Introducing your new starting lineup for The Only Colors team!

Each year, each season, and sometimes – if you’re Tom Izzo – each game in December, a new starting lineup emerges to take on the competition and strive for victory.

For The Only Colors that time is now.

For the home of the BEST fan driven coverage, and most importantly the best FANS in all of sports, it is time to meet your new starting lineup.

Our jobs, to provide intense coverage, debate worthy topics, and generally argue with you all as we work together as a community to prove to EVERYONE that The Only Colors that matter are GREEN AND WHITE.

Starting as the new site manager: Brandon Blackburn-Dwyer

I’ve been a fan of Michigan State since 1999. I grew up in that far distant state of New Jersey. After a childhood obsessively following my local team, the Seton Hall Pirates, I was first introduced to MSU through the contagious insanity of the Izzone.

I came to MSU to visit my father who had just taken a job on campus. All it took was one game. In all honesty, all it took was one minute of the intensity of the Izzone and joy of the Flint Stones in person, and I was hooked. My family of basketball fanatics jumped on the MSU train, and have been riding ever since. We’ll just leave out the convenience of the auspicious timing considering the 2000 championship.

From that first taste of Spartan pride, my life has taken me some strange and fascinating places. Through living and working in Europe, Central Asia, mainland China and Australia; I followed Michigan State. Watching games at 6 in the morning, downloading old games, and scouring the early days of the internet for content and community.

Now I get to be a part of this strange and fascinating community.

The Only Colors has been my home as a reader for the last few years as I have become settled in Philadelphia (the whole getting married, adopting a dog, buying a house thing has a strange way of settling down the travelling).

I am proud to be taking an active role in our great community.

Some of my non-fandom bona fides: my background includes work as a commentator on television and radio; as the managing editor of a large advocacy platform; and as a leadership consultant. I hope these skills and my joy in Spartan athletics serve this community well.

Also starting for The Only Colors Team: O

Hey TOC Nation, I am Oren Basse. Please call me O.

I attended Michigan State from 1998-2002. Some highlights from my student years that I got to see in person: The Cold War hockey game, TJ Duckett’s last-second catch to beat UM, and the 2000 basketball championship in Indianapolis... and also the 1999 Final Four Riots but we don’t have to talk about that.

I am originally from Farmington Hills and currently live in Detroit. I come from an MSU family; it was the only college I applied to.

Aside from my Spartan devotion, I have spent most of my adult life working in the health club industry as a personal trainer and a club manager. I am an avid snowboarder. My dog, Delilah, is the best dog in the world. And in a bit of shameless self-promotion, I am an author; you can find my novels on Amazon by searching my name.

I look forward to writing for you guys and keeping The Only Colors as one of the best sports blog sites on the web.

GO GREEN! GO WHITE!

And our final new starter for today: Andy Welch

I graduated from MSU in December of 2013, so I got to experience the Rose Bowl season as a student. I then did a Masters at CMU (so, ##FireUpChips too, sometimes).

I’m originally from the boonies down in Lenawee County. I live near East Lansing now, so I spend a lot of time watching the green and white in person. I have two dogs and a toddler, and play as much golf as I can fit in.

The Only Colors has been a must read on MSU sports for as long as it’s been around, and I’m excited to keep it that way.

The pledge and request: We will strive for victory, and need your patience and guidance

Your new team is here for you. This community is a valuable place to share our love of Sparty and our thoughts on the performance of our great teams.

In the coming week or so, this team is getting up to speed. We will try to meet – and exceed all expectations.

To help us, may I ask for two things right now:

-Your patience as we find our way and get things rolling for everyone

-Your guidance. Tell us in the comments what do you LOVE about The Only Colors, what do you want to see MORE of, and how can we continue to build this great community with you.

Today, and always for The Only Colors: GO GREEN, GO WHITE!