mutual consent. MSU 80-1 Odds to Win BCS; ES Consensus Has Ohio State #1 (2006 May 23)--The bookies in Vegas list MSU as an 80-1 favorite to win the BCS title game. Seeing as how MSU has had back-to-back losing seasons and has finished the season listed in the BCS just once (in 1998-9, the inaugural year of the BCS), this is generous. Nwestern 250-1, Illinois 250-1, Purdue 150-1, Minny 100-1, Wisky 70-1, Iowa 30-1, JoePa 30-1, scUM 25-1, Ohio St 6-1. ND leads the nation at 5-1. Wait 'til we kick their butt on Sep. 23 and spoil their party. Link here for more. ES CONSENSUS # Team - avg 1 Ohio St
2.3 *ND and Ok both listed as #1 per Athlon. BigTen Extends Motor City Bowl Deal; Purdue turf (2006 May 25)--Why even bother? George Perles is happy, anyhow. The Big Ten has renewed a 4-year deal (through 2010) with the Motor City Bowl to send its seventh-place team to Detroit. Yet, Big Ten schools think so little of the bowl that they shudder at the thought of hitting the bus for the Big D. Northwestern is the only BigTen school to advance to the Mighty Motor, back in 2003. PURDUE TURF
PROBLEMS ABC PrimeTime FB Schedule Ruined by Musky-Davie Duo (2006 May 22)--ABC's 8 pm Saturday college football kickoffs this fall will put Muskyburger and Davie in the primetime booth. God help us all. The schedule features Georgia Tech-Notre Dame (Sept. 2), Ohio State-Texas (Sept. 9), Oregon- California (Oct. 7), Michigan-Penn State (Oct. 14), Notre Dame- USC (Nov. 25). ES sez: turndown the TV audio and pick up the internet radio broadcast. Anything but Musky-Davie! Gophers Get New FB Stadium (2006 May 22)--The ES is gonna have to make this roadtrip in 2009. The other UM, Minnesota, is getting a new football stadium. And, no dome! We're talking snow football like the good ole days, baby! Earlier today, the Minny Legislature approved a $248 million, 50,000-seat open-air stadium across Oak Street from Williams and Mariucci arenas on the Minneapolis campus. UM will raise 45 percent of the cost, to be called TCF Bank Stadium. TCF will pay a $35 million corporate sponsorship. The state will pay $10.3 mil/year for 25 years to pay its share of principal and interest. After this vote, the legislature approved a $522 million baseball stadium for the Twins. Sorry, but the Vikings lost out. $770 million was enough in stadiums for now. scUM to Get Skyboxes (2006 May 20)--Michigan Stadium has joined the mix of its Big Ten foes and have 83 indoor suites/3,200 outdoor club seats by 2010. The scUM board of regents approved a $226 million expansion plan by a 5-3 vote, despite significant dissent from alumni and a fantastic article by Freep columnist Mike Rosenberg which called scUM AD Bill Martin a "liar." Rosenberg pictured a pair of hotel-like additions to the stadium at 425,000 square feet, and a budget that would balloon out of control. Funny. But, my guess is that they will sell them out -- scUM wins. Cole Corey Sent To Prison; Ends Time with FB Team (2006 May 20)--Spartan sophomore gridder Cole Corey, who was expected to see some playing time this fall but who dropped to third string DB after the Spring, has been stripped of his scholarship after being sentenced to prison on Thursday. Corey was sentenced to 2-10 years in prison for felony possession of a controlled substance during an incident stemming from his time at Tecumseh HIgh School. Per MSU policy, any student-athlete is stripped of their scholarship if convicted of a felony while at MSU Night Game for MSU-ND; Extendo-gate at 1 pm; Big Ten TV Schedule (2006 May 17)--The MSU Athletics Department has announced that the September 23 matchup between the Big Green and the Stinking Irish is set for 8 pm, to be televised nationally on NBC. Beauty! Time to kick some Irish tail in prime time! This is another chance for an "extendo-gate" tailgate day... with tailgates beginning at 1 pm on campus per the new policy.The game will also feature a reunion of players from the 40th anniversary of the "Game of the Century" 10-10 tie with Notre Dame (link here for ES archives of 1966 game program). It will be the sixth evening game under the lights in MSU history. The previous five, being: ES in attendance
- ES not in
attendance - The Big Ten
Conference along with the television networks announced six early selections
for the 2006 season, including Michigan State's Oct. 7 road game at Michigan
that will be televised by ESPN, with kickoff scheduled for 4:30 p.m. EDT. CFN Preview of Idaho (2006 May 16)--OK, College Football News has come out with its review of the Spartans first opponent for '06, the Idaho Vandals. In brief... "ok, the Vandals won't win their first game at Michigan State." Other notes: "Best Offensive Player: Sophomore RB Jayson Bird. Best Defensive Player: Junior SS D.J. Dykes. Key player to a successful season: Quarterback QB Steven Wichman." A quick scouting report: "It'll take a little while, but Erickson has certainly generated plenty of excitement with his four and five wide receiver sets and sophisticated offense " For more, link here. Hot Seat Rankings: CMU Kelly on A Hotter Seat than JLS? Ha! (2006 May 13)--It's a cool idea; the ES is all over looking at all the coaches and applying a "hot seat" ranking. But, Brian Kelly at CMU is on a hotter seat than John L Smith at MSU? Gimme a break. Dennis Dodd has some work to do over at CBSSportsline.com. The biggest problem with the poll - not divulging how he came up with the numbers... what was involved in the assessment? Gimme a break here. A demonstration is perfect when considering MSU v CMU. On a scale of 1-5, Dodd ranks JLS as a 2.5, "safe for now." Kelly at CMU was 3.0, or "you never know." Do you think Kelly has a greater chance to get canned than JLS if each went 5-7 this year? Sorry, but a losing record and JLS may indeed take the low road; President Simon stated she expected to see this team go to bowl games, and a 5-7 record opens up the option for dismissal. There is no such talk at CMU. Nice try, Dodd. First, it is best advised for you to provide the pieces behind your assessment tool, other than "educated guess." Second, you just flat missed with MSU, What are you smoking?
