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Michigan State Looks to end Nine Year Playoff Drought

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Michigan State Looks to end Nine Year Playoff Drought


Michigan State football, once a powerhouse in the college football landscape, has declined in recent years, losing its touch and struggling to reclaim its former glory. The team, known for its gritty play and competitive spirit, has faced numerous challenges on and off the field that have contributed to its downfall.

One of the key factors in Michigan State’s decline has been the departure of longtime head coach Mark Dantonio. Dantonio, who led the Spartans for 13 seasons, was instrumental in building the program into a national contender. Under his leadership, Michigan State achieved unprecedented success, including multiple Big Ten championships and a berth in the College Football Playoff.

However, since Dantonio’s departure, the Spartans have struggled to find stability at the head coaching position. A series of coaching changes and transitions have disrupted the team’s momentum and hindered its ability to compete at a high level consistently.

Additionally, Michigan State has faced challenges in recruiting top talent and developing players to their full potential. In a highly competitive recruiting landscape, the Spartans have struggled to attract the caliber of players needed to compete with the elite programs in college football.

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The decline of Michigan State football was perhaps most evident in the last season they made it to the playoffs, which was the 2015 season. That year, under Dantonio’s leadership, the Spartans finished with a record of 12-2 and claimed the Big Ten Championship. Their playoff journey began with a thrilling victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Championship Game, securing their spot in the College Football Playoff.

In the playoff semifinals, Michigan State faced off against the Alabama Crimson Tide, a perennial powerhouse in college football. Despite putting up a valiant effort, the Spartans were ultimately overmatched and fell to the Crimson Tide by a score of 38-0.

Although the playoff appearance was a testament to the team’s talent and resilience, it also marked the peak of Michigan State’s recent success. Since then, the program has struggled to maintain its competitive edge and has fallen short of returning to the national spotlight.

To regain its touch and compete at the highest level again, Michigan State football must improve recruiting efforts and commit to developing players both on and off the field. Only then can the Spartans hope to reclaim their former glory and return to prominence in college football.

Don’t forget to follow the official Spartan Nation Page on Facebook Spartan Nation WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be a part of our vibrant community group Go Green Go White as well WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.

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Michigan's Newest Lakeside Inn Is Giving Gilmore Girls Traditional, But in the Midwest

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Michigan's Newest Lakeside Inn Is Giving Gilmore Girls Traditional, But in the Midwest


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From dreamy decor to top-notch amenities, Domino’s “Wish You Were Here” series is your first-class ticket to the most design-driven getaways around the world. Whether you’re looking to steal away for a few days or just steal a few ideas for back home (we encourage both, for the record), check out where we’re checking in.

I was born and raised in the Midwest (specifically outside of Chicago), which means I spent summers exploring Lake Michigan’s shores for family vacations. So when I pulled up to the newly renovated Wickwood Inn in Saugatuck, Michigan, why did I feel like I was suddenly starring as an extra in an episode of Gilmore Girls?

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Courtesy of Wickwood Inn

That magic is partly due to the charming town but also thanks to Martin Horner and Shea Soucie of Soucie Horner, their Chicago-based design firm, who bought the 1937 home two years ago and turned it into a modern inn befitting of Stars Hollow.

Vintage desk with four bird prints above

Courtesy of Wickwood Inn

Before the pair could make any cosmetic changes, they first had to consider the building’s history: Since the ’90s, the colonial structure was already a beloved inn run by adored cook Julee Rosso, author of The Silver Palate Cookbook. “When we bought the inn, we were very conscious of [Rosso’s popularity and returning guests], but we also had to make it our own,” Horner says. So instead of taking down walls and turning the 11-room property into a sleek Scandi hotel, they paid homage to the legendary former owner by working in details that were already there, like the art and furniture, which they reupholstered or repurposed. (The bathrooms however? Those were gutted and replaced with new tile and marble.) 

View into bathroom with blue vanity

Courtesy of Wickwood Inn
Wood paneled guest room with clawfoot tub in room

Courtesy of Wickwood Inn

The rest of the inn’s “jewelry,” as Horner calls it—like the bamboo bed frame in the room I stayed in—came from epic vintage shopping trips, Facebook Marketplace hauls, and even Horner and Soucie’s own homes. In fact, no two guest rooms are exactly the same other than the lighting, bedding, and Waterworks faucets. To further keep consistency, they went with a soothing, neutral Benjamin Moore paint palette. (Fan favorite White Dove was their go-to in most areas.) New Vispring mattresses appear in each guest room, too. 

