Monday, March 07, 2011

OK, Michigan's gotten better, but why are the Spartans so lackluster?

I understand why Michigan improved so much since late January and surged to a point where the Wolverines are likely to get an NCAA tournament bid.
A solid nucleus of players has emerged in Jordan Morgan, Tim Hardaway Jr and Darius Morris. They have role players who play hard and have experience. John Beilein is proving he can coach. What a terrific job he has done against the odds this season
What I don't comprehend is why Michigan State has taken such a fall. They have several players who have proven themselves to be competitively tough and resilient in the past, not just in conference games, but the biggest stage of all - the NCAA tournament.
Then this?
I never thought lack of effort would be an issue for a Tom Izzo-coached team. But even with so much on the line in the Michigan game Saturday, the Spartans were often strangely lackadaisical. The most stunning example was the way Michigan, at key points of the game, was able to get backdoor baskets. I don't remember seeing that happen to an Izzo team before, do you?
By the way, at the end of the game, Morris had every right to drive through MSU's half-hearted defensive effort and score. If the Spartans wanted to stop him, they should have played defense. I don't, however, think it was right the way Morris taunted Kalin Lucas after the basket. The rivalry is fierce - and always will be. But doesn't need that.

Labels:

8 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Be honest Pat, aren't you getting a bit tired of the Izzo-whinefest?! I try to teach my child that whining never gets you anywhere, and here's the MSU coach whining about everything little thing. His team is not prepared. That's his fault. They have the talent, just not the heart.

11:38 AM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Caputo, you are not very bright. Let's take a look at what has happened with Michigan State's basketball program here and you'll have your answer as to why the Spartans are so "lackluster":

1 - Izzo flirts with NBA. He didn't go, but it still hurt the program this season, in my opinion.

2 - Kalin Lucas ruptures his Achilles tendon. This is a huuuuge injury to come back from. The pre-season #2 ranking does not factor-in that Lucas won't be 100% until halfway through the season. It also doesn't factor in the departure of key players.

3 - Chris Allen & Korie Lucious dismissed from the team. Give Izzo credit for doing what he thought best for the program, even if it meant way too many critical minutes for walk-ons like Mike Kebler and Austin Thornton. Of course, having no true, experience as a backup point guard doesn't help matters either with or without an healthy Lucas.

4 - Injuries ... we know about Lucas, but how about Roe? The guy can barely get off the floor and his knees are absolutely shot. Payne also missed a ton of time with an injury over the summer.

And, yet, despite all of this, in a season where Michigan has somehow managed to close a 15 year gap in a matter of 80 minutes on the hardwood (as Michigan slappy would have you believe), and in the strangest season of MSU basketball I ever remember, still Izzo has a chance to get back in the tournament again.

If that's lackluster, things aren't quite so bad, are they?

Michigan State has a stacked recruiting class coming in and a pair of redshirts on the bench this season. Michigan State will reload.

In Izzo we trust!

7:06 PM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous misses the point. These are the same core players that have had "heart" for the last 2 Final Fours. The question Pat is asking is what happened to them? It is a valid question. How did the chemistry turn to poison? No one is talking so all people on the sidelines can do is speculate.

Alan

9:02 PM 
Anonymous Dean said...

Pat,

Tom Izzo is a hypocrite. Did he forget the farce of a triple double that Draymond Green "earned" earlier this season against Penn State when the game was long over? While I respect Delvon Roe and was sorry that he got hurt, the media barely questioned Izzo's tactics. Or the alley oop passes being thrown to Jason Richardson back in 2000 when MSU was up 50 versus Michigan. For him to question the Morris basket and whine about Bo Ryan a few years ago is very hypocritical.

9:38 PM 
Blogger Pat Caputo said...

Anonymous,
I think Izzo is a great coach and a genuinely good person, but I do agree about the whining. What people are missing is that he whines even when his team is doing relatively well. But on the Morris scoring thing, I'm surprised by that. Seemed out of character.
Caputo

10:51 AM 
Blogger Pat Caputo said...

Anonymous,
Right now, and for the next couple years, Michigan is set up better for success than Michigan State. You listed what you believe are reasons for MSU falling flat this season. I believe those are excuses.
Caputo

10:53 AM 
Blogger Pat Caputo said...

Alan,
I agree. Those players regressed and didn't show the same competitive spirit this season - and I don't understand why. But I agree with Anonymous on this - Izzo can coach. It wouldn't surprise me if MSU bounces back next season.
Caputo

10:55 AM 
Blogger Pat Caputo said...

Dean,
"hypocrite" is a harsh term and I don't used it lightly and certainly would not here. Yet, I do agree with you that Izzo made a big deal of nothing when you look back at his history of coaching - and virtually every other programs. There was nothing wrong with Morris scoring a basket. Nothing. To take offense at that is, in my opinion, ridiculous.
Caputo

10:57 AM 

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home