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Michigan State’s Spartan statue painted by Michigan fans with big ‘M’

By Connor Muldowney

Jan 1, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; The Michigan State Spartans mascot during the game against the Baylor Bears in the 2015 Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium. The Spartans defeated the Bears 42-41. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; The Michigan State Spartans mascot during the game against the Baylor Bears in the 2015 Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium. The Spartans defeated the Bears 42-41. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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Michigan State’s Spartan statue gets a blue makeover, and MSU fans are not very happy.

As a fan of Michigan State, it can be tough to deal with the ‘older brother’ of the state — or so Michigan fans like to call themselves. The Spartans have always been playing the underdog role and it has something to do with Michigan’s football dominance — that most people don’t realize happened primarily before 1950.

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For the past decade, however, the Spartans have made up some ground, winning six out of seven meetings between the two teams, only losing once in 2010 by a last-second field goal.

The Spartans have overcome a lot, like head coach John L. Smith during the ‘dark ages’ of MSU football, to become one of the best collegiate athletics programs in the country. Athletic director Mark Hollis has taken over this program and turned it into a premier role model for the rest of the nation to follow.

Michigan State was once a bottom-dweller in basically every sense of the word, but now it is cream of the crop. The Spartans and Wolverines have shifted gears over the past decade, or so. Michigan State is going full speed ahead while the Wolverines have been in reverse for some time.

However, the hiring of Jim Harbaugh as the football coach will likely bring new rivalries between him and MSU coach Mark Dantonio that will be welcomed by fans of both schools.

Just one week before Michigan State’s annual Green-White spring football scrimmage, the Spartan statue on campus got a bit of a makeover, leaving MSU fans annoyed.

There was a time when Michigan State fans would be utterly outraged by an act like this one, but those days are all in the past. This type of move by fans of the rival school now seems funny to MSU faithful.

Nov 30, 2013; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio places penny a foot of Spartan statue prior to a game at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 30, 2013; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio places penny a foot of Spartan statue prior to a game at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports /

Actually, Michigan used to consider the Spartans a ‘little brother’ and would never even take the time to vandalize the State campus with block Ms or maize and blue anything. But, like I said, the tides have been changing and Michigan has taken more of a notice to Michigan State.

This just goes to show that college rivalries are fun and things like this happen all the time. Heck, last year a Michigan State fan painted a green ‘S’ in the center of the U of M campus and Spartan fans were considered “dirty vandals.” This is no different.

Enjoy rivalries, folks. It’s all in good fun.

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