Incoming MSU Recruit Nichol invited to Elite 11 (2006 May 13)--Keith Nichol, a Lowell star and 2007 MSU verbal commitment, looks like he is another star QB in the making. Let's just hope he can turn it into wins when he arrives on the East Lansing campus. Nichol, like Jeff Smoker and Drew Stanton before him, was invited to the Elite 11 Quarterback Camp, in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. The camp will take place from July 24-27. He will join 10 other top quarterbacks from around the country, along with a few NFL and college QBs who will act as counselors. Interestingly, Drew Stanton is one of those counselors. Other quarterbacks that will attend the camp inlcude Ryan Mallett of Texarkana, Texas, who committed to Michigan, and Jimmy Clausen, who committed to ND. MSU is getting the quarterbacks with the pedigree... we just need to put all the other pieces together to get over the hump... this starts with the coaching staff getting their shit together. But, congrats to Nichol and the ES is looking forward to seeing him in Spartan green. New BCS Logo (2006 May 12)--For what its worth, here is the new BCS logo from Fox. They likely won't be able to mike up coaches or get new player access, but it was worth a shot.
Spartans Add OL in '07 (2006 May 10)--MSU has received another verbal commitment for the class of 2007, with offensive lineman Paul Simkovich (6-foot-5, 297-lbs) expressing his desire to wear green and white in 2007. Smikovich, from Latrobe, Pa., is not rated by recruiting services and had considered Joe Pa, Pitt, Indiana, NC State, Purdue, Temple and Akron. Oh yeah, he played ice hockey for seven years (imagine getting checked by this hoss???). This is MSU's fourth recruit for 2007. MSU Adds W Virginia to 2010/2011 Schedules (2006 May 9)--West Virginia has a letter of intent to play Michigan State on the gridiron with a game in Morgantown in 2010 and a game in East Lansing for 2011. Looks like MSU swapped Texas A&M for WVU, but still have a few more openings now with 12-game seasons. (link here for Sep 15, 2005 article) Enough Bowl Teams for '06? (2006 May 9)--With the four new bowl games, there are a minimum of 62 spots eligible for teams to play in bowls. If the Houston Bowl is recertified, it will make 64 spots eligible. There are 119 Division I-A teams, meaning at least 52% of schools will be bowling. This is problematic, because in 2002 and 2003 -- when teams last played 12 games -- only 69 teams had records of 6-6 or better. Only 60 teams had 7 wins or more. Because of the concern, the NCAA will now allow conferences to consider 6-6 records or victories over I-AA schools to make their teams eligible for lower tiered spots in their bowl agreements. Methinks MSU should start setting matchups against Youngstown State, N Dakota State, Indiana State, or even the ES' favorite I-AA school, Cal-Davis (which beat Stanford last year). This would notch up that win total to get in a bowl game. Natale Quits MSU (2006 May 9)--This year, it's third string QB Dominic Natale who has decided to leave MSU. Remember last year, backup QB Stephen "Crybaby" Reaves split town after the reigns were handed to Drew Stanton. Natale has cited personal reasons, and has requested a transfer to Rutgers or Cincinnati. When asked if it was the depth chart, he told the LSJ, "no, It's not that. I felt it was in my best interest to go somewhere else." The lack of quote from John L Smith seems to make the ES think that the old coach is steamed. And he should be. MSU doesn't need quitters, players who just give up because things don't "feel right." It's disappointing and it is also demonstrates a young man's unwillingness to live up to his end of the financial commitments via a scholarship. Good riddance, Natale. Behind Stanton now is #2 Brian Hoyer and freshman Connor Dixon. Walk-on Clay Charles saw some action in the spring. And, big-time recruit Keith Nichol of Lowell has committed for 2007. NCAA Licenses 31 Bowls (2006 May 8)--Four new bowls were licensed for the upcoming postseason, including the International Bowl in Toronto, Canada; the Birmingham Bowl; and the New Mexico Bowl. The subcommittee also licensed the fifth Bowl Championship Series game, to be conducted in Glendale, Arizona, which will host the BCS national championship. Link here for a complete bowl schedule. The game in Toronto will be the first played outside the U.S. since 1937. The game will feature a matchup of teams from the Big East and Mid-American Conferences. The subcommittee deferred a decision on the Houston Bowl until June, pending review of the bowl’s financial challenges. Members noted that the games generated about $191.5 million in revenue that was distributed to participating teams and conferences. About 1.4 million fans attended the games, while almost 5,300 student-athletes took part in the experience. Purdue Pulls of FB Marketing Gimmick (2006 May 8)--Mark Hollis is a genius marketer at MSU, but methinks he got one-upped on this one. Purdue is going to have a "throwback" day for its football game against I-AA foe Indiana State. This includes... get this... throwback prices for $5 per ticket. About 3,000 South end zone tickets for the Sept. 2 game were purchased at the school's athletic ticket office during Purdue's spring football game. These Family FanZone seats usually cost $20. The game
(link
here for more) will feature an honoring of its 1967 Rose Bowl team
as well as throwback uniforms it will wear against Indiana State. Coaches,
managers and cheerleaders will also wear outfits reminiscent of the mid-'60s.
