For the Fan By the Fan

Welcome to Hoop City. Throughout the weekend of this year’s Final Four, the college basketball shrine is open at Cobo Hall in Downtown Detroit. Upon walking into the hall, music is blaring, basketballs are hitting the floor and swishing through the nets, and fans are cheering for their teams. It truly is basketball heaven.

Hoop City opened yesterday and closes Monday. Open noon to 8 p.m. Friday, Sunday, and Monday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, fans shouldn’t miss out on their opportunity to be a part of the Final Four. Even if you are not going to the game, you can still feel like you are part of the town’s atmosphere by showing up at Cobo Hall. Throughout the City, there are activities that are great for everyone. While entering the city, the first thing many fans approach is the Coke Zero NCAA Championship Zone

“It just caught me by the eye,” said Villanova fan Jamal Walker. “I love that basketball shooting game that keeps track of my points until time runs out after thirty seconds. I made 15 shots.”

Also in the Coke Zero NCAA Championship Zone is a game where fans can play for their favorite Final Four team. They are pulled out of a small audience and they play against another team in an “Around the World” type of game. The winning team of each round continues to play while new fans are picked to play for other teams. The last remaining team at the end of the day receives a trophy. All throughout Cobo Hall there are many activities. There are stations such as CBS College Sports’ various basketball half courts where fans can play “Lightning” or “21,” to the kids station where if a child puts the ball through the hoop they receive a prize. Overall, there are 21 different stations, including a food court, sponsored by different companies. There is also entertainment for fans to enjoy. On the NCAA Center Court, various performances take place each day.

On Friday, there was a Detroit Media Celebrity Game, on Saturday there was the State Farm Coaches All American Team Introductions, Sunday there are clinics that fans can participate in, and on Monday there are fan games and dunk contests. There is something there for everyone to watch and participate in. Along with interactive basketball games and entertainment, there is a Michigan Sports Hall of Fame truck filled with Detroit team memorabilia and plaques with Detroit sports legends on them.

“While walking through the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame truck I was able to relive some of my memories growing up watching the Tigers play at Tiger Stadium,” said Michigan State fan Michael Thompson. “It’s moments like these that make proud to be a Detroiter.”
Hoop City is a place where the big time basketball fan lives. There is so much to do there. Fans can wait in line to meet and receive autographs from Oklahoma superstar Blake Griffin and Davidson standout Stephen Curry or shoot around with some friends. No basketball fan could ever become bored in a town like Hoop City. Governed by New York based company MTKG, Hoop City has a city that is for the fan, and by the fan.

A Hero, A Legend, A Superstar

Many people would argue that Michael Jordan is the greatest player to ever play the game of basketball. After his retirement, it is clear that there are three people in the league right now who can take that away from him, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, and Dwayne Wade. Out of these three players though, who is the best?

Kobe Bryant is a stellar athlete. He came into the NBA right out of high school in the 1996 draft. In his first three seasons he mostly came off the bench. Then in 1999, when Phil Jackson became the head coach Bryant suddenly became a premiere guard in the country. He won NBA championships one after the other along side Shaquille O'Neal. However, in my opinion, Kobe Bryant is only as good as he is today because of the people he has been surrounded by all his career. When Jackson stepped down as head coach in 2004 Bryant took a tumble and his career began to slouch. Then in 2007, when Jackson came back Bryant's slump ended, and he was surrounded by players such as Paul Gasol and Lamar Odom. Kobe Bryant is clearly not the next greatest player to ever play the game. Yes, Bryant will be in the Hall-of-Fame and go down as one of the best ever, but there are some things that have really hurt his career, the law suit against him being the worst offense.

Lebron James also came right out of high school and was taken first overall in the 2003 NBA draft. Like Jordan, James also wears number 23, is the best player on his team, is time and time again an NBA MVP candidate, and is endorsed by many companies all across the country. Lebron James sells. However, James has yet to win an NBA championship. When it comes to debating a new all-time greatest player ever, James' name will always be brought up in the conversation, however, it is clear to me that Lebron is not a clutch player. He has yet to come through for his team when it matters most.

Dwayne Wade, like James, was drafted in 2003, out of college, unlike Kobe and James. I think college is key to a player's success. Yes many NBA players have become superstars out of high school, but college improves an athletes fundamentals. The college game teaches players how to be better at what they do. Dwayne Wade quickly emerged as a productive guard in Miami. He averaged 16.2 ppg, 4.5 apg, and 4.0 rpg he rookie season and took his team to the playoffs. Then, he won a NBA Championship along side Shaq in 2006. Today, without Shaq, Wade is still able to keep his team in games. He is that leader of his team who has the most experience and is a veteran.

I believe that Dwayne Wade is the next M.J. He has the quickness of His Airness and he is able to throw it down just like Mike. Wade is a hero to the people of Miami, soon to become a legend of the game, and is currently a superstar. He has been marketed on video games and has his own shoe. Wade is truly the next Michael Jordan because of his leadership, playing style, off the court responsibility, and respect for the game.

Is Michigan State A Final Four Contender?

