response 100 of 199:

Oct 29 18:51 UTC 2001

Michigan is #6 in both polls, and is 7, 6, 9, 8, 7 and 2 in the 
computer polls which have been released so far.  It looks like they'll 
be about #7 in the BCS this week.

response 102 of 199:

Oct 30 04:16 UTC 2001

Apparently, the VaTech coach isn't willing to face the fact that his 
team did not play like a Top Ten team, and is trying to come up with 
excuses for the loss.

http://www.espn.go.com/ncf/news/2001/1029/1270567.html

response 104 of 199:

Oct 30 22:25 UTC 2001

Not a huge problem, but a problem.  If MSU can convert a turnover or two in
the right places, they could win in a shootout.  It's not that hard to
see--some radio commentators were predicting a defensive battle, but I don't
see it.  Both teams can run, and both teams can *really* pass.  Michigan State
has the best pair of receivers that Michigan will face all season, and the
secondary has been known to give up the big play.  Prominent big plays from
Washington, Illinois, and Iowa wound up not having a large effect on the game
(the latter two lost, and the Washington offense was not on the field for the
important parts of their win), but Charlie Rogers can take the ball all the
way.

response 106 of 199:

Oct 31 18:13 UTC 2001

Oh heavens, it's not going to be easy.  Even "blowouts" in this series are
hard, hard games to win.  Michigan was the better team and played the better
game in '97 in a game that finished with a one-sided scoreline, but it took
some big plays to put the game away, and Michigan State started with all the
momentum.  MSU looked like they had it easy against UM in 99, but only a
critical catch by Plaxico Burress in the last two minutes sealed it after a
furious Tom Brady comeback.

response 108 of 199:

Oct 31 18:54 UTC 2001

Lynne, there is a tab on the "spine" of the videotape cassette 
which is to be broken out to prevent recording from happening.  
If you haven't broken out that tab, then the VCR should 
merrily record over whatever was previously 
on the tape.   

Commercial prerecorded VHS tapes will always have that tab removed, 
barring a screwup at the factory, so the owner doesn't erase their
rental movies.

response 110 of 199:

Nov 1 16:29 UTC 2001

I'm aware of that mechanism.  I was wondering if there was another one that
had been developed.  Trying again tonight with a new blank tape...but I
think I'll make it home to watch Friends just in case.

response 112 of 199:

Nov 1 22:55 UTC 2001

And another drafted early in the second round... someone mentioned that there
are a lot of pro teams that would have liked to have our offense from last
year.  I know the Lions would.  With last year's #2 receiver destroying every
defense he plays, and Thomas and Terrell emerging as major forced in Chicago,
and... you get the idea.  

Remember, with all the great things we hear about this offense, Michigan State
held us to 14 points at home last year.  

response 114 of 199:

Nov 2 01:33 UTC 2001

The more important question for MSU: how much of their defense from
THIS year did they lose (to injuries).

Stanford has risen to #6 in the BCS.  I'm still hoping for a rematch of the
first Rose Bowl, exactly 100 years ago, which M won 49-0.  (I'm not saying
it's gonna happen, that's why I'm "hoping".)

response 116 of 199:

Nov 2 03:28 UTC 2001

So, here's a primer to the "casual," that is, sane, fan of UM or MSU or any
other type of contest in this state.

MICHIGAN vs MICHIGAN STATE.  November 3, 2001, 3:30 pm EST

Breakdown:  Michigan is 6-1, 4-0 in the Big Ten, ranked 4th in the BCS poll
used to determine the teams that play for the national championship.  Michigan
State is 4-2, 2-2 in the Big Ten, unranked in any major poll.  Michigan has
an outside chance at going to the Rose Bowl national title game and can win
the conference even with one more conference loss.  Michigan State has an
extremely slim, outside shot at the conference title, and is more likely
shooting for a solid goal of playing in a New Year's day bowl game.  

