It's Official: McCann is a "Top NBA Mind"

Finally, sports lawyers are getting their due. A few months ago I declared 2012 the "Summer of Sports Law."  With no end to the NHL lockout in sight, the O'Bannon v NCAA case growing steam and national attention, and the power of Roger Goodell being litigated on a daily basis, the demand for insight from sports lawyers is growing—although for some reason our pay isn’t.

Anyways, The Sporting Charts (www.sportingcharts.com) just posted a list of the Top 50 NBA Minds to Follow on Twitter here.  Not surprisingly, our own Michael McCann (@McCannSportsLaw) was listed.  Join me in congratulating Mike on continuing to help grow this important field—and if you don’t follow him on Twitter, consider this your wake-up-call.

[Of course since my account (shameless plug @WarrenKZola) was noticeably absent I’m sure there some sort of accounting error for which I'll definitely sue.]  Seriously...congrats Mike!

Passing Fancy

Cornell's game notes for Saturday's game with Dartmouth have been posted here. A couple of nuggets straight from the notes:

• The Big Red has piled up 300 or more yards passing in eight of its last nine games. 

• If junior quarterback Jeff Mathews averages 357 yards per game through the air – as he has the past two seasons – he will graduate with 11,508 yards in his career. The Ivy League

Two Updates on the Sports Gambling Front

The past several weeks have saw a number of developments on the sports gambling front.  First, the federal lawsuit filed by the NCAA and the four major North American team sports leagues (NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL) challenging New Jersey's move towards regulated sports betting continues to move forward.  The most recent news involves depositions being scheduled for the league commissioners and the NCAA president.  For more background on the legal and corruption aspects of sports gambling, here is a link to a paper Tassos Kaburakis and I co-authored that was recently accepted for publication in the Journal of Legal Aspect of Sport.  Also, for a comprehensive history of gambling-related federal legislation since 2000, we wrote a piece that was just published in Gambling Law Review and Economics.

Second, authorities in New York and Nevada (working in concert with the FBI, it appears) made a number of arrests earlier this week in connection with an 18 month illegal sports gambling investigation.  The DA's press release alludes to several offshore sports books.  A recent Las Vegas Review-Journal article provides more detail on the sting operation.  For a copy of the full 259 page indictment, click here.

Happy Halloween from the MZone!

MZone reader "5th & Long" sent us the following email:

Just finished carving my pumpkin.  Made a template for others to use if you want to post it.

Yes we do!

Happy Halloween!

SportsCenter Moment

The Ryan McManus TD that made SportsCenter, courtesy of Dartmouth's office of sports publicity:

Scenes From Homecoming

Check out the college's Homecoming slideshow here featuring pictures from the parade and bonfire.

•

Here's how the latest Gridiron Power Index rates Ivy League teams. The GPI, remember, synthesizes one rating out of a number of different polls and computer rankings and is similar in that way to the BCS:



22. Harvard (24.43)
49. Princeton (42.29)
61. Cornell (51.29)
65T.

Franklin, Brubaker, Owens and ReynoldsSome of the Best in the Nation

Ferrum continues it's push toward a possible conference championship, and while I am sure the Panthers success is a result of a total team effort, there are a few players who statistically are ranked as some of the top DIII players in the nation.

Punter/Kicker Wesley Franklin

This Junior from Morganton North Carolina, has had an excellent  season to this point. In the punting department, Wesley started the season by being ranked the 18th best punter in the nation after the Emory and Henry game. As the season has gone on, his consistent performances have been very important to the teams success.
After week three, Franklin had dropped to 21st in the nation, but this is still very impressive as there are 240 teams in Division III.
By week six, Franklin had moved to 14th in the nation.
Wesley has continued to excel, and currently sits ranked 8th nationally, and first in the conference.
Franklin also handles kickoff duties for the Panthers. His accuracy, and his ability to pooch kick is uncanny. It restricts the opponents ability to get a good kickoff return, and forces them into poor field position most of the time.
The role he has played in the Panthers success is undeniable. He is a great weapon in the armory.


Quarterback Tim Reynolds

In his first year as a starter, Reynolds has definitely made this "his team". After serving as the backup to Marcus Mayo last year, this Junior from Arlington, Va., brings some of the same skills  of his predecessor, and is making a solid impression. Reynolds is a dual threat as not only a passer, but is the leading rusher for the Panthers.
In the passing department, Reynolds has thrown for a total of 1276 yards, and completed 9 passes for touchdowns. His passing efficiency rating has been very strong throughout the season. His best was a 29th in the nation rating , but at one point had dropped to 60th. Currently, Tim is 43rd. in the nation for passing efficiency...out of 240 teams.
On the ground, Reynolds has an average of 5.1 yards per carry with an overall total of 677 yards, for an 84.6 yards per game average. This currently puts him 85th in the nation. This is really impressive as he has the passing responsibilities also....this is likely not the case for most of those ranked in front of him.
Overall, Reynolds continues to impress, and provides much of the spark of the Panthers 88th ranked offense.


Running Back Tyler Brubaker

If you are looking for an all purpose player, you need to look no further than Tyler Brubaker. Brubaker, a Senior from Rocky Mount Va., started his athletics career on the Ferrum football team as a quarterback, and on the baseball team as an outfielder. Brubaker soon made the decision to focus on just football, and the gridiron Panthers are a better team for it.
In Bru's first year, he appeared in one game...against Methodist, but accumulated no statistics. In his sophomore year, he was utilized mostly as a receiver, and caught 7 passes for 155 yards and 1 touchdown. Ironically, in that same game against Maryville, he threw a pass, his only pass of the year, for nine yards, and a touchdown.
Tyler has also been used as a punter...in a fake situation, a return specialist, and now as a running back. This year running back has been his his primary assignment, along with  return specialist duties. As a running back, Tyler has picked up 394 rushing
yards on 56 carries, and has scored 4 rushing touchdowns. He has also been targeted on many pass plays, and has 23 receptions for 349 yards, and three receiving  touchdowns.
As a return specialist, Brubaker has 13 kickoff returns, for 263 yards, and 10 punt returns for 135 yards. For punt returns, Brubaker is ranked 16th nationally, and ranked 35th nationally for all purpose runners.

Defensive Back  Tarrell Owens

If there is a safe way for someone to catch fire, Tarrell Owens has found it. As a starting defensive back for the Panthers, This Junior from Sterling, Va., has really come on strong this season. Things got started against Southern Virginia University where Owens got his first pick of the season. It would be three more games before Owens would get another int., but against North Carolina Wesleyan, Owens got his second interception of the year. While this was a welcome sight to the Ferrum faithful, Owens was not done. By the end of the day, Owens had two more INT's. to go along with three pass break ups, and 2 tackles. The three interceptions in one game tied a Ferrum record.
After that game, Owens was ranked nationally for the first time in interceptions,
 (T-19th). Although he had 7 tackles in his next game, without an interception against Methodist, Owens ranking dropped to T-34th.
It did not take long for Owens to move up in the national standings. This past week against Greensboro, Owens got interceptions number 5 and number 6. One of which he returned 98 yards for a touchdown and a new Ferrum record for longest interception return. He also added 5 more tackles to bring his season tackle total to 32. Owens is currently tied for 9th place in the nation for interceptions.

