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The State News sports reporters discuss all MSU sports.
(Bella) Welcome back to the sports roundtable podcast where we talk about all things Michigan State Athletics. I'm your host, Bella Johnson and today I'm joined by my lovely friend Dina, if you want to go ahead and introduce yourself, Dina
(Dina) yes, hello. Thank you for having me, Bella. My name is Dina Kaur. I am a senior at ms here when at state news. I've been there for four years. Currently, I'm the spotlight Reporter But I've been covering men's tennis lately. So having fun with that.
(Bella) I know I can imagine and I know tennis is your forte. But there is a couple other sports that I want to touch on really quick. Just a few things going on the past week. I'll start off with baseball. The baseball team has been doing really well. Lately, as of right now. They're 23 and 10. I believe they play again tonight. So that'll probably change. They're on a six game win streak. Again, they play again tonight that could all change. And they've gotten some national and conference honors the past week, Brian broker was on the collegiate baseball players of the week list. And then Jack Frank got big 10 Conference Player of the Week, which is really they've been doing really, really well.
(Dina) I saw them play against like the lug nuts in Lansing. And that was a really fun match or game match. Sorry, guys. But that was a really good game, even though it got rained out. Obviously lug nuts one my Yeah, well, maybe not that obvious, but they did get some runs in there. And um, I mean, I know Sam Sklar has been tweeting about baseball and that they had a big, you know, showing at the last game. So it's exciting to see for sure how people are getting excited. It's specially non rev sports getting. Yeah, more, you know, audience I know. It makes it more exciting to watch to win lose, like, when people are cheering and I know like that's I love it when tennis has a lot of people there for sure.
(Bella) I mean, it makes a huge difference. I didn't I don't know what I was thinking. I didn't realize that the baseball season went on. For so long.
(Dina) Does it go through go?
(Bella) I want to say like the championship is in June, I believe. Yeah. But they have 19 games left. Wow. Yeah,
(Dina) that's a lot. It is baseball. They play a lot more than like you think they do? Because like I've been trying. I mean, I've been trying to go back to lug nuts. Because that's a lot of fun. Maybe I need to go to an MSU baseball game.
(Bella) you should, they're fun.
(Dina) I'll show up next time. I know. Our staff has been trying to convince me to go no
(Bella) there's game tonight. I think it's six.
(Dina) Let's see we well we got to we're not going to make it in time.
(Bella) Anyways, yeah, they still have quite a bit left of their season so you'll be able to catch one. Cool. And then softball recently snapped a seven game losing streak, which is tough. It's tough. It's hard mentally to go through just like a long stretch like that. It was the third game in a series against Minnesota and it was a doubleheader because of the weather. Because I can't say that doubleheader because of the weather. They got absolutely blown out by Minnesota on Friday night. And then Saturday morning or Saturday, the first game was five and all I believe and going into the I was covering the third game going into that third game, you're kind of like expecting okay, this is gonna go pretty similar to the last two games, but it didn't they ended up pulling up the win. It was really a second pitch of the game. Minnesota got a home run. Not great for morale, but they didn't. Michigan State did not really let that get in their heads. They played really well. It was for for at the bottom of the seventh. I wanted to say ninth but softball only has seven innings. So it was tied for four at the bottom of the seventh looking like it was going to be extra innings. But they managed to walk off when it was great. Five, four, it was really exciting. There wasn't a whole big crowd because that game got doubleheaders are hard because not everybody wants to say that long. And then there was a rain delay for about an hour baseball we go so long. It does go long. But no, it was a really exciting game. It was kind of wish the crowd had stayed because that would have been a really fun one to see through
(Dina) because they broke off their losing streak.
(Bella) Yeah. In an exciting way. Walk off wins are fun. They're really fun to watch.
(Dina) I've never I've never covered softball or baseball but I that would require a lot of my attention. You know, I would have to you have tennis keeping you busy. I do have I mean, because Well, the thing is baseball and softball can get a little slow at times, especially when they're like changing like infield, outfield, whatever. Length is tennis. So fast pace. And I think I love that, like I love a good sport. That's like Boo, boo boo. And so
(Bella) when the teams are, like evenly matched in baseball or softball, it's pretty fun. But if it's like a blowout win, or a blowout loss, you're like, Oh, you're just like, you're like, again?
(Dina) Yeah. So I mean, with tennis. What I we love watching is when you're sitting like, and you're in like the courts more, and you're watching the crowd, just watching the match happen. So it's like, back and forth. They're just like their heads Keep turning. And it's so funny. I don't know why
(Bella) I know, I haven't been able to make it out to a tennis match this year. But I know both of us. This is my little transition moment. Both of us spent a lot of time in the fall at football games.
