This was a comment received in the Abbreviated Game Preview below. I appreciated and agreed with it so much I'm putting it on the front page. If/when the author gives me permission to link him on Twitter, then I will do so. Update: Congratulate him in the comments section below if you want to.
Michigan State alumni, students, fans, I have one simple, emphatic request for Saturday: if you are at all able, please, please, go to the game.
Why such an urgent plea?
For years I've claimed to my father (also a Spartan) that if we ever got a consistent winner on the football field, watch out: the alumni, East Lansing, and the state would go absolutely nuts, and prove Tom Izzo right that we are a football school ranking with the best of them.
While I'm not ready to go back on my word, the easiest way to measure this sentiment is rear ends in seats. At last year's Purdue home finale, and two weeks ago against Minnesota, there were large, noticeable holes in the student and other sections; just as Joe mentioned recently, I was shocked and disappointed. I fear the first camera shot of the stands on Saturday at 12:05pm against Indiana.
So here we are. Going for two straight undefeated home seasons. Winningest quarterback and class in school history. Chance at two B1G titles in a row. Can you imagine in your wildest dreams saying that a few short years ago?! Bowl reps in the stands. A few major recruits attending, for whom atmosphere and hype are very real factors.
Full disclosure: I graduated in 2004 and have since moved out of state, and can no longer go to games. There are certainly many more like me, and I am therefore part of the problem.
Listen, I know the cost of a game is high, and the economy's rough, and it's noon against Indiana, and we're top 20 in attendance for 50 straight years, all of which is nothing to sneeze at. But (this makes my skin crawl) Michigan puts 110,000 people in the stands for every...single...game. Please don't tell me we need 30 years of sustained success to fill Spartan Stadium every week.
Most of all, go to the game because whether you've been following the team for 5 years or 40, you've been waiting for a consistent winner. Well, here it is. This is supposed to be the payoff for all the pain! For so long, the team didn't deserve the loyalty it got. Now let's make sure we deserve the team we've got.
Eric
Finance '04
hey Jim - thanks for the post, and I just saw the tweet as well. Thanks to that, a lot more will read this! I also tried to post something similar a few places on the State News, as I think students need to hear it most. Go Green.
ReplyDeleteEric '04
e.thielemans@gmail.com
Great Post. I'm in a similar boat. Recent Grad had to move out of state to find work And sure as shootin' if I could, I would be at every game cheering till I was hoarse (i was at the Iowa game last week and could barely speak after)
ReplyDeleteNow that we've got a great coach with great players and a system that appears it will continue to build I think we've forgotten what it is to be fans.
Keep the Spartan passion but don't develop the entitlement like the school down the road. That's what I'm asking Santa for this x-mas.
Here's hopin to a hopin' stadium against the Hoosiers!
Steve '06