Warde Manuel aggressively lobbied to keep MSU as a protected rival

There has been a remarkable lack of consideration as to whether MSU lobbied for it to remain a protected rivalry.  I would be stunned if they did not, since the game is even more important to their bottom line than it is to Michigan's.

LOL at the idea that Warde used any "political capital" here.  It was a chance for him to lobby for something that was going to happen regardless, no convincing was actually necessary.  Disagree?  Point me to one set of in-state opponents that is NOT a protected rivalry.  They all are.  USC-UCLA, Illinois-Northwestern, Indiana-Purdue and yes, Michigan-Michigan State.

I'm fine with not playing msu every year.  I'm sure sparty would get tired of getting their asses kicked every year too.

Own goal? It's an in-state rivalry, they've played each other 115 times. Of course he should have lobbied for it to be a protected rivalry.

Good! I love beating MSU, and it's honestly embarrassing that we're 5 and 10 against them in our last 15 games, so hoping to rectify that. I look forward to beating them each year going forward much more than I'd look forward to an extra game against whatever other random middling big ten team we'd play instead. 

I put a downvote to this not because of anything to do with the poster. But because of the stupidity of Warde Manuel fighting to keep this game. You mean it could have went away, and he made it stay???

UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!

Unfortunately the MSU rivalry is built on real hate, not sports hate, at this point. It would be great if MSU stopped putting our players at risk, but that probably wouldn't happen even if we paused the rivalry. In that case I prefer the "beatings will continue until morale improves" approach.

I personally am okay with taking a break from that rivalry. May be an unpopular opinion and that's fine, but its the only game on the schedule I get no joy out of watching. Its like pulling teeth. I just want to get it over with, because nothing about it is enjoyable. I just hope to win, I hope for no off-field shenanigans, and that Michigan can just get on the bus and go home. 

This isn't an indictment of MSU fans, of which I'm sure there are plenty of decent ones. Sure, there are jerks in their base, but there are plenty of jerks in ours as well. I'm an out of stater so this rivalry doesn't have any special emphasis for me like it undoubtedly does for others, and it'll never come close to being in the same stratosphere as OSU. It just won't. But it just seems like there is so much animosity and pure, unadulterated hatred between both programs. Well beyond what you'd expect in a healthy rivalry. It seems like with OSU the programs flat out don't like each other, but there is a mutual respect and tipping of the cap. With MSU, I think both sides do legitimately hate one another. Like....personal hatred that goes well beyond what you'd expect to see on the field. 

I'm not a proponent of shuttering the rivalry forever, but as some here have alluded to, it feels like the rivalry needs to go through some kind of detox. 

Can't say I'm a fan of Warde's position.

Not surprised that it was designated as a protected series, but I was honestly kind of hoping that it would be canned for a little bit at least (since I would be shocked if the conference doesn't expand again in the next 2 years, with another round of schedule shuffling afterwards). Rivalries are supposed to be fun, and I think that many of us would agree that this series has not been fun for some time. There has been so much toxic hatred coming from EL regarding sports (coaches should never be instructing their players to try and intentionally end opposing players careers, or getting charged with assault for attacking opponents after the game), it would have been good if they could have been sent a message to remind them that sports is just a game and to tone it down many many notches  

I understand why Warde wants it.  It is a heated rivalry and it helps sell tickets.  I must admit in sports other than football I have a desire to see the match-up with Staee (especially FYS games at Yost).

The football game seems to bring a lot of trash to Ann Arbor and the need to take a shower to wash it off when it is over.

The Sparts are much more civil when sports is not involved.

"It's never over" - Mark D'anti-sportman-onio.  

Go Blue. 

Regardless of what one thinks of Warde, if he was insistent that MSU be a protective rivalry I would say that he was doing his job.

oh, FFS.  "own goal?"  as if you wouldn't be freaking the fuck out if you heard that he HADN'T lobbied to keep sparty on the schedule every year.  some of y'all need to get a freaking grip.

