Michigan State should be called out for dirty play against Wolverines
I sincerely hope that AnnArbor.com will be challenging the Michigan State coaches regarding the play of their team on Saturday (Oct. 15). I've been watching Michigan Football for 16 years, and I've never seen Michigan play as dirty a team as they did on Saturday against Michigan State.
Michigan State had six personal foul/roughing the passer penalties. By comparison, Michigan has had five total against State in the five years since Mark Dantonio became head coach. All six penalties State committed were dangerous, and most were clearly intended to injure the Michigan player.
Following the game, Michigan State defensive coordinator was quoted saying "that's what we try to do, sixty minutes of unnecessary roughness. I'm just happy it didn't get called on every snap." He qualified that statement by claiming he didn't support the penalties that got out of hand. I expect that you will be asking him what penalties he was condoning. Of these six unnecessary roughness-like penalties Michigan State was called for, which was he supporting?
- Punching a Michigan player.
- A late full-speed hit against a player who was well out of bounds.
- A horse-collar tackle by the Michigan player's hair.
- Two roughing the passer penalties, both of which were late hits that twisted Denard Robinson and threw him to the ground in a way that appeared intended to injure him, one of which successfully took Robinson out of the game.
- After the play was dead, jumping on Denard Robinson and twisting his facemask as hard as possible, with the clear intent of injuring him.
This is particularly concerning following last year, when Michigan player Mike Martin was badly injured by a Michigan State player's chop block, one of the most dangerous plays in football.
I'll expect that you will continue to press Michigan State coaches for answers as to why their players have continued to commit dangerous penalties intended to injure the opponent, why they have supported those actions to the media, and whether they will take any action to penalize their players who took those actions.
Mark Hodges
Oak Park, Ill.
Comments
NoSUVforMe
Mon, Oct 24, 2011 : 4:08 a.m.
It isn't about who won or lost. MSU won. It's just that they are dirty and disgusting and not representative of good sportsmanship. Thugs. Thugs. Thugs.
NoSUVforMe
Mon, Oct 24, 2011 : 4:06 a.m.
Dantonio and MSU players are a disgrace to MSU. A bunch of thugs using dirty tactics to hurt others. Disgusting. Simply unjustifiably disgusting.
leaguebus
Fri, Oct 21, 2011 : 4:28 a.m.
The officials clearly lost control of the game by not going over to the MSU bench and warning them about the dirty play. Luckily no one got hurt. But the dirty MSU play is out in the open and they will lose games if it continues. Penalties hurt, especially when officials start calling a game very closely against one team. This is a bad situation to be in when you are playing a team like Wisconsin.
Sparty
Fri, Oct 21, 2011 : 3:43 a.m.
The Big Ten ruled. MSU lost. The thug is suspended for a measly one game against Wisconsin. MSUs Coach is supporting overly aggressive, dangerous behavior that is going to seriously injure someone if it isn't stopped. MSU now has a dirty team reputation while UM has changed to a classy program once again with new leadership.
Buster W.
Fri, Oct 21, 2011 : 2:38 a.m.
"The Big Ten determined that Gholston's actions at the end of the third quarter of the Michigan contest violated Big Ten Conference Agreement 10.01.1.A.1 – "Striking or attempting to strike or otherwise physically abusing an official, opposing coach, spectator or athlete." Above seems pretty cut-and-dry to me. Why did it take a few days to decide on a suspension? The decision could have been made Saturday night. I recall Mike White's Illinois teams in the mid-80's being much dirtier. I think we (UM fans) need to just drop it and move on...the penalties were called and Gholston is gone vs. Wisconsin. Like Major said, "karma's going to catch up soon."
NoSUVforMe
Fri, Oct 21, 2011 : 2:38 a.m.
I had a level of respect for Dantonio. No more. Six personal fouls including attempts to harm, and he sees it as being aggressive? Wow. What a thug master. No respect. None. I can't help but wonder what would he have said if Michigan had six personal fouls and Cousins went down from a dirty hit. He is condoning bad behavior and should be fired.
Buster W.
Fri, Oct 21, 2011 : 2:41 a.m.
