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Posted on Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 12:25 a.m.

Michigan football team responds to MSU QB Kirk Cousins' criticism of Wolverines' BCS bid

By Kyle Meinke

There was a national consensus that the Michigan football team would make a BCS bowl.

In fact, there even was a national consensus it would be the Sugar Bowl -- and it came to pass. The BCS announced Sunday night the Wolverines will play Virginia Tech on Jan. 3 in New Orleans.

Few have a problem with that selection.

Michigan State does.

The Spartans beat Michigan 28-14 in October, finished ahead of the Wolverines in the Big Ten standings and qualified for the Big Ten title game out of the Legends Division.

Cousins_Wisconsin_B1G.jpg

Wisconsin's Aaron Henry consoles Michigan State's Kirk Cousins after the Badgers' 42-39 win in the Big Ten Conference title game on Saturday. Cousins said it was unfair for Michigan to bypass Michigan State in the BCS standings. Michigan players say they would have gladly traded places with the Spartans.

AP Photo

They also lost that championship game, though, falling 42-39 to Wisconsin. That gave them three losses, and they were passed over for the BCS, while Michigan slid into the Sugar Bowl.

In other words, Michigan State was punished for making the title game, and the rival Wolverines were rewarded for not making it. That is not necessarily a fair outcome, but it was an expected one, given how the bowl process works.

Spartans quarterback Kirk Cousins was asked about that reality after the Big Ten title game. He didn't hold back.

"Michigan sat home tonight on the couch and watched us," the senior said shortly after the game's conclusion. "We played our hearts out — you saw it. I don't see how you get punished for playing and someone else gets to sit on the couch and get what they want.

"If this is the way the system is, I guess it's a broken system."

Michigan senior defensive lineman Ryan Van Bergen, who has become something of a team spokesman on a lot of matters this year, weighed in on Cousins' comments Sunday, shortly after learning of the Wolverines' bowl fate.

His message: Want to trade?

"If he wants to go sit on a couch and watch us play in the Big Ten championship game, then he can do that," Van Bergen said. "They had an opportunity to go the Rose Bowl. It was sitting right in front of them for them to grab. They didn't seize the opportunity.

"I think that they'll do well in the Outback Bowl. Best of luck. Best wishes. We're going to the Sugar Bowl, and we're excited about it."

Michigan has benefited greatly from the divisional split. It didn't have to play the league's No. 1 team, Wisconsin, or its No. 4 team, Penn State, both of which reside in the Leaders Division.

Then, it got to sit out of the title game, guaranteed to inherit the conference's second-best bowl draw as the its true runner-up was tagged with a third loss and slid down the postseason hierarchy.

Still, the Wolverines said they would have traded in that de facto bye for a shot at the Big Ten title.

"Man, I’d rather get to play in the Big Ten championship game — the inaugural Big Ten championship," senior tight end Kevin Koger said. "I would have been happy to trade places, but it is what it is."

Kyle Meinke covers Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2588, by email at kylemeinke@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter @kmeinke.

Comments

johntithof@gmail.com

Thu, Dec 8, 2011 : 2:47 a.m.

Michigan did not just set around,they did some study. They most likely got ahead com Thefive little brothers becouse there grade point averages were better than Thefive little boys Tithof green.

J.R. Beauboeuf

Wed, Dec 7, 2011 : 4:48 a.m.

but bo didnt win one in his first 10 tho...

Bryan

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 10:31 p.m.

One thing Cousins can look forward to if he make the NFL is being a 3rd string quarterback like the rest of MSU quarterbacks!!!

The Great Hoke

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 10:04 p.m.

Kirk Cousins is a very nice kid – he was frustrated – ( I am sure none of you have ever made a mistake) Focus on the wins for the Big Ten conference.

The Great Hoke

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 9:39 p.m.

Did UM get better since State Most definitely. But, so did MSU....

steve

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 7:57 p.m.

Hey Kirk, Was it "fair" that Michigan lost a game at the end when it caught the Touchdown pass giving us our second loss......nope.... did we complain about it ...yep for a min...then we moved on to the next game.... was it fair that Oklahoma State won it's Conference Championship by a large margin and Alabama who sat home and did nothing gets to go play for National Championship....nope.... but that's the way it goes. Nick Saban even said in 2003 "no team that can't win it's conference championship let alone it's own division should not be allowed to play for a National Championship". Grow up young man....... it's called life..... not much about it will be fair.... do your best and know you did.... that's all that really matters.

fishjamaica

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 7:19 p.m.

MSU was not punished for making the title game, they were punished for LOSING the title game. Quit whining Little Brother.

Blue1st

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 5:37 p.m.

somargie, tell me you don't really believe that? you cerrainly don't understand the BCS system. After #1 and #2, it's all about whose sexy and will bring in money. About 90% of the matchups have some sort of 'connection' as to why they are playing each other, check em out, or better yet, watch the BCS match up show to educate yourself. madogterry, very good information for those paying attention. While I usually root for sparty when they don't play M, I really can't stand the attitude coming out of Least Lansing these days. I really like Michigan teams to win, but your fans are out of control. While it may not be 'fair' for M to be in the BCS to you, it is what it is. If you want respect, go out and kick the crap out of your opponent in the bowl game. If you don't, then STHU. If M is supposedly overmatched, I guess we'll find that out on 1/3/12. GO BLUE!!

InsideTheHall

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 5:33 p.m.

This Christmas send your favorite Sparty a family size bag of Cheetos that they can munch on sitting on the couch watching Michigan in the Sugar Bowl! The perfect gift!

PitBoss76

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 5:16 p.m.

As a MSU grad I always root for the Big Ten in all bowl games. Umich congrats on your Sugar Bowl bid, please don't screw it up like last year. Yes, MSU got pounded last year in its bowl game by a fantastic Alabama team who is now playing in the National Championship game this year, and was the previous year's defending national champions (2009). Mississippi State destroyed umich last year and did not even make a bowl game this year. All I have to say is it is very hard to compare wins and losses versus mutual opponents. What really counts the most is head to head match-ups and State has dominated umich the last four years. Just a friendly reminder: 2011: 28-14 - State Wins 2010: 34-17 - State Wins 2009: 26-20 - State Wins 2008: 35-21 - State Wins Four years in a row or 1137 days and counting, which ever you prefer to remember. Umich is still not back. Yes, they are better than last year, but to be back to national prominence they have to win the Legends division, beat State, and maybe play the top two teams, Wisco and PSU, in the Leaders division (the Big Ten schedulers fault) which they did not do this year. National Championships since 1951 (MSU - 6, Umich - 1) Enjoy the many many reminders!!!!!!!!!! Go State!!!!!!!!! Go Big Ten during the Bowl Season!!!!! College Football Rules!!!!!!!!!!

aarox

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 5:56 a.m.

Thank goodness for the BCS and the way the polls work. It is a given that we would finish ahead of whoever lost the last five minutes of the Wisconsin - Michigan State championship game. If that makes sense to anybody please advise. So we are so much better than MSU that we deserve a BCS game, but if the MSU guy doesn't run into the punter, then we are now better than Wisky and should go to a BCS game over them for the same reason? wow.... if you don't know who the best two teams in the Big Ten are, I'm sorry. Again, the system is hugely flawed, and I for one am grateful with no misconceptions about where we really stand in the pecking order. If you don't agree, stand by for Alabama.

GoGreen

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 4:06 a.m.

I have listen to Michigan fans whine for the last 4 years and if this happened to the Wolverines the fans would be calling this an injustice. When you are the benificiary of the situation it is easy and understandable why the Michigan fans have commented the way they have on this blog. It is too bad that our society has thrown away fairness for money and it sadden me that college football has also fallen to money over fairness.

MarkManbonio

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 4:17 a.m.

Exactly as I said below...Poor you. You had to listen...beneficiary of the situation...society has thrown away fairness..saddens you. Really?? Come on people say it with me "We aren't victims of anything. We could've beaten any one of the teams we lost to and we'd be in a BCS bowl. We don't have to let our happiness be defined by the failures of our team. The refs didn't do this, Wisconsin's punter didn't do this, the polls didn't do this to us. We are what we are and we won't be anything more until we take responsibility for our actions, both successes and failures." Ahhhh you feel better? I know I do. You guys can change. You can earn respect and be taken seriously by your peers! You just need to begin the process. You're welcome.

MarkManbonio

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 4 a.m.

CAT- HAHAHA...You guys have an interesting way of earning respect LOL.. Experience tells us that whining and complaining about our circumstances probably isn't the best way to earn respect. Remember that Patton speech where he addressed his men, I believe he began by crying and pouting about all of the things that were beyond their control. He then moved them to do great things by dwelling on all of the bad things that happened to them and he questioned out loud how things could be so unfair. By this time his men were forging all of the skills to succeed and conquer all obstacles in front of them, apparently this internal self-pity had an outlet and it encouraged them to bond together. They sobbed in silence as they realized that all of their failures were explained by the wrong-doing and personal successes of others. Oh wait...Patton never gave that speech, did he? No I don't believe he did. He might have said something like "Quit whining ladies! You could've taken care of this during the regular season or hell could've done yourselves one better by winning your game Saturday night." It worked for Wisconsin. You're not helping your program by giving them excuses. Accept that this is as good as it gets for you guys until you do something to change who/what you are. You should've spent all of your energy writing letters to the AP voters and the coaches with votes. You could've explained to them about the refs and whatever unfair advantages Nebraska, Notre Dame and Wisconsin had. They probably would've been moved to tears when hearing about your sad sad tale. Maybe enough sympathy votes would've been garnered to get you in the discussion......Ehhh probably not likely. Next time just win your game and they'll let you in. Best of luck with your anger/inferiority issues. Hope you guys represent the BIG with a little more class and heart in the "whatever" Cheers!

cat mckenzie

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 3:07 a.m.

Yep, it didn't really come down to who is the BETTER team, or the best of the Big Ten. It came down to a popularity contest, which school has the bigger fan base to bring in the most dollars. And given that U of M has a HUGE army of Walmart Wolverine wanna-bes, they got the better bowl game. Doesn't matter that the Spartans have beaten U of M for FOUR straight years. Doesn't matter that, after the last win, the Wolverines' wonderful "Heisman candidate" suddenly disappeared off the radar. Nope, call names all you want...Cousins is entitled to be pissed off. Pick on Sparty, pick on Cousins. He has more class and more poise than any Wolverine could dream of having. Hell, the only quote that anyone remembers out of a Wolverine involves a two worded insult. Really intelligent. And through it all, Sparty has never gotten the respect they deserve. They were ROBBED of the Wisconsin game, the refs took it away from them. Look at the stats. Sparty dominated on the field. They even stopped Mr. Heisman Montee Ball. So while Sparty was out there kicking butt, all the Wolverines were sitting with their Bud Lites and pork rinds waiting for everything to be handed to them. And they got it. Sure Sparty's ticked. Rightfully so.

aarox

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 6:20 a.m.

Actually the debate didn't start with Coussins. It is a nationwide discussion now thanks to ESPN and some others. Our team was nowhere close to the top 8 did not play last week and is now one of the elite 8 in spite of a closely fought game that proved what everyone knew about these two teams. Too many people are seeing through this. Neither VT or UM deserve to be considered in the BCS top 8 and we should be grateful for the system being as corrupt as it is.

xyz

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 3:51 a.m.

1. Michigan is ranked among top 14 (ahead of MSU), not because of popularity contest. 2. MSU did beat Michigan so it could make the conference championship game, but unfortunately MSU didn't take advantage of that win. 3. Yes, BCS is flawed. But why pick on Michigan? 4. It was Cousins who started this senseless debate.

Billy Bob Schwartz

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 2:17 a.m.

The thing I don't get is this: what is it about state that gives them the need to slam and slam and slam Michigan because some organization over which Michigan has no control makes a decision that offends the staters? I'm glad we got the BCS bowl, and I hope we win it. But I don't blame the choice of VT as our opponent on state. It's almost obsessive with these folks. Michigan had a great season, they had two losses, and they are going to the bowl chosen by persons other than Michigan folks. So why are you all so adamant about putting down Michigan's achievements as though they are cheating? Get some logic, get some class, and get some reality. Go Blue!

aarox

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 5:58 a.m.

I believe our reputation precedes us. That is all.

Russ LaPeer

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 2:05 a.m.

The "blasts" by the Michigan players are so irrelevant that they're silly. Of course they would love to have "trade[d]" and played in the Big Ten Championship game. It's for exactly that reason that they do not deserve the BCS Sugar Bowl pick over the Michigan State, the close runner-up for the Big Ten Championship. Anyone who objectively looks at what the teams' achievements are and signify recognizes that. Of course, the BCS system has been flawed ("broken") for years. The nonsense remarks of the Michigan players neither address, nor conceal, the skewed results of the BCS system.

frank

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 1:36 a.m.