Michigan wanting to keep playing the in-state rival is the opposite of an "own goal" and I'm from the camp who thinks this rivalry has gotten pretty crazy recently and would be fine if MSU was off the schedule for a year or two.

Its bizarre to me that people think the University asking to keep IT'S SECOND LARGEST GAME OF THE YEAR against its instate rival is an own goal because some Spartan fans are rude on Twitter. Some of you need to go outside and touch grass.

From a football perspective, I couldn't care less if we ever play them again. If we win, we were supposed to, and if we lose, they have something to feel great about all year. They actively try to injure our players, and this is really not in dispute. Football-wise, I don't see why we would want this game, much less every year.

But from a revenue standpoint, it's huge. And it's clear that THAT is what Warde is focused on. That's his wheelhouse, and that's why he (apparently) took action.

I think it’s a subtle reminder that Michigan is different than Ohio State. Who is their in-state rival? That’s right, they don’t have one. Michigan didn’t want MSU in the conference, but now that they are, deal with it. 
I‘m also thinking of what the typical Sparty bruh (is that still an accurate description) would say if it came out that Warde didn’t want to protect the rivalry. It would only further fuel their culture of “disrespekt” that turns sporting events into actual violent confrontations.

Always helping our little bro out.

Not sure what the shooting has to do with it except that the guy was a malcontent that felt marginalized a la Sparty and their inferiority complex. In fact, if anything MSU‘s inferiority complex is what has led to violence on numerous occasions. This is a good reason to not protect this "rivalry". It’s not even that historic as a conference rivalry (since they only joined in 1949) compared to the battle for the Little Brown Jug and is largely a made up rivalry to make MSU feel important and not alone in the conference. 

I recognize that there’s an impact from the tunnel incident, but thinking that we shouldn’t keep MSU as a protected rivalry makes no sense to me.

As a native to Michigan with a lot of family that cheers for and went to MSU, that game means a big deal within the state specifically. Ticket prices support that it’s a big deal to fans. 
 

If there was actually a suggestion from the Big 10(ish) that the game shouldn’t be protected then Warde did the right thing. Find other reasons to bash him. 

Common sense statements are an own goal now? Reach 

Keep em on the schedule.

Take their money, kick their ass in the big house

make their fans spend an entire paycheck on tickets to see us play in "the woodshed" (lol) and kick their asses again

fuck em, win, profit.

When I attended UM in the late 90's, I stayed with a High School friend and went to the MSU game... we lost that one....  I was caught off guard by the hatred they had.... even after we lost, a bunch of ass faces wouldn't stop even though I was laughing it off and trying to enjoy a house party and be cool.... it only stopped when I finally was ready to throw down (trust me, I put up with it for a long time before I finally got red in the face)

it means MUCH more to them than us.... but I still look forward to watching that game.  I give them credit as the 2nd rival.... in order:

OSU, MSU, PSU (used to be ND for me), ND

I just wish they wouldn't play cheap by hitting after whistle, taking our linemen out at the knees...etc.... otherwise it's a great game and should be played

Nobody ever wants to publicly admit they don't want their trash heap dumpster fire cousins over for Labor Day Weekend.  But let's be honest, they didn't need to be invited.  You can have standards and be somewhat exclusive Warde.  That is OK in 2023.    

Now I want Warde fired even more. Fuck MSU, give us Minnesota instead.

Well if you want to truly kill their program for good, then take our game off their schedule....their raison d'etre would cease to exist, and they'd melt into oblivion.

Michigan/Ohio State resonates like few rivalries in sports.

Michigan/Notre Dame was almost equally significant to me, being as I became a Michigan fan in part due to my dislike of Notre Dame.

Maybe Michigan/USC could build something like that. Living where I do, Michigan/PSU kind of supplants the MSU rivalry in terms of "it's not personal, but this one means something in terms of bragging rights with friends."

I follow sports closely enough to understand Michigan/MSU significance, but to me it really is just another conference game Michigan has to win. Same as Illinois, Indiana et al.

I have my issues with Warde, but this is not one of them.

I would hate it if we didn't play MSU every season.