Ravern Johnson was suspended for the game last night due to missing classes, but ultimately it didn't matter. The Bulldogs pulled out a win in classically sloppy style over Alabama State. The Bulldogs looked slow, lazy, and sloppy but there were some bright spots. Riley Benock seems to finally be coming out of his shell and has improved his offense. Elgin Bailey is looking better and better, and freshman Shaun Smith played well except for a few freshman mistakes.
Tonight marks the (hopefully) triumphant debut of Renardo Sidney on the hardwood. I expect Rick Stansbury to play Sidney 18-20 minutes to see what kind of "game-shape" he's in before heading to the Bahamas this weekend to take on Virginia Tech. Rumor has it that Rick and Renardo have been doing the P90X workout together for several weeks, which, if true, is good news for MSU fans who have expressed some concern about Sidney's weight and conditioning. Just a few short hours and this young man will finally be able to play again after an almost 2 year suspension by the NCAA for what they deemed as "lying to the NCAA." Insert sarcastic comment about Cam and Cecil Newton here.
Good luck, Bulldogs... make us proud, and GO DAWGS!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
It's still football season, right?
As the MSU football teams preps for their visit to Jacksonville, FL for the 2011 Gator Bowl, the basketball team is already seven games into their season.
The Basketball Dawgs are now sitting at 5-2 after the first seven games. There are a couple of bad losses to Florida Atlantic and East Tennessee State that are going to hurt the Bulldog's chances come tournament time, so the Dawgs are hoping to find some production from their role-players until the duo of Dee Bost and Renardo Sidney return to the hardwood.
Dee Bost missed the NBA Draft withdrawal deadline by approximately 24 hours, causing the NCAA to suspend him for nine games. Renardo Sidney was the much maligned transfer student who was accused (but never proven) to receive improper benefits and the NCAA SUSPECTS that he lied, so he sat out an entire season plus sitting a third of this season as well. And for those of you keeping track, Cam Newton's dad asked for $200,000 for his son to play football at Auburn "without his knowledge"* which resulted in him being suspended between the hours of 9 pm and 9 am for one day, I guess, if he, sorta, you know, felt like being suspended, or whatever....
* - UTTER. BULLSHIT.
Anyway, the NCAA in it's infinite wisdom makes these decisions on a case-by-case basis, and CLEARLY it's always with the student-athlete's best interests at heart, but I digress.
The Basketball Dawgs are in the midst of a 5-games-in-5-days stretch. Having dropped the first of the five to East Tennessee St. the Bulldogs rebounded (get it? a little basketball humor for you there) with 2 straight wins over North Carolina A&T and a scrappy Nicholls State team that beat SEC West foe LSU on their home court earlier this season.
Conventional wisdom dictates that SEC teams shouldn't lose to "lesser foes" like Florida Atlantic, but it seems every season Rick Stansbury and the Basketball Bulldogs leave fans scratching their heads at the odd loss here or there. Hopefully when the Dynamic Duo of Bost and Sidney return (which one should be Batman, anyway?) the offensive production will pick up, and the outlook will become more palatable. For now, we have to look to players like Rayvern Johnson and Kodi Augustus to step in and produce until we get our full lineup back. Hang in there, Dawgs... January will be here before you know it.
The Basketball Dawgs are now sitting at 5-2 after the first seven games. There are a couple of bad losses to Florida Atlantic and East Tennessee State that are going to hurt the Bulldog's chances come tournament time, so the Dawgs are hoping to find some production from their role-players until the duo of Dee Bost and Renardo Sidney return to the hardwood.
Dee Bost missed the NBA Draft withdrawal deadline by approximately 24 hours, causing the NCAA to suspend him for nine games. Renardo Sidney was the much maligned transfer student who was accused (but never proven) to receive improper benefits and the NCAA SUSPECTS that he lied, so he sat out an entire season plus sitting a third of this season as well. And for those of you keeping track, Cam Newton's dad asked for $200,000 for his son to play football at Auburn "without his knowledge"* which resulted in him being suspended between the hours of 9 pm and 9 am for one day, I guess, if he, sorta, you know, felt like being suspended, or whatever....
* - UTTER. BULLSHIT.
Anyway, the NCAA in it's infinite wisdom makes these decisions on a case-by-case basis, and CLEARLY it's always with the student-athlete's best interests at heart, but I digress.
The Basketball Dawgs are in the midst of a 5-games-in-5-days stretch. Having dropped the first of the five to East Tennessee St. the Bulldogs rebounded (get it? a little basketball humor for you there) with 2 straight wins over North Carolina A&T and a scrappy Nicholls State team that beat SEC West foe LSU on their home court earlier this season.
Conventional wisdom dictates that SEC teams shouldn't lose to "lesser foes" like Florida Atlantic, but it seems every season Rick Stansbury and the Basketball Bulldogs leave fans scratching their heads at the odd loss here or there. Hopefully when the Dynamic Duo of Bost and Sidney return (which one should be Batman, anyway?) the offensive production will pick up, and the outlook will become more palatable. For now, we have to look to players like Rayvern Johnson and Kodi Augustus to step in and produce until we get our full lineup back. Hang in there, Dawgs... January will be here before you know it.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Credentials applied for...
Please excuse the hanging preposition in the title...
The House of Hooch has applied for media credentials for the 2011 Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, FL! Hopefully the reviewing committee considers my publication as valid as all of my loyal readers. Whatever the case, I make you this sincere promise, avid reader... I will have the best game-day sideline coverage of any MSU sports blog, period!