Bamboo bed frame with white bedding and green pillow

Courtesy of Wickwood Inn

In the lobby and dining room, a fireplace and wood-paneled walls adorned with one of Rosso’s original tapestries, create cozy spaces in which to convene before a day spent exploring the area’s wineries and art galleries (prioritize Ox-Bow, trust me). Plus the backyard and screened-in gazebo are the perfect places to sip cocktails or indulge in the lobby’s complimentary chocolate chip cookies. 

Traditional-style room with lamp and chair

Courtesy of Wickwood Inn
Open shelving with bowls and fresh fruit and vegetables on counter

Courtesy of Wickwood Inn

The result almost feels delightfully non-Midwest, and certainly not beachy, even though the inn is just steps from the Kalamazoo River, where you can rent a candy-colored retro boat for an afternoon (highly recommend). Instead, the quiet luxury vibe paired with former Oprah Winfrey chef Rose Duong’s refined menu and the warm welcome from general manager Susan Michele make the whole experience decidedly Midwest. The only thing missing is Luke’s Diner.

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Ferndale man receives first beating-heart transplant in Michigan

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Ferndale man receives first beating-heart transplant in Michigan


Michigan’s first two beating-heart transplants took place at Henry Ford Health in Detroit recently.

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On his 58th birthday, Ken Miller of Ferndale was given the news that he would be undergoing the first-ever beating-heart transplant in the state.

Now, he is in the process of recovering. 

“I didn’t expect to be feeling this well,” Miller said. “I’m feeling great and blessed.”

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Miller had been in heart failure for more than a decade. He spent 25 days in a hospital bed, on a machine, prior to receiving his new heart –and a kidney– on May 31.

“I’m really excited about this outcome and excited about how well this heart worked,” said cardiac transplant surgeon at Henry Ford Health, Dr. Kyle Miletic.

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Ken Miller of Ferndale underwent Michigan’s first ever beating-heart transplant on May 31, 2024. (Provided by Henry Ford Health)

Heart transplantation has come a long way.

Generally, a donor heart is good for about four hours, which limits how far away a donor heart can come from. However, the “heart in a box” technology has been a breakthrough – which is a mini heart lung machine that keeps the heart beating.

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But still, the heart has to be stopped, twice, before being transplanted.

“We are always very concerned every time we have to stop the heart. Now, it’s inevitable. It’s going to have to be stopped once at the donor hospital to put it on this box, but the problem is we have to stop it a second time,” Miletic said.

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That can be problematic. But with the beating heart transplant technique, the donor heart does not have to be stopped a second time; it keeps beating.

“We hooked the donor heart up to his own blood stream. Once it came from the box, his blood was providing that blood and the nutrients to his new heart, and we sewed it in again as it was beating,” Miletic said.

Henry Ford surgeons performed a second beating-heart transplant just last week. That heart came from about 2,000 miles away.

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“Despite being the furthest distance we’ve ever traveled – really woke up right away with no issues, and that patient is doing extremely well and has excellent cardiac function,” the doctor said.

The new technique is not only revolutionary for heart transplant patients, but liver and lung patients as well.

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As for Miller, he’s ready to get back on his feet and back to his family.

“I look forward to just being able to move, walk, go upstairs,” he said. “All the things we take for granted.”



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Storms close Michigan’s Adventure for the day

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Storms close Michigan’s Adventure for the day


FRUITLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Storms Tuesday morning forced Michigan’s Adventure to close for the day.

The park closed “due to a power outage and inclement weather,” it announced on its Facebook page. It said most tickets for Tuesday will be honored through Labor Day.

“Thank you for understanding,” it wrote.

A line of strong storms swept through West Michigan Tuesday morning, leaving tens of thousands without power. Damage from the storms included downed trees and broken windows at a Grand Rapids post office.

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Consumers Energy crews will be working throughout the day to restore power. Some may not have power back until Wednesday, a Consumers Energy spokesperson told News 8.

Michigan’s Adventure isn’t the only West Michigan closure. Some local schools and churches, including many in Kent County, have canceled summer activities for the day.



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