OT: Late night/west coast boredom thread
It's about 10pm in Denver right now and I'm just killing a little time before bed. So I'd like to ask a couple questions for the board, and also see what the mountain/west coast fans are up to:
1) What will the basketball team do? I can't lie, I think we are very dangerous with Livers back and are looking solid after yesterday's big win. I can see a Sweet 16 run this year, which would be enormous for Howard in year 1.
2) Who is going to coach MSU next year? Seems like Tressel is likely, but there are rumors of Fickell floating around. To me, Fickell is the slam dunk hire but he would be unwise to walk into that dumpster fire.
Anyway, what's going on with you guys?
February 10th, 2020 at 12:06 AM ^
Stayed up for the Oscars. Was pulling for 1917, but I hadn't seen Parasite yet. Watching that this week.
1. I see a win or two in the tourney. We're probably a team the first opponent doesn't want to face if we're healthy. After that, who knows. Make the tournament and everything else is gravy in year 1, IMO.
2. Looked like Fickell all along, but feels like it might be turning. Getting out of the weekend without Fickell in EL seems like MSU screwed up (well gorsh, I'll be damned, no way) and now he's torn. We will probably know if it's Fickell tomorrow or Tuesday. If it's not Fickell...who knows. Tressel becomes more likely with each other target that says no, I suppose.
February 10th, 2020 at 12:14 AM ^
Saw both 1917 and Parasite and both were Best Picture quality. Parasite was just so original, thoughtful, and difficult to categorize, whereas you've always had great war pictures because depictions of war are inherently dramatic.
February 10th, 2020 at 12:18 AM ^
I'm looking forward to it. I saw Snowpiercer back in the day, so I know the guy is a good film maker.
I thought 1917 was just flawless. The cinematography was incredible. The score was great. Acting was great. Just one of the best war movies I've ever seen.
This was probably the most noms I've ever seen in a season, and I thought the competition was crazy. Ford v. Ferrari was great. The Irishman was great. Joker was very good and Phoenix deserved best actor. Good movies this year.
February 10th, 2020 at 12:25 AM ^
1917 was so harrowing from start to finish. The illusion of the single tracking shot for the entire movie was so ambitious but they pulled it off. Haven't seen Ford vs. Ferrari yet but I will. Joaquin Phoenix as Joker is one of my favorite performances in years. Considering how many actors have played Joker, to still be able to have such a novel take on the character was amazing. Major credit to director Todd Phillips on that one, too.
February 10th, 2020 at 9:50 AM ^
1917 was an amazing movie and being filmed in one continuous shot was incredible. Great story also
February 10th, 2020 at 12:22 AM ^
How many wins from here on out do we need to make the dance, in your opinion?
February 10th, 2020 at 12:27 AM ^
I'd guess 5, 6 to feel very safe. 4-4 is probably bubble watch. 5-3 is probably in, but weird things happen. 6-2 is definitely in. That would be my guess, but I'm certainly over my skis talking basketball projections.
February 10th, 2020 at 12:40 AM ^
Funny you say that about being over your skis, since I was stuck waist deep in powder for the first time in my life yesterday ...
But seriously, I know you're a football-first guy and really appreciate all your insight.
February 10th, 2020 at 7:06 AM ^
Powder skiing in Colorado, huh---which resort(s)?
It's been many years since I've skied in Colorado, been to Breckenridge, Copper Mtn, Keystone, and A-Basin on two separate ski trips, the only skiing I've done outside of here in Michigan.
February 10th, 2020 at 10:31 AM ^
It took almost 4.5 hours to get to Copper on Saturday morning, leaving the house at 5:40am. But the snow was twice as deep as the deepest snow I've ever experienced myself so it was absolutely worth it!
February 10th, 2020 at 12:07 AM ^
I'm in Denver too --- sort of "West Coast" here. :-)
I'll only answer #2 --- I don't know too much about basketball. But it looks like a Monday 7:30 AM ET flight on a Delta Private Jet has popped up in recent hours. Very recently scheduled. CVG to Lansing.
I don't think it's the smartest move for him personally, but I think Fickell will be the next MSU coach. If he wanted to stay at Cincinnati, he would have taken his name out of the running before now. He's been dancing around for several days. I didn't think this late last week, but I now think he's going to be the guy.
February 10th, 2020 at 12:14 AM ^
This is Saban/Texas all over again. Fickell is going to use it to leverage more money from Cincinnati.
