How has Mel Tucker been named B1G Coach of the year?
November 30th, 2021 at 2:41 PM ^
This reminds me of a Cheers episode where Sam and Henri had a contest to see who could get the most phone numbers by the end of the night. Henri did. "I win, I win, France wins," he crowed. Then Sam walked out of the bar with his arms around 3 delectable babes. (I looked for a video to link but couldn't find one that had Sam's exit)
I doubt that Harbaugh cares for meaningless popularity trophies such as this. He'd rather be one of 2 B1G coaches preparing for a game this weekend.
November 30th, 2021 at 2:43 PM ^
They should name Coach of year after season is over, so the whole body of work can be considered.
Same for Heisman.
November 30th, 2021 at 2:46 PM ^
Coach of the Year awards - no matter the sport or the level - are almost always awarded to the guy who did most surprisingly well. That favors relatively new coaches and coaches of teams that most exceeded their expectations, and Tucker checks both boxes. Harbaugh has had enough hype in the past, and has won enough in the past, that he isn't the type of coach that is usually considered for this award.
Two Coach of the Year award stories that are good examples of this: First, in 2018, Dwane Casey won NBA COTY with the Raptors... and was fired a week after the season ended. Second, Bill Belichick is unanimously considered the best NFL coach of the past two decades, and has won only three COTY awards in that time. (Bo and Woody also each won "only" three B1G COTY awards despite dominating the conference for decades.)
What I'm saying is that COTY is an award like the Heisman - it doesn't go to the best, it goes to the guy who happens to do well in exactly the right situation.
November 30th, 2021 at 2:49 PM ^
I think this is more of a racial thing, optics and all that. Sorry but in no way, shape or form should Mel get it over Jim. Mel lost 2 games by a combined 60 points and finished 3rd in the East. Whatever
November 30th, 2021 at 5:00 PM ^
Kindly fuck off. You may not agree that he deserves it over Harbaugh, but race had nothing to do with this. The fact that this even entered your brain is very telling. Seek help immediately and back away from the keyboard for a while.
November 30th, 2021 at 5:15 PM ^
Lol ok buddy.
November 30th, 2021 at 2:57 PM ^
Well he did beat* the B1G East Champion …
November 30th, 2021 at 3:04 PM ^
Jim was definitely a contender, and if he won it, few would argue it, but the same thing can be said for Mel. It is well deserved.
November 30th, 2021 at 3:06 PM ^
The O/U on Michigan State wins this year was 4.5. Mel took them to 10-2, including (unfortunately) a win over the best team in the Big Ten.
Harbaugh could've gotten it and I don't think it would've been controversial, but he's in year 7 and Mel's only in year 2. Mel inherited a depleted roster and MSU teams that were hovering around .500 and got them back to a 10 win season, their first since 2017.
November 30th, 2021 at 3:13 PM ^
Tucker's best attribute is recruiting off the portal.
Harbaugh deserved this one.
No question.
How does one lose a game by 50 pts and win coach of the year?
November 30th, 2021 at 3:19 PM ^
I'd rather be playing for a B1G championship that win COTY, and I'm pretty sure Harbaugh would too.
November 30th, 2021 at 4:24 PM ^
I would rather be in the position we’re in than care who won a meaningless award.
Beat Iowa and bring home the only trophy in the BIG that actually matters!
GO BLUE!!
November 30th, 2021 at 4:25 PM ^
Really? You can't see how? State was supposed to suck.
November 30th, 2021 at 4:35 PM ^
Is it THAT excruciatingly difficult for you to acknowledge a good season for MSU? We were supposed to finish dead last. He inherited a radioactive hole of a program. The ref thing is now getting embarrassing for you guys, you had a 16 point lead late in the game and blew it WAY after that call. Time to accept that you got beat.
Tucker won ten games with a pretty underwhelming roster filled with gaping holes all over. It's a noteworthy accomplishment. IT IS OK, YOU'LL BE OK. You won the Division, you'll likely win the conference and go 'yoffing. You had a great year. Shouldn't you be feeling more magnanimous at this point in time?
In conclusion, don't be a bitch. You're making the rest of your brethren look bad.
November 30th, 2021 at 6:51 PM ^
IT IS OK, YOU'LL BE OK.
So will you.
November 30th, 2021 at 7:08 PM ^
You're not wrong, I spend my energy so stupidly.
November 30th, 2021 at 5:15 PM ^
Don't you think this was um . . .political?
November 30th, 2021 at 6:18 PM ^
Disgraceful implication, but I guess thanks for flagging yourself as an alt-right piece of shit. He took a team unanimously picked to finish dead last to 10-2. It's exceedingly easy to understand why this earned him the nod, but you went there. What an embarrassment.
November 30th, 2021 at 7:23 PM ^
Thanks for the kind words. He lost two games, one to unranked Purdue and got creamed by OSU that we beat handily. We were picked to finish fourth in the league, Lost to them my 4 points, so what is your logic?
November 30th, 2021 at 6:28 PM ^
I got no problem with that. Sparty was consensus pick for last in the B1G East, and vastly exceeded expectations. We exceeded expectations, but at this point in time, not quite so extensively. Jim has a solid shot at national coach of the year, assuming what happens in the next two or three games, and then Mel's award will be an anomaly largely linked to timing.
November 30th, 2021 at 7:07 PM ^
Agree with all of this except that only time will tell whether Mel's award will be an anomaly or not. If you were being honest, you'd admit we just don't know yet. He seems to be a decent coach, at worst.
Awesome season for you guys though, congrats. It was a great feeling every time we broke through in the Dantonio years — going through OSU is especially satisfying and glorious, and you didn't just get by them this weekend. You put it to them! I'm honestly happy for all my M friends and family (not so much you guys on this board tho :D).
November 30th, 2021 at 7:22 PM ^
DISRESPEK!
November 30th, 2021 at 9:03 PM ^
It’s actually a very impressive job by Mel to take a MAC roster, turn over much of it with transfers, field the 130th (worst) pass defense in the NCAA, and somehow scratch out 10-2.
They won a handful of games by repeatedly executing on plays with long odds - but they did it.
Tip the cap and move on.