OAR show not impressive

The lights went dim and The Beatles' "Revolution" began blasting through Breslin Center as OAR hit the stage around 9 p.m.

People inconsistent with abortion 'facts'

All this talk of abortion and law confuses me. Why is it, again, that killing a pregnant woman constitutes a double murder, but aborting a fetus constitutes a woman's choice?

Findlay would focus on relationships with constituents

John Findlay is tired of hearing from his state representatives only during election time. "Once we elect them, we never see them," said Findlay, a Republican.

Player pleads guilty to 1 felony

MSU football player Cole Corey plead guilty to a single count of possession of a controlled substance in the Lenawee County Circuit Court on Feb.

No. 1 Gophers dominate Spartans, 41-3

The No. 18 MSU wrestling team was unable to give its seniors a win on Senior Day, dropping nine of 10 matches en route to a 41-3 loss to No.

Olin offers massage for healthy sex week

Olin Health Center will teach massage tonight to kick off Healthy Sexuality Week 2006. Healthy Sexuality Week, themed "Stimulate Your Senses," is attempting to raise awareness of sexually transmitted infections, contraception and sexuality.

Still in the hunt

Three things made MSU head coach Tom Izzo smile after Saturday's game at Breslin Center. The first: Regaining dominance over archrival Michigan, courtesy of a 90-71 win. The second: The re-emerging possibility of winning the Big Ten.

From the road

Men's hoops reporter Tom Keller discusses the highs and lows of Iowa. But mostly lows. Of all the places I wanted to spend Valentine's Day, Iowa City was obviously at the top of the list.

Simon speaks to legislators, hopes for more state funding

Many MSU officials and students are concerned the university is relying more on tuition dollars than state funding, MSU President Lou Anna K.

MSU's most overlooked athlete back to old self

It had not been a good week for Drew Neitzel. The sophomore guard played arguably his worst game of the season against Minnesota last Saturday, missing seven of eight shots and recording more turnovers (four) than points (three). He followed that with another frustrating game at Iowa on Tuesday, finishing with his fewest assists in more than a month. And sadly, that wasn't the worst part.

Monday musings

A different take on the sports world. The MSU men's basketball team dominated the University of Michigan on Saturday, reasserting itself as the premier team in the state. In a related story, ESPN broadcaster Rick Majerus repeatedly referred to MSU forward Matt Trannon as a tight end, reasserting himself as the dumbest TV analyst in the country. The Spartans' win was overshadowed, however, by a pre-game incident in which little-used U-M center Amadou Ba got into a verbal altercation with an Izzone member and pushed him to the ground. The fan is reportedly being charged with assault and Ba-ttery. 5-foot-9 New York Knicks guard Nate Robinson won the NBA dunk contest on Saturday, beating out 6-foot-6 Andre Iguodala, among others. Hear that, DeMarcus Ducre?

WEB EXTRA: Brown leads MSU in rout over Michigan, 90-71

Turns out all head coach Tom Izzo needed to do was click his heels and say, "There's no place like home." Back in front of the Breslin Center crowd, the No.

Number crunching

3.7 The grade point average that senior forward Liz Shimek has earned. Her success in her general management studies has given her first-team honors, which makes her eligible for Academic All-America honors. 19 The number of points senior forward Matt Trannon averaged in his senior year of high school.

Below the bar

Clearly, this team has all the skills to make another run to the Final Four. But to this point, it has yet to capitalize on the enormous amounts of potential that it has.

Transportation transformation

Major road reconstruction is in the works for MSU's campus throughout the next several years. The removal of angled parking from West Circle Drive and the elimination of two traffic circles are among plans university officials are considering to help improve pedestrian safety and reduce accidents on campus beginning this summer. "A lot of the layout hasn't been touched since the '60s," MSU police Deputy Chief Mike Rice said. "It isn't fit for today's demands." Tentative plans for West Circle Drive and finalized plans for Wilson Road were revealed Monday at a public feedback session held by the All-University Traffic and Transportation Committee, an advisory committee to Fred Poston, MSU's vice president for finance and operations. But committee members and representatives were the only ones who attended the session. "We would certainly like to hear more from the community," said Paul Mantica, the committee's chairman.

10 returning starters bolster Spartans as tourney kicks off season

By Becky Johns For The State News As the MSU softball team prepares for a new season, players and coaches are keeping one objective in mind: "Play the game, not the jersey." MSU head coach Jacquie Joseph said the philosophy of focusing on its own game, not the opponent's, is what keeps the players working toward a common goal.

MSU to honor its 5 seniors

Colton Fretter can still remember the feeling he had after he scored the game-winning goal in the 2004 Great Lakes Invitational championship game to beat Michigan, 2-1. "That was just crazy because no one here on this team had won any kind of championship or anything," he said.

MSU hopes to boost budget at hearing

The battle to increase state funding for MSU begins at 10 a.m. today on campus. President Lou Anna K.

Police briefs 02/17/06

Women's midseason grades

It's been an up and down season for the MSU women's basketball team. They've been spectacular at home — losing just one game — but have struggled on the road. They were blown out by top-tier teams early in the season, but have since rallied back to show that when they're at their best, they can compete with any team in the nation.