OMAHA!

Somewhere in the middle of America!

I don't normally miss Omaha. But, not only did I graduate from high school right down HWY 75 in Bellevue, but I've been to many College World Series through the years, and right now I'm thinking back fondly on '98 and the 2000 series.

State didn't make the 2000 series, but I was there for all two weeks, right after graduation, having a great time with old friends. Playing golf in the mornings and watching college baseball in the afternoons and getting into all sorts of trouble in the evenings. Great, great times.

Good to see State back where they belong in the CWS!

Classic

State-WV 2nd Half Diary

Simmons style running diary...second half of State-WV NIT game.

Seven point run to start the second half...better get a timeout WV, and they do.

Gordon with two assists and two points in the first two minutes of the 2nd half. Very nice.

Anybody else hoping that Gordon doesn't play too well the next two games?

I thought so.

Right about now, I'm wanting a rematch with Clemson. Wait...that's some kind of jinx.

Up 11...18 to play.

Just got a text message from a State bud..."gordan sure has improved this year." Yeah, ya think.

Not doing well on the boards....reminds me of the UNC game this past Sunday.

Damn Slater has an ugly shot...but it's so pretty when it falls...14 point lead with 15:32 to play.

Wow...good thing ESPN put our game on the Duece. That UT-UM chick game is a real barnburner. UT is up 30 in the second half.

Looks like we only practiced against a 1-3-1 this week. Not handling the man well.

We've done really well with the pick and roll the last few games. In the past we've had problems getting the ball to the roller, we're executing that much better now.

Love how we push the ball now...we could be crazy exciting next year.

Who are we all going to cuss next year when Slater is gone? I even asked the Pack. No good answers.

Lucky bounce and WV cuts it to 7 with 10:00 to play.

Gordon is strong. Fought through a crazy double team (probably got away with a foul)...two passes and a big Delk dunk.

And it's down to four with 8:50. Shit.

Sonuvabitch. Cousins cut it to one with 8:00 to play. Great answer by Slater.

Need another Sierra Nevada. Fight song bottle openers never get old.

Meanwhile, on the Pack...the denizens are losing it. Meltdown in 5, 4, 3, 2....

Rhodes just dunked for WV...'08 whipping boy he will be...unless of course he declares for the draft. Ha. Just kidding Chuck, you know we want you to stay!

A little defense would be nice. Up 2 with 5:30.

Rhodes jacked a three. Damn. I thought he was done with that shit. I take it back...declare, declare!!

Nice touch by Chuck. Okay, you can stay. Up 4.

Another highlight for Jamont on the reverse layup. Up 6. And Jamont is a spit away from a double-double...again.

Have I told you how much I hate the cousins, yet? Too much time hanging out with my VT alum brother at Lane Stadium. WV fans are obnoxious like no others. Well, no others, except the damn cajuns.

Home stretch...up 3 with 3 to play...c'mon State!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Slater jacks another three and of course, misses. Damn it.

WV ball...State up 3. This is going to be a long three minutes.

Just heard a cowbell. Cowbells in MSG. Nice. Followed by a little Maroon-White. Excellent.

Damn it. Rhodes needs to be much more aggressive on the boards. What a terrible call on the three point foul. That's ridiculous.

Down 1...1 to go. Stewart with the big bucket. Up 1...40 secs to go.

Timeout cousins.

Get an f'n rebound!!! And Gordon finally pulls one done after the cousins got three chances.

Shooting one and one.

Makes the first.

And the second.......miss.

Cousins for the win.....open three...misses.............

Cousin ball on the baseline...down two...two seconds left.

Here we go....for three...hit it. Shit.

Only at State. Only at State.

Officials to the table to review. And the replay. Off in plenty of time. Right in Gordon's grill.

F'in cousins.

NIT

I haven't posted since February 1. Long time.

While watching this NIT game, I can't help but think that regardless of what happens tonight, or on Thursday, should State win, this season, ultimately, was an underachievement.

And that's not really being negative, just honest. This team has enough talent to be playing in the NCAA tournament. I hope the players learned during the second half of the season and the NIT how to prepare for every game, every opponent.

Well...I did predict 20 plus wins, so at least I wasn't totally wrong there.

Sure is fun watching Hansborough, Varnardo, Stewart and Delk on the floor together. Future is definitely bright.

Really?!?!

To completely, utterly, and unapologetically, steal SNL's "Really?" idea from their "Newsdesk" Vick story....

What's up with Chuck?

"If I get the ball, these are the results you're going to get," Rhodes said Tuesday night after a 24-point, seven-rebound performance in MSU's 85-73 loss to Ole Miss.

Really?!?!?

If you get the ball, Chuck, then the team is going to get spanked by an inferior opponent? Really?!?!?!

"They were just looking for me more, because if I get the ball more I'll do what I need to do," Rhodes said.

Really?!?!?

And what's that, Chuck? You'll launch threes at the worst possible times? Take fade away jumpers, instead of driving to the hoop and drawing fouls? Fail to block out and grab key rebounds? Play skeleton like defense? Really?!?!?!