Are you joking? people all over the country have been talking about that UM and VT should not be in a BCS Bowl. Good for UM for getting a bowl game, but The BCS is a joke.

aarox

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 6:02 a.m.

dittos. you are spot on. but we'll take the bone we were thrown. after all, we are MEEEECHIGAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MarkManbonio

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 1:35 a.m.

Poor Kirky... We need to get em a bah bah so his tummy can settle down. Maybe he can take a nice long nap until the whatever bowl where Sparty loses another one.... It really doesn't matter which bowl game they ended up in. The result would be the same. All these wins over the last couple of years and they've failed to be competitive in the bowls. Kirk, be accountable to your team and fans! You had an opportunity to be in the Rose Bowl, you didn't do enough to win. You failed! A victory would've put you in a BCS game, a couple less losses during the season would've put you in the top 14 and in the discussion for a BCS bid, although I doubt that any bowl committees would've seriously considered you with your most recent bowl performance. Please just put on your big boy pants, tuck your little quivering lip in and try to prepare for your next big game. Chin up little buddy.....Oh and I hear there might be some CFL/UFL scouts there!!!! Best of luck little buddy. Failure is as failure does.

Goofus

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 1:34 a.m.

One more comment and then I'm done here: Kirk Cousins can say whatever he wants about the Wolverines: They never beat him. Have a nice bowl season.

aarox

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 6:06 a.m.

and that, in a nutshell, is why this article sticks in our craw. nobody has the right to beat us four years in a row. we are MEEEEEEEEEEECHIGAN!!!!

dan

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 1:31 a.m.

As a Michigan fan, I agree with Van Bergan, I would have much rather seen UofM in the B1G Championship playing for a shot at the rose bowl. what is the big deal anyway, does anyone ever look back 10 years from now and say, "Remember the non national championship bowl Michigan or MSU played in 2012". The answer is no, besides the National Championship a bowl is a bowl. The money is split between all the teams in the conference anyway so who cares.

Goofus

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 1:36 a.m.

Well said! In the big picture, there is no issue here. It's also not like Cousins has been going on t.v. and repeating his statement all week. He said one thing...at the end of a huge game and disappointment...and that was it.

Goofus

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 1:20 a.m.

Now let's watch as Walmart's finest commenters whine on for weeks& weeks& weeks on THIS thread, taking cheap shots at Sparty, just like they did in the evil, bad, no good and very bad man William Gholston articles....also penned by Meinke. I sorta liked it better when UM fans just ignored what MSU did. But I guess they can't.

Billy Bob Schwartz

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 2:02 a.m.

I think it's hard for people who believe in accepting responsibility for their own actions to tolerate those who shuck all responsibility (blame) onto any nearby scapegoat. It's hard not to respond to this nonsense. Besides the obvious thuggery at M-shoe this year, everyone should have known that state couldn't lose the chp game and go BCS. Nobody could be that deluded, could they? Don't worry. With the miraculous improvement at Michigan and the loss of the many seniors at state, I suspect we will soon be back to ignoring you again. Go Blue.

Billy Bob Schwartz

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 12:18 a.m.

I have two younger brothers, and I can say that they didn't whine much when they blew it. I think it is more to the point to just call the staters who are whining and blaming everything on Michigan POOR LOSERS. You could show at least a little class and admit you blew it and lost your chances at BCS. All you get out of being poor losers is everybody wondering what your coach is teaching you about things other than foolball. Nothing, you say? Well, well, well.

RustyShackleford

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 6:50 p.m.

No one blamed anything on UM.

G-Love 2000

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 10:57 p.m.

Those same losers have pounded your team for 4 years straight. I love being '"Little Brother" we're younger, better looking and get a lot more play. Speaking of play, does Mike Hart still play in the NFL? This guy still makes statements that have no substance.

RustyShackleford

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 6:55 p.m.

Right on. Who cares about Mike Hart. UM hasn't beat MSU since he made his original comment. Being "little brother" has been good to the Spartans. I'm still having trouble seeing how that is an insult. I have little brothers and they are bigger stronger and better at sports than I am. The little brother label is appropriate from my perspective but hardly an insult.

MichiganMan5

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 11:28 p.m.

Nice punt block Saturday night, whats the cute little name for that one?

maddogterry

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 11:11 p.m.

Sorry, but Sparty is still the little brother! Last 10 years UM 6 - MSU 4. Cousins is gone and Sparty might be lucky enough to be in the Little brother Ceasars Bowl game next next year.

maddogterry

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 10:55 p.m.

Let's get real Sparty. UM gave you the game but let's look at some head to head comparisons. Notre Dame game: (UM 35 - ND 31) (ND 31 - MSU 13) Nebraska game: (UM 45 - Neb 17) (Neb 24 - MSU 3) Minnesota game (UM 58 - MN 0) (MSU 31 - MN 24) ND Game: (UM + 4) - (MSU - 18) Difference UM +22 NEB Game (UM + 28) - (MSU - 21) Difference UM + 49 MN Game (UM + 58) - (MSU +7) Difference UM + 51 Total spread comparison - UM + 122 Sparty never should have been in the title game PERIOD!

RustyShackleford

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 6:47 p.m.

28-14

MichiganMan5

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 10:45 p.m.

Oh boo hoo, little Kirk Cousins does'nt get to go to a BCS Bowl because "Little Brother" could'nt win 10+ games for 50 years and doesn't have the same appeal nationally as us WOLVERINES. Not to mention, it was right in front of him, maybe he should blame Isiah Lewis instead of Michigan who played their butts off in Brady Hoke's first year. I'm glad those losers got held out of the BCS. GO BLUE!

Somargie

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 10:39 p.m.

Wisconsin & Michigan State, the two best football teams both played in the championship game for the right to say they're no. 1. Well, Michigan State lost so they are technically no.2. Therefore, why on earth is this considered a loss to their record when the traditional college football season is basically over and this is the championship game to see whose no. 1? This is the play-off not the regular season. No team at this level should be penalized. Furthermore, the no. 2 ranked team now have to play the Fiesta Bowl and the 3rd ranked team gets to play the Sugar Bowl? That is wrong on so many levels. Whoever runs the Bowl system have invented a seriously flawed ranking system. The fools that run that system should adopt the placement in World Cup Soccer. In the World Cup, the no. 1 and 2 teams play for the championship and the loser gets second place. The no. 3 and 4 teams play for 3rd place. The Michigan football team have a lot to be proud of this year considering the miserable years spent under the over-paid ethically challenged leadership of Rich Rod. However, why not step back from the arrogance and contrived slight by Michigan State and speak the truth.....Michigan State is a better football team, they are no. 2, the bowl system is seriously flawed and State should be playing the Sugar Bowl and Michigan the Fiesta Bowl. Michigan's Sport Director, Coach and team have the perfect opportunity to take a stand against this flawed system once and for all and demand that Michigan State be given the Sugar Bowl and they take the Fiesta. Only when universities stop participating in a system that's be criticized for years will this stop. If no one rights this wrong now....then next time it will be Michigan playing the Fiesta Bowl and complaining how unfair the system is. Initiate the change that needs to happen and stop disparaging Michigan State and stand together in demanding a common sense college ranking.

RustyShackleford

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 6:47 p.m.

Both responses don't make sense. @GeeWhiz - The OP is talking about conference standings not national rank. They are saying that it is flawed that the top two teams in a conference play each other to determine 1st place and then the loser can drop farther than other conference teams that didn't even earn the right to play in the conference championship game. The point is that it is a major flaw that MSU would even drop out of the BCS top 14 and a lesser team from the conference would move up because of the loss in the championship game. I know that is how it works but the OP is pointing out, correctly, that it is a flaw. @Billy Bob - So if you win the conference championship game does that mean you aren't necessarily the best team in the conference? The top team in each division play one another. The winner is the conference champion and the loser is second place in the conference. Doesn't get any simpler than that.

Billy Bob Schwartz

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 1:54 a.m.

Just because you lose the championship game does not mean you are the second best team in the conference, any more than losing the Super Bowl makes the losing team the second best team in the country. Their claim to fame before the chp. game was that they won their division. They lost the game. But what about other teams in the other division? Still, you lose the game,,you have three losses, you lose BCS status with your three losses. Analyze all you want. It still comes down to the fact that M-shoe shot itself in the foot by losing three games. Win one more, go BCS.

GeeWhiz

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 11:38 p.m.

Your logic about MSU being #2 is flawed. Right now LSU is #1, Alabama #2 and OSU #3. If LSU defeats Alabama and OSU defeats Stanford, do you know who would be #2 in the final poll? Most likely OSU. Michigan State was also ranked #17 in the BCS poll and not eligible for at-large BCS bid so Michigan couldn't have taken a stand to "demand that Michigan State be given the Sugar Bowl and they take the Fiesta" In the absence of a playoff system which would never happen in college football, the BCS or any poll-based system is flawed. Even if you initiate a playoff system, the teams that are left out will always complain - e.g. the NCAA basketball tournament has gone from 32 to 64 to 68 etc but teams will always complain because there will always be a subjective element selecting the top N teams.

Huron 74

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 10:30 p.m.

Did the rules/regulations/guidelines for the BCS get changed recently? Did I miss something? If both teams were playing under the same system this entire season, then what is all this noise about? If MSU players, fans or whoever think they are unfair, don't whine about it after the fact, see about getting it changed for future seasons...for cryin' out loud...

lfrandy1016

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 10:27 p.m.

Cousins is perfect for MSU. He whines like a little baby. He should be enjoying all the MSU over achieving. It all ends now. O Georgia will kick sparty butt. Only a few words are appropriate that embrace the whole situation and even poor babies crying........SPARTY ON

G-Love 2000

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 10:10 p.m.

I'm pleased UofM made it into a BCS game against VA Tech. I love the fact they're the media darlings, similar to ND. I see this as a huge financial opportunity. UofM is 2 -6 in their last 8 bowl appearances and have lost by an average of 13 pts. Take VA Tech minus the pts.

Dr. Vag

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 10:08 p.m.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cMcXFAEdrU" rel='nofollow'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cMcXFAEdrU</a>

The OSU

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 10:02 p.m.

Let's face it... the bowl selection process is hopelessly broke. This year it benefited Blue at the expense of Sparty. In 2006 the system conspired to work against Blue. Visiting #2 UM lost to #1 tOSU by only 3 points. Of course it would been pointless to allow a rematch for the natl championship with 2 teams from the same conference that had already played. Wait a minute, what about...........

Terry Star21

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 11:18 p.m.

Well some truth. But; &quot;This year it benefited Blue at the expense of Sparty&quot;. This is not true, msu had their own destiny; win and go to the BCS, lose and not go - they all knew this before their game. Michigan, or the BCS didn't cause msu to drop - msu did !

Ryan

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 9:54 p.m.

This is classic Michigan State. Always the victim. Even when they have a good season, still the victim. They get lucky on a hail mary vs. Wisconsin the first time and self-destruct when they have a chance to win the second time. And then they whine about what they didn't have given to them, when all they had to do was go take it. They will always be losers regardless of their record until they stop whining and playing the victim. MSU - you will be Little Brother until you stop acting like Little Brother!!!

Goofus

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 9:53 p.m.

This whole article...an editorial really, as it's all just opinion... is built on some questionable logic and very misleading reporting by Mr. Meinke: He presents a quote made by Kirk Cousins BEFORE the bowl nominations were announced as if it were an actual disagreement with the selections AFTER they were made. To quote: &quot;...Spartans quarterback Kirk Cousins was asked about that reality AFTER the Big Ten title game. He didn't hold back&quot; And then counters with opinions from UM players made AFTER the actual bowl announcements. The next day, actually. Where is the rebuttal from Cousins now that the selections are complete? There is none, because Meinke presents them from the start in vague language implying that Cousins spoke criticizing the choice of UM post-facto. This is not the case. This paints Cousins words out of context, out of the timeframe and context which delivered (Cousins was giving his opinion on how he thought the nominations should go.. BEFORE they were annonced.) and presents them in such a way as to mislead readers into thinking Cousins was criticizing that UM got to go after it was chosen in State's stead. Cousins is entitled to his opinion, but it is shoddy reporting to not state, clearly, that Cousins gave his opinion prior to the actual unveiling that Michigan got picked. Like I said before, Meinke is barely worth reading. Worst sports writing in the State.

Jed I Knight

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 9:35 p.m.

Congrats Little Sister - finally back the National spotlight.

Jim

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 9:32 p.m.

I do not believe Brady Hoke would tolerate the whinning exhibited by State. State earned the opportunity to get their shot at the Rose Bowl and came up short so they complain and bad mouth Michigan. If you don't want to be treated like a &quot;little brother&quot; then don't act like one.

maizenbluedoc

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 9:30 p.m.

I wish to inform Mr. Cousins that it was Wisconsin that eliminated them from their BIG bowl game, not Michigan. In my opiniion, Mr. Cousins is acting like a coddled child who didn't get his way. If he wants to blame someone for his/their misfortune, blame his coach for calling an ill-advised, unnecessary play that resulted in a penalty that sealed their fate. C'est la vie, Mr. Cousins.

