When I moved to East Lansing to attend MSU College of Law, I had only experienced college football in the Big East. Within one game in Big Ten country, I was sold on how much more passionate college football is in the Midwest.
The only problem I had coming up with 25 reasons why it's great to be a Spartan is that I'm limited to only 25.
1. Opening Call: No matter the weather, every game begins with the familiar call, "It's ... a ... beautiful day for football!"
2.
Big Ten Rivalries: It gets no better than yearly games against Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin, and now Nebraska.
3. Sparty: The toughest-looking mascot in sports.
4. Mark Dantonio: The gutsiest coach in college football. "Little Giants," anyone?
5. Zeke the Wonder Dog: Zeke catches Frisbees during timeouts.
6. Fight Song: Never fails to bring Spartan Stadium to its collective feet.
7. Student Version of Fight Song: While the lyrics are clear that the other team is "weakening" in the student section the team is "weeeeeeeeaaaaaaak."
8. Scheduling: A.D. Mark Hollis isn't afraid to schedule tough. For instance, this year's non-conference slate includes Boise State and Notre Dame.
9. Johnny Spirit: MSU's No. 1 fan, always painted green and wearing an inflatable helmet.
10. Games Against Michigan: Generally scheduled early in the season, MSU vs. U of M is often the first big rivalry game of the season.
11. Notre Dame Rivalry: Did I mention "Little Giants"?
12. Spartan Pride: No matter where I have traveled, when I wear MSU clothing, some passerby will always give me a "Go Green!"
13. Tom Izzo: Coach attends virtually every game. I even saw him at a rainy September game against Florida Atlantic a few years back.
14. Fall in Michigan: As great as the SEC may be, nothing says football more than fall in Big Ten country.
15. Ducketts: Tico and TJ set the toughness standard for MSU running backs.
16. Tradition: Six national titles and the most dominant team of the '50s.
17. Band: No one outdoes the Spartan marching band at halftime. My personal favorite was a "Thriller" reenactment on Halloween.
18. Go Green - Go White: Throughout the game at Spartan Stadium one side of the stadium yells "Go Green," while the other responds with "Go White."
19. Booing the Opposing Team's Wave: As annoying as the wave may be, it's great when the home crowd boos the visiting team's section when they participate.
20. Running Backs: With alums like Lorenzo White, Javon Ringer, the Ducketts, and LaVeon Bell there is no shortage of tough MSU running backs.
21. In-Game Videos: The team has been known to mock the Wolverines from time to time.
22. Commitment to the State: MSU agreed to play non-conference road games against in-state opponents.
23. Fantastic Finishes: Spartan Stadium hosted the finish of the year in college football in 2010 and 2011.
24. Big Ten Tailgaiting: Tailgaiting is not deterred regardless of cold or snow.
25. "Little Brother" Pride: Ever since Mike Hart's infamous comments, Spartans everywhere have had a chip on their shoulder.
Del Pearson attended Michigan State University College of Law and has been a season ticket holder for MSU football since 2008.
