2011 Senior Day Obituaries

Another year has passed and another senior class plays their last game at Spartan Stadium on Saturday. I wanted to find a way to honor the seniors that includes each of them by mention and doesn't rip off MGoBlog's Haikus. So I settled on writing obituaries for each of the players. I had originally wanted to do "Most Likely" awards, but this allows a bit more freedom for exposition. "Most Likely" awards might be included in the actual obit though where helpful.

The 2011 Senior Class

This class is a special class. All the senior classes are special, but this one is more special than others. They're 22-8 in Big Ten play. For perspective's sake, in the final year of the JLS era, the Spartans lost seven games in Big Ten play. They've had boring wins, who could forget that 24-14 win over Illinois in 2009, amirite?!? They've had exciting wins, like these:

2008


2009


2010


2011


This Senior Class will leave Michigan State as the winningest senior class in MSU history and they will be missed.

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Todd Anderson

Todd Anderson really showed out this year after spending the beginning of his career bouncing around as a preferred walk-on. He liked to knock the crap out of people from the fullback position. The pop he delivered on contact could be heard from fans of the Spartan Football program all across America. Spartan alum across the world would smile during game time without knowing why. I'll tell you why, Todd Anderson just hurt someone.

Garrett Celek

Garrett Celek, brother of All-Pro Tight End Brent Celek had a career that never really took off due to injury his junior year. Celek has left the position group of Tight End better off than he found it upon his arrival at MSU in 2007. This should be a goal for all of us in everything we do.



Kirk Cousins

Kirk is the winningest QB in MSU history. He's the recipient of the "We only armchair critique the ones we love" award, winning that award on multiple occasions in 2010 and 2011. Kirk may have a future in the NFL, he certainly has a future being from all accounts being one of the best people on the planet. He leaves behind the role of Stone Cold Pimpin' QB to Andrew Maxwell and the role of fan favorite to William Gholston.



B.J. Cunningham

B.J. took his place among the Spartan greats this year. He is the all-time leader among MSU Wide Receivers in receptions and only needs 339 yards in four games to become the all-time leading receiver in MSU History from a yards perspective. B.J. will be remembered for his working man's attitude and his ability to move the sticks even while being covered by three dudes. For that he earns the honor "Most Likely to win in a fight against 60 five year olds" award.


Joel Foreman

Joel has been the rock which the Offensive Line has been built around for a couple of years now. Foreman took over leadership of the offensive line after being named All Big Ten Freshman in 2008. It's for this he earned "The Most Appropriately Surnamed Player for What His Role On The Team Is" award. Foreman leaves his gift of trapping/pulling blocks behind to John Deyo or maybe, just maybe Arthur Ray.


Brian Linthicum

Linthicum was a transfer from Clemson, I remember distinctly because I saw him make a catch in a Clemson game in a pizza parlor in 2007 over Labor Day weekend and then he was playing for us the following year. He was our most reliable pass catching Tight End in 2011. He won the award from Black Heart Gold Pants as "Player most likely to pass as a dinosaur with no makeup." He leaves behind the role of pass catching Tight End to Dion Sims.

Keshawn Martin

Keshawn Martin was a late find in the class of 2008. He is one of the few players to score a touchdown five different ways, running, throwing, receiving, punt returning and kick returning. He also has served as the sparkplug of the offense causing defenses to prepare for some tomfoolery that may or may not come. Keshawn leaves behind the gift of his explosive playmaking to Bennie Fowler.


Jared McGaha

Jared McGaha was a late addition to the 2007 class and has basically played every single position on the Offensive Line at one point or another. For this, he earns "the Swiss Army knife" award. McGaha served as one of the most valuable contributors to the Offensive Line behind the scenes and will be remembered as a high effort guy.


Keith Nichol

Keith Nichol was a top 100 recruit who committed to Oklahoma after decommitting from Michigan State in 2006. So you can plainly see how he ended up catching the game winning Hail Mary as a Wide Receiver in the Wisconsin game this fall. For this he wins "the strangest journey to Unsung Hero of Michigan State Football" award. Since his transfer to MSU, he has shown up everyday, done all that he's been asked to and put the team first. Hats off to him, he might have one of the best stories of this Senior Class.

Blake Pacheco

Blake Pacheco wins the award for "Most likely to be a drug informant on an old re-run of CHIPS". As a back-up defensive tackle he has provided depth at the position pushing his teammates to be better.





