The Most Frustrating Players of the Tom Izzo Era

Tom Izzo isn’t the best recruiter on the college basketball scene, but he always seems to get players that fit the Spartan program and Izzo’s hard nose style of play.  He might not be John Calipari (this is a good thing) but the bottom line is that Izzo gets very good high school players to come to East Lansing.  That being said, with great expectations, sometimes great failures can emerge.  

As I watched Michigan State get beat by Ohio State (the number three team in the land at the time) I couldn’t help but notice the absence of Senior guard Durrell Summers from the stat sheet.  Summers only attempted one shot the entire game.  It was one of the most dumbfounding and frustrating things to witness on so many levels.  My arm was half-way through the T.V. set before I remembered it wasn't mine.

Several beers later, I got to thinking about Spartan players who had frustrated me in the past.  Guys who were highly touted recruits out of high school, who for whatever reason never seemed to live up to expectations.  


Here is what I came up with, a list of my top-five most frustrating players of the Tom Izzo era.

5.  Raymar Morgan.  Like everyone else on this list, it wasn't that Morgan wasn’t a good player.  It’s not like he didn't have skills and help us win games, he did. But remember this is the list of the most frustrating players of the Izzo era.  Maybe it was because Raymar had such a solid freshman year, but he never quite lived up to expectations after that.  Injuries and illnesses stunted his development.  His defense was All-Big Ten, but he seemed to disappear during stretches of the season on the offensive end and when he did come up with an outpouring of points it only seemed to show Spartan fans what could have been.  His offensive inconsistency was maddeningly frustrating.

4.   Kelvin Torbert.  Coming out of high school Torbert was named national player of the year by both Gatorade and the Sporting News.  Needless to say we were mildly frustrated when he only averaged double-digit points in one of his seasons on campus.  Still, Torbert transformed himself into a defensive stopper and helped lead MSU to a surprising Final Four run in 2005.  Torbert was frustrating because he didn’t live up to expectations, but he was still a very solid Big-10 player and earned the respect of Spartan fans everywhere.

3.  Marquise Gray.  The thing about Marquise Gray was that he was never all that good, but we were fooled into thinking he was good.  Gray was the man-among-boys in high school who simply dominated lesser opponents.  He earned a 5-star ranking by the recruiting gurus and so when he arrived in East Lansing we expected to see a 5-star performances from him.  When I used to sit two rows behind the Spartan bench I never saw Izzo more frustrated with a player than he was with Gray.  Izzo was just as frustrated as we all were, you could see it.  Even when Gray played well, he would manage to screw it up by doing crap like giving the finger-across-the-throat-gesture after a dunk and Izzo would pull his ass and scream at him.  ‘Quise was so frustrating because he was such a freak athlete, we knew if he could learn a post move or two he would be nearly unstoppable but that never happened.

2.  Chris Allen.  He might have been the most hyped prospect of the ’06 recruiting class simply because he had hot YouTube clips and was from Georgia (basically a foreign country to many Michiganders), but for three years Allen suffered the wrath of Spartan fans for his sloppy play and missed 3 pointers (Coming in we were told by Izzo himself that Allen had “unlimited range” and could “shoot it like Shawn Respert” riiiiiight)  Still, in his final season with the team, Allen played solid perimeter defense and even started driving it to the rack when his shot wasn’t falling (something his pal Summers wouldn’t know anything about) and so Spartan fans finally started coming around to him.  Just when we were warming up to him, he got kicked off the team and had the same Spartans who had boo’d him wishing this year “Man, if only we had Chris Allen” Geesh, talk about frustrating.

1 Durrell Summers.  As voted on by the handful of people who visited WilburWired over the past few weeks Durrell Summers is the most frustrating Spartan of the Tom Izzo era.  Even at his best, Summers is a streaky shooter who can turn from hot to cold (and vice-versa) in a matter of minutes, but he is the most frustrating Spartan of the Tom Izzo era because his worst cold streak came just when the Spartans needed him most.  After THIS DUNK in his sophomore year, most people thought at the very least, he was the next Mo-Pete or Charlie Bell.  Never happened.  Four hit-or-miss years later most fans are happy to see him gone.  Forget the constant rumors surrounding his personal life (I heard his favorite movie was "How High"), the fact is Summers was a guy who, while in the midst of the worst shooting streak of his career, couldn’t even beat anyone off the dribble and get to the free-throw line.   Still, he has a few more games (maybe) to turn it around and make Spartan fans forgive his abysmal play the past few months, but no one will forgot how freaking frustrating he was to watch for four years.

