EAST LANSING, MI. – There are some things Michigan State fans take for granted. One is that (most) everyone knows Magic Johnson’s first name.
Josh and Jase were waiting in the Breslin Center tunnel prior to the final media timeout of the first half Thursday night, ready to toss T-shirts into the crowd. Michigan State athletic director Dan Bartholomae was waiting with them and pointed to Earvin Johnson’s name on the wall listing the Spartans’ national championship rosters - he told them that was Magic.
“His first name is Earvin?” Jase asked, earnestly.
They shared a laugh, then headed onto the court to throw shirts.
Josh and Jase are British social media creators who make videos about their travels across the United States, sharing their reactions as they try American food, visit new places, and take in sporting events. On Thursday, they watched Michigan State beat Toledo 91–61 from the front row of the Izzone, where they were honorary members for the night.
“I can say now on paper, this has been one of the coolest sporting events we’ve been to in America,” Josh tole me afterward, waiting in the tunnel just off the court.
Their evening started with a selfie in front of the Spartan Brass just before tipoff. Then they took their seats near the tunnel where Toledo ran onto the court. Both wore white Izzone T-shirts with a basketball dropping through a net across the big green lettering on the front. On the back, caricatures of Michigan State players posed above a Spartan helmet logo.
Two Izzone members, one on either side of Josh and Jase, showed them what to do when Toledo’s starters were introduced. The pair held up their “BEAT TOLEDO” newspapers and pretended to read. After each Rocket’s name was called, they joined the students in yelling, “Who cares? You suck!”
Once the introductions were over, they crumpled their papers and tossed them straight up into the air with the rest of the Izzone.
Every time I looked over, they were joining in. Josh especially liked what happened when a Toledo shot missed everything.
“My favourite part was when the opposite team were getting air balls and we were giving them stick,” he told me afterward.
Giving someone stick is British slang for giving them a hard time...