While this article highlights those that are ranked nationally, Ferrum is truly putting forth a team effort, and it is this effort that has them in the hunt for a championship.



Go Panthers!

EDITING NOTE- I received a comment on the original article, that led me to go back and review the defensive statistics. I was in error in leaving Tarrell Owens out of the original article. The article is intended to highlight those players that are ranked nationally. I apologize for the original oversight of Tarrell Owens.

Photos By Tammi Armstrong

Video of Yale Law School Hot Topics in Sports Law Panel

I moderated the Yale Law School panel last week on hot topics in sports law - a video of the panel is available online. Jimmy Golen was one of the distinguished panelists, as were Craig Masback (Nike), Charles Mechem (LPGA), and Nell DeVane (ESPN). We covered a wide-range of topics, including the legality of age limits in sports, viewing college sports as minor leagues, Ed O'Bannon v. NCAA (and the paying of college athletes), whether the NCAA should have punished Penn State, Title IX, morals clauses (including with Lance Armstrong) etc.  Harvard Law School Professor Alan Dershowitz, in the audience, had several insightful comments about Penn State and the NCAA. Here's the video -- and thanks to Warren Zola for finding and sharing it:
In the Legal Zone: Hot Topics in Sports Law from Yale Law School on Vimeo.

Storm Shutting Down Dartmouth

Part of an email that went out at 3 p.m. from Safety and Security:











To the Dartmouth community,



Following the recommendation of New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch, who has today declared a state of emergency, Dartmouth is releasing all faculty and staff, effective immediately, except those performing services essential to the support of the operation of our residential community. Such

Park, Reilly, Runger Honored

QB, receiver and linebacker named to Ivy League honor roll for their play against Harvard. Cornell QB Jeff Mathews, who awaits Dartmouth, was the offensive player of the week after throwing for 525 yards and four touchdowns.

Symposium: The Impact of Concussion Lawsuits on the Future of Football

The Mississippi Sports Law Review at the University of Mississippi School of Law is hosting an incredibly timely symposium entitled "The Impact of Concussion Lawsuits on the Future of Football."  I am honored to be participating in this symposium which will be held Friday, November 9, 2012, at the Robert C. Khayat Law Center at 1:30 p.m., room 1078 (free and open to the public).

From the symposium website: "Once thought to be a badge of honor that doctors could quickly 'cure' with a sniff of smelling salt, concussions have now become the subject of litigation that could threaten the future of football and other contact sports. Recent medical studies consistently show serious long-term effects for athletes who have had multiple concussions, including serious brain trauma and reduction in life expectancy. Where re-entering the game after a concussion, or even the week after a concussion, used to be common practice, there is an increasing burden on team physicians and the athletes themselves to consider the implications of going back onto the field. In light of this research, the four major American sports leagues have implemented concussion policies and procedures, but many question if these policies alone are sufficient to protect the athletes from permanent injuries."

Check It Out

Highlights from Saturday evening's game, courtesy of the Dartmouth sports information office:



In case you are wondering, the Ryan McManus touchdown catch and run that made the SportsCenter Top 10 plays starts at 2:21 of this package, which runs around three minutes total.

•
A correction on the Dartmouth stats from Saturday has added another completion for quarterback Alex Park. The pass,

SportsCenter Play No. 4

Thanks to That Certain Nittany Lion Freshman for pointing out that Ryan McManus' remarkable catch-and-run against Harvard for a 68-yard touchdown was the No. 4 play this morning on the SportsCenter Top 10.

Ivy Race Takes Shape

And the winner of the Guess The Attendance contest was Tim Vorhies, who missed the actual attendance of 10,138 for Dartmouth's Homecoming game against Harvard by just four. The next closest was off by 38. Tim won a $100 gift certificate at Molly's Bar & Restaurant in Hanover. Congratulations and thanks to "Lucky Pierre" for sponsoring the contest!

•

Your weekly Dartmouth opponent roundup with a

Panthers Blow Past Pride,LaGrange falls to Methodist

And then there were two. As of right now, Ferrum and CNU sit alone at the top of the USA South standings. Two teams at the top, and two games left on the schedule. Entering the day, there was a three way tie for the lead which included LaGrange. This was reduced to two teams when LaGrange fell to Methodist 26-23 in OT.
Today, Tim Reynolds ran for two touchdowns, and passed for two more to lead the Panthers offensive attack. On defense, Tarrell Owens intercepted two passes, one of which he returned for a school record 98 yard score. Raymond Hines collected the Panthers third interception of the day. It was 35-0 in the fourth quarter, but Greensboro was able to collect 12 points on a pair of Ryan Thorndset passes.
For Ferrum, they had a very good outing. Three interceptions along with a balanced attack of running and passing, and a solid defensive performance contributed to a solid win.

Ferrum heads back home to close out the regular season, against LaGrange in a first ever meeting, and the next week hosts Maryville in their last regular season game of the season. Just Win!

No Whiteout This Time

Last chance to take a shot at winning the $100 gift certificate to Molly's for being closest to the official attendance at today's Dartmouth-Harvard game. Enter by sending an email to guesstheattendance@gmail.com


2011 Dartmouth-Harvard (Bob Mondshine photo)

The forecast for kickoff at 5 p.m. in Hanover is 62 degrees, cloudy with East-Southeast wins at 6 mph. It should still be 56 degrees at

Broadcast Rights, Unjust Enrichment, and the Student-Athlete

At the professional league level there is a long history of disputes and court challenges over property rights in the live game broadcasts.  However, the interest of the NCAA, conferences and universities in live game broadcasts from a property rights perspective has never been challenged in court.  Who owns the copyright to the broadcast of the live game?   What is the origin of the legal right of the NCAA, conferences and universities to the billions in revenue generated by their licensing of the right to broadcast the live games?   Assuming the NCAA, conferences and universities do in fact have some sort of property right or other legal right to sell these rights to networks, should they be recognized as the exclusive rights holder?  Do college players also have some sort of property right or other legal right to a portion of the licensing revenue based upon their substantial contribution to the broadcast of the game?  Afterall, the players are the sine qua non of the broadcast because it obviously does not exist, and it would not generate billions in revenue, without their contribution and year-long preparation. 

My article published this fall in Cardozo Law Review traces the historical development of broadcast rights in the professional sports leagues.  In essence, the courts have held that professional clubs have a quasi-property interest in the right to license the broadcast rights to the networks.  The network is the author of the broadcast and assigns to the league its ownership in the copyright to the broadcast pursuant to a provision in the broadcast licensing agreement.  And college sport has followed on the coattails of the professional sports league model.  Basically, the network pays the NCAA, conferences and universities billions of dollars to let their camera crew enter the stadium door and capture the game being played.  Yet nobody has challenged this exclusive putative quasi-property right of the NCAA, conferences and universities.

