Can You feel it?

Football in all of it's idiotic, sweaty glory is almost here. I'd like to offer some thoughts to those that are sick of watching their baseball teams squander their chances for greatness on a nightly basis (I'm looking in your direction White Sox) on the subject of Spartan Football in 2010.

1. Kirk Cousins is a Pro : This kid was arguably the third best QB in the Big Ten last year when looking at all of his statistics. With a 142.6 rating and only 9 sacks given up the entire season, Kirk will only be smarter, stronger and faster this year.

2. Receivers : Blair White, the Big Ten's #2 receiver last year overall is gone now, but we have an armada of talent for Cousins to throw to. BJ Cunningham, Keshawn Martin and even Keith Nichol (yes, Cousins' backup QB from last year) will provide the flash to open up the running game dash.

3. Winning the Close Ones : Excluding the Penn State game, we lost 5 games by a combined 23 points last year. That's only 4.6 points a game. That equates to one missed tackle, one more block or one kept turnover a game. This has to change this year.

4. Dantonio : This is coach D's fourth year at MSU. We shall see if the seeds he sowed four years ago grow into a strong class of Seniors.

5. Michigan : Let us not forget, Michigan, the great Maize from A2 finished last in the Big Ten last year. Let me say that again. Michigan finished LAST in the Big Ten last year. If that's not motivation, I don't know what is.

6. Home Sweet Home : We play 12 games in the Big Ten season. 8, yes EIGHT of those games are at home this year. We don't leave Spartan Stadium until the middle of October, the SIXTH game of the season against, you guessed it, UM. The first UM v MSU game in their newly rennovated stadium. Can't wait to rain at that parade.

Wake me up on September 4th when we get to take on the Broncos in game 1...


SpartyOn!

IT'S OFFICIAL. IZZO STAYING AT MSU.

Scott Westerman, Executive Director of The MSU Alumni Association, just announced that Tom Izzo will be staying at MSU. He announced this to the Southwestern Michigan Alumni Club at their annual MSU Steak Cookout at around 7:20 PM. There was never any question. SpartyOn!

Tom Izzo: A Michigan Gem who Belongs in East Lasing

Tom Izzo: A Michigan Gem who Belongs in East Lasing

June 12, 10:36 AM · Bill Amadeo - Sports Business and Marketing Examiner
San Francisco Examiner

Sometimes in life, we come close to perfection.  Maybe it's a job, maybe it's a relationship or maybe it's just a fleeting moment that will stick with us for a lifetime.  While perfection is rare in life, it is even more unusual when it happens in the world of sports.  One such "perfect" relationship is Tom Izzo as the head coach of the Michigan State Spartans Basketball Team.  Sadly, this relationship may be coming to an end.  Consider this article as one last plea to keep the man where he belongs:  On the campus of Michigan State University wearing green and white and leading the Spartans to yet another Final Four.

The Stats

No one can question the brilliance Tom Izzo has displayed in his coaching career.  The man who began his career at Ishpeming High School in Michigan has evolved into the best basketball mind of his generation.  During his tenure at Michigan State, Izzo has won a National Title in 2000, led the Spartans to six Final Fours and six Big Ten Championships.  Tom Izzo is a role model for anyone in the coaching profession.  If there is one quote which would describe his career, it would have to be one he made to the media several years ago. Izzo was quoted as saying, "We'll play anybody, anyplace, anytime. It doesn't matter, morning, noon or night, and it doesn't matter who it is."  Is there any wonder he is so beloved in Michigan?

The History

While no one can dispute his accomplishments, the story gets even better.  Tom Izzo grew up in Iron Mountain, Michigan which is located in the proud states Upper Peninsula (UP).  Coming from the UP and evolving into a legend was no easy task but that is just what Tom Izzo has done.  There are generations of Michigan State Alumni who look at Izzo as a hero and for him to leave his beloved school would be a tragedy in the world of sports.  There are millions of reasons for Tom Izzo to stay.  However, there are also 30 million reasons he may go.

The Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers want Izzo to be their coach.  They have offered him a six-year contract with $30,000,000 in guaranteed salary.  This will double his current salary and allow Izzo to coach at the next level.  Rumors are that if LeBron James is coming back to Cleveland, Izzo will join him.  There is also reason to believe that James is making a demand for Izzo.  Only time will tell what will happen.

