Just about every sportswriter in the nation has opined on MSU’s amazing victory over Wisconsin, leading to an intense cliché shortage. By late Sunday afternoon, KC-135s from the Michigan Air National Guard’s 127th Wing were flying them in from California. If the Spartans defeat Nebraska in a similar fashion, we may be bringing in our wartime stocks from Guam and Okinawa (the Cold War surplus we had in Europe got used up describing the Iraq war).
While the game certainly was “one for the ages,” it was also not supposed to happen. The story was supposed to be that transfer mercenary QB Russell Wilson is an amazing athlete and on his way to the Heisman Trophy. Saturday night was to be his coming out party – the night the Badgers proved they could beat someone besides a MAC team on the road.
Of course, like Michigan the week before, the Badgers built their reputation by running up the score on a bunch of minor-league schools. They scored a convincing win against Nebraska, but did so at home.
Without looking this up, see if you can spot the school Wisconsin didn’t play:
UNLV
Oregon State
Northern Illinois
North Dakota
Nebraska
Indiana
Give up? It was North Dakota. The Badgers actually played South Dakota. Like it matters.
The point is that their much-vaunted scoring ability and incredible defense were built on one of the softest schedules in the NCAA. Even so, because they were undefeated, the sports marketing guys were expecting Great Things and a Special Season as they continued their March to Glory.
Before the kickoff, I considered making a drinking game based on how many times the announcers said “Russell Wilson,” but decided against it because I didn’t want to have alcohol poisoning.
Even at halftime, after MSU had made a stunning comeback, forcing the “unstoppable” Badger offense into a safety (!), an interception, a blocked field goal and a blocked punt for a touchdown, the only thing the talking heads at ESPN Central had to say was: “How can Russell Wilson come back?”
I have nothing against the man personally – I don’t know him, probably will never meet him. He’s a talented athlete who will doubtless go on to make ten times my lifetime salary in a couple of years – and I begrudge him not a dime of it.
That being said, his transfer and glorification exemplify just about everything that is wrong with college football (the SEC covers the rest).
Here is a guy who, having issues with his first school, decides to transfer somewhere else to use up his final year of eligibility. He picks Wisconsin because Bret Bielema can’t seem to recruit a decent quarterback and they were able to find a loophole in the degree requirements that would let it happen.
This is a purely mercenary decision for both parties: Bielema needs a mobile, experienced quarterback to balance his run-focused offense. Wilson needs a standout season at a big school so he can maximize his standing in the NFL draft.
One can argue that this is the way a lot of the NCAA operates, and recruiting is often a pretty sordid affair. But most of the time we can at least delude ourselves that something else is going on. Many kids choose their school because they are in-state, admire the traditions, have a family relationship with the program and so on. Even though I cordially despise the Skunk Bears, I can accept that a certain percentage of the state’s youth want to wear winged helmets – just as a certain number want to wear green and white.
Perhaps I’m a little sensitive given the media-driven whinefest about William Gholston and the “dirty play” by the Spartans against the Skunk Bears. Wolverine Nation must have felt pretty satisfied with themselves when Gholston was suspended – and then we won without him.
Time was that the Skunk Bear faithful insisted MSU wasn’t even a rival – it was all in our heads and the Wolverines only had the brain capacity to focus on one hated team: the Buckeyes.
The furor over Gholston gives the lie to that claim – having lost in spectacular fashion for four years in a row, the Meeechigan fan base and their sportswriter allies tried to taint MSU’s win and hobble it against Wisconsin – but it didn’t work.
MSU not only won, but did so without any penalties. So much for being the NCAA’s dirtiest program.
Oh, and speaking of dirty programs, I find it interesting that LSU is now on top of the polls, basking in the glow of a Number One ranking despite having three suspended players and being under probation for recruiting violations. Integrity!
MSU’s victory was indeed “one for the ages,” but I think what many of us in the Spartan Nation are really enjoying is how the media – particularly broadcaster ESPN – had to shift their story line at the last minute.
They set up Game Day to crown Russell Wilson and ended up having to highlight Keith Nichol – they guy who gave up playing transfer-roulette and decided to make the best of where he is. Enjoy the attention, Keith. You earned it.
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