MSU is not a champagne school; it's a university for the beer connoisseur.
Since MSU's conception in 1855, the trails lining the banks of the Red Cedar have been reserved for people of the blue-collar variety - the beer drinker. Today, fewer Spartans arrive in East Lansing from working-class roots, and they replace a walk on the river trails with a drive on campus streets in a Mercedes-Benz - this is the champagne drinker.
Despite taking home a sizable paycheck, MSU men's basketball head coach Tom Izzo is the beer drinker's best friend and a man of blue-collar stock. Remember back in 2000, when every March was capped off by snipping nets, and the Spartans ended their run by hoisting a crystal basketball over their heads? Yeah, those were the days - and your beer was still in hand.
The Spartans now have many of their fans screaming foul. These fans traded in their Budweiser for Dom Perignon long ago and have not bled green from their blue-collar hearts since the Spartan's last Final Four appearance in 2001. You can call yourself a fan in your green and white garb, but actions speak louder than Nike apparel.
And now the players have begun to join their brain trust. Izzo, here's another. I'm sure the championship beer is still in hand, but warm from the frustration of a less-than-spectacular start and a group of white-collar players.
Remember the days of the Flintstones - Mateen Cleaves, Morris Peterson, Antonio Smith and Charlie Bell - when MSU players fit the stone-age, construction-worker mold? Not only were the Flintstones blue collar, but somewhat barbaric in their "anything goes" mentality on defense.
Things will change. Izzo, with hard hat and lunchbox in tow, will shake the slap to his face from the Wisconsin foreman to prepare his group of general contractors for a run into NCAA Tournament play. This won't be an easy task, but the blue-collar principles that paced the 2000 championship Spartans through their season of glory will emerge again. Any true fan knows this.
Apologies to junior swingman Alan Anderson, whom I crowned Big Ten Player of the Year in my preseason predictions. December's weather was mild, but the month was rough for the Spartans as they struggled through one of college basketball's all-time toughest schedules. Anderson was expected to play out of position as the Spartans' point guard, barring him from the breakout abilities I thought would unfold this season. Anderson has shown signs of Cleaves' will to win - look back to the Oklahoma game - but consistency has not been at his side. I, however, am still on Anderson's side. Big Ten MOPs are crowned at the end of the conference season and Anderson has the fire to be one of the Big Ten's elite players, while leading the Spartans to a high conference finish. Just look to last season and the Spartans' surprising trot into the Elite Eight with Anderson running the Izzo offense. It can be done.
As the saying goes, "the proof is in the pudding," and Izzo's mixture begins with defense, but his team has yet to get the memo. To have a 17-5 run against the Badgers to start the game and fail to win - or even keep the game close - displays a porous defense that has difficulty holding down the middle. Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan's swing offense exposed the middle, allowing the Badgers' guards many chances at the inside.
From an outsider's perspective, defense is the key to the Spartans' turnaround. The Big Ten allows the Spartans to return to their no-holds-barred bruising style that has grossed success over several years. As a fan, you must remember when Spartan basketball wasn't consistently in the winner's column, or on ESPN. Remember the roots of the program and how special Izzo really is to the Spartans' recent history. So, to you, the Spartan fan, sit back, crack open that beer, stare down the working man's adversary and put faith in your team by filling the stands as the sixth man who was so evident just a few years ago. The Spartans will go to work.
Paul Day is the Deputy Sports Editor. He can be reached at daypaul@msu.edu.
