 |
|
|
|
What do you mean you're not a Spartan? by Lauren Talley
Some loyalties run too deep, even when it means secretly or not so secretly rooting for your alma mater's biggest rival. Believe it not, there are Wolverines sprinkled into the Spartan mix, even some Fighting Irish. At football games they’re referred to as “assholes” if they dare wear another teams colors in the student section, but some students remain faithful to their favorite teams. Students choose MSU for many reasons, but that doesn’t necessarily mean leaving one’s devotion to another team at the door. For some students, MSU became first choice for educational reasons. “[I chose MSU] because Michigan didn't have my major,” said criminal justice major Andrew Ko. Engineering major Brian Schulte came to MSU because of cost. A political science major said that he chose MSU because it was close to home. For journalism freshman Guy Larcom, choosing MSU was a change of scenery. “I chose MSU because I felt I should learn a new city, being that I lived in Ann Arbor all my life,” said Larcom. While some students harbor a secret allegiance to Michigan, Larcom admits that he is an unyielding Wolverine. Larcom said it was hard for him to attend the first MSU game against Idaho and that while he wished MSU the best against Michigan, he cheered for the Wolverines at their 31-13 win this Saturday in Ann Arbor. “I am outspoken about my allegiance to Michigan. University of Michigan sports have always been important to me,” said Larcom, “It's hard for a diehard fan like to me to leave the team I have always loved behind.” While Larcom expresses his strong attachment to the Michigan Wolverines, Schulte takes a more moderate stance with his loyalty to Notre Dame and acceptance of the Spartans. “A true fan always remains faithful to his team,” said Schulte.“But you should also always support your school. That is why I was torn at the Notre Dame versus MSU game. I rooted for State because it was [a home game] and I was in my student section; however I was pretty impartial about the outcome. So for me it was a win-win situation.” Sometimes allegiance lessens as students become more acquainted with MSU. The academics, athletics and general atmosphere can turn some from inflexible Michigan, Notre Dame and other Big Ten Conference school fans to diehard Spartans. However, for these four, switching teams just isn’t in the cards. “I despised [the Spartans] for so long and now all of the sudden I am part of the green and white,” said Larcom. “My loyalty to Michigan is just the same, people should know I’m not the Spartan everyone thinks I am.” |
|