Erin Andrews Interview: Michigan State University ‘is like home.'

Erin Andrews was raised under Florida’s constant sun. America’s Sideline Princess isn’t used to the crisp October weather for which this blog is named.

Her first order of business in East Lansing was to hop on Twitter and jokingly beg for temperate mercy. She wore a scarf throughout our indoor media session. Still, when asked about her impression of Michigan State, the first words out of Andrews’s mouth were “It’s like home,” then “it’s like family.”

That made me smile. To me, Michigan State fandom is all about family, and how more appropriate could that statement be on Homecoming?

Andrews, of course, has been here many times covering basketball. “I felt like a distant relative of Tom Izzo,” she said, for all the times she’s been to the Breslin Center. “I’d really appreciate if we could play the game tomorrow in the Breslin Center,” she said, “these temps are not exactly my favorite. But I’m excited to be here; it’ll be a great game.”

Today’s GameDay will feature Lee Corso’s 200th headgear-donning game prediction. Asked about the significance of that, Andrews pointed out that she’s the only member of the GameDay cast to have actually camped out for GameDay as a student. “I like to remind the guys of that,” she said with a smile, “to date them a little bit.”

Of course, since Andrews was a student, ESPN College GameDay Built by Home Depot has grown into an even bigger deal, a bigger production, more of a circus. She gestured to the enormous stage on Munn Field, being put through it’s paces by production staff, and said “I mean, look at that! That looks like Barnum and Bailey. We’re the lions and tigers. It’s nuts.”

Andrews talked about the impact the show has had on the popularity of the game itself. “I think the biggest reason why college football is so popular, and why guys who play this sport become super stars, is because of this show. We’re out every week doing features on them.” She explained that GameDay is as exciting and motivating for the players as it is for the fans. “It’s such a big deal if Chris or Kirk talks about you,” she said, “or if Coach Corso says your name. I think this show is one of the biggest reasons why this sport is where it is.”

Of course, the game itself must be worthy of the spectacle, and MSU – Wisconsin is. “I’m excited,” she said. “It’s going to be a game you definitely want to tune in for, especially with all the comments by Michigan State’s defense about ‘Get ready, Russell Wilson, we’re coming after you, Russell Wilson’.” Like Heck at The Only Colors, I love love love a swaggering, trash-talking defense that backs it up. When she said that, I swallowed hard. Let’s hope they back it up.

I cheered up again when she said Wisconsin was “heartbroken” last year after their loss to Michigan State. “They wanted to come back, to do it under the bright lights, Russell Wilson’s got this Heisman campaign, I mean, this is it. This where you find out if you’re good enough to go to New York.”

For the Michigan State Spartans, of course, this game is a test of something else: whether they’re good enough to go to Indianapolis.

ESPN College GameDay: Built by Home Depot, Conquered by Michigan State Spartans

You are going to be on ESPN.

You’re reading this; you know where you’re going. Early Saturday morning, you’ll swathe yourself in Green and White and drive to campus. You’ll wait until 6:00 am, when they’ll let you park in the Trowbridge ramp for $15. You’ll proceed to Munn Field, which will be opened for you (and thousands of your closest friends) at 7:00. Two hours later, the football-watching world will see you piped into their home—and the strength of our numbers.

Last time ESPN College Gameday came to Michigan State, it was 2005. The Spartans were a miserable 5-5. GameDay was not there to witness a clash of titans; they were there to crown Penn State.

This season, ESPN is putting Michigan State on the biggest possible stage. We’re playing for extraordinarily high stakes. We’ll host the Wisconsin Badgers, the usurpers of our rightful 2010 Rose Bowl berth. As you know, MSU is 5-1 and the Badgers are 6-0; both teams are undefeated in-conference. A win would put either school in the driver’s seat to win their B1G division.

Last week, Jim wrote eloquently about the Little Brother mentality. It’s clear that the team has overcome this complex, but have the fans? Saturday will be the true test.

Everyone even casually associated with Michigan State understands the importance of the Michigan rivalry; campus was saturated with fans last week. But do we really play a one-game season, in fans’ minds? Has the team already accomplished everything fans hungered for?

Us Michigan State fans have always held the great teams of Biggie Munn and Duffy Daugherty dear. We’ve been raised to believe our rightful place in the NCAA hierarchy is at or near the top; we should perennially compete for Rose Bowl berths and occasionally be amongst the best in the land.

The reality’s been different.

The other day, my family went to our dentist. In his hallway, he’s hung a matted and framed aerial photo of the 1988 Rose Bowl. My son eagerly asked questions about it; while answering I heard myself say I was his big sister’s age—seven years old—the last time MSU played in Pasadena.

Last season was very nearly Michigan State’s triumphant return to the top of the Big Ten food chain; this game and the next could right 2010’s wrong. It’s no secret the Marks Dantonio and Hollis aim to elevate Michigan State football back to its lofty historical perch. Part of that means not being satisfied with a winning record, a bowl berth, and beating Michigan. Part of being a perennial conference contender and occasional national contender is understanding the stakes for which our Spartans play.

