Amid Questions About Pasta And The Past, Mark Dantonio Hangs Up On Radio Interview [AUDIO]
By: Will Burchfield
@burchie_kid
Mark Dantonio had heard enough.
After fielding a series of senseless questions from a duo of radio hosts on Wednesday morning, the Michigan State football coach hung up his phone and ended the interview.
Dantonio was speaking with Andy Furman and Mike North of FOX Sports Daybreak. It took them less than three minutes to wear out their welcome.
North began the interview by asking Dantonio if he's been rattled by Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh.
"I want to know if at all - and I think you're an honest guy - has Jim Harbaugh gotten into your head a little bit with some of his antics and some of the things he's doing in the neighboring school?"
Dantonio, his patience still in tact, gave a measured response about the natural rivalry between the two universities.
"Well you know from day one when we came here we've always competed with the school down the road. So that's something natural that we have to deal with, and so far so good. We focus on what we do," he said.
Then Furman dug up an issue from the past, asking why quarterback Connor Cook wasn't named a captain prior to the 2015 season.
"It's 2016. We're past that," Dantonio replied.
The first two questions were tame compared to the one that North asked next.
"Hey Coach, do you eat pasta with Izzo? Do you guys get together to spoon the pasta? You guys hang out together?"
Surprisingly - and to his credit - Dantonio answered the question in stride, explaining that Michigan State's basketball program sets the competitive standard for the football team.
Perhaps wondering how far they could push him, Furman asked Dantonio if he feels his program doesn't get the respect it deserves.
Dantonio, noticeably peeved by this point, suggested that the media is prone to producing baseless theories.
"Well, you know, we've been in the Top 10 the last three years. I don't know. You do what you do. I mean you guys are the guys talking out there and you ask questions that sometimes don't really make a lot of sense," he said.
North seemed to take exception to Dantonio's response.
"When Coach says 'you ask questions that don't make any sense', that hits close to home with me, Coach, I've got to be honest with you," he said.
North then asked about the Spartans' quarterback situation, a query that was met with the sound of Dantonio hanging up.
"Coach?...Coach is gone...He hung up! You got him all hot!" North said to Furman. In fairness, it seems the two were equally at fault.
For what it's worth, a Michigan State spokesperson said Dantonio was about to speak to his team and was pressed for time. Before North's final question, the coach appeared to have stated his need to end the interview.