Michigan State Fans Have Been Put Through the Ringer with Kevin Guskiewicz: Skeptically Happy?
· Yahoo Sports
It's been a hell of a ride for Spartan fans over the last few months.
There's really no other way to put it after both the university president and athletic director announced they were leaving Michigan State within weeks of each other. It left Michigan State searching for answers and, quite frankly, looking desperate.
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Naturally, fingers were pointed straight toward the Michigan State Board of Trustees, which is elected by Michigan voters rather than appointed by the governor like in many other states.
That hasn't exactly worked out well for Michigan State. The university has continued cycling through presidents and athletic directors, making it difficult for coaches, staff, players and even students to have confidence in the direction of the university. It has left many wondering whether the people in charge are truly putting the school first.
Through all of the turmoil in East Lansing, students, alumni and fans alike have been left heartbroken as they've watched their university continue to face setback after setback. On top of that, they've watched both the football and basketball programs fall short of expectations in recent years.
For a brief moment, though, there was hope.
Things seemed to be turning around after President Kevin Guskiewicz and Athletic Director J Batt were able to bring Pat Fitzgerald to East Lansing as Michigan State's new head football coach. It looked like the football program had finally found stability.
Then, just months later, both leaders announced they were leaving.
Fans couldn't wrap their heads around what was happening behind the scenes. At that point, many were almost expecting some major scandal to surface because nothing else seemed to make sense.
So they were gone.
Or at least that's what everyone thought.
Day after day passed, and despite announcements from both men and their new universities that they would be leaving, they remained at Michigan State.
That left the university in an awkward position. Michigan State couldn't officially begin replacing either position because neither vacancy technically existed yet. Fans understandably grew frustrated. If these men were leaving so early into their tenure, many believed the right thing to do was simply step aside and allow Michigan State to begin moving forward.
Then came another twist.
President-turned-former president-turned-president again Kevin Guskiewicz announced he was returning to Michigan State on a new contract worth $1.5 million annually. Ironically, that's $500,000 less than the salary increase he received just months before accepting Clemson's presidential position.
Once again, Spartan fans were left feeling both relieved and confused.
Guskiewicz addressed the situation, saying, "I recognize that some ... may have questions about my commitment. That is understandable. (MSU) has experienced more than its share of change ... and I regret that my decision-making over the past several weeks added to that uncertainty ... I am sincerely sorry."
It certainly came across as genuine.
Guskiewicz is back, but are fans simply supposed to forget everything that happened? Or is it only a matter of time before they're forced to go through this same situation again if another opportunity comes along?
It's perfectly reasonable to be happy that Guskiewicz returned while also questioning his long-term loyalty. Then again, loyalty in today's world of college athletics isn't quite what it used to be.
Whatever the circumstances were—reported as personal reasons by Clemson—Guskiewicz has returned to Michigan State. Even so, it's understandable if fans still feel uneasy after everything that has unfolded over the past several weeks.
Now comes the hard part.
Guskiewicz will have to earn back the trust of students, alumni and fans. Trust isn't restored overnight, especially after the uncertainty Michigan State has endured.
That said, if Tom Izzo was this determined to bring Guskiewicz back, it's fair to believe there's a reason why.
Spartan fans have already seen the type of opportunities and leadership Guskiewicz can help bring to East Lansing. Now, however, they'll need to see something even more important: a long-term commitment that proves Michigan State isn't just another stop along the way.