Long-time and faithful SPAR10 PL8 member Pete Przybocki is sometimes accused (by ME!) of not belonging in the club because his personalized license plates (using #27) do not have any apparent connection to MSU. Pete has other plates that obviously qualify for membership (87 MSU, SPAR D, 1NCAA2K, etc.), but the use of #27 has always baffled me. I have bugged Pete for several years for an explanation. Finally, he got tired of my whining, and offered the following. The number 27 is intricately woven into the fabric of his Green-and-White being...

I started liking the number 27 as a Spartan hockey nut in the 1980s, worn by some of my favorite players like Mark Hamway, Craig Simpson, and Brian McReynolds. It was soon after that the number started appearing everywhere, and it become a passion of mine to pay tribute. Naturally, I bought a few MSU football jerseys with 27 on them. On a warm September day in 1995, I was in Macklin Field (oops, I mean Spartan Stadium) at the home opener. Being the first game, my friends and I were extra excited, and we stood up a few more times during the game than we might otherwise. Sometime during the late first or early second quarter, these two old farts behind us decided they didn't want us to stand anymore. One of them yelled "down in front" or something, so my friends sat down. I was feeling a bit ornery (and boosted by a little beer confidence) remained standing and clapping for another minute or three, or so. So these guys start yelling "sit down 27!" (I was wearing my usual 27 jersey.) I finally turned around to see the one jerk just about having a stroke... he was shaking and his face was beet-red as he yelled, "Sit down 27, goddammit! I mean it!" I gave him a sarcastic roll of the eyes, and he yelled, "I'm not gonna put up with this the whole game!" To which I replied, "Well, actually you're right... you're going to have to put up with this the whole SEASON!" After I finally sat down, one of my buddies turned around to try to calm the waters, and this butt-head said, "What are you lookin' at, fat boy?!" (Which was even MORE humorous given the fact that my friend is in no way overweight.) Even I know enough to quit before the ushers or ELPD get involved, so I finally calmed down. In the ensuing two years, the same idiots sat behind us yelling at EVERYONE who stood up at any point in any game. Since that fateful day, my group of friends still tell me to "Sit down 27!" almost every chance they get. A relative of one of my buddies even made green caps for us that have a block 27 on the front, and "Sit down 27" across the back! Largely because of that, the legend of "Sit down 27" has remained alive in spite of me switching to different seats within Spartan Stadium, and the old fuddy-duddies moving as well. I also had a 3'x5' green and white #27 flag made. It flies at our tailgates along with the Sparty flag. Signed, Pete "XXVII" Przybocki