Honorable Mention: Tom Herzog, Thomas Kelley, Marcus Taylor

Of course, since I am a huge Michigan State homer, I don’t like to leave this blog post on such a negative vibe.  So I had to have a list of the Spartan players who exceeded expectations during their time in East Lansing

5. Travis Walton.  Walton embodied the true Izzo Spartan creed.  Toughness, defense and leadership.  He was the Spartan every other teams fans hated, and we loved.

4. Matt Trannon.  Trannon was a highly recruited football and basketball player out of high school.  He chose football as his primary sport, but helped the Spartan hoop team out every now and again.  Fans loved him for his toughness (dude played sporting a broken nose and a Hannibal Lector mask that made it nearly impossible to breathe, did he complain? nope) 

3. Drew Nietzel.  Yes he was Michigan's Mr. Basketball in 2004. Yes, he put up prolific numbers in high school.  But, really? not many fans thought he would do what he did during his tenure in East Lansing.  His Junior year he put the team on his back and willed the Spartans to a unlikely tournament run.  He proved his worth in East Lansing and proved short white dudes could still get buckets.

2. Mike Kebler.  Admittedly I have a soft spot for Kebler since we both went to Okemos High School, and for a while there it looked like Kebler would simply fill the token white guy walk-on role guys like Steve Cherry and Mat Ishbia had perfected before him.  But Kebler wouldn't let that happen.  Thrust into action due to injuries last season he proved he could guard anyone in the Big-10.  This year, he even found a semblance of a shooting touch and proved he most definitely wasn't cool with being the token white walk-on. 

1. Tim Bograkos.  Bograkos was another walk-on who spurned the the labels and made meaningful contributions to the Spartan hoops program.  It's no surprise MSU has a walk-on award named after Mr. Bograkos who didn't have the offensive skills Kebler does, but made up for it by busting his ass on defense and being one of the peskiest on-ball defenders Michigan State had ever seen.  Respect.

Honorable Mention: Goran Suton, A.J. Granger, Andre Hutson

Los Amigos Invisibles at the Black Cat

It’s really no wonder Los Amigos Invisibles are among the biggest band in Venezuela, they mix poppy dance beats, funky latino drums and solid, fun guitar riffs.  The front-man is almost irrelevant though in a band like this, he was more of a hype-man, encouraging the fans to hop around.  You felt more like people were there for the dancing and grooving and the lyrics were inconsequential at times, especially since he was singing in Spanish.   

But that didn’t matter.  The Black Cat is a great music venue and I had wormed my way up nearly to the front of the stage.  Los Amigos sounded like hooky -pop freebasing Latino rhythm with dashing DJ beats.  This combo lead to many bouncy efforts and even “Rock Fist-bumping” (note: this is when you have your hands in the “metal” pose with your pinky/1^st finger/thumb extended and then fist pump the hell out of the beat.)  My initial reaction was they were a mix between DeadMau5 and Maroon 5 but much more raw than either.

I was also semi-impressed by the opening band RubbleBucket whose stage was as crowded as it could stand to be with instruments of all assortments.  Through all the saxophone, trombone, trumpets the thing that stood out to me the most was their drum and bass guys.  They drove the show and without it those laying down precision rhythm, the improv moments would have ceased to exist.  RubbleBucket earned negative points for a trombonist who was white and had dreadlocks.

My guess is that Los Amigos Invisibles sound better live than it ever could on CD/disk/mp3/whatever.  They were fun but they weren’t anything too special.  I highly recommend a live show.  Bring a date, especially if she is one of the many Latino women in D.C.  Either way, if you love dancing your ass off, go see Los Amigos Invisibles.

Top 10 Hip Hop Artists of the Millenium

If you’ve ever read my blog before (and chances are, you haven’t) you know that when I decide to write about music, I typically write about rock ‘n roll, a genre I know inside and out. I decided I needed some diversity in my music writing so I took on the task of coming up with the Top-10 Hip-Hop artists of the last decade.

It didn’t take long for me to realize that I was in way over my head, so I enlisted the help of two of the biggest Hip-Hop heads I know, Jeff and Ian, to make their own lists so I could have some balance on my blog.

