Eric Lacy
15,000 MSU fans a possibility at Cal
Landed here in San Francisco late Thursday morning on a plane full of MSU fans. Several people I talked to plan to go to Saturday's game against Cal. Mark Dantonio said at his radio show Wednesday night that up 15,000 green and white supporters should be in attendance for the season opener. Based on what I've seen already, that appears entirely possible. Dantonio also said at the show he expects to have about 70 players make the trip. The team leaves 9:30 a.m. Friday, in an effort to keep players' bodies and minds on East Coast time. Most of the traveling group should see some kind of action on the field, Dantonio said.
In other news, check out my story on MSU's starting tight end Charlie Gantt. Click here. Give him credit for being so open about a sensitive subject like hearing loss. He's found a way to adjust, despite having 30 percent hearing in his right ear and a completely healthy left. Just goes to show you what a person is capable of doing, even against all odds.
Eric Lacy
New MSU book to be released
My buddy Paul Konyndyk, of Spartanmag.com fame, and I caught up with Hank Bullough on campus Tuesday afternoon. He showed us a fantastic book that will be released later this month that appears to be the ultimate source on the history of MSU football. While he flipped through pages, Paul and I were amazed at the pictures detailing the teams, players, coaches and fans throughout the program's 111-year history. I highly recommend it. There's a great section in the book with player accounts of what the gameday walk to Spartan Stadium meant to them. Pretty interesting stuff. I've never seen so many pictures in a single MSU book, including one of an old Michigan team staying at what appeared to be beach house on stilts on the banks of Lake Lansing. (Strange, huh?) If you know Hank, you know he's passionate about his MSU history. He and several others spent about three years compiling information for the project. Hank says proceeds of the book will go right back to the program. For more information, click here.
Eric Lacy
Webster's legacy lives on
The first annual fundraiser for the George Webster memorial scholarship fund will be held 3:30-6 p.m. Sept. 4 at the Clara Bell Smith Center on the MSU campus. It will honor four recipients of Webster scholarships given to former players so they can finish their college degrees. Webster, a former defensive back for the Spartans, had one of the most accomplished playing careers in the program's 111-year history. He died April 19, 2007. Webster was an all-American, played from 1964-66 and was a member of MSU's 1965 national championship team. His number 90 was the second to be retired by the school. Webster was also elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1987. Webster is considered quite a role model for the program because he lived a full life without complaints, despite being permanently disabled after his playing career, which included stints in the NFL and AFL. Before his death, Webster lost most use of a hand, foot, knee and ankle and had his right leg amputated above the knee in 2002 because of problems with circulation after several surgeries. The 2008 winners of the Webster scholarships are former players Demitry Bernard, Little John Flowers, Craig Jarrett and Jason Randall. Admission to the fundraiser is $10 per person. The fee includes light appetizers. Reservations must be made no later than Sept. 2. Guests expected to attend the fundraiser include coach Mark Dantonio, broadcaster George Blaha and former MSU quarterback Jim Miller. For more information, call (517) 483-7243. More information can also be found at the MSU Football Players Association Web site. Click here. DANTONIO SHOW: Dantonio's show at Reno's East in East Lansing will be held 7-8 p.m. Wednesday due to the California road trip later in the week. After this week, the show will be on its regular day, Thursdays from 7-8 p.m. Reno's East is at 1310 Abbot Road. The show can be heard throughout the state on WJR 760 AM or on the Web here.