There are legitimate reasons to recognize an exclusive right for the professional clubs that arguably do not apply to tax-exempt public universities.  While difficult to explain in any detail in a blog post, a couple distinctions are worth mentioning briefly.  For example, professional clubs are for-profit entities with individual owners who put substantial private investment at risk through their purchase and operation of a team.  Also, professional players are employees of the clubs, which is legally significant in evaluating the property right because the Seventh Circuit in Baltimore Orioles v. MLBPA held that the players' claim to a portion of the licensing revenue was precluded on the basis of copyright law's "works for hire" doctrine  and the players can negotiate with the clubs over the value of their individual contributions to the broadcast.  College players, on the other hand, cannot be subject to the works for hire doctrine simply because, well, college sport has consistently maintained the position that the players are not employees or independent contractors who can be hired.  Viewed within the construct of common law unjust enrichment which is premised on the idea of distributive justice, my article argues that universities obtain an unjust benefit at the players' expense by retaining exclusively for themselves the portion of the increasing rights fees that would normally and equitably be paid to the players for their substantial contribution to the value in the live game broadcast.  My article also addresses whether copyright law preempts an unjust enrichment claim in this context and I explain why I do not believe that it would.

In the O'Bannon litigation, the class did not assert a claim to live broadcast licensing revenue in its complaint.  Just last month, however, the class filed a motion seeking to revise the class definition to include live game broadcast licensing revenue.   If the court ends up denying their request, I nevertheless expect to ultimately see this case coming soon to a theatre near you....

Nebraska Open Thread AND Wangler-to-Carter Anniversary

Leave us your thoughts, comments and general whatnot on today's Michigan-Nebraska game.

And did you know that today also marks the 33rd anniversary of "greatest single play in the 100 year history" of Meeechigan football? 

Go Blue!



One of my favorite forgotten moments of the clip above is #23 (don't know the player's name) who, on the play before the final play flat out threw the ball out of bounds in order to stop the clock. You can see Lee Corso going crazy about that, and I believe the rule was changed to prevent such moves in the future. But that day it was legal, and the only reason Michigan was even able to get the final play off.

Ufer was right - "Johnny Wangler to Anthony Carter will be heard until another hundred years of Michigan football is played."  Especially if we have anything to do with it!

Don't Forget To Guess

Have you entered the Guess The Attendance contest? Send an email to guesstheattendance@gmail.com  with your prediction for the attendance at Saturday's game against Harvard for a chance to win a $100 gift certificate at Molly's Bar & Restaurant in Hanover. Closest to the number without going over win!

More info and background on previous Harvard game attendance here.

Crimson And Clover

There's no Crimson and Big Green so this will have to do. Click and listen while you read ;-)

•
From a fine preview in The Dartmouth:

In perhaps its biggest game of the season, the Dartmouth football team will host Harvard University on Saturday in the Big Green’s first-ever Homecoming weekend matchup under the lights. 


Just one quibble. All that stuff about "The next game is the biggest game

Know Your Foe: Nebraska 2012

The Wolverines travel to Lincoln, Nebraska tomorrow to face the Cornhuskers for the 8th meeting between the two schools.  Michigan holds a 4-2-1 record against Nebraska, including last season's 45-17 beat down in A2.  Will the Wolverines be able to generate some offense against a team with a pulse?  Will the defense be able to stop Taylor Martinez?  Unfortunately, we can't answer that.  But we can answer everything else you need to know about Michigan's opponent in the latest thrill-fest known as KNOW YOUR FOE: Nebraska 2012.

The seal looks like
the wheel from
Wheel of Fortune.

History – The University of Nebraska was created in 1869, two years after Nebraska achieved statehood. The Nebraska legislators elected to create one unified University in the state, unlike their uppity neighbors Iowa and Kansas. That's why we don't have a Nebraska State University. The first two degrees were granted in 1873 and I can't help but wonder if the guy who was second in the class ever admitted to being last in his class. The first 20 years of the school were marked by small classes and lack of funds before a late-century boom took the enrollment to around 1,500 students. Near the end of the 19^th century it was the 15^th biggest school in the country. Growth continued into the 20^th century with the development of the farm campus (seriously), which is now known as East Campus. The school is formally named the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and is commonly referred to as UNL, NU (which makes no sense) or simply Nebraska or also that school that had to beg for a share of the National Championship in 1997 as a going away present for Tom Osborne.

Hey look, there's a star above Lincoln!

Location – Lincoln, Nebraska. Lincoln is the second largest city in the state (behind Omaha) and is one of five state capitals that also house Big Ten teams (along with St. Paul, Columbus, Madison and Lansing – it’s close enough). It’s nicknamed the Star City because it’s the capital and state capitals are represented by stars on a map (Know Your Foe is a bit of a map geek and even we find that lame. Not quite the “Big Apple” of "Windy City” for sure).

There’s a 20 foot statue of a
farmer up there – pretty cool.

The city was obviously named for Abraham Lincoln but that decision was, believe it or not, met with controversy. The village was originally founded as Lancaster in 1856 when the capital of Nebraska territory was in Omaha. Legislators wanted to move the capital closer to more densely populated part of the state so they chose Lancaster as the new capital. However, some legislators who were against the move tried to derail this plan by renaming Lancaster to Lincoln after the recently assassinated President. They knew this would be met with hostility since many residents were sympathetic to the Confederacy in the recently completed Civil War. But the ploy didn’t work and even though Lancaster became Licoln, it was still named the capital upon statehood on March 1, 1867.

Lincoln’s main industry is service, and the economy is driven by the university and the state government. There are virtually no suburbs as most of the land around the city has already been annexed. The town is home to the second tallest capitol building in the U.S. and is the hometown to erudite talk show host Dick Cavett.

Nickname – Cornhuskers. There's no conference in the country with the variety of excellent nicknames that the Big Ten has. With the exception of the Wildcats, and maybe the Spartans, each Big Ten school boasts a nickname that are unique and instantly identify their teams. This might've been the best reason to allow Nebraska into the conference. Cornhuskers is absolutely unique and brings to mind only one thing: Nebraska. So much so that the state officially co-opted the nickname in 1945.

Before the turn of the 20th century, the Nebraska football teams had a number of nicknames including the Old Gold Knights, the Antelopes, the Tree-Planters, the Rattlesnake Boys, and the Bugeaters, which was their most popular name until 1900. At that time, Lincoln sportswriter Cy Sherman believed that the Nebraska team deserved a more glamorous name. The Iowa teams at that time were sometimes referred to as Cornhuskers and Sherman thought that name was better suited for the Nebraska team. Besides, Iowa fans were partial to one of their other nicknames, the Hawkeyes. The Cornhusker nickname stuck and Sherman went on to a 60-year sportswriting career and is credited (or blamed) for originating the AP football poll that still rues its ugly head over college football to this day (Hell, they even include disgraced Ohio State in their poll this season).

Mascot – Herbie Husker. The Cornhuskers went through a number of mascots, starting with Corn Cob in the ‘40s and ‘50s. Yes, this was a guy wearing a giant corn cob head. 1962 saw the arrival of Husker Man who looked like Purdue Pete’s alcoholic brother. Husker Man didn’t stick around very long and gave way to another anthromorphic corn cob, Mr. Cornhead, in the mid ‘60s (who looked like a weird condom with a red hat on top). Harry Husker then took over in 1965. Is there any doubt he was based on numerous boosters who set fire to the NCAA rule book?

