THE STATE OF MICHIGAN IS TURNING GREEN (part two)

The world continues to turn a little bit more Green every day. Have you noticed? Seems like quite a forward surge since that big game last November 2. We talked about how the football team really took everything a step forward. Well, there's more to report! Everybody has their eyes on Michigan State, from Urban Meyer to Barack Obama.

MSU had the best fall sports season ever, placing 2nd in the so-called "Director's Cup" standings. This award compiles all college team performances in 20 sports, and ranks schools based on the results. The Spartans have never finished in the Top 10 of this competition, but they currently trail only Stanford (the perennial champion at this) heading into basketball season.

United States President Barack Obama has plenty to keep his attention these days, but there was something he wanted to do more than get ready for his State of the Union speech: WATCH SPARTAN BASKETBALL. Our guys were playing Iowa, so we figure it was MSU that caught his attention.

Ohio State Football Coach Urban Meyer may have forgotten about "that team up north" after beating them in Ann Arbor, as his mind seems to be more focused on Michigan State. Meyer was quoted on National Letter of Intent "Signing Day" as being arguably more worried about Spartans than Wolverines.

Drew Sharp is nobody's favorite, as he is an equal-opportunity giant-slayer. He's also a graduate of the University of Michigan. But that didn't stop him from body-slamming his old school in a weekly chat on Freep.com recently. According to Sharp, "Michigan football is morphing into the old Michigan State before our very eyes." Whoa, dude, that's harsh. In both directions. But mostly towards UM.

And another former Michigan student drove the stake home last month, trashing his old school for their basketball disloyalties. Jalen Rose said MSU is better than Michigan because they treat their former players and coaches much better over time. Rose is correct on this one, of course, as Tom Izzo is responsible for creating the true "family atmosphere" that so many folks claim to want in a college sports program. Up here, it's for real. Down there, not so much.

So let's all take a deep breath and relax as we watch the rest of the B1G Basketball race play out. Don't forget, our guys are in First Place, and they control their own destiny. With a glance back at football, let's all remember to "smell the roses" along the way to our ultimate destiny.

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