IN MY OPINION: THIS IS THE "MICHIGAN DIFFERENCE"

There really is a "Michigan Difference."

Michigan chUMps, skunkbears, trolls, Walverines, and the like think that Michigan reached the top a long time ago and there is nothing more to do; that what was achieved 50 or 100 years ago is the be all and end all and, now, just keeping the name clean is all that is needed to prove greatness.

How Michigan State University and many, many other schools approach things highlights the "Michigan Difference."

We are NOT trying to be better than Michigan or even the equals of Michigan. We let that school down the road follow its own path. The Michigan standard is NOT what we Spartans are striving to achieve.

Our goal is not to close the "gap" between MSU and any other school. Instead, we are trying to be the best WE can be and then striving to be even better. We are reaching for the ever higher SPARTAN goals by setting ever higher SPARTAN standards of excellence in academics, social awareness, and athletics.

We Spartans do not view the job as done - then, now, or ever. We do not perceive ourselves as immune from error or flawless or superior. We do not claim to be better than everyone else or even better than most or many or even a few. Let others make those claims - we don't care about such things.

What we care about is constantly striving for excellence and constantly raising the bar, setting new standards for excellence and striving to reach those ever loftier goals. We recognize this as a journey, as a job that will never be finished. We will ever be satisfied with the status quo. Our only claim is that we are better today than we were yesterday and we will again strive to improve today and tomorrow.

Nothing less will do. Not for we Spartans.

Spartans Will!



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IN MY OPINION: HOW TO HANDLE THE RETURN OF ADREIAN PAYNE

It sure is good to see Adreian Payne getting off the exer-cycle and onto the basketball court. His return should be guided with an injury-management approach during ball games. As I explained two weeks ago, Payne should be a "second-half player" as he gets back to full speed.

A key benefit to this approach would allow Izzo to continue his first-half rotations as he has been doing withiout AP in the lineup. Everybody will know he's joining them in the second half. Player performances may improve early in games if several guys realize they have nothing to lose and only playing time to gain.

As he works back into shape, Payne would minimize the stress on his foot by only playing one stretch of action per day. He could gradually be brought back to limited first-half roles.

My recommendation is to MANAGE THE INJURY. If Payne starts a game but can't finish, it may prove debilitating to team morale. If he doesn't start, but comes in at the end, it could be rejuvenating to everybody.




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IN MY OPINION: BRANDEN DAWSON SHOULD BE THE MSU "SUPER-SUB" WHEN HE RETURNS TO ACTION

The Michigan State Basketball team would be best-served by Branden Dawson as the sixth-man in the rotation when he returns from his hand injury. While Dawson has started many games for MSU, he should not be re-installed as a starter next month.

The team is going through a great evolutionary process without both Adreian Payne and Dawson, and Payne should be worked back into the starting lineup as soon as he's ready. When Payne is deemed capable of starting, he should do so.

But Dawson should be held back as a "super-sub", in a role much like Morris Peterson played in the late 1990's. This team needs something special coming off the bench, and Dawson has the versatility to shut down a hot scorer and/or take over the rebounding while attacking in transition. He seems perfectly well-suited to coming off the bench early in games, even if his total minutes played are equal to the starters.

This team is re-establishing (or re-discovering) its identity and personality, and the starting group should remain fixed without Dawson for the rest of this season. This will confound the opponent upon his entry into the game, it will give him a view of what's happening before he starts to compete, and it will provide a little bit of foul protection for him as he could not get whistled for that quick first foul. It would also allow him to take on the opposing starters when they are getting winded for the first time, possibly creating short-term mismatches.

I realize we're all focused on the return of Payne, and again, he should return to a starting role as soon as possible. But Dawson will be most effective and helpful to his team as the first player coming off the bench.




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IN MY OPINION: BRANDEN DAWSON WILL RETURN FOR HIS SENIOR SEASON

Nobody expected the hideously bad news that Branden Dawson TOOK HIMSELF OUT of the basketball season, but like all bad news, once you hear it, you just have to deal with it. There is no way to spin this into a good thing.

However, all dark clouds have their silver lining. In this case, it's time to just come out and say it: BRANDEN DAWSON WILL RETURN FOR HIS SENIOR SEASON. So we lose a chunk of what this year might have been, but we get a little more for next year.

As for Adreian Payne, here's my opinion on how he should be managed from here on out.




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