This game, against this opponent, with each team’s respective records, and a national prime time audience, should be importance enough. Spending all day and all night tailgating before showing up in droves would normally be fine. But Spartan fans have an incredible opportunity to show that not only our team is ready for the national stage, but our school, program, and fans are too.

Really, this is all wasted effort on my part. I don’t know why I’m writing to you. I don’t know why I’m preaching to the choir. You’ll be there. You’ll be wearing your colors and screaming in and out of commercial breaks and you’ll cheer your brains out when the 200th piece of mascot headgear Lee Corso ever dons is a Sparty head.

Don’t worry, I didn’t mean to harangue you, proud and loyal Spartan.

I’m talking to everyone else.

Homecoming: B.J. Cunningham

Prior to 2010, the All-Time Career Reception leader was Matt "Stone Hands" Trannon. You might think it's such a strange thing that "Stone Hands" was the nickname in my house for MSU's all time reception leader, but so it is. His freshman year I think he dropped as many passes as he caught and even in his Senior Year when he wasn't throwing touchdown passes he still occasionally had a drop that was all LOL WUT. So not only did it surprise me, but it pleased me greatly to learn that coming into the season that B.J. Cunningham was only 10 catches away from moving old "Stone Hands" down to number two.

When Mark Dantonio arrived in late 2006 the first order of business was to give all of the JLS assistants their walking papers and then call up all of our current commitments and inform them that their scholarship offers were being re-examined. For obvious keepers like Keith Nichol and Mark Dell this was merely a formality, for guys like this was the end of their courtship with Michigan State. For guys like B.J. Cunningham who were being recruited by Mark Dantonio at Cincinnati, this was the beginning of a new courtship with Michigan State.

In December 2006, Cunningham committed to MSU just a few weeks after Dantonio took over as head coach. He was a three-star prospect according to Rivals and Scout. He and Mark Dell came in as the two WR's in the class of 2007, Dell was the heralded four-star talent and Cunningham the important workmanlike possession receiver. Cunningham described his strength as: "I can go up and get the ball and I am good at running after the catch. I also have no problem going across the middle" Here's a clip of him doing and an interview with the man himself doing all that to displace old "Stone Hands".



Cunningham was redshirted in 2007 while Mark Dell saw playing time stretching the field for Devin Thomas. Dantonio went to say "Head coach Mark Dantonio said Cunningham could have made a significant contribution in 2007 from midseason on had he not redshirted." This too, turned out to be oddly prophetic as Cunningham finished in second for team receptions in 2008 with 41 only being beaten out by Blair White.

In 2009, the year of the "Cousins/Nichol when you have two quarterbacks you have none" platooning, Cunningham increased his catches from 41 to 48. Blair White made himself available like 7-11 for Cousins that year catching an astounding 70 passes. Cunningham again showed himself as a reliable person to move the sticks and again finished second in total catches.

In 2010, B.J. Cunningham finished second in receptions for the third year in a row. He tallied 50 catches to Mark Dell's 51. In a move which might help describe the current state of MSU pass-catching, he led the team in touchdown catches with nine, good for 45 percent of Cousins' total touchdown haul.

So we come to 2011 and I felt a bit like Cunningham was under the radar. We knew he was solid, but the MSU All-Time Reception leader? More catches than Andre Rison, Plaxico Burress, Charles Rogers and Kirk Gibson? Well yes, he finished a strong second to each of the leaders in 2008, 2009 and 2010 and within a few catches except for 2009 where Blair White was open every damn play.

So it's fitting that this trip to Ohio State is going to be his homecoming. While he doesn't boast the ridiculous speed of Charles Rogers or the takeover ability of Plaxico Burress, B.J. Cunningham is the personification of Mark Dantonio football. Cunningham catches the ball and move the chains. Does he have a chip on his shoulder that he wasn't offered by Ohio State, I don't pretend to know and I don't think it's relevant. What is relevant is that when B.J. Cunningham goes home to his homecoming on Saturday he has the opportunity to belong definitively in that list of Spartan great receivers.

While it's fair to suggest that having this record alone above all those other guys should mention him in the same breath as those receivers, it isn't. After all, how many people think back to the days of good old Matt "Stone Hands" Trannon and wish we had him back? Hey, did you know he also played basketball? You need to have that Marquee win, like Plax did against Michigan in 1998 or Rison helping beat USC a second time in the Rose Bowl.

B.J. Cunningham can get that win this Saturday. He doesn't need to do anything flashy to do it either. He needs to do what he does best. He needs to play his own Mark Dantonio football, not flashy, not grandiose, not tricky. He just needs to catch passes and move the chains. In short, he just needs to do his job. If everyone else can follow the lead of B.J. Cunningham, I'd just give us a fighting chance.