Yep. He shook his head in disagreement on just about every personal foul.
drewk
Fri, Oct 21, 2011 : 1:16 a.m.
I'd let my defenders tackle by the hair every chance they could. Maybe these guys would put their extensions away for the games. I don't know why the players didn't see this coming. Duh
deb
Fri, Oct 21, 2011 : 12:05 a.m.
No Dave, Its not that I can't talk about my spartys, its that you try to hold your program out as if it is different in some shape or form. Its not. The U of M program is no different from any other program in college football. Wanna talk about the spartans, and how they can control their own destiny int he Big ten even if they lose to WIsconsin?
deb
Sat, Oct 22, 2011 : 4:55 p.m.
. . . and in this day and age no different from anyone else
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Fri, Oct 21, 2011 : 2:45 a.m.
We are a different program that is up in East Lansing. More wins Higher winning percentage More national championships More Heisman Trophy winners 67-31-5 record against M-S-Moooooooooooooooooo. Much different program than the bunch of criminals who play football for that ag school. GN&GL
deb
Fri, Oct 21, 2011 : 12:48 a.m.
where does it say that I approve? The U of M program is no different from any other program in college football. Don't throw stones when you live in a glass house. Michigan had a player punch another player in the mouth and did nothing. If you are going to say the MSU coaching staff and AD didn't care, then you must be prepared that the U of M and AD didn't care when their player punched a player. Again, U of M fans act as if they are some sort of different program, but you are not, You are just like every other major college program out there
David Briegel
Fri, Oct 21, 2011 : 12:26 a.m.
You mean when they lose. Like I said, you better hope Wisconsin doesn't break Cousins in half! You approve, remember.
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Thu, Oct 20, 2011 : 11:54 p.m.
M-S-Moooooooooooo plays dirty? There's a shock. They always have. This is nothing new. And we lost. Again. Enjoy it Sparty. A new era is here. Good Night and Good Luck
David Briegel
Thu, Oct 20, 2011 : 11:20 p.m.
deb, Since you can't talk about your sparty's, there is nothing else to say. Hope nobody gets a broken neck on Sat!
deb
Thu, Oct 20, 2011 : 11:16 p.m.
So by not saying anything U of M didn't condone what #7 did. That maybe this is more of a media hype. Oh and don't forget U of M didn't suspend Jonas Mouton the B1G Commisionners office did. It took them to tell U of M "and the world you guys were dirty." You try to act like this is different then the ND thing, its not. Take your blinders off and be rational. It's football. Learn the rules, like the hair pulling. You have already shown you do not no much about them.
David Briegel
Thu, Oct 20, 2011 : 10:47 p.m.
deb, This isn't about you, me, ND or anthing or anyone else. It's about sparty you. You see deb, your school, your AD, your Head whatever you want to call him and his assistants sent your school's team out there to behave as they did. They all approved. They saw no evil, they heard no evil and they spoke no of evil! It started with sane, rational, tough, honest and decent football players like Chris Spielman, OSU alum, to say whoa nelly, that ain't legal! And it grew from there. Your school said to the world that this is ok, this meets our standards. So it took an honest third party, the BIG 10 Commissioners Office to tell you and the world that you guys were dirty. But don't worry deb, they didn't say that grabbing a face mask in an attempt to break the neck of your opponent or picking them and body slamming them to the turf was illegal, so you can continue that noble behavior. And hope that Wisconsin doesn't do those things to Cousins or Baker! sparty on..........
klondike
Thu, Oct 20, 2011 : 10:24 p.m.
Wow. You lost. You got manhandled. Get over it. Robinson isn't complaining. Hoke isn't complaining. Even Marcus Ray isn't complaining. And Michigan State isn't complaining about the 3 unnecessary roughness plays from Michigan that weren't called in the game (but I guess that's OK, b/c the ref missed it and it didn't count). I'm sure you'd be the epitome of "class" if a 300 lb. offensive lineman was driving your head into the ground. Get over yourself and move on. 4-0.
ZooWolverine
Sat, Oct 22, 2011 : 3 a.m.