The corn cobs are cool - the humans are seedy looking.

Finally, in 1974 Herbie Husker was born. He was the result of the incredible cartoonist Dirk West. Seriously, check out his work – brilliant on so many levels. West created Herbie for the 1974 Cotton Bowl and later refined the character who would then be used as the mascot for all Husker teams since. He underwent a major transformation in 2003, losing the gut and getting quite cut (unlike actual Nebraska fans). He also lost the dye job and is now a brunet. All of this surely helped him win the national mascot of the year in 2006. In 1994 Lil’ Red joined the Nebraska mascot family. The inflatable dude is the nightmare Michigan fans had when Dave Brandon floated the idea of a Wolverine mascot for kids to take pictures with.

I prefer original Herbie - he
had a corn cob in his pocket.

Colors – Scarlet and Cream. One of only eight schools to call their red scarlet, they’re also one of only three NCAA schools that count their white as cream (along with Indiana and Oklahoma). Know Your Foe has stated our problem with red (or scarlet) over the years here on the MZone. Suffice it to say, it’s just too common. No wonder the Huskers gave up so many points to Ohio State earlier this season – they probably didn’t want to tackle anyone wearing the exact same colors as they were wearing. Besides, scarlet and cream sounds like a delicious ice cream flavor.

The colors haven’t changed in Lincoln for over a century. At one point the team wore gold as evidenced by the Gold Knights nickname in use in the late 19th century. But the scarlet and cream combo has been a Nebraska tradtion since the Cornhusker nickname came into being in 1900. The only slight deviation is the reference to the Nebraska defense as the “Blackshirts.” This nickname is in reference to the black practice jerseys worn by the first team defense in practice and dates back about 50 years when legendary head coach Bob Deveney wanted the defense to wear a contrasting color to the offense’s red scarlet. Thankfully the Huskers haven’t succumbed to the uniform nonsense of late and haven’t gone to a black uniform. Yet.

Looks like something
from Laugh-In.

Logo/Helmet – Since 2004 Nebraska has gone with a simple red block N and for the ten years before that they superimposed a script “Huskers” over the N. Unfortunately these recent logos feed the stereotype about the state – flat and boring. But in doing research for this piece, Know Your Foe was fortunate enough to find HuskerJ’s page of Nebraska’s mascots and logos. Scroll down and check out the absolutely groovy logos from the early ‘70s. Far freakin’ out. How could that possibly come from the same school that’s used the block N for twenty years?

No need to mess with this.

Nebraska’s helmet might not be as flashy as whatever crap Nike’s been pushing on everybody, but it’s solid as hell and has been virtually unchanged for over 40 years. A simple white shell, a scarlet stripe down the middle and a plain but elegant N in the middle. The only change since 1970 was the move to a red facemask for the 1982 Orange Bowl. Nebraska’s helmet history is about as boring (and great) as that of Michigan. Sure, they had NU on there for a a couple of years in the ‘60s and numbers before that. But the current Nebraska helmet is as iconic as any in college football. Let’s hope it stays that way. (As always the helmets are courtesy of the excellent Helmet Project.)

Fight Song – Apparently the Cornhuskers have at least two fight songs. According to this source, they play Hail Varsity after a touchdown, and There’s No Place Like Nebraska (also known as Dear Old Nebraska U) after the extra point. It’s unclear what they play after a field goal or a safety. If There’s No Place Like Nebraska sounds familiar, it should. It’s extremely similar, if not the same, as Florida’s fight song, We Are The Boys of Florida. How could two powerhouse football programs - who met for the national title in the 1996 Fiesta Bowl - have the same fight song? Evidently, they also share the song with the Toledo public school system.

The lyrics to the two songs are quite different. Hail Varsity is pretty standard fight song fare, with a touch of communist march – heavy on loyalty, a politically incorrect sexist bent, and talk of fighting for victory.

Hail to the team!

The stadium rings as everyone sings

The Scarlet and Cream

Cheers for a victory echo our loyalty

So on mighty men!

The eyes of the land upon every hand

Are looking at you

Fight on to victory

Hail to the men of Nebraska U!

There’s No Place Like Nebraska on the other hand is much more charming and unintentionally funny (not to mention a better tune). Any song that mentions that the women are hot, the men are nerds, and the weather sucks is OK with us. The only questionable lyric is the “true blue” mention. That might not fly with Cornhusker fans this week.

There is no place like Nebraska

Dear old Nebraska U

Where the girls are the fairest

The boys are the squarest

Of any old place that I knew

There is no place like Nebraska

Where they're all true blue

We'll all stick together in all kinds of weather

For dear old Nebraska U.

Academics – According to the most recent U. S. News' ranking of America's Best Colleges, Nebraska is 101st, same as last year by far the worst rating for any Big Ten school. Even Sparty is ranked 72nd. Nebraska's tied in the rankings with such academic powerhouses as Iowa State, UC-Riverside, Oklahoma and Tennessee. Maybe the N on the helmet stands for “knowledge" (I know: an oldie but a goody).

Athletics – Nebraska is in their second year in the Big Ten and was a charter member of the Big 12 Conference (and all its various incarnations) in 1907. It’s too early to tell who the Cornhuskers’ rivals will be in the B1G, but ack in the ‘70s and ‘80s there was none better than Nebraska-Oklahoma on the gridiron. However, when the Sooners moved to the South division of the Big 12 they didn’t meet every year which was completely stupid (are you listening, Dave Brandon?). There was an attempt to make Colorado a rival but that never really took.

When this guy's your
all-time leading scorer
you have a bad program.

The Huskers field 21 varsity teams (Michigan has 27), including women’s bowling and women’s rifle (hey, it's Nebraska). The women’s volleyball team is one of the most storied programs in the country. It must be all the beaches in the state that produce such great players. Nebraska has won three NCAA titles (1995, 2000, and 2006), has been a runner-up three times, and has five other final four appearances. The Cornhuskers are second only to Stanford in titles and winning percentage. The men’s gymnastics teams have won eight national titles, though none since 1994, and the women’s track and field team has two national titles, though none since 1984. The men’s basketball team has been a disgrace. They haven’t won a conference title since they shared the Big Seven title in 1950! Know Your Foe didn’t even know there was a Big Seven. They haven’t won an outright conference title since winning the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletics Association in 1916. They’ve never won an NCAA tournament game, they’ve made only six tournament appearances, and their first trip to the tournament wasn’t until 1986 (but they did make the NIT last season).

When it comes to Nebraska athletics it’s football, football, football. The Huskers began playing football in 1890 and have won 46 conference titles and have won or shared five national championships, including the undeserved share of the 1997 title. Only Michigan and Texas have won more games than Nebraska, with Michigan's 900 tops. Only Rutgers has played more football games than Nebraska (who’s tied with Navy and one game ahead of Michigan), and Nebraska’s all-time winning percentage is 8^th best (Michigan, again, is tops). Not only has Nebraska had tremendous on-field success, but they’ve sold out every game since November 3, 1962, an incredible streak of 322 games.