TheWay

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 9:28 p.m.

This is why MSU hates us so bad. Exactly why, in a nutshell. It doesn't matter if they beat us 4 times in a row, we still get more national attention and love. Hey, I'd hate us, too.

... and Cousins wept.

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 9:25 p.m.

As the smoke cleared from the bloody field of defeat, the entire Spartan army was required to restrain the weeping Cousins, &quot;What! No BCS Bowl bid? WAAAAAAAAAAA!&quot;

Terry Star21

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 9:17 p.m.

I thought Ryan's answer was very professional, obviously with a personality taught by this great coach this great institution. The truth is, we all wanted to play in the Big 10 Championship - we couldn't. I don't agree with what Mike hart said, it was a 'michigan response. We'll, got to go order my Sugar Bowl tickets. MgoBlueForTim........going to Neworlens.

Oregon39_Michigan7

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 9:05 p.m.

(I'm not trolling) You know and I know that Michigan didn't get an at-large BCS berth because the football team earned it on the field. Michigan got received an-large BCS berth because they are (1) a good TV draw ($$$) and (2) have a large traveling fan base ($$$). Yes, Michigan won 10 games this year and is remarkably improved. However, the non-conference schedule (including Notre Dame) is weak. Michigan received a lucky B1G schedule and didn't play Wisconsin or Penn State. Michigan had two good wins over Nebraska and Norte Dame. However, Michigan lost to Michigan State (and it wasn't close) and Iowa (at least it wasn't Iowa State). Really, the Sugar Bowl could have selected Boise State, Kansas State, Baylor, or Michigan. The best way for Michigan to answer this is to beat VaTech in the Sugar Bowl, which I think they will do.

D21

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 5:24 p.m.

We know Oregon is a dirty school who relies on Phil Knight's handouts (Nike founder) and those mostly schizophrenic and atrocious uniforms.

Saji Thabolingam

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 8:36 p.m.

I would have traded also. To me, winning big ten championship trumps a BCS bid unless we are like alabama and can get to the national championship game. Success in the division is measured by how many championships you win. zip it sparty, you had a chance at the championship (priority #1) which would have given you that BCS game you are crying about now.

Saji Thabolingam

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 8:38 p.m.

oh and like people say, BCS games are about money so making them is nice but not satisfying with that division championship

MiamiBlue

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 8:19 p.m.

Everyone! Notice one VERY revealing thing? When MSU beats us, many M fans gave MSU props! Heck, I am a M grad and gave MSU props on their season and game play against Wisconsin. YET!!! Notice how many Sparties gave Props to Wisconsin? I did not see any, and if they were there it can be counted on a single hand. Since Sat, all they are doing is crying about the game, and the penalty, crying about us getting into a BCS bowl and still bringing up things that have absolutely no bearing on today (things like App State Game, Toledo, etc) I said it before and will say it again. MSU has a fine team. Their fan base is the problem. Just a bunch of whiners! GO BLUE

D21

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 5:22 p.m.

Well said! That is the main difference between us and them

Jpy

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 7:58 p.m.

Hey, I'm a Michigan grad, a lifelong Michigan fan, and I despise &quot;crybabies.&quot; But Kirk Cousins is not a &quot;crybaby.&quot; Everyone in the country knows why Michigan is in the Sugar Bowl. Reason: Money. Big body of alumni with big bucks, and a proven record of spending it on traveling to bowl games. Simple as that. In ten games, MSU would beat UM 7 times. They are just a better team, and they showed it head-to-head. Did UM get better since then? Most definitely. But, so did MSU, and so did Wisconsin. The BCS -- at least apart from the title game -- is not about honoring the best teams in the country, nor about discovering who the best is. Everybody and his dog knows that. So, does Cousins have a legitimate beef? Absolutely. Would Michigan fans be crying bitter tears if the tables were turned? Absolutely. Instead, we get into the Sugar Bowl on sheer good fortune and spending-power, and proceed to say things like, 'But we beat a team you lost to....' What?! They beat us. Show a little class, and perhaps even a little becoming embarrassment that we are not playing in the Hula Hoop Bowl or something.

RustyShackleford

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 6:31 p.m.

No one is blaming anything on UM. He also didn't say MSU deserved to go to a BCS bowl. Just that it is ridiculous that a team that sat idle and only has a better record because they DIDN'T play in a championship game gets rewarded in the BCS standings. It is what it is. He just stated the obvious fact that the system is unfair. The same things would be said if it were Nebraska going to the Sugar Bowl instead of UM. It could be any other team it just happened to be UM. It isn't all about UM, despite what most on this board think.

Billy Bob Schwartz

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 12:11 a.m.

Did the qb actually think that with three losses state had a shot at BCS? Peyote buttons, anybody?

Oregon39_Michigan7

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 8:52 p.m.

@B2Pilot, I'm pretty sure in 2006 (rather the 2007 Rose Bowl and BCS National Title Game) USC and Florida made darn sure everyone knew Ohio State and Michigan weren't the two best teams in football. Just sayin'

B2Pilot

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 8:14 p.m.

looks like he is crying in the picture- And it sounds like your crying to- welcome to college sports 2011. Where were you in 06 when Michigan got snubbed?? I'll tell you the same thing we told RR. Just Win Baby. don't make excuses just WIN

GeeWhiz

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 8:06 p.m.

The point is MSU's chances for a BCS bowl bid has absolutely nothing to do with Michigan! Last year, MSU whined about being passed over for a BCS bowl bid by Wisconsin and OSU after a three-way tie for the Big 10 championship, This year, they were given the opportunity to earn a BCS bowl bid on the field and failed. They then start to whine about being &quot;leap frogged&quot; by Michigan. MSU controlled their own destiny so Kirk Cousins does not have any legitimate beef with Michigan!

friend12

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 7:50 p.m.

It is the type of arrogance of the MSU players and the MSU head coach that got them in the game they are in. They have done nothing but tee off the voters in the last week or so. The reality is they are both good teams and both are in BCS bowls. Does anything else matter? MSU needs to move on. They are not going to the Rose Bowl because the coaching staff wasn't smart enough to lay off the rush on that last punt. A blocker made contact with the guy, but, he was going full out and never made an attempt to stop or avoid the kicker. He shouldn't have been in that position in the first place. Bad coaching period. One other thing to remember the loser of that game was going to fall back in the rankings strictly based on the numbers alone. The BCS is what it is. If you want things fair change the system to a playoff based system strictly based on record. It will never happen. Bowl games are major businesses and unless someone finds a way do playoffs within the bowl system a change will never happen.

Goofus

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 7:44 p.m.

I've more or less decided to ignore the biased sports reporting of Mr. Meinke...he seems to never miss an angle to take a dig at State or stir up some non-existent non-controversy (see the demonization of William Gholston the week following the UM/State game). This article is just another example of Meinke making an issue out of non-issue to get some page views. Hey, mentioning MSU around these parts gets the biggest response of any articles in this rag. Guess Little Brother is relevant after all, eh?

Billy Bob Schwartz

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 12:08 a.m.

Doofus...William Gholston DESERVED to be demonized after that game. And where were the staters and their sacred coach dantonio on the issue of attempted neck breaking? Yukking it up all the way. Fortunately, others did not agree, and the ghoul got sat down. Demonizing? What a crock.

Terry Star21

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 11:08 p.m.

Kyle reports the actual news, the actual quotes and the truth - if it makes michigan state look bad, well it's not his fault.

DonAZ

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 8:40 p.m.

Mentioning Rich Rodriguez gets the most responses.

Jessica

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 7:36 p.m.

Cousins is not a cry baby, he simply meant that it isn't fair for another team who was NOT GOOD ENOUGH to make it to the championship game to pass the number 2 team in the big ten. It's heartbreaking. Spartans played their hearts out. Football is a game of numbers and sometimes they just don't fall in your favor. Which was the case at Lucas Oil on Saturday. Spartans played in the best conference championship game in the country and lost by 3 points and played their best game of the season. The opportunity wasn't missed. If you look at the past 5 years since coach D has been at State. We have played Wisconsin 6 times, Msu has 3 victories and so does Wisconsin. All of which were close games. Many agree that Wisconsin and Msu are the top two teams in the conference. It sounds to me as if U of M is just disappointed they are no longer considered the top team. Say what you want, but I know that Cousins and the rest of the team is preparing for their bowl bid and are happy to have the opportunity to play for a bowl win. However, they have every right to be disappointed because its two years in a row that Spartan football has gotten screwed out of a BCS bowl bid. by a team that is less deserving . In the Detroit Free press and other media sources around the country people wondered why MSU missed the BCS sugarl bowl and u of m got it. Read Drew Sharps column: &quot;It wasn't fair that the Wolverines leapfrogged into a BCS at-large invitation while sitting idle over the weekend because they weren't good enough to win the Legends Division.&quot;

superhappyfunbrett

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 3:10 p.m.

About Drew Sharp... he also said in the same article that the Big Ten didn't deserve a second bid, period. 9 out of 10 times he has no idea what he is talking about, and is pretty much always slamming all home teams. I wouldn't bring his thoughts into the conversation at all.

Terry Star21

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 11:05 p.m.

Are you talking about Drew Sharp of the Free Press - the msu diehard, the only Free Press writer to pick Michigan to lose the Sugar Bowl, the msu supporter of thugs seen during the game and on video and the Big Cry Baby ?

Jim

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 9:50 p.m.

Sorry Jess, but he is a cry baby. The SEC came up with a viable option a few years ago that would help eliminate some of the problems which Cousins has complained about. The other conferences (including the Big 10) weren't interested and told the SEC to take a hike. How do you think Oklahoma State feels? Alabama had their shot at LSU and get to do it all over again. If they win, they will be the national champion even though LSU won at Alabama. The current system has major flaws, but don't blame Michigan.

GeeWhiz

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 7:48 p.m.

Last year, MSU whined about being passed over for a BCS bowl bid by Wisconsin and OSU after a three-way tie for the Big 10 championship, This year, they were given the opportunity to earn a BCS bowl bid on the field and failed. They then start to whine about being &quot;leap frogged&quot; by Michigan. Quit whining, MSU's chances for a BCS bowl bid has absolutely nothing to do with Michigan!

trigg7

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 7:21 p.m.

Bcause M didnt play the top teams, let alone twice. M got there a-- handed to them again by MSU. The system needs to go to a play off, plain and simple it doesnt work.That was shown by how close the game was, then rewarding teams that were not close to making the BTCG and sitting around watching the BIG BOYS play.

Jim

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 9:46 p.m.

BIG BOYS don't whine like little brothers

GeeWhiz

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 7:38 p.m.

Good luck lil' bro in the &quot;Cry me a River&quot; bowl!

Teddy Haarz

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 7:09 p.m.

There's no crying in Football! Man up Sparty!

Kirk Cousin's Tears Cure Cancer

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 6:32 p.m.

Biggest and best thing that's happened for U of M football in 4 years - no question is this guy: Brady Hoke. Period. Richrod was a nightmare to coaching staff and players alike. Next best thing - Ohio State going down to MSU and U of M in the same year. Scum bags getting it handed to them, good to see some justice... And last but not least... Kirk Cousin's tears are a cure for cancer - only problem is... Kirk Cousin never cries. Shame I can't say the same about the weasel family here - MSU has had to deal with wolverine tears for 4 years and counting. If MSU is U of M's little brother, then that makes you one ugly old sister.

Betty

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 6:27 p.m.

When MSU, as an institution learns and then teaches: &quot;It's not having what you want; it's wanting what you've got&quot; Then they will be a worthy opponent, until then they are little brother. What a shame. So much potential.

towny

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 6:17 p.m.

Van Bergan said it all.

1bit

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 6:15 p.m.

Kyle, Your quote &quot;they were passed over for the BCS&quot; is not technically correct. MSU was not BCS eligible for an at-large bid. That's not Michigan's fault. If MSU was eligible and &quot;passed over&quot; then they might have a gripe.

GeeWhiz

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 6:12 p.m.

Kirk Cousins needs to be schooled on how the BCS system works. 1) The only guaranteed way to make it to a BCS bowl is to win your conference championship. The rest of the slots are at-large. Several at-large eligible teams (Boise State(#7), Kansas State(#8), Baylor(#12)) did not make it to a BCS bowl although they were ranked higher than Michigan(#13). 2) Michigan State was ranked #17 in the BCS standings and thus ineligible for a BCS bowl. 3) Even if Michigan State was ranked in the top 14, the likelihood of Michigan State being picked over the likes of Boise State, Kansas State, etc was nil. Bottom line, Michigan State's bid for a BCS bowl has absolutely nothing to do with Michigan. Michigan State controlled its own destiny - beat Wisconsin and get to the Rose bowl. Interestingly enough, MSU lost in the last few minutes on a &quot;roughing the kicker&quot; penalty which is typical of MSU football!

