MSU captains chosen; Cal QB named; Skandalaris opened

Busy day. We found out that MSU's players voted for all the favorites -- seniors Brian Hoyer, Javon Ringer, Justin Kershaw and Otis Wiley -- for team captains. The Skandalaris Center was dedicated and made quite an impression for those who toured it. And Cal just announced that sophomore Kevin Riley has beat out senior incumbent Nate Longshore for starting QB.

    Reactions:
    * Greg Jones and Jesse Miller were the only other two guys I thought might have a chance at captain. I think it's a good sign for MSU that Hoyer was picked as a captain. He and his coaches have talked about a bigger leadership role for him, and he appears to be more assertive and vocal during camp.
    * "Wow, they're serious," was a thought that went through my head while touring the massive, plush addition to the football building. It's impressive. The meeting room setup is well-done and should help with prep. The main meeting room has a dividing wall that can come down to split the offense and defense. And all the positional rooms are in the same area. The technology allows coaches to essentially use the computer screen as a chalkboard to illustrate routes and such while game film is on the screen.
    MSU did a good job of highlighting its history, and the NFL is a major focus. Helmets of every NFL team, with the names of every former Spartan who played for each team. It's recruiting gold. If you want to see it, it'll be open from 8-5 on weekdays. Part of it, though, including the NFL shrine, will be closed at noon once school starts on Monday. That's because it's connected to the meeting rooms, and the Spartans gotta work.
    Dantonio's office is quite an eye popper as well, similar to Tom Izzo's. Plush, huge windows with a view of campus. Full bathroom with marble counters. Next to the staff meeting room with five flat screens and the ability to flip around to all of the positional meeting rooms. And that's connected to a giant "recruiting patio." Dantonio, by the way, donated to the project.
    We'll have more on the facility, including video and a photo gallery, Friday in the LSJ.
    * I'm surprised Riley won the job, based on the comments Jeff Tedford has been giving through camp.  Riley is the more athletic of the two, and Longshore definitely had some rough stretches last season. It should be noted that Longshore is expected to see time in the opener as well.

Comments

[wonderbread]

I've driven by it a few times. It looks SWEET. I can't wait to see it for myself. Hopefully some drunk bungholes stumbling home don't try to ruin it. My roommate's friend got an MIP using the side of the building as a toilet, so I know it happens.

[T Bone]

What a great facility! I am definately looking forward to this paying off for MSU. Hey wonderbread, if you see any monkey business around "OUR" house, report him to the law so we can send him back home to AA!!!!

[blueduck]

Re: the Skandalaris addition
Although I haven't seen it, i'm sure it is just another example of what's bad about college sports. There is no limit to the amount of money colleges are willing to spend just so they can beat the team down the street. I'm sure that if a big program puts a Saturn rocket on campus and says it is a new recruiting tool every other school will follow suit. The thing that really bothers me is that this facility will most likely be limited to athletes. The average student, for which college is designed, will never get the chance to use the building. It's just another example of having an elite group of students, a sort of royalty, on campus. College athletics were never meant to be the way it has developed.

[Izzo '08]

blueduck

my initial rxn was similar to yours, in that is it really good that a state funded school gets $15 million for a football practice facility when the state leads the nation in unemployment?

truthfully, it's probably not ideal, but it is significant in that it probably eventually leads to increased pride among other alumni, who would then be more likely to donate to another part of msu that they deem more worthy than the football program.

[MSULordyoda]

Ummm...Blueduck and Izzo '08, the whole thing was funded by private donations that the athletic department went out and got themselves. So really, the state or the University for that matter really put any money towards it. Have you two even followed the progress in this project the last two years? It's only been mentioned hundreds of times that this was PRIVATELY donated. So if some MSU alumni wants to donate $15 million towards a football building, who are we to tell them otherwise? And how many construction jobs did this project create or retain? Ever really stop to think about that one?

[MSULordyoda]

...University for that matter really put NO money towards it...

sorry for the confusion.