Eric Lacy
Arthur Ray Jr. update
Don't count out Arthur Ray Jr. from playing football for Michigan State within the next year, said Adrian Ray, his mother. Cancer-free after a golf ball sized tumor was removed from his left leg last year, Arthur is ready to begin his road to recovery. "Everything is looking good," said Adrian of her son's progress. "He always tells me, 'I want to live, mom, I want to live.'" Arthur, a 6-foot-3, 300-pound offensive lineman from Chicago, is expected to remain on crutches the next six weeks before extensive physical therapy begins. The ultimate goal is for Arthur to return to the Spartans' spring practice in 2009. But if football isn't in his future, this former high school honor student will simply move forward. . "I talked to him the other day and he was in the computer lab," Adrian said. "He knows there's a chance he might not play football again, but he's OK with that and wants to make the best out of everything." Arthur, a class of 2007 recruit, took some classes during Michigan State's winter semester, but is still considered a freshman this academic year. He is expected to have a good chance to earn a medical redshirt from the NCAA in the future and regain his first year of eligibility. Arthur is expected to stand on the sidelines at all the Michigan State home games this fall and will prepare like he would if he was an active player, Adrian said. He's already made frequent trips the team's football center to watch film and surprised his teammates Monday when he walked into full team meeting room to say hello. Spartans coach Mark Dantonio stopped a discussion he was having with players when Arthur walked by on crutches and couldn't help but smile, Adrian said. The players then applauded loudly for what Adrian believes was "about 10 minutes." "Michigan State is home to Arthur, I can't say enough about how supportive everyone has been," Adrian said. "I told coach Dantonio that I've thanked him and his staff about a thousand times and will probably thank them about a thousand more." Arthur's surgery to remove the tumor in the calf area of his left leg involved a bone transplant and skin graft. Since he's still growing, doctors believe the left leg will heal properly and adjust to the right one. Despite the good news of Arthur's improving health status, the Ray family still needs help with exorbitant medical expenses. An account was established at MSU Federal Credit Union to help pay Ray's medical expenses. Per NCAA rules, donations must be designated for specific medical purposes (bills, equipment, etc.). To donate, mail a check payable to "Arthur Ray Fundraiser," care of MSU Federal Credit Union, 600 E. Crescent Road, East Lansing, Mich., 48823, or make a check-by-phone donation by calling (800) MSU-4-YOU.
Eric Lacy
More MSU football progress
Michigan State's football program officially dedicated Thursday the Skandalaris Football Center, a 25,000 square-foot addition to the Duffy Daugherty Football Building.
Athletic director Mark Hollis believes the center links the past with the program's future goals.
"It's an opportunity to celebrate our tradition and our history," said Hollis, in a release on msuspartans.com. "When you walk in here you can see what we are about at Michigan State and where we want to go."
This $15.5 million project took 14 months to complete, according to a school press release, and was made possible through a donation from alumni Robert and Julie Skandalaris of Bloomfield Hills.
The family donated $5 million as the lead gift for a $12.5 million phase of the project.
While construction was underway last season, coaches and players used trailers to hold meetings and prepare for upcoming games.
Charlie Gantt, a sophomore tight end from Farmington Hills, is glad those days are finally over.
"It's ridiculous, the new facilities we have," said Gantt on Wednesday, the team's final day of two-a-day practices. "There's so many things we can use right now to help us learn from film study and practice.
"This is a total 180 from last year, it's amazing."
Amenities at the center include new coaches and players meeting rooms, a football museum, and the latest computer technology for taping and viewing of film and other tasks.
Mark Dantonio and his staff believe the new facility will help make their jobs easier and allow practices and meetings to run more efficiently.
"You can draw routes, put plays up on an overhead, there's touch screens," Spartans tight ends coach Mark Staten said. "It's excellent."
The school says this center houses one of the largest computers on campus, which allows coaches to access practice footage, game video from the past five seasons, opponent game video and a database of nearly 1,000 recruits.
Other notable features at the center include plaques recognizing MSU's 76 first-team All-Americans, a 14-by-9-foot wallpaper display honoring Spartans in the NFL and a 12-by-8-foot display depicting the program's coaching history. Audio from the dedication can be found here.
CAPTAINS NAMED:
Michigan State announced Thursday the football team selected four captains: quarterback Brian Hoyer, running back Javon Ringer, defensive tackle Justin Kershaw and strong safety Otis Wiley.
All four players are seniors.