Purdue's All-American Sporting News Rumor of MSU Coaching Search Is Wrong (2006 May 4)--According to an April 30 report by Tom Dienhart of the Sporting News (link here), MSU admins are already contacting coaches in case this season is a bust: "No doubt, Michigan State coach John L. Smith is sitting on the hottest seat in the Big Ten -- the Spartans have failed to go to a bowl each of the past two seasons, and Michigan State's brass already is contacting potential coaches to interview should the Spartans tank this season." Deinhart is right that JLS is on the hot seat. But the report is a lot of hot air: Ron Mason, who picked JLS, is not looking to fill a potential vacancy. Mason won't even walk that path so early into the 2006 preseason. Not yet, anyways. Now, I wouldn't be surprised if Mason is talking to other football coaches about scheduling, or about rules changes, or even getting some pointers on how to sell those damn stadium boxes. But, I really find it hard to believe that he is inquiring about their interest at coaching at MSU. Dienhart jumped before he looked on this one. Early Predictions: Ohio State #1 (5/4/06)--OK, it's that time of year to start looking at the early projections for the 2006 season, and where MSU fits into the mix (they are off the chart!). OSU is the early consensus #1 choice. The ES gives 1 pt for #1, 2 for #2 etc. If they are not ranked in the top 25, each team gets 26 pts. The lowest average is ranked highest. The ES looked at Stuart Mandel of SI.com, College FB News, and Dennis Dodd of CBS Sportsline; but will expand this as more rankings come out. # Team - avg 1 Ohio St
- 2.3 Here CFN's snippet on MSU, which is ranked #37 by college football news (link here for full text): "Why
to get excited: The return of QB Drew Stanton, the top two running backs,
and most of the top pass catchers means the Spartans will have one of
the Big Ten’s most explosive offenses... Instant Replay Gets Challenged, Halftime Cut? (4/30/06)--It was a good idea - more football, less halftime. The NCAA Football rules committee explored cutting halftime from 20 minutes to 15. But marching-band leaders raised a ruckus to the point that the recommendation was ultimately shot down. And one last proposal looks like its a gimme. Conference commissioners are meeting in Phoenix to discuss NFL-style coaches challenges to instant replay. The suggestion is to maintain the current system with a replay official watching the TV feed and correcting mistakes on the field... but also allow a coach an unlimited number of challenges as long as the disputed calls are overturned. If the coach is wrong, he loses his challenge for the rest of the game. The NCAA
Playing Rules Oversight Panel will review the commissioners input and
make a final ruling on challenges and shorter halftimes in May. NCAA Bans Illinois, No Dakota, Penn For Indian Nicknames (04/28/06)--It looks like Illinois, North Dakota and Indiana Univ of Pennsylvania will have to change their names (or uniforms) if they want to compete for NCAA championsips. At left -- take the poll, what would be a good new nickname for the former Illini? What does the ES think -- well the ES doesn't like how the NCAA handled this (legislating first before asking the tribes and the communities), but they did give a reprieve to those communities and native american tribes that allowed universities to use their nickname. That does NOT seem to be the case with these three schools, and as such, they should demonstrate the leadership of higher ed institutions, support diversity and culture and revoke their names. Here's the report by the NCAA: The NCAA
Executive Committee today retained the University of Illinois, Champaign,
the University of North Dakota and Indiana University of Pennsylvania
on the list of colleges and universities subject to restrictions on the
use of Native American mascots, names and imagery at NCAA championships.
