The traditional gridiron battle between the Green and White and the Maize and Blue not only produces challenges for the two teams but Michigan governor's face some of their own.

       Governor's are just like all other elected officials; they want to please everyone but on this one weekend a year, whatever they do, someone will be upset.

       Which is why former Gov. Jennifer Granholm was a chicken.  She refused to choose sides.  Hey, she graduated from Berkely and Harvard so what did she care.

       Such was never the case with MSU grads/Governors Jim Blanchard and John Engler.  You knew exactly where they stood and while it may have cost them some votes here and there, their devotion to their alma mater was more important than the politics for them.

       Like wise with the current occupant.  Nobody has seen Gov. rick Snyder bleed, but if he did, most surely it would not be green or white blood.  It's just another reason for MSU fans not to like him.

       There's another thing that governor's abhor: Being booed in public.

        Years ago the governor would attend the game and sit on one side of the field for the first half and then in a grand ceremony, the governor would walk across the 50 yard line to take a seat on the other side just to give the illusion of fairness.

       Problem was, there were always some lugs in the stands who didn't like the governor and that always produced cat calls, and unsavory taunts.  The media would dutifully report all this and it was hugely embarrassing to say the least, if not a little humorous to everyone except the governor.

       Which is why they scrapped the tradition without fanfare.

        Now they will tell you they did it for security reasons.  After all parading the governor across the field, makes the governor a sitting duck, but more importantly from a political standpoint, who wants to be booed in public?

        No one.