In my career as a Spartan, I have attended two dozen basketball games, another 15 or so football games, a handful of hockey games and a few softball, baseball, field hockey and soccer matches for good measure. I've got more ticket stubs than I do credits.

And at all these games, I live by one rule - I never leave early.

To understand why, let me take you through my experience at last weekend's football game against Hawaii.

The day was shaping up to be phenomenal. It was a 3:30 game, which gave me and my roommates plenty of time to sleep in. After consuming our weight in hot dogs at a tailgate, we decided to paint our faces for the game because we have rabid spirit that we want to show the world. And because we figured it would serve as a sort of makeshift sunblock. And also, because we're idiots.

The game started with a bang. MSU scored on its first four drives. I started thinking how "Oahu's Your Daddy?" would make a great headline for Monday's paper. We were doing pushups with every Spartans touchdown. The crowd was buzzing.

But somewhere in the middle of the third quarter, apathy began to sink in. The fate of the game had been decided two hours ago. At least half the student section had cleared out. Hawaii scored a touchdown, so we couldn't even root for a shutout anymore. We found out that face paint does not, in fact, have any SPF, so the 85-degree heat slowly started barbecuing the left sides of our faces. I didn't want to admit it, but the thought of going home for a shower and a nap was beginning to sound pretty good.

Then, with one cheap shot, I remembered why I was there.

In the fourth quarter, Hawaii nose tackle Reagan Mauia laid a late hit on Drew Stanton, leaving Our Savior rolling on the ground in pain. In an instant, the crowd was as loud as it was for the opening kickoff, booing Mauia like he was a screening of "Gigli."

Moments later, another scuffle broke out that ended up with MSU left guard Kyle Cook's helmet getting kicked across the field by a Hawaii player. This especially irritated me because I went to high school with Cook, and you always stick up for someone you once had health class with.

On the very next play, Javon Ringer took a handoff, ran right, saw no holes to run through, stopped, ran all the way back across the field, turned the corner around a block by Stanton, then scampered 15 yards for a touchdown. It was one of the most amazing plays I have ever seen in that stadium.

(While we're at it, how many other quarterbacks do you think would have had the awareness/testicular fortitude to lay a block like Stanton did on that hard-charging linebacker? Don't you get the feeling that if it had been Michigan quarterback Chad Henne, he would have been too busy planning his 2007 Heisman acceptance speech to realize that there was still a play going on?)

As my roommates and I stared at each other with the same "Did you just see that?" look on our faces, I realized that I no longer had a desire to go home.

I remember being 10 years old and crying when my favorite football team, the Indianapolis Colts, lost on the final play of the AFC Championship game. To this day, I can't remember why they were my favorite team. There probably was no reason.

For the most part, I'm not like that anymore. As a journalist, I've had to change the way I watch sports. If I go out to cover a sporting event now, I have to equip myself with certain things that I usually wouldn't if I were watching that same game at home - things like "objectivity" or "professionalism" or "a pair of pants."

That's why I so enjoy being a part of the crowd on college football Saturdays. It gives me a chance to recapture the part of me that's an irrational fan - that cheers just because it's how I feel at the time.

There's no other time in your life when you can celebrate like this. If you're at Spartan Stadium and the guy next to you starts singing the MSU Fight Song, you put your arm around him and sing along with all your might. If you're at Ford Field and the guy next to you starts singing the Lions' fight song, you start looking around uncomfortably and, hey, isn't that the guy I'm supposed to be meeting here on the other side of the stadium?

So take advantage of it. Go to as many games as you can. Cheer your heart out.

At any given moment, you might be a part of something you'll remember for the rest of your life.

For that, I'll stay through the fourth quarter every time.

Tom Keller is the State News sports administration reporter. You can reach him at kellert1@msu.edu.