The Fans

The fans in East Lansing are distraught that Tom Izzo could leave and this is something they never thought would happen.  One of the biggest Michigan State fans in the world is B.J. Rycus who is an alumni and the Vice President of Rycus Flooring in Lansing, Michigan.  Rycus, who had a stellar high school athletic career and has coached at different levels is concerned that Izzo could take his whistle to the NBA.  Rycus, like so many other MSU supporters, are terrified this could happen.

When asked his thoughts on the potential move, Rycus was quoted as saying, "There has never been a more perfect match between a coach and a university than MSU and Tom Izzo.  The blue-collar coach from the U.P. matched with the Land Grant University.  Tom Izzo belongs in East Lansing."

The Outcome

The objective sports fan has to wonder, is this really about money?  Tom Izzo makes more than three million a season in Michigan and lives like a king.  A move to the NBA could be a mistake.  While his large bank account would get even bigger, what if it didn't work out?

Just as LeBron James belongs in a Cleveland Cavalier uniform, Tom Izzo should be seen pacing the sidelines of the Breslin Center.  If Tom Izzo leaves this school, it will be a mistake for his career and heartbreak for the loyal fans of Michigan State.

Tom, if you're reading this, please do the sports world a favor:  Stay in East Lansing where you belong and bring the MSU another national title.

As one MSU grad stated today, "The waiting is the hardest part."  Good luck Mr. Izzo.  In every sense of the word, the ball is in your court.

Izzo plays best for the home team

Izzo plays best for the home team

By Gerry Ahern, Yahoo! Sports

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Tom Izzo isn’t going to Oregon. He’d be crazy to go to the New Jersey Nets. He shouldn’t go anywhere and here’s why: Because he is the perfect fit at Michigan State and he couldn’t duplicate his success in Eugene, Newark or any other city, college or pro.

Izzo has become the preeminent college coach of the past decade because he owns the state of Michigan and its fertile pipeline of players. A native of Iron Mountain in the Upper Peninsula, he can supplement his homegrown crop with a guy or two from outside as necessary.

And once those players get to MSU, he knows how to motivate them and get the most out of them. He’s done it time and again, perhaps never better than how he managed to take this season’s team to the Final Four.

“It was great coaching,” said Goran Suton, a standout on last year’s Spartans who made it to the national title game against North Carolina. “With handling all the adversity and injuries, it’s unbelievable that they have gone this far.

“I wish I was still on the team.”
Tom Izzo has taken Michigan State to six Final Fours, and the latest trip may be his most impressive coaching job yet.

Suton, who now plays professionally for Spartak in Russia, is right in his reverence. Look at what Izzo has done under less-than-perfect circumstances this March.

• Star point guard Kalin Lucas goes out with a season-ending Achilles tendon injury in the first half against Maryland, and in comes Korie Lucious, a sophomore reserve. Lucious looks more than comfortable running the show, hitting clutch jumpers to cap tournament wins over Maryland and Northern Iowa.

• Izzo sends Durrell Summers to the bench multiple times during the regular season and in the Big Ten tournament, but when he needs scoring punch and defense in the NCAAs, he picks him up and has him scoring at a 20-point per game clip and guarding like a madman.

• Delvon Roe tears the meniscus in his right knee in February, but keeps logging 20-plus minutes, keeps banging the boards. Why? Because he wants to prove he can contribute and tough it out.

• Chris Allen tears a ligament in his right foot, but is willing to drag it around and knock down some 3-pointers to keep the opponent honest.

• Raymar Morgan struggles with consistency, but scores the game-winning points at crunch time in two tournament games.

• Draymond Green helps direct the offense, makes smart passes, rebounds and defends with vigor, all while coming off the bench.

The list goes on and on.

“He is gonna try to get the last little bit you got,” Summers said of Izzo. “You can be tongue hanging out of your mouth dying, and he’s still gonna try to get a little bit more out of you. I think that’s what makes him special at this time of year.”

