Sports Edge

What to expect from the diamond?

2009-02-27T10:34:00.005-05:00

What should be expect from the Michigan State baseball team this year?

About as much as we expect the Lions to make the right pick this April.

After yet another disappointing season last year, the Spartans bring in a new coach in Jake Boss Jr., who in my opinion will do some good things at MSU...in time.

As for right now, the key pieces of the puzzle are missing. The main problem is the fact that Michigan State just doesn't have any pitching. Last weekend the team traveled down to Florida for three games.

In the first game, senior pitcher Nolan Moody looked like a stud. In the first outing of the season, Moody allowed just one walk. That is nothing short of amazing for the first time pitching against a different team all year!

It all went down hill for MSU after that.

MSU played Seton Hall and the Spartan starting pitcher AJ Achter allowed five walks and four runs in just five innings. In their third game the Spartans only accounted for six hits, half of which came from junior third baseman Chris Roberts. Once again the MSU pitching gave up a few too many walks and they lost to Minnesota.

What does all this mean for the rest of the year?

Well it means that the Spartans are going to be lucky to finish in the middle of the pack in the Big Ten. MSU will most likely finish around .500 and it will all just go unnoticed because that is what Spartan baseball is suppose to do.

With all of this negativity, let me leave you with this. Although it probably isn't in the cards for the this season for the first year head coach, he will have this team in contention for a Big Ten title in four years.

You can take that to the bank!! (but if you could do me a favor and just wait until next Friday or it might bounce)

Race to the Big Dance

2009-02-19T21:17:00.003-05:00

At some point, the Michigan State men's basketball team is going to make a name for themselves. At some point they will finally show the country what they are truly made of, whether that be that they can't compete, or that they are a championship contender.

The Spartans are 10-3 in the Big Ten, good for first place, and 20-5 overall which currently has them ranked No. 5. So far this season, every time people begin to have faith in Tom Izzo's team, they have a let down game.

Lets flash back.

Its a week into January, and MSU has beaten up on Kansas, went on the road and took care of Penn State and won a thriller against the surprisingly good Fighting Illini. After all that, in the eyes of the college basketball world, the Spartans were shaping up to be a strong team. And why wouldn't people think that. Since the lost to UNC, they had won 11 straight games, including their first five Big Ten games. It was the first time in Michigan State history that a team started 5-0 in the Big Ten.

And then the 9-6 Northwestern Wildcats came to the Jack Breslin Student Event Center. A place where the Spartans had won 28 straight games. There is no need to go into more detail other than MSU lost the game.

After that, Izzo's team went on the road and beat the snot out of OSU and Iowa, and kept their road record perfect.

The Spartans then came back to the Breslin.

Many thought after their two big wins on the road, and the fact that they lost the last time they played at home, MSU would have a sure win over the Nittany Lions.

Well I guess the players felt that way too, because they didn't really come out and play very well as they dropped the game to Penn State.

Once again, in MSU fashion, they took care of Minnesota, Indiana, and beat up on U of M at their place. The AP and USA today polls showed them some respect by giving the Spartans a top five ranking.
So what does MSU do?

They go on the road with their perfect record and get taught a lesson by the Boilermakers. They didn't stand a chance, even with a week off and Raymar Morgan back in the lineup.

At some point, MSU is going to have to define themselves and show the country what they are made of. I guess the only thing that they do have going their way is the fact that they have shown that they can heat up at any given moment. And when it comes to the Big Dance, that is all it takes, to heat up for six straight games.

CALLING OUT TO ALL FANS

2009-02-03T13:42:00.003-05:00

I am taking the time in this blog to send a message to all MSU students and overall fans.

It is about time that you guys start supporting sporting teams other than the football and basketball teams. Now don't get me wrong, I love football and basketball and I am at nearly every game, but it would be nice to see some support for the other teams that Michigan State has to offer.

For example, on Friday (Jan. 30) the Spartan wrestlers took on the No. 17 Wisconsin Badgers. Did you know that the Big Ten Conference is the best wrestling conference in the country? Every team in the Big Ten has a outstanding wrestling team, including MSU.

The Spartans, who are yet to be ranked, upset the Badgers 25-18 in a thriller. And guess how many people where there to see it...445!! That is a joke.