February 10th, 2020 at 12:18 AM ^
I don't know about that. Cincinnati isn't broke, but they aren't exactly Texas either. There is a limit to a football Head Coach's salary at UC.
February 10th, 2020 at 12:18 AM ^
*** double post edit
February 10th, 2020 at 12:25 AM ^
It's interesting that it's going to Lansing, then to Rochester, MN, then back to Lansing. It came to Northern Kentucky from Nashville, FWIW.
February 10th, 2020 at 12:38 AM ^
Yeah, it's possible the flight has nothing to do with MSU football. Delta Private Jets is HeadQuartered at CVG. It's very plausible that the plane was commissioned for someone who needs to do a Lansing-Rochester day trip. The plane is supposed to be in Rochester for 4 hours.
That doesn't quite explain why the plane is scheduled to be on the ground in Lansing for 1 hour 45 minutes, though.
I sort of enjoy it --- but I must say that FlightAware stalking and speculation is ridiculous!
Also - Minnesota hired UC's defensive line coach a few weeks ago, for whatever that might be worth. Probably nothing.
February 10th, 2020 at 1:08 AM ^
I love other teams’ coaching searches, they’re great entertainment lol
February 10th, 2020 at 5:59 AM ^
MSU hired a search firm to replace Dantonio. I guess the guy that runs the firm is known for sending decoy planes everywhere to throw fans and the press off of their scent. See the links below for more info.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/ct-college-football-headhunters-glenn-sugiyama-20191114-qgjgfffs4fbk7cfvpkwslii5pi-story.html
https://247sports.com/college/michigan-state/board/93/Contents/sugiyama-hired-for-dantonio-replacement-143358510/
February 10th, 2020 at 8:45 AM ^
Wasting tax payer dollars on fuel and flight crews for meaningless “dummy” flights sounds responsible to me.
February 10th, 2020 at 12:11 AM ^
There was a thread earlier that said Fickell is a done deal. I wonder what happened to it.
I think you're right. Fickell would be an idiot to take that job at this time. Two bad recruiting classes in a row ensure that it will take several years for them to recover. The first coach to follow Dantonio won't make it three years. Winning 10 games a year at Cincinnati is his best path to a better job.
Dantonio screwed MSU and pretty much ensured that Tressel will be the interim coach when he waited until the day before February signing to resign.
February 10th, 2020 at 12:16 AM ^
I think it got nuked because it was BS. Right now it's just speculation.
February 10th, 2020 at 12:14 AM ^
Sitting in a bar at LAX drinking a hazy IPA, playing online poker, waiting for my red eye to Costa Rica. I won't get any sleep on the plane so I will have to just power through my day tomorrow like a zombie. Plan to hit a handful of waterfalls on my way to La Fortuna. Renting a little SUV so really crossing my fingers that I don't have any issues with that. Looking forward to the adventure.
February 10th, 2020 at 12:26 AM ^
Hope you enjoy your adventure, but sorry you have to depart from LA
Signed,
Miserable 3 year SoCal Resident ?
February 10th, 2020 at 12:36 AM ^
haha, I have been here for 15 years, real love hate for me. Where do you live? I've been in manhattan/hermosa the entire time and don't really consider it "LA". I could be here for 50 years and never root for an LA team over Michigan/Detroit. LAX isn't too bad really. They have cold beer and it's only 15 minutes from the south bay.
February 10th, 2020 at 10:34 AM ^
Spent some time in Claremont and then some in Costa Mesa after that. By comparison I really enjoyed Claremont but was glad to get out of CA altogether last year.
February 10th, 2020 at 12:55 AM ^
Costa Rico was on of my favorite trips. Enjoy.
la fortuna in guanacosta region? Part of our trip we stayed in Santa Teresa. Blanking on the place
February 10th, 2020 at 12:59 AM ^
I don't know the regions very well. Just know that the La Fortuna I'm going to has an active volcano, zip lining, hot springs, etc. Then yes out to Santa Teresa, Nosara, then probably Tamarindo.
February 10th, 2020 at 8:26 AM ^
Friendly advice:
I'd avoid Isla Nublar all together.
February 10th, 2020 at 12:28 AM ^
Unfortunately I think Fickell to MSU will happen. However there was post by a guy on a Cincinnati message board who thought it was still 50/50. He actually said that all the MSU people on the Twitter who said this was a slam dunk and it was already a done deal could actually swing things back to Cincinnati. He seems to think a decision will happen tomorrow morning one way or the other.
