Have you ever been so ashamed to be something in your life?

I have, and you’d be surprised to know what that is. Though I am only in my sophomore year at MSU, I can honestly say I was ashamed to be something I never thought was possible - I was ashamed to be a Spartan.

That’s right.

Now, before you take this column and throw it in the recycling bin, hear me out.

Don’t get me wrong. Like many MSU students, I am a huge Spartan fan. In fact, it should be noted that for the first 17 years of my life I could care less about MSU - that was because I was a diehard Michigan fan.

But when I came to MSU last fall, I traded in my maize and blue ties, realizing I will forever don the green and white.

Now, why was I ever ashamed to be a Spartan you ask? Well, let’s take a stroll back to last Saturday’s football game against Notre Dame.

It was my 19th birthday and I was attending the biggest football game I think I have ever been at. The Irish, returning to glory, and the Spartans, trying to get recognition as a national contender made the game an experience in itself. What a birthday present.

However, for most of the game, the Spartans were playing horribly, which can describe the 14-3 halftime deficit. Then there was the unseen comeback.

The Spartans scored two forth-quarter touchdowns, the second giving MSU a 17-14 lead with 1 minute, 45 seconds remaining in the game. I was ecstatic, as were the thousands of Spartan faithful in Spartan Stadium.

It should be noted that for my birthday, my best friend Mike made the trip from South Bend to celebrate with me. Yes, he is a Notre Dame student, and I did buy him a ticket to the game. So, he was one of those fans wearing a green “Return to Glory” shirt in the wave of white.

After Rogers’ second touchdown, a catch so improbable I still can’t believe it, his face said it all - not again. It seemed like I would get the best birthday present in within the next two minutes - a Spartan victory.

Well, a mere 30 seconds later, the Spartan defense committed another blunder on the evening as Arnaz Battle raced 60 yards for the game winning touchdown.

Mike was ecstatic, and though I was upset the Spartans lost again, I was pleased to have witnessed such an exciting finish.

Now, you are asking why I was ashamed to be a Spartan? It wasn’t because the Spartans, who were thought to be a serious threat for the national championship, had fallen to 2-2 on the year. It wasn’t the fact Mike rubbed in the Irish’s 21-17 victory.

It was because I realized that Spartan fans can be real sore losers.

Following the game, Mike and I were taking pictures of the field and scoreboard among other things. While taking a picture with his camera, some Spartan fan shoved him off the bench he was standing on. Then, after Mike had some choice words, a girl slapped him. Why? Because he happens to go to Notre Dame and we lost a fricken’ football game? Come on - get a life.

But wait, there’s more.

After taking a picture of both of us by holding a camera out by hand, some seemingly nice fan asked if we wanted a picture together. Wow, could this actually be a nice Spartan fan? Figuring so, I said sure and gave him my camera.

Instantly, he tried to get his friend to take my $500 dollar camera and split. When his friend declined, he explained he wasn’t going to take a picture of us because of Mike’s Notre Dame alliance. But, within his uncivil explanation, there were a handful of f-bombs among some other choice words.

So, let me get this straight, because Notre Dame beat MSU, it is our jobs as Spartan fans to be cruel to Notre Dame fans. Using this logic, MSU lost because of fans like Mike.

If you agree with that last statement, you have serious issues.

It’s just sad to see the sportsmanship of spectators sink to an all-time low. Over what - a football game?

There is so much more to life, and so much more to being a Spartan.

I’m praying for a Spartan victory over Northwestern this weekend because I don’t even want to think what cruel MSU fans will do to any Northwestern fans if the Wildcats pull out a win.

I’m so ashamed I had to write this column, and I don’t ever, and I mean ever, want to be ashamed to be a Spartan again.

Chris Mackinder can be reached at mackind8@msu.edu