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Articles by David Harns
ANALYSIS: Jon Palumbo may be MSU’s best option at AD – if he can prove he isn’t J Batt 2.0
Palumbo may be the right person to lead MSU Athletics, but first he must separate his own vision from the policies and relationships that defined Batt’s brief tenure
OPINION: The Detroit News' Nolan Finley keeps reaching for an MSU scandal the facts do not support
Finley once again turns legitimate questions into sweeping conclusions while leaving out the context that complicates his preferred narrative
A Conversation with Kevin Guskiewicz: Why he stayed, what he learned, and where MSU goes next
After a very unusual leadership reversal, MSU's president reflects on the weeks that changed everything, the role Tom Izzo played, and what the future of the athletic director position at MSU might hold
ANALYSIS: Kevin Guskiewicz’s decision to stay may have settled the J Batt standoff
With Guskiewicz staying, the balance of leverage has shifted dramatically in the university’s favor
A Conversation with Mark Hollis: The man who left Michigan State and the lessons he’d bring back
Eight years after leaving East Lansing, Hollis discusses MSU’s leadership vacuum, the future of college athletics, Spartan Ventures, NIL, donor trust, Detroit, and why he believes he can still help the university move forward
OPINION: Mark Hollis says he's willing to help Michigan State again - should the university listen?
Has one of MSU's most innovative leaders been judged on the entirety of his record - or primarily on the timing of his resignation?
Inside the Launch of Spartan Ventures: What Michigan State built – and why it matters
A new era begins in which MSU competes like an athletic department yet operates like a business
Regarding MSU's Board of Trustees, it's no longer as simple as "throw them all out"
The Board of Trustees has fractured into two competing philosophies; the upcoming election could determine which one prevails.
HARNS: The best thing J Batt can do for Michigan State at this point is to leave
The transition is over in every practical sense except one - and that one is preventing Michigan State from moving forward
'Concerned Spartans' group takes shape following discussion of stakeholder accountability
What started as a discussion about fiduciary accountability and derivative-style litigation has quickly evolved into something much larger
From Conversation to Action: Gauging interest in stakeholder accountability at Michigan State
After a recent article, stakeholders are exploring whether the discussion should move beyond theory
Beyond Elections: What accountability might look like when MSU stakeholders believe their university has been harmed
A look at a rarely used option available to concerned Spartan stakeholders
INSIDER: Why Michigan State's most important athletics story didn't leave with Kevin Guskiewicz
Sources tell Spartans Illustrated that the future of Spartan Ventures may be every bit as important to J Batt and Jon Palumbo as it is to MSU Athletics.
(OPINION) The Same Debate, Again: MSU’s presidential instability reignites longstanding questions about trustee elections
MSU is once again searching for a president while simultaneously debating the people tasked with overseeing the university itself
ANALYSIS: Less than six weeks until launch, Spartan Ventures is now hiring
The hiring push offers the clearest look yet at how Spartan Ventures plans to modernize fundraising, donor engagement, and revenue generation
ANALYSIS: At a contentious Sunday evening meeting, MSU's Board of Trustees exposed the depth of their divide
The Zoom meeting showed an MSU board fractured over ethics rules, trustee speech, and a major pay raise for President Kevin Guskiewicz
MSU trustees to consider sweeping ethics code overhaul during special Sunday meeting
Proposed revisions would expand enforcement powers, tighten confidentiality rules, restrict public dissent, and create automatic sanctions for noncompliance
ANALYSIS: Why the Nebraska NIL ruling may validate Michigan State’s approach
MSU's emphasis on building real commercial infrastructure looks increasingly valuable
INSIDER: Spartans Mobile is not a silver bullet, but it’s also not insignificant
MSU's new wireless venture introduces predictable, scalable revenue tied to everyday fan behavior
Historic run ends in NCAA Tournament, but Michigan State men’s tennis leaves lasting mark
MSU falls 4-1 to No. 13 South Carolina, closing a season defined by resilience, championships, and belief
And So It Begins: Michigan State moves forward with Jenison Field House renovations
Pool infill project will create new wrestling facility as part of broader plan to modernize a historic building
EXCLUSIVE: Anton Bonke found his fit inside Michigan State basketball’s returning core
Bonke details his MSU visit, his conversations, and why the Spartans felt right from the start
Inside Michigan State’s Spartan Stadium District Proposals: Three competing visions, one unresolved question
MSU is considering major changes around Spartan Stadium, Breslin Center, and Munn Ice Arena as proposals reveal three competing visions
The harder path: Inside Divine Ugochukwu’s decision to leave Michigan State
MSU wanted him back, but a crowded rotation and future-focused thinking made this a difficult, necessary step
INSIDER: Michigan State stayed disciplined in its evaluation and landed a center that fits
The addition of Anton Bonke wasn’t about rankings, but about meeting clear internal standards for size, mobility, and versatility
It appears the Detroit News' Nolan Finley is trying to manufacture a scandal at MSU
Michigan State is executing a board-approved plan to compete in the NIL space, even as Finley pushes a different narrative
INSIDER: As spring practice finishes up, MSU football is beginning to take shape from the inside out
Under new coach Pat Fitzgerald, MSU's spring success was built on connection, cohesion, and a program learning itself
Inside Jack Stager’s exclusive sit-down with Tom Izzo
Spartan Sports Report delivers a moment years in the making, as Izzo opens up on culture, connection, and life beyond basketball
Back home, Devon Spalding is building Michigan State’s running back identity
His playing career and coaching climb are now guiding a physical, disciplined approach to the position
Michigan State’s next Zeke the Wonderdog has arrived
Cindy Lou becomes Zeke V - the first female Zeke the Wonderdog - and steps into the role with experience and pedigree
Izzo pulled back the curtain on what the modern college basketball offseason actually looks like
What emerged was not a complaint as much as a detailed explanation of a system he believes very few people truly understand
A Hotel Nearby Spartan Stadium: Inside Michigan State’s Plan for the Spartan Stadium District
MSU is preparing a major redevelopment of its athletic corridor that could turn surface parking and open space into a new mixed-use district
From 1,500 Fans to Full: The senior class that helped rebuild Michigan State Hockey
These seniors committed to a Spartan Hockey program in flux and leave behind one restored
INSIDER: How the transfer portal actually works — and why Michigan State was prepared for it under Pat Fitzgerald
How structure, delegation, and preparation have guided MSU’s decisions
Brantley is Back: Michigan State adds a known commodity at corner
Charles Brantley transfers back to Michigan State after spending the 2025 season at Miami