A Spartan state of mind.

I want to start off by telling you that I’m a University of Michigan fan. I grew up in Michigan, a place where you are either Maize and Blue or Green and White. A Spartan or a Wolverine. East Lansing or Ann Arbor. We even have a store in Michigan called The Great Divide, where the store is split down the middle, U of M merchandise on one side, MSU gear on the other. I always, always root for U of M... until Sunday.

When Michigan State beat Louisville on Sunday, I couldn’t have been more proud. You can call me a Bandwagon fan or not a true devoted Wolverine. That’s fine. But I’ll let you know my reasons run a little deeper than school allegiances.

I’m not going to fill you in on any new info by telling you the state of Michigan has fallen on hard times. The automotive industry has run dry and the trickle down effect has been devastating to all other forms of business that are intrinsically linked to the Big 3. Unemployment is rampant. A once great city of Detroit, now is marred by mayoral scandal and mismanagement. Detroit public schools have around 25% graduation rate of High School Seniors. Recently, Detroit was voted as the most dangerous city in the US. The Pistons are playing under .500 ball for the first time since 2001. The Red Wings are playing well, but the NHL is the red headed stepchild of major league sports. And don’t even get me started on the Lions. Things have been rough for Michigan, to put it plainly.

So, today, when Gang Green took on the Louisville Cardinals, I couldn’t help but root for them. But I wasn’t just rooting for Michigan State, I was also rooting for the State of Michigan. A trip to the Final Four for MSU, which is held in Detroit this year, could be just what the doctor ordered. It’ll give all fans in Michigan something positive to talk about, cheer for and something to take their mind off an otherwise bleak situation.

As I watched the game, my Dad (who still lives in Michigan) and I kept texting back and forth. We wrote about how impressively MSU was playing. How we didn’t realize MSU could play with (and beat) some of the top programs in the country. My Dad mentioned that this MSU team is just so mentally tough. The more I watched (and texted) the more I fell in love with this Spartan team.

This team is an embodiment of the state of Michigan. A blue collar, hard working against-all-odds team. They weren’t flashy or “sexy”, they didn’t play in dominant conference and they certainly weren’t favored. But they showed up and competed. Win or lose, they were going to fight to the very end. I can’t think of a better way to describe the citizens of Michigan.

Now Michigan State is in the Final Four and all the stories written will be about the their homecoming. The positive attention will be great for the Michigander psyche. We can puff out our chests and be proud to say we’re from Michigan even if it’s only for one shining moment. And for that I’ll cheer. So, with apologies to Lloyd, Jim Brandstater and Bo... Let’s Go State! But, I think they (silently) might be doing the same.