The big brother is supposed to beat the little brother – always,
every time. He’s older, bigger, stronger, richer, better looking
and just flat out always wins.
The big brother is supposed to beat the little brother – always, every time. He’s older, bigger, stronger, richer, better looking and just flat out always wins.
Peyton Manning proved this as his Indianapolis Colts disposed of little brother Eli and the New York Giants on Sunday.
In the world of colleges in the South Bay, Stanford is the big brother and San Jose State is the little brother.
Stanford is the rich, private institution that plays in the prestigious Pac-10. San Jose State is the public university, barely treading water as a Division I-A program.
The Spartans and Cardinal have played more than 60 times now and in all but four of the meetings, the little brother has traveled to the big brother’s house to play.
The only reason the big brother went to the little brother’s house for Saturday’s get-together was because the big brother was busy remodeling so he could have an even nicer house.
Such is the life of being associated with San Jose State. I should know, I’m an alum. Regardless of the situation, Stanford is always supposed to be better and is always going to beat you. Clearly, that feeling of inferiority creates motivation for the little brother.
Posted outside a San Jose State team meeting room was a quote attributed to Stanford Coach Walt Harris that read, “Let’s see if we can move the SJSU game to their place so we can open the new stadium with a quality opponent.”
Regardless of the truth or accuracy of the quote, it appeared to be something used by the coaching staff to provide motivation, despite the fact that Spartans Coach Dick Tomey denied that to be the case.
After San Jose State’s thrilling 35-34 win over Stanford, I asked Tomey about the quote and he quickly quipped, “That doesn’t mean anything. The only thing that means anything is our desire to win. … We want to develop the type of program where it doesn’t matter who we’re playing.”
Fair enough, but I don’t remember the fans and players celebrating as estastically when the Spartans opened last year with a win over Eastern Washington.
Speaking with the players, there was a different take than Tomey’s, probably a bit more honest one.
“When they gave me that victory signal to take a knee, I could barely control myself,” quarterback Adam Tafralis said. “I grew up around here and to beat Stanford is something that I’m going to hold very dear to my heart. It meant a lot to me.”
Tafralis, a San Mateo native, acknowledged that while Tomey’s correct about every game being important, this win meant more.
“Coach is completely right. We play for each other and every game, no matter who steps on that field against us, we’re going to bust our butts and do whatever it takes,” Tafralis said, before adding that “to me, this game meant a lot just because I’m a local boy and grew up just down the road from Stanford.”
San Jose State running back Yonus Davis, another local player from Oakland who broke free for a career-high 184 yards rushing, also chimed in that the win had a little extra special feeling to it.
“This is something I’ve been looking forward to the whole time I’ve been in this program,” Davis said.
Without a doubt, the SJSU-Stanford rivalry isn’t anywhere close to Cal and Stanford. Both teams have to be on the same level for it to be a true rivalry and you’ll never see San Jose State reach the level of their big brother Stanford.
But when that special moment arrives, and that little brother takes down the big brother, there isn’t a person out there that isn’t happy to be that little brother.
For all the beatings and the ridicule that are normally dished out, that long-overdue counter punch makes you feel a whole lot better.
