Favorite MSU Memories
It's almost that time of year again. They are a wounded animal and need to be put down. Caution advised. I'm hoping Michigan lays wood like they did against the Irish.
With that out of the way; What's your favorite MSU related memory?
Two come to my mind. The first is a quote from my grandson. Despite high test scores, GPA, and parents each having two degrees from Michigan, he didn't get admitted out of high school. He went to MSU for one year, 4 pointed, and transferred. His quote: "I'd rather be considered arrogant than a loser."
One of my favorite MSU athletic moments was watching Michigan basketball beat MSU at home. Sean Higgins jumped up on the scorers table and cheered to the crowd. In the first row was a tall kid wearing a Country Day letterman's jacket. His name was Chris Webber, and he was looking up at at Sean, with a beaming smile on his face. Little did I know, that deal was done well before that game, but that's a different story.
Most of my crew from HS went to State, so I have endless stories of raucous game watching and near fist fights, although cooler heads always prevailed, and we all managed to shake hands and walk away after games. Even among my brethren, though, a simmering animosity has always existed on this weekend, that exists to this day. Terse "Good game", "May the best team win" texts are about it. Other than that, we leave each other alone.
What are your favorite memories, other than the next one? Go Blue! Take em to the shed!
November 15th, 2019 at 12:14 PM ^
Braylon 2004
November 15th, 2019 at 12:20 PM ^
It's Braylonfest for me. I had come home to go to that game with my sister (who normally went to the games with my dad while I was an undergrad at Valpo). We drove up as a family and our parents hung out with my aunt and uncle while my sister and I went to the game.
Our cell phones didn't have a texting plan yet (I don't even really remember if texting was much of a thing at that point), but my mom somehow got through and called us in the middle of the fourth quarter as Braylon was in the middle of doing Braylon things. The stadium was so loud I had no idea what she said and hung up.
We stayed until the glorious end and I was hoarse for almost a week after. When we finally got back to the car, I asked my mom what she had said when she called, and she said "I was calling to tell you we were in the pickup spot and you guys could leave the game whenever you wanted."
Needless to say, I was very happy the stadium was loud enough that I couldn't hear what she was saying when she's called. Our family has had season tickets since 1993, and we have been in the stadium for a lot of amazing wins, but that one sticks out in my memory as one of my favorite games ever.
November 15th, 2019 at 12:23 PM ^
I've never been more impressed than I was with Chris Perry's 51 carries on the road in 2003 against a Top 10 MSU squad.
November 15th, 2019 at 12:24 PM ^
2002 49-3. Revenge for the clock BS from the year before.
November 15th, 2019 at 12:25 PM ^
1. Fire Bobby game except my ex (Staee grad) made me leave when the score was 35-3 in the 3rd quarter.
2. I'd say the Woodson catch but I was pretty ham-boned at the game so memory is sketchy.
3. Manningham game. Sat with my UM hating brother. I don't talk much yak so after the game gave him a good game and tried to shake his hand. He said FU and slapped it away.
4. 2003. Chris Perry grinding them into dust with 51/219
November 15th, 2019 at 1:23 PM ^
and that's why she's an ex lol
November 15th, 2019 at 2:47 PM ^
Among other reasons. Also left the Braylon game early too but that was because we left my 4 month old daughter at ex's cousins house and had to get her. So that one is on my daughter.
November 15th, 2019 at 12:31 PM ^
Either Manningham's TD in 2007 or honestly, when we tied the game late in 2009 because I was in Spartan Stadium. We were going nuts up in the visitors section. Too bad we couldn't pull that one off
November 15th, 2019 at 12:32 PM ^
Braylonfest without a doubt. I was a senior and my buddies and I had worked our way to the front row of the student section. It was an absolutely insane in-game experience that would be impossible for me to replicate today.
Also, we had a Halloween party at my house that night, destroyed most of our couch's frames dancing on them, and kept the celebration rolling all night.