In denying the University of Illinois, Champaign, the University of North Dakota, and Indiana University of Pennsylvania appeals, the Executive Committee concluded that Native American references used by each university create hostile or abusive environments inconsistent with the NCAA constitution and inconsistent with the NCAA commitment to diversity, respect and sportsmanship. Today’s
decision means the University of Illinois, Champaign, the University of
North Dakota and Indiana University of Pennsylvania will only be invited
to participate in NCAA championships if they elect to do so without Native
American references on their uniforms and associated athletic program
activities. It also means these institutions will not be allowed to host
NCAA championship events. In November,
2005, the NCAA removed championship restrictions on the University of
Illinois, Champaign’s use of its nicknames “Illini”
and “Fighting Illini” because the university demonstrated
the nicknames were not a direct Native American reference, but a reference
to the state of Illinois. 31 Bowl Games Approved, 4 New (4/28/06)--The NCAA Postseason Football Licensing Subcommittee this week reviewed 32 applications and licensed 31 bowl games for the 2006-07 season. Existing bowls that have been licensed for 2006-07 include: AutoZone Liberty, Capital One, Champs Sports, Chick-Fil-A, Emerald, Fed Ex Orange, Gaylord Hotels Music City, GMAC, Independence, Insight, Pioneer Pure Vision Las Vegas, MasterCard Alamo, Meineke Car Care, MPC Computers, Motor City, Allstate Sugar, Outback, Pacific Life Holiday, San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia, Fort Worth, Rose, AT&T Cotton, Hawaii, Tostitos Fiesta, Toyota Gator, Vitalis Sun and New Orleans. There will be 4 newly licensed bowls for the upcoming postseason. The subcommittee licensed the organizers of the International Bowl in Toronto, Canada, the Birmingham Bowl, and the New Mexico Bowl. The subcommittee also licensed the fifth BCS bowl game, to be conducted in Glendale, Arizona which will host the BCS national championship. The Houston Bowl, however, may go bankrupt due to outstanding payouts still due to previous teams, and a decision will be made in July. College FB: I-A Plays I-AA (4/28/06)--From USA Today: College football's permanent 12-game schedule will start with the 2006 season, and besides more work and less time off for players, it will mean more Division I-A teams playing I-AA opponents. With schedules just about finalized for the fall, 74 of the 119 I-A teams are committed to play I-AA foes. Last year, the final season of the 11-game schedule (but with an NCAA rule changed to allow one I-AA win each year to count toward bowl eligibility), 53 I-A teams had a game against a I-AA club. By the way, "I-AA" may no longer exist when the NCAA meets again this summer. I-A will likely become the "Bowl Division" and I-AA the "Playoff Division." FOX
Title Game Ideas
BCS Eligibility Requirements (4/28/06)--Organizers of college football's Bowl Championship Series eased requirements for at-large qualifiers on Wednesday, the last of three days of meetings in Phoenix. Teams with nine victories that finish in the top 14 of the final BCS standings now are eligible for an at-large berth. Previously, at-large teams had to finish in the top 12 of the BCS standings. The change was made because of the addition of a fifth BCS bowl, a national title game set to debut in Glendale on Jan. 8. BCS coordinator Mike Slive said the Fox network is still reviewing logo designs. The name, sponsor and logos will be announced in 7-10 days. The BCS did not change its automatic qualifiers. They are:
No more conference refs? BCS expands, Division I-AA Gone, Minnys 3 new stadiums (4/25/06)--Lots of changes in the makeup of college football on tap... not in the rules, per se, but rather in the appearances. REFEREE UPDATE BCS EXPANSION
07 STYLE D1-AA GONE MINN YEAR
OF THE STADIUMS WALKER CONTRACT
EXTEND Spring Game Attendance Update: Ohio St wins with 63,649 (4/23/06)--Here are 2006 some attendance figures for spring football intrasquad games... it will be hard-pressed to see anyone top OSU's 63k plus. Big 12 - Missouri 9,400, Kansas 5,200, Texas A&M 31,000, Texas 41,000, Nebraska 57,415, Oklahoma 25,000. SEC - Auburn 9,923, - Georgia 18,530, Big 10 - Illinois 5,329, Northwestern 2,000+, Ohio State 63,649, Mich St had 4,500, Wisconsin 10,139, Other schools - BYU 10,000, Cal 4,000, Clemson 17,500, Miami-Fla 9,000, Notre Dame 41,279, Southern Miss 5,619, Washington State 750 (after a snowstorm)
Jimmerson, Backup QBs, DLine take scrimmage
