Beware of your false expectations, Michigan

If introductory communications and psychology classes teach you anything, it's that you are biased about things right from the start.

We're biased about sports - for example: "Every team from Northwestern sucks."

And we're especially biased about our rivals.

Mark Francescutti The Daily Grind

One weekend, I travelled with a friend up to Munn Field to seek out flaming couch remains. I went to see Sparty, secretly developing plans to vandalize that ugly block of stone. I went to one of those infamous wild parties.

I even loitered around at the 7-Eleven for a bit, waiting for Michigan State basketball players.

All along, I scrambled to find those drunken idiots I hear so much about - the kids who ditch class, who are at college only for the free beer and Animal House mentality.

The ones that take cow raising 101 and three-credit figure skating.

Like a Maize and Blue Sherlock Holmes, I frantically pursued evidence to bring back to Ann Arbor to finally prove Michigan State is the inferior green mess that we all think it is.

But my low expectations and my laughable ideas about life in East Lansing didn't exactly equate with reality.

As I walked into my friend's dorm, looking in and out of rooms, I didn't receive stuck-up glares and locked doors.

I received invitations.

"Looking for someone? Can I help? Come on in and chat."

Huh? Did I miss something? Where was all the beer? Where were all the people having sex in the hallways?

Oh my god, is that someone ... studying? What's going on here?

The point is, East Lansing is home to a university. And a pretty good one, in many areas.

Some Detroit columnists even dared say the University to the north is rising up to the Wolverines' level, especially after the Spartans beat Michigan in football and won a basketball national championship in the past year.

Michigan State has its wild fraternities and behavioral problems - maybe even a few too many - but look in the mirror - so do we.

Our northern neighbors seem less stressed and more inviting, something Michigan recruiters and Michigan students might want to look into.

But most importantly, my expectations of Michigan State defeated me.

And this weekend, when the Spartans (0-3 Big Ten) enter the Big House, let's hope that the Wolverines' expectations don't do the same.

Take every opponent seriously - it's that damn cliché we don't want to hear.

Do you really take the Clippers seriously?

Did Florida State take Duke seriously this past Saturday?

Rather, it was just a serious opportunity for Chris Weinke to get back in the Heisman hunt, and for the Seminoles to enjoy beating the shit out of the pathetic, battered Blue Devils 63-14.

Michigan State football is down from its 10-2 blitz last year. Three less-than-spectacular wins, three less-than-spectacular losses. No Plaxico, several other key players gone and an unproven group of quarterbacks.

The buzz in Ann Arbor is the Wolverines will "roll em."

The betting lines read Michigan by 16.

The college football gurus say Wolverines by three touchdowns.

But before you celebrate the Wolverines easily obliterating their in-state rivals at home, just remember - East Lansing can surprise you.

And that's one expectation you can count on.

- Mark Francescutti may have some respect for Michigan State, but is still bound by Maize and Blue law to predict a 31-13 Michigan blowout. He can be reached at mfrances@umich.edu.

Like a Maize and Blue Sherlock Holmes, I frantically searched for evidence to prove that Michigan State is the inferior green mess that we all think it is.