Former Michigan State basketball stars Mateen Cleaves and Steve Smith and football standout Percy Snow are nominees to join the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.
The trio, along with sports broadcaster and East Lansing native Jim Brandstatter, has a chance to be among the eight inducted into the 57th class of the hall of fame in February. And the public can help them get there by voting here.Â
Other hall nominees include former Detroit Lions Lomas Brown and Robert Porcher, former Detroit Red Wings Chris Chelios, Mark Howe and Mike Modano, former Detroit Piston Dennis Rodman, Jackson native and former NFL coach Tony Dungy and former University of Michigan athletes Barry Larkin and Tyrone Wheatley.
Jim Stark, the executive director of the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame, said the 57th class will probably be announced in mid-October.
“We encourage people to vote. This is the first time they have a chance to cast a vote for the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame,” said Stark, who added that a super election committee and a block of media members/sports team officials will also factor into how the class is selected.
Cleaves and Snow are nominees under the college/amateur category, while Smith is in the professional category. Brandstatter is among the media/contributor candidates.
Cleaves led the Spartans to the 2000 national championship and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. Cleaves was a three-time All-American and was twice named the Big Ten Player of the Year.
“Mateen Cleaves obviously coming out of Flint, part of the Flintstones, he was the next generation of the Magic, Greg Kelser, Jay Vincent. He was part of that next group,” Stark said. “Mateen was a leader, he was a great point guard and he fit perfectly into Tom Izzo’s system.”
Smith is the second-leading scorer in MSU history. He was an NBA All-Star while with the Atlanta Hawks in 1998, was on the USA National team that won gold at the 2000 Olympics and won an NBA title with the San Antonio Spurs in 2003.
“Steve is one of the great names at Michigan State for not just what he did on the court, but obviously what he’s done since then with his contributions to the university,” Stark said.
Snow was a two-time first-team All-American linebacker at MSU and led the “Gang Green” defense that helped MSU win the 1987 Big Ten title and reach the Rose Bowl. He ranks second in MSU history in career tackles with 473.
“He’s another guy in a long line of Michigan State linebackers, several who are in our hall of fame – George Webster, Bubba smith, Carl Banks,” Stark said. “He fits right in that series of great Michigan State linebackers.”
In the MSU coverage that’s in today’s paper we have the following:
Columnist Graham Couch writes that the Michigan State-Notre Dame rivalry is worth keeping.
Solari takes a look at the Big Ten as a whole as it enters conference play after a lackluster first four weeks of the season.
There is also this piece on Braxton Miller, who has been a large source of offense for No. 14-ranked Ohio State this season. He has drawn plenty of praise in his growth from Urban Meyer and teammates.
This news side piece by Matthew Miller takes a look into the MSU board of trustees and finds that athletics is a key with some of its members.
In other news, MSU senior golfer Caroline Powers was named the Big Ten golfer of the week today. It was the school-record fourth time she’s earned the honor. That ties her cousin Emily Bastel, a recent inductee into the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame, and Laura Kueny.
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I would not mind seeing Percy Snow , Steve Smith and Mateen Cleaves uttered in the same breadth as Jim Brandstatter those four guys belong on the Mt. Rushmore for Lansing Sports Icons.
In fact if you get Percy in private and pour him a strong one he will be the first to tell you that the Spartan Bob 2001 theft was identical to the Packer game on Monday night, it forced changes along with Spartan Bobs retirement to get competant timekeeping in the box at Spartan Stadium.
Brandstatter learned from Bo — Never admit you lost to a better team. According to BS, scum may have lost, but they were not beaten.
Sounds like a Spartan friend that I would enjoy sharing a frosty beveridge with, enjoy game day but remember Desmond is taking notes for in 23 days,
the bell tolls for thee.
FOUR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Beware the Thumb!
yep on OCT 20th, scUM loses for the 5th straight time to the mighty Spartans, Denard will be 0-4 vs MSU, the tears will be flowing and he’ll be apologizing to scUM fans again for not being able to throw a football.