(photo by ES, from 4/21 scrimmage. Click to enlarge) (4/21/06)--The ES was there for the first 1 1/2 hours of the final scrimmage today in front of about 4,500-5,000 fans. Good turnout for a Friday... 75-degrees and sunny. I'll have a play by play on a podcast by tomorrow am. Anyhow, a quick report looks at great plays by both backup QBs, Natale and Hoyer, who each hit a TD passes (to TJ Williams, Jerramy Scott). The backups played better than Drew Stanton, who didn't have a TD and who missed several open throws. The defensive line had a good pass rush today, with OG, Ryan, and Herron making stops. Herron looks solid at LB, and Nemo again looked great at corner, breaking up a couple of passes and always in position against the run. SDAdams returned a Natale pass 82 yards for a TD. AJ Jimmerson had a LONG screen pass for 62 yards down the left sideline, and another 27 yard run. Both plays had great juke moves. Caulcrick looked like a hoss, with several beastly runs and a TD. The punting improved, including a perfect 47 yard punt by Fields downed at the 2 yard line. And, Cole Malantisky blocked a punt and nearly blocked another off an inside rush. Todd Boleski hit a pair of 52 yard field goals and missed a 55 yarder and was just short from 63 yards (wow, 63???). FINAL STAT LEADERS Defense: Rush: Pass: Rec: How are Spartan Suite/Club Seat Sales Doing? Iowa is booming... with booze. Illnois is selling out 2 1/2 yrs before constructin (4/20/06)--The ES hasn't heard much lately as to how the new club seats and luxury suite sales are doing for MSU's new expansion area. No surprise -- the Spartans had a shitty product to sell on the field last year, and the poor sale of club seats likely won't do any better until JLS starts winning. IOWA But, things are booming at Iowa. When Iowa opens '06 season, an $88 million renovation will include 46 luxury suites and wider seats for fans in the bleachers. There are 310 indoor club seats and 1,100 outdoor club seats. All the suite and indoor club seats have been sold. A few outdoor club seats remain. Top donors and corporate sponsors will pay from $45,000 to $110,000 each year for the opportunity to cheer for the Hawkeyes in luxury. Each suite has room for 12 to 18 fans who will have private restrooms, upscale dining and beverage options and access to a large lounge area. The 46 suites, on the first and third levels of a new press box, are expected to yield about $2 million annually in revenue. About 310 indoor club seats, in the middle of the first level, add another $1.5 million. Another 1,100 outdoor club seats, on the second level, will generate about $2.49 million. Suite-holders agreed to a three-, five-, or seven-year lease at $46,360 per year plus an amenities charge of about $3,000. AND THEY ALL WILL HAVE ACCESS TO BOOZE. ILLINOIS Illinois, which will renovate its 83-year old behemoth after the 2006 season, has sold plenty of skyboxes and club seats... 2 1/2 years before it opens. The Illini announce they've sold 43 of 46 luxury suites. They have also already sold 85% of "77-Club" seats (named in honor of No. 77, Red Grange) and 60% of Colonnades Club seats. And, Illinois has SUCKED worse than MSU (remember, we beat UI 61-14 in Champaign last year???) The 77 Club will be a lounge area with theater-style midfield seats, TV monitors and a game-day buffet. The Colonnades Club will offer sheltered seats beneath the balcony and access to a lounge. Prices for the 77 Club are $3,300 to $3,900, while prices for the Colonnades Club are $1,575 to $2,500. Luxury suites require a committment of between $45,500 and $59,000 yearly. The project will cost anywhere from $120 million to $160 million. The timetable calls for the first phase involving the west, north and east sides to be completed in 2008. The south side will be renovated at a later date. MSU - A&M Series Cancelled; Scrimmage 3:30 Friday (4/19/06)--According to a report by the Dallas Morning News, Michigan State and Air Force have pulled out of future football series with Texas A&M. A&M Athletic director Bill Byrne confirmed the report. The Aggies were set to play Michigan State in 2010 and '11 and Air Force in 2008 and '09. The series with Miami in 2007 and '08 is still on, Byrne said. FINAL '06
SCRIMMAGE scUM should throw away helmets (4/18/06)--Here is a nice clip from an article in the Anniston (AL) Star, dated April 13 by Scott Adamson: "Face it — there are a bunch of famous programs that could use a makeover. Penn State, which obviously buys its gear at Generic Uniforms Are Us, should at least put that sweet Nittany Lions logo on its helmets. And if school officials are feeling really naughty, they could throw in double stripes down the side of their pants.USC should bump up the size of the Trojans logo.Texas should do the same with the Longhorns logo, and add a single stripe to the helmets. Michigan’s footballers, on the other hand, should simply throw their helmets away and start over. I understand why some Ohio State folk are a little put off by the changes, but I imagine over time they’ll get used to the new look. They might even like it." Four New Bowl Games On NCAA Docket (04/18/06)--Four new bowl games are in the process of being approved to the 28 current bowl games lined up for 2006. The four: the BCS national title game (held a week later), Birmingham Bowl, the New Mexico Bowl and the International Bowl. According to a report by the Orlando Sentinel, the Birmingham Bowl is a given to be accredited, and the others say they can meet the NCAA's minimum payout requirement of $750,000 per team. The Birmingham Bowl -- to be played at aging Legion Field in Birmingham -- would match teams from Conference USA and either the Big East or Mid-American conferences. The New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque would match teams from the Mountain West and Western Athletic conferences. The International Bowl -- to be played in Toronto, presumably at Rogers Centre, where the Blue Jays play -- would match teams from the Big East and