Frankyhollywood68

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 6:11 p.m.

This isn't about MSU being cry babies..this bowl season this year is ridiculous and if anyone is to blame, I blame Ohio State for LOSING to Michigan. so many great teams (Like Baylor) got screwed this year for winning and playing killer schedules. Where as teams like Michigan who basically played no one worthy gets a better bowl because they have an elitist fan base that will travel. but at the end of the day that will all change next year when Michigan will have at LEAST '3' crushing loses on their schedule :-)

Terrin Bell

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 8:38 p.m.

What does Michigan not playing anybody &quot;worthy&quot; say about Michigan State who got spanked by two of those unworthy teams that Michigan creamed?

EastCoastBlue

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 6:01 p.m.

UM sat on the couch in 2006 and watched their No. 2 spot in the BCS slip away. They never had the chance to control their destiny. The spartans did and it didn't work out for them.

Paul M.

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 5:54 p.m.

Half of these comments here are completely ridiculous. Think about what you're saying guys! Calling Cousins a crybaby? Any player in the country having to deal with this situation would be just as upset, including any UofM player if he were in the same boat. And the argument about UofM beating the two teams MSU lost two doesn't really warrant that much merit, when Michigan State BEAT UofM and BEAT Iowa (an unranked team that UofM lost too). MSU played twice as many games against a ranked opponent as UofM. One last note about anyone calling Cousins a crybaby or immature, watch his speech at the Big Ten day before the season: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp15N9BbYgY" rel='nofollow'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp15N9BbYgY</a>

Mick52

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 8:33 p.m.

The fact is that when you look at rankings, you typically do not see teams ranked higher than teams with fewer losses. A championship game loss is a loss and not a neutral game when rankings are decided. IMHO I don't think either MSU or WI did much to promote themselves, rather they exposed rather porous defenses. I suppose there could be SEC teams with three losses to LSU, AL and AR all in the top 7, teams that could cream all Big Ten teams. But you won't see them ranked high.

mun

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 6:08 p.m.

Maybe if Cousins just admitted that they are not in a BCS bowl game because they lost, we wouldn't be calling him a crybaby.

David Vande Bunte

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 5:46 p.m.

Something for all the Sparties to consider: Michigan's opponent's combined record (regular season): 82-62. MSU's opponent's combined record (regular season): 70-73. Everytime you bring up the fact that Michigan didn't have to play Wisconsin, we will bring up that we also didn't have to play 1-11 Indiana or 1-11 FAU.

RustyShackleford

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 6:08 p.m.

28-14

trigg7

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 7:27 p.m.

what about PSU

missionbrazil

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 6:57 p.m.

DVB, good point about the opponent's records. There is quite a bit of difference there. Tom: 13-31 , 3-24 vs 35-31 , 45-17

Tom

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 5:53 p.m.

28 - 14

Tom

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 5:45 p.m.

As a Spartan fan, I'd like to wish good luck to Michigan in their bowl game against Va. Tech. I know your team would have loved to be in the CCG, and I wouldn't trade that experience for a berth in some meaningless BCS bowl (by that I mean the NCG and Rose Bowl are all I care about).

KINGofSKA

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 5:06 p.m.

You lost more games than us, what do you expect, a given win for the National Championship? Calm down, it's a game. And in 40 years you're not going to regret it at all. You'll be content with what you had.

Mick52

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 4:51 p.m.

I want to point out that MSU, while I think a great team this year and last year got some huge breaks that helped boost their championship goals. Last year they shared the title with osu - but did not have to play them. This year, they played osu while four starters were still suspended and barely beat osu. Maybe the five game suspension was osu's idea in an attempt to assist their buddy Coach D'Antonio. The rest of the Big Ten had to play an osu team that is struggling but played a fantastic game at Michigan and showed how good they could be. Better foresight I think would have made the suspensions four games so that Big Ten play could be on a level field. Also MSU got creamed by ND and NE, two teams that Michigan beat. Wisconsin's offense rolled over MSU's vaunted defense and I do not see that MSU defense doing much against Oregon's offense, but like a good Big Ten patriot, I hope MSU beats Oregon. Aren't the bowl selections supposed to be based on the quality of the team at the time of the selection and not only on who beat who over the course of the season? Cousins did a great job over his career, too bad his maturity level does not match his athletic talents.

Mick52

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 4:54 p.m.

Oops I am sorry I am wrong about MSU playing Oregon. That is Wisconsin's game and ditto on that. Good luck to WI in stopping that offense.

J

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 4:43 p.m.

Michigan State wasn't &quot;punished for making the title game,&quot; they were punished for not winning it and securing their destiny. I'm thrilled that the Sugar Bowl deemed UM a deserving team, but having said that, let's not kid ourselves: State was screwed. If the roles were reversed and Michigan lost the title game and was leapfrogged by State, we'd be just as outraged. I appreciate Gang_Green's attitude: I'll be rooting for State, myself (along with the other B1G teams). It doesn't matter whether we're in the Sugar or Outback, or that the B1G has 10 bowl teams -- unless we WIN our bowls. Michigan is going to face a tough Hokie team, and State gets a shot at letting some air out of the SEC myth. There's no point in woofing about bowl selections -- bowl results are what matter.

superhappyfunbrett

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 9:41 p.m.

@Tom: 1. He punched. Can't do that. Yeah, we got mad. Nuff said. 2. If things were reversed, Mich fans would blame Mich for choking. And olayers would take responsibility. Mich focuses on Mich. State cries about system, Mich, etc. It gets old. 3. Have fun watching Stat. play for Outback coupons

Edward R Murrow's Ghost

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 6:05 p.m.

&quot;Case in point, the MSU game where they whined so much that their AD had to go cry to the commissioner to get &quot;justice&quot; for Gholston's attempted murder of Denard. &quot; Yeah. ESPN's replaying that over and over and over for several days after the game, the outcry from the national media, and precedent had absolutely nothing Delaney's decision/ Talk about delusional! GN&amp;GL

Tom

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 5:51 p.m.

brett, you're delusional if you think the whining wouldn't be magnified by orders of magnitude if the situations were reversed. Ann Arbor has the most cry-baby fanbase in all of sport. Case in point, the MSU game where they whined so much that their AD had to go cry to the commissioner to get &quot;justice&quot; for Gholston's attempted murder of Denard. (LOL) Enjoy your meaningless bowl against a meaningless opponent. Next year we'll make it 5 in a row and there's nothing you can do about it. Go Green.

superhappyfunbrett

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 5:01 p.m.

If roles were reversed, I honestly don't think MAJORITY of people around here would be crying like MSU fans are. And I seriously doubt U of M players would be commenting about MSU leaping frogging. (Especially so soon after said loss.) I think people around here can comprehend the math of the situation. Yeah, it might not FEEL good for MSU, but sometimes life doesn't FEEL good. Grown ups understand that, you know? lol MSU puts themselves willing into position of &quot;consistent underdog/victim&quot;. They don't know how to function outside of that realm, I guess. What service are they doing themselves to complain about another team moving up after THEY lost a game? Even if you FEEL that way, you should probably keep it within your camp. Maybe call out BSC system? I can see that. But specifically Michigan? That just makes you sound like, well, a baby. THAT'S why so many Michigan fans don't respect current MSU football team/fans. When they lose, they cry. When they win... they still cry. You can't win with them. I'm happy for the state of Michigan to have two teams going to bowls. I'm happy for Big Ten. I hope both teams win. But I just can't go out of my way to actively cheer for MSU at all these days. They are too ridiculous. I feel like they deserve the apparent boo hoo torture they are suffering with. They put on that suit, and we all treat them accordingly.

lindor

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 4:33 p.m.

@Tim, point(s) well taken. Here's the thing though. Michigan has nothing to do with this. As an athlete, with the right state of mind (Cousins must just be a whiner), you want to win at all costs, you don't want to back into anything. If I were Cousins or any MSU player, I'd be upset, but I wouldn't be upset about anything but the fact that we lost. You have control of your own destiny and you did not seize the opportunity. It is what it is. We can talk about all the other things that went into it, the flawed BCS, MSU played the extra game, etc... The flip side is UM beat both teams MSU lost to. UM beat Ohio, so did MSU, but with 5 key players suspended. UM killed Nebraska. Hail Mary against Wisconsin AT HOME. UM lost to MSU early and at Spartan stadium. It was a 14 point game but one play call (4th and an inch from the 6) could have changed that game. MSU plays a very weak Indiana in the cross conference game, UM plays Ohio State (at full strength); I could go on and on. I guarantee you every single UM player was sitting on their couch watching that game with the worst feeling in their stomachs. Like Van Bergen and Koger said, what they would have given to play in that game and to have that opportunity. If they lost, I'm willing to bet the response in a post game press conference would not be to whine about MSU and the possibility of them going to a BCS game before it happened, but to say they had the opportunity to win and lost it. The fact that Cousins and Dantanio were already complaining post game tells they knew were going to lose, or at the very least, they had no confidence. I'm born and raised in MI and a former UM athlete, but I hate State. Just the way it is. As a competitive person and athlete I don't get the blame game and whining; and it makes it tough for me support a michigan team even when UM isn't involved. Like Sean Connery said in The Rock &quot;Your &quot;best&quot;! Losers always whine about their best. Winners go home and the prom queen.&quot;

BornInA2

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 4:32 p.m.

Geez, after the MSU game all the Sparty trolls showed up here and called us poor losers for noting the thuggery displayed by MSU's defense. And the vast majority of us were conceding that MSU played better; that they deserved to win. Now they lose the championship game, pick up their third loss, and complain about being ranked lower to a two-loss team? Want some cheese to go with that whine, little brother??

superhappyfunbrett

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 4:31 p.m.

I think it's fair. Not just because I'm a Michigan fan. If teams are close behind you, and you lose, you pay the price. But if you win, YOU GET TO GO TO THE ROSE BOWL. Personally, I'm glad that your final record matters that much. If MSU was THAT much better than Michigan, then the record would reflect that with total wins and loses. Yes, they won the division. They earned it. But the gift this year isn't immunity - but A CHANCE TO GO TO THE ROSE BOWL. Why is that not enough? BECAUSE THEY LOST. Now, they wanna cry. The competition is stiff these days in the Big Ten. You either win or you pay the price. The stakes are high with each game. MSU got a chance at the golden ticket. But Wisconsin was/is the total winner. MSU choked. They pay the price this year. They need to stop complaining and deal with their own situation. On a side note: Everyone in the Big Ten better get use to this sort of thing, because this scenario is how it will probably be shaking down for years to come now. Me? I'm excited that the Big Ten is finally competitive across the board (mostly) again. It helps all the schools, and makes for more meaningful games for fans and players. And if things are always this close, you will definitely NOT want to lose in that Championship game. It won't be just some victory lap garbage game for the loser. If you lose, you LOSE - all capitals. More on the line should make for REAL GOOD games. I like that. I like it a lot.

shmoopy

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 4:30 p.m.

Great, intelligent response Ryan Van Bergen. And thank you for taking the high road.

The1Cool

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 4:21 p.m.

Why do I keep reading msu &quot;was punished for making the title game&quot;? They were punished for losing. When you lose, you drop in the rankings. They lost. Michigan was rewarded b/c teams in front of them lost and msu has more losses. That's how rankings and even standings work regardless of head-to-head matchups. They want to be excused for losing and rewarded for just making it to the B1G Championship. As if the B1G Championship game should only be counted if you win and ignored if you lose. All this BS while also ignoring the fact that their other 2 losses were blowouts. Good job, Meinke.

dukeravenwood

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 4:19 p.m.

Spartans Underplayed in the Championship game Kicker was run into It was a good call Time to man up.

ChelseaChris

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 4:14 p.m.

&quot;they were passed over for the BCS&quot;? This is misleading at best. MSU finished 17th in the final BCS standings and was not eligible for a BCS Bowl Game. You have to be in the top 14 to be eligible. Why were they not in the top 14? Because they lost 3 games and were ranked between 20 and 24 in 6 of the 7 computer rankings used in the BCS formula (13th in the last one). They were ranked 13 by both the human polls. The numbers just did not add up. Had the loss to Wisconsin been their 2nd loss and not their 3rd...and they STILL were left behind UM in the pecking order, then their complaint would be valid.

Kirk Cousin's Tears Cure Cancer

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:53 p.m.

LOL - Nice article and nice picture - 4 years this guys been kickin' the badger and this is all u guys can do is cry about it? Losers. Make it even more obvious why don't you... Have some respect - seriously. See where it says &quot;Our commenting community is a lively forum for local debate. We allow respectful, constructive comments. No attacks, please.&quot; Both the article and comments are disrespectful, destructive and an attack on character. Frauds. Who's the little brother now?

David Vande Bunte

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:51 p.m.