I probably wouldn't have tried to break that 300 lbs lineman's arms earlier in a cheap shot, or tried to injure that 300 lbs lineman's quarterback in an even cheaper play, so I don't think that 300 lbs lineman would be driving my head to the ground in retaliation. Retaliation that, despite Gholston's two previous attempts to injure Michigan players, was intended to annoy, but not injure, Gholston.
Smart Logic
Fri, Oct 21, 2011 : 10:48 a.m.
This.
Major
Thu, Oct 20, 2011 : 9 p.m.
Dirty plays = dirty coaching = dirty team.....karma's going to catch up soon...all while Michigan show nothing but class.
deb
Thu, Oct 20, 2011 : 9:03 p.m.
except for when they push a ND player in the face?
deb
Thu, Oct 20, 2011 : 8:45 p.m.
There is no specific college football rule that says you cannot tackle by the hair. The NFL specifically condones the action. Im not going to post the links, just google search "nfl tackling by the hair" So your argument is a punch is not a punch #7 punches after the game is over. If I was going to talk about something I would probably become informed about it before saying something with not backing like "thats a good one" Some people need to take their blinders off. (i'm not disagreeing with the suspension)
deb
Fri, Oct 21, 2011 : 6:31 p.m.
And I just told you I looked through the NCAA rule book. There is no rule against it] Good night, maybe you should do a little reading first
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Fri, Oct 21, 2011 : 4:47 p.m.
College football rules and NFL rules are not the same. I listed two examples above. There are many others (e.g., in the NCAA the clock starts after an out of bounds play once the ball is marked for play except for the last two minutes of the half). Anyone who thinks the NFL and the NCAA play by the same sets of rules has no idea what they're talking about. But you've already made that clear. GN&GL
deb
Fri, Oct 21, 2011 : 3:11 p.m.
Maybe ermg you should read a little bit more or become educated before you dismiss peoples comments. Maybe you shouldn't speculate "you who thinks ncaa and nfl rules" are the same. Way to jump to conclusions on your won assumptions Go back to walmart and have fun being a slappy wearing blinders
deb
Fri, Oct 21, 2011 : 3:07 p.m.
Its the rule. That particular rule is the same in the NCAA and NFL. Its like holding. Not every rule is different. Here is an idea. Show me in the NCAA rulebook where it says you cannot tackle by the hair. You cannot because it dose not say that. You'd rather just call me dumb then actually learn the rules. Way to go
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Fri, Oct 21, 2011 : 12:55 p.m.
OK--because you are a K-mart Sparty, I'll say this again. NFL rules are not the same as NCAA rules. Got it this time? Likely not. GN&GL
deb
Fri, Oct 21, 2011 : 11:29 a.m.
no ed. because it is. Maybe you should learn the rules before you comment
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Fri, Oct 21, 2011 : 2:26 a.m.
It's a fact because you say it is--you who think NCAA and NFL rules are the same. Must be a sparty grad. Or a K-Mart Sparty. GN&GL
deb
Fri, Oct 21, 2011 : 12:06 a.m.
The lack of the rule would make it appear to be legal ERMG. Don't accept my opinion because its fact
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Thu, Oct 20, 2011 : 11:49 p.m.
Last time I checked, college football plays by different rules than those of the NFL (e.g., the clock stops as the chains move on a first down; one foot in bounds constitutes a catch). So you'll forgive us if we don't accept your "expert" opinion about what the rules are in college football. Good Night and Good Luck
David Briegel
Thu, Oct 20, 2011 : 8:25 p.m.
dear deb, the "punch" you showed happens at least a dozen times a game between the dbacks and the wideouts attempting to block them. Piling on after a play is over, diving elbows first and grabbing the facemask and twisting the helmet with a clear intent to injure is not only illegal but shameful! The hair is part of the uniform. That's a good one. Mr Hodges is correct and the BIG 10 went way too easy on your thugs. MSU exercised no institutional control over it's program and had to be sanctioned by the authorities at the BIG 10. proud sparty?
deb
Thu, Oct 20, 2011 : 8:04 p.m.
The hair is considered to be part of the uniform. A Michigan player punched an opponet this season and was not flagged or suspended. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WusRyKD9SUg" rel='nofollow'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WusRyKD9SUg</a> Maybe you should ask Hoke about this