I instructed Jeff and Ian to come up with their lists, without guidelines from me. I told them to just make a list they felt comfortable with. I wanted to see how my list would stack up against theirs. The results are somewhat surprising. We each picked a different artist for the number #1 spot, but the top-4 of our lists all featured the same artists, just in different orders.

Without further delay, Wilbur Wired (with the help of some friends) brings you the top-10 Hip Hop artists of the new Millennium!

Jeff Balthazar is a student at Central Michigan University, co-founder of Ten over Ten Clothing and a certified Hip-Hop head. Here is his list:

#10. Ludacris- Luda first hopped onto the scene with his Back for the First Time album. This album was not only fun to listen to it was filled with hard hitting beats and summer anthems. While Luda may not be on everybody’s top ten list there is something to be said about multiple platinum albums, and a decade in the game. Ludacris has created and defined himself as a brand and has become something like a house hold name without having to fabricate a life of crime and dope dealing. Respect.

#9. 50 Cent- Say what you want but Fifty came, he saw, and he conquered. Had it not been for Fifty I’m fairly certain that Ja-Rule would be on this list. The man is a marketing genius and doesn’t even make money off of Hip Hop anymore; he just does it for the sport. Say what you will but you can’t deny that you had a favorite track off of Get Rich or Die Trying. Respect.

#8. Lupe Fiasco- It honestly pains me to put Lupe so low on this list, alas the top of the Millennium was a great time for hip hop. Lupe is a lyricist and a poet. He can make you cry, laugh, and get amped up all in the same song. The man got Jay-Z to spit a few bars on a mix-tape track. He is an incredible voice for those who don’t have their own pulpit to speak. He has made a huge impact on my personal life but I cannot say he has done the same for the Hip-Hop game as of yet but only time will tell. He is somebody that the game needs. Respect.

#7. DMX- And then there was X. Raw, Gritty, painful, and bleak; DMX had his own portion of the decade as far as Hip Hop is concerned, from Ruff Ryders anthem to Party Up In Here, to a prayer on every album the man was the original street poet. If you didn’t live the life you could see it through his verbal portraits, if you never felt the devil breathing down your own neck, you saw him breathing down his. He had the ability to put you where he was and relate to his pain, had he been more successful in fighting his demons I’m confident that he would be on the top of everybody’s list. There is something to be said about anyone who could go toe-to-toe with Jay-Z in his prime. DMX did it. Respect.

#6. T.I.- TIP the south’s version of Jay-Z and self proclaimed King of the South. There is no question that he belongs on this list, say what you want, feel how you feel but the man has bars no question. Trap Muzik is a classic and is still relevant. There are few artists that came out as hard as T.I. did, and there really isn’t much of a comparison when it comes to a hungry TIP. T.I. has made his mark time and time again with banger after banger despite anything that happens to him in the future his legacy is cemented. Respect.

#5. Young Jeezy- On any given day five and six could be flip-flopped; today Jeezy reigns supreme. There is no question The CTE general slaughtered the competition with his ad-libs and his classic Gangsta Grills and Trap or Die mix-tapes. The self-proclaimed street poet has had longevity and massive amounts of success motivating the thugs. Without a doubt Young Jeezy has made his mark on the game with his street anthems. So much in fact there is no question; the game needs Jeezy. Respect.

#4. Kanye West- This is the area where feelings start to get hurt. Kanye West is the man musically and if we were discussing who is the best artist in all music genres Kanye is at the top of my list every time. The thing is in Hip-Hop you gotta wait your turn. College Dropout, Late Registration, Graduation. Classics all in a row. The man is very talented but while he is clever I cannot say that he is the greatest writer, he makes me laugh and is creative both on and behind the mic, but some of the things he says he only can get away with because he is Kanye. In my opinion a dope line is a dope line no matter who is saying it. He isn’t a great freestyler but his music makes me happy. His influence on pop culture cannot be denied, and I am certain that time will prove him to be a legend in the game. Respect.

#3. Lil Wayne- I have been a fan of Cash Money since Juvenile was the front runner. Lil Wayne found mainstream success after the Carter 2 but I was a fan when he dropped Lights Out. I was the young kid in my family so, I used to love watching this young kid on the T.V. spittin these ambiguous rhymes; Bling-Bling. It makes me sad that I can’t put him higher on the list, but the facts are that as a result of over saturation I think his stock is depleting. I don’t see him running out of money any time soon and I will be the first to admit that I thought he would have ran out of bars a while back. His hustle is un-matched and his work ethic is astounding, future Hip-Hop hall of famer. Respect.