How far can Michigan State go in this NCAA Tournament? With their Sweet Sixteen game tonight against Kansas, it is crucial for MSU to pull out a win if they want to play in the Final Four in front of their own fans. I know it's obvious that they have to win the game to advance to the next round, but this years tournament has an extra special meaning for the Spartans. Having home advantage in the Final Four is like having a plate handed to you with a silver spoon on it. The Spartans are heading into tonight's game playing their best basketball of the season, I'm convinced. You know they're playing well when Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Travis Walton is putting up 18 points against Southern Cal, a guy who is only averaging 5.3 ppg this season.So far in the tournament, the Spartans are really playing like the want to make it to Ford Field. They beat Robert Morris easily, but in the game against USC, the Spartans really came through in the last few minutes of the game. I don't mean to be cliche but it was a battle to the wire. The Spartans pushed out a victory in the second half and won 74-69, however, at one point MSU did trail by five.
Tonight, MSU will play the Kansas Jayhawks, who they beat earlier in the season. However, at that time it was January, the Spartans were at home, and it is obvious that both teams have improved since then. Kansas is defending it's National Championship so you know they will be ready to play. The Spartans need to pick it up on offense in order to win tonight. Spartan scoring leader Kalin Lucas only put up ten points against USC, but the key tonight will be Raymar Morgan who only put of three points against USC. Morgan needs to have strong games this weekend because his play could be the deciding factor in a Michigan Sweet 16 exit or a Final Four appearance. In an article written by Detroit Free Press columnist Drew Sharp, MSU head coach Tom Izzo said "the junior forward is having frustrating mood swings -- from melancholy to extremely melancholy." If Michigan State expects to win Morgan needs to get a grip on things and want to make it to the Final Four as much as his coach and team do.

Right now I am in first place for my bracket pool. I have Michigan State in my Final Four, along with Uconn, Pitt, and UNC, however, Michigan State has to want to be there. They are going to have to get past a tough Kansas team and a tough Louisville team, if they beat Arizona. Michigan State has the drive to succeed and if they want it bad enough they will. They have an advantage in not having to travel as far as other teams and they have played in Indianapolis before when they won the NCAA Tournament in 2000. Also, Michigan State knows what could happen if they "March to Motown." The opportunity to win a National Championship in front of a home crowd would be stupid to pass up.

Some key factors you might want to know about Michigan State before their upcoming games are:

1. Michigan State is 7-0 all-time as a 2 seed.

2. The Spartans beat the Jayhawks 75-62 on Jan. 10 in East Lansing.

3. Before the game against USC, Travis Walton hadn't scored in double figures since he had 11 against Kansas.

4. Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Travis Walton scored a career-high 18 points, moving Michigan State into the Sweet 16 for the eighth time in 12 years. That's more appearances in the last dozen years of any school besides Duke.

5. In the last 12 years, every Spartan who has stayed for four years has appeared in a Final Four.

Public vs. Private

On March 13, 2009, North Farmington High School played in the District Championship basketball game against St. Mary’s High School. The North Farmington Raiders had home court advantage and their student body behind them. The players put their heart and soul into the game, however, they didn’t come out on top; St. Mary’s won the game 50-45. Although the game was close, it is unfair to the student athletes of North Farmington, who work so hard all season long for their diligent public school. They shouldn’t have to play against a private school in the state playoffs. Private schools have better funding, are allowed to recruit, and offer scholarships, unlike public schools, like North Farmington, where sports are not what are constantly on an athlete’s mind like they might be for a student on scholarship.
In private schools across the state of Michigan, such as Orchard Lake St. Mary’s and Detroit Country Day, recruiting is allowed in order to make their school the best it can be at any sport. They begin this process while the student is still in seventh or eighth grade. They are allowed to send letters to families talking about how good their school is in academics and athletics, and many families take the opportunity to consider sending their child to these schools. It’s no wonder that schools such as Detroit Country Day and St. Mary’s are ranked in the top 20 for mens’ basketball each year. Their programs are stellar because they are able to pull kids in with scholarships and hire coaches that would be way out of budget for any public school.
These private schools become even more intense when it comes to scholarships. After sending families these letters to get them interested, the will begin to scout the students. If the school thinks that they are good enough, then they may offer the family a scholarship. Students such as Chris Webber, now an NBA star, was on a scholarship at Country Day, and with him, they won three state championships. If this kid is getting a free ride at a school because he is so good, it’s not really fair for him to go and play against a public school. In a public school, like North Farmington, the only kids who can be on the team are kids who attend the school, and they can’t do anything about who those kids are. A private school and a public school are on completely opposite ends of the spectrum. Whenever a public school plays a private school, it is a well known fact that the public school is the underdog, and upsets in these situations are rare.
At North Farmington, sports are not the biggest topic on everybody’s mind. Classes are. However, at a private school, they might be because if you are on scholarship, sports are why you are there. North Farmington it well-known for its student body that is energetic, has good grades, and does their homework every night. Students there do whatever it takes to get an A. Yes, they still love their sports teams. At Brown Out after Brown Out, the students show up with the utmost enthusiasm and support for their teams, however, if they have homework or a big test the next day, you probably wouldn’t see many students in the stands. At private schools, winning is expected. The teams are never timorous of other schools. They practice everyday preparing for games, just like North Farmington; however, the private schools might have better equipment due to the better funding they have.
Private schools have much better funding for everything they do than a public school does. At private schools, many alumni make donations to the schools, and there is a tuition fee to even attend the school. Unlike public schools where all the funding comes from taxes, private schools are able to accept money from many sources to build better training facilities, nicer locker rooms, get higher end equipment, and the list goes on forever. These school are able to excel in athletics because of the better funding they receive.

When a public school plays a sport against a private school, the outcome is normally a lot to a little. These games are David versus Goliath. While there is the occasional upset or close game, it is the private school that normally comes away with the trophy. It is not fair that this should happen, however it is the way the system works. But it is time for change, time to change the system. It is not fair that North Farmington should have to play St. Mary’s, but its not who wins or loses that matters, its about what is right and what is wrong, and the people who are in charge of the Michigan High School Athletic Association should know that.