Lansing Overflows With Pride For The Spartans
4/5/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
April 5, 2000
By DEE-ANN DURBIN
Associated Press Writer
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Thousands of Michigan State fans crowded around the Capitol and packed Spartan Stadium Wednesday to cheer for their championship men's basketball team.
"This is the greatest thing to happen to this city in 21 years," said Art Griffin, a General Motors Corp. employee who grew up in Lansing. "I knew they would win."
During the noon rally at the Capitol, Gov. John Engler proclaimed it the year of the Spartan. Engler, a Michigan State alumnus, wore a Michigan State sweat shirt and suggested changing the state animal from the wolverine to the Spartan.
Standing alongside his team on the Capitol steps, coach Tom Izzo called the victory "the greatest thrill I've had, other than my daughter being born."
"We brought in a group who did have a dream, we talked about leaving a legacy at Michigan State University," Izzo said. "We've left more than a footprint in the sand."
As fans sang the school's fight song and a small plane flew overhead carrying a "Go Spartans" banner, Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Elizabeth Weaver donned a green feather boa while her fellow justices put on shiny green wigs.
"From the supremes of one court of justice to the supremes of basketball, we love you," Weaver said.
Team members were thrilled by the warm welcome.
"This is something I will cherish for the rest of my life," said senior Morris Peterson, who asked the crowd to observe a moment of silence for his grandmother, who died March 25.
After the rally, team members and coaches, Engler and his family, high school championship teams and others joined in a five-mile parade to the Michigan State campus. The parade featured convertibles, clowns and the high school band from Iron Mountain, Izzo's hometown.
Lansing Police Lt. Ray Hall estimated that about 30,000 to 35,000 people gathered along the parade route in Lansing. Thousands more watched as the parade entered East Lansing.
Barb Edmonds took the afternoon off from work at the state Department of Consumer and Industry Services to watch the celebration.
"This is just so wonderful," Edmonds said after videotaping the parade for her granddaughter. "It's so exciting to be a part of history."
The crowd let out a deafening roar as the team entered Spartan Stadium, where an estimated 25,000 fans were gathered. One fan waved a hand-printed sign that said, "I was a Spartan fan before the bandwagon."
Suited up for practice, the football team ran onto the field to congratulate the basketball team. Engler joked about the football team's defeat of Florida in the Citrus Bowl, Michigan State also beat Florida 89-76 in the NCAA finals.
"I got a call this morning from the governor of Florida," Engler said. "He indicates that Florida teams don't want to play Michigan teams anymore."
Each team member got up and spoke to the crowd and all thanked the fans.
"I'll keep this short because a lot of you don't know who I am yet," freshman Jason Andreas said. "I've got one thing to say: Wait 'til next year, baby!"
Star point guard Mateen Cleaves, still on crutches from an ankle sprain Monday night, had his parents stand and thanked fans for their support.
"People called me crazy for not going to Michigan, Kentucky, North Carolina, and for not taking that money last year," Cleaves said, referring to his chance to go pro.
"But Michigan, Kentucky, Carolina and money, they can't buy this. You've got to earn it."