Re: Dwags, Duffy - tell me about growing up a Spartan (fan) in the 60s and 70s

by **duffy munn** Fri Dec 11, 2015 12:34 am

I became an MSU fan in 1976. I was 13 and my sister started her freshman year.

I loved coming to EL to visit and fell in love with the school, the football team and MSU basketball.

I went to my first ever college basketball game at Jenison. Thought Jud was nuts but met Edgar Wilson on an elevator in Holden Hall.

My sisters roommate dated Kirk Gibson. Sister dated another baseball player. Watched Gibby launch homers at Kobs into the Red Cedar.

Loved watching Eddie Smith and Gibby in SS on the astro turf before the field was lowered.

Watched Magic and the 79 team on the tartan floor at Jenison.

Finally came to MSU in 1981.

by **GRR Spartan** Fri Dec 11, 2015 5:38 am

I was at MSU in the late '70's. The big show was MSU basketball and it was because Magic stayed home. Football was operating on less than full because of NCAA sanctions ( Denny Stolz had gotten too good too fast and was on track to upset the OSU/umaa Big Ten football brand) Amo was on his last legs in hockey. Amo was the Kirk Ferentz of college hockey. About every 10 years his team would have a helluva run.

Worst wasn't athletics. It was MSU's revolving door at Cowles House. After the retirement of President John Hannah in '69 who was responsible for what MSU is today there was Walter Adams ('69-'70), Clifton Wharton ('70-'78), Edgar Harden ('78-'79) and Cecil Mackey ('79-'85). That instability led to some bad things.

Probably worst for MSU athletics was then AD Joe Kearney becoming so frustrated with Wharton's attitude towards athletics in general that he left to take the ASU AD job and made Darryl Rogers his first hire. While there is no guarantee Rogers would have been in EL for the long haul ( his wife reportedly hated EL winters), Kearney also hired Jud and Ron Mason.

by **Turtleneck** Fri Dec 11, 2015 6:49 am

Maybe tGreenway can chime in and tell us what campus was like during WWI.

by **DWags** Fri Dec 11, 2015 7:18 am

To answer ghosts question, there was nowhere near as much vitriol between the fan bases. My dad was acquainted with some of Duffy's staff, then Stolz so we would drive down for games. I remember going and being in the stands and cheering for the Spartans but like I say I remember the rivalry but not the vitriol.

I don't think kids were as divided because I just don't think sports were as important. Especially during Vietnam and especially before ESPN and the Internet. You got ribbed if the Spartans lost, you knew who was a Michigan fan and who was a Spartan but at the end of the day there was rivalry, but not hatred. Maybe some really deep dislike but by and large you were more interested in your side. I think by the time anyone realized Don Canham had created a marketing monster at uofm with Bo, we started our long journey into the abyss. In fighting and jealousy within the department would set us back and for two and a half decades we'd have that feeling m, when a uofm fan would give us shit about football that they were pretty much right. Sure we'd have 78 in football and a few good years but we didn't have much to say in the 70's and 80's.

With talk radio, the Internet, ESPN, sports marketing, everything is on steroids now. From importance of victories to selling t-shirts to tailgating. Feelings are sharper for and against your side aand divisions are greater. They were there in the 79's but not like they are now.

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