MSU may have emotional edge today - Football Tickets

Taking a look at the flip side of my last post regarding our recent losses -

Top defender, pass-rushing end Jonal Saint-Dic, was ruled academically ineligible as were punt-returner and backup wideout Terry Love and backup defensive back T.J. Williams. Starting linebacker SirDarean Adams also didn't make the trip because Dantonio suspended him for unspecified disciplinary reasons.

Reporting from Sunny Florida! ...

Theories and rumors abound that 14th-ranked Boston College doesn't really want to be in the Champs Sports Bowl, where it will play our Michigan State Spartans today at 5 p.m. (ESPN).

With their 8-0 start, the Eagles were in the hunt for the national championship at the most, and a BCS bowl bid at the least.

However, after losing three of its last five games, including the ACC championship to Virginia Tech, Boston College (10-3) was passed over by six supposedly more attractive bowls in favor of less impressive conference brethren.

This has been so anticlimactic, or so the thinking goes, that the school has sold only between 5,000-6,000 of its allotment of 12,000 tickets. Meanwhile, MSU will come close to selling out its share.

And therefore, the Spartans (7-5) apparently have the emotional edge because after going three seasons without a postseason appearance they really want to be here.

One thing is certain. Michigan State isn't counting on Boston College to be afflicted with a debilitating case of the blahs.

GO GREEN GO WHITE!

Saint-Dic and four other Spartans out for bowl

Five Spartan football players, including senior defensive lineman Jonal Saint-Dic, will not play in the Champs Sports Bowl against Boston College on Friday due to academic ineligibility or violating team rules.

MSU announced Monday that senior wide receiver Terry Love, sophomore cornerback/wide receiver T.J. Williams and freshman offensive lineman Abre Leggins were academically ineligible to play, according to the Lansing State Journal.

Senior linebacker SirDarean Adams is out due to an undisclosed violation of team rules.
Saint-Dic, who broke the Big Ten single-season record for forced fumbles this year, told the State Journal that he failed a Math class.

Coach Dantonio is building a program AND a new culture with the Spartan football team. What kind of message does this send to the current players, especially freshman, and new recruits about how he runs the team?

Academic ineligibility is an NCAA decision, but Adams’, unspecified violation team rules sounds to me like he stayed out in Orlando partying and missed curfew or a meeting our something like that.

If that is indeed what happened, then he let the team down and the fans down and Dantonio just let everybody know, that if you are going to be a part of the new Spartan football culture, lack of focus and discipline is not tolerated — period. Remember, if the Spartans went 6-6 and were passed over for bowl invitations because of other competitive Big Ten teams, most fans would accept the disappointment and not blame Dantonio. This is his first year, he doesn’t have to win this bowl game.

Do think he has the players’ attention? He certainly has my respect.

Michigan State Spartans Gear - Merry Christmas

It's Christmas Eve and we want to say MERRY CHRISTMAS to all the Spartan Fans across the world!

For Last Minute gifts that don't have to be delivered until after Christmas - try CBS Sports- they have great deals on some unique Spartan Gifts:

• Colosseum Athletics Michigan State Spartans Basketball Jersey


• Zephyr Michigan State Spartans DH Fitted Hat


• 1965 Michigan State National Champions Tee from Champions Again


• Antigua Michigan State Spartans Women's Ribbed Tank Top


• Bergamot Michigan State Spartans Salt & Pepper Shakers


• Wincraft Michigan State Spartans 5 Qt Galvanized Pail


• Cadre Athletic Michigan State Spartans Embroidered Hooded Sweatshirt

Also - a great idea from YardLine Sports

• MSU Door MatsSpartan Scoreboards
  
• Michigan State University Clock Thermometers
  
• Spartan Windchimes
  
• MSU Bird Feeder Pinwheels
  
• Sparty Standing Stones
  
• Spartan Lawn Sprinklers
  
• MSU Pool Floats
  
• Spartan Air Mattresses

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM GREG AND THE GANG!

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Red Wing Tickets and MSU Hockey Tickets at Discounts!

A quick note for all Spartan and Red Wings fans - Justin Abdelkader will appear on the Red Wings Pregame show on Wed. Dec. 19! Abdelkader, a second-round pick of the Red Wings in 2005, will preview the upcoming Great Lakes Invitational at Joe Louis Arena.

Justin will be on the FSN pregame show with John Keating at approximately 7:10 p.m., before the Wings take on the LA Kings.

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Michigan State Hockey Schedule

Fri. Dec. 28 GLI JLA TBA
Sat. Dec. 29 GLI JLA TBA

Fri. Jan. 4 LAKE SUPERIOR STATE HOME 7:05
Sat. Jan. 5 LAKE SUPERIOR STATE HOME game time changed to 5:05
Fri. Jan. 11 NOTRE DAME HOME 7:05
Sat. Jan. 12 Notre Dame Away 7:05
Fri. Jan. 18 Ohio State Away 7:05
Sat. Jan. 19 Ohio State Away 7:05
Fri. Jan. 25 University of Michigan Away 7:35
Sat. Jan. 26 UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HOME 7:05
Fri. Feb. 1 NEBRASKA-OMAHA HOME 7:05
Sat. Feb. 2 NEBRASKA-OMAHA HOME game time changed to 4:05
Fri. Feb. 8 Northern Michigan Away 7:35
Sat. Feb. 9 Northern Michigan Away 7:35
Fri. Feb. 15 WESTERN MICHIGAN HOME 7:05
Sat. Feb. 16 Western Michigan Away 7:35
Fri. Feb. 22 UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HOME 7:05
Sat. Feb. 23 University of Michigan JLA TBA
Fri. Feb. 29 BOWLING GREEN HOME 7:05
Sat. March 1 Bowling Green Away 7:05

Fri. March 7 CCHA First Round Campus Sites
Sat. March 8 CCHA First Round Campus Sites
Fri. March 14 CCHA Quarterfinals Campus Sites
Sat. March 15 CCHA Quarterfinals Campus Sites
Fri. March 21 CCHA Semi-Finals JLA
Sat. March 22 CCHA Finals JLA

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In arguably the most prestigious tournament of them all, Michigan, Michigan State, Michigan Tech and this year’s invited school, Providence, will take part in the Great Lakes Invitational Dec. 28-29 at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.