MAC. Accreditation for all the bowls will be decided at the Football Bowl Association meetings in Orlando from April 26-28. The Birmingham and New Mexico bowls would be owned and operated by ESPN Regional, which guarantees the TV exposure aspect. Last year, Toronto organizers were denied; Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese has said the group wasn't as prepared as it could have been. Presumably, that has been taken care of. Defense Stars Herron at LB, Nemo at DB, DLine. Mitchell Done at MSU (04/15/05)--Mind you the ES got there a little late, maybe 12:30 or so, and the first thing I saw was our future flash before my eyes as Cliff Ryan put a hit on QB Drew Stanton for a sack. But I took in a good bit of the scrimmage on Saturday and a couple of immediate impressions came to mind. The ES recorded a play-by-play audio capsule that will be up for a Monday podcast. My Top 3 Performers: 1 - David Herron is gonna be huge this year. This guy was all over the place on defense, plugging the run and forcing the pass. He had a couple of sacks as well. He made the greatest impression, and he looked All-America on Saturday. 2 - Nehemiah Warrick (Nemo) was the star in the secondary. Both Otis Wiley and Greg Cooper played well, but Nemo made countless stops and was able to read a few WR screens and make stops for losses. He's very athletic, and has lived up to his billing. 3 - The Defensive Line as a whole looked stout, and was effective with a run stop and some pass rush. Much of the success is also blame on an ineffective Offensive Line. But, the running game struggled for any long runs after Jehuu Caulcrick's 46-yard run to a 99-yard drive led by Stanton early in the scrimmage. A.J. Jimmerson ran for 62 yards on 13 carries, but no long gains. It's good to talk about the defense for a change, and they were the standouts on Saturday. Hoyer and Natale took the bulk of the snaps at QB, with Hoyer tossing a 1-yard pass to Kerry Reed and a 27-yard scoring toss to wideout JUCO transfer Devon Thomas (3 catches, 63 yds). Walk-on running back Brett Kahn had a seven-yard touchdown run, and place kicker Todd Boleski nailed a pair of 32-yd FGs, a 40 yarder, and then hit a 55-yd FG with the team and crowd of 4,500 chanting to end the scrimmage. The biggest play of the scrimmage was a 71-yd interception return by walk-on DB Mike Cordell, who lined up a telegraphed throw from walk-on quarterback Clay Charles (who was this guy???) and returned it for a TD. Stanton hit on just 4-of-8 passes for 45 yards but had an 11 yard scamper for a TD. Hoyer completed 11-of-18 for 113 yards and two touchdown passes. Domenic Natale was 8-for-15 for 89 yards. Also notable was shitty punting, with Goss managing a long of 38 yards and a couple of shanks. Fields hit a 32-yard shank, a couple of 40-yarders, and then a beauty of a 58-yard punt that finally drew some cheers from the crowd. John L Smith's impressions for the last week after the scrimmage: "It's going to be similar to what we've had. We're trying to develop the correct combinations, along the offensive line and in the secondary. If we think we've found the right combination, then we need to give those guys more time together." MITCHELL
HANGS IT UP FB Practice Open To Public: Sat, Noon (04/14/05)--Tomorrow, join the Green and White faithful in Spartan Stadium at 12 p.m. EDT in Spartan Stadium, weather permitting. Admission is free and gates will open at 10:30 a.m. Following the practice, children - ages 12-and-under and accompanied by a parent - will be permitted on the field for a 60-minute autograph session with Spartan players and coaches. The MSU Athletic Department notes that fans are reminded all cameras, camcorders and cell phones are strictly prohibited during an open practice. Hoyer Gets Backup Nod; SDA Back To Bandit (4/12/06)--Nothing earth shattering as of late from Spartan camp. Official announcements are that Brian Hoyer has been slotted as the official backup to Stanton at QB, which is no surprise as he had been practicing with the first squad with more frequency. And, Sir Darean Adams will move back to bandit after a try out at safety. SDA is just too damn valuable at that spot, and with great range and speed he is a play-maker in the defense. The LSJ has a section in the paper today discussing the added depth of new JUCO receivers Williams and Thomas to an already six-deep WR corps... funny thing is the paper quotes new WR coach Blaine Bennett as saying "top to bottom, they're the more talented than any group I had at Purdue." Haven't we heard that before? MSU receivers have been disappointing the past two years of severe underperforming. All the talent, but little game. Let's see what Bennett can do to get them to step up at wideout, hold onto the ball, and make big plays. Warrick Shines at DB in Saturday Scrimmage (4/9/06, with input via msuspartans.com)--Maybe the Big Green finally has someone on defense that can make a play. Maybe. The best news from the first spring scrimmage is the play of Nehemiah Warrick, the 6-1, 204-lb JUCO transfer who was all over the field on Saturday. Warrick made eight stops, an INT, and a pass break up, drawing praise from head coach John L Smith. ""I wish everybody on defense played like Nehemiah Warrick. He plays with an attitude and abandon. Nemo has