Kevin Pickelman

The pride of Marshall Michigan wasn't recruited by John L Smith because JLS was allergic to good defensive lineman. Pickelman is one of three exiting starters on defense and will be missed as much as either of the other two. Pickelman is a high effort, high motor guy who just makes plays. When Valenti did his famous rant in 2006, he was talking about needing dudes like Pickelman. Pickelman leaves behind the banner of high motor defensive lineman to Redshirt Freshman Marcus Rush.


Trenton Robinson

Robinson is the perfect example of why people shouldn't piss and moan when Dantonio offers a dude with few offers in July. Robinson has come a long way since his freshman year where on a fumble recovery I saw him calling for the ball to go the wrong way, to ball hawking pick to seal the game guy just a couple weeks ago. Robinson and Keshawn Martin are the only people in this class who didn't take a redshirt at some point. He wins the award of "Most Likely to Be Playing in the NFL in five years". He leaves behind the leadership of the secondary to Isaiah Lewis.


Arthur Ray Jr.

I can't write a mock obituary for Arthur Ray Jr, there was a period of time where I thought we might be writing a real one. The fact that he's still trying to play football after that speaks to his determination, but the fact that he's still alive shows his determination. He will petition the NCAA for a sixth year, and I cannot see how anyone with a heart could deny him that. However, I wanted to get this in here in case it is denied by some blackhearted jerk. Congratulations to him for his recovery and I hope to see you on the field next year.


Chris D. Rucker

The less famous of the Chris Rucker's, Chris Rucker has served as a faithful WR backup the past few years. Out of high school, he had a blistering track time and helped the other Chris Rucker represent Chris Rucker's across the nation for make glorification of Chris Rucker. He wins the award "As the longest serving member of all the Chris Rucker's in Michigan State history."


Kyle Selden

Selden was our backup punter out-dueling Ed Wagner for the opportunity. He wins the award for "Looking the most like Shia LeBeouf with a buzz cut". He also wins the award for lowest BMI on the team, which should mean he is one of the healthiest.






Brad Sonntag

Sonntag was a walk-on wide receiver from Saginaw Nouvel, for this he won "The Blair White Copycat Award". As this year's snap holder he was responsible for running two fake field goals, one of which was successful and the other was so not, but not his fault. He's a high effort guy and has been straight up Second String for basically the last five years. It's for this he wins the "Jebediah Gatsby Award" awarded to the player who feels like he's been playing for MSU since the Great Alaskan Gold Rush.


Johnathon Strayhorn

Strayhorn was a walk-on who through high effort and consistent teamwork earned a scholarship last year. He is the kind of player that is critical to the success of a position group like Defensive Line, where he has turned himself into a contributor. Seasons like 2010 and 2011 are built on the efforts of guys like Strayhorn, Sonntag, Ray, Rucker, McGaha and Celek. The starters get their day in the sun every week, but guys like these only get their day in the sun on Senior day, and dammit, they've earned it.

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On a quick personal anecdote, this was the first year we dragged the three year old out to "Meet the Spartans". We got there late, 5:45 for an event that closed at 7 and so we knew we needed to pick Offense or Defense. My daughter picked to meet the defense and they closed before we got there. After 7 there was going to be a little rah-rah speech led by Dantonio. Dantonio continued to sign autographs for all of the people who were in his line at 7pm which left a period of time where nothing was happening. The team all loaded up on the buses which were taking them to Pizza House. A few players stayed out in the street and kept signing autographs. Those players Garrett Celek, Joel Foreman, Brian Linthicum, Blake Pacheco, Brad Sonntag and Johnathon Strayhorn deserve special mention here. There were a couple of others and I apologize that I cannot remember their names.

It meant a lot to my daughter that day because she was crushed when we waited in line for nothing. It meant something to her a few days later because she to talk about meeting the "football men". At three years old that was already like 10 percent of her life ago now, so she doesn't remember much of it now. But I do. They weren't expected to do any of that, but they did and it's just one of those little things. The little things are what this class will be remembered for. Nichol could go that extra foot on the Hail Mary because of all that work he put in with the weights. Cousins has been able to pull out the big games because of the endless hours of film he's watched to prepare for other teams. Ray has made it back to the football field because of the countless hours of rehab. The little thing that night of seeing all their small fans happy didn't help them win a football game, but is indicative of the the quality of this Senior Class.