If MSU had beaten Wisconsin, guess what? Michigan would still be in the Sugar Bowl. You Sparties can whine all you want about how fair or unfair it is, but you don't get it. The outcome of the B1G Championship game was IRRELEVANT to Michigan's BCS Berth. No matter who won or lost, Michigan was going to move ahead of the loser by virtue of only having 2 losses to 3. Your game didn't matter one iota. The Big XII matchup between OSU and OU mattered...had OU pulled the upset, Oklahoma State might have grabbed one of the at larges. The SEC title game mattered, again, if Georgia had pulled off the miracle, LSU would 100% have gotten an at large. The Pac-12 Championship game mattered, because a UCLA upset over Oregon would probably have given Oregon a BCS At-Large over Michigan as well... The Conference USA game between Houston and Southern Miss mattered, because if Houston wins, they get a guaranteed BCS berth too. The B1G championship game didn't matter. If MSU wins, MSU and Michigan get the BCS berths, if Wisconsin wins, Wisconsin and UM get the BCS berths. Either way, because of the results of all the other games played Friday and Saturday, Michigan's BCS spot was all but guaranteed.

Edward R Murrow's Ghost

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 6:02 p.m.

Don't go confuse Sparty with facts and logic, David. It just makes 'em go burn even more couches. GN&amp;GL

Steve Hampton

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:28 p.m.

Alabama is in the national championship game, and they did the exact same thing, so I'm not the least bit sympathetic to his complaint. They had their shot, they had to win that game and they didn't. On top of that. If UM had been in that game and MSU had been looking in, do you think they would have been picked up by the Sugar Bowl? I sure as hell think that KSU or Boise would have been picked over them.

michboy40

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:19 p.m.

Dantonio won't stay long at the basketball school. They will always get the short end of the stick because their fan base cares more about basketball. So, see ya later Dantonio, you will coaching elsewhere in the next 3 years. Probably nd after Kelly gets fired, or OSU after urban figures....again.

mun

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:18 p.m.

Hey Cousins! What part of YOU LOST do you not understand? As in you got punished because YOU LOST! No wonder why you get called &quot;little brother!&quot;

MiamiBlue

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:09 p.m.

I (as many Mich fans also said) said it last Sat immediately after the game and hours later. The Spartans have nothing to be ashamed about. They played a solid game and have a solid team. Congrats to them and their season. Now, to Kirk Cousins (who is a very good QB, but needs to stop crying) and some of the crybaby Sparty Fans out there moaning and groaning about not going to a BCS bowl, or more over complaining that Michigan is going to one. Quit your crying and Man up! What is, is what it is! Your Rodney Dangerfield act (about respect) is not winning you any points on the National scene and considering there are years of recruiting and football games and bowls yet to be played it would be best advised not to be labeled as a bunch of babies! Cause guess what, if that label sticks, you will not be getting the benefit of upper tier bowls for years to come. Everyone knows how the Little Brother comment drives you guys nuts, well stop acting like the little brother because Big Brother is allowed to stay up late and watch TV with the parents and yet the little one has to be in bed by 8pm because that is the perception being given out by some of you. You had your chance against Wisconsin, played a terrific game, but you did not get the job done. Period! Yet, you have a chance, like Michigan, at an 11 win season, let alone 10 being great, so what is there to cry about? Good Luck against GA and GO BLUE!!!

Ron Granger

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:08 p.m.

Little brother don't ya know Your flagrant penalties gotta go What's that choking sound I hear? Despondent Spartans looking for beer Wash away that choke today Falter again any bowl you play All that whining goes to show That your mascot's funny skirt is too low Wearing green, talking mean That bowl record is obscene Spartans always ebb and flow Will they lose six bowls in a row? Spartan alum Kwame Killpatrick wants to go But he needs his free tickets to the show Won't you help your Kwame go? See Spartans blow six in a row

Terry Star21

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 10:57 p.m.

Ok. That's pretty good !

D21

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:05 p.m.

To Greenie Tim (as not to confuse you with our timeless slogan, TiM) Unfair? Uh, no. Cousin is a proclaimed Christian which makes it a bit worse than it is. I am a Christian, too but do own up to my mistakes and hope Kirk will learn his lesson. Gholston doing the Stooge head twist on Denard is far more unfair than anything else. Take a good look at your own coach, Danner, whose demeanor seems an angry one akin daring anyone to knock that chip off from his shoulder whereas Hoke is everyone's favorite uncle, a la John Candy. The prospective recruits would be better off with Uncle Hoke than with the Grumpy One! GO BLUE!

Edward R Murrow's Ghost

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:01 p.m.

To quote Kirk Cousins: Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah Good Night and Good Luck

D21

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:07 p.m.

He is in a serious need of a long overdue diaper change.

OLDTIMER3

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:58 p.m.

Not to defend the Spartans but if you watch the replay in slow motion of the blocked punt you will see as I did that the player was blocked into the punter . It was still a fantastic game. Go Blue at the SUGAR BOWL!

The1Cool

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 5 p.m.

Sorry, that only works if he didn't jump, on his own, into the punter in an attempt to block the kick. That's the rule regardless of how many slow-motion replays you watch.

desdenova

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:09 p.m.

Epic fail.

missionbrazil

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:57 p.m.

&quot;... Michigan State was punished for making the title game ...&quot; No, MSU was not punished for making the title game. MSU was punished for LOSING the title game. There is a BIG difference in those 2 statements. MSU had their own fate in their hands, and they blew it. You cannot lose your final game of the season in the BCS system (or in a playoff system for that matter). Geaux Blue !

Billy Bob Schwartz

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 10:44 p.m.

J. Carl....What part of &quot;if you play in the conference championship and lose, you will not get a BCS bid&quot; did you people not get? Did anyone anywhere on the planet ever say that MSU, with 2 losses already, could lose the championship game and still get a BCS bid? Ever????? Why do you staters keep acting like you thought you would get a BCS bid if you lost that game? What cave were you all being kept in before that game so that you had no clue as to what would happen? Yes, it could have been someone other than Michigan that got the bid, but in no possible way would it have been MSU. The loss would mean 3 losses, and you would not go. Period. Do you get that everybody in the world new that this was the case? Why can't you people man up and take the blame for your own situation? You earned the honor of playing in the first Big Ten Championship Game, and you blew it. Suck it up, get ready for your bowl game, and try to salvage whatever honor and credit and respect you can after your indignant whining and puling. Oh, yes...and Go Blue!

Mick52

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 8:19 p.m.

All this punishing for losing the title game is immaterial. The rankings are based on which team is better at the time of the bowl selections. MSU lost to both ND and NE. And IMHO the championship game did not look so grandiose in regard to defense. I think past Big Ten champions have been much better teams than this years

The1Cool

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 4:58 p.m.

They're not ready for not making the title game, they're rewarded for having a better record and a better overall season. I know it's debatable who had the better season and the only reason it is debatable is b/c msu lost. I don't know why you expect to be ranked higher than a team who was ranked 3 spots lower after losing a 3rd game while they lost 2, having a weak schedule (yeah OOC) and having 2 blowout losses. Don't agree? Well, you shouldn't have left it up for debate.

missionbrazil

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 4:27 p.m.

JC, if you don't like it, just WIN next time. That would take care of it.

Jonathan Carl

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:40 p.m.

MSU may have been punished for losing the title game, but it's also ridiculous to to reward U-M for not making the title game. The fallback should have been conference record (7-2 for msu, 6-2 for u-m) and head to head (You remember the outcome of that game, right? - the same as the 3 prior outcomes). It was a shoddy pick, and anyone who claims it isn't is simply in denial.

Blue1st

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:55 p.m.

they had their chance and blew it, that's football. little bro doesn't get the respect they think they deserve, but's its earned. it's how you finish and Hoke knows that. the same thuggery played into this game and cost em big!! GO BLUE!!

B2Pilot

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:54 p.m.

So it has nothign to do with MSU with the game in hand dialing up the punt block??? or allowing Wis on a 4th &amp; 6 to complete a 30 yard pass?? hmm thought so.

Frank Brandon

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:51 p.m.

Congratulations to the mi seniors. They went 1-7 against their 2 biggest opponents, didn't play the top two teams in the legends division, played all but 4 games at home this year(losing 2) and are going to New Orleans. Scratch that, congratulations to the fraud that is the Big 10,11, 12.

appleuofmfan

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 4:45 p.m.

Just curious, what is the excuse of MSU not going to the Rose Bowl since 1988 or that they only went once in 48 yeaars. Guess little brother just hasn't gown up yet.

mun

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:27 p.m.

Waaaaahhhhh! Waaaahhh! You lost the Big Ten Title Game, that's your fault, not Michigan's!

B2Pilot

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:01 p.m.

Really?? Quit whining Michigan did not play saturday MSU did and lost by dumb coaching decisions. Man up &amp; deal with it your going to have to get used to it now that M is back To bad MSU isn't going to the Rose Bowl AGAIN! GO BLUE BABY

Lorain Steelmen

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:41 p.m.

It's rare that a team gets what it deserves, but msu has done, just that. They got the fourth best bowl game, awarded to big ten teams, finishing BEHIND Wisc, UM, and Nebraska. And how nice it was, to see the Spartan receiver properly ruled 'out of bounds', as his foot WAS just outside. Sort of made for the cheap touchdown, (and victory), the officials gave msu, in East Lansing to end the 10/22 game. And how fitting it was, to see the spartans, shoot themsleves in the foot with a PERSONAL FOUL, to allow the Badgers to run out the clock. They were the dirtiest team in the league all season, (by design), and always seemed to get away with it. Finally, their loss at Lincoln, probalby helped the Capitak One Bowl committe, to select the Huskers, rather than the Spartans, dropping msu to the Outback matchup with Georgia.

The Great Hoke

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 9:33 p.m.

Wow - some one is bitter.. Enjoy that 3rd loss that VA Tech will give you...

Lorain Steelmen

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 4:15 p.m.

Don'tt know what RR has to do with the Wisc-MSU gnme, but for all the RR haters , knock yourselves out!

D21

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:42 p.m.

Nice try lil bro and the BCS has declared your community college as a TOTAL FRAUD with their wise and just decision ;)

Jonathan Carl

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:38 p.m.

Yes, Congrats to U-M and enjoy your total fraud of a 'BCS' game.

D21

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:12 p.m.

Good one Lorraine, It has been fun seeing RR and the little brothers get their timely comeuppances :)

glimmertwin

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:40 p.m.

It appears that there is one lesson that Mr. Cousins did not learn during his time with MSU - humility.

The Great Hoke

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 9:31 p.m.

Wow -- A Michigan fan giving advice on humility......

alarictoo

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:37 p.m.

Stupid penalties can have a high price. In this case hitting the kicker cost them a Rose Bowl bid. See if you can find a way to blame Michigan for that one, Kurt.

desdenova

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:43 p.m.

In this case, perhaps MSU would have been better served by only 58 minutes of unnecessary roughness.

aareader

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:26 p.m.

Very impressed. Ryan Van Bergen's comment was right on point. Plus the sooner the BCS could be dissolved the better. If a national champion really needs to be crowned then a playoff system may be the answer. The process needs to be developed that is transparent. Otherwise a more traditional bowl system, like the Rose, is my choice. ...And MSU still might not make it.... And according Kirk it would still be Michigan's fault.

deres

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:24 p.m.

And anyone on this board who claims that UM is better because MSU had &quot;more losses&quot; than UM should learn to count. MSU played one more game than any other team except Wisconsin. When everyone in the conference plays the same number of games, your brilliant mathematical analyses will be relevant.

RustyShackleford

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 4:45 p.m.

No point in trying to reason with them deres. They will cling to anything that allows them to say UM is better than MSU no matter how ridiculous. They will alos cling to the notion that MSU is complaining and constantly worried about UM. Fact of the matter is that MSU has moved on and plays for championships now and UM fans are having a tough time dealing with that. These comments come about because reporters ask the MSU players questions about UM going to a more prestigious bowl even though MSU beat them. If it were reversed the same thing would be happening and UM would be saying the same thing. Its a non-issue. Which team is better is settled on the field. We all now how that went the last 4 years. Keep talking winning percentages and doing mental gymnastics in an effort to prove UM is better than MSU.

Terrin Bell

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 8:28 p.m.

Well let us consider your statements. What matters is winning percentages. Take the total games won divided by total games played. Michigan State's winning percentage is .77 percent (10 /13). Michigan's winning percentage was .83 (10/12). Michigan has the higher winning percentage.

mun

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:25 p.m.

Yeah, you played one more game and you lost! That's your fault, not Michigan's!

Blu-dogg97

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:04 p.m.

see my reply to your comment above !

desdenova

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:44 p.m.

Memo to Spartan Nation: You don't get credit for playing in games. You need to actually win them. Better luck next time.

alarictoo

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:41 p.m.

And, the reason they played one more game was because they made it to the B1G Championship. Where they, unfortunately, choked in the final stretch. Which altered their statistics sufficiently to put them out of a BCS Bowl slot. Once again, not something they can logically blame Michigan for. Not that logic will stop the complaining.

deres

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:17 p.m.