He really is a buffoon, isn’t he? Almost as cowardly as his hero Desmond “the good humor guy(?)” Howard, but then this AAJC emplopyee drinks heartily from the bottle of courage before he posts on the current thread
so Wolverine Bob gave Floyd extra time against PSU??? oh wait, that time is was OK, right?
I don’t think those guys would ever utter a drunks name anywhere, they have way too much class; but you have yourself a good day there Jimbo. Keep hyping that 2-2 group of Paris Hiltons. I had somebody trying to define the difference between Paris Hiltons QB and Kim Kardasians of CMB’s QB, I said that there is no difference because neither QB will be sucessful against good DI teams.
If it is any consolation remember this time last year when the sky was falling because of the offensive line, there were growing pains but we scraped by Ohio State 10-7 and by the Michigan game the Oline had found itself. If our WR can scrape us by Saturday we have a chance for a similar finish. What I am looking for even more than winning (because OSU is ineligible is the ability to put 17 Offensive points on the board. We do that and we are allright, 10 or fewer and we are in trouble.
Right, Jim Beam, those 3 Spartans are class acts compared to that fat bastard Brandstatter
IT’S CRIMINAL !!!
Classic !!!
Man, my boys got to keep me from wearing offensive stuff, Lets show gameday and the world that this our house, Saturday.
Roger that
It would be very fitting for Cleaves, Smith, and Snow to make it into the Hall of Fame. Snow is an all time great Spartan linebacker who was Player of the Game in the 1988 Rose Bowl win. Smith is one of the all time best Spartan pure shooters, could rebound and give out assists; an exceptionally complete player. Mateen was the leader of a good team he helped make historic!
The Tigers are playing at least up to if not beyond expectations at this point. Finally playing on all cylinders. It’s a pleasure to see. If the Sox continue to slide it will make things much easier.
Nice article about Cabrera and his possible (hopeful) triple crown:
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/detroit-tigers-miguel-cabrera-triple-crown-a-rare-difficult-feat-not-since-Carl-Yastrzemski-in-1967-092712
Good Piece BG.
6 games to go. The recent 1 for 11 swing has put him only 3 points ahead in the batting average race, 1 behind in HR’s and 8 ahead in RBI’s. He will remain in the conversation with a good weekend. Otherwise he could finish second in two of the three categories. Wins matter more than individual achievement though this would certainly be huge. The bad ankle is bothering him a bit. I also think he is pressing a bit and pitchers are definitely treating him a bit differently because of the hype around his potential feat. It’s been a heckuva season for him and it is in his hands. I salute him either way and wish him the best. He has carried the Tigers this far and I’m pulling hard for a post season slot for the team first and the triple crown for Cabrera second.
And, I don’t get the (four hour difference on comments) 12:18 AM time listed for my comment–it was 8:18 PM.
Perhaps it has been explained in a previous post I missed?
LSJ IT budget is small Northfork the time has always been GMT
It’s Iceland
Totally agree, NFR, with everything you said. Even Miguel agrees about the priority. Post season slot comes before the triple crown. Gotta love the guy’s abilities and his priorities.
Thanks all for the info on Iceland. Makes a certain kind of sense,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
First Iceland went bankrupt. Then it sets itself on fire. Anyone else smell an insurance scam?
You got something against bankruptcy son?
I’v e got your bankruptcy right here son~~~~~~~~~
http://totalfratmove.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/9ab2f25b090b82c9b9dfb3fdfba6bcf3542663399.png
Im not too old to find you son? Aggies wont know what hit em.
Did you say “hit them”? nobody on the Pop Warner team you coach can or does hit anyone.