Would Izzo have that kind of depth, that kind of heart at Oregon or anywhere else on a year-to-year basis? Would the pros in New Jersey respond to his stomping, prodding, in-your-face approach? It seems unlikely.

Phil Knight and Oregon have all that Nike money to toss around. The soon-to-be deep-pocketed Nets, under Russian owner Mikhail Prokhorov, could up the ante. But Izzo already pulls in more than $3 million a year at MSU and is under contract through 2016. His boss, athletic director Mark Hollis, happens to be one of his closest friends.

As successful as Izzo has been – 364-145 record, six Final Fours and a national championship over 15 seasons – there will always be interest in his skills. It has become a rite of spring in mid-Michigan. There was the dalliance with the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks in 2000, the Kentucky job in 2007, then again last year. Now, the reported interest from Oregon and from the Nets.

Izzo is worthy of all the attention and overtures because he is so good at what he does. He is driven by how to do things his way, the right way. He loathes those who try to take shortcuts. At 55, he has said he doesn’t plan to coach into his golden years, as did his predecessor and mentor Jud Heathcote. His plan is to retire in time to enjoy some of what he has worked so hard for.

Doesn’t sound like a man interested in a rebuilding project.

Izzo reiterated Tuesday that he hasn’t been contacted by Oregon. He scoffed at the report, asking why the school would tell a TV reporter of its coaching search strategy. He noted that a week ago, Minnesota’s Tubby Smith was reportedly the leading candidate for the job. He’s done this dance so many times before.

“I’ve been fortunate that my name does come up for some jobs because that’s a privilege, not a right,” Izzo said. “Yet it always comes at a bad time as far as distractions. I can only promise you guys that this will not be one. I am going to put everything I can into trying to bring this university its third crystal ball and that is all I’m doing.

“As long as they want to keep me, I plan on being here.”

To a man his players said they pay no attention to the buzz. Just the type of response they would have been coached to give.

“I think what most of them hope is it’s a pro job because they think I’d be dumb enough to take them,” Izzo said jokingly. “I already told a couple of them, ‘I had you for two or three or four years, you think if I took a pro job I’d take you with me for more pain for another three or four years?’

“We laugh about it.”

Izzo is known to show a sense of humor with his team. He can also chew hide with the best of them. His tough-love tactics wouldn’t play in the NBA. Mega-millionaires generally tune out plain-old multi-millionaires. The pro game is much more about the guys who wear the uniforms, not the suits.

It’s just the opposite in college ball. The people known by one name aren’t Kobe and LeBron. They are Krzyzewski and Izzo.

Geographically speaking, a move to another college town makes little sense.

Izzo’s ability to recruit the likes of Detroit, Flint and Saginaw wouldn’t help him as much in another region. He joked last week about telling his best friend, former NFL coach Steve Mariucci, that he never had to change his driver’s license.

There’s probably a part of the hyper-competitive Izzo that would like to prove wrong those who say a “college coach” can’t get it done in the Association. He certainly silenced those who questioned his hiring as Heathcote’s replacement back in 1995. All he’s done since is wallpaper the Breslin Center with Big Ten title banners and Final Four flags.

With two more victories, he could add more national championship bling to the trophy case.

Then there’s the ultra-promising future in East Lansing. Lucas had successful surgery Tuesday and will likely return next season. Summers is expected back as well along with Roe, Allen, Green and Lucious. The only key loss is Morgan, a graduating senior.

And in comes center Adreian Payne of Dayton, Ohio, guard Keith Appling of Detroit, forward Russell Byrd of Fort Wayne, Ind., and forward Alex Gauna of Eaton Rapids, Mich. That’s a five-star, a four-star and two three-star recruits, respectively, according to Rivals.com.

“What he has built here is a legacy,” Suton said. “He can beat any record out there staying here. I think it’s more of a pride thing than a money thing. But I can’t speak for him. I don’t think he’s leaving. I don’t think he ever will.”

So relax Michigan State fans.

Tom Izzo should be staying.

That’s what’s best for him and best for you.

Michigan State returns to Final Four again

By NANCY ARMOUR, AP National Writer 52 minutes ago

ST. LOUIS (AP)

Don’t bet against Tom Izzo and Michigan State this time of year.

