Waving green and white pom pons with the force of a whip, Johnny Spirit intends - every night of the calendar year - to spur Michigan State fans into a mass of delusion as they cheer on their beloved Spartans.
Unfortunately for this particular Michigan State dropout, his perception of excitement is vastly overrated.
And yet, Spirit - his driver's license actually speaks to this legal name - continues to scream and shout regularly in support of his team. He reinforces everything we take pride in here in Ann Arbor.
Primarily that he has nothing to do with Michigan.
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| Mark Snyder Mark My |
Spirit, while admirable in his loyalty to his institution, is obviously misguided in his approach. In East Lansing, he is treated like royalty and welcomed into campus arenas with open arms, despite having withdrawn from the school to pursue his dream of being a human Van Gogh. At Michigan, alumni must settle for such menial positions as President of the United States and astronaut.
For Michigan fans, preparation for the upcoming onslaught by Spirit is essential. The topic of this deranged adult will be thrust forward this week with reckless abandon.
With tomorrow night's Michigan-Michigan State men's basketball game at the Breslin Center and back-to-back hockey games next weekend at Munn Ice Arena and Joe Louis Arena, Wolverine-Spartan hatred should approach a feverish pitch.
As fascinating as he may appear from a distance, the man who wears only a biker's cap and an ancient pair of Spartan boxer shorts is a sad comment on devotion.
His bed, a slice of cement at the base of the legendary Sparty statue in the center of campus, is a testament to his lack of consideration for heat, not his will to support the teams.
His body, permanently stained from years of the same green-and-white painted brushstrokes, only requires a touch-up job before he bikes off to the game. If he ever decides to depart this elegant profession and search for a job, the interviewer is sure to question why he looks like a ripe green pepper.
But we must remember why Spirit is cheering and what this week means, not only to him but to Michigan fans as well. The games are vital for both teams in both sports, with first place on the line in each.
Families feud and friendships divide when the schools square off, and yet, these are games for which non-traditional storylines already exist.
Fans will flock to Munn as Chad Alban and Marty Turco do their best to avoid starting an all-too-rare goalie fight, which nearly came to fruition last season. With the Spartans seeking their third consecutive victory over Berenson's boys, there is no doubt tempers will be flaring.
On the hardwood, all eyes will focus on Michigan State point guard Mateen Cleaves, whose link to the Michigan basketball program is inexplicable. For the forgetful fan, the soon-to-be Big Ten most valuable player tossed and turned in Maurice Taylor's joyride two years ago Saturday, before choosing Michigan State over his gracious Michigan hosts.
With all these games to watch and an opposing school to despise, the 63-mile commute to East Lansing should hardly be a factor for the true Michigan fan.
Besides, for the price of a ticket, who can pass up the chance to give Johnny Spirit a dose of his own medicine?
- Mark Snyder can be reached via e-mail at msnyder@umich.edu.
02-16-98
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