GOOD DEFEATS EVIL!

by jebushchrist on Jan 12, 2008 10:51 PM CST in Iowa Hawkeyes News

Be still.

Iowa defeated Michigan State, 43-36, tonight. It was a huge win, but not necessarily for the fans. Honestly, who cares about us at this point? We're still Iowa fans, we still want them to win, but I don't think any of us are living and dying with every possession anymore. It was bigger than us. Think about that for a moment.

Now, think about this - Michigan State is (was) the #6 team in the country. Their only previous loss (against 14 wins) was against #2 UCLA. Tom Izzo* is a great coach with ridiculous talent at every position. Iowa is coming off a humiliating defeat to Ohio State where only through the grace of a friendship with Coach Lick, Thad Matta played walk-ons for much of the 2nd half, keeping Iowa within 50. It was the biggest mismatch of talent I've ever seen since I started watching Hawkeye basketball. This is the time when most people would give up, wouldn't you? Think about that for a moment.

Now, think about this - once the season starts, you can't control talent. You can't make your kids taller or get them to jump higher. They can't shoot straighter or run faster (or at all if you're Seth). What you can control is effort; and Iowa gave more than you could ask for. This was the best defensive effort I've ever seen from an Iowa team. You can go through the numbers if you choose - they're impressive. These guys came out and straight balled for 40 minutes. They took everything the Spartans had and held fast. This was an act of will; nothing more, nothing less.

When the final horn sounded, the fans stormed the floor, and the camera panned over the players' faces, I didn't see joy - I saw relief. Those guys have worked so hard, probably harder than any Iowa team in memory, for what will likely be the worst season in school history. Just think about that for a moment. These kids have invested so much in this season and they finally got a return. This was a great win. I'm going to enjoy it, for me, and for the players. Who knows when we'll get another one.

We're proud of you, Hawkeyes.

* Whom I hate more than any other coach in the Big Ten, this guy is such an ass and I cannot believe more people don't realize it. They were beating Iowa by like 30 last year and he had his starters in launching 3's with a full shot clock with a few minutes left in the game. He is a classless asshole and I hate him. I would go on, but his is a footnote in a positive, happy post, so, I'll talk about my hate for Izzo at another time.

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But you aren't -

an Iowa fan. Let me explain it in a language you might understand, since apparently I wasn't clear in my post. Michigan State is really good. We are really bad. We held them to their lowest total in the shot clock era. I never said it was pretty and if anyone was getting bailed out, it was Michigan State. Don't blame the officials, you sound like a whiner.

by jebushchrist on Jan 13, 2008 12:22 AM CST reply actions

also...

Are you fucking with me? You think it's OK to run your starters back out with 4 minutes left, as opposed to 2?

I watched the game. He took the starters out and put them back in when they had a 30+ point lead late in the game. It was bullshit and he's an asshole. I didn't lie about that.

Just for you, I changed "2" to "a few" in the post to give a more accurate depiction of Izzo's sheer assholery.

You, however, still sound like a little bitch -- why don't you go get some sleep.

by jebushchrist on Jan 13, 2008 12:39 AM CST reply actions

I don't know what the fuck that was

That might be the sloppiest, ugliest game I've ever seen. As a fan of basketball, it was almost painful at times.

And yet, I couldn't give a shit less. Iowa won a game. That alone is cause for celebration at this point, even if they were playing a decent high school team. But this was against a team in the top fucking ten. A Michigan State team in the top ten. Add in the fact that it was coming on the heels of the most embarrassing Iowa loss of my lifetime, and I don't care if the final score was 6-4, I'll take it.

by Adam @ Black Heart Gold Pants on Jan 13, 2008 1:01 AM CST reply actions

Hey champ

You want to offer an explanation for Drew Neitzel chucking up a 3 with 6:05 to go, up 74-37, and no fewer than 20 seconds on the shot clock?

No? You just wanna pull the semantics and style points cards? Have fun with that.

by Adam Jacobi on Jan 13, 2008 2:20 AM CST reply actions

Let's keep things straight here...

Iowa is, and has always been, a different team at home. They have not lost too many games in the past few seasons in the Big Ten at home (I would do research, but I'm too drunk to dig up actual "statistics").

I almost posted the other night that Iowa traditionally loses one Big Ten game on the road by an extraordinary margin, and usually it's to MSU. This is the least talented team they've had since, well, I don't know when, but I'll say 2000 (even though that team was solid). In 2001-2002 Iowa won only 5 Big Ten games. The fewest number of Big Ten wins in the [name redacted] era. That team had some talent too. (Reggie Evans, Luke Recker, and Jared Reiner, my favorite Hawk of the decade so far). If the Hawks win 5 Big Ten games this year, with minimal talent I would go so far as to call that a successful season, considering what the previous leadership did with significantly more talent.

Let it also be known that MSU lost to Div. II Grand Valley St. this season in an exhibition.

by Buddy Light on Jan 13, 2008 2:35 AM CST reply actions

Oops...

I forgot about Thug Thomas... my bad... he's probably tied with JR.

by Buddy Light on Jan 13, 2008 2:41 AM CST up reply actions

Buddy...

Doug Thomas is gully as fuck, but we're not going to denigrate a kid that came here off juco, made a name dunking on every fucker that stepped in the lane on him, straight clowned Michi State two years ago*, then graduated with a degree and everything.

Matter of fact, fuck it. This gets its own post tomorrow.

*Remember this? I do.

by Adam Jacobi on Jan 13, 2008 2:51 AM CST up reply actions

I love me some Thunder Doug.

OPS, you're probably right. I shouldn't have put it that way. Doug was a great kid. I said that only because of the way he played the game, it made me want him to be a thug. He intimidated people on the court, and I was too blind to see that he may or may not be that way off of it. Doug Thomas is a great individual who has earned everything that he has. In fact, I would offer to be a business partner of his in any walk of life that he may choose.

I apologize, and good luck Doug.

by Buddy Light on Jan 13, 2008 3:00 AM CST up reply actions

Actually

The few times I ran into him around IC, he was pretty cool off the court. I loved watching him play too, and fucking Alford never gave him nearly enough playing time. There are few things that can compare to the buzz in Carver when Doug was open during a fast break. Everyone in the building knew some gigantic dunk was coming, and he rarely disappointed.

by Adam @ Black Heart Gold Pants on Jan 13, 2008 11:37 AM CST up reply actions

again

Let me explain this again because you're so fucking dense: The difference between me and you is you're embarrassed because of the game, and I'm proud. The other difference is, I don't give a shit how you feel about the game. Now why don't you go shoot a hundred free throws every day for the rest of your life*.

* this is a complete fucking lie. No way has Izzo shot 100 free throws every single day since then.

by jebushchrist on Jan 13, 2008 8:54 AM CST reply actions

Honestly

I don't need to continue to belabor this issue with you. Your words are my best argument. You think leaving your starters in and having them launch 3's with a nearly full shot clock in the final minutes of a 40 point game is a good thing, so congratulations, you're an asshole too.

I didn't see the game yesterday but I don't need to. Roy Williams has been an asshole for a long time.

by jebushchrist on Jan 13, 2008 9:02 AM CST reply actions

Alec Guinness would be proud

Just wanted to thank our Anonymous Hero friends for stopping by and exhibiting such genuine class. I'm sure the entire Michigan State community is proud of you and happy to have you as their online representatives, on whom we will base our opinions of the whole of the Sparty faithful.

Also, is that KOK on the left in that picture?

by Bucketochicken on Jan 13, 2008 12:02 PM CST reply actions