Raymar Morgan’s free throw with less than 2 seconds left gave the Spartans a 70-69 victory over Tennessee in the Midwest Regional final Sunday, sending Michigan State to its sixth Final Four in 12 years and second in a row.

No team in the country—not North Carolina, not Kentucky, not UCLA—has done it better during that span. And all six trips have come under Izzo, the hard-nosed coach who preaches defense, rebounding and physical play.

“I like it more than I used to,” Izzo said of playing in March. “It’s even better than I thought.”

Oh, and how’s this for some symmetry? This happens to be the 10th anniversary of the “Flintstones,” the team that gave Michigan State its second national title. Highlights from that run were included in the video montage of past championships that played on the Edward Jones Dome’s massive Jumbotron during halftime.

The fifth-seeded Spartans, last year’s national runner-up, will be looking for championship No. 3 next weekend in Indianapolis. They play Butler, also a No. 5 seed and sure to be the hometown favorite, in the semifinals Saturday night.

The Spartans (28-8) led by as many as eight in the second half, but Brian Williams pulled sixth-seeded Tennessee (28-9) within 69-68 on a putback with 2:10 left. Korie Lucious, who took over as point guard after 2009 Big Ten player of the year Kalin Lucas ruptured his Achilles’ tendon last weekend, missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 29 seconds left and Scotty Hopson got the rebound.

Hopson was fouled at the other end, and made the first. But after a Michigan State timeout, he missed the second and Lucious—generously listed at 5-foot-11 — ended up with the rebound.

Draymond Green fed the ball inside to Morgan, who got hacked by J.P. Prince with 1.8 seconds left.

Morgan made the first and, after timeouts by both teams, missed the second—on purpose. Williams came up with the rebound but Prince fumbled the inbounds pass and had to heave up a prayer just before the buzzer.

“It’s just tough, 1 second,” Prince said. “You want to shoot it perfect but you’ve got to rush. You don’t want it to come down to a half-court shot, but that’s what it came down to.”

Prince wasn’t even close, and Michigan State and its fans—led by Spartan-in-chief Magic Johnson—began what’s become a traditional postgame celebration.

“I’m not surprised,” Johnson said. “Tom Izzo does his best in the NCAA tournament.”

Hard to argue with that.

Izzo, who took over from longtime mentor Jud Heathcote for the 1995-96 season, is 6-1 in the regional finals. The only loss was to top-seeded Texas in 2003.

Michigan State is the only team from last year’s Final Four to make it back. Heck, North Carolina, which demolished the Spartans in the title game, didn’t even make the NCAA tournament. Neither did Connecticut, and Villanova was knocked out in the second round.

“There is nothing greater than going to a Final Four that I know of,” Izzo said, “except winning it.”
And while it’s hard to beat that title in 2000, this might be the finest coaching job Izzo has done. In addition to losing Lucas, Delvon Roe is playing on a torn meniscus and Chris Allen has an aching foot. The Spartans have been forced to go to an offense-by-committee, led by Durrell Summers.

Summers, who played just 9 minutes in the first half because of foul trouble, finished with 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting. Morgan and Green added 13 each, and Morgan also had 10 rebounds.

Tennessee, meanwhile, will have to take comfort in knowing it got further than any other Volunteers team. This was their first appearance in the regional finals, and there is no question they belonged.

They made their first six shots of the game—going 4 for 4 from 3-point range, shot 51 percent overall and had four players in double figures, led by senior Wayne Chism’s 13 points.

Prince finished with 12 on 5-of-5 shooting, and Williams had 11.

Tennessee has long been a basketball powerhouse—in women’s hoops. But coach Bruce Pearl has energized the men’s program, as evidenced by the orange-hued dome and the Vols’ first appearance in the regional final. Few would have thought the Tennessee men would last longer than the top-seeded women, who were beaten by No. 4 Baylor on Saturday in the regional semifinals.

“We came to St. Louis expecting to win two games and we played pretty well both nights,” Pearl said.

“We saw all that orange out there. This isn’t close to home, either. They got in their car and they drove here. I think they enjoyed this group tremendously.”

Though they were going against a program that oozes experience—“Final Fours are a big thing in this program,” Green said Saturday—the Vols came in with swagger and strut.

