Since becoming the first woman to win the Detroit Newspapers Michigan PGA Tournament of Champions on July 23, former Spartan Stacy Snider has been taking things easy. "I haven't been up to much, I've mostly been packing and getting ready to leave for Florida on (Aug.
My mom always told me to take joy in the little things. After seven years of school, I've "taken joy" in just about everything sports-related on campus - big, small or otherwise, and I've learned the little things are most often overlooked by the average sports fan.
Lansing - With classes beginning and the thought of homework drifting into reality, summer fun might seem to be in the past.
Two days and one month before the MSU football season begins against the Broncos of Western Michigan, I saw the movie "Seabiscuit." For those of you not in the racehorse know, I'll quickly summarize the story of the legendary horse. Seabiscuit had very low - if any - expectations. Seabiscuit was a descendant of the famed racehorse Man o' War yet, as a colt, he showed very little promise.
Three of last season's four football captains were benched, suspended or jailed.The 2002 captains - quarterback Jeff Smoker, center Brian Ottney, safety Thomas Wright and running back Dawan Moss - are a stark contrast to the humble disposition displayed by this year's group, a bunch of linemen and a linebacker."Last year the guys didn't follow through," senior captain Paul Harker said.
Coming into the 2003 season, the MSU running backs are overshadowed, undersized, thin on depth and inexperienced - but that might not be a bad thing.After the Spartans lost their top two running backs from last season - Dawan Moss to graduation and David Richard to Missouri on a transfer - the running corps were looking depleted.
After a first NCAA Tournament berth in school history, the MSU women's soccer team has its sights set on a Big Ten Championship. Junior midfielder Ashley Lawson said losing just two starters to graduation leaves her team with an advantage for the upcoming year. "Obviously the seniors will be missed," she said.
Detroit - As Charles Rogers stepped out from behind a closed door on Ford Field's concourse level, camera bulbs popped and hundreds of heads turned to catch a glimpse of the Saginaw native and former Spartan star clad in Honolulu blue and silver."It's nice for me, being a prospect from Michigan," said Rogers, while sitting down to sign autographs.
After sitting out his freshman season at MSU for academic ineligibility, "Tarzan" will be suiting up as a wide receiver for the Spartans this fall."Tarzan" is just a description for sophomore wide receiver Matt Trannon.
Summer is usually a time to relax, but not in the case of the MSU volleyball team. Usually preseason is the time teams start practicing together, getting a feel for what they will be able to accomplish during the upcoming season. But with four seniors and 11 returning letterwinners, senior co-captain libero Emmy Miller and senior co-captain setter Nikki Colson wanted to get a head start on their competition.
Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Scott Skiles might match up against Tom Izzo's Spartans this fall in what would be the greatest exhibition game played on the Breslin Center hardwood. Rumors circulated Tuesday on campus about the NBA legends competing against the Spartans in the preseason Magic Johnson All-Stars game Nov.
It used to be a weekly routine for Jeff Smoker - talk football with reporters after practice. But in his first appearance after being reinstated Wednesday as a member of the Spartan football team, the senior signal caller seemed withdrawn and not amused with questions that circled around a substance-abuse problem that led to a suspension last season. Smoker looked so caught up in relief of being back on the squad since October that he headed for the locker room without realizing he had left behind his helmet. Nevertheless, Smoker remained willing to reprove himself and handle the attention of being a quarterback. "I learned to just move on and realized that I was responsible for things that happened last year," Smoker said.
Two MSU basketball players, junior guard Chris Hill and sophomore center Paul Davis, were named to the John R.
Lansing - Three straight wins and a 5-0 shutout of the Fort Wayne Wizards on Sunday at Oldsmobile Park have the Lugnuts thinking they've righted the ship.With so much of Lansing's recent slump coming off poor hitting and sloppy play, the Lugnuts combined to score four runs in the eighth off fundamental hitting and base running."Everything that we could do well as a club, we did today," Lansing manager Julio Garcia said.
MSU head basketball coach Tom Izzo and the rest of Team USA faced its second loss at the 2003 Pan American Games on Tuesday, forcing the Americans to move to the bronze medal game. Team USA (2-2) lost to Brazil 92-80 in the last five minutes of the semifinal game.
Three of last season's four football captains were benched, suspended or jailed. The 2002 captains - quarterback Jeff Smoker, center Brian Ottney, safety Thomas Wright and running back Dawan Moss - are a stark contrast to the humble disposition displayed by this year's group, a bunch of linemen and a linebacker. "Last year the guys didn't follow through," senior captain Paul Harker said.
Staring out at MSU's practice field with bloodshot eyes, panting and swatting flies from his sweaty head, junior defensive tackle Brandon McKinney survived the Spartans' first full day of football practice Wednesday under new head coach John L.
Detroit - As Charles Rogers stepped out from behind a closed door on Ford Field's concourse level, camera bulbs popped and hundreds of heads turned to catch a glimpse of the Saginaw native and former Spartan star clad in Honolulu blue and silver. "It's nice for me, being a prospect from Michigan," said Rogers, while sitting down to sign autographs.
Team USA rallies to beat Argentina, 80-79 In a dramatic opener to the Pan American Games on Saturday, Team USA squeezed out a one-point victory, defeating tournament-favorite Argentina, 80-79. After holding a six-point lead in the first quarter, the Americans (1-0) fell into a slump during the second and trailed by four at halftime.
To a lot of people, this weekend doesn't hold any special significance.But this weekend is not just any weekend.