Hey, Spartan fans!
Post your favorite fan and celebration shots so the Spartan team can feel the love. We're hoping to publish many of the fan-submitted photos in a Lansing State Journal tribute to the Spartans after they win the 2009 National Championship. Go Green!
Here's the link:
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=PluckPublicPhotoGallery&plckGalleryID=f2d37b29-6c1d-49ec-a174-af7ca136891f
I hate to post a negative blog during the time of so much jubilation, however, I would be remiss if I did not warn Spartan fans of the ticket problems in Detroit.
While waiting to resolve a ticket problem at the outside ticket window at Ford Field, I observed many fans who were coming to the window when their tickets would not scan inside. It seems there are MANY counterfeit tickets for sale on the street. I saw them and they are incredibly accurate and cannot be differentiated from the real tickets. Four fans actually came up to the window with the same ticket: Section 105, Row 10 (which does not exist in that section) and Seat 14. I would strongly suggest not buying on the street unless you can convince the seller to come with you as you have your ticket scanned at the entrance.
Secondly, there are professional pick-pockets and thieves snatching tickets from patrons when they are not looking. The crowds were so thick that it made this very easy for the pros. While at the ticket window, I again observed a few people trying to obtain new tickets after theirs were stolen. New tickets can be obtained if you first file a police report at the sub-station on Adams St. and bring a copy of the report to the ticket window. You must be the actual purchaser of the ticket, as Ford Field will check your purchase with the MSU ticket people.
If you plan on going to Ford Field Sunday or Monday and search for tickets, please be very careful! Many honest people were burned today. Please don't let it happen to you. The on-line sites, like E-bay, Stub Hub and Razor are more reliable, and some offer guarantees.
MSU takes out UConn despite all the national TV talking heads who predicted otherwise. Has the score MSU 82 UConn 73 ever looked more sweet?
Next game is just about to start. After you're done sharing your favorite moments of the MSU victory, share which team you'd rather face on Monday night: North Carolina or Villanova?
I’m expressing a strong opinion here about why Tom Izzo belongs at MSU -- most importantly in his own mind – but do you think the big media could stop the madness?
In a world of vapid MTV drones and energy vampires desperately seeking external validation, Tom Izzo and lots of aspects of MSU are about something bigger than screeching for attention, lunatic sums posing as reasonable compensation, and one-upping the next ego. This is a man who knows who he is on the inside without TV adverto-tainment, wacked public image, or booze to “clarify” his thinking. On so many levels he is MSU at its best…it’s just that simple. And, mega-ego media icons will never get that he is king of this domain, the one HE built on Judd Heathcoat’s honorable foundation.
If you’ve spent time in FL, CA or NY you probably don’t expect them to get it. Ethos as deeply Midwestern as Tom Izzo’s are not “cool.” Of course, if you’re culture- and media-savvy, you’re already aware that “cool” is a meaningless sound bite on which we lay our most superficial identities. While living in CA my tether is always my Midwestern roots. But, for lack of an “as seen on TV” validation many FL, CA and NY residents cannot fathom that there is life outside of their cultural bunker…and are certain that a Midwestern snowflake could be fatal to your “coolness.” To me this is the world I suspect Coach Izzo has decided to face down because he cannot be a lesser man. He cannot find it in himself to sell out to the media world’s label of the moment, the demanded level of adverto-tainment, or the ego racket that is the NBA.
Does anyone outside of the Great Lakes State (particularly ESPN coaching prognosticators) get that one does not die when struck by a snowflake (the drama-queen sunbelt obsession in the media is wacked...take Alabama…please!)? Is it so hard to understand that Izzo, Dantonio, and Mark Hollis absolutely love what they are doing, the state, the campus, and the imperfect yet decent ethos of MSU? Can the media just recognize that his mission is to build something in a special place which he loves that is much, much larger than any one of us?
And, will Britney stop running our intellectual universe by 2010? Personally, I haven’t given up on that possibility. Thanks for hearing me out. Your thoughts?
Had a fantastic time in Indianapolis this past weekend. The biggest surprise of all was seeing Joe Rexroad in a tie. It kind of ruins his laid-back image. Anyway, here are some interesting tidbits I was able to pick up at the games.
