ACHTUNG! ACHTUNG! This site will be forwarded on March 17th, 2012.

We've had a very exciting week over at Shaw Lane Spartans. You should join us if you haven't already.
Effective on Saturday, March 17th while you are killing your liver celebrating St. Patrick's Day between basketball wins we will be permanently forwarding the abeautifuldayforfootball domain name to a landing page at Shaw Lane Spartans.

I'll do you a solid and include the link to the RSS feed. But you should come to the new site, it's new, hot and honestly a tiny bit glitchy still. But we're going to grow us a fine MSU fan community there and we'd love for you to join us.

The End of the Beginning is the Middle or Something

The last couple of weeks I've not so subtly hinted at a massive project we've been working on. Today, that project has come to fruition. Effective immediately, we're moving. New website, new domain name. You can find us at http://www.shawlanespartans.com. Thank you Blogger home, it's been fun, but it's time to step up our game a bit.

Post OSU Ranting

You know what sucks? Losing. You know what sucks even more? Losing in a game where one or two more plays could have made the difference. This is the second time in just a few short months where MSU had things in hand and couldn't close.

I should be grateful that MSU was predicted to be as good as a turd sandwich this year and had to choke away the second half of a game to lose an outright title. At least it wasn't to Wisconsin, I'd be sacrificing gangly, pasty white dolls who shoot threes to the gods. I'm getting a little damn tired of being in a position to close these things out on MSU's terms and not doing it. Again, should be grateful, just not feeling it right now.

Speaking of ritualistic sacrifice, the twitters just said that Brandon Dawson tore his left ACL. That's a tough break for him and for MSU. Mostly for him, he's obviously all kinds of talented as evidenced by the fact that MSU pretty much went from running OSU out of the gym to looking lost as Dawson was out and Green was in foul trouble. The big 3 and 4 position were basically empty in the second half which drew extra defense into the paint to account for Sullenger which let Buford go off. The way Buford was shooting, MSU could have had six guys on him and it might not have mattered.

Unlike football, MSU still has a shot at redemption. Maybe the March Magic can kick in for Tom and he can find a way to work around all of this, but you have to admit after watching the Minnesota, Indiana and OSU games that it feels like maybe the 2012 version of the Spartans have their best basketball behind them for this year. Maybe the OSU resurgence of Appling will carryover into the tournament and MSU can right the ship with an improved perimeter game. Maybe not, I have no idea. I don't know enough to intelligently prophesy.

As always, the sun will rise in East Lansing tomorrow. There are worse things than being Co Big-Ten Champions or having to settle for a 2 or 3 seed in the tourney. There are even worse things for the team than having to deal with the loss of a valued freshman, although I do not envy Dawson the road ahead. March has been and will continue to be Izzo's time. No shit show against OSU or anyone else is going to change that. Tomorrow morning, Izzo and the boys start prepping for the winner of Illinois and Iowa.

See? A quick rant is good for the soul, I'm feeling better already. How about you?

Delvon Roe & The Fine Print of NCAA Bylaws

Yesterday, a fire burned hot, tall and bright to allow Delvon Roe to suit up for the final home game against OSU this weekend. He'd be conferred all Senior Day privileges of kissing the S, helping box out Jared Sullenger and that hilarious hug between Tom Izzo and a dude 11 inches taller than him. Immediately, Roe threw water on the fire tweeting:"Lol I love my followers u all r great. It's not about me lets worry about wrappin up this big10 title OUTRIGHT!!N let the NCAA do there job." Hollis later got out the fancy china to have a talk with us over twitter about the NCAA's non-involvement in the decision for Delvon not to play.

One of two things REALLY happened here. A decision for Delvon not to play was reached by Izzo, Hollis and Roe and no NCAA waiver was requested. This is possible, the decision for Delvon to leave basketball didn't appear to be easy, he might just not want to reopen old wounds or a host of many other reasons(loss of focus on the game, sacrificing a valuable Roe minute in what will be a tightly contested game, etc).

OR

Izzo loves his kids, Hollis is a showman, I won't call him a PT Barnum of Athletic Directors, but the thought crossed my mind. If Roe is trying to get into acting and isn't a showman, he best think his career choice through. The NCAA said, "No, but we're gonna say no like when you try to hire a head coach and they say no. There's no offer and thus no refusal." We're going to say no because we're the Extraordinary League of No Fun it would contravene our bylaws.

So which bylaw would he be violating?

