Before there was “Pitting” or “The Pitting” if you want to be formal about it, there was “Sparty, No!” The, um, battle cry for Michigan State football across the country.
…starting a seven-year period of frustration and the “Sparty, No!” meme. Under Bobby Williams and John L. Smith, the Spartans put a lot of individual talent on the field, dropped hints of excellent play, and went 38-45. From 2002-06, they went 4-14 in games decided by one possession. Nobody snatched disappointment from the jaws of hope as frequently as early-aughts Sparty.
Familiar themes.