Currrent trends:  Michigan has followed its loss to Washington in the second
game of the season with a run of good and occasionally really good play.  With
solid wins over Illinois and Purdue, the only other Big Ten teams with less
than two losses, Michigan has established itself as the class of the field,
even pulling out a win in a hostile environment against Iowa when playing
flat.  Michigan State started strong, slumped with a crushing defeat to
Northwestern and a bewildering collapse against Minnesota, and hit stride last
week against Wisconsin.  Nobody's quite sure which team will appear to play
Michigan this weekend, but you can be assured that most of the best players
from the defensive backfield will be on the sidelines with injuries
regardless.

Players to watch:  Offense overshadows defense here.  Michigan has been riding
Marquise Walker all season long, and Ann Arbor locals have begun talking him
up for the Heisman Trophy, which he won't win.  He is spectacular, and
contributes huge plays in every game, though.  BJ Askew can play at least
three positions for Michigan, but he has settled in at tailback, where he can
run effectively and catch passes on screens and safety valves.  If he gets
going on the ground early, Michigan will have a very easy time on offense.

Michigan State is *loaded* with skill position talent.  TJ Duckett has
struggled early in the season (well, sort of; reports of his struggles are
overrated--MSU has been able to run the offense through different directions),
but he had a big game against Wisconsin last week, and he will be relied upon
to run over and through Michigan defensive linemen that have been stingy
against the run thus far this year.  Herb Haygood and Charlie Rogers provide
a tremendous double-threat at receiver that Michigan won't be able to match
up with properly, and at least one of them should have a big game.  Rogers,
incidently, will draw NFL paychecks in a couple of yers, so he's worth
watching.  

Key:  Nothing original here.  Turnovers and special teams will have a huge
effect on the game.  If MSU wants to win, they will have to get the ball deep
in Michigan territory and convert for at least a couple of scores.  Their
ravaged secondary is going to get burned by Walker's superior physical talent
at least once or twice, but how they play second and third receivers Ronald
Bellamy and Calvin Bell will decide how efficiently Michigan can march down
the field.  Don't forget, this game will end under the lights, and if MSU is
close or leading late, Spartan Stadium is going to become *very* hostile.

response 118 of 199:

Nov 3 18:07 UTC 2001

Mmmm...I think it'll be closer than that.  Say UM 24, MSU 17.
Two and a half hours to kickoff!

response 120 of 199:

Nov 4 00:35 UTC 2001

Michigan State won, 26-24!

response 122 of 199:

Nov 4 05:52 UTC 2001

Michigan was certainly flawed today, a depressingly regular pattern in Spartan
Stadium.  MSU usually does a good job of keeping Michigan off its game when
MSU is at home-and those guys were flying for the entire second half. 
Michigan played like a sack of wet napkins all second-half long, but MSU
deserves credit for the out-of-mind quality of play, particularly in the
secondary.  Not for the interceptions so much as for the elmination of easy
options play in and out.  I'm not sure why Michigan didn't try to attack the
secondary too much, but I guess we never really got any drives going to do
it.

Controversy abounds in the existence of the last second (ESPN analyst Rod
Gilmore suggests that there's some home cooking involved with the second left,
but I can't really comment on the accuracy of that until I see a
second-by-second replay.  I thought it should have run off, but I wasn't
watching the clock when the ball was spiked, so I couldn't say for sure.  

Michigan really didn't play a game to win, though.  Countless opportunities
to put the game away, including several in the last drive, were blown in
heartbreaking fashion.  Worse, Michigan never broke--if a team is going to
drive to score, you hope that they leave some time left on the clock for a
desperation comeback, but there was obviously no chance for that.

The place wasn't as intense as some UM-MSU games have been at the beginning,
but it was rocking by the time Michigan scored to go ahead 24-20.  It *was*
really hostile at night.  A passenger jet flew directly over the stadium on
its approach to the airport during halftime, causing no small consternation
in the crowd, by the way.

We aim to please, Ken.  Absolutely cracking game of football today, a perfect
example of.. escape through sports. :)  Congratulations to MSUers, it was a
terrific game.

response 124 of 199:

Nov 5 00:09 UTC 2001

I don't, really.  He's gone, and there's no much we can do about it.  The team
that matters is what we have on the field, and it has already surpassed
espectations on offense.  The second half was abysmal, yes, but it was far
more than the fault of missing one quarterback.