Either way, House of Hooch will be on hand for the Gator Bowl, so things are bound to get interesting!
The House of Hooch has applied for media credentials for the 2011 Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, FL! Hopefully the reviewing committee considers my publication as valid as all of my loyal readers. Whatever the case, I make you this sincere promise, avid reader... I will have the best game-day sideline coverage of any MSU sports blog, period!
Either way, House of Hooch will be on hand for the Gator Bowl, so things are bound to get interesting!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Where is Everybody?**
**the notation is because this is all I had at the time of kickoff. My intent was to mock the lack of attendance for OM this season, and then say we would beat them by 6.5 points (1 TD). however to be fair that is now hind site, and anything that follows this is all that was said before kickoff. such is the speed of the internet.
____________________________________________________________________________
This week's song is a dedication to the Ole Miss Rebel Bears Country Jamboree and Petting Zoo fan-base and/or stadium. Take your pick, there won't be anyone there to argue.
Where is Everybody? - NIN
did you happen to catch
or did it happen so fast
what you thought would always last
has passed you by
is everything speeding up
or am I slowing down
I'm just spinning around
and I don't know why
all the pieces don't fit
but I really didn't give a shit
never wanted to be like you
but for all I aspire
I am really a liar
and I'm running out of things I can do...
I'd like to stay
but every day
everything pushes me further away
if you could show
help me to know
how it's supposed to be
where did it go?
pleading and
needing and
bleeding and
breeding and
feeding
exceeding
where is everybody?
trying and lying
defying denying
crying and dying
where is everybody?
well okay, enough,
you've had your fun
but come on thare has to be someone
that hasn't yet become
so numb and succumb
and god damn I am so tired of pretending
of wishing I was ending
when all I'm really doing is trying to hide
and keep it inside
and fill it with lies
open my eyes?
maybe I wish I could try
pleading and needing
and bleeding and breeding
feeding exceeding
where is everybody?
trying and lying
defying denying
crying and dying
where is everybody?
____________________________________________________________________________
This week's song is a dedication to the Ole Miss Rebel Bears Country Jamboree and Petting Zoo fan-base and/or stadium. Take your pick, there won't be anyone there to argue.
Where is Everybody? - NIN
did you happen to catch
or did it happen so fast
what you thought would always last
has passed you by
is everything speeding up
or am I slowing down
I'm just spinning around
and I don't know why
all the pieces don't fit
but I really didn't give a shit
never wanted to be like you
but for all I aspire
I am really a liar
and I'm running out of things I can do...
I'd like to stay
but every day
everything pushes me further away
if you could show
help me to know
how it's supposed to be
where did it go?
pleading and
needing and
bleeding and
breeding and
feeding
exceeding
where is everybody?
trying and lying
defying denying
crying and dying
where is everybody?
well okay, enough,
you've had your fun
but come on thare has to be someone
that hasn't yet become
so numb and succumb
and god damn I am so tired of pretending
of wishing I was ending
when all I'm really doing is trying to hide
and keep it inside
and fill it with lies
open my eyes?
maybe I wish I could try
pleading and needing
and bleeding and breeding
feeding exceeding
where is everybody?
trying and lying
defying denying
crying and dying
where is everybody?
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Bouncin' Back...
Well if you read the blog last week you'll know I called for MSU to beat Bama, but as it turns out my stipulation regarding turnovers was dead on. Unfortunately we were on the losing end of that particular statistic, and the rest, as they say, is history...
As a matter of fact, that's exactly the way the Bulldogs should look at it. It's history. We've got to move on because there's still games left to be played, and both of the remaining games have implications on where the Dawgs land in the college football bowl landscape.
At this time of year the swirl of rumors and speculations has reached category 1 hurricane levels. There is much supposition of which team will go where, who will get snubbed by this bowl, etc. I've personally seen predictions for MSU's bowl appearance ranging from Independence and Motor City all the way to Peach and Cotton. Of course our coaches and players can't focus on all this 'hooey' if they want to keep winning football games, so the theme for this week is Bouncing Back... and so it gives me great pleasure to segue this spiel towards a great band and close personal friends of mine, Young Agent Jones.
Oh Yeah - Young Agent Jones
Oh, yeah...
You lose a lot of drive
Thinking everything is fine
But the road will rise up to meet you
And you'll remember you love to drive.
Sure there's a lot of love lost between you
And who you used to be
But you can't think long about it
Since you both think differently.
If you're living inside a bubble
At least you're squeaky clean.
Bubble pop, clock stop, bottom drop
Here's a powerful dose of reality.
Oh, yeah...Welcome back
Oh, yeah...This is living
Oh, yeah...It's coming back
Oh, yeah...
I can think I can speak
I can move I can breathe
Can't believe I didn't lose my mind.
Finally a mission a chance to make decisions
Cheesy lyrics out of my mouth.
I'm worth more to myself than anybody else.
Gotta drill this stuff into my head.
Bouncing back from being useless
To absolutely ruthless.
Coming out as hard as I can!
Oh, yeah...
I could go on for days
About this life-changing moment
That woke my head up.
So I am driven
I know I'm a normal ordinary guy
But I've gotta do something
I've gotta do something...
So watch out you suckers
Watch out, I'm coming.
Watch out you suckers
'Cause now I remember!
