Random Thoughts about Game 1.

I didn't think our offense could be worse than the 2005 version.

I was wrong.

You have to give the defense credit. They looked very good.

If I was Andrews, I would be demanding my kicking job back. No excuse missing a 30 yarder in the first quarter.

Offensive line looked worse than last year. Unbelievable.

Horrible call by Croom going for it on 4th down at midfield. Even if he would have made it, it still would have been a horrible call. Down six. 14 plus minutes to play. Defense is looking great. Then, as fast as you can run a dive. Game over.

Scott field looked good in HD.

5 Days

Five days from kick-off.

I'm ready.

I'm tired of reading about the issues with the offensive line and I'm tired of trying to figure out how this team is going to score enough points to win. I'm ready to just watch happen.

The 2006 version of Mississippi State football is better off at every position, but defensive end and tailback, then any State team of the past three years, and that's a big, big plus. And it's not like the team is in dire straights at either position.

The Clarion Ledger officially says goodbye to Ian today. State fans will miss the coverage. Personally, I'm looking forward to the week of the Alabama game, where we can try to determine through Ian's writing whether or not he really had a soft spot in his heart for Starkville or not.

Tomorrow is the blog's one year anniversary, so pop the champagne. The staff at The Officially Unofficial Mississippi State Athletics Blog would like to thank you for reading. Hopefully we've made Mississippi State athletics a little more enjoyable (or bearable). This blog was founded because Travis quit blogging and I had way too much time on my hands. Well, Travis is back, and he's been back for a while now, so check him out, if you haven't already.

Cowbells are back in the news as well. The SEC has to come up with a new way to enforce the noisemaker rule due to a change in the NCAA's crowd noise policy. To all the cry-babies in the SEC, I say, "BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Get over it. Let us ring our damn bells.

Stansbury Strikes Again...Picks Up Transfer

Stansbury manages a pretty solid transfer once again.

From Andy Katz of ESPN.com:

"Former Louisville forward Brian Johnson started school Thursday at Mississippi State and will be eligible to play for the Bulldogs for the 2007-08 season, according to a source close to the situation.

Johnson, a 6-foot-9, 245-pound rising junior, will have two seasons of eligibility remaining after redshirting this season.

Johnson, out of Oak Hill Academy (Va.), was a highly touted arrival at Louisville but injuries marred his career with the Cardinals. He missed the 2004-05 season with a knee injury. He averaged just 10 minutes a game last season, averaging 3.2 points and 3.2 rebounds."

Scouting Report on Johnson from ESPN.com:

"Promising big forward ... Averaged 13.9 points and 9.3 rebounds in 23.0 minutes per game as a senior at Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va. in helping his team to a 38-0 record and the nation's top ranking in the USA Today high school poll ... Teammate of Kentucky guard Rajon Rondo at Oak Hill Academy and Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith ... Finished just seven rebounds short of the single season rebounding record at Oak Hill (Cleveland Cavaliers forward DeSagana Diop holds the mark) ... Had knee surgery to repair damaged cartilage during his prep career ... The youngest member of the 2002 U.S. Junior National team ... Also participated in the 2003 USA Basketball Men's National Team Trials and was named a finalist for the 2003 USA Junior World Championship Team ... Played in the 2002 USA Basketball Youth Development Festival and averaged 10.0 points and 9.2 rebounds in five games ... Choose Louisville over Arizona, Cincinnati, Georgia Tech and Notre Dame."

And for those who are interested in that type of thing, Johnson was a four-star and the 9th ranked power forward in the country according to Scout.com.

Um, yeah...this new job is gonna kill me.

Or at least my blogging. I waited all summer to have something to write about and now that I have more than enough fodder to keep me entertained, I don't hardly have five minutes to put together a post.

It's taken me three days to get to this, but it really ticks me off that Ian is leaving the CL. I'm not mad at Ian, hard to argue with his decision (I'm sure the job in Birmingham is worth more money and definitely more national exposure), but it's just another reminder that Mississippi State (and Mississippi in general) is viewed as second rate. Later Ian...as some stoner once said, "It's been real, it's been fun, it just hasn't been real fun."

And what's up with Anderson's move to tackle. I fully believe Croom thinks it is best for the team, and it probably is, but this is a horrible sign as to the level of play our offensive line will be able to produce this fall. It's highly disappointing after all of the "this is the year" talk of the past month.

Speaking of disappointments, what's the deal with Ryan Mason and Tony Burks? Mason has been battling an injury and apparently Burks just isn't in very good shape. We shouldn't write them off as failures yet, but it's been a very disappointing showing up to this point.

At least Alex Carpenter got into school, finally. Of course we learned yesterday that Courtney Jones did not (so much for that stellar running back class). Booo!!!!

Busy, busy....

Been way to busy to post lately. But, at least I've been having a good time (see the 50 pound king salmon I caught on the Kenai River in Alaska for proof).

First I was in Alaska, as my good friend Heavy C already covered over on the Lazy Eye.

Then I started a new job this week, so that's time consuming too. And suppose a decent time as well.

The Dogs are apparently having a good fall practice in my absence, good enough for Croom to be smiling and joking around anyway. I'm definitely looking forward to August 31.

The SixPack though, they're eating their young over there, which is a shame cause that board used to be really entertaining. I wonder if it's a bunch of bored freshmens (that's for you Stans) that make that board suck about this time every year. Hopefully it will make a triumphant return shortly.

Well...to my two loyal readers, I'll try to post more often as the season gets closer.