I didn't see this discussed yet, but a slight mention by Brian regarding this weekend's half-time show by the MMB got me thinking.  As you may recall if you were in attendance, and not stuck in a line waiting for some stadium grub or a restroom, the MMB performed a pretty creative and funny show during the break of the NW game.  I found the content relavent since we have debated several times on this blog about the necessity of some to continue to refer to MSU as "little brother".  For all of the humor and back-and-fotrth that the matra has created over the past 5 years, it seems there are enough who wish it would just go away.  The balance of power has been restored after this years win, and there is no logical evidence that suggests that Sparty will have another 4 game run like they enjoyed since Mike Hart graduated.

With all of that being said, it is fair to think that perhaps the moniker will not die.  When the MMB uses it as a half-time feature to denigrate the school that's located "North until you smell it, West until you step in it", you know that it's use and understanding has escaped the control of the former players, current coaches, and casual fans of the rivalry.  Evidenced by the laughing and obvious applause that the comments received by the crowd in attendance on Saturday, I think that, for better or for worse, it is now permanently part of the Michigan Football Lexicon.  So, like Spartan Bob so famously started nearly a decade ago... let the debates begin.

Given that it is Little Brother week, I thought I'd post this poem I found a few months ago...  Written by Robert William Service in a volume called "Rhymes for My Rags" published in 1956.   FWIW he was known as "the Bard of the Yukon", which is a kick-ass nickname, if you ask me.  

Not that great, as poetry goes, but it does give us the line "Brother mine, beware, beware.../Evil looms the wrath to come!"  in some way predicting what Jake Ryan will be doing to LeVeon Bell.  So there's that...  Go Blue

Little Brother by Robert William Service

Wars have been and wars will be
Till the human race is run;
Battles red by land and sea,
Never peace beneath the sun.
I am old and little care;
I'll be cold, my lips be dumb:
Brother mine, beware, beware . . .
Evil looms the wrath to come.

Eastern skies are dark with strife,
Western lands are stark with fear;
Rumours of world-war are rife,
Armageddon draweth near.
If your carcass you would save,
Hear, oh hear, the dreadful drum!
Fly to forest, cower in cave . . .
Brother, heed the wrath to come!

Brother, you were born too late;
Human life is but a breath.
Men delve deep, where darkly wait
Sinister the seeds of death,
There's no moment to delay;
Sorrowing the stars are blind.
Little Brother, how I pray
You may sanctuary find.
Peoples of the world succumb . . .
Fly, poor fools, the WRATH TO COME!

It's Little Brother Week here in the state of Michigan, and as many of you know, this week draws the Sparty trolls out from the dark recesses of the RCMB. And like the swallows of Capistrano, they flock to this board, start shitting on everything, and make a bunch of noise without expressing a single coherent thought.

You will be tempted to engage them. You will be tempted to debate them. This is futile. You can't debate a Spartan troll any more than you can debate floor tile. And we're not talking the nice slate tile; we're talking the shiny trucker rest stop floor tile. Instead, I humbly request that you report their presence to the Moderator Action Sticky thread (http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/moderator-action-sticky-1), and we will take appropriate action.

And to you Sparty trolls, I'd just like to remind you that there are a number of interesting SPAM lists to which one could potentially be signed up. So unless one relishes the prospect of sifting through a dozen needlepoint newsletters every day, methinks you should take this week off.

[EDIT - PGB:  If I might add, the flip-side is also true.  Please avoid starting "hate" threads that just get people all ramped up and make the Board look second-rate.  You stay classy, San Diego!]

So to go with my diary post a while back, the EL newspaper just released a big story on what the football team is doing with my cousin, figured some of you who appreciated the diary might like a read:

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20111119/GW01/111190314/MSU-football-Okemos-girl-s-cancer-battle-inspires-Spartans?fb_ref=artsharetop&fb_source=profile_oneline

EDIT: Here's a video to go along with it.

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/videonetwork/1285205626001/Paige-Duren-s-cancer-opens-Spartan-hearts

On occasion, I find it illuminating to peer into the MGoBlog archives and "check the pulse" of the blog at certain important points in the past. A particularly relevant post from Brian below, following the infamous 2007 contest and the postgame comments from Mike Hart and Mark Dantonio:

http://mgoblog.com/content/spartans-your-profession-loser

Oh, now it's personal? You mean it's unlike all those other games when a host of kids who never even got looked at by Michigan (save three or four per year) played their instate rival and then immediately collapsed afterward? Oh shit. We are in serious trouble now. It's personal. I am liquidating my assets and moving to Tahiti, as Michigan will never beat Michigan State again.

Salary boost from $1.8 to $1.83 million and secured at his post until 2016.

The three straight wins over Michigan, plus the win at OSU last week are probably the 4 signature wins of Dantonio's 21 Big Ten victories. 

Here's to hoping the Michigan Wolverines hand the MSU AD a big case of buyer's remorse next Saturday afternoon!