Plenty of little news items so far today.
MSU offensive lineman Jack Allen was named to the Football Writers Association of America All-American team this morning. The squad is headlined by Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel. Other Big Ten players on the team include Michigan tight end Devin Funchess and Iowa offensive lineman Austin Blythe and Penn State defensive lineman Deion Barnes. First-year Ohio State coach Urban Meyer earned the coaching honors on the team.
Allen, a guard/center, started 12 games for the Spartans this fall. He started seven at center and five at left guard. Allen was also named a Freshman All-American by the Sporting News and CollegeFootballNews.com.
In other football related news, MSU senior Anthony Rashad White will compete in the inaugural Raycom All-Star Classic on Jan. 19. The game takes place at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala., and Rashad White will be on the Stars team. The game will be broadcast live on the CBS Sports Network at 3 p.m. on Jan. 19.
MSU right guard Chris McDonald and cornerback Mitchell White will be competing in the second annual Casino Del Sol All-Star game in Tucson, Ariz., on Friday. Both are members of the East team. The Tucson Citizen has the complete rosters here.
The other Spartan playing in an All-Star game is Johnny Adams, who will play in the Senior Bowl.
ESPN has a listing of all the Big Ten football players participating in All-Star games.
The MSU men’s basketball team dropped four spots in this week’s AP poll after opening Big Ten play with a road loss to Minnesota and then rebounding to beat Purdue at home on Saturday. Michigan is ranked No. 2 and received three first-place votes, Indiana is No. 5, Minnesota is No. 8, Illinois is No. 12 and Ohio State is ranked 15th in this week’s poll. Future Big Ten program Maryland was among the teams outside the top 25 receiving votes.
The MSU women’s team is receiving seven votes in this week’s AP poll after opening their Big Ten schedule with a win over Minnesota before losing to No. 9 Penn State on Sunday. Penn State moved up to No. 8 in this week’s poll, while Purdue is No. 12. Nebraska is the top team receiving votes outside the top 25, while Michigan has the third most votes. Illinois is also receiving votes in this week’s poll.
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Congrats to Jack Allen
Wait. Mitchell White is playing in an all-star game?!!
Must be they needed more players or something.
Here’s a link on White and McDonald’s All-Star appearance.
http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2013/01/michigan_state_seniors_chris_m.html
In this 1 instance, I like what the coaches poll did vs what the writers did. Coaches left the Spartans @18 based on a win and a loss. How do you drop a team 5 spots based on losing away at a team ranked higher than you? This is when the vote of people like the guy at the Fresno Star or the Kalamazoo Gazette who don’t bother to learn anything about the B1G should be voided. The coaches or their assistants know how tough the B1G is which is why the Spartans weren’t smacked down.
Cause teams like Paris Hilton are media darlings. I’ve always thought the coaches knew more than the media, but teams like scUM always like the media poll better, typical. Coaches got it right, MSU at 18 is perfect.
At this point I agree. These guys have to keep growing, Bigs have to get tougher.
yep we seem to be missing something, draymond green always kept us together last year, we don’t have someone doing that yet.
AP has tobe more agressive at the rim
One off the rating services rarely mentioned, but of extreme importance is the RPI. Ken Pom’s version has us ranked 23rd and rising rapidly. Being ranked 23rd this point in the season is fantastic. By the time the season ends, we should be in the top ten schedule-wise, and if we play half way decent, a top 10-15 RPI ranking. RPI is extremely important in NCAA seeding.
yep I like that too, I’ve seen his site, he’s usually pretty accurate.
Here is why Cheese-It is such a baboon:
Graham Couch @Graham_Couch
MSU had the spread safely covered (-11.5). Now flirting with annoying some of its loyal alumni.
The only thing you never write about as somebody who is covering a college sports team, even as a “columnist” is gambling. Gad, what an idiot. Guy should be drummed out of the business. And he wonders why we all ignore him and call him a buffoon, when asked.
yep last I knew 23 was greater than 11.5
That’s fine, but as a “journalist” it’s irresponsible unless he thinks he’s got a story to break about why he thinks the Spartan faithful would be upset (and I’d say there might be 2 actual graduates who would be upset) that the spread wasn’t covered. Spartans KNOW that the spread is not something that either coach (D or I) ever play a game with covering the spread even in the water boy’s mother’s maiden aunt twice removed’s mind.
Agreed Marine, if MSU covered the spread anyways, then what the hell is he trying to say ?
It’s know as “cutsey journalism” and is very popular among the wannabe’s and has-been’s. It’s that whole “please, please like me, please. see, I’m funny, so please like me!” What Cheese-it doesn’t understand is we want responsible B1G journalism, not chip-on-your-should-MAC-coverage-of-the-B1G journalism. Cracker thinks we avoid him because he’s new, we avoid him because of his attitude. He’s was asked by players and coaches NOT to use certain information, he did it anyway; so now he has NO access (what a surprise). It’s tough to do your job when you have the same outside point of view as say, I do. Both Jack Ebling and Joe Rexrode had very privileged to coaches and players during their reigns as MSU beat writers, Cracker has set himself up to have NO Access, ever.
Reporters [including Saint Joe] cite point spreads frequently in pre-game coverage. I don’t see that as advocating gambling any more than predicting a score might advocate gambling.
(That the coaches & players don’t care about lines is beside the point; the press don’t write for them, but rather to broad audiences–include people watching for MSU to exceed or fail expectations. And I gently suggest that with >500,000 Spartan alumni, many more than two were elated that MSU covered the spread against Minnesota.)
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t read Couch; he lost credibility with me with “Cousins doesn’t even come close”. I get that he removes value from paying LSJ customers–egregiously so if what you say about defying source confidentiality is true. But beyond that, it looks like he’s setting up a rent-free mattress in your head. Evict that sucker post haste!
Now Marine you know he has a snarky temper
Congratulations to Jack Allen and all the seniors representing MSU!
Let’s congratualte Coach Saban … and the Tide. The TIDE embarrassed ND, as they have many over the past several bowls. Also, Coach Saban’s departure form MSU may have enlightened quite a few MSU folks to make today’s MSU administration and athletic department better today – better decisions or people from the board of trustees, the administration and AD office hires. Saban influenced Coach D and we are witnessing some progress at MSU football due to Saban.
Roll Tide Mayo.
After living in Atl. for 4 years, I know there is a different perception on what goals a Football team should have in regards to it’s season. Unlike most of the B10 it isn’t just get to a bowl game. And hopefully win it. But it is to WIN the NC. That is the goal. The SEC Championship is nothing but a step in that direction. Of the B10 members, the only ones to have figured that out is OSU. IF the Administration and Athletic Dept. At MSU start looking at that picture, instead of what they focus on now, then more success will occur. Rose, etc…