The Spartans won the GLI last year and in 2004 and aim to send their seniors out with their third title.

Michigan and Providence play in the first semifinal with Michigan State and the Huskies in the nightcap.

All four GLI games will be televised on FSN Detroit.

MSU cruises past Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne, improves to 9-1

Coming off final-exam week, the ninth-ranked Spartans (9-1) won their sixth straight game since a loss to UCLA.

Neitzel frequently gets off to slow starts and then turns it on in the second half. This time, he did the exact opposite. Neitzel scored 16 of his 18 points in the first half, then didn't score for the first 12:20 of the second half. "I wasn't attacking as much (in the second half)," he said. "I've got to be more aggressive and look to keep scoring."

Michigan State stormed out to a 36-17 lead on forward Marquise Gray's dunk with 7:04 remaining in the first half.

IPFW (4-5) came back with a 20-5 run that started late in the first half and carried into the second half.

Junior guard Jakari Johnson (Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills) led IPFW with 17 points.
Izzo credited IPFW, which also was coming off finals week, for not backing down.
However, Izzo was still irked by a couple "complete missed assignments" that led to 3-pointers during IPFW's comeback.

"If you do that in our league on the road, you're not going to win," Izzo said. "We proved we're not a mature enough team yet. When you've got a team down, you've got to put them away."
MSU forward Goran Suton said: "We get a big lead and we relax; we think we've already won the game."

As for some of the easy shots he missed inside, Suton said, "Those shots are killing me. I've been missing them for a while. I've got to change that."

Michigan State scored one point in the first 5:14 of the second half before a driving bank shot by Gray helped turn the momentum back to the Spartans.

"I was just trying to bring energy," Gray said. "This was the first time the Izzone (student section) wasn't here. That had an effect on us. It's weird. We're spoiled."

Gray finished with 15 points. Forward, Raymar Morgan had 12 points and seven rebounds.
No secrets

Tickets to the Champs Bowl - MSU vs Boston College

We've purchased our tickets and booked our flights and off to sunny Florida and the Champs Bowl we go!

Greg and the gang are off to Florida to watch MSU in the Champs Sports Bowl against Boston College and I will be bringing the computer along to make sure that you have up to the minute updates on the progress of the game.

Michigan State's first bowl appearance in four years is a welcome reward for us given the fact that we went 2-1 in November. November has historically haunted us in the past.

Boston College's wide-open offense should provide a stiff challenge for us, Spartans.

GR ROSTER REPORT - December 13, 2007

C John Masters battled a leg injury during the final weeks, but the time
off should get him back to near full health.

DB Chris L. Rucker had a detached retina repaired during the regular
season.
Coach Mark Dantonio was hopeful Rucker could return at some point.
Presumably, Rucker might be able to play in the bowl game.

Greg's Player of the Game: WR Devin Thomas -- He led the Big Ten with 75 catches and 1,226 yards.

Thomas doesn't get the same attention as some of the other top receivers, but he separated himself as one of the best in the country this year.

Go Spartans

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Michigan State Steak Branding Iron

The Spartan Branding Iron / MSU BBQ Brander

Your sizzling hot Original Barbeque Brand Tailgate Tool or outdoor Barbeque branding iron can sear the pride of the Spartans into most any food item. It's for more than just steaks and hamburgers!

Buns, tortillas, potatoes, pie crusts, let your pride run wild.

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Suzy Merchant Weekly Press Conference

Michigan State women's basketball coach Suzy Merchant held her weekly press conference Monday afternoon at the Breslin Center.

Merchant talked about playing away from the Breslin Center, her team's performance against Old Dominion and the upcoming game against Indiana State.

• MSU Women's Basketball Tickets On Sale

Suzy Merchant was hired as the women's basketball coach at Michigan State in April after coaching Eastern Michigan the past nine seasons.

MSU to play Boston College in Champs Sports Bowl

EAST LANSING -- "Well, we're going to Disney World."

And with that, Michigan State senior running back and co-captain Jehuu Caulcrick put exclamation point on the invitation the Spartans received to play No. 14-ranked Boston College in the Champs Sports Bowl on Dec. 28.

First-year head coach Mark Dantonio formally accepted the bid to MSU's first bowl game since the 2003 Alamo Bowl at 8:15 p.m.

"I've been smiling for about 15 minutes non-stop," said senior safety and co-captain Travis Key. "I can't believe it."

Said Dantonio, "This is a great reward for a tream that refused to quit and competed each and every week. We're extremely fortunate to be playing Orlando, truly one of the nation's finest bowl destinations."

Boston College was ranked in Top 25 throughout the season and finished with a 10-3 record. The Spartans (7-5) had to win their last two games to get the bid.
The game will be played at 5 p.m. and be televised by ESPN.
Michigan State has an allotment of 12,000 tickets, but athletic director-designate Mark Hollis predicted a strong showing. Michigan State sold 25,000 tickets for the 2000 Citrus Bowl.
The Champs bowl had the fifth pick from the Big Ten. Michigan State was also considered for the Insight Bowl in Tempe, Ariz., and the Motor City Bowl in Detroit.

"It's definitely nice to be going to Florida," Caulcrick said with a wide smile.