A few reactions: Certainly the bowl selection system favors Michigan for its fan base and so on. When given the choice between UM and MSU they'll take UM every time unless MSU wins the conference or is playing for the national championship. van Bergen and Koger: Your team did have a chance to play for the title game. You could have won your division. Don't tell us how you really wish you were out there in the title game and you'd &quot;trade&quot; for it. You left your opportunity on the field at the end of the MSU game. The &quot;we beat this team and that team beat MSU, so we're better than MSU&quot; argument is silly. Let's rearrange college football by the six degrees of win/loss and see how that works out. UM played one fewer game than MSU, which means MSU had more to lose by playing in the title game. If UM had played an additional game this year against a strong opponent like WI, I would accept their argument that they deserve the BCS berth more than MSU.

appleuofmfan

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 4:42 p.m.

I'll try to speak type slower because you must be a Spartan grad. Van Bergen wasn't complaining that they didn't get to play. He was saying, given the chance he would have preferred to play in the game and control his own destiny. I guarantee they wouldn't complain about their bowl had they lost and MSU moved ahead. Why is that? Because they would know that it was their job to get to the Rose Bowl and not plead for sympathy votes. Did you ever hear Hoke campaign for a BCS bowl? If you think so, please provide the link.

mun

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:24 p.m.

Hey Sparty! You lost! You lose games, you go down in rankings! That's how the BCS works!

Blu-dogg97

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:02 p.m.

deres.. my guess is that msu will end up 10-4,and Michigan will end up 11-2 ,how does your argument work then ?

turbonerd

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:30 p.m.

If teams quit whining and worry about themselves and winning then winning will follow. The fact MSU fans and players keep perseverating on this topic suggests they are afraid they won't get near the summit ever again. If they keep playing well and get rid of the dirty play they do have a chance at becoming a national power. In the meantime go win a bowl and not embarrass the BIG against the SEC like last year's flat tire blowout.

desdenova

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:29 p.m.

Except that the choice didn't come down to UM/MSU. In order to be eligible for BCS consideration, a team must finish in the top 14 of the BCS standings; something that only one of the two teams did. Your argument fails at that point. You (and Cousins) can cry all year long about being &quot;punished&quot; for playing an extra game, but the fact remains that MSU held their bowl destiny in their own hands and dropped the ball. Just win the game, silly. How is it that the first thing out of a young man's mouth upon losing a game is what some other team did or didn't do? If that's how a young man chooses to comport himself throughout his life then he's going to spend a lifetime being disappointed.

DonAZ

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:20 p.m.

&quot;Let's rearrange college football by the six degrees of win/loss and see how that works out.&quot; Isn't the BCS computer ranking kinda-sorta based on this sort of thing? Just asking.

EyeHeartA2

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:12 p.m.

Once upon a time, I actually rooted for msu when the weren't playing Michigan. No more, the envious little brother is too much now. Regardless, this is how playoff work. Sorry. Tigers beat Texas in the regular season and lose in the playoffs - no whining from Detroit. Packers lose to Atlanta and beat them in the playoffs - no whining from Atlanta. msu loses to Wisconsin (in msu fashion) and whines about: The refs Their lot in the BCS Michigan's bowl bid How unfair it is to have to play Wisconsin twice The fact they couldn't get in to Michigan (this one only comes out during therapy, under hypnosis) Quit acting like a little brother and maybe you'll get treated like a grown up.

Meangoblue

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:10 p.m.

Happy MEANday!! Ryan VanBergen.......you guessed it!! He WILL win the Heisman next year!!! MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEANchigan football has returned from the bugar!! As the wolverines wil roooolllllll in the sugar!!

The Great Hoke

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 9:29 p.m.

Hendricks Award maybe...Heisman NO Tell your brother I said Hi

Hailmary

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:06 p.m.

It is my opinion that Mark Dantonio fueled a lot of this criticism and cousins is just a mouthpiece for what Dantonio didn't have the courage to come forth and say. Brady is a man's coach and for that I imagine Mark Dantonio probably does not like Brady Hoke man to man. Mark Dantonio learned and his philosophy was shaped by Jim Tressel so the personality of Mich. state is by comparison similiar to that of ohio at least the ohio shaped by Jim Tressel. This whole thing is not about who gets to play where but more about fanning the flames of fictional hatred by Mich. state against their, &quot;Big Brother&quot; which for the naive fan simply stokes the fire of the rivelry and inevitably insures job security for one Mark Dantonio, ya Tressel taught Dantonio all the dirty tricks and if you notice Brady doesn't fall for gimmickry bad mouthing like this. Is there anyone out there that thinks Denard Robinson would have cried in his diaper like cousins did? Sorry Cousins but you proved a point, You truly are, &quot;little brother&quot;.

D21

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:48 p.m.

Exactly what some of us have been feeling about both of em for a long time.

DonAZ

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:15 p.m.

@Hailmary -- &quot;Brady is a man's coach&quot; Amen ... which is why recruits respond to his message of playing for Michigan being about more than just winning football games. I think a great deal of MSU's frustration is they know with the loss of Kirk Cousins their run at the top is in jeopardy. They know with MIchigan surging back and OSU surely to reload their chance was NOW ... and they failed to capitalize.

chiro19

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:02 p.m.

A couple of things. Congrats on Michigan getting a invite to a BCS game! Congrats to Wisconsin on beating msu! It does not suprise me that msu is over emotional about this because well they rarely have a chance to be in a big game. I guess you should win msu and that would have solved your problems. But instead you are off blaming everyone else. Michigan had nothing to do with you not getting into a BCS game. Except for having a larger fan base and having a better winning percentage! If your only win of the season was against Michigan does that make you a better team? NO, you have to beat other teams and you did not. You lost three, and Michigan lost two and they have a higher ranking than you because of that. Do you know who could have prevented that from happening? You, by not losing to ND, Neb, and Wisc. I hope you show up this year against Georgia but from the sounds of it you will still be crying up to that game and get blown out again by an SEC team! Go Blue!!!

kti

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 1:57 p.m.

To me, if anyone got slighted, it wasn't MSU. They have 3 losses and a worse record than UM. You don't hear Iowa whining about how they should have gotten a better bowl than UM b/c they beat them. You don't hear Iowa complaining, do you? Why, because it makes little sense, which is why no one is surprised MSU fans/players are saying it. Unless they can honestly say that they thought before the champ. game that they would go to a BCS game even if they lost, I don't see what their problem is. I'd love to hear the Spartan argument for why they deserve a BCS bid over Boise State or Kansas State, 2 teams with better records and/or higher BCS rankings. (Not to mention 9-3 Baylor, higher ranked in the BCS than the Spartans) I'm not sure UM deserved a bid over them, but I'm dang POSITIVE MSU didn't and, in fact, I'm not sure that anyone outside of East Lansing really thought a 9-3 team was be in serious contention for an at large BCS bid. No other 9-3 team in the country was, so why should MSU have been? Did the Wildcats and Broncos get slighted? IMHO, yes. Did the Spartans? Utter nonsense.

johnnya2

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 1:47 p.m.

The fact Michigan did not play Wisconsin is silly. MSU did not play Penn State, Illinois or Purdue. Michigan did not play Penn State Wisconsin and Indiana. Penn State could say they got screwed for not even having the opportunity to play two of the top teams in the conference. What would MSU say if Michigan had played Wisconsin and beat them (like they did Nebraska). I have said this about any team who whines about their bowl. Just win baby. If they had won all their games, they could be in New Orleans the week after UM plays in the Sugar Bowl. They didn't, so then you leave your fate in the hands of others.

DonAZ

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 1:46 p.m.

Memo to the Spartans -- go and beat the Georgia Bulldogs (SEC East Champions, 10-2 regular season, 10 straight wins after 0-2 start) and you'll do your program a great service. Georgia is pretty good ... and they're SEC. In some ways MSU has more upside benefits with a bowl victory than does Michigan. Virginia Tech is a worthy opponent, but they're ACC (not SEC) and they lost their championship game badly to Clemson. Georgia lost their championship game to LSU, the #1 team, and did a pretty good job for one half of that game. So man up, Michigan State ... focus on your next opponent. Go out and take care of business. You beat Georgia and you'll enjoy more upside benefits for yourself and the Big 10 than nearly all the other Big 10 bowl games. * * * Wisconsin/Oregon -- strength vs. speed. After loss to TCU last year, a loss to Oregon is going to hurt both the Wisconsin and Big 10 storyline. And it'll bring the spread advocates out like locusts. Michigan/VT -- the storyline here is really about Michigan's comeback to national relevance. There's a lot of downside risks for Michigan here ... a win puts a bow around the 2011 season, a loss puts a question mark on it. MSU/Georgia -- Big 10 vs. SEC. If we're trying to compare conferences, the SEC is the standard bearer. MSU and U-M faired poorly last year in their bowls. MSU has a chance to do the Big 10 a great service with a convincing win. Nebraska/South Carolina -- another Big 10 vs. SEC. A victory here combined with an MSU victory does a nice job of putting the Big 10 back in the relevance discussion. But a victory here by itself does not advance the Big 10 cause much. Iowa/Oklahoma -- storyline: disappointed Sooners take on underperforming Hawkeyes. Not much upside for Big 10 ... a little downside with a loss. OSU/Florida -- two 6-6 teams do battle and all the talk will be about Urban Meyer. Ho-hum.

Edward R Murrow's Ghost

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 8:51 p.m.

heartbreak, BSU has been consistently good against teams that are little better than the MAC. One reason BSU will never get a home-and-home series is the size of its stadium. Schools that put 70-100K in their stadiums week in and week out are not going to play a game on smurf turf and take the huge hit in revenue that that trip would entail. All visiting teams get a significant cut of the gate when they visit--but a significant cut in a stadium that holds 35K ain't much. GN&amp;GL

heartbreakM

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 6:58 p.m.

Don't disagree with any of your points Edward. The only point of argument to me is that Boise State is not a one year wonder. They have done it consistently and the nation is always intrigued at seeing the &quot;small&quot; guy beat the &quot;big&quot; guy like what App State did to us or what BSU did to Oklahoma. I just think it's too bad that nobody will face Boise State in a home and home (nobody highly rated, that is), and that Boise State is located in a geographic location where it is difficult to hook on with a conference. Pac 12 overlooked them and there's nobody else. Boise State in Big East? Too far, and it doesn't really help anyway. Maybe Big 12?

Edward R Murrow's Ghost

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:18 p.m.

BSU fell, not because of their one loss, but due to the conference in which they play combined with the fact that they do not &quot;carry&quot; well. Regarding the first point, no one will ever convince me that BSU could have the record it does playing in the Big Ten, the ACC, the PAC 12, or the Big 12, much less the SEC (note the absence of the Big East from my list. It is a joke). Yes, they might win a bowl game against a team from one of those conferences (the &quot;on any given Saturday&quot; thing) but, if they were to play 8 games per season in one of them, they'd never be under consideration for a BCS game. Regarding the second, the bowl games are money-making operations. They want to pick teams that will bring a maximum number of fans to their stadium, to their restaurants, to their hotels, and to their local attractions. BSU's stadium holds 35,000. Assuming that 2/3 of that is for season tkt holders, if every person who bought season tkts for BSU bought the same number of tkts for a bowl game, 24,000 BSU fans would show up at a BCS game with capacity of 94K (Rose), 73K (Fiesta), 77K (Superdome), and 75K (SunLife Stadium--Orange Bowl). And, let's face it, it is doubtful that BSU would sell 24K tkts. Yes, locals (defined liberally--from a couple hundred miles away) might go to the game, but they're not going to spend several nights in town. This was a no brainer that BSU got passed over. If BSU wants to get taken seriously, it needs to play in a better conference. GN&amp;GL

missionbrazil

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:06 p.m.

I think Georgia will be a tough game for MSU. They had 3 losses, but all of them were to teams that are/were ranked in the Top 10.

DonAZ

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:11 p.m.

@heartbreakM -- agree re: Boise State. How far they fell because of the one loss. You're right ... all about money. Beyond the national championship game it's all about who can draw the most fans and fill the coffers with the most green.

heartbreakM

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:07 p.m.

Who can tell about Wisconsin? My money is that Oregon will smoke them. Michigan VT seems to be a good matchup--and one that I think should happen during the regular season too. Michigan fans should be really excited to be back at Sugar for first time since Bo (Jackson and Schembechler). MSU Georgia --I agree. MSU should be good here, but will they be distracted and/or undisciplined? If so, they lose. Nebraska will lose. Spurrier's defense will shut down Martinez big time. FOr me, I feel bad for boise State for being left out, and even Kansas State. Both of them accomplished a lot and got shut down for not having enough fans??? Money??? And how about Temple? Good for them. More deserving than UCLA and Illinois.

Rufus

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 1:33 p.m.

Unfortunately-MSU will likely lose in their bowl game- like they seem always to do. If they want to be angry- beat Goergia for the big ten and their reputation.

a2citizen

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 1:32 p.m.

