by
I'm a Michigan State University graduate. I rooted for the Spartans on Friday and did the same Sunday afternoon as the team tried desperately at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit to penetrate Syracuse's tough zone defense in the march for greatness.
I wanted the team to go all the way. But when the buzzer sounded and the Spartans ended up two points short, 55-53, I stepped back for a moment and thought: There was something not right about the school being recognized as the best in the country, not even in basketball, when it had fallen far short of any greatness in the handling of the Larry Nassar sex scandal.
For far too long in the scandal, MSU officials and trustees cared too much about protecting the institution, and not enough about the people it serves. Universities particularly don't like to upset big donors.
As far as I can tell, Coach Tom Izzo is a good guy. Ditto for the team, one of the more talented ones in a while. And the Spartans should be proud for what they accomplished this year.
But Spartan pride in 2018 should be tempered.
The shame of the Nassar scandal still languishes. We shouldn't forget how poorly it was handled or how many victims were involved.
Call it karma. Or fate. But on Sunday, the season ended the way it was really meant to be.
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