#2. Eminem- The highest selling Hip-Hop artist ever, nuff said. Respect.

#1. Jay-Z- I thought this was going to be a tough decision figuring out the top three but it was a lot easier than I had anticipated. While creating the reasons behind the list I realized a consistent pattern. Verbally or nonverbally I was comparing each artist on the list to Jay-Z. He is the standard in the new Millennium. The future G.O.A.T in the game if he isn’t already. Nobody has been more consistent or hot for as long as him in the history of the game he is the self-proclaimed god of the game for good reason. Respect.

Ian Stonebrook is a Michigan State University graduate and now blogs for NiceKicks.com here is his list:

#10. Nas: Remained relevant and versatile while maturing.

#9. Ludacris: Crazy range, killed beats by just about all producers, earned respect of peers, huge mainstream success.

#8. Ghostface: Critical success on nearly every album, deep catalog and very consistent.

#7. Young Jeezy: 3-3 on albums, simple style created counter-culture and embrace from top listeners, sought after by peers.

#6. Andre 3000: Most feared lyricist, opened genre by showing you could be smart on ignorant beats.

#5. TI: Brought the streets to radio, owned the radio, and kept the streets.

#4. Lil Wayne: Best rapper alive, amount of content made him King but also easy to critique.

#3. Eminem: Huge sales, amazing technical rapper that still pulls emotion.

#2. Jay-Z: Consistency and longevity due to great skill, real stories, smart, provocative lyrics, and being trend savvy.

1. Kanye: 4-4 on albums, pushed the genre to new places artistically, influenced majority of Jay's best work and many others on the list, brought hip hop to stadiums and festivals, knocked down barriers.

Honorable Mention (in no order): Lupe Fiasco: 2-2 on albums, Bun B: the most well known and well liked man within hip hop; the ambassador, Big Boi: Made Outkast great and proved his talent on solo project, Scarface: Numerous quality solo efforts over the past decade and very respected by peers, Common: Reignited career in 2000s and took hip hops role of good guy and thinker, 50 Cent: G-Unit movement was probably bigger than any other posse movement in the genre, transitioned from artist first to biz first at the perfect time, Soulja Boy: Made hip hop viral, Drake: No one has ever been as hot, respected for their content, and eclectic at once.

And here is my list:

#10. Lupe Fiasco: Call him high-brow Hip-Hop or whatever, Lupe can spit regardless. He took on Kanye’s mantle of backpack rapping and took it to the next level. Always creative, always thought provoking, Lupe stole this number #10 spot from Hip-Hop heavyweights like Nas and Game because of his ability to connect with such a wide array of audiences, all while staying true to himself.

#9. Ludacris: It seemed like every time I went to a party in high school, Ludacris was always playing. That’s because Luda has the gift for coming up ways to relate to all different types of people, which explains why he sold so many records this Millennium.

#8. Young Jeezy: At first I thought Jeezy was a joke, because of his background sounds and long drawn out syllables (ayeeeeeee) but then I listened to what he was saying, and it was powerful stuff with catchy hooks without losing the raw power of this hustler’s street mentality.

#7. T.I.: Southern swag never sounded as polished as it did when T.I. was spitting on a track. His voice and style are truly unique. Nobody brought the Southern sound to the mainstream like TIP did this Millennium.

#6. Andre 3000: Definitely one of the most inventive rappers of his era, 3-Stacks always has something to say, and finds interesting ways to say it. While he is famous now for his fashion sense and his acting roles, it can be easy to forget Andre 3000 kills it every time he steps up to the mic.

#5. 50-Cent: For my money’s worth Get Rich or Die Tryin was the hip-hop album of my high school experience. It is basically banger after banger, and for me, hearing gunshots as the beat to a song? Damn that blew my mind. People say Fif has fallen off, but really where can you go after you sell 11 million copies of your debut album? Regardless, 50 is still dropping hot tracks and staying relevant through his irreverent Twitter feed and his G-Unit brand.

#4. Kanye West: Kanye had been on the Hip-Hop scene for a minute as one of the best young producers in the game, but when he decided to start rapping he changed the Hip-Hop landscape profoundly. He helped usher in a new era of “backpack rappers” who didn’t have to rap about slanging dope and totting guns to be popular. He also helped usher in a new era of Hip-Hop fashion that turned away from the baggy jeans and sports jerseys. His albums tend to be introspective but with scathing criticisms of the world he lives in. Hate him or love him, nobody does it quite like Kanye.