great range from the middle of the field, and he's always looking to make a hit. I hope his attitude becomes infectious." The offense moved the ball exceptionally under QB Drew Stanton, as expected. Stanton was 7-of-14 for 165 yards and 2 INTs. But, receivers dropped numerous passes to stall drives, drawing the ire of JLS. "Offensively, I'm looking for a greater sense of urgency and sharper execution. The tight ends and wide outs need to eliminate the dropped passes, so the offense can move the chains." On the ground, Jimmerson picked up 41 yards on 17 carries, Kahn added 37 yards on 13 attempts, Caulcrick rushed six times for 40 yards, while Ringer gained 25 yards on five carries. Through the air, Love had a scrimmage-best four receptions for 93 yards as 12 different receivers caught at least one pass. Trannon had three catches for 43 yards. Defensively, the Spartans were led by Warrick and fed-shirt freshman linebacker Adam Decker's six tackles, including two for losses. Sophomore defensive end Brandon Long posted five stops, including two behind the line of scrimmage -- the LSJ had a great profile on Long today and he will be counted on to provide the pass rush that MSU so desperately needs. Strong safety Mike Bell, linebacker Andrew Hawken, and linebacker Eric Gordon each made five tackles. For more on the scrimmage, link here. FB Lands MLB; Scrimmage Today (4/8/06)--The Spartan football team has its first scrimmage today, and the ES will have his impressions on it, and possibly some quotes from JLS in the next podcast, by day's end. MSU also received its third verbal for the class of 2007, MLB George White of Flint Carman-Ainworth. Carman is 6-3, 246-lbs, but runs a slow 4.9-40 for a LB position. He chose MSU over Indiana, Pitt, and CMU. FB Adds 2007 Recruit (4/6/06) --The Spartans received a recruit for its 2007 squad: Qunicy Landingham of Bloomfield Hills Lahser. He is 6-0, 205-lbs, runs a 4.4-40... he is expected to add depth to the secondary or at bandit. Landingham -- who is a one-star prospect via Rivals.com -- plans to enroll in January 2007, nearly eigh months before the rest of his incoming colleagues. FB Readies for Saturday Scrimmage (4/6/06. Quotes via msuspartans.com)--The Spartan football team is going through the motions in preparation for its first scrimmage of the spring on Saturday. John L Smith recently discussed spring football practice so far, and the ES has snipped a few comments for your reading pleasure: "Offensively, we need to develop a greater sense of urgency. We're making far too many mental mistakes... we're dealing with a lot of new guys on the offensive side of the ball, so it's going to take some time for all the pieces to come together. We simply need to clean up our execution on offense. "Defensively, I really like the way that the players have gotten after it and competed in practice. We're running to the football better, and that's certainly good to see. We're much improved on the defensive side of the ball. "I haven't really seen either Brian Hoyer or Domenic Natale step up and create some separation for the back-up job. Both of these guys need to experience live bullets, and that's why Saturday's scrimmage is so important." OFFENSIVE
LINE DEFENSIVE
LINE DEFENSIVE
SECONDARY "Nehemiah Warrick is going to start somewhere for this football team. Nemo approaches practice the way you'd like every player to: with great effort, energy and abandon. He plays with a temperament that's infectious. Nemo is a physical, instinctive player. ...He plays the game the way it was meant to be played. He's already a good football player, who'll do nothing but get better every day. PLACEKICKER Sports Radio In Lansing Dies Quickly, Thankfully (4/1/06)--WQTX in Lansing pulled the plug on its sports radio format, without warning to listeners. Ha! The ES says: THANK YOU to the bosses at the station who undoubtedly recognized that the amount of hot air on the airwaves had become stagnant. The metropolitan area of Lansing of approx 400,000 people, had sports radio ad nauseum... listening to Jack Ebling, then Tim Staudt, then Earl Robinson, Fred Heumann, the Huge Show, Mad Dog DeMarco... not to mention the national syndication of Mike & Mike, Jim Rome, and ESPNs other jokers. it got to the point in the last 6 months I turned my sports radio off. Other than MSU, UM, what other local sports are going on? And we need 6 local shows to talk about it? That's excessive; what a joke! Listening to the same callers call in to one show, and then the next, and then the next... was too much to bear. And, the political correctness was suffocating. Not surprising that the station was losing money - who wants to support all that hot air? The only sports shows worth their salt are sticking around: Earl Robinson (refreshing and insightful MSU sports on WKAR) and the Huge Show (solely for entertainment). While Jack Ebling provided good insight on MSU, so does Tim Staudt... and we don't need both, so I guess Staudt it is. Hey, if you all want more local sports content -- LISTEN TO THE ES PODCAST. And, it is on-demand, and not on the airwaves... so listen as you like. The best part about all this was axing them before giving them all a "sappy" farewell show. Who cares, really.? Gimme a break, its a business and while there may have been some good