(Dina) We did. We did indeed.
(Bella) And neither of us could make it to the spring game. I was covering softball.
(Dina) I don't know what I was doing. You're busy. It's fine. Oh, yeah.
(Bella) I don't even know if I should say spring game, because I believe it was just like a practice.
(Dina) So I've been to previous ones. And they're not the most entertaining thing in the world.
(Bella) I feel like it's really good for like development. It's really good for development. And I think it's really good for like, obviously the journalists to like go and watch like that stuff. See who was gonna stand out. Yeah. And I think that's the main takeaway is those lessons that you learned during that game? Or practice? Yeah
(Dina) I know. I know. I think it would. I know a lot of people were like on tour and stuff like that mentioning how more much more interesting. It would be if like, maybe another team came in and was an actual like, game that like a non Yeah, like, you know, conference that non?
(Bella) That would the injuries. I saw they did a little scrimmage, but it was very quick. Okay. I don't know. I I don't recall.
(Dina) I feel like I read that on Twitter. But Twitter is not always the best source. It's not. So it is fun to scroll through, though. But anyway, I have ever seen users updating me on sports desk. Of course they do. They'll always let me know. Yeah, well, the most valuable source I can have
(Bella) a big topic of conversation during I'm going to keep calling in the spring game. Okay, go ahead. But the big topic of conversation during the spring game was who's going to be keeping one. And I think fan Twitter aside, I think the general consensus is that it's looking like it's going to be a battle between Peyton Thorin and Noah cam. Probably leaning more towards Peyton Thorne again, I would say and that's not to say that Katyn Houser is not like a good player. He is He is still young though, and I think that's what a lot of people forget, is it's hard to go into a big 10 University as an underclassmen and just take over as quarterback like that. It doesn't happen.
(Dina) It's not easy. How old is Peyton Thorne and Noah cam look Peyton's
(Bella) a local born is a redshirt junior, I believe. Okay, I want to say this is fourth year.
(Dina) I don't have any stake in this but I say give Noah Kim his chance.
(Bella) You know what I would like at the beginning of the season. I don't think it would be smart just to start and be like, okay, Peyton Thorne, again, I think try want to see Noah can play. I remember during I think it was the Akron game last year. Lauren came out, I can't remember if it was for like, an injury or something and then immediately threw a touchdown pass.
(Dina) I think there's potential. I do too. And I don't want to see him, like ever transfer out. Because I feel like if he's not given the opportunity, then what is there for him to like, keep doing it. Machines say?
(Bella) Yeah.
(Dina) To be back up all the time.
(Bella) Yeah, it's definitely tough and I think he definitely needs to have time to play this year for his own development. And for the coaches to see how he's playing. You're not really going to be able to tell just from practice, and I would say the same for Hauser I think beginning of the season, put them out for a few snaps see what he can do. I believe he only played like, maybe like one or two snaps the entire season. Um, oh, he played six. Okay
(Dina) I feel like it's better to have them sort of in the beginning when like, it's less crucial games versus when you're for conference. Yeah, you're getting towards like, you know, you want to make conference and like all that. So then you're like really crunch. Like, you're like you need your best player out there. But in the beginning, I think if they just get the ability to develop a little more, try it out. I don't know. Yeah, we're also not talking knows better than me. So I know we're not we're not coach and mouse and mouse on your we trust. So I let him do his thing. Let him do his job. But he gets paid millions for it.
(Bella) I don't think I mean, a lot of people are angry at Peyton Thorne last year. Oh, just like don't think he like lived up to what they wanted from him. Yeah. You have to keep in mind the year before. KENNETH Walker was doing a really really good job at making him look good. And so was Jalen nailer. That man could catch a ball from anywhere.
(Dina) Yeah. You said key players how were you know, I mean, Kenneth Walker was a big part of the team as we can clearly see. And he had I mean, Turing you have MSU game that year. Like five all five I that was like that's still to this day. My favorite game have ever been to like spine stadium during it like crazy, like the atmosphere was amazing. I got to see kind of walking on the sidelines. This last football season. last home game. Devin enters the door and shout out to Devin. Got a sideline passes me Lauren cider and Lily Guiney. And we were down there is oh, so Mel Tucker said hi to them. Mouths have ignored me.
(Bella) We just have beef with
(Dina) no, sorry. I mean, sorry. He was focusing on his gear. He was like he was talking to players and like, I mean, he had a game coming up.
