My Shillelagh - Why I have no respect for MSU

Let me tell you a quick story about the day I lost respect for Michigan State.  The date was September 24th, 2006.  A day that went down in infamy for two reasons: one of the greatest ND comebacks of all-time, and one of the worst displays of sportsmanship that I have ever witnessed.

A good friend and I attended the ND v. MSU game in East Lansing.  We had a great time tailgating and headed to the stadium to grab our seats.  On our walk over, we made a pit-stop at the port-o-potties and encountered a mob of ridiculously drunken MSU students.  Okay, I understand having fun before the game, drinking a few B's and getting rowdy before game time... but this was extreme.  As we stood in line (I was wearing my ND "Tradition" shirt) we had a continuous stream of slurred four-letter words slung at us from all directions.  We took care of business, in separate johns of course, and pushed our way past the friendly locals and shrugged the incident off.

The remaining steps to the stadium were mildly entertaining.  At one point I stepped over a girl (that looked way to young to be inebriated) passed out in the middle of the road .  But the next thing I saw made me want to puke more than a plastered MSU freshman.  A group of elderly, distinguished-looking Notre Dame fans, likely alumni given their garb, were strolling to the gate just outside the stadium when a group of MSU students took notice.  The pack of rabid Spartans proceeded to surround these older Irish fans and start a chant of "F*** you" F*** you!" while circling the frightened group.  Those men looked shocked... and scared.  I've never been that disgusted at a sporting event.  Before we had a chance to break it up, some other bystanders intervened and the crowd disbursed.  That is when I first learned of the lack of class in East Lansing.

Well, needless to say, in the driving rain ND was getting beaten pretty badly through 3 quarters.  Just like the Notre Dame team on the field, we took our share of jabs and shoves in the stands.  I was spit on by people in the stands, punched in the back while standing in line for the bathroom at halftime, and shoved multiple times while inside the stadium.  But when the Irish turned it around on the field and capped the greatest comeback of the Brady Quinn era, 80,000 State fans fell silent.  The jerks behind us stopped shoving, the ND fans perked up, and I quietly marched out of the stadium grinning from ear to ear.  I didn't say a word.  I didn't need to.  Every MSU fan knew exactly what their 3-hour punching bags were thinking.

This Saturday, I don't want ND fans to return the favor.  I want visiting State fans to see what a classy fanbase looks like.

Go Irish! Beat Sparty!

My Shillelagh - Why I have no respect for MSU