Chism’s 3-pointer put them up 50-45 with 15:46 left and prompted another roar from the thousands of Tennessee fans who had made the trek north. But come tournament time, the Spartans simply find a way to get it done. Cranking up the in-your-jersey defense that makes Big Ten opponents shudder, they held the Vols without a field goal for the next 7 1/2 minutes while ripping off a 14-1 run.

Chris Allen made a 3, and Summers converted a three-point play after being fouled on a jumper just inside the line. After Williams’ free throw, Morgan scored on a layup and Lucious hit a 3-pointer to put the Spartans up 56-51 with 12:25 to play.

As a timeout was called, Lucious held up his right hand toward the Michigan State section as if to say, “Bring it on.”

Green then converted another three-point play, giving the Spartans a 59-51 lead, the largest of the game, with 11:42 to play.

But the Volunteers had one more run in them. Bobby Maze scored on a layup— Tennessee’s first field goal since 15:46—and Williams followed with two jumpers to put the Vols back on top, 62-61, setting up the frenetic finish.

Buzzer-beating victory shows how much Michigan State has grown

Buzzer-beating victory shows how much Michigan State has grown

George Dohrmann : SI : Monday, March 22, 2010

(5) Michigan State 85    (4) Maryland 83

SPOKANE, Wash. -- Attached to the Michigan State locker room at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena is a small room with cement block walls and a black table against the far wall.

At halftime of the Spartans second-round game against Maryland on Sunday, point guard KalinLucas sat on that table, his left foot wrapped in ice. He had been told moments earlier that his Achilles tendon was likely torn, and tears rolled down his face.

Michigan State coach TomIzzo would later say that what happened next was one of his "prouder moments" as a coach. One by one, Lucas' teammates lined up to enter that small room. Among them was KorieLucious, the 5-foot-11, sophomore guard who would become the team's primary ball-handler and director with Lucas out. He hugged Lucas and repeated what many of the Spartans had told the fallen guard: "I got your back. All us here got your back."

A half of basketball later, Lucious was on his back on the court, his teammates and even Sparty, the school's faux-muscled mascot, piled on top of him. Lucious' three-pointer at the buzzer gave the Spartans an 85-83 victory and the school's ninth trip to the Sweet 16 in the last 13 years. But, as Izzo and his players would say later, the team won not because of a single shot, but rather because all the players finally believed what they said to Lucas at halftime.

"It's no secret that if you put us in this situation three weeks ago, we wouldn't have won this game," said forward DraymondGreen, whose three-pointer with 20 seconds left was part of a dramatic finish that included four baskets in the final 35 seconds, including two brave drives by Maryland's GreivisVasquez, all of which could have been game-winners. "It was a matter of us becoming closer as teammates and better teammates to each other. With us doing that you can pull off games like this."

One of the least highlighted, yet most remarkable aspects of the NCAA tournament is its ability to purge the past. A player with a troubled history can rewrite his reputation with one memorable shot. A coach with a spotty record can get his team on a run and, suddenly, he is a genius. The water from the spring in Lourdes doesn't heal as effectively as March glory.

On Sunday, there was little talk of Izzo's frustration with the lack of leadership shown earlier in the season by Michigan State's veterans, including Lucas, whom he kicked out of one practice. No one mentioned the scene on the bench during the Spartans' loss to Minnesota in the Big Ten tournament, when Izzo chastised junior guard DurrellSummers for not playing defense and told junior ChrisAllen, who was suspended for that game for an undisclosed rules violation, that he "let two seniors down."

Any discord was buried deep in delirium, and why shouldn't it be?

College basketball remains the realm of the juvenescent, where teambuilding and maturity are not just catchwords. Every team, every kid is a work in progress, even one coached by Izzo, with his long history of driving the Spartans deep into the Dance.

"I don't wan to get too dramatic -- it is the [second round] of the NCAA tournament -- but where this win really ranks high is me having been telling this team a little bit about why you have got to be a better teammate and why you have togetherness," Izzo said.

Summers, the talented but at times undisciplined junior guard, scored 26 points, including 6-of-7 on three-pointers, but his finest moment came when he approached Izzo postgame. "I still got a long ways to go, Coach," he said, and his coach smiled.

