Not many can say they’ve been around East Lansing longer than MSU men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo. Fewer can say they’ve never missed a home game under Izzo’s tenure. One Spartan is far from the average fan, and his name is Barry Greer.
Greer was born with Down Syndrome, and was a survivor of open-heart surgery at the age of six months. Doctors looked for ways to stimulate him while he was young, and nothing seemed to work quite like an MSU men’s basketball game.
Lee Greer, Barry's dad and a longtime season-ticket holder, his son to games at the age of six. That year, they found themselves talking to John T. Madden, the associate director of bands at MSU.
Once Barry heard the music and felt the rush of standing directly in front of the Spartan band, there was no going back. It’s been 24 seasons, and Barry’s impact on the Spartan band and basketball program from generation to generation is undeniable.
Current Sports beat reporter Hanna Sprague reports.