Why does a team with three losses think it deserves special consideration? Because was the third best three-loss team in the Big Ten?

Mick52

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 8 p.m.

I disagree Carl. Wisconsin did not impress me that much. Their defense is not so great. Also if MSU had played osu without four starters suspended they would have likely lost that game. The rest of the Big Ten had to face osu with those players eligible, so the playing field was not that even. Bowl games are junk anyway, except for the big one. Most teams will not play for weeks and how can you expect the best play from players that have been idle? The teams are selected by their rankings and the fact is, most people doing the rankings see Michigan as a better team right now than MSU. Heck rather than Virgina Tech, I would rather have a rematch with MSU, osu, or play Wisconsin. Like you said win (or lose) to VT, who cares? It really doesn't mean all that much.

LSUWolverine

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 6:35 p.m.

LOL @ Jon. Would you guys be discrediting the Hokies if you were playing them? Don't worry, I'll wait for your answer?

mun

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 6 p.m.

Uh Jonathan? The BCS doesn't care about your win over Michigan. The BCS looks at the entire season.

appleuofmfan

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 4:34 p.m.

Jonathan, ummmmm 1 and 1a I see. I love how you assume that MSU is better because of the one head to head matchup that was played in Lansing. I will admit, MSU had a better day and they won. However, Michigan has improved more and Michigan finished ranked higher. I wish Michigan would have had the chance Wisconsin did and played you again. Oh, by the way, I would say Wisconsin is 2-0 against MSU this year. They got hosed the last time they played. Where was that again? Oh Yeah, Lansing, where teams go to get screwed, as a UM fan, I would know.

Jonathan Carl

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:35 p.m.

What happened at the B1G championship? MSU lost to an excellent Wisconsin team by 3 points. Nothing to be ashamed of there. Seeing as MSU split the season series and outscored Wisconsin in the season series, I'd say it's obvious that Wisconsin and MSU are 1 and 1a and everyone else in the B1G is a cut below. MSU has nothing to be ashamed of. The class skunked U-M 4-0 head to head, got to the B1G championship game, finished higher ranked than U-M, and got the better postseason opponent to play. The only thing MSU couldn't control after the season was the BCS picks, and the BCS committee dropped the ball. 3 losses, sure. But still a better B1G record, 7-2 vs 6-2. Enjoy your 'BCS' game against a weak ACC team - anybody in the know knows MSU is better than U-M, and Georgia is better than VT. Your bowl game is 'BCS' in name only.

a2citizen

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:44 p.m.

Fact. msu has three losses. &quot;...The only thing MSU can control is how the play in the bowl game...&quot; Going into Saturday night they controlled whether they controlled their own destiny. What happened there? Three-loss teams don't deserve special consideration. I don't hear whining from Nebraska (3 losses) and Penn State (3 losses).

Jonathan Carl

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:24 p.m.

MSU beat U-M heads up. Fact. Michigan would likely have lost to Wisconsin making them a 3 loss team as well. Fact. MSU gets the better opponent anyway, regardless of the bowl game name, drawing an excellent SEC team to defeat. MSU just needs to view their bowl game as the 'real' Sugar bowl game, because that's in essence what it is. *If* U-M defeats VT, who cares? VT hasn't beat a ranked opponent all year, they were a shoddy pick just like U-M for a bcs game, and are from the ACC. The BCS bowl matchup selections were shoddy from the LSU-Bama game all the way on down. The only thing MSU can control is how the play in the bowl game, and honestly the Big ten as whole is lucky they get MSU playing the SEC runner-up instead of U-M who would have no chance.

John Hubers

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 1:30 p.m.

Dear Mr. Cousins, You have an excellent team. Perhaps if Michigan played you again it's possible that you would come away with a second win, although that's not a given considering how much Michigan improved since they played you. What you seem to forget is that your team not only lost to Wisconsin, but to Notre Dame and Nebraska, as well. If you remember, Michigan beat both of those teams rather handily. Is it possible that Michigan actually is a better team than yours? Maybe next year. But don't count on it. An admirer but not a fan.

The Great Hoke

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 8:45 p.m.

We traveled to Iowa and beat them – and we beat your team 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 - you get to try again NEXT YEAR

RustyShackleford

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 4:32 p.m.

MSU has improved since then as well. If MSU played Nebraska and ND again they would probably win those games. But they didn't when they needed to and UM didn't beat MSU when they had to. UM did not beat ND handily. ND gift wrapped that game for them. @Mick52 - MSU does lose some seniors on offense at critical positions but they have talent to fill the void. Obviously the experience factor will be lost but all the key components of the ground game and at least one experienced tight end are back. This should give them some reliable offense while the passing game develops. As far as the defense goes they should be even better next year. They will probably lose Worthy and a DB or two but they have some young guys that filled in a little this year and played well. Not to mention the fact that they have 5 star LB recruit Lawrence Thomas still waiting to see the field. I think he is redshirting this year. As for UM, they lose some key pieces as well. Mike Martin is a big loss as well as Hemingway. UM graduates 20 seniors and MSU graduates 18.

Mick52

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 7:52 p.m.

Really Gang Green? Cousins, Cunningham, NIchol all seniors and gone. Gholston and Bell are Sophs, and Worthy is a Jr., but I would not be surprised if the leave early for the NFL, the big bugaboo or college sports. They are that good. Michigan is loosing a few seniors but the vast majority of the team is back. What are you thinking? Loyalty to your team or are there players able to step up and fill the seniors?

Gang_Green

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:40 p.m.

To quote you . . &quot;Is it possible that Michigan actually is a better team than yours? Maybe next year. But don't count on it.&quot; I agree John - Michigan will NOT be a better team than MSU next year.

dayo13

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 1:20 p.m.

Who is Kirk Cousins ?

vwp11

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 1:20 p.m.

Michigan was the 12th man on the field for Wisconsin Saturday. If MSU would have spent as much time being defensive in their play as they did being defensive about Michigan 'possibly' vaulting ahead of them, maybe they would have won. They had their eyes on the prize and they blinked. It's not Michigan's fault. It's Dantonio's. Brady Hoke would have taken the loss and blamed coaching, making him and his staff fully accountable. He would have taken the good plays and given credit to his players. Dantonio is a polar opposite: Blame the officials. Blame the system. Blame the BCS. Never take any accountability for making a bad call at the end of a game they could easily have won. A coach with a big chip on his shoulder like him will never lead his team to greatness or respectability. They'll always get to see the grail, just not a chance to drink from it.

Tim

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 1:19 p.m.

First of all, I am a Spartan fan..born and raised. But I'm also a huge Big 10 fan and I will always root for UofM as long as it doesn't hurt MSU. It's great for the state of Michigan to see both teams do well. I, also, love die hard sports fans because we are all incredible hypocrites! Seriously, do you guys think you'd be acting any different than Cousins if the roles had been reversed? Of course, not...because you bleed maize and blue. I understand your arguments, but this whole thing seemed a bit unfair. That's just how I see it. Go Green...Go Blue...Go Big Ten!

Candy

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 12:27 a.m.

I'm a diehard Wolverine fan, and I agree that some of the comments against Kirk Cousins have been harsh and unjustified. After all, he still has a lot of growing up to do, as does any college senior. And I do feel that the bowl selections aren't done with complete fairness. However, I feel that Coach Dantonio should display more maturity and not be such a sore loser and anti-Wolverine fanatic. I'm way closer to Dantonio's age than Cousins', and the coach's lack of maturity and sportsmanship is appalling to me. But like Tim, I will root for MSU in their bowl game anyway because they are a Big 10 team, and they have played exceptionally well this season.

Billy Bob Schwartz

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 9:52 p.m.

Tim....Go back and take a close look at MSU's big doofus as he sits on top of our delightful and personable and fantastic quarterback and reaches around and grabs Denard's face mask and proceeds to try to take his head off. Then look at Dantonio's smirk as things develop. My bro went to MSU and I have always tried to pull for them when it made sense, but after that, I am anti-MSU and will probably stay that way. All this whining and fingerpointing just makes it worse. Get a new coach who will teach a new attitude.

knotch

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 4:36 p.m.

&quot;Do you think you'd be acting any different&quot;.....As a matter of fact I do think Michigan would have acted different. I believe UM coaches would have prepared there team for this very possibility. You lose you get jumped. Dandy Dan. certainly didn't. MSU played an all out gutties game....only too diminish that effort with playground complaining. If having UM jump you in the standings wasn't enough motivation. Than blame the coaches for allowing these players too think themselves primadonna's. Sorry to say we've a generation that thinks close enough is good enough

Gang_Green

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:17 p.m.

&quot;If this is the way the system is, I guess it's a broken system.&quot; This statement could be attributed to any Oklahoma State player/coach, or Wisconsin if they don't complete the 4th down &quot;mini-hail-mary&quot; that led to the winning TD. When teams play to a better level and get to championship games - it does seem like a system that can reward teams without a horse in the race in game #13 and that is somewhat messed up. As far as being a Christian, we should not be throwing stones at anyone.

D21

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:04 p.m.

Unfair? Uh, no. Cousin is a proclaimed Christian which makes it a bit worse than it is. I am a Christian, too but do own up to my mistakes and hope Kirk will learn his lesson. Gholston doing the Stooge head twist on Denard is far more unfair than anything else. Take a good look at your own coach, Danner, whose demeanor seems an angry one akin daring anyone to knock that chip off from his shoulder whereas Hoke is everyone's favorite uncle, a la John Candy. The prospective recruits would be better off with Uncle Hoke than with the Grumpy One! GO BLUE!

MRunner73

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:30 p.m.

Thank you for your comments. I always appreciate fans who show respect and humility. I respect what Dantonio has done to elevate the MSU football program, but forgive for saying this; I really don't appreciate his smug attitude and lack of respect for the Maize and Blue football program and tradition. Brady Hoke showed his good will on the field at the conclusion of the MSU game this year. The MSU-UM rivalry is great and it should be. I do have a lot of friends who are Spartan fans. I always show them the respect for their football program that they deserve.

Oak2Arbor

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:12 p.m.

Thanks Tim! This is the most mature and accurate statement I have seen on this page. MSU fans whining is equaled only by UofM fans arrogance!

Tim

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:04 p.m.

I'm sorry the two of you are so down on MSU. I guess you have good reasons. Did Cousins say anything that was untrue? No. Should he have sucked it up and focused on Georgia? Yes, you're right. Maybe none of us should complain how the BCS system is broken and just say &quot;it is what it is&quot;. However, if our fore-fathers felt the same way we'd still be a British colony.....and that is why I feel I had to say something. I mean, Virginia Tech got crushed in their championship game (and the ACC isn't nearly the powerhouse that the Big Ten is). Maybe the Spartans should be in their spot...wouldn't it be great to see another UM-MSU game in the Big Easy!

garrisondyer

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 1:41 p.m.

I used to root for MSU when it didn't hurt Michigan. Until this season. It'll be a long time until I can do it again. Go Blue!

vwp11

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 1:35 p.m.

No one can control how fans will react and we know there are annoying trolls and trouble-stirrers on both sides. My only issue is with how the coaches and teams, who represent great universities, conduct themselves after a win or after a loss. I don't see Hoke and Dantonio in the same universe when it comes to that. I'm a Michigan fan and I thought State played a heckuva game. I try very hard to summon the desire to cheer for them when it doesn't hurt us. When the coach and the team lose their dignity and publicly whine about Michigan (who wasn't even playing that day) or the officials/BCS (&quot;the system's broken&quot;) or the other team's performance (I &quot;think he flopped&quot;), I lose all respect for them. I don't care what MSU fans say; there's no controlling that. Dantonio and his crew can spare themselves a lot of crap if they would just walk away and say the standard things a coach should say in those situations. Brady Hoke, in the same position, I promise would have said &quot;We could have done better. We need to play better. We need to coach better. And THAT is on me.&quot; 100% accountability. Dantonio can't spell the word let alone practice it.

knotch

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 1:17 p.m.

I've had a great respect of Cousins when he took the over as QB....every year I've lost that respect. He was a humble young man, now like a politican who's spent to much time in Washington...Kirky has gone native. This guy has great skills, great general on the field. But, he's never matured......In so many ways I blame the coach. Dantonio in just as much a brat with all the toys. They all knew if they lost this would happen. This proves the complex that state has will never EVER be washed. Four Straight wins against your instate rival...and your only rival......Then you cry about the system, why, Because you LOST. Whom ever decided too try an block the punt should be looking for a job today. State will have their hands full with Georgia. The put up 10 straight wins, sure the got creamed by LSU...their the best frigging team in the country. If Cousins and the rest of the team would have taken it like men, I might have thought too cheer for them in the outback bowl. I certainly hope MS Whoo has plenty of Puffs Plus (tm).... Go DOGS

RustyShackleford

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 4:03 p.m.