#3. Jay-Z: Ok I’ll admit it; I’ve never been the biggest Jay-Z fan. In fact I used to hate on him quite a bit because I thought he was overrated. Boy was I wrong. “99 Problems” really grabbed me by the collar and got in my face to what Jay was all about. All of the Blueprint albums are classic’s in my opinion. Jay-Z is probably the most talented story teller in the game, and he did something neither Biggie or 2pac pulled off, writing successful records about being on top rather than coming up the chain. Jay-Z has maintained his “street cred” despite being the wealthiest player in the Hip-Hop game, which is no easy feat. The only reason he is behind Wayne and Em at this point is because he came out with some of his best records before 2000. If we are talking about the greatest Hip-Hop artists of all time then Jay-Z is ahead of both Wayne and Em. But we’re not, so I gotta put Hova at #3.

#2. Lil Wayne: Complex Magazine has a list called “The 100 Greatest Lil Wayne Songs” think about that for a minute. Not just “100 Lil Wayne Songs” but “The 100 GREATEST Lil Wayne songs” it’s no surprise, Wayne has been a worker since he was nine years old and has only stopped for a stint behind bars. Countless mix-tapes and classic albums like Tha Carter 3 showcased his pension for ridiculous wordplay and contagious hooks. It’s hard to overlook “Rebirth” his detour into the rap/rock arena. still, when it comes to Weezy the good vastly outweighs the bad.

#1. Eminem: I can remember the first time I heard Eminem, it was on my eighth grade trip to Ceder Point. Needless to say for a white kid from suburbia, I had never heard anything like it and it was really my first foray into the Hip-Hop world. Em would destroy anyone else on this list in a freestyle battle, but the thing that impresses me most about Eminem is that his best two albums came out at the very start of the decade and the very end. Em not only moved massive amounts of units, but he connected Hip-Hop with a whole new genre of fans.

Just Missed: Nelly (Moved units, but lacked substance) Fabolous (One of the most underrated hip-hop stars of the new Millennium, Fabo was consistent as hell.) Big Boi (Out of Andre 3000’s shadow, Big Boi proved he was just as important to Hip-Hop as his partner in crime) Rick Ross (Great records), Drake (Delivered (mostly) on the hype but with only one major album out he comes nowhere near making my list), Nas (Followed up Illmatic with good, solid records), The Game (Hard hitting but inconsistent)

So where does that leave us? Well, obviously we all agree on a top-4 of Eminem, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z and Kanye West but couldn't agree on the order. What do YOU think? in your opinion who is the best Hip-Hop artist of the new Millenium? is it someone on our lists, or did we miss somebody completely?

Obviously there are so many different factors that go into lists like these, but I would take any one of these lists over the ones B.E.T. or MTV made. I might not know a lot about Hip-Hop, but I stand by list and feel somewhat vindicated that my list included many of the same artists that made the lists of two certifiable Hip-Hop heads like Jeff and Ian. Rock 'n roll might be my strong suit, but I have no problem going in on a Hip-Hop topic like who reigned supreme over the new Millennium.

You can follow me on Twitter @AirWilbur23

You can follow Ian on Twitter @IanStonebrook

You can follow Jeff on Twitter @JBalt1

Whats wrong with Michigan State basketball?

Actually, the better question right now seems to be what ISN’T wrong with Michigan State basketball right now. As their current record of 13-10 indicates, the Michigan State basketball team sits on a edge of something they haven’t experienced in the past 13 seasons—missing out on the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. The Spartans fall from grace has been startling in its confounding and sudden manner.

The trouble actually started this past off-season when rising Senior Chris Allen was kicked off the team for reasons that have no fully been resolved (We won’t dig into the millions of rumors that have been floating around since he left) While Allen was often a frustrating Spartan to watch in his first three seasons in East Lansing, there was no doubt he could play and was due to be a starter again. Allen provided State with another three point specialist and was also a lanky defender who provided a match-up nightmare for smaller opposing players. Couple that with losing last season’s top defender, Raymar Morgan to graduation and a storm was beginning to brew in East Lansing.

Then Coach Izzo famously waffled on his decision to leave Michigan State for the Cleveland Cavaliers head coaching job. Reports were rampant that he was leaving, and some players on the team made it clear they would transfer if Izzo left. Izzo ended up staying but the effect of the whole “Will he-won’t he?” media saga certainly took its toll on the team and their development.