It's time for the Bulldogs to "Bounce back from being useless to absolutely ruthless" and come out as hard as they can against Arkansas. It will take nothing short of MSU's best effort to walk away with a 'W' this week.
KEYS TO THE GAME -
OFFENSE - The Bulldogs took their lumps in Alabama, and I don't believe "flat" to be an accurate and expressive enough word to describe the MSU offense in that particular outing. You can trot out all the excuses you want, but in the end MSU did not execute anywhere near their level of skill, and the result was a big Bama lead early that was insurmountable.
The Bulldogs catch a break regarding what they'll be facing this week, though. If Alabama's defense is Asiago, then Arkansas' D is Swiss. That's right, I just made a cheese analogy. Be that as it may, Mississippi State will still need to see significant improvement in the passing game or Arkansas' swiss-cheese-deez is still going to load the box and try to stuff the run. Relf must make Arkansas respect the passing threat, which is a tall task givin what we've seen this season.
DEFENSE - The MSU defense should be able to hold serve in the run game, as they've proven throughout the season. The problem is Arkansas isn't going to line up and try to jam it down your throat (obligatory "That's what she said!"). Ryan Mallet will dissect the Bulldog secondary like a master surgeon unless he is pressured early and often. The MSU DB's will have to play lights out to keep the Dawgs in this one, and even so you can expect the Hogs to break at least 2 big (60 yd+) plays which could result in TD's, if not more. Manny Diaz will have to be creative to find ways to bring pressure on Mallet and still have adequate coverage on the Hog receivers.
BOTTOM LINE -
BIG PLAYS - As I said, even if the Bulldogs play their best game, you're not going to stop a passer like Mallet 100% of the time. Limiting big plays is key to hanging in there and being in a position to win late in the game. Likewise, MSU will need some position players to step up and make significant contributions on the offensive side of the ball. So if you're asking what MSU needs to win this game... in a word? Heart.
WILD AND WOOLLY PREDICTION -
MSU 41 ARK 38
REALISTIC PREDICTION -
MSU 27 ARK 24
Yes, I'm doing it again. I guess it's Dan Mullen's fault for "bringing the swagger back" to MSU. I feel confident that the Bulldogs can line up and be competitive with any opponent they face, and that is a crucial and often overlooked element to any successful program. And before you get in tither, even if we lose to Ark this weekend you can be damn sure I'll be calling for a win in the Egg Bowl next week, too. Hell I've got to be right at least once... right?
As a matter of fact, that's exactly the way the Bulldogs should look at it. It's history. We've got to move on because there's still games left to be played, and both of the remaining games have implications on where the Dawgs land in the college football bowl landscape.
At this time of year the swirl of rumors and speculations has reached category 1 hurricane levels. There is much supposition of which team will go where, who will get snubbed by this bowl, etc. I've personally seen predictions for MSU's bowl appearance ranging from Independence and Motor City all the way to Peach and Cotton. Of course our coaches and players can't focus on all this 'hooey' if they want to keep winning football games, so the theme for this week is Bouncing Back... and so it gives me great pleasure to segue this spiel towards a great band and close personal friends of mine, Young Agent Jones.
Oh Yeah - Young Agent Jones
Oh, yeah...
You lose a lot of drive
Thinking everything is fine
But the road will rise up to meet you
And you'll remember you love to drive.
Sure there's a lot of love lost between you
And who you used to be
But you can't think long about it
Since you both think differently.
If you're living inside a bubble
At least you're squeaky clean.
Bubble pop, clock stop, bottom drop
Here's a powerful dose of reality.
Oh, yeah...Welcome back
Oh, yeah...This is living
Oh, yeah...It's coming back
Oh, yeah...
I can think I can speak
I can move I can breathe
Can't believe I didn't lose my mind.
Finally a mission a chance to make decisions
Cheesy lyrics out of my mouth.
I'm worth more to myself than anybody else.
Gotta drill this stuff into my head.
Bouncing back from being useless
To absolutely ruthless.
Coming out as hard as I can!
Oh, yeah...
I could go on for days
About this life-changing moment
That woke my head up.
So I am driven
I know I'm a normal ordinary guy
But I've gotta do something
I've gotta do something...
So watch out you suckers
Watch out, I'm coming.
Watch out you suckers
'Cause now I remember!
It's time for the Bulldogs to "Bounce back from being useless to absolutely ruthless" and come out as hard as they can against Arkansas. It will take nothing short of MSU's best effort to walk away with a 'W' this week.
KEYS TO THE GAME -
OFFENSE - The Bulldogs took their lumps in Alabama, and I don't believe "flat" to be an accurate and expressive enough word to describe the MSU offense in that particular outing. You can trot out all the excuses you want, but in the end MSU did not execute anywhere near their level of skill, and the result was a big Bama lead early that was insurmountable.
The Bulldogs catch a break regarding what they'll be facing this week, though. If Alabama's defense is Asiago, then Arkansas' D is Swiss. That's right, I just made a cheese analogy. Be that as it may, Mississippi State will still need to see significant improvement in the passing game or Arkansas' swiss-cheese-deez is still going to load the box and try to stuff the run. Relf must make Arkansas respect the passing threat, which is a tall task givin what we've seen this season.
