My own Michigan State football "Mt. Rushmore"

Before the Big Ten Network unveils its "Michigan State football Mt. Rushmore," I present to you my own. I can't say I spent much time pouring over names or agonizing, in fact I spent less than 15 minutes on this. I may very well be forgetting some important players that should be included. But looking at these four players, I feel fairly comfortable that it's not a half-bad "Mt. Rushmore." Just for the heck of it, I also added an honorable mention list.

Michigan State football Mt. Rushmore (or, more accurately, Mt. Spartan)

George Webster The glue, and certainly the undisputed leader, of the 1965/66 Big Ten and national championship Spartans. Duffy Daugherty created the roverback position for him, utilizing Webster's great talents to make a hybrid defensive back/linebacker. George Webster was voted MSU's greatest player ever when the question was put to vote during the 1969 college football centennial year.

Lorenzo White Two-time American and MSU's all-time rushing leader. Lo White finished top five in the Heisman voting of 1985 and 1987. He was the best MSU football player that this writer ever saw play in person.

Darqueze Dennard Is it premature to place Dennard in this list? Maybe. But he was the star player on the 2013 team, the best MSU football team in 47 years. That has to account for something. Dennard was the leader of the "No Fly Zone" and dared teams to attempt to pass on the Spartans. When opponents took up the challenge, they were usually unsuccessful.

Don Coleman Biggie Munn's first great player, helping to pave the way for Michigan State's glory years from 1950 to 1966. Michigan State's first unanimous All-American and the school's first African-American All-American.

Honorable mentions

Bubba Smith
Kirk Gibson
Gideon Smith
Brad Van Pelt

Disappointing football season: I think NOT...and the best EMU basketball team since 1998 arrives in East Lansing tonight

I keep hearing, on local sports talk radio, about how Michigan State football fans are "disappointed" with this season.

I'd like to know who these fans are, because I have yet to meet one or talk to one. Perhaps some younger MSU football fans are disappointed, but I'm old enough to remember the dark days--and there were plenty of those--so a 10-2 season for me is like heaven. No, 2014 did not equal or exceed 2013, but I didn't expect that. But anyone who is "disappointed" with a 7-1 conference record (10-2 overall record) is a complete idiot with no historical perspective.

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Eastern Michigan basketball is no joke. They will give Michigan State a huge challenge tonight with their smothering and quick 2-3 zone. Rob Murphy has done a great job in Ypsilanti and this is probably EMU's best basketball team since the 1997-98 MAC championship team led by Earl Boykins and Derrick Dial. Coincidentally, that EMU team gave MSU everything it could handle in the first round of the 1998 NCAA tournament. The Mateen Cleaves-led Spartans pulled away late and won 83-71.

I watched EMU beat Michigan last week and that game was no fluke. Granted, Michigan is struggling a bit this season, but the game was at Crisler and the Eagles were relentless the entire game. The Eagles are fast and energetic. They never gave Michigan a break at any point in that game.

At the same time, Eastern has MSU's full attention, so the element of surprise won't be there. In addition, Eastern's zone may not match up as well with MSU as it did with Michigan. MSU can both distribute and shoot the ball well, though if the shots happen to not fall tonight then the Spartans could be in trouble. MSU, though they are a good passing team, are prone to turnovers and EMU's pressing, in-your-face zone defense can create turnovers. I could easily see EMU pulling the upset...but I'm leaning towards MSU anyway. Eastern will play hard, but MSU should win by between 5-10 points. Call it: Michigan State 65, Eastern Michigan 57.