Eric Lacy
Changes at Cal
California intends to give Michigan State a different defensive look when the two teams square off Aug. 30 in Berkeley, Calif. The Golden Bears' coaching staff decided in the offseason to move its traditional 4-3 scheme to a 3-4 in order to stop the run better. "We're trying to get some more athletes out there on the field," said linebacker Worrell Williams, the team's top returning tackler, in an interview with the News. "We do have a lot of depth." California gave up about four yards per rush last season, the highest average in the program's past six years. So the squad knows how important it is to set the tone early. Against the Spartans and playmaker Javon Ringer, Williams expects quite a challenge. "Watching film on those guys, we know they're huge and will come in ready to play," Williams said. "It's going to be a tough, hard-nosed game. "We're ready for that and know teams are going to try and run the ball down our throats." Golden Bears coach Jeff Tedford led his team to a 7-5 mark in 2002, a year after a 1-10 season, and appears to have a program on the rise. Williams has a feeling this group will live out to that billing and get plenty of recognition in the coming months. "This program has been built on nothing but hard work," Williams said. "You don't go 1-10, then into a turnaround season, then a bowl game season by lollygagging, playing around or by luck. "Hard work - that's the best shortcut there is."
Eric Lacy
Ray Jr. emerges
Michigan State's football team received Wednesday morning a surprise visitor that prompted a rousing standing ovation. Call it some extra motivation as the Spartans complete two-a-day workouts. Arthur Ray Jr., an offensive lineman once diagnosed with cancer, walked into the team meeting room with his mother and brother to simply say, "Hello." The response, according to associate athletic director John Lewandowski, was "awesome" and prompted coaches and players to cheer loudly. Ray, a Chicago native, missed last season following surgery to remove a cancerous tumor in his leg. He's considered cancer-free, but must undergo physical therapy. Ray is enrolled in classes this fall and could, if completely healthy, join the Spartans for spring practice by 2009, Lewandowski said. An account was established at MSU Federal Credit Union to help pay for Ray's medical expenses. Per NCAA rules, donated dollars must be designated for specific medical purposes such as medical bills, equipment, etc. Those interested in contributing should send a check payable to "Arthur Ray Fundraiser," care of MSU Federal Credit Union, 600 E. Crescent Road, East Lansing, Mich., 48823. The credit union also accepts check-by-phone contributions at (800) MSU-4-YOU.
Eric Lacy
Plenty of competition
Before Wednesday morning's practice, Mark Dantonio said the Spartans have a number of options at the linebacker position. That means Greg Jones could remain on the inside or move to the outside, an option that's been considered throughout camp. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Check back here later for some comments from Mike Tressel, Jones' position coach, about the matter. In other news, Dantonio said the No. 2 running back spot remains a three-horse race between A.J. Jimmerson, Ashton Leggett and Andre Anderson. Leggett, at 5-11, 228, is about the closest thing to Jehuu Caulcrick the Spartans appear to have. The two key buzz words during camp - "depth" and "competition." If you're a MSU fan, you have reasons to be encouraged.
Eric Lacy
Plax blasts Saban
In his new book, former Spartan receiver Plaxico Burress rips on former coach Nick Saban for his lack of people skills and loyalty to the program. A story from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel can be found here. As someone who was a student at MSU when both guys were there, I can't say I'm too surprised about how Saban was described. And I wouldn't be surprised if other former players feel the same way. My only question: What does Saban think about Plax? Something tells me these guys were complete opposites from the start.
Eric Lacy
Hi from the "dark side"
I had to laugh about this post over at The Wolverine's message board. Yes, like I've said before, I read the message boards daily. Relax UM hoops fans, our newspaper will still be covering the team. Just bear with us, our sports department is in a transition phase. We've had beat changes, three veteran reporters retire - one after 42 years of service - and are adjusting to the constantly changing world of journalism. Now for some blog-worthy material...Forbes.com has a nice special report about "the business of college football." The main link to the report can be found here. I think you will be surprised to read about who Forbes deems as the "most underpaid" coach in the country. That story can be found here. Also, don't skip over the story about the "most powerful" coach, which can be found here. Yup, it's the one and only Nick Saban. Check out the cover story picture on the Web site. I thought Saban was physically incapable of smiling. Apparently not.