DEFENSE - The MSU defense should be able to hold serve in the run game, as they've proven throughout the season. The problem is Arkansas isn't going to line up and try to jam it down your throat (obligatory "That's what she said!"). Ryan Mallet will dissect the Bulldog secondary like a master surgeon unless he is pressured early and often. The MSU DB's will have to play lights out to keep the Dawgs in this one, and even so you can expect the Hogs to break at least 2 big (60 yd+) plays which could result in TD's, if not more. Manny Diaz will have to be creative to find ways to bring pressure on Mallet and still have adequate coverage on the Hog receivers.
BOTTOM LINE -
BIG PLAYS - As I said, even if the Bulldogs play their best game, you're not going to stop a passer like Mallet 100% of the time. Limiting big plays is key to hanging in there and being in a position to win late in the game. Likewise, MSU will need some position players to step up and make significant contributions on the offensive side of the ball. So if you're asking what MSU needs to win this game... in a word? Heart.
WILD AND WOOLLY PREDICTION -
MSU 41 ARK 38
REALISTIC PREDICTION -
MSU 27 ARK 24
Yes, I'm doing it again. I guess it's Dan Mullen's fault for "bringing the swagger back" to MSU. I feel confident that the Bulldogs can line up and be competitive with any opponent they face, and that is a crucial and often overlooked element to any successful program. And before you get in tither, even if we lose to Ark this weekend you can be damn sure I'll be calling for a win in the Egg Bowl next week, too. Hell I've got to be right at least once... right?
Friday, November 12, 2010
Stranger Danger!
We've got a lot to cover this week, so let's get to it... right after you watch this.
Good stuff, huh? Mad props go out to Derek Cody (@derekcody on twitter) for this and the rest of his videos we've linked in the blog this season. Great work, Derek!
This week's dedication goes out to, well, a lot of folks. It's dedicated to both Alabama and Mississippi State, since pretty much no one predicted that they'd be "wearing" identical 7-2 records going into this week's game. It's also dedicated to Auburn, Cam & Cecil Newton, Kenny Rogers, John Bond and a whole slew of others, because their collective cloak and dagger routine has the entire nation wondering just what the hell is REALLY going on?
So without further ado...
The Stranger - Billy Joel
Well we all have a face
That we hide away forever
And we take them out and
Show ourselves
When everyone has gone.
Some are satin some are steel
Some are silk and some are leather
They're the faces of the stranger
But we love to try them on.
Well we all fall in love
But we disregard the danger.
Though we share so many secrets
There are some we never tell.
Why were you so surprised
That you never saw the stranger?
Did you ever let your lover see
The stranger in yourself?
Don't be afraid to try again
Everyone goes south
Every now and then.
You've done it, why can't
Someone else?
You should know by now
You've been there yourself.
There's a lot of meaning to be gleaned from those lyrics if one so chooses.
First, let's get the Rented Mule Saga out of the way. The timeline goes a little something like this (note: This information has been gathered from various message boards and blogs around the internet, so it is most likely 100% factual. However, we reserve the right to change/edit/update/remove this information as we see fit in light of any new information that comes to bear after the writing of this entry. If you have a question about our sources then learn2internet.):
1) Cam Newton is born.
2) Cecil Newton watches his mule, er, son grow into a talented football player and dollar signs roll up in his eyes like a damn cartoon.
3) Cam first goes to Florida, where he cheats his ass off and steals a laptop. He is dismissed from Florida.
4) Cam goes to JuCo.
5) Papa Cecil decides to cash in (possibly for a second time if he pulled this off at Florida?) on his son's new-found "free agency."
6) Papa Cecil skips his seminar on "how to subtly ask for money from college athletics 101".
7) Papa Cecil shops his mule, er, son around to various SEC schools.
8) Kenny Rogers tries to wedge his fat ass into the middle of this situation to make some bread by calling former teammates and soliciting funds.
9) John Bond rides in on a white horse like Sir Gallahad and blows the whistle on Papa Cecil, and, by extension, all the other dirty motherfuckers involved, by reporting the solicitation to MSU, who in turn reports it to the SEC as per Mike Slive's mandate.
10) Mike Slive does his best to brush this gigantic steaming pile of elephant dung under the proverbial carpet.
11) Rumors and allegations swirl between Dec. 2009 and July 2010.
12) More information comes to light in July and the NCAA steps in.
13) Thanks to the glory that is the Information Age all this evidence is hinted at and pussy-footed around all over the internet for weeks at a time, driving ratings and web page views through the roof.
14) Auburn claims no knowledge of any wrong doing throughout the entire process.
15) Auburn decides to sit Cam Newton for the Georgia game, just in case.
16) All across Alabama frantic 911 calls take place as Auburn's fans' heads explode, leaving family and friends to pick up bits of brain, skull, and other fucked up, repugnant shit.
Get all that? Good, now on to our game...
MSU faces Alabama in Tuscaloosa this Saturday night in what is an unexpected meeting between two 7-2 SEC West teams. Mississippi State is riding high on the crest of a six-game winning streak, whereas Bama limps into the game licking their wounds after the luckiest son of a bitch alive pulls another rabbit out of his gr-ass.
KEYS TO THE GAME -
OFFENSE - For Mississippi State to have a chance at winning this game, they must not only establish a serviceable (if not strong) running game, but they must also present a legitimate passing threat to keep one of the best defenses in the nation from loading the box and crushing hearts, skulls and dreams. Dan Mullen was quoted as saying that Chris Relf spent considerable time in the off-week working on his passing game, and hopefully something good will come of that.