And incidentally only the morally bankrupt file for for relief from financial responsibility
I knew a man John L Smith and he’d dance for you
In worn out cowboy shoes
With balding hair, a ragged shirt, and baggy pants
The old soft shoe
He jumped so high, jumped so high
Then he lightly touched down
He met the Arkansas AD in a cell in New Orleans He was
down and out
He looked to me to be the eyes of age
as he spoke right out
He talked of special teams coaches screwing it up, talked of life, he laughed
clicked his heels and slapped his face
He said his name ” John L and he danced a lick
across the cell
He grabbed his pants and spread his stance,
Oh he jumped so high and then he gave himself a slap
He let go a laugh, let go a laugh
and shook back his clothes all around
Mr. John L, Mr. John L
Mr. John L, dance
He danced for talking heads at minstrel shows and county fairs
throughout the south
He spoke through tears to Jack Arute how his special teams coach and him
traveled about
The special teams coach game plan up and died, it up and died
And after 7 years he still grieves
He said I dance now at every chance in the SEC
for drinks and tips
But most the time I spend behind these county bars
’cause I drinks a bit
He shook his head, and as he shook his head
I heard someone ask him please
Mr. John L, Mr. John L
Mr. John L, dance
Excellent. Captures the essence of JLS
It’s that time of year again. Vote for Sparty in the Capital One Bowl Mascot Challenge. Sparty is currently losing to Cam the Ram from Colorado State University. You can vote here:
http://www.capitalonebowl.com/mascots
Thanks MSUAussie. Please keep reminding everyone.
Folks, good ole’ Buddy James is back to attacking Coach Izzo AFTER the next thread has gone up; like the coward JLS, Buddy is vile and disparaging.
What do you expect from the spokesman for I Love Alpacas?
Now that’s funny, I don’t care who you are.
among the cow dung everyday, he cannot help but spread his bull sh*&.
Another example of how the college football polls are like the replacement refs in the nfl, No 8 Stanford is leading UofWash 6-3 the end of the 3rd. LSU beat this same team 41-7.
And the Tampa Bay Rays just beat the White Sox 3-2–two game lead for the bengals–and Fernando Rodney gets the save for TB.
We appreciate Rodney and his offset cap even more now.
John L. has reportedly signed for a new Viagra ad and the into has him saying, “I may be getting soft in my old age……..”
Go get ‘em Tigers. Pump the Fister. Great outing even with a bit of let down in the eighth.
Is it written in their contracts that Tiger relievers have to give up at least one run?
Benoit is a gopher ball pitcher, Mama-sito just gives up walks and singles, Benoit, homers.
Two game lead with six to go, thats all that matters.
How does the #8 team lose to a team that just snuck by Nevada? Polls are such a joke, it’s why the bcs is whale poop, well one of the reasons, but the main one is the influence of $$$$$ on the college game.
and AF also lost to an 0-3 UNLV team, scUM fans were bragging about how good AF was when they squeaked by them by 6. geez if Paris goes 6-6 this year they should be esctatic
Absolutely, they’ll only have possible wins against IU and Ill based on the early results to finish 4-7 (originally prognostication by an old guy).
UNLV’s been competitive in their losses, but still: One could transitively conclude that UM is on a par with Minnesota. Yikes!
As imitation is still the highest form of flattery, I’m not sure how I feel about somebody as Paris Hilton-ie as Desmond Howard using my moniker to try and spoof the blog. But, let’s remember, like the cowards Buddy James and JLS, he did it on a previous thread.
I mean even the Drunk comes on the current thread with his drivel. Howard has to be protected by security guards or a closed thread before he’d open his narcissistic, misogynistic mouth.
I think Ghost of Biggie said that he picked Wisconsin to beat us last year and than disapeared inside his trailer and would not come out to face the fans for the post game.
The guy(?) is a mental midget and no backboned coward.
Chris Fowler and the lady sideline reporter were the only ESPN reporters at the on field set after the game.
So Howard hung round, thought somebody said he ran to his trailer.
I must say , I’m assuming that DH above is the self same white knight, he did show more backbone than I thought he possessed, of course he thinks the Acorn QB is like dreadlocks and he may be, BUT how has either of them done the last 3 years against a Dantonio/Narduzzi D? Why in the world would you use a type of player who has historically done VERY poorly against said defense? Especially when the games he has played to date have al;l been against DII talent? Most he gets is 150 combined yards tomorrow.