moments, as a collective group: they sucked. Thank God for giving Lansing Sports Talk the Deep-Six Holiday: "the stiffs are froze, the case is closed, it's time we put them away." Young OL Impresses John L Smith (03/30/06; JLS comments from msuspartans.com)--Well, if you heard the latest ES podcast, you noted that the offensive line was harped on pretty good because of its lack of experience. Yet, as long as the ES can remember, it always seems MSU has its best line play when the least is expected out of them. Maybe that is this year. At least we hope. To that end, John L Smith has heaped high praise on raw linemen Jesse Miller and Kenny Shane. Miller (6-6, 306, So.) is slotted as the starter at right tackle, and this is the first we've heard about left guard Kenny Shane (6-5, 325, R-Jr.). Here is some praise on Miller from JLS: "I come away from practice every day more and more impressed with Jesse. At times, his massive body seems to completely engulf the defender. Football is very important to Jesse, so he takes great pride in going to the field and competing. He's conditioning himself to be a winner in every aspect of the game as well as the game of life. This is a special quality that can't be coached... He's simply a great competitor, on and off the field." About Shane, JLS says: "He's a tough guy that really packs a load when he hits you. It flat out hurts when he delivers a hit." DEFENSIVE
LOOK
(03/28/06)--The ES scoured the internet and found this recent article on our next opponent, the Idaho Vandals.... seems that that ole' crook, Dennis Erickson, has returned to where he coached 20 years ago -- just prior to John L Smith's tenure. Time to go back to your first job and face the man who replaced you so he can KICK YOUR ARSE!!! I love the comment, "I want to see where we are to get better." You'll find out on Sept 2, coach E. Those ain't exactly encouraging words. Idaho has ranked in the bottom 10 of the nation in all preseason magazines for the last 10 years; and this year will likely be no exception. Here are recent comments, excerpts from an article by Keanan Lamb. UI Daily Argonaut (24 March 2006): "I'm excited to be back in the state and around these people I've known for a long time... There aren't many times you have an opportunity to come back and finish where you started. "Just
being around the players and coaching, the camaraderie of the game...
Probably the most fun is to see them get better as a football team and
as individuals as you go through spring. "I'm very excited about getting on the field... All the coaches are excited, particularly me, because I want to see where we are and what we're going to have to do to continue to make this program better and better." According to the article, after Erickson's hiring on Feb 6, Idaho season ticket sales "climbed dramatically" and donations to the Vandal Scholarship Fund were "much higher than usual." What does that mean? Did his hire result in an extra 150 ticket sales and an extra $1,000 in donations? Idaho's spring practice started on Saturday and will finish with its intrasquad game on April 21. ES Back to Football as Hockey and WBB Bow Out (03/27/06)--Time to get back to what the ES knows best (or what he thinks he knows best): football. This, after watching the Spartan hockey team give up three weak goals in the first period and end up losing to Maine, 5-4, in hockey's national quarterfinals. But, it was a very successful year for a team with low expectations: Mr. Comley can keep his job. As for the women's basketball team, well they took it on the chin and were clobbered by Duke, 86-61, in the Sweet 16. Congrats to Coach P for another successful year in which the women's team has surpassed the men. So, now on to football. The ES will have his Spring FB Podcast up this week... stay tuned. Hockey Advances With 1-0 Blanking of UNH; MSU v Maine at 2 pm... scUM out (03/26/06)--Could it be any better of a spring for the Spartan hockey program? MSU continued its winning ways, with a 1-0 shutout of New Hampshire behind an early goal from Tim Crowder. It was the first shutout in NCAA tourney history for MSU (wow, that's an amazing stat). MSU now will take on the University of Maine at 2 pm for the right to advance to the Final Four, which includes North Dakota, Boston College, and the winner of Wisconsin/Cornell. You can see the game live on ESPNU and Comcast Local. And, of note, Michigan got their ass kicked in the first round, losing 5-1 to North Dakota... Ha ha! The Spartan women's basketball team has its Sweet 16 showdown v Duke at 7 pm tonight, on ESPN2. Spartan FB from JLS: Kaz needs a Cadaver (03/26/06. Quotes via msuspartans.com) --The ES noted some interesting lineup changes on the football team this spring, and some interesting happenings. It's kind of creepy that backup OL Tom Kaczmarek needs a ligament from a cadaver for his knee. Says JLS: "...the doctors need a cadaver. The doctors need to wait for a part, they simply can't go manufacture it." Can't they just go over to Fee Hall and rummage around the anatomy lab? Unfortunately, entering camp JLS has no answer to one of the pressing questions: a pass rush. Says JLS: "Off the top of my head, I don't have a clear-cut answer to that question." NO FAT GUYS | ||
IDAHO:
Kick Erickson's Tail In His Return to Idaho