DEFENSE - MSU caught several breaks this season in the form of key players being out, whether by injury or suspension. AJ Green was held out against Georgia. Demps did not play at Florida. Case Keenum was out for Houston. The list goes on, indeed, because Trent Richardson is questionable for this weekend's game against the Bulldogs. Even so the Dawgs must prepare for a solid ground game as Mark Ingram, who won the first ever Heisman for Alabama last season, will still be a factor. MSU has been successful stopping the run for most of the season, but Greg McElroy will test the Dawgs through the air, as well. The defense must create at least 2 turnovers that the Bulldogs turn into points on the board to get this game in hand.
BOTTOM LINE -
TURNOVERS - Since the LSU game, when MSU had 5 turnovers, the Bulldogs have done a good job of taking care of the ball. They need to take it one step further this weekend, and not only protect the rock, but find ways to steal it from Bama in order to lock this game down. If the Bulldogs end up with a negative turnover ratio in this game it's as good as gone.
WILD AND WOOLLY PREDICTION -
MSU 30 BAMA 27
REALISTIC PREDICTION -
MSU 17 BAMA 14
Yes, you heard me. I am calling an MSU win in Tuscaloosa this weekend. The Tide have little to play for now that they are officially out of the National Championship picture, and their tanks are close to 'E' after the emotional loss last week. MSU is coming of a bye week, and although it was very emotional with the loss of Nick Bell, the Bulldogs have dedicated the rest of the season to Nick, and you can bet they will go hard every single play in his honor.
Here's to you, Nick. Only the Good Die Young.
Good stuff, huh? Mad props go out to Derek Cody (@derekcody on twitter) for this and the rest of his videos we've linked in the blog this season. Great work, Derek!
This week's dedication goes out to, well, a lot of folks. It's dedicated to both Alabama and Mississippi State, since pretty much no one predicted that they'd be "wearing" identical 7-2 records going into this week's game. It's also dedicated to Auburn, Cam & Cecil Newton, Kenny Rogers, John Bond and a whole slew of others, because their collective cloak and dagger routine has the entire nation wondering just what the hell is REALLY going on?
So without further ado...
The Stranger - Billy Joel
Well we all have a face
That we hide away forever
And we take them out and
Show ourselves
When everyone has gone.
Some are satin some are steel
Some are silk and some are leather
They're the faces of the stranger
But we love to try them on.
Well we all fall in love
But we disregard the danger.
Though we share so many secrets
There are some we never tell.
Why were you so surprised
That you never saw the stranger?
Did you ever let your lover see
The stranger in yourself?
Don't be afraid to try again
Everyone goes south
Every now and then.
You've done it, why can't
Someone else?
You should know by now
You've been there yourself.
There's a lot of meaning to be gleaned from those lyrics if one so chooses.
First, let's get the Rented Mule Saga out of the way. The timeline goes a little something like this (note: This information has been gathered from various message boards and blogs around the internet, so it is most likely 100% factual. However, we reserve the right to change/edit/update/remove this information as we see fit in light of any new information that comes to bear after the writing of this entry. If you have a question about our sources then learn2internet.):
1) Cam Newton is born.
2) Cecil Newton watches his mule, er, son grow into a talented football player and dollar signs roll up in his eyes like a damn cartoon.
3) Cam first goes to Florida, where he cheats his ass off and steals a laptop. He is dismissed from Florida.
4) Cam goes to JuCo.
5) Papa Cecil decides to cash in (possibly for a second time if he pulled this off at Florida?) on his son's new-found "free agency."
6) Papa Cecil skips his seminar on "how to subtly ask for money from college athletics 101".
7) Papa Cecil shops his mule, er, son around to various SEC schools.
8) Kenny Rogers tries to wedge his fat ass into the middle of this situation to make some bread by calling former teammates and soliciting funds.
9) John Bond rides in on a white horse like Sir Gallahad and blows the whistle on Papa Cecil, and, by extension, all the other dirty motherfuckers involved, by reporting the solicitation to MSU, who in turn reports it to the SEC as per Mike Slive's mandate.
10) Mike Slive does his best to brush this gigantic steaming pile of elephant dung under the proverbial carpet.
11) Rumors and allegations swirl between Dec. 2009 and July 2010.
12) More information comes to light in July and the NCAA steps in.
13) Thanks to the glory that is the Information Age all this evidence is hinted at and pussy-footed around all over the internet for weeks at a time, driving ratings and web page views through the roof.
14) Auburn claims no knowledge of any wrong doing throughout the entire process.
15) Auburn decides to sit Cam Newton for the Georgia game, just in case.
16) All across Alabama frantic 911 calls take place as Auburn's fans' heads explode, leaving family and friends to pick up bits of brain, skull, and other fucked up, repugnant shit.
Get all that? Good, now on to our game...
MSU faces Alabama in Tuscaloosa this Saturday night in what is an unexpected meeting between two 7-2 SEC West teams. Mississippi State is riding high on the crest of a six-game winning streak, whereas Bama limps into the game licking their wounds after the luckiest son of a bitch alive pulls another rabbit out of his gr-ass.
KEYS TO THE GAME -
OFFENSE - For Mississippi State to have a chance at winning this game, they must not only establish a serviceable (if not strong) running game, but they must also present a legitimate passing threat to keep one of the best defenses in the nation from loading the box and crushing hearts, skulls and dreams. Dan Mullen was quoted as saying that Chris Relf spent considerable time in the off-week working on his passing game, and hopefully something good will come of that.