Maybe Carnac knows
who will win on Saturday.

Famous alums – The list of Nebraska alumni isn’t all that impressive (with two exceptions). They’ve had their share of academics you’ve never heard of, some legal figures of low to moderate fame, and, of course, plenty of great football players from Heisman winners Johnny Rodgers (1972), Mike Rozier (1983), and Eric Crouch (2001), to great NFL’ers like Roger Craig, Irving Fryar, and the Detroit Lions’ Ndamukong Suh. But what the Nebraska alumni list lacks in volume it makes up for with quality at the top. Other schools may have more well-known business leaders, but Nebraska boasts one of the wealthiest people in the world and one of the most successful investors ever in Warren Buffett (B.S., 1950). I would imagine he has no problem scoring Husker tickets despite the sellout streak. And though other schools can lay claim to plenty of greats in the entertainment field, Nebraska can top them all with alumnus Johnny Carson (1949). For those too young to know, Carson owned late night TV for decades and paved the way for David Letterman, Jay Leno and pretty much all the rest, not to mention hundreds of comedians. Good stuff.

Three Nebraska graduates have been U.S. senators, five have been U.S. governors, and one was even the president of Latvia, but, alas, no U.S. Presidents. 

The Game – Boy, I have no idea here.  It's a) on the road b) against an offense that's leading the B1G in points and YPG.  Then again, "NU's" defense is tied with mighty Purdue in giving up 27.7 PPG and is tied with the B1G's real NU with the lowest number of INT's at 3 (a very positive stat as far as Michigan's concerned for reasons KYF doesn't need to explain).  Nebraska has beaten 6-2 Wisconsin and 6-2 Real NU, two better wins than Michigan can boast, while losing to 5-2 UCLA and getting bitch-slapped by 8-0.  So I think it's a coin flip and don't expect a blowout either way.    With Michigan coming off an emotional win against MSU and the game on the road, unfortunately I think that could be the difference:

Michigan - 18 (5 Gibbons, 1 Wile FG)
Nebraska - 20

San Francisco Bay, America's Cup Venue

One of the more striking scenes from the world of sports this week was the pitchpoling of the Oracle America's Cup yacht in San Francisco Bay during reported 25 knot winds.  Seeing this video of the capsizing was a reminder of how important the venue of a sporting event is, including venues for sports other than the major four sports, and how the attorney working with a sporting event must consider the challenges of the venue in preparing contracts for the event.

For an America's Cup regatta, one of the challenges posed by the venue is spectator proximity to the action and safety.  Unlike previous America's Cup regattas held far offshore where few spectator boats might venture, this America's Cup will be held close to shore where there will be many spectator boats.  They likely won't be high-performance racing boats like an America's Cup yacht, but they will be close to the action, on the water, and close to each other, possibly in high winds or rough seas.  Spectator safety risks must clearly be assessed, with the goal of keeping these fans safe during the event while allowing them to enjoy the action.  The America's Cup organizing authority's contracts with the relevant authorities have to address safety issues so that liability is minimized -- where can spectator boats be positioned during a race, how will safety be monitored, how many boats will be allowed in an area, what spectator boat credentials or registration will be required, what liability waivers will be obtained.  By accounting for these issues in contracts, the excitement of America's Cup racing can remain the focus during the event.

Elimination Game?

There is a suggestion in the latest The Sports Network column that the Dartmouth-Harvard contest could be an elimination game because both teams are 2-1.

While I've been known to suggest pretty strongly that two losses is pretty much the death knell in the Ivy League race each fall, I'm not quite as sure that Saturday's loser will be finished.

Princeton is 3-0 in the Ivy League but it still

Two-Minute Drill: Children of the Cornhuskers & Sad Buckeye Nostalgia

Now Playing at the MZone Theater

We have a new movie opening this weekend in our state-of-the-art cineplex.  Prepare yourself for...

Buckeyes Go Back to the Past (Since They're Not Going Anywhere This Year)

Our pal Surrounded in Columbus sent us the pic below with a single line in his email that sums it up perfectly:

"There's something sad about this."

Sad, indeed. And frankly I'm just surprised it hasn't been vacated yet.

Ferrum @ Greensboro Game Preview

Saturday, Ferrum plays it's fifth and final road game of the year...the last one of the regular season anyway  The Panthers invade Jamieson Stadium, and look to defeat a much improved Greensboro team that features a new head coach in Bill Young, and the conferences top passing offense. While they do have a strong passing attack, that is the only category that they lead the conference. Their overall statistical average has them 4th out of the eight teams in 17 categories. Conversely, Ferrum's average statistical ranking is 3rd out of eight teams. (2.7 rounded up) Ferrum leads the conference in 5 categories out of 17.

Before last week, the Pride were part of a five way tie for first place. After a loss to North Carolina Wesleyan, they are hanging by a thread to hopes of a championship. I do not see them in the playoffs, but it would be a huge mistake for Ferrum to underestimate this team. They can put points on the board, especially through the air. This is what concerns me the most. The number one passing game in the conference, against the number seven passing defense.

While that match up makes me nervous, I believe Ferrum has too many tools. I also look for special teams to play an important role. I have never done this since I started the blog, but I am predicting a kickoff, or punt return for a Panther touchdown. In the end, that still may not be enough to get a comfortable win. To make it comfortable, I expect Ferrum to benefit from at least one Pride turnover...maybe more.
 Ferrum will move to 6-2, and head back to Franklin County with their last two games at home....regular season games anyway.

My Predictions:

Ferrum 37 @ Greensboro 24
CNU @ NC Wesleyan
Methodist @ LaGrange
Maryville @ Averett

Tripling Up

Dartmouth-bound Danny McManus of St. Thomas Academy in Minnesota was the KARE 11 Athlete of the Week. The video and story may be accessed here.

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An eagle-eyed subscriber emailed that the three McManus brothers would join another trio of brothers in playing football at Dartmouth. While tight end Adam Young '96, was the star of the family – earning a Super Bowl ring as a member of the New York

Last Look at U-M vs MSU: Walmart Wolverine vs Juggalo Nation clips

Michigan and Michigan State didn't just face off on the field last Saturday.  Judging from some YouTube finds, they also faced off at several tailgate gatherings around A2 as well.

First there was some good ol' fashioned slapping the crap out of each other for shits and giggles.  You know, just to prove that Walmart Wolverines a) exist and b) can get along with their Juggalo Nation counterparts in a way only they can.




And what would a rivalry weekend be without a couple of knuckleheads getting into fight during a pre-game tailgate. #Shame

RIP Russell Means

Activist, actor, musician, agitator, politician and former American Indian Movement (AIM) leader Russell Means passed today from esophageal cancer, at the age of 72.  He died at his ranch located on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota,  the place where he was born in 1939.  Means was a fierce advocate of American Indian rights and led dozens of protests and uprisings throughout his life ranging from seizing the Mayflower II in Plymouth, Mass on Thanksgiving day in 1970 (protesting discriminatory treatment of American Indians), to orchestrating a 1971 prayer vigil atop the Mount Rushmore monument in South Dakota (dramatizing Lakota claims to the Black Hills), to organizing cross-country caravans in 1972 to Washington, D.C. (protesting a century of broken treaties by the U.S. government), to leading a boycott of Cleveland Indian games in the 1990s (protesting the use of Chief Wahoo as a racist, caricatured mascot/logo).

