Central Michigan Students To Root For Michigan State?
By: Terry Foster
Central Michigan University's student newspaper CM Life recently ran a story quoting current students who will root for Michigan State to beat Central Michigan in Saturday's clash at Kelly-Short Stadium. Obviously that has some CMU folks upset.
I am not that bothered by it because this has been a problem ever since I was a student. Chippewa's do not hate Michigan or Michigan State. We view them as big brothers and are not ashamed to admit it.
Some people root for the greater good of state of Michigan football. They know Michigan and Michigan State can go to the Rose Bowl. CMU can't... They know Michigan and Michigan State can play in a big nationally televised game with the entire world watching. CMU won't.
Michigan State defensive lineman William Gholston said he wants to win a national title. The Spartans are not a national title contending team but a CMU loss dashes those hopes.
Of course Central wants to win every game but beating Western Michigan and Bowling Green is more important than beating Michigan State. `You need to win the Mid American Conference to assure a bowl bid. You don't need that in the Big Ten.
Besides, a number of CMU students grew up as Spartans and Wolverines. That is who they rooted for and their allegiance will not change even if they attended CMU. My neighbor Julie grew up in the shadow of Ohio State as a child. Her family moved to Michigan and she attended Michigan State. She rooted for the Spartans to win in 11 games, but her Buckeye roots never let her root for the Spartans when MSU and Ohio State played.
She was a Buckeye one week a year.
A lot of CMU students grew up screaming "Go Green. Go White: or go Blue.
That does not change for many when they go to CMU. You can find the same thing at Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan.
As far as I am concerned?
Go Chips!