DEFENSE - MSU caught several breaks this season in the form of key players being out, whether by injury or suspension. AJ Green was held out against Georgia. Demps did not play at Florida. Case Keenum was out for Houston. The list goes on, indeed, because Trent Richardson is questionable for this weekend's game against the Bulldogs. Even so the Dawgs must prepare for a solid ground game as Mark Ingram, who won the first ever Heisman for Alabama last season, will still be a factor. MSU has been successful stopping the run for most of the season, but Greg McElroy will test the Dawgs through the air, as well. The defense must create at least 2 turnovers that the Bulldogs turn into points on the board to get this game in hand.
BOTTOM LINE -
TURNOVERS - Since the LSU game, when MSU had 5 turnovers, the Bulldogs have done a good job of taking care of the ball. They need to take it one step further this weekend, and not only protect the rock, but find ways to steal it from Bama in order to lock this game down. If the Bulldogs end up with a negative turnover ratio in this game it's as good as gone.
WILD AND WOOLLY PREDICTION -
MSU 30 BAMA 27
REALISTIC PREDICTION -
MSU 17 BAMA 14
Yes, you heard me. I am calling an MSU win in Tuscaloosa this weekend. The Tide have little to play for now that they are officially out of the National Championship picture, and their tanks are close to 'E' after the emotional loss last week. MSU is coming of a bye week, and although it was very emotional with the loss of Nick Bell, the Bulldogs have dedicated the rest of the season to Nick, and you can bet they will go hard every single play in his honor.
Here's to you, Nick. Only the Good Die Young.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
In Memoriam
Nick Bell - #36
I express myself through music a lot. Sometimes it reflects what's inside me trying to get out, sometimes it's a reaction to the world around me, and sometimes it reflects the state of mind I am trying to attain. Rather than make a fumbling attempt at writing a eulogy for someone I didn't have the honor of knowing personally, I am going to link some songs and excerpts from the lyrics that have meaning for me in all of this. Take from it what you will.
The Bulldogs lost a dear friend on Tuesday. A brother, a son, a friend, a warrior, and a role model. Nick Bell did not deserve to lose his life so early. This blog is dedicated to the loving memory of a Bulldog taken from us too soon. You will not be forgotten Nick. Not now, not ever.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Just a Phase...
Hello. Welcome. Watch this and then come back...
Outstanding work, no? Now then... Congratulations are in order as the Bulldogs managed to pull their collective act together and come away from a potential let-down game with a W. UAB proved to be almost more than MSU could handle, but the Bulldogs came away with a win thanks to some really solid work in the kicking game.
This week is special, not just because the Bulldogs are 6-2 in October and bowl eligible with 4 games left to improve their bowl stock, but because it's also Halloween! This is probably my favorite holiday... it started when I was a kid ("Wait... everyone we know is just GIVING AWAY CANDY?!") but now it's more about dressing up as someone completely different, or not even real, and stepping outside yourself for a night. People tend to relax a little more, let their guard down, and just generally have a good time.
So in honor of Halloween and all the ZombieDawgs that will be at the game this weekend, this week's song is...
BREAKING BENJAMIN - PHASE
Out of the ground I rise to grace.
Nobody knows it's just a phase.
Help me I'm out of breath again,
Nobody knows somewhere to make it go away...
It's just a phase,
And I can't wait...
Phase,
Phase,
Phase,
Phase.
I know, I know, I know...
iI's just a fucking phase!
IM DRAINED TIME TO FAKE AND DELAY!
WATCH THE PENNY DROP,
LET IT GO UP AND IN DROP,
THEN WATCH IT ROLL LET’S
ALL MOURN TILL I SURVIVE INSIDE YOU!
The opponent this week is a surly Kentucky Wildcats team that knocked off a talented South Carolina team a week after they defeated #1 Alabama. The 'Cats are sitting at 4-4 (1-4) and look to grab a much needed win to keep heading towards bowl eligibility. If the Bulldogs want to win this one they will need to stay focused for the entire game, because these 'Cats have some talents that could surprise you. That wasn't one of them, though...
KEYS TO THE GAME -
OFFENSE - Part of the Bulldogs' lack-luster performance last week can be attributed to missing some key players. Center J.C. Brignone missed the first half, while top RB Vick Ballard was held out of the entire game due to a sprained ankle sustained the week before. In Ballard's absence LaDarius Perkins pulled the majority of the running duties and performed admirably. Derek DePasquale's five field goals in last week's win over UAB gives MSU some confidence in their kicking game, as well.
Most, if not all, of the missing players last week will return to see playing time this week, so the key here is execution. Kentucky's running defense is weak to say the least, so look for MSU to pound the ball early and often.
DEFENSE - The offensive threat from Kentucky will mostly be in the air this week, especially with news that top Wildcats running back Derrick Locke will not make the trip this weekend due to a nagging shoulder injury. The problem is if the Bulldogs are susceptible to an offensive attack, it's through the air. The UAB QB lit the MSU secondary up pretty much all night. Our secondary must be up to the challenge if they want to keep the game in hand.
BOTTOM LINE -
On paper it looks like a fairly favorable match-up, but will the Bulldogs remain focused now that they know they're bowl-bound? A slip up here, loss of concentration there, and there could be some unhappy Dogs in Starkville. MSU must stay focused, and continue their outstanding streak of not turning the ball over to win this battle.
