???As numerous Bulls fans saw on their trip to the Motor City for the Mid-American Conference Championship in December, Detroit is not in good shape.
???The Big Three automotive manufactures are falling like Humpty Dumptys and jobs are harder to find in the city than a good player on the Detroit Lions. With an unemployment rate of 22 percent and growing, Detroit has fallen into a state of misery on par with The Great Depression.
???But a college basketball team from East Lansing, Mich., has given the folks of Detroit Rock City some comfort and a distraction from their real-life struggles.
???In front of a pro-Spartan crowd at Ford Field on Saturday, the Michigan State Spartans used an inspired defensive effort to knock of the favored UConn Huskies, 82-73. The victory advanced the Spartans to Monday's National Championship Game, where they will play North Carolina.
???This was the best time for an upstart team from the Wolverine State to capture the imagination of a dying community. We're talking about a city within a state that has not received good news for nearly a year now. The morale of Detroit's citizens is declining as job losses increase and money is damn near nonexistent.
???The Spartans have seen this, taking upon themselves to revive some of the pride and joy in the broken city.
???Seems like a lot of pressure for a bunch of kids, many of who are still teenagers.
???But the Spartans have enjoyed providing some light during Detroit's dark days. They see their road to the National Championship as a joy ride for the team, the campus, the city of Detroit and the state of Michigan, all feeling the effects of Detroit's meltdown.
???"I always said as a player, you a chance to be a difference-maker, a role model, a chance to do things to make other people smile," said Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo in an interview with USA Today.
???The fact that Michigan State is playing the Final Four in Detroit has not only given the community delight. It is providing a little financial help for the city.
???Saturday's semifinal games brought in 72,456 paying customers, most of who were wearing the green of Michigan State. Once the Spartans clinched a Final Four birth after beating Louisville two Sundays ago, fans grabbed their tickets instantly. There could be even more people at Ford Field on Monday night.
???The Spartans will have the fan advantage in Ford Field, but more importantly, they will also have the support of the nation.
???This nation is one that loves underdogs. North Carolina will most definitely be the favorite against Michigan State after crushing the team by a whooping 35 points in December.
???On a broader level, the nation will be rooting for a Michigan State victory to provide a bottom dog city going through a major crisis with a celebration.
???Too bad I have money riding on a North Carolina victory.
Photo: Breadchastick / Wikimedia Commons