Luckily, the NCAA provides a summary of it's Regulations right there on the internets. I'll save you the trouble and just quote liberally since the NCAA should have no problem making it's policy on Student-Athlete Participation, clear, right? Riiiiiight.

Ethical Conduct - It's not salient, but clause A made me laugh out loud.

a.) You must act with honesty and sportsmanship at all times so that you represent the honor and dignity of fair play and the generally recognized high standards associated with wholesome competitive sports. [NCAA Bylaw 10.01.1

I have no idea what kind of Orwellian jackass wrote clause A, but he/she/they/aliens should be flogged publicly with a whip of nine tails as a complimentary theraputic healing activity to promote wholesomeness of the soul and the self. Also, unless Delvon Roe's Hobbled Knee is actually the name of his Speakeasy, he's in the clear here.

Amateurism – All Sports.

a. You are not eligible for participation in a sport if you have ever

(1) Taken pay, or the promise of pay, for competing in that sport. [Bylaw 12.1.2]

(2) Agreed (orally or in writing) to compete in professional athletics in that sport.
Exception: Prior to collegiate enrollment, in sports other than men's ice hockey and skiing, you agreed to compete on a professional team provided the agreement did not provide for more than actual and necessary expenses and you did not receive more than actual and necessary expenses. [Bylaws 12.1.2 and 12.2.5.1]

(3) Played on any professional athletics team as defined by the NCAA in that sport.
Exception: Prior to enrollment, in sports other than men's ice hockey and skiing, you competed on a professional team provided you did not receive more than actual and necessary expenses. [Bylaws 12.1.2 and 12.2.3.2.1]

(4) Used your athletics skill for pay in any form in that sport. [Bylaws 12.1.2 and 12.1.2.4]

Exceptions:

(a) Prior to collegiate enrollment, you accepted prize money based on place finish or performance in an open athletics event from the sponsor of the event and the amount of prize money did not exceed your actual and necessary expenses to participate in the event; or [Bylaws 12.1.2 and 12.1.2.4.1]

(b) After collegiate enrollment, you accepted prize money based on place finish or performance outside your sport's playing and practice season and during the summer vacation period in an open athletics event from the sponsor of the event and the amount of prize money did not exceed your actual and necessary expenses to participate in the event. [Bylaws 12.1.2 and 12.1.2.4.2]

b. You are not eligible in a sport if you ever have accepted money, transportation or other benefits from an agent or agreed to have an agent market your athletics ability or reputation in that sport. [Bylaw 12.3.1]

c. You are not eligible in any sport if, after you become a student-athlete, you accept any pay for promoting a commercial product or service or allow your name or picture to be used for promoting a commercial product or service. [Bylaws 12.5.2.1 and 12.5.2.2]

d. You are not eligible in any sport if, because of your athletics ability, you were paid for work you did not perform, were paid at a rate higher than the going rate or were paid for the value an employer placed on your reputation, fame or personal following. [Bylaw 12.4]

Well there it is, in section c. Roe has been auditioning for gigs and has even been in a movie called AWOL. He's represented or does work for the Okemos Talent Agency(that annual trip to the mall was good for something!). An argument could be made for or against d. as a higher rate of pay but I think it would be inconclusive either way. An argument could probably also be made for b. NOT THAT (b).  but it seems to apply to athletic agents as opposed to Big Fancy Movie Star Agents.

The Russell Wilson/Brandon Weeden/Drew Henson Argument

So why was it cool for these guys to play Pro Baseball and then be college QB's in the fall? They accepted their money as professional baseball players so they were eligible to play College Football. So if Delvon Roe had left college and become a Professional Competitive Eater or a Professional Golfer, it'd be cool for him to suit up on Saturday.

A One-Day Retirement Clause

It's too late for this and won't help Delvon Roe for Sunday, but would it really be such an awful idea to have a One-Day Retirement Clause? All of the professional sports are allowed to sign guys to one day contracts so they can retire as a member of "their team". In just the list above, there are two exceptions to six rules, would it really be so unwieldy to add a One-Day Only Retirement Clause? Update 3/2 9:34AM: The idea being allow the person to dress with the team, warm-up, be a player in every sense except actually playing the game. This was implied, but it was late when I finished the post and I think it needs to be spelled out. After all, this isn't corporate tax law or anything.

As far as Delvon goes, don't feel sorry for him. Delvon Roe is a great kid who seems to have found acting makes him happy. There are worse fates to befall someone than realizing your original goal was really just a waypoint to a different path. Hell, some of us should be so lucky as that. While there might be a sting for him not playing Sunday, he has a whole career of proud memories to look back on as a Spartan. He's welcome home anytime he likes.