November 15th, 2019 at 12:41 PM ^
Devin Bush facing down the line and carving the field.
November 15th, 2019 at 12:41 PM ^
2016. Watched with my dad. It was his 80th birthday, and the whole family was there. Me and my dad are the only two UM fans. Everyone else was in green.
It was the last game I was able to watch with my dad. He passed away in January of 17. We had such a good time shit talking the other siblings, and grand kids.
November 15th, 2019 at 2:10 PM ^
This is what it's all about.
November 15th, 2019 at 12:45 PM ^
2002 - Year after Clockgate, we spot sparty a 3-0 lead and then proceed to curb stomp them 49-3. Sweet sweet revenge.
runner up: I was in EL for the Woodson catch in 1997. I was not at the game, rather in my girlfriend's cousin's apartment with about 15 sparties. good times were had... by me. haha!
November 15th, 2019 at 1:17 PM ^
I was in the band for Braylonfest and all his catches basically happened 10-20 feet from my face, so yeah... that.
November 15th, 2019 at 1:23 PM ^
2018 football was cathartic (Bush cleating logo, DPJ pose, Chase running around Spartan Stadium with Paul Bunyan, Harbaugh calling out Dantonio by name in postgame)
2017-18 basketball with Charles Matthews laughing at Nick Ward and Jordan Poole waving Miles Bridges goodbye after fouling out in B1G semis, finishing the season sweep (if I'm not mistaken, during the first game vs them that season, Beilein dropped his best soundbite of all time imo "They can win the highlight tape, we're gonna win the freaking game")
Trey Burke's Steal on Appling
Stauskas blowing kisses to Breslin audience
Aneurysm of Leadership by Novak
Older than that, Braylonfest, 2002 49-3
Honorary mention, 2012 last second FG for first win over them since 07, '12 was my freshman year at UM and quite the sentimental moment lol
November 15th, 2019 at 1:29 PM ^
The 4th quarter comeback in 1964 led by Rick Sygar and Bob Timberlake beating the Sparties for the first time in 9 years.
November 15th, 2019 at 2:06 PM ^
Nice! Did not know that & don't remember hearing those names before. Thanks for the history lesson. Can I get a fuck sparty?
November 15th, 2019 at 1:52 PM ^
My main memories of going to Braylonfest -
1. At the time, I thought this would be the closest the big house would ever come to having a "night game."
2. Walking down Hoover Street to the stadium, it was hard not to notice how windy it was. That made all the extra points and FG attempts very nerve wrecking, especially in the overtimes.
3. MSU was sort of a wounded animal coming in to this game at 4-3. One of those losses was to a 7 loss Rutgers team. Nobody on either side expected them to play as well as they eventually ended up playing.
4. I had good seats in the south end zone, but it was near the MSU band, and with them playing better, I had to listen to that damn fight song waaaay too much.
5. All of the most dramatic plays happened in the opposite end zone of where I was. Although I could still see all of Braylon's amazing catches. I could NOT see the Tim Massaquoi 2 point conversion and I had to watch the crowd's reaction to know whether we got it. I had an excellent view of the on-side kick recovery.
6. The first three quarters were just a blur of the crowd BEGGING Lloyd to have us start throwing the ball.
7. When it was finally finished, the entire stadium was going absolutely nuts. I turned around and hugged the stranger behind me. Then I started to feel light headed and I needed to sit down. That feeling of, "What the hell did I just witness?" came over me.
It's the only UM/MSU game I've seen in person and it was a doozie.
November 15th, 2019 at 2:32 PM ^
2006.
My girlfriend at the time (now my wife) bought us 50 yard line tickets and we watched Michigan curb stomp MSU and John L. AGAIN 31-13. It was also extra special, because the Tigers beat the Yankees in the playoffs that day to clinch the AL division series. We finished off our date by going out for dinner after the game and going to my house to watch more football while snuggling on the couch. It felt like a day that everything that could go right in life did go right.