These posts are great. If he would have simply said no the BCS is not fair UM fans would still be ripping him for &quot;crying&quot;. Get some perspective people, no one thinks the BCS is fair. It isn't set up to be. The kid just lost an incredibly emotional game. Give him a break. Its not like he went on a rant, he answered a question and that was that. Get over yourselves.

David Vande Bunte

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 1:16 p.m.

Let's see...lose the B1G Championship game, and Sparty's first instinct is to go back to talking about Michigan again. hmmm. Sorry Sparty. You knew what the stakes were, it was Rose Bowl or nothing. You lost, so you get NOTHING! This is life in a conference with a title game! You either get the benefit of an extra win, or you get the penalty of another loss. The faster you realize that, the happier (or less miserable) you will be. 10-2 &gt; 10-3.

RustyShackleford

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 3:56 p.m.

Wasn't his first instinct he was asked a question by a reporter. I think this comment is more telling of the UM fan base than Cousins' answer to a direct question. The UM fans cling to anything that makes it seem as though MSU's biggest game of the year is against them. The fact of the matter is that MSU has moved on and the UM game no longer defines their season.

The1Cool

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 4:35 p.m.

You think wrong. &quot;Michigan sat home tonight on the couch and watched us,&quot; the senior said shortly after the game's conclusion. &quot;We played our hearts out — you saw it. I don't see how you get punished for playing and someone else gets to sit on the couch and get what they want&quot; It's pretty clear &quot;they&quot; is referring to Michigan and &quot;what they want&quot; is referring to a BCS bowl game.

Gang_Green

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:08 p.m.

I think Kirk's comments are about the BCS system, not just about Michigan. Next year it could be UM or Neb. that gets leapfrogged. We've seen it happen in other conferences in other years. Need a playoff.

MRunner73

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 12:56 p.m.

I like our players comments about trading places. This story will keep Michigan and Sparty fans at each others throat for a while. I think MSU will have a daunting task trying to beat GA. They might end up 10 and 4.

Blu-dogg97

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:43 p.m.

agree MRunner73 ,and Michigan will end up 11 and 2,and then the msu whining flood gates will open..

azwolverine

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 12:53 p.m.

Who cares what Cousins thinks?

Bob

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 7 p.m.

Apparently you do, or you wouldn't have posted that!

Gang_Green

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 3:04 p.m.

For one, the AA.com staff and everyone reading your comment, including you. Good luck with VTech - lets both get to 11 wins.

Rufus

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 1:34 p.m.

Hi mom.

ohiowolverine

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 12:25 p.m.

Next we'll hear from Cousins, It's Michigan fault we had to play Georgia and lost, It's Michigan fault that the NFL doesn't want me. If only I'd went to Michigan. Boo Hoo!

golfer

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 12:14 p.m.

i guess they answered cousin! WANT TO TRADE. like they said. &quot;want to trade&quot;. the only reason they are crying is because they could not win when they had to! i am sure brady would say the same!

Patriot

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : noon

Man up Sparty and go win your game. Hail to the Victors in NO on Jan 3, 2012. May Michigan take home two wins and some National Pride.

james Kurtz

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 11:38 a.m.

MSU and Cousins could see them being overlooked in favor of UM after UM beat OSU. I think this was on their mind previous to the Big Ten Championship. UM always travels better in big bowl games and always will. Thats the curse MSU will have to live with always. Did MSU deserve the Rose Bowl? sure, but they blew it; just as Wisconsin blew their conference game in the last seconds against MSU. Is it a shame? yes, because this is the best team MSU will have for several years, yet, Wisconsin prevailed. If they win the Outback bowl and UM looses the Sugar Bowl there will be more tears, etc, etc, from the Spartan faithful and especially Cousins who has taken this very personal. Go Blue.

heartbreakM

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 11:35 a.m.

Few comments here. Cousins should take the Hoke approach and just not worry about things that he cannot control. He comes across as a spoiled petulant child with his whining which is not becoming of a team spokesperson. Also, I think MSU should be happy with their matchup which is more high profile and enticing than ours vs. Va Tech. SEC &gt;&gt;&gt; ACC and now MSU has a chance to prove they belong. Worry about your own matchup and not who we are playing or where we are playing.

GettingBluer

Thu, Dec 8, 2011 : 5:45 a.m.

The BCS championship game is really the only &quot;prestige&quot; game...ALL of the rest of them are merely entertainment. I agree that MSU should be happy with their game against Georgia as they put on an impressive first half against LSU. I'd certainly prefer us to be playing an SEC team, but realistically, we probably wouldn't beat a really good one THIS year...but bring 'em on next year. I'm impressed with the team's improvement this year and the difference really good coaching makes. Go Blue (and good luck Spartans, too)!

Hebner

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 10:29 a.m.

Cousins made a comment about something he already knew in his mind...the possibility of being a three loss team. Both MSU and Wisconsin represented respectively with two losses; knowing that the looser would be a three loss team. If MSU had one loss going against Wisconsin then Cousins would be New Orleans bound. Tough luck! MSU lost to two opponents we beat, so what does that mean? and they were granted the divisional crown based on the head to head with us...so whats really the problem?!

LSUWolverine

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 6:30 p.m.

Umm, no Gang Green. The only reason you won was because we eliminated Nebraska from contention for the Big Ten title. BTW, why are you guys even here blaming us for your failure. If you wanted to go to a BCS game, you should have beaten Wisconsin. Blame yourselves for not controlling your own destiny, not us.

Gang_Green

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 1:38 p.m.

No MSU won the division crown with a 7-1 record while UM was 6-2. But the BCS is what it is and good luck to UM at the Sugar (just don't let Brandon spend all the money getting there so there is some to share with the rest of the B1G).

tim

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 10:12 a.m.

There will always be unhappy universities around bowl season as long as we have the BCS. Personally, I'ld love to see everybody boycott the BCS until we have a playoff system. Go Blue!

The Great Hoke

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 8:16 p.m.

U of M vs. Boise State --- Two schools with big egos and soft schedules - that should the Bowl game..

Mick52

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 5:02 p.m.

I would not mind a playoff that started at the end of the regular season but I doubt you will see a chance for teams to add up to four or five games to a season. What I would agree to is conference play beginning at the very first game, drop all the patsies from schedules. I have always felt you have to usually wait four or five games to find out how good your team is because of the pushover games. I agree the BCS is no better than it was before. This year it's Okla State that feels screwed and we have to watch AL and LSU play again.

MichFanTex

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 12:39 p.m.

The BCS isn't this mythical entity that was conjured up out of thin air. No, the BCS was conjured up by &quot;everybody&quot;. Well, at least the six large conferences of which B1G is part and as long as those conferences decide the BCS is the best way, it will continue to be the only way.

AceDeuce

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 10:10 a.m.

When will those spartans learn to just cheer on their own team and be thankful for what they have, instead of always complaining about Michigan. I love how Van Bergen is such a man about his comments, how he'd love to trade places with little brother because Michigan probably wouldn't have choked, and at the very least if we had lost, we wouldn't have cried about how MSU got more ice cream on their cone, boohoo... -Hail to the Victors!

RustyShackleford

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 3:36 p.m.

As a Spartan fan I would never trade the Big Ten Championship game and a chance for the Rose Bowl for the Sugar Bowl. Cousins was simply stating the obvious flaws with the BCS system in response to a direct question from a reporter. He along with other players and fans are rightfully disappointed when less deserving teams are picked to go to a more prestigious bowl game. But as another poster pointed out MSU probably gets to play a better opponent than UM. If that reporter would have followed up that question with the question VanBergen posed I guarantee he would have said he would have rather played for the Big Ten championship than sit at home. Michigan probably wouldn't have choked? I guess we'll never know because they weren't good enough to get to play Wisconsin.

worldchamp

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 9:37 a.m.

gee, lets see. MSU beats Michigan and wins the Legends side of the conference fair and square, get a great chance at winning the bid for the Rose Bowl but choked it away now has 3 loses and Michigan has two losses and wins over the two teams that beat MSU, and both beat MSU handily. I think the BCS is telling everyone that they were 2 close teams and we are going to give Michigan a chance at a big time game since MSU choked it away. There is no sin in playing Georgia in the Outback. Good Luck MSU.......and I really mean it

The Great Hoke

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 8:12 p.m.

Virgina Tech is favored by 20 points.... maybe not that close of 2 teams.....

Mick52

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 7:44 p.m.

My point BBS was that some folks might blame Lewis (thanks for his name Spartan19) or he may be real down on himself. Any missed tackle could have been just as much a cause. When I was a lad and played basketball, the worst losses to bear were those where you loose by one or two points and for the rest of your life you remember a blown layup or missed free throws at the end of the game.

Spartan19

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 7:09 p.m.

BBS - Dantonio didn't make that call. Lewis went in uncontested. He was too aggressive and made a mistake. The punter flopped and got the call. Ref had no choice. But Dantonio isn't to blame. I agree with Mick. It was heart-wrenching to see them lose like that, but there are a number of plays earlier in the game that could have made a difference to the outcome.

Billy Bob Schwartz

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 5:36 p.m.

Mick...I don't hold the kid responsible at all. I hold Dantonio responsible. They told the kid to block the kick. That was a total cowboy call made by a coach who thinks he can do anything and win. Oops. All he had to do was have his team get out of the way and let the ball roll dead, or maybe grab the ball and run it back. Instead, he hotdogged it and his kids paid the price. I think it was a sad ending to the game, but common sense coaching might well have won the game for them.

Mick52

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 5:06 p.m.

I would not call the loss to WI a &quot;choke.&quot; WI was having a hard time keeping MSU out of the end zone and that punt return would have set them up for an easy TD. I kind of feel sorry for the player who ran into the punter for sort of being responsible for the loss. But I applaud his efforts to block the punt and in reality, when you lose a close game, there are many plays that cost a team a win, never just one. It's just that the last one is the one everybody remembers.

iamcris

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 8:45 a.m.

What Cousin's failed to mention is that Alabama in fact enjoyed the same circumstances albeit to play in the Mythical National Championship game. Georgia isn't complaining and THAT right there is why I predict a healthy Georgia victory in the Outback Bowl. MSU is 0-4 in bowl games under Dantonio. We're cheering for ya' little brother, make B1G brother proud. Conference perception is at stake.

rightmind250

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 3:30 a.m.

Kind of like the way UM represented the conference against Miss State? What was that score 52-7 or something? Did you hear rthe saying about glass houses?

Adam Zeeb

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:32 p.m.

Georgia didn't beat Alabama in the regular season.

D21

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 8:37 a.m.

&quot;...Hart, who gained infamy for Michigan State fans when he referred to MSU as U-M's &quot;little brother,&quot; tweeted after the Big Ten championship game Saturday night: &quot;Kids will be kids.&quot; Hart didn't say to what he was referring, but MSU fans interpreted that as a slap at the Spartans after their 42-39 loss to Wisconsin, and let Hart have it on MSU message boards. It was just as big a topic on U-M message boards, where fans laughed...&quot; From DetNews. Little brothers will be little brothers, lol.

The Great Hoke

Tue, Dec 6, 2011 : 8:10 p.m.

Mike Hart might have been at the game ..since he does work on Sundays any more….. ( unless he got called to be a fill in as a greeter at Wal-mart)

MichiganMan5

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 10:47 p.m.

I love it!

Bob

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 6:55 p.m.

hmmm, wonder why MSU fans are even reading Hart's tweets . . . I guess you gotta keep up with big brother . . .

lawrencelaundry

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 6:50 a.m.

Cousins is a big cry baby! What makes them so deserving when Michigan beat the two teams they lost too.

The1Cool

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 4:28 p.m.

Gang_Green You're comparison is off. Whining about the product of losing, dropping in polls, not playing in a big bowl, is very different than fans contemplating what if scenarios. Michigan deserved to lose to state, some people deny it but most don't. All Michigan players have stated they were beaten. Spartan players are whining and have not been accountable for their part in their situation. They have 3 losses and they're the highest ranked 3-loss team in USA Today and AP and right in the middle in BCS.

Gang_Green

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:43 p.m.

^^^^^^ Doubtful.

Michigan Man

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:25 p.m.

Cousins is still pissed that U of M did not recruit him.

Meangoblue

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 2:12 p.m.

Happy MEANday!! Ryan VanBergen.......you guessed it!! He WILL win the Heisman next year!!! MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEANchigan football has returned from the bugar!! As the wolverines wil roooolllllll in the sugar!!

Gang_Green

Mon, Dec 5, 2011 : 1:48 p.m.

If only any of us reading this article has not said something in frustration that sounds like complaining. &quot;If only Denard wouldn't have been sacked on 4th down UM would have beat MSU this year.&quot; But it didn't change things by complaining and i've read that comment about a 100 times since MSU's 28-14 win. It's emotional game and Kirk Cousins is the best example of a student athlete representative that the B1G has seen in years. So give him a break and you should just be thankful and celebrate your BCS bowl game. Good luck (and that's difficult for me to say.)