Hey Hondo! Answering Your Michigan State Spartans Athletics Questions, Haller, More!

Sports Illustrated’s Hondo Carpenter answers the general emails and questions of Spartan Nation regarding Michigan State Spartans Athletics.

Michigan State's head coach Tom Izzo, right, hugs athletic director Alan Haller during the senior night celebration after the game against Northwestern on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. / Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA

The Spartan Nation is fortunate to have a legitimate athletic director in my friend Alan Haller.

Michigan State University is fortunate to have Alan Haller at the helm, steering the Spartan athletics ship. MSU has a storied and glorious past in athletics, with multiple national titles in football, basketball, and hockey, among many other notable accomplishments on and off the competitive field, rink, or court.

Each week, we set out to answer some of your general athletics questions about the Spartan athletic program.

Hondo, in last week's athletics mailbag, you recommended two choices to the MSU leadership that asked for your opinion on the next AD.  Would you care to tell us who the other was?  I would love to know.  I love AH, but who was the other Kent Y.  Portage, MI

If I had wanted you to know, I would have reported it.  I am thrilled that Alan Haller is the Athletic Director.

Hondo, I respect your support of Alan Haller.  What could be his biggest hindrance as the Athletic Director, and what advice would you give him?  Sue W.

Michigan State has so many wonderful people who love the school and are terrific people.  They represent the vast majority.  That said, MSU has more than its fair share of bureaucrats. 

They are the bloodsuckers of the life of the school.  MSU has far too many “Me” and not “We” people.  They put personal gain over the school.  They essentially see themselves as bigger than MSU. 

They are always, always the enemy of the school and Spartan Nation.  Those people must be ignored, and when necessary, use the people's power to take them on. 

Alan Haller is far more well-known than the bureaucrats.  They scurry like roaches when the light shines on them, and Haller, when he feels something is right, must be willing to use the power of his office to empower Spartan Nation for good.  

I know Alan. He is not a wimp; he is an honorable man. He loves MSU, and people need to leave him alone and let him lead. When people don’t, they must be removed from working at the university.

Hondo, I almost jumped out of my boat reading your mailbag on MSU Athletics and telling us about Hollis and his study on the Block S.  I didn’t know all that, I just knew I loved the Spartan helmet and hated S and State.  Thanks, Dylan D.

No problem.  Mark Hollis is a genius and a forward thinker.

Hondo, having your no-holds-barred coverage back is extraordinary. How much influence does the MSU Board of Trustees have on MSU and Athletics? William P.

The Michigan State University Board of Trustees often resembles a clown car more than a group of highly respected people leading such a fantastic University.  It comprises politicians, some very good people, some not at all. 

I love that they are elected by the people, and I hate that they are partisan.  The only affiliation that should matter on the Michigan State Board of Trustees is Green and White. 

I will add that I will never support or vote for any candidate, regardless of party, who doesn’t 100% support the release of EVERY email and document related to the Larry Nassar scandal.  Spartan Nation deserves to know everything; more importantly, the victims do.  MSU is the people’s University, and the BOT (Most don’t remember this) works for us.  The people sadly haven’t, but should demand everything.

Does MSU get a fair shot in the media?  Brian W.

Are you kidding me? Look at the coverage of Jim Harbaugh and the University of Michigan's alleged cheating scandal. They can make things up about Tom Izzo and run with it for weeks; UM was quickly and quietly essentially ignored in comparison.

I don't trust, or respecf the NCAA. Michigan deserves to be innocent unti proven guilty. MSU doesn't get that respect.

If you have a question regarding Michigan State football, basketball, or the athletic program in general, please send it to SpartanNationMail@yahoo.com, and when you do, put in the subject line MSU Q & A.

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