Gotta luv the new watch-espn commercial which has 2 guys squirting perfume on folks walking by in a mall while yakking about Michigan being on their phone. I’m, not sure it comes across as the ad company thought it would, but we won’t as or tell.
Is Desmond one of those metro guys like Dhani? I am not sure if he has ever been seen wearing a man purse?
just like the gameday commercial where they say erin you forgot your purse and desmond says its a european travel bag, what a deusch
Yea, he had one on a Game Day ad once. Col Sanders and Big Daddy are the only people who should even think about wearing a white suit.
Laugh now my Spartan friend , but Braxton may be striking a pose in 36 hours.
Just for your ears because you manned up and came here as yourself, GD gets the biggest kick out of throwing newbies to this old wolf for breakfast. He was one of the first to be digested with a nice chianti.
The belt said last night you were the blog leader my Spartan friend, hope you can make it to Beaumont tower tomorrow morning.
Can’t do it, golf commitment for a fund raiser for the local police department. You have yourself a fund day though and try to keep the green pea soup off the suit.
Looks more like a New Orleans pimp. I don’t like him because he comes across as a smart mouth self important jerk. Poster boy for the AA image.
Not sure it poster”boy”.
ESPeeeeN’s Turrico just said in a promo for Game Day that, “Well, somebody has to win the B1G Ten this year.” What a nothing person, he’s about as much a football expert as Dhaini
Wojo , did the same thing his picks say big ten train wreck everyone has either wining 17-13 or losing 17-13 basically about evenly split.
Go St 8 Go , and USMC
I am posting this here for two reasons, first you guys dont read Grahams site, second I am blocked at the office from the inner site, this from Stephanie Angel answers a question I had on who was going to replace Joe when we got to the big road games and who was going to post the after game threads, if you want to email me you have to use my work site, as I am also blocked from personal email,
StephanieAngel says:
September 28, 2012 at 3:11 pm
81 — Graham will be going on the road with the Spartans. Solari and Calloway will join him depending on the circumstances.
Reply
Disgusting that he’s the one who will be covering those. When he was the MAC guy & referenced MSU or wrote articles about them his attitude toward MSU was so negative , a disparaging edge — I find his chosen label for his blog to be a negative toward MSU, rather than being a “clever” play on words, it constantly presents a reminder of EL residents burning couches—bad enough when sports channels chose to often mention it, no excuse for one covering the MSU beat to present a continual negative image.
There is a larger issue here beachwalker, if he is the guy on the road than he will be the one interviewing Dantonio and Izzo after the games, in 06 Rexrode was cut off from JL Smith and that was totally not Rexrodes fault . He refused to answer any of Joes questions ther rest of the year. The sum of all fears is that if he alienates Coach Dantonio or Izzo and he is the face of LSJ than we were all suffer. We have to pray that does not happen.
sorry for the bad grammer and spelling multi tasking and no edit button
What I meant to say is we all have to pray that he does not alienate Dantonio or Izzo. If he gets cut off than we all suffer.
I agree. I have real concerns that his attitude could cause that to happen.
I put something up on the other site, but in short, it’s like LSJ had to hire somebody for the year before they closed, at a reduced rate. If he stays with his current attitude of poor mouthing the Spartans at every turn, the cyberspace Spartans will not support him at all.
Guy named Mike Foss already has a couch potato blog mopnioker on USA Today, so he’s not even original with that idea. Of course, the LSJ blog won’t last the football season.
Well thats gonna suck. because I am blocked 50 hours a week from the good site. I fear you are right but was hoping it would last through basketball season. I can not even read the comments on Joes Free Press site as it is blocked as facebook only Joes thread.
I am assuming Joe will go on the road with the Freep and sanctity will remain.
That’s a really nice thought— I’ll bet you’re right!
Haven’t read anything this ottoman Brussels sprout has written anyway, Joe is still MY beat reporter.