FOOTBALL
Don't blame Smith players stunk
If you want to point fingers as to why MSU lost to Illinois, there's plenty of blame to go around.
FOOTBALL
Out-juiced
On paper, the mismatches couldn't have been any more glaring. Illinois hadn't beaten MSU in its last nine tries, had only defeated one in-conference opponent in three years and had a true freshman nicknamed "Juice" taking the snaps from center. MSU had every reason to come out with guns blazing — what better way to erase the memory of last week's fourth-quarter implosion against Notre Dame than to drop 50 points on a Big Ten doormat? But what they lacked in talent, history and experience, the Fighting Illini made up for with the intangibles that seem to matter most in college football games. Intestinal fortitude.
NEWS
MIDDAY UPDATE: Knee injury ends Ringer's season
The worst-case scenario is now reality. Sophomore running back Javon Ringer is out for the season. During the second quarter of MSU's 23-20 loss to Illinois on Saturday, Ringer went down with an injured right knee after gaining three yards on a screen pass.
SPORTS
Monday musings
Monday Musings For the first time in more than 30 years, Notre Dame will make 5,000 season tickets available to football games starting next season. The fee for the tickets will help pay for more than $40 million in repairs to Notre Dame Stadium, as well as Charlie Weis' months of post-slap therapy. Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth was ejected from his team's game Sunday after stomping on Dallas center Andre Gurode's face. Haynesworth said he plans to appeal any suspension because, come on, Gurode's face does kind of look like a Dance Dance Revolution board. For the second straight season, only selected MSU football players will be available to the media before this Saturday's game against Michigan. Team officials said the rest of the team will be unavailable to give interviews because they'll be busy making sure no one plants any flags at Spartan Stadium.
NEWS
WEB EXTRA: Illinois wins it on late field goal
Jason Reda's 39-yard field goal with six seconds remaining lifted Illinois to a stunning 23-20 upset against MSU on Saturday at Spartan Stadium. Despite losing senior quarterback Drew Stanton to an apparent hand injury midway through the fourth quarter, the Spartans erased a 10-point deficit to tie the score at 20 with 2:46 remaining.
MICHIGAN
Politics of 'religious right'
America's youth aren't apathetic, they just need help changing the social fabric of the country, said a leading Christian commentator. Preaching social justice, Christian leader and best-selling author of "God's Politics: Why the Right Gets Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It" Jim Wallis spoke Thursday night to about 1,100 people who packed the pews at The Peoples Church, 200 W.
COMMENTARY
Arrests at football game didn't have to be so high
After reading the State News article "Arrests up from 2004 Notre Dame game night," (SN 9/25), I had a revelation that must be too profound for the university officials and local police departments alike. After the 2004 Notre Dame game, rules for tailgating were changed.
NEWS
Spartans land Flint D-line recruit Wheat
The MSU football team added another recruit this week when defensive tackle Ryan Wheat joined the Spartans for their 2007 recruiting class. Wheat, at 6-foot-4 and 298 pounds, is listed as a three-star recruit, according to www.rivals.com. The Web site also lists Wheat as one of the Top 30 recruits from the state of Michigan.
COMMENTARY
Leaving game early not sign of fair-weather fan
A funny thing happened to me Saturday night on the way out of Spartan Stadium following MSU's catastrophic — though, seemingly scheduled — collapse to Notre Dame.
NEWS
Prognosticators
Illinois at MSU Noon Saturday, Spartan Stadium, ESPN Gameplan SH-Which MSU team will we see Saturday — motivated to get back on track or still shaken from the Notre Dame collapse?
NEWS
YAF cancels original event, plans others
MSU's Young Americans for Freedom decided to cancel "Catch an Illegal Immigrant Day." "We are altering our plans, not stopping them," said Kyle Bristow, the group's chairman.
COMMENTARY
Keep our stomachs out of your politics
No one wants to eat trans fat, but sometimes you just gotta have a doughnut, french fries or the many other kinds of food that probably shouldn't be deep fried.
NEWS
Spartans have edge in talent, experience, crowd
Illinois youth against MSU experience and crowd Illinois has played 16 true freshmen this season.
NEWS
3 up 3 down
UP — MOTHER NATURE There are few things better than seeing a messy, sloppy football game, and the weather cooperated last Saturday night, delivering a monsoon to Spartan Stadium.
FEATURES
Any way you look at it, MSU is not worst of Big Ten
My world was rocked the other day when I checked my e-mail. As I scanned through my inbox, I came across some disturbing news that frustrated and embittered my Spartan soul to the innermost core. The line read, "Worst of the Big Ten: Michigan State University." Say, what? A beautiful campus, increasingly difficult requirements for admittance, one of the best study abroad programs in the nation and the kind of fans that stand in the rain for four hours only to go home with a loss.
NEWS
Expect Illini to blitz Spartans often
If Drew Stanton has any recollection of last year's game against Illinois, he's probably licking his chops in anticipation of tomorrow's game.
FEATURES
Many factors to consider in search for right hair color
Deborah Messing's vibrant red curls could send hundreds of people to the salon. Kate Hudson's golden locks might convince even those with black hair to make the switch. But don't be fooled — what flatters one person could look horrible on the next.
NEWS
Spartan family
Jason Zarate is aware Homecoming is this weekend, but he's not doing anything special to celebrate it.
MSU
Student group protests Coca-Cola corporation on campus
Students marched with drums in hand to the Administration Building Thursday because MSU administrators refused to cut ties with the Coca-Cola corporation. The Students for Economic Justice, or SEJ, organized the event and said about 30 people participated as they marched on the fourth floor of the building and recited chants about Coca-Cola. The group is campaigning against the soft drink company because of allegations of abusing workers' rights and murdering workers.
NEWS
"Murky" Waters recalls father's life as coach
Last Saturday's exciting pregame ceremony honoring the 1966 MSU football team was met with bittersweet emotions when everyone in Spartan Stadium also took a moment of silence to remember former MSU athlete and coach, Frank "Muddy" Waters Jr. Waters passed away Sept.