When the season finally did get underway, Michigan State was ranked #2 in the nation by the Associated Press. Junior Forward Draymond Green publically stated that anything less than a national championship would be a disappointment. Right out of the gate, State never played like the #2 team in the nation.

Playing a typical brutal Izzo-made out of conference schedule, State lost to Connecticut, Duke, Syracuse and Texas. This wasn't huge news, all four of those teams have been ranked in the top-5 nationally at some point, but the bigger news was State lacked a real solid victory even over teams that were obviously below their level talent wise.

The Big-10 season has been, how shall I say this? A clusterf***. State has never really gotten into a rhythm after defeating then top-25 ranked Minnesota. Losses came quickly at Penn State, at home to Michigan (for the first time in 11 seasons) and on the road to the last place team in the Big10. Iowa didn't beat State so much as blow State out of the water from the get-go, prompting Izzo to call it “The worst defeat in his time as head coach. State also suffered shellacking’s against Purdue and Wisconsin and needed overtime to knock off lesser teams at home like Northwestern and Indiana.

If to add another element to the "perfect storm" of awfulness surrounding the team, back-up point guard Korie Lucious was dismissed by the typically tight-lipped Izzo. The Spartans now stand at 13-10 overall and 5-6 in the Big-10 which begs the question: What the hell is going on?

The most glaring problem as I see it is that Michigan State cannot stop anyone on defense. When you lose your top two perimeter defenders from the previous year, you know it won’t be easy, but States perimeter defense has been truly atrocious this season. Kemba Walker (UConn) dropped 30 points, Kryie Erving (Duke) slashed and burned State for 31 points, E’Twan Moore (Purdue) made it look easy, downing 26 points and Jordan Taylor (Wisconsin) dropped 30 points.

See a pattern? Opposing teams’ guards eat our defense up. Point Guard Kalin Lucas’ lateral speed is no where up to par thanks to his Achilles injury, Korie Lucious was too small to play against bigger guards, and Durrell Summers has shown he just doesn’t have the desire to seriously check anyone. Freshman Keith Appling has been the teams’ top perimeter defender, but he is a freshman and only six feet tall (on a good day).

If the Spartans want to keep their streak of Big Dance appearances up, something needs to change on the defensive end, fast. Izzo has talked about switching to a zone defense ala Jud Heathcoat, but I would count on it. Izzo has always been a man-to-man coach and I don’t see that changing unless Izzo becomes desperate.

Ever since Izzo has taken over in East Lansing, rebounding has been his M.O. The Spartans have led the nation in rebounding margin four times during his tenure. This year? The Spartans are a distant 81st in the nation in rebounding. Typically Spartan teams always have guards who aren’t afraid to bang with the giants in order to pull down some rebounds (think Charlie Bell, Kelvin Torbert), but this year that isn’t the case. Besides Summers (who actually pulls down a respectable 4 'bounds a game) no other guard comes close. Big men Draymond Green and Delvon Roe do their job on the boards, but no one else seems willing to come down with a tough rebound.

We could get into the teams apparent lack of leadership, focus, will, etc, but I believe none of that matters if players are not doing what they are being asked to do in terms of playing defense and rebounding. Any player can scream and yell about it (and not even spark-plug Draymond Green has been doing much of that lately) but if you don't show it on the court, no one will follow you anyway. Izzo knows this. This isn't some big secret to anyone. If the Spartans get back to out-rebounding teams and getting after it like hound dogs on the defensive end, the "intangibles" will fall into place.

Realistically, at 13-10 the Spartans face a long climb uphill to try and make the Big Dance for a fourteenth straight year, but it's not out of the realm of possibility. Four of their next seven games are at home. Thats about where the good news ends. Only two games are against a team that hasn't already beat them or they haven't played yet (Minnesota, #1 Ohio State).

So while fans of Spartan basketball (like me) watch in horror as our teams get pummeled, I urge them to step down off the ledge and remember we have one weapon so valuable a professional basketball team tried to steal it away from us, Tom Izzo. And as far as i'm concerned as long as we have Izzo we have a chance.

Top 15 drummers since 1980

Okay readers so I had an inkling to write today and boy do I love lists, top-15 drummers since 1980 go!

