News and Notes from In and Around the Spartan Nation

News and Notes from In and Around the Spartan Nation ÂMSU Football 1)     Mark Dantonio continues to do things the right way. He has preached to his team

News and Notes from In and Around the Spartan Nation

Â
MSU Football

1)     Mark Dantonio continues to do things the right way. He has preached to his team about family. In fact, he has had a huge impact on a couple of players reaching out to their families and mending some relationships. Because the team left Christmas Day, he allowed players that lived more than 160 miles to fly out from their home airport to the bowl game so that they could get to be with their families for Christmas. Not only is that something that is not normal for a lot of teams, but also the fact that the football program picked up the tab was another huge move. He is able to sell that on the recruiting trail, but as is the case with MD, he is practicing what he preaches and it is my contention that strong young men make strong football programs and that is exactly what he is building.

2)     I won’t name names until my end of season wrap up, but the Spartans have overachieved this season. They got to this point with heart and incredible coaching. There have been some players who just aren’t cutting it who should be contributing. This off-season is going to be a real wake up call to some of them. If a kid is not as good as hoped, that is one thing and an error on the coaching staff and their evaluating ability. If a kid has the talent, but lacks the toughness or heart, that is his fault. MD and this staff have some of those kids and they will endure a very difficult off-season.

Â
MSU Basketball

It has been way too long since a Spartan Big Ten Championship. I also am a realist. Drew Neitzel’s junior year I said that if they went to the NCAA’s that it would be Izzo’s best job as a head coach at MSU for any season. It has been too long since this team won a Big Ten regular season title and Izzo has had this particular season pegged for several years. Anything less than a Big Ten title (or a Final Four) this season would be a huge disappointment and with all the attention Izzo has given this season and the Final Four at Ford Field it would be in my opinion a colossal one.

Â
Detroit Lions

WCF has said that Tom Lewand and Martin Mayhew will be back. He also said he hasn’t seen one person who can fix it. That would confirm suspicions that he has no clue about NFL football and probably doesn’t watch it. How can someone make such an ignorant comment and be connected to the NFL? Miami sure has turned it around? Many other men have done it also. It was an ignorant comment. That is obvious considering in my opinion when judging his track record he has absolutely no ability to judge anything as it pertains to NFL football. I spoke with a good friend at the NFL who was exacerbated. In fact when he asked me weeks ago if what they were hearing (that this might happen) was possible I told him then, “This is Ford, look at what has happened ever since he took over. He may be a good man, but he hasn’t either the heart to fix it or the talent. He is comfortable losing.” My friend told me earlier this week, “I can’t imagine anyone spending a dime on tickets unless they have money to burn and don’t care if they waste it.” I responded with, “Like Ford?”

Â
Spartan Hockey

From National Champions to the cellar of the CCHA, Spartan Hockey is having a season that is simply unacceptable at MSU. I was sure that the team wouldn’t compete for a league title, but this is a team that has sunk. They lost so much talent, and to expect a title CCHA or other would have been foolish, but a program like MSU should be able to lose players early to the Pro’s and not fall so badly. A bottom of the top half season under these circumstances would be acceptable at a school like MSU, but this is not. Rick Comley has his biggest test ahead of him. His program is hemorrhaging money and the program is under real duress. I have supported him from day one and still do. Getting this team back on track will be his biggest test. The second half of the season needs his best coaching job of his time at MSU.Â

Â
Detroit Pistons

Their demise since the Chauncey trade has surprised some people, but not me. This was a very tight team and Chauncey was the glue. One person with the team told me last week, “It isn’t Curry’s fault (Mike Curry the Head Coach) that this team is (angry) over the trading of Chauncey. They haven’t taken to Allen and they have a lot of issues.” I have stated in this column that they made the trade to dump salary when AI’s deal is done and it wouldn’t shock some people if they traded Sheed. It would me because I can’t imagine anyone wanting him. Some of you have emailed and said that even if they don’t get LeBron (which they WILL NOT) there will be others available that are high impact. My thought is that throwing away seasons and coming away with anyone less than King James is a colossal failure. This team should have more than one championship under Joe D and it doesn’t. This is sad to watch them collapse.