MSU Fallout

In one play, Shawn Crable pretty much summed up Michigan's season. He had Javon Ringer wrapped up, and let him slip through his fingers. Crable fell down, but he got up. He got up and made one of the finest defensive plays I've ever seen. I don't think people really appreciate how great a play Crable made. I don't care if he had an angle... he basically made up 15 yards on the fastest running back in the Big Ten. Not only did it show freakish athletic ability, it just showed how much Shawn Crable cares. Something we didn't see early in the year from the rest of the team...

Then there's Chad Henne. Coming into this year, the complaints were consistent: he can't win games... he can only manage them. Enter: Michigan Senior QB. John Navarre did it, Drew Henson did it, Brian Griese did it. But, no one did it better their senior year than Tom Brady. Sure, Griese won more games (and a NC), but Brady played a much bigger role in his victories, this is where the nickname "Captain Comeback" was born. Chad Henne is having a Tom Brady-like senior season. Against MSU and Illinois, he has showed unbelievable guts. (Do you have it? Chad does.) Mike Hart got all the publicity early in the year, and deservedly so. But, it's Henne's time. He has gone from a guy who could barely considered a leader, to a legitimate first round pick. The talent has always been there... the heart and the brain have finally caught up. And, you better believe he's going to do everything in his power to prevent a repeat of his previous Ohio State games.

Finally, I cannot believe Mark Dantonio. Maybe it's because I've been raised better. Maybe it's because I've grown up as a Michigan fan. But, I've come to expect more than what Dantonio showed after the game (and after the Appalachian State game). I can handle a player running his mouth, especially if he backs it up. But, a coach... sorry, I expect more. This is part of the reason that I will support Lloyd Carr to the grave (note: change is still needed, see previous post). After the Appalachian State game, Dantonio offered a 'moment of silence' for Michigan at his UAB press conference. Jehuu Caulcrick said that it feels like they won two games that day (okay, but you better back it up). And, then, Michigan players offer a moment of silence after the game, and Dantonio gets mad? You brought it on yourself buddy. Jehuu gets mad about something that Terrence Taylor told him after the game? What do you want to be it was something along the lines of..

TT: Good game, man.
JC: Thanks, wish we could've pulled it out.
TT: Yeah, probably feels like you lost twice today, huh?

Then, Dantonio gets mad about Hart's "little brother" comment (totally accurate btw), and says this..

"Does Hart have a little brother or is he the little brother?" Dantonio asked. "I don't know, he's ... that tall." Dantonio placed his hand to his chest to illustrate Hart's stature.

Can you imagine Lloyd Carr doing that? Pete Carroll? Jim Tressel? Dantonio went on to rant about how this was "just the beginning", and proceeded to start another countdown to next year's game. Maybe you should worry about Purdue and Penn State. Have you not learned anything from the past? You put everything into the Michigan game, and it backfires. You lose, and you collapse. You lose games before it because you're focused too much on Michigan. Maybe you haven't learned as much as you think you have. Just remember...

You're still Michigan State.