"... I couldn’t help but think of how many people had helped me along the way. One of those people I wanted to personally thank for opening doors was Jimmy Raye. This book tells how some of those doors got pushed open. I’m sure you will enjoy reading about the journey!" - Tony DungyCollege Football
My 1988 story on Junior Seau and his USC debut
My look back at Junior Seau. He will be the first Samoan enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Aug. 8 in Canton, Ohio. Check my website later for another story with my thoughts on Junior and the brain damage he suffered from too many concussions.August 13, 1988, San Diego...
Cousins completes every call from TV booth
Kirk Cousins, the NFL quarterback and Captain Kirk of Michigan State’s revival seasons, demonstrated again he can command a TV booth while working the Spartans’ Green and White spring game Saturday as a Big Ten Network analyst. What once was considered a treat when Cousins first...
Original satellite camp was Michigan State Underground Railroad
The late Duffy Daugherty, perched above Spartan Stadium for Michigan State’s spring game Saturday, must be chortling over news the Southeastern Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference are upset with Big Ten satellite camps in the South. Daugherty, of course, founded the...
Shell adds to place in history with Black Hall of Fame
Donnie Shell joined the Black College Football Hall of Fame with the Class of 2015 last week in Atlanta, but the South Carolina State alum already occupied a historical place in college football’s transition from segregated to integrated.Shell, a four-time Super Bowl champion...
Todd Peat Sr parental advice has been to step back
I first spoke to Todd Peat Sr. five years ago, introducing myself and asking for his son Todd Jr., a Rivals 4-star recruit planning to visit San Diego State. He handed the phone to his namesake.That may sound natural to you, but trust me: it’s not always so. Not in a college...
Names to remember today but soon to be forgotten
College football’s national letter-of-intent day makes TV stars and household names – well, in households of college football fans – out of high school players such as Byron Cowart, Josh Rosen and Iman Marshall. They are rated the top three 5-star prospects on Rivals.com’s...
AFCA recognizes Michigan State and Ferris State trailblazer
A full century later, Gideon Smith finally received just recognition from a national organization.Smith broke barriers throughout his life. He was the first black college football player at two Michigan schools, Ferris State and Michigan State. Later he blazed trails in coaching...
Four Hall of Fame Horsemen of Michigan State
Michigan State halfback Clinton Jones’ election to the College Football Hall of Fame earlier this month raised the interesting question of whether another school can match the Spartans with four Hall-of-Famers from the same senior class. Well, it’s happened at three other...
Calhoun adds to legacy by invoking Duffy Rule
Imagine these scenes at Spartan Stadium a decade or more from now when Mark Dantonio’s first Michigan State championship football teams receive anniversary recognition.Defensive end Will Gholston is part of the 2011 players that won the Legends Division title and advanced to the...
Duffy spelled out national playoff in his 1974 book
Prophetic Duffy Daugherty must be shaking his head with an “I told you so” grin as he looks down upon the college football world’s big night. The College Football Hall of Famer from his 19 seasons as Michigan State’s head coach is no doubt perched atop a Hawaiian Rainbow...