November 15th, 2019 at 2:50 PM ^
Throwing out my "You are a Spartan!" acceptance before knowing I had been accepted to Michigan
My son getting accepted to Michigan after a term at GVSU - 3rd generation Alumnus
Son's undergrad and graduate ceremonies at the Stadium
1981 - Steve Smith leading a comeback at MSU causing their heads explode after a 17-16 MSU halftime lead turn into a 38-20 Michigan win. Their coach? The famous Muddy Waters who they managed to poach from Saginaw Valley (previously at the powerhouse Hillsdale). What were his credentials you ask? - he was an MSU Alumnus.
Braylonfest - almost left early - but didn't
Burke steal and dunk
November 15th, 2019 at 3:30 PM ^
Last week.
November 15th, 2019 at 4:01 PM ^
My parents met while at M, so I grew up a devout Wolverine fan right outside of E.L. (you could see Spartan Stadium from my High School). Being one of the few kids on spirit day wearing M gear all through school has forged an extra level of bitterness around the rivalry for me.
Not to mention, so many people from my class went to MSU and I went to M (did not apply to MSU, couldn't ever fathom going there), so that little extra has done nothing but grow since graduation.
I would repeat the many moments people have posted previously, but instead I want to recount a nice stab I got to give to some random Sparty a while back.
It was around 2007 and I was visiting my sister (also an M grad) in D.C. and was out walking around in Georgetown. While walking I spotted a Jimmy 4x4 truck that was spartan green on the exterior, white interior and all decked out with Spartan regalia. Antenna ball, probably 12 bumper stickers, window flag/pendant, etc. etc. No mistaking their allegiance. I also noticed they had received a rather large parking ticket for partially blocking a fire hydrant or walkway or something. I procured a pen in the same color used to fill out the ticket and added my own notes. Next to the actual infraction, I also selected the "other" option and filled in "blatantly poor taste in sports teams and colors" in the designated area. I then put little block M's and "GOBLUE!" anywhere there was empty space on the ticket. I placed it back under the windshield wiper and walked away, wishing so badly that I could be present when Sparty fan returned.
November 15th, 2019 at 4:10 PM ^
Charles Woodson interception. Chris Perry 51 carries for 219 yards
November 15th, 2019 at 5:01 PM ^
Not a particular memory, but I always tell people that what made me a Michigan fan was being around Michigan State fans in my youth.
Michigan fans were always about the big games: Ohio State, the championship, the Rose Bowl.
MSU fans were so focused on being anti-Michigan that they never seemed to look beyond that.
To tell the truth, prior to Dantonio, I never really had a "hatred" for MSU. Wanted to beat them, sure, but I was fairly respectful about the rivalry. Dantonio came and changed all of that. I have no love for them as a sports team whatsoever now.
November 15th, 2019 at 8:06 PM ^
Definitely Braylon is my favorite.
Last year’s Devin Bush thing was great along with DPJ’s Paul Bunyan pose after his TD.
November 15th, 2019 at 10:37 PM ^
The time I played basketball with Satan himself.
It was third grade, which was ‘91 or ‘92. We had a substitute gym teacher. I was fairly clueless about football at the time, but one of my friends recognized him as a Spartan football player.
When he realized he was recognized, which obviously made him happy, he invited us and another friend to play basketball with him during lunch recess.
My football knowledgeable-friend talked shit to him the whole time, about a particular game-changing call (or no call) to which the Spartan merely laughed about proudly.
Third grade me was completely clueless about any of it. But when I got home and my dad asked me about my day, I told him I played basketball with Eddie Brown. In hindsight, I’m thankful I wasn’t disowned on the spot.
November 15th, 2019 at 11:32 PM ^
Loved the 2005 win after a week of insane shit-talk from Sparty fans the entire week, and also from that asswipe Drew Stanton