Russell Means' method of protest was often controversial and violent.  He was arrested many times, served time, shot several times, and criticized as an "opportunist" by critics.  According to the New York Times: "Strapping, and ruggedly handsome in buckskins, with a scarred face, piercing dark eyes and raven braids that dangled to the waist, Mr. Means was, by his own account, a magnet for trouble — addicted to drugs and alcohol in his early years and later arrested repeatedly in violent clashes with rivals and the law. He was tried for abetting a murder, shot several times, stabbed once and imprisoned for a year for rioting. He styled himself a throwback to ancestors who resisted the westward expansion of the American frontier. With theatrical protests that brought national attention to poverty and discrimination suffered by his people, he became arguably the nation’s best-known Indian since Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse."

In protesting Chief Wahoo as mascot and logo of the Cleveland Indians, Russell Means referred to its continuing use as "unconscionable."  He was outspoken throughout his life challenging professional sports franchises and collegiate athletic programs use of American Indian mascots and mimicry of sacred native culture and tradition.  When asked about Florida State's mascot Chief Osceola, Means responded that "we’re the only entire ethnicity in America that is still stereotyped."  In describing American Indians as the only minority group in the United States that is still stereotyped, Means focused in on an interesting phenomenon that has been written about by scholars and debated in symposia:  Why when it would be unthinkable to call a sports team by a racially charged nickname in connection with African American, Latino or Asian citizens, is it still somehow tolerated to refer to teams as "Redskins," "Indians," "Braves," "Blackhawks," "Utes," and "Seminoles"?

Russell Means is most recognized for two well known portrayals, though very divergent:  First, he led a 1973 occupation of Wounded Knee, South Dakota, the site of the 1890 massacre of more than 350 Lakota men, women and children, often referred to as the last major conflict of the American Indian wars, where protestors demanded strict adherence by the federal government to all Indian treaties.  Second, he starred as Chingachgook in Michael Mann's 1992 epic "The Last of the Mohicans" alongside Daniel Day-Lewis and Madeleine Stowe.  Means received critical attention for his portrayal of the fiery, brave father/leader of the Mohican people.

Russell Means used his notoriety to advocate on behalf of equality on behalf of American Indians until his untimely death.

Outsourcing NCAA enforcement

An excellent and thoughtful essay in The Atlantic from my friend and law school classmate Stephen Miller, arguing that the NCAA should charge an outside body with conducting major investigations and punishments. Steve is a former Scalia clerk and AUSA; his practice now includes representing athletes in NCAA proceedings. He also is a lifelong Kentucky fan, so he is personally familiar with the vagaries of NCAA enforcement.

This is an interesting take, especially if we begin from the premise that the NCAA is here to stay, that there is good reason to regulate intercollegiate athletics and the conduct of student-athletes (in terms of amateurism, academics, etc.), and that self-regulation, given the structure of college sports, is unworkable.

Miami Heat Are the NBA Title Favorites

For years, NBA fans have been asking the question, “When will LeBron James win an NBA championship.” He had clearly made himself into the best basketball player in the world, and had MVP trophies to back that up. However, the one glaring thing missing from his resume was that he did not have an NBA title to his name. That all changed last June, when the Miami Heat beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games to capture the championship.

That brings us to the current year, where there are no shortage of contenders for the NBA title, which brings up interesting decisions if you are doing online betting (click here) at TopBet. If you look at last year’s NBA standings, you see that three teams – the Miami Heat, OKC Thunder, and San Antonio Spurs looked like the main contenders. This year, you can add the Los Angeles Lakers to the mix as well.

The Heat have to be considered the favorite because they still have LeBron. He is the best and most talented player in the league, and makes everyone around him better. In addition to Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, the Heat also picked up Rashard Lewis and Ray Allen, which should make their offense even more dangerous. Now that they have embraced some small ball with James playing the four, they are tough to beat.

The Thunder will be the top challenger, as they were a threat to win it last year, and should be even better with another year of experience. Kevin Durant is the second best player in the NBA, and he has some talented guys alongside him. The Lakers look to be their main competitors, after the addition of Dwight Howard and Steve Nash. They may have the most talented starting lineup in the league, but it will be interesting to see if they can fit all of the pieces together, and whether they will have enough depth to win it all. The Spurs are another team that people always want to count out, but they always seem to be in the thick of the race.

It will be an exciting NBA season, with more legitimate contenders and elite teams that I can remember heading into a year. The Heat are the favorites, but it will be a great year in the NBA.

Got A Guess?

Have you entered the Guess the Attendance contest yet? You can learn more here – or over there to the right. Or simply send your guess for the attendance at Saturday's game against Harvard to guesstheattendance@gmail.com. The closest guess without going over will win a $100 gift certificate to Molly's Restaurant & Bar in Hanover courtesy of a charter Big Green Alert subscriber. Remember, Harvard

Stephen Colbert's Threat Down: College Football Edition

"Nation, I've always been a big fan of Michigan State football coach and scowling man most likely to tell kids to get the hell off his lawn, Mark Dantonio.  His enduring sportsmanship, like getting into public feuds with 21 year old college kids by mocking their height, along with always looking out for the health and best interests of his players, evidenced by holding them out at least two plays when they get an on-field concussion, have made him a role model Spartan fans can be proud of before, during and after the burning of their couches.

Dantonio consistently displays the kind of prune-faced bravado I like to see from the coach of a Big Ten school that hasn't been to the Rose Bowl since the Reagan Administration.  From shepherding players directly from the jail cell to the sidelines if they get released right before a big game, to defining WWE moves as a "clean game" because what happens in the pile stays in the pile.

That's why I applauded Dantonio last April when he was asked about Michigan's resurgence by ESPN.com and replied, 'We're laying in the weeds.  We've beat Michigan the last four years. So where's the threat?'

Unfortunately, last Saturday, Dantonio found out.   Which brings me to threat number one... long-haired kickers and forgotten slot receivers.

Shame on you, Michigan, for getting rid of the coach with the worst three-year record in the history of U-M football which opened the door for Dantonio in the first place, and then adding a defense that didn't also double as a noodle strainer.   Where's the sport in that?

And look at your calendar -- it's 2012 not 1972.  Real teams play games with scores like 45-44.  Win or lose.  It doesn't matter.  It's all about the "O".  They don't grind out 12-10 victories.  BORING.

So get with the times.  Before you go back to beating MSU each and every year and threaten the job status of MSU's Mr. Personality... just as you've done to each and every other Spartan coach for the last 40 plus years."

Bronson Green Honored

He was critical of himself in the postgame press conference Saturday but apparently Bronson Green impressed others. He's been named the Ivy League defensive player of the week. From the Ivy release:











DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Dartmouth junior linebacker Bronson Green (Los Angeles) was one of three Big Green players to make 10 stops in the 21-16 road win at Columbia. Green's biggest

Welcome Home, Paul!