"You all know what I did to Durrell [benched him late in a Big Ten tournament game against Minnesota]. I told him in practice yesterday that that the only reason I sat him was so he would have more legs today," Izzo said. "He laughed. I laughed, and he did have some legs today. He did a hell of a job."

After the game, Izzo and Lucas hugged and then Izzo walked to midcourt, where he waited to be interviewed by CBS. He repeatedly wiped his eyes, tears that he would say later "were of joy and sorrow": joy for witnessing, finally, the galvanizing of his team, and sorrow for Lucas, his best player, who will surely miss the Spartans next game against Northern Iowa and any beyond that.

"[Kalin] grew today, too," Izzo said. "A lot of guys that grew, they're all the same size, but their hearts and heads are a lot bigger."

SPARTYON : March Madness is Happening in 3, 2, 1...

Hey Spartans - Don't know if you know, but wherever you are in the world, you can watch the entire game online, for FREE.

FOLLOW THIS LINK AND GO GREEN!

http://mmod.ncaa.com/

What a difference one year makes

SpartyOn.com : What a difference a year makes

It's March Spartans, and I think we all remember what happened last March. We played for the National Title and came up a bit short. That hurt. But take a look at what's happening down on Tobacco Road. This is an excerpt from a Yahoo.com article about the biggest failures of this bball season. The old addage, 'a picture is worth a thousand words' really comes to mind though :

North Carolina : No one was predicting the Tar Heels would win a second consecutive national title. But no one was predicting them to go 5-11 in the ACC, either. UNC went 11-3 in the 2009 portion of the schedule, with the losses to Syracuse, Kentucky and Texas. Nothing embarrassing there, right? But then the calendar turned, and things went sour quickly. There was a loss to the College of Charleston on Jan. 4, followed by a 1-3 start in ACC play. That 1-3 turned into 2-7 rather quickly, and the season spiraled out of control.

UNC finished 3-5 at home in the ACC. The guard play has been bad on both ends of the court. Big man Ed Davis was lost for the season in mid-February. A touted freshman class had to play too many minutes, and those guys just weren't ready to play consistent high-caliber basketball."

Green Day : Michigan State Spartans Destroy Michigan En Route to Sixth Big Ten Championship Under Tom Izzo

3.7.2010 SpartyOn.com : Michigan State Spartans Destroy Michigan En Route to Sixth Big Ten Basketball Championship Under Tom Izzo

In case you missed it, here are some of the facts and quotes from around the web on what was a great day in East Lansing :

• Michigan State continued its basketball dominance of Michigan with little resistance in the final regular-season game for both teams.
  
• The 11th-ranked Spartans have not only swept the two-game series with the Wolverines, but earned a share of the Big Ten title with a 64-48 victory before a raucous Breslin Center crowd Sunday afternoon.
  
• Michigan trailed by as many as 29.
  
• Michigan State was tough on both sides of the ball, at one point holding Michigan without a field goal for six minutes in the first half, and then opened the second half with a devastating 10-0 run to build a 42-14 lead with 16:31 left. In the first four minutes of the second half, Michigan had four quick turnovers.
  
• The Wolverines were 1-of-11 from the 3-point line (9.1 percent) and shot 21.7 percent in the first half. Sims and Harris combined to go 2-of-11. They had 11 turnovers.
  
• If Raymar Morgan can maintain his momentum, the Spartans will have a shot to give Izzo his second national title and the school its third.
  
• Michigan might not even earn a spot in the NIT and might be relegated to the College Basketball Invitational or CollegeInsider.com Tournament. Beilein looked as upset as he’s been in three seasons on Sunday, but he refused to sound defeated.
  
• Michigan’s Manny Harris and Sims made only one shot each in the first half as their team matched a Big Ten-low with 14 points, outscoring Morgan by only a point. Harris missed nine of 10 shots, finishing with four points, and Sims scored just nine.
  
• The Wolverines’ season has been full of setbacks since being ranked No. 15 in The Associated Press preseason poll, and the lowlight might’ve been getting routed at Michigan State after a 28-point win over Minnesota.
  