#15: Jose Pasillas (Incubus)

#14: John Dolymon (System of a Down)

#13: Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Trees)

#12: Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater)

#11: Josh Freese (A Perfect Circle)

#10: Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers)

#9: Brann Dailor (Mastodon)

#8: Joey Jordinson (Slipknot, Korn, Rob Zombie)

#7: Lars Ulrich (Metallica)

#6: Questlove? (The Roots)

#5: Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters)

#4: Travis Barker (Blink-182, +44, Solo)

#3: Matt Cameron (Pearl Jam, Soundgarden)

#2: Danny Carey (Tool)

#1: Dave Ghrol (Them Crooked Vultures, Queens of the Stone Age, Nirvana)

Top-30 Guitarists of the Past 30 Years

After releasing the top-30 lead singers of the past 30 years I got to thinking about the best 30 guitarists of the past 30 years. Going back through I realized I missed a few singers on my last list (guys like Shannon Hood of Blind Melon and Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips were probably my most egregious errors) and I will probably omit a few well deserving guitarists from this list as well.

Hey, I never said I was perfect. I’m doing these lists (and the blog in general) purely for shits and giggles and to try and improve my writing so please no castration if I miss a deserving guitarists or two.

A quick rant before I get to the list: Rolling Stone named John Mayer one of the best guitar players of our time. What. The. Hell. I do not doubt Mayer’s guitar chops, but if he truly is one of the best guitar players of our time why doesn’t he quit strumming those stupid acoustic ballads that make 15 year old girls weep? Why doesn’t he grow a pair, throw on some tight leather pants and start making guitar licks that people will actually remember? Or maybe he’s content just jamming with Eric Clapton and getting the finest women L.A. has to offer. (note: I would be extremely content doing this.)

ANYWHO, the same guidelines as the greatest lead singers of the past 30 years will apply here. Guitarists must be in bands or solo projects (but I did put more weight into a guitarists if he was part of a band) that have been formed after 1980. This means Prince (Yes, Prince) just misses the cut and same with The Edge from U2, but Jonny Marr just makes it (The Smiths were founded in 1981.) So without further ado, Wilbur Wired presents the top-30 guitarists of the past 30 years!

30. Lenny Kravitz

29. Daron Malakain (System of a Down)

28. Peter Buck (R.E.M.)

27. Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age)

26. Matt Bellamy (Muse)

25. Randy Rhoads (Ozzy Osborne)

24. Synyster Gates (Avenged Sevenfold)

23. Dave Navarro (Janes Addiction)

22. Stone Gossard (Pearl Jam)

21. Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead)

20. Trey Anastasio (Phish)

19. Warren Haynes (Gov’t Mule)

18. Larry LaLonde (Primus)

17. Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth)

16. Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth)

15. Buckethead

14. Johnny Marr (Modest Mouse/The Smiths)

13. Dimebag Darrell (Pantera)

12. Derek Trucks (The *new* Allman Brothers Band)

11. Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains)

10. Kim Thayil (Soundgarden)

9. Mike McCready (Pearl Jam)

8. Adam Jones (Tool)

7. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (The Mars Volta)

6. Jack White (The White Stripes/The Raconteurs)

5. Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) Cobain is obviously a legend of the “grunge” era but many young Nirvana fans don’t even realize he was the lead guitarist as well as the voice of a generation. Proof: “Smells Like Teen Spirit”

4. Kirk Hammett (Metallica) One of hard-rock’s most recognizable guitar gods, Hammett has been laying down the riffs for near 30 years now and it seems like he is only getting better with age. Proof: “Blackened”

3. Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine/Audioslave) Morello is one of the most inventive and forward thinking guitarists of his era. He uses guitar pedals to achieve kick-ass effects like no one else. Proof: “Killing in the Name of”

2. Slash (Guns ‘N Roses/Velvet Revolver) Slash has been a monster on the guitar for several decades now, debuting with Guns ‘N Roses in the late ‘80s early ‘90s, re-emerging with Velvet Revolver at the turn of the millennium and then still bringing great licks on his latest solo project. Proof: “Sweet Child of Mine”

1. John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers/Solo) The most versatile guitarists in my top-5. Simply put, the man can easily switch from fast paced face melters to simplified riff’s that accent his bands beautiful harmonies. He’s the best because he’s the most versatile and forward thinking guitarists of his time. Proof: “Readymade”

Honorable Mention: Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osborne), Albert Hammond, Jr. (The Strokes), Carl Broemel (My Morning Jacket), J. Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.), Scott Ian (Anthrax), Mike Eizenger (Incubus), Kevin Shields (My Bloody Valentine)

Top-10 Concerts

I love going to concerts, I love live music. Hearing and seeing your favorite band up close can give you a great sense of intimacy and closeness with the performers.
Recently I got to thinking about all the live shows I’ve been to in my life and reflecting on the best of the best shows I’ve witnessed. I’ve taken into account several factors in judging live performances and where they rank on my list of best ever.