I think Michigan State should partially thank the rest of the Big Ten schools for reaching the Final Four, yesterday. For several years the Spartans have almost futility tried to play an up tempo style against the likes of Wisconsin, Northwestern, Iowa, Michigan, Illinois while their Big Ten brethren have tried to drag them into the mud by playing a slow half-court style of basketball. I hear many of the basketball experts call this style (especially Steve Lavin of ESPN) as "grinding" basketball. Only Purdue and perhaps Penn State seemed mildly interested in playing an up tempo style this past season in the Big Ten.
Well this year it seems either Michigan State decided to accept their fate or more like "fight fire with fire." This team didn't seem to get frustrated as Big Ten opponent after Big Ten opponent tried to keep the score low and use most of the shot clock. The Spartans are 10-0 in games in which both teams score under 70 points and they are 28-0 when they hold their opponents under 70 points. Although this team will use the fast-break when available, they seem to play their best when the game is played at half court. Now Mateen Cleaves' teams could win at any style but since the days of Jud Heathcote, Michigan State has always tried to play at higher pace and get on the fast-break.
This 2008-2009 team seems to be at their best in a "grinding" style of basketball and no longer fears the half-court style of basketball. "Grinding" helped the Spartans yesterday and has helped them throughout the season and tournament. Most of the other teams they have faced in the tournament have wanted to play into the 70s or 80s. Most of the schools from the other conferences are not used to the "grinding" style of basketball played in the Big Ten.
I believe what has helped Michigan State the most in adapting to the "grinding" style of basketball is the play of Kalin Lucas. Often teams that play a half-court style of basketball need a point guard who can drive and penetrate and create their own shot of for others when the shot clock is running down. This seems to be Kalin's specialty. Not since Mateen Cleaves has Michigan State had a true point guard who can take the basketball when the shot clock is down to under 10 seconds and create a shot.
I know what you are saying, "It's the defense, stupid." Yes the Spartans have played tremendous defense all year but Coach Izzo's teams have always been good at defense but what I think is different about this team is its ability to flourish in the halfcourt and force their opponents to adapt. Perhaps more importantly is that the Spartans can rotate 10 players (11 if you count Idong Ibonk against bigger centers). Playing that many guys keeps a team fresh and allows this team to hustle on defense.
I could be wrong, what do you think has been the biggest key this year in finally winning the Big Ten title after seven years and getting back to the Final Four?
What bodes well for Michigan State is UConn has lost twice to the one team the most emulates the Spartans style and that is Pittsburgh. What do you think are the keys to beating UConn?
I see Coach Izzo playing Draymond Green more instead of Delvon Roe against UConn. One of the keys to beating UConn is either getting their 7-3 center Hasheem Thabeet away from the basket or getting him into foul trouble (good luck). I don't see Jim Calhoun having Thabeet guard Goran Suton. Roe is a terrific and is going to be a great basketball player but he doesn't have an outside shooting game, yet. Green can shoot the ball a little bit and he could force Thabeet to play outside more than he wants.
Let the speculation begin!
Just coming down from that euphoria after the Spartans kicked Louisville to the curb?
Save some of that spirit for Bleeding Green!
We know Spartan fans from around the world visit here to talk about their favorite sports teams. Join the Final Four excitement by posting your comments here in a virtual pep rally for the Spartans.
Let's cheer the Spartans on to Detroit with the best green-and-white support that can be found on the Internet!
Join the virtual shouting by commenting below! Go Green! Go White! Let us hear you!!!
(And here's a link to play the fight song while you write!)
Nice job by Morton for giving us a glimpse of some incoming recruits for MSU. As someone who has watched some of these kids play in person, I wanted to give you a heads-up. I occasionally cover high school games as a side job here in suburban Detroit for one of the area daily papers.
Continue reading "Follow-up on Future Spartans and Prospects" »
With both the men's and women's teams advancing nicely in their respective tournaments, let's look into the future a little bit at next year's incoming recruits.
NCAA Tournament videos
Historic 1979 NCAA Championship Game, more tourney highlights
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