• Michigan might not even earn a spot in the NIT and might be relegated to the College Basketball Invitational or CollegeInsider.com Tournament. Beilein looked as upset as he's been in three seasons on Sunday, but he refused to sound defeated. ''We have a plan and we're working on it,'' Beilein said. ''I'm very confident in the plan.''
  
• Michigan State has won 18 of 21 against its rival overall and 11 straight at home.
  
• “This is definitely one of the best places to play,” DeShawn Sims said. “They definitely put on a show.”

Ex-Spartan star Ryan Miller to take spot on world stage

Ex-Spartan star Ryan Miller
to take spot on world stage

Neil Koepke • Lansing State Journal • February 12, 2010

All season long, Ryan Miller's focus has been about
providing the Buffalo Sabres with elite-level
goaltending.

Mission accomplished.

The former Michigan State All-American and East
Lansing native has been brilliant during the first f
our months of the National Hockey League season.

Late this weekend, however, Miller will turn his
focus to another challenge: leading Team USA to a
medal at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.
Preliminary-round games begin Tuesday.

"I think we have the talent to win. It's about coming
together as a team,'' said Miller, 29, who still calls
East Lansing home in the offseason.

It's not a surprise Miller will be America's starting
goalie. He's considered among the best in the
world. Still, Miller finds the singular attention to be
awkward.

"It's surreal,'' he said. "I've worked hard to put myself
in this position, but not so much for the recognition
as being part of a team that wins.

"There's nothing better than accomplishing
something as a group. It's one game, but ultimately
you want to keep it going and win (an NHL)
championship.''

Or an Olympic gold medal.

Canada will be the favorite for the gold medal, with
Russia and Sweden expected to contend. The
Americans are the underdogs.

"We have a young, talented team and we'll have a lot
of fun playing an up-tempo style,'' Miller said.
"We're focusing on coming together in the first three
(preliminary) games. We have to buy into the system
and I know I have to play at a certain level. If we play
hard and well, we'll be dangerous.''

Celebrity status

Miller's celebrity extends beyond the ice. He is the
face of the Sabres and one of the most popular
athletes in Buffalo. He's a mid-Michigan celebrity,
too. After all, he's one of "those" Millers - the first
family of Michigan State hockey. His cousin, Kevin,
is a former Olympian. His brother, Drew, plays for
the Detroit Red Wings.

But right now, Ryan Miller is on the largest stage -
in Vancouver - although he will miss the opening
ceremonies because NHL games are still going on.


Miller is using popularity to benefit others. In 2006,
he founded the Steadfast Foundation, a nonprofit
organization that is "dedicated to assisting those
afflicted and affected by the consequences of cancer
and especially childhood forms of the disease.''

He started the foundation in honor of his cousin,
Matt Schoals of DeWitt, who was diagnosed with
leukemia at age 16 in 2005.

"I had done hospital visits but it was never so real
as when Matt was diagnosed,'' Miller told NHL.com.
"He inspired it, but a lot of other young people did
as well.''

Schoals died in 2007, one month after his 18th
birthday. Miller still has "Matt Man" printed on the
back of his mask below a cartoon bulldog, dressed
in a green sweater with an "S" on it.

Giving back


"Ryan understands that he's in a position to make a
difference to influence young people and use his
status to make people aware how important it is to
give back,'' his mother, Teresa Miller, said.

"He's still very driven as an athlete, but he has a
certain confidence in himself that comes with age.
He's the same young man he always was, with solid
values and a good work ethic.''

Former MSU hockey coach Ron Mason can attest to
Miller's work ethic.

"He's always had the talent, skill and work ethic. He's
could focus better than almost every player I've
coached,'' Mason said. "He was always about the
next shot, making the saves."

More than hockey

But life for Miller is about more than stopping
speeding hockey pucks. He has numerous interests
outside the game, ranging from playing guitar,
sitting in with local bands in Buffalo, photography,
movies, discovering good restaurants and hanging
out with friends and family.

"It's been important for Ryan to have interests
outside of hockey,'' Teresa Miller said. "He's
involved in a lot of things and he's very good about
being staying close to us, his siblings and his
friends. I think it keeps him grounded.''