In the wake of Michigan's heart-stopping victory over MSU, our ol' blogging pal Andy made some wallpapers for the MZone faithful.  Enjoy.  Share. Go Blue!

McM III

A thorough Google search didn't turn anything up, but when older brother Timmy '11, a three-time Dartmouth captain, confirms after the Columbia game that Danny McManus has committed to the Big Green, it's a lot safer to believe than Internet chatter ;-)

Danny McManus is listed at 5-foot-10, 175 pounds. Most of his highlight video shows him playing in the secondary, but like Timmy and middle

Ferrum's Mission: Just Win

With three games left, Ferrum (5-2- 3-1) has but one job...get 8 regular season wins. That means that they must win three more. They cannot concern themselves with how the other teams finish, they just have to win. Going into this past Saturday, there were 5 teams tied for the conference lead. At the end of the day, It was just CNU, Ferrum, and LaGrange.
North Carolina Wesleyan surprised Greensboro, and Maryville lost a close game to LaGrange. So the conference standings look like this:

SCHOOL	CONFERENCE	OVERALL
Ferrum	3-1	5-2
Chris. Newport	3-1	4-3
LaGrange	3-1	3-4
Greensboro	2-2	4-3
Maryville (Tenn.)	2-2	3-4
Methodist	1-3	2-5
N.C. Wesleyan	1-3	2-5
Averett	1-3	1-6

While the above standings show Ferrum in first place, this is solely based on the better overall record. The overall record has nothing to do with the conference championship. The conference race could end in a tie, and if that happens, the USA South tie breaker works like this:

a. Head-to-head competition.

b. Performance against higher-rated teams in Conference.

c. Common opponent records.

d. In the event of a three-way tie, the NCAA regional ranking following the final games will be used to break the tie between the three teams. This will determine the Conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

e. Coin toss.

The likelihood is that it will be determined in step a. If however there is still a tie, Ferrum's chances get worse. Regional rankings (step d.) will work against Ferrum as they played one game out of their region (Southern Virginia University).

A little help from those Battling Bishops would be nice, but regardless, Ferrum has to beat Greensboro....not as easy as it has been in the past. They are a much improved team, and have a very strong  passing game. Ferrum will still be the favorite in this game.

Go Panthers!

Sparty's Holiday Head

I've never been a fan of special-slash-throwback-slash-legacy uniforms and helmets. They're pulled out so often, there's nothing special about them.  Plus, in an effort to top one's last special-slash-throwback-slash-legacy concoction, they get more and more outrageous and have less and less to do with anything resembling the school's "normal" look.  I mean, what the hell was that "Shit-legal-said-we-don't-have-the rights-from-ND-to-use-their-uniforms-in-our-crappy-ass-D-level-college-football-video-game-for-the-Xbox!-Quick-make-something-up!" look the Irish wore against Miami this year?

And enough with the all black uniforms by everybody.

Seems this season that, even if a school's colors are white and off white, you can still be sure they'll come out in all black duds at some point (or four). Each and every weekend another school gets its Darth Vader on, school colors be damned.  All black unis are officially now the Seven Nation Army of "special" uniforms.

Last Saturday, Michigan State limited their "special" uniform to their helmets.  And yes, they stood out - but not in a good way:

(pic via Uni Watch)

Yes, I'll wait to give your eyes a second to re-adjust.

Called "HydoChrome" helmets, they were, uh, shiny.  In fact, I thought they looked like a bunch of green Christmas ornaments running around on the field (okay, not really "running" since Michigan's defense shut Le'Veon Bell down).

Look, everybody can't be Oregon.  The different-every-week is their schtick.  And black can't be one of your school colors if it's not one of your school colors.  And Nike/Adidas/Scool ADs, just because you call it a "special" jersey, fans aren't stupid enough to spend $80 to buy another one with an extra stripe or two each season (tell me you're not stupid enough).

So let's get back to a school having actual home and away uniforms rather than more costume changes than a Broadway musical.

Just Plain Wacky

Ivy League football doesn't get any wackier than it was yesterday. Remember that bit on BGA Premium last week about how there's tremendous parity in the league with the exception of Harvard? Well, scratch the exception. Here's your weekly look at Saturday's results:

Princeton 39, Harvard 34
Harvard led 20-0 at the half and 34-10 with less than 12 minutes remaining. . . and lost. The Tigers

Ferrum denies Methodist Get 21-13 Road Win

On a beautiful day in Fayetteville, Ferrum held off a determined Methodist team and ran their record to 5-2, keeping them in a tie for first place with a 21-13 win.
Tim Reynolds passed for 94 yards on a 10 of 16 effort, and was the leading Panther rusher with 94 yards on 22 carries, with two touchdowns. Ferrum's defense gave up 295 passing yards and the only Monarch touchdown.

This was an important win for Ferrum as they will now, at least, be no worse than tied for first place in the conference, going into next week. Other conference results saw CNU defeat Averett, North Carolina Wesleyan defeat Greensboro, and LaGrange defeat Maryville. So as for the conference standings, Ferrum, CNU and LaGrange are tied for the conference lead, with LaGrange holding the edge with the win over CNU.

Next weeks schedule looks like this:

Ferrum @ Greensboro

CNU @ NCW

Methodist @ LaGrange

Maryville @ Averett

Ferrum and NCW have to win in order to really shake things up..Someone has to beat CNU and LaGrange before the end of the season.

Go Panthers!

Game Day

Dartmouth coach Buddy Teevens looks back to Sacred Heart and ahead to Columbia in the latest Teevens Teleteaser from the Dartmouth sports information office:



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With the nonconference season over it's a good time to take a look at how the Ivy League fared against its closest rival, the Patriot League. And close it was this year with the two conferences going 8-8 against each other.

Here is how

Ferrum @ MethodistGame Preview

For Ferrum, the race to the conference championship makes a stop at Methodist University Saturday, to take on the Monarchs. Recent history would suggest that this should be a win for the Panthers, as Ferrum has not lost to Methodist since 2006.

With a 2-4 record, the Monarchs look to re insert themselves in the conference race with a win. This would be a huge step for their program, under their second year Head Coach Dave Evanson. This is a solid team, that has the ability to score. They also have a very strong run defense.

If there is a weakness, it may be their pass defense. This is where, statistically, Ferrum and Methodist are similar...They are both ranked at the bottom of the conference...Ferrum7th, MU 8th. As for their passing games, Ferrum ranks 4th in passing offense, while the Monarchs rank 3rd.

Ferrum has a better running attack, but the MU defense is poised to shut it down. So while their records are quite different, the Monarchs are a strong team. This game is one that a team could take lightly...Ferrum must not. I believe Coach Harper will have them ready, and as even as there two teams appear, I believe that Ferrum will have too many weapons, and should come out the winner. Here are my picks for the weekend.

Ferrum  37 @ Methodist 27
CNU @ Averett
LaGrange @ Maryville
Greensboro @ NC Wesleyan

Dartmouth-Columbia Preview

A scary thought from a Columbia preview in today's Dartmouth:

If Dartmouth loses this game, its Ivy League season is effectively over.
But not to worry, according to the prediction in The D:

On the road, Dartmouth picks up the “W,” though a bit too close for comfort. Dartmouth 14, Columbia 13.

