Michigan State University Athletics
Skandalaris Football Center Dedication: Quotes
8/21/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 21, 2008
MSU Board of Trustee Chairman Joel Ferguson:
"We look around at the Berkowitz Center and at all of the buildings that we have had here at the University and so much of what's happened is because of the private contributions of individuals such as the Skandalaris family. I am proud to sit next to the old ball coach, George Perles, in the George Perles Plaza. It just shows you that we don't get where we are without the private contributions from individuals like both of their families. It just shows that our best day is yet to come at Michigan State, with individuals that think so much of the university and that do these types of things.
"I want to say this while I'm up here; Greg Ianni and the team that put this building together, I think you have outdone yourself. Not only are we celebrating this, but we are celebrating the finest football facility in the nation. This is not a token building, this is outstanding. I am proud of the colleagues that I serve with on this board.
"Lou Anna (K. Simon) had a saying when she took over as president and we really act it out here; it is `Team MSU.' Part of the team MSU that we are so proud of is that we are going to be cheering two Mark's this year. We have an Athletics Director, Mark Hollis, who is just the best. And when we were searching for a football coach, Mark Hollis kept pushing back and saying `There is one more person we need to interview. That person has so much integrity and so much class that he won't even talk with us.' Because he was so committed to the job that he had at Cincinnati, that in no way, even though he wanted to come back here, would he compromise his own integrity and what he stands for to talk with us until his season was completed. So when I say we have a team of two Mark's, one Mark kept it alive so we could get the other Mark. That shows that you win with good people."
Michigan State Athletics Director Mark Hollis:
"Welcome and it's great to have you here today. First off, I'd like to thank the Board of Trustees and President Simon for making this vision become reality and helping guide us in that direction. I would also like to thank Dr. Clarence Underwood and Ron Mason for their contributions, and those that preceded them, for getting us to where we are today. Joel (Ferguson) mentioned Greg Ianni and to follow up with that, anytime you do a project like this there are so many pieces that have to come together. For him to do this along with all of the other responsibilities he has in the department is an amazing accomplishment.
"I'd like to thank everybody across campus. There are a lot of people that come into play on this - especially those in the physical plant that got called away from certain things and made sure this building came together the way it was dreamed. IDS (Integrated Design Solutions), Barton Malow and ZE Design all contributed to this both creatively and physically in putting this together in an unbelievable manner. Internally, our entire staff played a major part in this, especially our communications area, Spartan Fund and the flexibility of our football staff is to be commended as they have been working for over the past year in small trailers inside the football facility.
"When you talk about leadership, you have to look at Bob and Julie Skandalaris - true friends, very insightful, the way they make you think is as appreciated as anything else you've given to me. I appreciate the friendship we have and look forward to many, many great years together. The Demmer family has been part of this program as long as anyone - back to the days of Duffy Daugherty. The fact that their name is on this Hall of History is unbelievable and so well deserved and we thank the Demmer family for everything they have done. The Joe Pentecost Foundation - a name that's been around MSU for a very long time - we're very appreciative of what they've done. And, of course, Coach (Perles) and his wife, Sally. To be a part of this facility where students will walk by, faculty will drive by and student-athletes will enter through is a true tribute to the last person who brought us the roses the last time around.
"As you look at this building, I look at it in three ways. First, it's an opportunity to celebrate our tradition and our history. When you walk in here you can see what we are about at Michigan State and where we want to go. Secondly, it impacts the present. It's about our student-athletes that are here right now and the respect they have for those that wore the uniform before them with the understanding they will support those that follow. Most importantly, I think it provides hope. Hope in our quest for excellence, hope in our quest for championships and hope in our quest for roses. This building has an unbelievable foundation and is a fabulous facility. Like this building, I believe our football program has an unbelievable foundation - it is built upon the strength of its leader, built upon somebody I consider a great, great friend. I'm glad he's our coach and I'm so proud of this individual in what he does in representing our board, president, alumni and everybody that calls themselves a Spartan - our head football coach, Mark Dantonio."
Michigan State Head Football Coach Mark Dantonio:
"First off I would just like to welcome everyone here. We have our captains here today as well. We introduced them to the team today, so it is a big day for them. We have Brian Hoyer, Otis Wiley, Javon Ringer and Justin Kershaw. I wanted to make sure I introduced them. We have some team building things that we do here and today we covered what we would consider to be the fundamentals of a winner, and one of those fundamentals that we went over and one of the things we had a young person come up and talk about today was gratitude. It was sort of fitting that today was this day, we didn't plan it that way, it just sort of happened. We are so privileged and so happy to be in a facility like this. We are so grateful to the Demmer family and the things that they have done here, and to the Skandalaris family and to George Perles. As I sit here on this plaza, I say thank you for all the things that you have done for Michigan State football over the years. To the Pentecost family for the team meeting room. I have coached football for thirty years, and I have not been in a facility like this. All of those people made it happen.
 | "The Skandalaris Center connects the past with the present. One of the important things that I wanted to do when I came here was to connect all of the past Spartans with the present and also have a vision for the future." Head Coach Mark Dantonio |
"When I came here I didn't even know a new facility was being built. I was so wrapped up in what we were doing there (at Cincinnati). When we came and sat down with the architects, the people were such a united cause to help get this done in the way that we wanted to get it done. Greg Ianni did an outstanding job. Ted Ellickson did a great job with technology, it is state of the art in all respects.