[dagwood]

Hey Joe,
Please let your colleague Mr. Fowler know that while the photos of the new center were great, Butkus was mis-spelled on the last photo. Come on, mis-spelling Butkus?????

[thawks]

Hey Blue Duck and Izzo '08, not only was this building privately funded, but also you have to understand the way college athletics work. The LSJ has done a very nice job this summer of outlining how finances work within the athletic department and the University. Essentially, they are two separate entities. The school doesn't give money to the athletics, but rather the other way around.

The only sports that are revenue sports are Football, basketball and possibly hockey. If not for those sports, softball, volleyball, soccer, gymnastics etc. wouldn't be possible. Furthermore, the way to bring in more revenue is to have a better team. The way to have a better team is to bring in better recruits. And the way to bring in better recruits is to build things like this.

[Gifford]

One other comment on Blueduck's post, about an "elite group" of students and the building being limited to athletes. For one, the football players are not your "average" student, they are student athletes. They work hard on their academics, like the "average" students you mentioned, and also work very hard as athletes. They bring in millions of dollars to the university that benefit ALL students / faculty / alumni. As mentioned before, it was built from private donations. This is a spectacular building and something all MSU students / alumni can be very proud of.

[B White]

Always going to have "Negative Nancy's" posting here... unbelievable. Great day for MSU Football & the student athletes that give their all to MSU every day. Much success to come for the MSU Football program. Let's not pretend here, this is BIG TIME college athletics, whether you like it or not. If you don't want to support it, then go away. There's plenty of other hobbies/interests you can get into and be negative about...

GO STATE in 2008 (& beyond)!!!

[billdoe]

It's all a matter of perspective, I guess.

When STAAAAAAAAATE puts up a new building or replaces the turf on the football field, we hear about "royalty". We hear about how privileged student athletes are compared with normal students and how easy they have it.

Whenever there's an NCAA violation, we hear about how college athletes should be paid and how they are "slaves" to the university. We hear how they work long, hard hours generating millions for the school with little or no compensation.

Like it or not, outside of Harvard and M.I.T., schools are more known for their athletics than they are for their academics. A winning football team generates far more interest from prospective students than 1,000 distinguished professors. It may not be right, but it is reality.

[MSULordyoda]

Have to disagree with you on that one billdoe. Sounds like someone who chose not to go to college or went to a CC would say. If your comment were true, you'd only ever have the big public universities and those small private liberal arts colleges would barely exist. And if you're a prospective student you're looking at the programs they offer and whether you can afford it...not how last year's football team faired.

[Spartan58]

I would suggest that those that think athletes live such a life of privilege, walk a mile in their shoes before you say anything.

Sure they get certain perks, but the sacrifice a lot in return. I'm ok with what they get back from the university.

Take you elitist crap and find another place for it, it doesn't belong here.

[Mike in DC]

As long as football provides the financing for all of the other sports, the program ought to be allowed to have the best facilities possible to aid in this effort. The revenue sport players do have a different status from other students, even non-revenue athletes, but that is ultimately due to our greater interest in the sports they play. I accepted this without jealosy as a member of a non-revenue varsity sport (which has since been axed for Title 9 compliance). I think it is perfectly acceptable for the football team to be given every opportunity to be as successful as it can as long as the system that presently exists holds. Personally, I would like to see an exemption from the ridiculous Title 9 restrictions on gender parity, so that the other male non-revenue sports can be brought back...
Either recognize that money is central and depends on revenue generated by mens' high-interest sports (football, basketball, and hockey), or dispense with intercollegiate sports entirely...

[Pete]

I consider myself a former 'average student' and I don't remember having a key for every door I wanted to enter on campus. Thank you to those that donated to this exciting project.

[db]

Blueduck,

Did you read the article about the center or did you just head straight to your soap box? It was funded entirely by donations. The University did not pay for it. The football players do get some perks that us "normal students" don't get, but they also deal with pressure,media, time constraints etc... Just let us enjoy this. MSU is an incredible University and has just added another piece to what I consider the best campus in the country.