Grumpy Snowmen, Odds and Ends

This morning on the way to work I heard a story on NPR about a game called Grumpy Snowmen. It's an "Angry Birds" type game that allows you, Sparty, to go around blowing up snowmen wearing other Big Ten opposition scarfs with footballs, etc. It's free, developed by MSU Gaming, Entertainment and Learning(GEL) Lab and can be downloaded to your Jobs device, played in a browser and can be downloaded to your Windows or Mac machine.

No word on an Android version, Oatmeal Holy War Cellphone Drop goes here.

The Dancing Bear takes on a Million Candy Stripers.

This was a bit like the How Many Five Year Olds Can You Take in a Fight quiz? (Hint: The number goes way up if you are willing to use one as a weapon.) Except they aren't five year olds, they are massive young men who have done a phenomenal job protecting their home court. It's hard to think from the outset of this season that any State fan could possibly have been disappointed with the idea of only needing a win on Sunday to claim the Big Ten title outright, yet I was a little bit. Also, Tom Crean looks a bit like Tom Arnold and despite being an Izzo disiciple, no one like losing to Tom Arnold at anything.

Mish Mash

Green Thoughts asks Why Draymond Green Isn't In National POY Consideration? Trenton Robinson had a good combine, Jerel Worthy did not do as well. Future MSU player, Gary Harris hit a buzzer-beater on Tuesday night as the Spartans were losing in Bloomington.

Blog will be back in full swing sometime next week, and thensome. Download that game, you get to be Sparty, even if you're not between 5'10" and 6'2".

Here's Your Shield, R.J. Shelton

The Spartans picked up their fourth commitment Sunday from Wisconsin running back R.J. Shelton.  Most of the recruiting sites haven't yet evaluated .  Only 247 has a rating for him -- 3 stars.  It also looks like the Spartan coaches got out ahead of other programs.  MSU was the first B1G program to offer Shelton, shortly thereafter he was noticed and offered by Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.  It appears that Bielema personally called Shelton to try to keep him instate, but MSU's early interest seems to have paid off.

Shelton has good size (5'11" and 185 lbs), and he is listed as running the 40 in 4.5 seconds.  That seems about right; he looks like a 4.5 guy in his video:

The immediate reaction is to see Shelton as the next Edwin Baker, as they move in a similar way.  If you look at this next video of Baker (at the 1:15 mark), you can see that Baker was bigger and more powerful in high school.  He may also have been faster -- according to Scout he ran the 40 in 4.4 seconds. 

Shelton was only a junior in his video, so some physical improvement seems likely. Nonetheless, Shelton already shows some excellent talent and athleticism.  He's another guy who makes you realize that it's too early to panic about recruiting.  After all, how can anyone be upset about taking a running back with competing offers from Iowa and Wisconsin?

Shelton's commitment should wrap up the running back recruiting, between Shelton and Holmes the Spartans have secured a speed/power back combo.  The Spartans now have 5 young guys who could step in for Caper after 2012 or Bell should he leave early for the draft.  

Here's Your Shield, Jalyn Powell

The Spartans have picked up their 3rd commitment from Ohio safety,  Jalyn Powell.  Powell attends Warren G. Harding high school, home of former Spartan DB Chris L. Rucker. Once again, it looks like the Spartan coaches have jumped ahead of most of the recruiting services, so the information on Powell is limited, and in some cases conflicting.  Only 247 has a rating for him, and they consider him a 3-star guy.  Otherwise, Scout says that Powell received offers from Michigan, and West Virginia, and that Ohio State is showing interest in him.  All of the other sites, however, list MSU as his only offer.

Powell has great size for a safety (6'1" and 185 lbs.).  If you believe ESPN, which is the only site that has a 40 meter time for him, he seems to be a little slow (at 4.86 seconds).  But folks, you tell me if you believe this guy is slow:

In this video, Powell looks like the best athlete on the field.  There are several moments where he makes everyone else look like they're standing still.  On defense he shows some pretty good instincts and he brings the lumber when he tackles.  I have to say, this is some of the best highlight video I've ever seen.  That makes Powell one of the most exciting prospects I've ever reviewed.

Powell is being recruited as a safety, but to me he looks like a guy that could excel at many other positions, including wide receiver, linebacker, and running back. He fits the mold of a Dantonio safety and will be a great addition to the class of 2013 for the Green and White.