FOOTBALL
Veterans help ease Bennett to new position
MSU has been a wide receiver factory in the last few years, routinely pumping out some of the best split ends and flankers in the country.
SPORTS
Come playoffs time, it's a whole new NHL season
Some people dig March Madness while others live for the NFL and NBA playoffs. And a large percentage of the United States is fascinated with the MLB playoffs (which seem to last deeper into October each year). Not to say I don't enjoy watching those events, but the NHL playoffs are my sports Christmas, and, to my delight, are soon to be back. There are so many things to watch for come playoff time.
FOOTBALL
Youthful look
The college careers of wide receivers Kyle Brown and Aaron Alexander are over. Now it's time for seniors Matt Trannon, Jerramy Scott, Kerry Reed and junior Terry Love to help the offense live up to the expectations as one of the Big Ten's best. In 2005, the passing game was the deadliest attack for the Spartans.
FOOTBALL
Player's sentencing postponed until May
MSU football player Cole Corey's sentencing for pleading guilty to a single count of possession of a controlled substance has been adjourned until May 18. The sentencing was supposed to come down Thursday morning in the Lenawee County Circuit Court, but was adjourned to allow Corey and his attorney to argue some factors that could affect his sentence. "We're challenging some of the allegations in the presentencing report," said David Goldstein, Corey's attorney.
FOOTBALL
Dwan's career back on track after injury
John Dwan didn't see it coming. Three years ago, he was a rising pitching prospect, a powerful left-hander from Illinois who had compiled a 25-5 record at Libertyville High School and broken the school record for strikeouts. He committed to MSU and turned heads during fall practice with a nasty fastball and baffling changeup.
SOFTBALL
Spartans take Big Ten's best record away from East Lansing
The MSU softball team is taking its six-game winning streak on the road for a five-game, three-state weekend that begins at 4 p.m.
FOOTBALL
Hoyer emerges as backup quarterback behind Stanton
Senior quarterback Drew Stanton will be stepping back for the next couple weeks so that sophomore Brian Hoyer can get more time calling plays. Head coach John L.
SPORTS
WEB EXTRA: Rowing team victorious against Virginia
The MSU rowing team took three out of four races Saturday against Virginia at Rivanna Reservoir in Virginia. The No.
BASEBALL
Spartans travel to Comstock Park to face Western Michigan
One small trip for the MSU baseball team, one giant leap for Spartankind. MSU and Western Michigan's game at 5:30 p.m.
SPORTS
Simmons brothers take team's top award
All-America brothers Nick and Andy Simmons shared the MSU wrestling team's Most Outstanding Wrestler Award, announced at the team's annual banquet. Andy Simmons, a 141-pound junior, compiled a 36-6 record this season and took fifth at the NCAA Championships. Nick Simmons, a 125-pound junior, finished the season 36-2 en route to a fourth-place finish in the NCAA Championships.
FOOTBALL
Bandit player switched to free safety in spring ball
MSU football fans perusing the team's spring depth chart may be jolted when they see where Sir Darean Adams is listed. Instead of the bandit position, where he tallied 60 tackles and three interceptions as a sophomore, the 6-foot, 230-pound Adams is penciled in as the backup free safety.
SPORTS
WEB EXTRA: E.L. hosts annual dodgeball tourney
By Dan Smallwood For The State News Walking into MSU's IM-Sports West building over the weekend was like stumbling back into an elementary school gym class.
SOFTBALL
Complete shutouts
The MSU softball team used two complete game shutouts from its starting pitchers to sweep a home doubleheader Sunday against Indiana. In the first game, junior Rachel Turney went the distance for the Spartans (27-11 overall, 6-0 Big Ten) and pushed her record to 12-5.
SPORTS
Monday musings
A different take on the sports world. The NFL could suspend Ricky Williams for the entire 2006 season for violating the league's substance abuse policy again. Williams' lawyers say the running back's defense will center around the 420th Amendment. Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre says he's still undecided about whether he will return to play next season. In a related story, a majority of NFL fans are still undecided about why Favre's name gets pronounced like it does. Paul Davis is listed as the third-best center prospect in this year's NBA draft class by ESPN.com, while Maurice Ager is ranked sixth at shooting guard. Matt Trannon, meanwhile, is ranked first among people who play both basketball and football. Japanese outfielder Tomoaki Kanemoto set a world record last Sunday when he played in his 904th consecutive game without missing an inning. When time zone differences and the exchange rate are factored in, however, Kanemoto's streak only stretches about two-and-a-half hours. Former Tampa Bay Devil Rays manager Lou Piniella says he'd consider a return to the bench, but only for a contender. Former New York Yankees bench coach Don Zimmer says he'd also consider a return to the bench, but only if Pedro Martinez is kept behind plate glass.
SPORTS
Front and center
The State News caught up with MSU senior cornerback Demond Williams, who MSU head coach John L. Smith said has been emerging as a leader in spring football. • On how he has changed … "There's no secrets, just knowledge.
SPORTS
Debacle receiving too much hoopla
The talking heads from the NBA's pregame shows and broadcast booths gathered on Sunday to discuss Ben Wallace's recent dispute with Pistons head coach Flip Saunders, in which Wallace refused to re-enter a game in the waning moments.
FOOTBALL
Secondary works to improve struggling image
In John L. Smith's three-year tenure as head coach of MSU football, it's been no question that the offense has dominated the program's ambitions. Players like senior quarterback Drew Stanton and sophomore running back Javon Ringer have soaked up the highlights while defensive players have been touted as the "team goats" by much of the public. In 2005 alone, the defense surrendered an average of 28.7 points per game and 5.8 yards per play while being the culprit of most passing offenses en route to a subpar 5-6 season which kept the Spartans out of a bowl game for the second straight year.
BASEBALL
Spartans improve on last year's weak spot
Last season, the MSU baseball team's defense was offensive. The Spartans' .944 fielding percentage was the worst in the Big Ten.
SPORTS
What's Drew Stanton doing in the press box?
Drew Stanton leaned back in his seat and let out a heavy sigh, waiting for a marathon game to end. But he wasn't sitting on the sidelines while an opposing quarterback took a knee to run out the clock. He was keeping statistics for the MSU baseball team's game against Eastern Michigan on Wednesday and was growing impatient with the Eagles' fruitless attempts to pick off MSU base runners.
SPORTS
Where can I play tennis without offending anyone?
Perhaps it's James Blake's sex appeal. Or maybe it's because I like living vicariously through Maria Sharapova.