Miller great ambassador for MSU, U.S.

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MSU might have had its first worldwide trending topic on Twitter.

Following the U.S. men’s hockey team’s 5-3 defeat of Canada Sunday night, all the talk on ESPN, MSNBC and Twitter was about goalie Ryan Miller.

Miller made 42 saves against the heavily favored Canadians, helping Team USA earn the No. 1 seed in the next round and a first-round bye.

Team USA will play Wednesday against the winner of Switzerland vs. Belarus, who play Tuesday.

But before donning the Red, White and Blue, Miller had been cloaked in Green and White, backstopping the Spartans’ hockey team from 1999-2002.

While in East Lansing, Miller took home almost every award given to a collegiate hockey player, culminating in winning the Hobey Baker Award in 2001 — the highest honor in college hockey.

Ryan is just one member of the Miller family dynasty. Ten members of the Miller family tree have played for MSU.

Miller’s cousin, Kip, won the Hobey Baker Award for MSU in 1990.

Throughout Team USA’s upset victory, I couldn’t keep track of how many compliments Miller received and how many times NBC’s Doc Emrick mentioned that Miller was a former Spartan and East Lansing native. Miller still calls East Lansing his home in the summer.

For all the accolades MSU has received on the playing field or in the classroom, there hasn’t been this much attention on a former Spartan since Magic Johnson.

And could there be a better person to represent MSU to the rest of the world?

Miller has not only been successful on the ice, becoming one of the NHL’s top goaltenders, but he also has been a leader in the communities of which he has been a part.

In 2006, Miller founded the Steadfast Foundation, which is dedicated to assisting young cancer patients and their families.

He started the foundation after his cousin, Matt Schoals of DeWitt, Mich., was diagnosed with leukemia in 2005 at the age of 16. Schoals died in 2007 from complications following a bone marrow transplant. As a tribute to his cousin, Miller painted “Matt Man,” on the back of his helmet.

In interviews, Miller is as humble as they come, always deflecting credit to his teammates. Miller is never talking trash or waving his glove to taunt an opponent — something Hall of Fame goalie Patrick Roy did on more than one occasion.

Instead, Miller is the calming influence keeping his young team confident when faced with overwhelming odds, as the Americans were last night.

Alongside “Matt Man” on the back of Miller’s helmet is a bulldog wearing an MSU sweater.

There also is a decal of the state of Michigan that includes an American star over East Lansing.

The whole world is watching Miller represent his country, but he’s also representing MSU.

Who else better to do that?

Chris Vannini is a State News men’s basketball reporter. He can be reached at vanninic@msu.edu.

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