After leaving MSU, I ended up about as far away as you can get - central Wyoming. People here know about as much about Spartan basketball as I know about cattle rustling. However, I was able to find a nice drinking establishment that had the game on Sunday afternoon.

Granted, I was the only one wearing all green and likely the only one who cared in the beginning, but during the course of that momentous game against the Wildcats, I got the feeling that the attitude of the room changed. I could hear my cheers echoed from behind where before there was only silence. Either my enthusiasm was contagious or, more likely, the mettle of this Spartans team was winning them over.

Even with all of the success that head coach Tom Izzo has seen with MSU, it seems that most people still associate teams like Kentucky and Duke with college basketball. Time and time again under Izzo, MSU has shown that it can play with these teams. Next weekend, this awesomely talented, newly energized team has the opportunity to finish the trifecta and knock off the third of the big three, North Carolina. I, for one, say if you can beat Duke and you can beat Kentucky, you can beat anybody.

Whatever the outcome of next weekend, coach Izzo, many thanks go out to you for bringing die-hard MSU fans like me - who have been with this team through Magic Johnson, Scott Skiles, and Mateen Cleaves - another year of great Spartans basketball. I know there have been times when you've felt let down by the fans, but speaking from my own heart, when we invest this much emotion in our boys, it's easy to get wrapped up in the details and not see the big picture.

You and your teams, and this team in particular, have been a treat for Spartans everywhere, and we hope it stays that way for years to come. A little green and white has spread to the high desert of Wyoming, and I feel closer to home than ever.

David Myers
2003 graduate