(Bella) So he wasn't there. Unfortunately, he was not there for you know
(Dina) No he was not there for me. But I'm kind of the wall here was very kind of jabbed him up said We miss you on the team, which clearly we do. Yeah. He's a cool guy. He was really nice. And it was fun meeting him. And he's doing great thing in Seattle. Yeah. I think he's the first famous person I met.
(Bella) I don't know. I think so. I would say so.
(Dina) Yeah, he's in the NFL. So yeah, that's Yeah,
(Bella) I think it counts. Okay. Thank you. No, but I don't I don't think you should quite right off Peyton Thorin yet. I'm not saying blindly trust him. But also, I mean, don't like dog on the guy. I believe he beat the record for like, most complete touchdown passes in a season. Really? Not this past season. The report. Yeah, I want to say it was like 20. Even either he broke it or he tied it. I believe the record belonged Kirk Cousins. Oh, wow. That's a huge record. So it wasn't just all kind of walk.
(Dina) Okay. Yeah. I mean, yeah, we definitely can't take away credit from him. And who knows, maybe that season like it was just also like, I think it also depends on who you're working with. And like, how you're meshing. So maybe like, a lot of new players last year. Yeah. Maybe he just needs time to get to know them. Figure out who to pass to.
(Bella) And you know, what Jaden read wasn't fully healthy most of the season either, which didn't help.
(Dina) And then there was a whole tunnel situation. There was last Yeah. Last season. A lot going on.
(Bella) There was a lot going on. Hoping for better this season.
(Dina) For better. I want to try to come back for a game. Yeah, probably. MSU, U of M
(Bella) Not Halloween weekend, though. It's true. We're after we can before before this. Yes, Halloween weekend is going to be an away game. Weird.
(Dina) They do that on purpose. They did do that on purpose. Because they were like, these kids cannot be having fun. Too much fun. Sorry.
(Bella) You know what? I think I prefer it that way. I think there's a lot going on with the mission like
(Dina) having two different vibes. It is. Do you think we're gonna compete against the daily
(Bella) for our flag our annual Well, yeah, um, who knows? Who's to say I don't know if I will.
(Dina) Well, good luck to whoever if you guys do, um, I will be not in the state, but Oh, good. I'm gonna send good vibes if it happens.
(Bella) All right, Dina, we're moving on to your favorite sport. Yeah. Men's tennis.
(Dina) I love men's tennis. You know, I'm excited to talk about it.
(Bella) Yeah, so we had some issues with scheduling. Couldn't get some of our reporters as men's tennis and you as the lovely person you are stepped up and started going and now you will not let it go.
(Dina) I will not let it go. I keep telling Jenna let me go let me go. And so she is, but I've been having a lot of fun with it. So initially, I started out Well, actually, I started out with women's tennis first, I went to uncover their match. I forget who they were playing against, I want to say was Iowa. Not entirely sure. But I covered that match first had a lot of fun. I played tennis all throughout high school was captured on my varsity tennis team. It just doubles. So I really enjoy like, I mean, I never thought about doing sports reporting. But since I knew like what was going to happen, I felt confident going into it. And everyone was really sweet. Like all the players were really kind and everything like that, too. So I just enjoyed doing it. And the next time I took photos for the UVM, match MSC U of M, men's tennis match. And I really enjoy taking photos to which I'm going to be taking photos this next Sunday match. But I don't know the whole team is really sweet and really gray and they're, you know, they're working on improving and they're working hard. So it's always fun to be out there with the boys
(Bella) out there with the boys. Your typical weekend. Yeah, I mean, their hard work is is paying off the rink 6066. nationally. If you look at the rankings, the big 10 Men's Tennis pretty good. Yeah, pretty good.
(Dina) And I believe Max Sheldon and Ozon bears are also ranked us doubles partners. Number six nationally. So that's also incredible. I've talked to Ozon about it before to have interviewed him on it. And he goes, You know, I'm just focusing on my game. I don't really I don't really pay attention to rankings. That's what he's like whole justice. So he's he's just, you know, dedicating to his craft.
(Bella) It was on Barris is a great player. He's amazing how to play time.
