"Critics may be too quick to point fingers," is Michael GOOSE Collins' response!

As the cool winds of the first chill in autumn come fogging up my window, I am overwhelmed with a sense of exhilaration and overwhelming satisfaction. The warmth and glow of football mania has given me comfort in these crucial moments of my career, but yet I am in a strange, contemplative mood. Perhaps it is Halloween or the changing of the leaves that spurs warm memories of football Sundays, first crushing adversaries with the Shelby Lions at Whispering Woods Park in Utica Michigan, then with the Lions and my family on the couch back home. Whatever it is, something inside me cannot resist pumpkin carving and pig skin tossing, and as we approach the tough weeks ahead, my favorite teams may seem destined never to live down the stigma of a football team being stuck in the past.

  

But why? I ask myself this question aloud, to no one in particular. Then I immediately think of the Lions. Ah, yes… The bags were packed in the family van and me and my boys traveled to our nation’s capitol for the Lions match-up against the Redskins. As I walked around the field before the kickoff I was actually really excited to see what the Lions could do after last week and was totally anxious for the game to start. From what I remember from the game when I wasn’t busy staring at the devastating Washington Redskin Cheerleaders, I can remember a sense of gratitude that I didn’t witness more than half of the Lions’ lackluster performances (especially by the coaching and O-line). The greatest plays of that game were made on the sideline when I asked one of the smokin’ hot Redskin’s Cheerleaders if they needed a towel boy.

  

But I digress…The Spartans suffer another heartbreaking loss to Northwestern last Saturday. Another nail biter ending, but you have to agree that if Michigan State keeps putting up numbers like they have, they are a solid football team. Their offense has the talent to make big plays and score lots of points. On the defensive side, I cannot have enough kind words for the gentleman affectionately known throughout the league as “The Sack Master”. So what’s the dilly-yo? I may be bold enough to suggest that some critics may be too quick to point fingers. Place the blame on whoever you want, but based on what I’ve seen on the field and witnessed in practice, these Spartans are not down, and certainly not out. I just watched Stanford beat the number two ranked USC Trojans. That’s like the Ewoks defeating the Imperial Storm Troopers on The Moon Base Endor. The point is this Spartan team has a fighting chance in the Big Ten.

  

The Lions winning at least ten games Jon Kitna? I love your attitude but I just can’t live with that. Your team is too unreliable and I’m thinking about breaking up with you guys. Spartans, I had a great time last weekend, but don’t be afraid to go all the way next time!