WILD AND WOOLLY PREDICTION -
MSU 41 UK 21
REALISTIC PREDICTION -
MSU 28 UK 24
Outstanding work, no? Now then... Congratulations are in order as the Bulldogs managed to pull their collective act together and come away from a potential let-down game with a W. UAB proved to be almost more than MSU could handle, but the Bulldogs came away with a win thanks to some really solid work in the kicking game.
This week is special, not just because the Bulldogs are 6-2 in October and bowl eligible with 4 games left to improve their bowl stock, but because it's also Halloween! This is probably my favorite holiday... it started when I was a kid ("Wait... everyone we know is just GIVING AWAY CANDY?!") but now it's more about dressing up as someone completely different, or not even real, and stepping outside yourself for a night. People tend to relax a little more, let their guard down, and just generally have a good time.
So in honor of Halloween and all the ZombieDawgs that will be at the game this weekend, this week's song is...
BREAKING BENJAMIN - PHASE
Out of the ground I rise to grace.
Nobody knows it's just a phase.
Help me I'm out of breath again,
Nobody knows somewhere to make it go away...
It's just a phase,
And I can't wait...
Phase,
Phase,
Phase,
Phase.
I know, I know, I know...
iI's just a fucking phase!
IM DRAINED TIME TO FAKE AND DELAY!
WATCH THE PENNY DROP,
LET IT GO UP AND IN DROP,
THEN WATCH IT ROLL LET’S
ALL MOURN TILL I SURVIVE INSIDE YOU!
The opponent this week is a surly Kentucky Wildcats team that knocked off a talented South Carolina team a week after they defeated #1 Alabama. The 'Cats are sitting at 4-4 (1-4) and look to grab a much needed win to keep heading towards bowl eligibility. If the Bulldogs want to win this one they will need to stay focused for the entire game, because these 'Cats have some talents that could surprise you. That wasn't one of them, though...
KEYS TO THE GAME -
OFFENSE - Part of the Bulldogs' lack-luster performance last week can be attributed to missing some key players. Center J.C. Brignone missed the first half, while top RB Vick Ballard was held out of the entire game due to a sprained ankle sustained the week before. In Ballard's absence LaDarius Perkins pulled the majority of the running duties and performed admirably. Derek DePasquale's five field goals in last week's win over UAB gives MSU some confidence in their kicking game, as well.
Most, if not all, of the missing players last week will return to see playing time this week, so the key here is execution. Kentucky's running defense is weak to say the least, so look for MSU to pound the ball early and often.
DEFENSE - The offensive threat from Kentucky will mostly be in the air this week, especially with news that top Wildcats running back Derrick Locke will not make the trip this weekend due to a nagging shoulder injury. The problem is if the Bulldogs are susceptible to an offensive attack, it's through the air. The UAB QB lit the MSU secondary up pretty much all night. Our secondary must be up to the challenge if they want to keep the game in hand.
BOTTOM LINE -
On paper it looks like a fairly favorable match-up, but will the Bulldogs remain focused now that they know they're bowl-bound? A slip up here, loss of concentration there, and there could be some unhappy Dogs in Starkville. MSU must stay focused, and continue their outstanding streak of not turning the ball over to win this battle.
WILD AND WOOLLY PREDICTION -
MSU 41 UK 21
REALISTIC PREDICTION -
MSU 28 UK 24
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Keep on Rollin'
Congratulations are in order... The Bulldogs of Mississippi State University are ranked #24 in both the AP and Coaches polls for the first time in just under a decade. If you remember my pre-game blog for the Florida game last week, you'll see I gave the Bulldogs a fighting chance to come away with the win, which they did.
Now comes relatively unknown territory for MSU, as they are in the midst of their longest winning streak since 1999. This calls for some special attention from the coaches in order to keep the players' heads on straight. To take a page from Vince Lombardi, we need to act like we've been here before. So with that in mind, Mississippi State needs to keep on rollin' and keep up the momentum.
REO Speedwagon - Roll With the Changes
I knew it had to happen
Felt the tables turning
Got me through my darkest hour
I heard the thunder clapping
Felt the desert burning
Until you poured on me
Like a sweet sun-shower
So if you`re tired
Of the same old story
Oh, turn some pages
I`ll be here when you are ready
To roll with the changes
Ohhhhh, yeah....
The now 5-2 Bulldogs are playing for the opportunity to become bowl-eligible in October, which is a great feeling for the coaches, players and fans. But if ever there was a trap game, it's... NEXT WEEK! I'm serious, I just can't imagine Dan Mullen letting these Dawgs get so lazy that a team like UAB sneaks up and takes one from them. We will leave that to the Ole Miss Rebel Black Bears Country Jamboree and Petting Zoo's of the world. That being said, let's take a look at it anyway...
KEYS TO THE GAME -
OFFENSE - Facing the final non-conference opponent of the season the Bulldogs will likely look to jump out to an early lead, which would allow Dan Mullen to sub in several second and third string players. The benefits are two-fold. First off taking our starting lineup out of the game early keeps them from being injured and keeps them fresh for the upcoming games. Furthermore, the extra game-time snaps give much needed experience to the players in backup positions.
If MSU jumps out to a solid lead in the first half don't be surprised to see Tyler Russell in mop-up duty for much of the game. Russell needs these reps to become further acclimated to the speed of the game at the college level, as he will likely be the projected starter at QB next season.