(Dina) he's a freshman, which is kind of crazy. He just he knows what he's doing. He takes his time. He especially I mean, he's got a lot of, I've noticed like, there will be like occasional conflicts here. And there. Their most recent match against Penn State, there was an issue where the like player who's his opponent, like, was heard swearing, allegedly. And so basically, the ref was like, Oh, I'm giving a point to Ozon. And because of the swearing or whatever, he wasn't taking a point away, he was giving a point I was on. And then the players are freaking out and goes, I'm not playing anymore. Like yeah, and I had to call like another ref over or whatever to like, discuss the whole situation. The there's a really cool photo in my article that Henry took of like the Penn State coach, like yelling at the RAF or whatever. So there was a lot of conflict during that match. And I asked what was that about? I asked Coach about it on coach heritage. I don't know how to pronounce his last name Jatin Jeju? I don't know. But I talked to both of them about it. And I mean, yeah, they said, I mean, Harry, coach, Harry said that he really just told the voice of focus on their own match, focus on their own game and never like kind of, like stoop low or get into arguments get into fights. And I think it really shows within the players themselves is like, I know Oh, is that when that all was going on? He took a step back. He sat down on the bench he like, you know, just like minding his own business and let whatever it was play out. And he was like, I'm ready to play when it's time for me to play, so.
(Bella) Yeah, I mean, I didn't realize that you could have like points given for so I didn't realize a big no, no swearing.
(Dina) Yeah, I think because allegedly was heard that he said the effort apparently. I also learned I actually did think I heard it as well. But I don't know that he said the player himself said he was speaking in another language. I don't know. In the end, it was decided to keep to get out on the plant cell. That's the conclusion they came to and they finished out the match. I was on one, which was great. But then also there was another conflict during David says singles match as well. Were some of the calls I guess. I don't know if it was I don't remember clearly if it was on David say side or his opponent side, but there was some line calls that were like being questioned. And through it all, he persevered and secured the clinch for the team. So that was great to see. Yeah, I mean, it was his first clinch as a freshman to remember a freshman that's got to be so exciting. I mean, he was so yeah, he's excited. He was like, No, I'm just like, it was awesome. It was Easter Sunday, I believe, too. Yeah, it was great weather that we can have. It was a lot of each other. So I really I'm enjoying being outside more than inside. I think it's more fun as well. And actually the boys have been enjoying it as well. I asked them about it. I was like How have you been? Have you been liking playing? outside and like they said, the ball goes a little bit slower on the courts and everything like that. So that is something they have to get used to. But it seems like it's showing that they're doing. They've been doing better recently. So and they have two wins on the road too, as well.
(Bella) Yeah, I have two more matches.
(Dina) Yeah, two more home matches, as far as I'm aware. And that's going to be against Illinois this Friday, and then Northwestern on Sunday. So I will be there covering that.
(Bella) Hopefully, it'll be nice enough to be outside.
(Dina) I hope so two fingers crossed. Either way. I'll be bundled up and be there. But no, it's been really cool. And we have I mean, the issue I think the biggest issue of the men's tennis team is working on is it seems like their second doubles. Like just can't get in the groove of things. I know, Coach was talking to me about that last match. And because both there are other doubles teams one like and got that secured the point for them, because what's interesting about men's tennis, have you covered tennis? I haven't I Okay, so they play it first, they played doubles. And there's three doubles matches. So there's and those go on at the same time. And only two out of those three have to win in order for them to get one point. So that equals one point. And then they go on to singles, and they have six singles matches that go on at the same time. And so if you get the doubles point, then you only need to get, I believe three singles wins to get four points total to win, like overall. But if you don't get that doubles point, then you need four wins on singles to get the overall
(Bella) Baris and Sheldon are one of the doubles teams who is.
(Dina) so the second doubles has been switching lately because I'm Coach trying to figure out who meshes well, usually it's Kazuki Matsuno, the senior. It's been read Crocker occasionally, who's a junior, and I believe David say has tried to partner up with Matsuno. So it's been going back and forth. I think they're trying to find what works well and who can really get that point for them because it is essential like to get that doubles point because it makes it a little bit easier on your singles, you know, because if not, then like four out of six have to win. And that's like kind of more high intensity like, you know, to get it but the singles matches. I mean, also Sheldon Barris also play singles as well. So clearly, they're pretty well, overall players. And so has Luke Bayless is only the singles and he's been shining. He's been doing great as well. So yeah, it's interesting to see them, you know, grow and it's enjoyable to keep watching their matches go on as well. I know. But once they get to the third set, and they get tired doing getting into the third.
(Bella) Oh, I could imagine. Well, that is all we have to talk about today. Thank you so much for joining me Dina. I really appreciate it.
(Dina) Thank you for having me. Come watch men's tennis?
(Bella) Oh, yeah, absolutely. This has it been the sports roundtable podcast. You can find it wherever you find podcasts.