Wrestling matches, like many other smaller sports at MSU are free for students!! All you have to do is bring in your student I.D. and you will just walk right into Jenison Field House (which is were they wrestle by the way). Matches only take about two hours, so what is the big deal? Come watch before you go out and float your liver.

It is about time that the 46,000+ students that go to this school start showing some support for the smaller sports that work hard all year round.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

2009-01-28T20:42:00.007-05:00

OK we get it, Andrew Conboy and Corey Tropp made a mistake. But things have gotten out of hand and have gone too far with the punishment.

I understand that the events that took place at Yost Ice Arena are ones that MSU needed to reprimanded. I get it that coach Rick Comley had to come out and punish his players. But why doesn't somebody stick up for these guys?

The are a few different types of ways to handle this situation, and Comley took the route that made him look good in the eyes of Athletic Director Mark Hollis, the Michigan Hockey program and the CCHA. What he didn't do was make a good impression in the locker room.

Let me put what I am trying to say into perspective. When Bobby Williams coached at MSU, he was what is called a "players coach." He did everything in order to try and make sure his players were on the field, even if that meant sweeping a few things under the rug. Williams best player was Charles Rodgers... need I say more?

The approach that Comely took was to make sure that he had the administration's approval. Yet he still has a losing team, struggling to find their identity and at the first sign of trouble he kicks players off the team and watches as they drop out of school.

I'm sorry, but I strongly feel as though Mark Dantonio would've handled this situation quite differently. He is a tough coach and enforces his players to do the little things like wearing their practice shirts even if it is a walk through. Yet Dantonio is a huge advocate for sticking up for his players and dealing with things in the locker room.

What Conboy and Tropp did was wrong. Was it premeditated? Probably for about the two seconds before it happened. It is hockey for crying out loud! This is the sport that endorses fighting, smiles with missing teeth, bloody noses and brutally checking a player into the boards.

If you go back and take a look at the highlight, all Conboy did was check U-M player Steve Kampfer. Corey Tropp then took the liberty of slashing him in the head to neck region, yet still it was just an act of emotion.

And what is all this being printed about Conboy and Tropp attacking Kampfer? You've got to be kidding me. When I think of the word attacked I think that a player sought out a specific player and took him down. This was a spur of the moment thing!

I just think that everyone needs to loosen up on these two players. I am sure if they could take back their actions they would, but for them to have to pick up and leave school for this is ridiculous.

What's next? Are you going to start punishing defensive ends when they hit a quarterback late and knock him out? No, absolutely not because that is why these sports have rules and punish players when they break them.

So lets all put this behind us and enjoy the remaining games of the hockey season, that is if they can still field a team.

WOMEN PLAY HOOPS TOO

2009-01-27T13:17:00.007-05:00

Okay, it's official, the MSU women's basketball team is on a winning streak. 5 games in a row.

And guess what, people are starting to believe. Even though the ladies might not get the type of media attention that their No. 9 ranked counterparts get, Suzy Merchant certainly has her team playing good ball.

The last team that the Spartans (14-6, 7-2) beat was Wisconsin at home where they played in front of 10,000+ fans, which is the highest attendance that the Lady Spartans have seen all year, at any arena!

One key stat that has aided the women's move up to second place in the Big Ten is the fact that they are 4-0 this season in games decided by less than 10 points. This is something that coach Merchant in her second year as head coach has been pretty good at with an overall 12-1 record in games decided by less than 10 points.

Along with the ability to win close games, key players have stepped up. Aisha Jefferson, who last season sat out with a torn ACL, is leading the team with 12 points per game. Allyssa DeHaan is second on the team in scoring with 11 points per game and first in rebounds, which isn't surprising seeing as though DeHaan stands at a whopping 6 feet 9 inches.

Even though the women's basketball team isn't ranked in the top 25 in the country, they are quietly gaining confidence and positioning themselves to make a trip to the dance in March.

TURNOVERS + 1-3-1 + KEVIN COBLE = 1st HOME LOSS IN 28 games

2009-01-22T08:05:00.001-05:00

I am not really sure that I can actually put the Spartan's loss to Northwestern into words. So instead of trying, I am just going to insert some stats, and you can figure things out for yourself.

First off, when you initially look at the box score, it is a tad-bit stunning that MSU lost. What I mean is, take a look at the scoring column:

Kalin Lucas - 20 pts
Goran Suton - 15 pts 14 rebs
Durrell Summers - 11 pts

Next the rebounds:

MSU - 39
NW - 23

Gee, in terms of playing "Michigan State" basketball, so far, the Spartans should have dominated the game. Right?