"Thanks to Mark Hollis and all the things that he has done for the program since becoming the Athletic Director. All the aspects of Michigan State University were tied together with this, from the president on down. I remember when I first came here I said at that first press conference `It's going to take everybody to get where we need to go.' And that is what we have done and that is what is in this building.
"I think the building is very functional. That is one of the things we wanted to make it. It has great curb appeal. But when you go in and you see the meeting rooms, and when you work there, with the X's and O's we have to work with here, you become a better teacher. When you have better tools you become a better teacher. When you have a better environment to sit and learn in, you become a better student. Those are the things that we are able to do here.
"(The Skandalaris Center) connects the past with the present. One of the important things that I wanted to do when I came here was to connect all of the past Spartans with the present and also have a vision for the future. And there is our vision. There is an opportunity that when a young person comes in, to make a statement and become the class of college football.
"We are surrounded by excellence everywhere I look. When I look over there at Breslin, I see the things that Coach Izzo has done. When I look down the way, I see what our hockey team has done. We are surrounded by excellence and this just gives us another avenue to look down to see what we can become.
"The recruiting that this building will allow us to do, it has already started, and you can see that. We already have 15 commitments for next year's class. They are outstanding football players, outstanding young people and outstanding students. And it makes a difference when they walk in and see the environment that they are going to work in."
Senior captain Justin Kershaw:
"On behalf of Otis (Wiley), Javon (Ringer), Brian (Hoyer) and the rest of our teammates, we would like to say thank you for your generosity and your donations for this building. This is definitely a building of excellence and that is what this program and this team is going to strive for."
Robert "Bob" Skandalaris:
"I should tell you that we have had seven members of our family go here and graduate from here, and part of the reason we always come back to campus is because of football weekends. It's a great weekend when we get to watch great young athletes like these guys. It is just a great experience.
"I should say that this thing probably started 30 years ago (when Greg Ianni and I) were tracing around the halls of Holden. But when Greg Ianni and Ron Mason said that we need a building to display our past and talk about our future and to train our athletes, I asked what is it going to look like. Well it wasn't much of a concept; he whipped out this big picture and said `this is it.' So it's good to be here six years later and be a part of this.
"I have to tell you that I have a picture of Spartans as a hard-working group. We are not a glitzy group, we are not high profile, we are just hard-working Spartans. I think that the football team last year displayed all of those characteristics. Win or lose, I was proud to be here every weekend. I think that with Coach Dantonio and the players, we are in for an exciting future.
"There are a few people that I would like to thank because they were more important to this project than we were. One is Duffy Daugherty. This building is named `The Duffy Daugherty Building' and he really set the standard for everybody and he mentored young coaches and players and he set the bar for all future programs.
"Then there was George Perles. George re-established the bar, got us to the Rose Bowl and had a great group of guys. Low and behold, not only did he show his leadership as a coach, but he continues to show his leadership as a trustee, and then as a contributor to this building. When I first heard that the plaza was going to be named after George, I couldn't have been happier.
"Now, I'll pick on Mark (Dantonio) a little bit. I know Mark had other places he could go, and I know Michigan State was not the rosiest smelling job at the time. But we are so glad to have him and Becky here. Not only did Mark accept the job, but he also made a financial commitment. I don't know about you, but I have never accepted a job and written a check to my new employer in the same day. Not only that, Becky's hand is all over this building. They are a great team and a great couple and I am thankful that they chose to come to Michigan State.
"There are a lot of people involved in this project. President Simon really took a leadership role, Ron Mason, Mark Hollis, Greg Ianni, there are so many people involved that I won't be able to mention them all. But that concept that we talked about, to take it to this level just took an amazing amount of work and effort and I thank all of you.
"Last, I just want to name one more family, and that is the Demmer family. They have been in this community for so many years. They have been Spartan supporters and they are really the true Spartans here. To have their name associated with the hall of history is just a great thing for this University and their family and I would just like to thank the Demmer's for everything that they have done this program."
Michigan State President Lou Anna K. Simon:
"Today is the start of our academic year. About a half hour ago we had half of the freshmen class of 7,300 very bright young individuals over at the Wharton Center to talk about the traditions of Michigan State University. There are some common themes of what you heard here and what we told those students. There's a special legacy, set of traditions, and commitment when you become a Spartan. Part of what we talked about was that in their group, there will be legends. And here today, with the naming opportunities and the way we celebrate the hall of fame, there are people who are clearly identified as legends. But all of us, everyone who contributes, is part of the legacy of Michigan State University and the legacy of Spartan football. All of those contributions cumulate to having a great university. To all the contributions made, big and small, to this building, cumulate to the success next year and in the many years to come.
"The second theme was to dream big, to execute those dreams to become a reality. But when you execute those dreams, you try to make them bigger and better than you imagined. This building is what was designed, but actually, the execution was better than imagined. It will be an important statement for Michigan State University in the years ahead. John Hannah believed that you should simply win at everything. No championship, whether it was the debate team, an academic ranking or a football ranking, was to be denied Michigan State University. That history of excellence, that history of being among the best and striving as often as possible to be the best, is what this building represents. This moment, this day, whether for those 7,300 freshmen who for the first day became a university student, or for all the people who are a part of the football program, past, present and future, today is indeed a very special day for Michigan State University. To the role all of you have played in our bright future, thank you very much."