[billdoe]

"Sounds like someone who chose not to go to college or went to a CC would say."

MSULordyoda, was that really meant to be as insulting as it looks? If you want to send this thread spiraling into the gutter, I'll play, but it's rather unbecoming. We should really leave the back-handed insults to those guys down the road.

Do you honestly think that the average high school senior in Michigan would have heard of The University of Miami (undergraduate enrollment 9,818) if they didn't have national championship level sports teams? Do you really believe that the average high school senior in Arizona would know that Notre Dame (undergraduate enrollment 8,338) even existed if they didn't have a long standing football tradition and the resulting 4 hours of free national advertising every fall Saturday?

I didn't say that athletics are a factor in every prospective student's decision, BUT, if you've ever been to the rural high schools around Ann Arbor, you know that for a large number of kids it is the ONLY thing that matters.

In my years I have met hundreds of high school kids that were absolutely convinced that they HAD to go to a given school. As shocking as it may seem, not one of them was fanatic about a school because of its English department.

Sure there are small liberal arts colleges all over the place, but MSU isn't one of them. Like it or not, a better football team makes a difference in both the quantity and quality of applicants. Rational or not, if a kid is a fan of a school's football team, they are a lot more likely to want to go to school there.

[SpartyOn]

When I heard the building was going to be named "Skandalaris" I thought it was a joke; I mean, why would a major college football program build something that sounds like a SCANDAL?

anyone?

anyone?

Bueller?

[Robert]

Good comment Blueduck. While I certainly follow our athletic programs, I'd be a lot happier with more emphasis on moving us up in the USN&WR ranking of "National Universities" and academic recruitment rather than the football or basketball recruitment and standings. Certainly would do more for our grads.

[Michael Motta]

MSU isn't a small liberal arts college, but it contains small liberal arts colleges, in particular, three residential colleges: James Madison College (my alma mater within my alma mater), Lyman Briggs College, and the new Residential College in the Arts and Humanities. The reason why I point this out is that people often don't realize that you can have your cake and eat it too at MSU - if you so choose.

Regarding the athletic elitism - it's present but it's not some wholly insular affair. One time while I was a tutor at the Smith Center, I was walking by the main lecture hall in the Duffy building, the one in which tutor orientation had been held. There seemed to be a lot of activity inside of it, but it was difficult to see inside because I think the lighting was dimmed for a PowerPoint presentation or some such thing. So I moved closer to a window in order to see what was going on inside, and one of JLS's cronies on the inside gave me an evil look and gestured a "go away" motion with his hand. I was thinking hey chump, I went to school here when the Duffy was just brand new, and not only that, I work here, and not only that, you'll probably be long gone as a fly-by-night Spartan while I'm still a Spartan.

The other side of the story though is that the student-athletes themselves treated me great! One night when I was finished tutoring, I happened to be walking by the football players' lounge on the way to my car, and I stopped outside the door to look at the MSU hoops game they had on the TV. I didn't feel "qualified" to go in, but several student-athletes of course recognized me and they were wondering why the heck I was standing outside the door instead of joining them to watch the game!

[David]

SpartyOn: In truth, I thought the same thing @ first. However, they footed the bill for most of the building: $5 million worth.

Insofar as revenue from the football team is concerned, there is yet another factor which people have overlooked. The $$ from the football program does not all NECESSARILY go towards the athletic department. I can say with a straight face that a portion of the $$ does(!) in fact go towards scholarship funds & academics / research. People may or may not like this fact, but it is true.

I was on campus in July & the building was completed, but the "yard" was still a construction zone. I look forward to seeing it 2 weeks from tomorrow!

DSR

[B White]

Yea, let's make a play on words now... that's it. So, it's all a big "skandal"... oh, I get it. Good one. Whatever is negative, yup. So, I guess if I donated the $5 million, then my last name could be constrewn into some conspiracy or way to bash what every Big Ten school strives for, right? Always something with you clowns. Again, go away if you don't support what MSU Football (Athletics in general) is trying to do to make their "fans" and alums happy & proud... and make money, etc. Again, this is big time college athletics, whether you like it or not. Just wait until the football recruiting at MSU continues to get better and better each year, then all the claims of paying off players (similar to what Ron Zook is experiencing at Illinois right now) will pop up!?!