First, I take into account the bands energy level. If a band is up on stage giving it everything they’ve got you can tell and you appreciate their effort. Sometimes, a band looks and performs like they are just ready to hit the next tour spot.

Secondly, I consider how the band sounds in the venue. Even if the band is going crazy on stage and giving you every ounce of energy, if the sound is just a little off, it can ruin the experience even if the sound problem isn’t even the bands fault.

Third, audience energy is almost as important as band energy. The lead singer of a band is particularly apt at noticing crowd energy. If the band can see and hear how much their music is affecting the audience, they are more inclined to play longer, make special remarks, or just plain rock out harder than they ever have before. In most instances, the energy the band receives is equal to the energy a band will expend.

Fourth, I take account of what people were with me when I saw the show. Seeing your favorite band with your top-boys is a very different experience than seeing it with acquaintances or non-fans. With your best friends a concert is something that has been plotted out in advance and will be discussed in the future, not to mention the fact you are more likely to really get into the show and give energy when around people you are comfortable with.

So without further delay, here is the list of the top 10 concerts I’ve ever been too and what venue they played in.

10. Guster. 2003. MSU Auditorium. There is only three members of Guster (Now Four) but they sound like a big band up on stage. Sound just like they do on their albums.

9. Counting Crows. 2002. State Theatre. Intimate venue, intimate band. The Crows never disappoint live.

8. The Strokes. 2003. State Theatre. First time I ever crowd surfed in my life and I loved every second of it. Other highlights include one of the guys I was with throwing his pack of cigarettes on stage and watching as (Strokes lead singer) Julian Casablancas Picked them up and smoked one.

7. Red Hot Chili Peppers/Queens of the Stone Age. 2003. Breslin Center. The Queens played a brilliant set which included an appearance by their back-up lead singer who’s voice sounded like he had been chain smoking Marlboro Reds since he was 12. They really blew me away with their intensity. The Chili Peppers were a bit of a disappointment. Their sound was screwed up for the first 4-5 songs but after that it got better. Their energy was great as you would expect, but I couldn’t help thinking that Queens of the Stone Age really outshined them on that night.

6. 311. 2005. Some random pavillian. My buddy Chad and I convinced his younger brother to drive us to and from this concert so we could get shit-faced on the way. I woke up the next morning feeling like my neck was broken but not really remembering how or why. I soon realized it was because I had been rocking out so hard the night before.

5. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. 2003. The Palace. I have to admit, I wasn’t that huge of a Boss fan before this concert, after it, I was a true believer. Standing on the floor I witnessed heavily inebriated middle aged men and women dance, head bang and sing their way through the entire night.

4. Incubus. 2004. The Palace. This was the second time I had seen Incubus live, and the most memorable. They played their hardest rock songs, their softest radio friendly hits and everything in between.

3. Kings of Leon. 2009. MSU Auditorium. After weeks of hype I questioned whether or not the Kings could live up to everything I had built up. They did. They’re sound reverberated in every knook and cranny of the auditorium and as their energy level rose, so did the audience. It’s always a fun concert when you can sing along to every song they play, and my neck was sore the next day from all the head banging I did.

2. Aerosmith/Kiss/Ted Nugent. 2004 Comerica Park. Two titans of the rock n roll world playing back to back while we sat in a box taking it all in. Yet, my main memory from this show will be witnessing Ted Nugent running around the stage with an AK-47 in one hand and the American flag in the other.

1. Pearl Jam. 2006. Van Andel Arena. I came in expected a good show, but Pearl Jam exceeded expectations. They played for a solid three hours with limited breaks. Eddie told the crowd the band was going to “experiment” with us and they began playing some of their rarer songs, we responded with cheers until our voices were horse. Not to mention me and my friends did some things during the show (cough cough) that aided our amazement.


Honorable Mention: Jethro Tull, Incubus (Van Andel show), 311 & The Roots (DTE show), Tom Petty, The Moody Blues.