The rivalry between the Spartans and Wolverines isn’t just about football.
The week before the annual meeting gives the two schools the chance to top each other in the art of pulling pranks.
“Sparty Watch” has been set up to thwart any plans University of Michigan fans might have to defile the world’s largest free-standing ceramic statue.
“There’s going to be people out here all week,” Spartan Marching Band President Adam Gumbrecht said. “We come by whenever we can.”
The instrumental music education senior said members of the band will come by to keep a close eye on the statue between classes each day until Saturday’s game. He also said that after classes, band members congregate at the statue and remain there all night.
“When we’re done with rehearsal, we just all come out and have a good time,” he said.
Gumbrecht said he was turned on to the idea of protecting “The Spartan” after hearing it was a great way to meet people. He said there will be music, food and a grill at the landmark as the week progresses. He even mentioned the possibility of a masseuse stopping by.
At one point on Monday, it looked as if someone on watch was sleeping. But that was not the case.
“No one sleeps while they’re here,” Gumbrecht said. “That’s all a part of the decoy.”
Others are just learning about the operation.
“I don’t know too much about the history of the pranks,” general management freshman Nick Oertel said. “I read about a couple of things that happened - I think it’s all kind of cool.”
Everything from maize and blue paint to paintballs have been used in attempts to desecrate Sparty. And many people have their own memories of incidents that have taken place.
“There have been a lot of different events that have gone down,” Gumbrecht said. “I’ve seen a wide variety of things.”
Gumbrecht mentioned a 1998 incident where U-M students invaded MSU with buckets of paint with which to douse Sparty.
“We had a lot of Michigan people here,” he said. “The police helped us out a lot. We did our jobs pretty well and nothing happened to him. Nothing since then has come close to being on that scale.”
One student had a strong opinion about MSU’s Ann Arbor rivals.
“All those Michigan people need to find better things to do with their time,” pre-med sophomore Joe Goldschmidt said. “I wouldn’t sit out here for an entire week. It all seems a little childish to me.”
He did, however, show some love for the statue.
“The guy who’s watching Sparty’s school spirit is a lot greater than mine is,” Goldschmidt said. “I’m glad someone is doing it.”
