Putting the Cap One Bowl in Perspective

 

Let's hope the Alabama dance team isn't all smiles when the Cap One Bowl is over. Photo courtesy of Bill Marklevits.

When the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Michigan State Spartans take the field tomorrow, this isn’t about Mark Dantonio vs Nick Saban. Mark Dantonio, personally, wanted to be abundantly clear on that. In fact what was, at least to me, the most poignant and candid moments of the entire Capital One Bowl Media Day, Dantonio was, at least by my interpretation, overly effusive in his rendering of the significance of the two coaches professional and personal relationship. He even went so far as to say that he would not be where he is today without Saban. Personally, and for my dollar, I see 99 parts Tressel to one part Saban in the portion our headman emulates. And as a Spartan, you better believe I am extremely thankful for that.

Despite the vastly different paths taken, the two coaches professional careers have taken them the same place come the first day of 2011.

Dantonio has reiterated again and again that this is moreso a match-up between Michigan State and Alabama than some media driven personal score between coaches. Listening intently to the various interviews given as the team and its coaches prepare for the impending Bowl game, Treadwell, Narduzzi and Dantonio mean business. If there is any of this “yikes we’re playing the defending National Champion and preseason number one,” there wasn’t the slightest hint of it in their voices or words. We could be playing Boston College, Texas Tech or McNeese State- bottom line is, the Spartan Brass thinks it can stand toe to toe with anyone in the country. It’s not just some façade. Notre Dame? Check. Wisconsin? Check. Michigan? Triple check.

Alabama? Just another great crimson feather in our cap when we win, seems to be the mindset.

It was apparent to me- and by my estimation entirely unintended- so therefore not some costumish front- but this football coaching staff is truly unlike anything I’ve ever seen governing the young men who call the grid iron of Spartan Stadium, home. It’s not the contrived hubris of the Nick Saban Era, where the Green and White is seemingly but a stepping stone for the professional aspirations of one man. It’s not the talented but undisciplined ethos of the Bobby Williams era. And it’s not the “awe shucks” we’re just middle of the pack but can pull off some startling upsets--gimmick of the JLS days. It’s the Mark Dantonio, “Why not us? Why shouldn’t we be that dominant Green Giant of old,” Spartan machine.Â

It’s the, “Alabama? Ok. Why not Michigan State?”

In a planned Capital One Bowl media interview, days before the team and coaches departed for Florida, several statements were made while we deprived media members awaited the upcoming coaches presser, that the coaches time was extremely limited due to them just coming off the recruiting trail; that long, winding and metaphorically brushy recruiting trail. If that wasn’t enough the point was  frequently brought home by the coaching staff as well. It was simply business as usual. At one point even a reference to the seemingly ever broadening Spartan national recruiting base was made by the coaching staff. But, they didn’t look drained; they looked focused, hungry and eager. What struck me was that this staff in no way seemed content with their 11-1 record. A school record wins total, 11-1, I might add. You get the inescapable feeling their blood runs far deeper than that.

This clearly isn’t about the money for Mark Dantonio’s crew. It’s about a reckoning for them. It’s about the Green and White that took a chance on them and said “I think you can do great things. I think you’ve got what it takes.” And when you give a person such as Mark Dantonio and his guys that type of ovation, they’ll get things accomplished.

The proof is now, in the Spartan pudding.

So, whatever the heck laurels are, rest assured Spartan Nation, they aren’t resting on them anytime soon. They’re busy building upon the firm green foundation they’ve already laid. It seems that for them this isn’t a time to sit back and gloat. It isn’t a time to sniff out their-own personal job market stock.

It’s a time to strike while the irons hot, add some more brick and mortar to the already solid foundation, and get ready to make war with all-comers. Alabama, Auburn, Oregon…just like Wisconsin and the rest…bring em on.

These coaches and this great group of young Spartan warriors belong.

Even a 12 win season won’t be “enough.”

Why not MSU?