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It's the walk that will never end.
Or, as Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh heard on Monday, "a march orchestrated by the stormtrooper".
Harbaugh chose to return to the nasty pre-game incident at Spartan Stadium. A few hours later, Michigan State responded with a statement.
To sum up: About two hours before the kickoff Saturday, Michigan State players followed their tradition of walking hand in hand. Some Michigan players were warming up in the field. Harbaugh said one player had been "clothed in linen" and another had had his headphones ripped off. He called it "Total Bush League".
Harbaugh also claimed that Spartans coach Mark Dantonio was standing nearby, smiling. Dantonio called this accusation "B.S."
"It's the opposite of B.S.," said Harbaugh Monday. "The coach said it was B.S. – that's not it. It is a fact. This is something that both sports directors should talk about.
"When you host a team, each team shares the field. Everyone has a sideline, each one has half the ground to warm up. Michigan State locked its arms and used every inch of the ground in its walk to try to cross or fly over our guys physically. To call it unsportsmanlike or to call this bush league is a euphemism. This could be an unfortunate incident. … I'm proud of our guys who have kept their cool and are waiting for the game to be settled. "
But that does not take into account what linebacker Devin Bush Jr. did. He used his crampons to extract dirt on the Spartan logo in the middle of the field, which prompted Michigan State staff to use white spray paint.
"I do not blame Devin," said Harbaugh. "I like the way our guys have managed it."
Michigan State reacted in these terms: "With regard to the pre-match chronology of last Saturday, both teams received pre-match time sheets and communicated earlier in the week about the pre-game Michigan tradition of running the course on their arrival at Spartan Stadium. There has never been a problem on the pitch with this tradition over the past 12 years under head coach Mark Dantonio. The schedule of Saturday's pre-match tradition has not changed compared to previous games, nor is the communication between the two schools. The MSU had to leave the Kellogg Center to get to the stadium at 9:45 and 9:47. The team was due to arrive at Spartan Stadium around 10am and walk around the field at around 10:02.
"As a courtesy, Michigan was allowed access to the field prior to the arrival of MSU, with the understanding that both student-athletes would leave the field during this tradition. Michigan was on the ground before 10 am, as previously agreed, but when several MSU staff members asked U of M student students and staff members to leave the field for the ride on the field of pre-match, this did not happen.
Harbaugh challenged this delay by saying, "We knew that they had made a traditional walk and we contacted them. They send us a book, the pre-match, the most detailed and the best I've ever seen. At all in writing. But this part was not. So we called them and said, "What time do you go for a walk? We do not want to exclude our players before you do your traditional walk. "
"They gave us a time:" It will be at 9:45. He said, "OK, it's great. "A day later." This walk took place another 10 minutes later, at no time was there a tête-à-tête or "Hey, could you leave the field?" "
"Their strength coaches were in charge, their assistant coaches were there. The coach Dantonio was right behind. This had all the assignments and evidence of an orchestrated stormtrooper march. But I think that's what Warde (Manuel), Michigan's sports director, is going to address. "
Twitter @TeddyGreenstein
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