If there is one thing that I can't stand about sports, it is fair-weather fans.

What can one person really gain from liking a team just because they are winning?

These people really don't have any true feelings toward sports and they just follow the general crowd because a team is good that year.

This is where my dilemma comes into play.

Being from Chicago, I find myself liking different teams from the large contingent of people here at MSU. I am not a fan of the Red Wings, Lions, Tigers, or Pistons.

Does this mean that I deserve different treatment from sports fans here in Michigan because I don't like their teams? Of course not, it just means that I have different views.

I am a die-hard Blackhawks, Cubs, and Bears fan. The best part is, I am not afraid to say it or show it.

Those sports are easy to decipher when it comes time to cheering for them. This weekend poses a very different dilemma though.

Notre Dame or MSU?

I was raised a Notre Dame fan. I have not missed a Notre Dame football game in about 12 years, maybe longer.

Throughout my stay here at MSU, I have grown into a Spartans fan. I will cheer for the Spartans every game of the year, except for one. That one game will be this weekend.

While I won't be mad if State wins, I will be mad if Notre Dame loses.

I must say I have been pleasantly surprised by both teams so far this year.

Notre Dame and MSU have set the bar pretty high so far this season for themselves and if their first two games have been any indication of what we will see this weekend, then be prepared for a classic.

It is not easy being a fan of two teams that play each other every year. I must stay true to my feelings though, and by doing this I will be cheering for the Irish come Saturday.

It is not easy dealing with people on campus though. Nobody can seem to understand why I am an Irish fan, when I attend MSU. If I had a dollar for every time someone told me that I should transfer to Notre Dame, I would be rich. Every year it is the same things being said, too.

I ask for it though. I love getting into friendly conversations about the two teams with other Spartans fans. They have their opinions and I have mine.

Being a fan of other teams is what I love though. I know people that are fans of the Detroit Tigers are true baseball fans.

I know what it's like to love a team that hasn't won anything for a while, and a team that has basically been in the cellar for the past 10 years.

I am a Cubs fan. Enough said.

There is no room for fair-weather fans in the wide world of sports.

Find a team, enjoy the games, and stick with them through the good times and most importantly through the bad ones, too.

Chris Barsotti is The State News' sports editor and can be reached at barsott1@msu.edu.