February 10th, 2020 at 6:13 AM ^
Yeah, I think it's been Fickell for several days now. When a few of the coaches started saying no to MSU, I figured someone said yes (and I figured it to be Fickell). MSU said that they would have a coach in place by early this week, which makes me think they already had an unofficial deal made with Fickell. Sunday night's "interview" was probably the inking of the contract. Unless something crazy happened last night, I expect Fickell to be their next coach and it will be announced either today or Tuesday/Wednesday. I think today. We'll see.
February 10th, 2020 at 8:48 AM ^
Or it could mean that they took a crack at Fickell and gave him 48 hours to decide at which time if its a no they go with interim Tressel.
February 10th, 2020 at 12:50 AM ^
I watched the Oscars. What’s the deal with Renee Zellweger? Trying to improvise a profoundly moving speech is a fool’s errand.
February 10th, 2020 at 7:44 AM ^
to quote a great man, “who the fuck is renee zellwedger?”
February 10th, 2020 at 1:58 AM ^
Checking in from L.A.
1. I agree. This team screams of the 2017 that made it to the Sweet 16 after sweeping the B1G tourney in D.C. they’re particularly dangerous if Livers can keep healthy and literally anyone can hit a shot - doesn’t even have to be the same dude, and doesn’t even have to be every game.
2. While I’d love for it to be Tressel, I think there’s too much smoke to deny it being Fickell. If that is the case then it is a great hire. This doesn’t affect Michigan too much, but it does make recruiting Ohio that much more important for Harbaugh. Not only does he have to make up for losing Mattison/Washington, he’ll have another OH guy to deal with in EL, just as the last one was tapering off.
I’m more Bearish than Sparties on Fickell obviously, not because I think he’s a bad coach, but rather because he’s not going to be as successful recruiting Ohio at MSU when he’ll have UM and OSU to fight for the 4 stars necessary to compete (there’s no way OSU lets him keep bring his OH pipeline to MSU). He also doesn’t come across as the tactical genius that Dantonio was, and his offense at Cinci is very much a vanilla spread. Not to mention that roster is still that roster (woof).
The key question is how patient will Sparty fans be with their new coach, now that a bulk of them (especially those under 35) have experienced only success and wins over Michigan the better part of the last 13 years, and are still in denial about their recent regression to mean.
Edit: Fickell turned Sparty down. Hahahahahahaha
February 10th, 2020 at 2:10 AM ^
Still amazes me nobody gives credit for Harbaugh being the coach that buried MSU. Mostly their fault or not we were in dire straits when he got here. 1 down, Notre dame is gone for a long while, 1 to go. Like I said earlier if Clemson was in the SEC west the last decade they wouldve struggled too.
February 10th, 2020 at 2:18 AM ^
He definitely deserves a lot of credit. He’s had a consistent program that kept the pressure on MSU. Dantonio had down seasons before, but Rodriguez and Hoke couldn’t do anything with them and stumbled to 5-7 win seasons as well
February 10th, 2020 at 2:27 AM ^
Hey WichitanWolverine... checking from Broomfield.
1. I think the MBB team makes the tourney and wins their first game. My gut is telling me they don't make it out of the weekend though. If they do make it to the sweet 16 I'd be ecstatic. The future looks very bright for MBB.
2. I'm floored about the FIickell stuff. I just don't see how Staee is an promotion for him.
February 10th, 2020 at 6:29 AM ^
Money is the great equalizer. The job is a gamble for sure because it will take the luster off of his coaching abilities if he stumbles and crumbles. But...what if he just absolutely owns it in East Lansing? Then he's position for coaching the big boy programs with an even bigger pay day. If he doesn't do too well, then the money that MSU will give him will soften that blow. Plus, he can go back to coaching a smaller program or being a coaching assistant again (see Hoke who seems to have made a good living after Michigan). I think Fickell is confident in his abilities and sees the window of opportunity for bigger things. I don't think it's his best move either, but money can always convince people to do things that isn't in their best interest lol.
February 10th, 2020 at 7:23 AM ^
It's funny because Dantini used to make fun of Fickell, calling him the Waterboy (Adam Sandler) or some such because of the physical similarity
February 10th, 2020 at 7:32 AM ^
I was not expecting an Eminem performance at the Oscars last night.
I'm guessing most of those in attendance were not either.
February 10th, 2020 at 9:06 AM ^
That was almost as strange as his appearance in the booth with Herbie and Musberger. A) that song is really old, B) it looked like the sound was messed up, there were lots of weird looks from the audience, and C) towards the end half of the lyrics were getting bleeped.