Or, are you saying that if you get the ball you won't pout like a third grader at recess who isn't getting enough touches from the playground ballhog?

I really am not a fan of calling out college players. But damn. The "me first" attitude is killing this team.

And to the Clarion Ledger Headline Writers..."Rhodes Sparkles?" Really?!?! Sparkles?!?! C'mon.....

I was wrong. Again.

Damn that optimism. It keeps leading me down a road of sorrow.

Last week I wrote this: "In other words, I still like my chances."

I was pontificating about State's chances to make the tourney. Well, after losses to South Carolina and Mississippi, I no longer like State's chances to make the tourney.

Damn it.

ACC-SEC Rankings?

This is an interesting idea, executed very poorly.

Randy Beard of the Tallahasee Democrat has compiled a combined ranking of the SEC and ACC.

This guy Beard, obviously not an intelligent basketball mind, has State ranked 20th of the 24 schools (as of January 20)?!?!?! Below such bombshell teams as NC State, Auburn, Virginia, Vanderbilt, Georgia, Arkansas, Florida State, and Virginia Tech.

Now, if you want to debate, you can probably toss Florida State and Virginia Tech out there and maybe even Arkansas. But, NC State?!?! In my best Bill Walton voice, "They're horrible!!!!!!"

Obviously, State beat Auburn since the publication of this column. Virginia is streaky, but I like my chances on a neutral court, as I would against Vandy, Georgia, Arkansas, Florida State and Virginia Tech. 20th?!?!

I think we should be somewhere around 14 in this poll at this date. Sitting firmly on the bubble of teams that makes the NCAAs from these two conferences.

I predicted a NCAA birth earlier this year and as tempted as I am to back away from that prediction, I'm still holding on. Alabama has not impressed and LSU is spiraling right now. State has already taken care of UM and Auburn and I'm really not intimidated by Arkansas. Plus, after Wednesday we'll be done with the big three from the other side.

In other words, I still like my chances.

Exorcism?

I saw this picture yesterday in a FOX News story covering the Feast of Saint Anton.

Many Catholic churches in Spain honor San Anton (St. Antonio Abad), the patron saint of animals, with a feast on Jan. 17.

So, I was thinking. The Spanish may be on to something here.

It's often said that Scott Field must have been built on top of an old indian burial ground. As this can be the only possible explanation for the fate of State athletics throughout history.

Therefore, I'm proposing a blessing of Bully on the fifty yard line. And if that's not strong enough, I say we go ahead with a full blown exorcism. Perhaps the "cigar boys" can fly in Father Juan Manuel Villar (pictured above) for the ceremony.

We Need Something Good to Happen

I just read something that really depressed me.

"Cowpower" over at the Pack, posted his 10,000th message today. 10,000.

That made me wonder, how long does it take to post 10,000 messages on a message board dedicated primarily to bitching about Mississippi State athletics?

Apparently, it takes since September 22, 2003.

And that my dear friends is depressing. And I think it's depressing to most people with a vested interest in the success of State athletics. Now don't misunderstand, I don't think too many of us are worried about poor Mr. Cowpower and that fact that he apparently has nothing better to do than type 10,000 messages in a 3 year period. We're depressed because during the past three year period Mississippi State students, alumni and fans, have had virtually nothing to cheer about.

Football has been atrocious. Basketball certainly had its regular season moments, and I thank them for that. The class of 2004 (Rhodes, Sharpe, Hosuton) was a huge bust and cost the team their momentum going into the '04/'05 campaign (and we're still trying to recover). And baseball has been giving us squat.

I love Mississippi State University, and I'm tired of watching my alma mater flounder.

State fans need a win. Something positive. We need a Sweet Sixteen or a CWS or god-forbid, a winning football season. We need some magic for the collective pysche of all Maroon-clad faithful.

To sum this ramble up, the Kentucky game on Saturday night was the perfect opportunity for something big to take shape. The perfect opportunity for a State team to over-achieve and then build on that success. And they were close. So close. But, as usual these past few years, they came up short.

How's the saying go old timers??

"We'll get 'em next time!"

...and in writing that, I think a little part of me just died.

Egg Bowl

Every time I talk to my brother (VT Alum) about State football, he tells me it's obvious the program is improving. He tells me when the offensive line is as bad as State's line was three years ago, that it takes 4 or 5 plus years to see improvement in the win column.

When I talk to another buddy (Auburn Alum) he tells me the same. Although he throws in that you can see the toughness and the fact the players are in the right the spots, they just don't always make the plays. That's "good coachin' and no talent."

And another guy (Alabama fan/GT Alum) tells me to be patient. He actually called and congratulated me after the Alabama win.

Here's my opinion. None of these guys watch as much State football as me, but they are all right (and wrong) in some aspects; aspects that have been dissected over and over and over during the past three seasons.

The thing is, none of that matters today. It all matters tomorrow and it all mattered yesterday, but today it is all about beating Mississippi.