WRONG.

What you are about to read might be too upsetting for you (if you are a Spartan fan) and if you enjoy the colors Purple, Blue or the occasional corn yellow, then I'm sure you'll find this amusing (even though Michigan is currently 3-4 in the Big Ten).

MSU turn overs - 18

What might be even more stunning is the fact that sophomore guards Lucas and Chris Allen combined for 13 of the Spartan's turnovers.

Chris Allen - 1-11 fg 0-8 3pt fg 6 pts 7 t.o.'s

First off, I have to say that I am a big Xavier (Chris) Allen fan, but if MSU is going to make a run in March, he is going to have more points than he does turnovers. You just can't win ball games when you have seven turnovers, you are simply not giving your team a chance to score.

What hurts even worse is the fact that Northwestern scored 27 points off those turnovers.

Other factors that led to the first MSU loss at the Breslin in 28 straight games were that Travis Walton finished the game with 2 points having only took three shots!! Now I know that Walton isn't the most dynamic offensive threat, but when State is struggling to score points and to handle the ball, Walton needs to step up and knock down some buckets, or at least TAKE THEM!!

Raymar Morgan, well I can't really say much about Ray because he has extremely ill the past couple days.

"I felt bad about saying Raymar Morgan's face was on a milk carton on Saturday night after I found out that he had been playing with the flu," Jeremy Sampson WILX said.

Morgan didn't even start the game on Wednesday night, and he only played 18 minutes which he probably shouldn't even had played. He finished the game with only one point.

So when you add in all of these factors and then toss in the Wildcat's shooting percentage in the second half (48% from the floor and 47% from behind the arc) MSU just didn't have that extra energy in them to climb up hill like they did against Illinois.

What is coach Tom Izzo to do now? Run the team for the next couple days? Can he really do that with Suton still not at 100%, Morgan sick and the teams legs clearly a little suspect? I think all Tom Izzo can do is run some passing drills and tell Allen to start showing up an hour early to practice and staying an hour after to work on his jump shot. Allen should be State's most prolific shooter from inside and outside the arc. Right now the only thing he is good for is a turnover or two. Allen needs to step it up and begin to assume a larger role on this team. No longer is he the young freshman and no longer is it okay to make big time mistakes, in big time situations.

Overall, the Spartans should regroup, and they need to go down to Columbus on Sunday and play like a pissed off teenager.

SPARTANS ROSTER DEEP SQUAD

2009-01-20T20:00:00.003-05:00

As of right now, the Michigan State men's basketball team is doing the right things in order to win ball games.

Take their last game for example, it was not a pretty win by any means, but they found a way to win the game. With the roaring Izzone behind them, the players dug deep and won the game in Big Ten fashion. At this point, the Spartans have a two-game lead in the Big Ten with a 5-0 record, their best since the '77-'78 season.

They look like they have all the tools. A fast point guard that can lead the team and knock down shots when he has to. A big man that knows how to command a post and fight for rebounds. A forward that can out jump anyone in the conference and most importantly a coach that has instilled the formula of tough defense into his team. Guys like Chris Allen, Travis Walton and Durrell Summers are the vital pieces to the puzzle that may not get the amount of attention that some of the other players do. Allen comes in off the bench and carries an arsenal of weapons. He is a quick guard that can at times, shoot lights out. He is great coming off a screen and can either take the jump shot, or drive right to the hole and throw down a massive dunk. Travis Walton is that experienced senior that every championship team needs. He isn't flashy, but he does all the right things and is the player-coach on the court. Durrell Summers is really coming into his own this season. Although he didn't see the court a whole lot last year, coach Tom Izzo and his staff has made sure that Summers is a big part of their game plan. His best game of the year thus far was against Texas University while playing in Houston.

With a team full of players that truly know their role and more importantly know what hall of fame coach Tom Izzo expects, there is no reason that they should even lose one game this year in the Big Ten. Now I am not saying that MSU is going to win-out the rest of their games, or even finish the Big Ten with a perfect record. What I am saying is that they have the talent and the right mentality to not lose a game. Every team has a down game, or a lapse of energy, but if the Spartans can come to play night in and night out, they have a chance to really do big things this season.