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The Columbia Spectator has several stories looking ahead to the game including this one that notes:

Know Your Foe - Michigan State 2012

After opening their Big Ten season with two convincing thumpings, Michigan will try to do something they haven't done since Lloyd Carr's last season - beat Sparty. Amazingly, State has won four straight in the series and none of the games were much in doubt. If this Michigan season is to be successful, taking home the the Paul Bunyan Trophy this Saturday in Ann Arbor is a must. Michigan's on a roll and looking for a Big Ten title. State has struggled  in conference with their only win a comeback victory over Indiana. Many of us grew up in Michigan and even the out of staters are familiar with our neighbors to the northwest. But you don't know everything, so without further delay, here is this week’s edition of the MZone's KNOW YOUR FOE.

History – Founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, though there were no classes until 1857 (and not many since). Contrary to popular belief, it was not the first land grant college in the U.S., though it did serve as the model for which all following land grant universities were modeled. The original curriculum eschewed Latin and Greek studies, but did require three hours of daily manual labor. In 1859, this curriculum was deemed too elitist and the college became a two-year vocational school. A couple years later, the school changed its name to State Agricultural College (yes, SAC) and went back to being a four-year school. The school has had six different names including Michigan Agricultural College, Michigan State College of Agriculture and Applied Science, Michigan State University of Agriculture and Applied Science, and finally Michigan State University since 1964.

Location – East Lansing, Michigan. The town has a bit of a love-hate relationship with the university. It was  dry until the 1960s, but since then it has been known as a major party town. From huge block parties in the '70s and '80s, to near annual riots after big basketball games, it's almost surprising the flaming couch isn't on the town seal.

The Michigan State campus is huge, but is considered one of the prettiest in the country. The W. J. Beal Botanical Garden is the oldest of its kind in the U.S. The Red Cedar River on campus is a popular spot for students. Though named for the trees along the river's source, the trees are actually junipers, not cedars.

Nickname – Spartans. The teams were known as Aggies until 1925. At that time, a contest was held for a new nickname and - Know Your Foe is not kidding about this - Michigan Staters was selected. The name was deemed too unwieldy for headline writers, so Spartans was then taken as the de facto nickname. The mascot, Sparty, lives on campus in statue form, as well as comical mascot during sporting events. The terra cotta version of Sparty, which depicts the mascot as a Spartan warrior stood outside from 1945 until recently when it was moved indoors to be protected from the weather (not much of a warrior if you ask KYF). A bronze version of the original was erected in the former spot and is guarded during the week before the Michigan game by members of the marching band.

Cartoonish Sparty has shown up at MSU athletic events since 1989. He's won the Mascot of the Year award twice and was nominated to the Mascot Hall of Fame a few years ago (yes, there is such a thing).

Colors/Logo/Fight Song – Green and White. Know Your Foe has always been partial to these colors. They're sharp and not used all that much in college football. The Spartans made an improvement when they moved to a more metallic green in the mid '90s. But they've gone back and forth on so many of their logos that they can't really establish an identity. Of course not winning the conference outright since 1987 might have something to do with that, too. They've used the current Spartan head design on four different occasions. They've had the block "S" for two different stints, including one where they only had it on the right side of the helmet, mimicking the Pittsburgh Steelers. And my goodness, what in the world were they thinking in the mid-'70s?In addition to the Spartan head, the athletic department has used numerous wordmarks, most of them emphasizing the word "State." Talk to people not from Michigan - when they hear someone talking about State, they're bound to laugh. It truly does sound like something that would be said on Leave It To Beaver. "Yes, Mrs. Cleaver, Wallace and I are planning on applying to State..."

The MSU Fight Song is another among the top fight songs in the country. From the opening line of "On the banks of the Red Cedar" to the concluding "Fight! Fight! Rah, team fight!" it's a classic.

On the banks of the Red Cedar,
There's a school that's known to all;
Its specialty is winning,
And those Spartans play good ball;
Spartan teams are never beaten,
All through the game they fight;
Fight for the only colors:
Green and White.
Go right through for MSU,
Watch the points keep growing,
Spartan teams are bound to win,
They're fighting with a vim!
Rah! Rah! Rah!
See their team is weakening,
We're going to win this game,
Fight! Fight! Rah! Team, Fight!
Victory for MSU!

The original lyrics are similar with a few differences that KYF found humorous and telling.

On the banks of the Red Cedar,
There's a school that's known to all;
Its specialty is farming,
And those farmers play football;
Aggie teams are never beaten,
All through the game they'll fight;
Fight for the only colors:
Green and White.
Smash right through that line of blue,
Watch the points keep growing.
Aggie teams are bound to win,
They're fighting with a vim!
Rah! Rah! Rah!
Michigan is weakening,
We're going to win this game.
Fight! Fight! Rah! Team, Fight!
Victory for M.A.C.!


Is there any doubt that Sparty thoughts - even with a four-game winning streak in the series - are dominated by Michigan?

Academics – MSU is ranked 72nd in the U.S. News rankings, which ties them with Iowa and Virginia Tech. The only Big Ten schools ranked lower are Indiana and Nebraska.  Of course, they pale in virtually every category to Michigan academically which has led to numerous family dinners being ruined. But talk to any Sparty alumnus and they'll be sure to point out how they have a real strong Hotel and Restaurant management program, something Michigan doesn't even offer. Plus, as a disappointed product of public schools in Michigan, Know Your Foe would like to blame Michigan State for producing so many of the teachers in the state.

Athletics – The Spartans became a member of the Big Ten in 1950. They have excelled in basketball (two national titles, eight Final Fours), and hockey (three NCAA titles). But it's football they'd love to be good at. During Michigan's dark years (2008-10), Sparty took advantage, even tying for the Big Ten title in 2010 and losing the Big Ten title game - in typical Sparty fashion - last year. Unfortunately, they've only managed one Rose Bowl appearance in the last 45 years and have a 32-67-5 record against their one and only rival, Michigan despite their recent winning streak.

Famous alums – There’s no excuse for a school as huge as Michigan State to have such a barren list of famous alumni. But they do. Come on, Robert Urich and James Caan? That's as good as they can do from an entertainment standpoint? The stars, respectively, of TV schlockapaloozas Vegas and Las Vegas? Please. As far as politics, all the Sparties can claim are some past governors of Michigan. No Presidents. And they also claim a former Secretary of Energy (Spencer Abraham). But no astronauts. Space, bitches, Space.

The Game – When the season began, most Michigan fans were hoping for a lot of things. Maybe an upset of Alabama, maybe a winning streak against tOSU, maybe a Rose Bowl appearance. Those were hopes. There was one thing Michigan fans demanded to have this season - a win over Sparty. Of all the things that happened while Rich Rodriguez was coach, the most appalling was the ceding of state supremacy to Michigan State for the first time in over 40 years. But since the arrival of Brady Hoke the tide has turned. Michigan has regained dominance on in-state recruiting and Sparty has really struggled on the field this season. A Wolverine victory on Saturday would continue, and accelerate these happy trends.  MICHIGAN 23, MICHIGAN STATE 19.