In the words of Coach Orgeron: "A lot better," Orgeron said. "Going down there last year, understanding the magnitude of the game. Not only during the game, after the game. Going recruiting and going around just to get gas or maybe get some pork chops at the store. ... Maybe it will make this a little bit better when we do win."

Lucky for me, I don't have to deal with obnoxious Mississippi fans on a daily basis. I live in North Carolina, when I go to the store to buy pork chops, I don't have to worry about hearing some old man tell me my school stinks. It would be nice though to run into that random Auburn guy who stopped me in the parking lot the Monday after the Alabama game to pat me on the back and tell me how excited he was that we "whipped dem Tiders!!"

Ahh...winning.

It cures all.

It's Been a Month

Since we've won...since I've posted...since the defense has shown up to play a football game....

Anyone have a copy of that 1996 editorial in the Reflector that was printed before the Alabama game? It was something along the lines of, "just one time, rise up, play like champions, please....."

It was classic and made me laugh on Friday.

On Saturday night, it made me think the guy should be writing editorials like that every week.

I still have the bolt from the South endzone goal posts. I was even on TV briefly that night, sitting behind some yahoo friends that decided it would be fun to get liqoured up and write ESPN across their chests. That's how bad we were, my buddies were essentially cheering for a television network.

But then something crazy happened. We won. Some old-timer handed me a bottle of champagne as I was walking back to my dorm at like 2 a.m., said he'd been bringing that same bottle to every Alabama game since '81 - for 15 years he'd waited to pop the cork. Those old bastards were still throwing down as I left to crash for the night.

I remember some dude who had to be in his fifties, just standing on the 50 yard line crying. The dude was crying. It was great.

Had a buddy make off with a player's helmet in the chaos that ensued as well. Great freakin' times.

While a win tomorrow would not be that fun, it could be that important.

So, in the spirit of the crazy student who had the vision to dream of a Bama upset on ESPN, in primetime, on November 16, 1996, I say, please, please, please, let it happen again.

From the Gameday Rags...

Lock up the women and hide the children. The cousins are coming to 'Vegas.

When I was in school (the classic good ole day story begins) this guy would have been crying by halftime. Not only would we have mocked the poor soul mercilessly for hours before kick-off, but by halftime a running back like Slaton would be limping off the field. Anyone remember holding Rudi Johnson to like -15 rushing yards his senior year? Good times...good times....

Okay, back to reality.

Too many good quotes to pass up as I weed through gameday stories this morning....

"I like embarrassing people," Slaton said in the article. "The best thing is putting a move on a guy who thinks he's about to bring you down and making him miss." - Slaton will likely have plenty of opportunities to make people miss this afternoon - especially if he gets into State's arm tackling secondary.

"We have a lot of mistakes, mental mistakes as well," Culberson said. "And sometimes people are not playing all out." - That's the first time in years I recall a senior calling out his team. Is this an example of the improvement we'd miss if we were blind?

"Our guys understand that you can't mess around with these guys," Rodriguez said. "If we play as poorly as we did at times in the last game (a 27-10 victory over East Carolina), we will be in trouble. I am not trying coach-speak. They have guys that will play on Sundays." - Thanks Holtz.

"We're going to get better with experience," Croom said, "but right now, we just have to be patient." - But, what about those guys that are going to play on Sundays?

“Dad has two buses,’’ White said. - Coming from Daphne, Ala., White's hometown. I'm sure they're not too worried about White messing around.

And leave it to the Wheeler Intelligencer's Don Clegg to qausi-quote Hemingway, "If Ernest Hemingway were still around, he might have some advice to offer embattled Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom as his Bulldogs (1-4) prepare to play host to No. 4 West Virginia (4-0) this afternoon in Starkville, Miss. Ask not for whom the cowbells toll, Sylvester. They toll for thee." - Don't count on it Clegg. They haven't tolled from Croom in weeks (or maybe years - depends who you ask).

"Bulldog fans are only permitted to ring the cowbells during non-conference games — the SEC has outlawed it in league games — but Croom and his players have been hearing more boos than bells midway through his third season at the helm." - Damn Clegg, try to pick a side of an argument and stick with it.

‘‘This is the most talented team we’ve played,’’ said Rodriguez. ‘‘They’ve got three or four guys, especially on defense, who are going to be first-day (NFL) draft picks. Nobody has been able to run the ball on them, including Auburn and LSU. Their front seven has been that good.’’ - Really channeling Lou this weekend. Nice. However, he's right about one thing; no team they've played this season has as much talent at State. So, what's that say about WV's #4 ranking?

Bottom line, I think this State team is going to show a little heart this weekend. Up against a wall...cornered dog (and all those other ridiculous analogies), I think they come out swinging. If a couple good things happen early, we can stay in it. Just remember, Big East Officials are coming to Starkville, so if it's close in the second half watch for the flags to start flying.

I just wish I was on campus today, instead of being stuck miles away in ACC country. The cool fall air, the smell of bourbon floating across the stands...I miss Starkville.