Go State!!!

[spartanforever]

Personally i hate it when the topic is not "football," and some how calling football players-elite... What i see is pure prejudice,envy...resentment.

Its unfortunate because those who care to put buildings,football players and success building on success in to perspective--anyone could see that it is football at colleges that is disproportionally productive while other sports (our fine critics probably call all others who participate in other sports (that don't pay their way),"average studants,"who are in touch-what ever 'in touch'means.

Heck-the president,board of trustees,teachers, and student body don't contribute to the athletic programs and other infrastructure,but football players do....

When was the last time you heard football players complaining about concussions,twisted broken bones,hip pointers,dislocated body parts--you ought to be thanking these fine young men for their service to this university.They are not paid,but they go to work and work harder than any father on any construction job.And b-4 anyone jumps up to talk about pro careers-prescious few get to even get a try out with a pro team let alone make a team and therefore money.

Why do these young men do it-first enduring critism,accusations,half storys and blatent defamation of character aND THEN THE PAIN OF PLAYING THIS GREAT GAME,knowing they will never play pro football???There is more than one reason,but at the top of most youngsters is the challenge of the most demanding endeavor in sports,and the opportunity to represent such a fine university as MSU.

Thats what ties studant body with athlete-they are one.Whats happened,especially in states like michigan-you get these political type people who want ever so stealthly to portray everything as black and white.When football became the icon that it is-you would never hear studants saying football was out of touch and elite-its just
plain narrow and i most humbly hope that any studants that feel disconnected-reconsider,because these football players most often are in awe of any studant that can get straight A's and B's- i assure you.

if any wants to focus on something out of touch with reality-lets talk about coach's who get paid even when they loose.Funny how people can attack and vilify football players(over 90% per cent of whom work hard,produce for the university and like linemen-you hardly hear about them)and your a.d. can make a decision like hiring a jls and he sets the program back and walks with millions of msu's dollars.

Why don't we hear that type of whining????I don't want to hear about the great view and marble floors or luxery coach's live in,especially when over 50% per cent of them don't deserve what they have.This is not an attack on coach-D its on coaching period.
Those salaries could be brought within the realm of respectability and they still walk with handsome life styles-what they get right now is just plain gaudy.No complaints though,even when the are god aweful.If you don't do a minimal quality job-what does your employer do???Why your let go so fast--oh and how much severence pay did you get???Stop being prejudiced and narrow minded-football players get no pay and you should see the injury report,because there are few that will leave msu without a high level of pain.And start making your coach's accountable by having clauses in their contracts that circumvents a rodriguez- woolvy senario...Who is accountable for the wasted dollars?its just like the u.s. government,by the way 'studants' read up on Roman history and even note Rome to day (yea i mean italy)and these people can't help themselves,which is where success reach's its glass ceiling.America is a run away freight train with the real elites who just can't help themselves and the people who should be setting the train straight is stuck on criticising those who are more victim than villan...

[JRS]

If you want to be taken seriously
as a big time college football program you have to have the nice
facilities, a recruit isn't going to be impressed by some rinky dink
setup. Maybe that seems kind of shallow but it is the reality these days on how decisions as to
where to go are often made and hopefully the facility will aid
the team in getting better.

Coaching salaries do seem to be getting out of hand but for all of the pressure they are under to win I think it is worth it - if they deliver the goods.
Coaches walking away with millions afer getting fired I don't like but that is the way
the game is played these days
as well.

[Joe]

It's interesting Perles paid $500,000 to "insure" that his name can be mentioned (or listed) with Duffy's. Perles has done some great things for State, but his ego have also caused some bad things to happen as well. Too bad he was more worried about power and his legacy than the football team he was hired to coach. Maybe he wouldn't have a career one game better than .500 or a losing record in bowl games.