DEFENSE - For the defense, Manny Diaz will probably not show a lot that we haven't seen yet. That's not to say the defense won't be blitzing a healthy amount of the time, but Diaz and Wilson will likely be rotating a lot of guys out on the Defensive side of the ball as well, so their main focus here will be getting game reps to backup players.
The defensive line has been more than satisfactory during this four game win streak, and the secondary has done their share as well. Any time you rotate newer players into the mix you will have some mistakes. The key for these young guys is to bounce back and make the stops.
BOTTOM LINE -
KEEP ON ROLLIN' - Mississippi State will become bowl eligible with a win this weekend. After that they face a Kentucky team on Halloween Eve that has been hot and cold this season. A win there and the Bulldogs will have a 6 game win streak and improve their bowl stock with each successive win. The end of the season is never easy, with games against Alabama, Arkansas and Ole Miss yet to come. When common sense dictates that the Bama and Arkansas games could very well be losses, racking up as many W's as possible is key to landing a desirable bowl berth.
WILD AND WOOLLY PREDICTION -
MSU 47 UAB 13
REALISTIC PREDICTION -
MSU 35 UAB 14
Now comes relatively unknown territory for MSU, as they are in the midst of their longest winning streak since 1999. This calls for some special attention from the coaches in order to keep the players' heads on straight. To take a page from Vince Lombardi, we need to act like we've been here before. So with that in mind, Mississippi State needs to keep on rollin' and keep up the momentum.
REO Speedwagon - Roll With the Changes
I knew it had to happen
Felt the tables turning
Got me through my darkest hour
I heard the thunder clapping
Felt the desert burning
Until you poured on me
Like a sweet sun-shower
So if you`re tired
Of the same old story
Oh, turn some pages
I`ll be here when you are ready
To roll with the changes
Ohhhhh, yeah....
The now 5-2 Bulldogs are playing for the opportunity to become bowl-eligible in October, which is a great feeling for the coaches, players and fans. But if ever there was a trap game, it's... NEXT WEEK! I'm serious, I just can't imagine Dan Mullen letting these Dawgs get so lazy that a team like UAB sneaks up and takes one from them. We will leave that to the Ole Miss Rebel Black Bears Country Jamboree and Petting Zoo's of the world. That being said, let's take a look at it anyway...
KEYS TO THE GAME -
OFFENSE - Facing the final non-conference opponent of the season the Bulldogs will likely look to jump out to an early lead, which would allow Dan Mullen to sub in several second and third string players. The benefits are two-fold. First off taking our starting lineup out of the game early keeps them from being injured and keeps them fresh for the upcoming games. Furthermore, the extra game-time snaps give much needed experience to the players in backup positions.
If MSU jumps out to a solid lead in the first half don't be surprised to see Tyler Russell in mop-up duty for much of the game. Russell needs these reps to become further acclimated to the speed of the game at the college level, as he will likely be the projected starter at QB next season.
DEFENSE - For the defense, Manny Diaz will probably not show a lot that we haven't seen yet. That's not to say the defense won't be blitzing a healthy amount of the time, but Diaz and Wilson will likely be rotating a lot of guys out on the Defensive side of the ball as well, so their main focus here will be getting game reps to backup players.
The defensive line has been more than satisfactory during this four game win streak, and the secondary has done their share as well. Any time you rotate newer players into the mix you will have some mistakes. The key for these young guys is to bounce back and make the stops.
BOTTOM LINE -
KEEP ON ROLLIN' - Mississippi State will become bowl eligible with a win this weekend. After that they face a Kentucky team on Halloween Eve that has been hot and cold this season. A win there and the Bulldogs will have a 6 game win streak and improve their bowl stock with each successive win. The end of the season is never easy, with games against Alabama, Arkansas and Ole Miss yet to come. When common sense dictates that the Bama and Arkansas games could very well be losses, racking up as many W's as possible is key to landing a desirable bowl berth.
WILD AND WOOLLY PREDICTION -
MSU 47 UAB 13
REALISTIC PREDICTION -
MSU 35 UAB 14
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Know Your Enemy
The Bulldogs did what was expected of them last Saturday with a solid win over a depleted Houston team. That win gave MSU it's first 3-game win streak since 2007... Meanwhile the upcoming Gators are experiencing some history of their own, but not the good kind, like you want. It seems Florida has lost back-to-back games for the first time since... 2007. So this match-up has some big-time implications for both schools.
Much has been made of the fact that Dan Mullen was the offensive coordinator for Florida during the 06 and 08 National Championship seasons. Mullen knows Urban Meyer and the much maligned Steve Addazio, who has replaced Mullen as OC for the Gators. Now obviously that works both ways, as the Florida staff is familiar with Mullen as well, but the bottom line is this knowledge could provide advantages to whomever makes the most of it... and so I give you:
Know Your Enemy
Hey yo, and get with this...uggh!
Word is born
Fight the war, fuck the norm
Now I got no patience
So sick of complacence
With the D the E the F the I the A the N the C the E
Mind of a revolutionary
So clear the lane
The finger to the land of the chains
What?
The land of the free?
Whoever told you that is your enemy
Now something must be done
About vengeance, a badge and a gun
So rip the mike, rip the stage, rip the system
I was born to rage against 'em
Now action must be taken!
We don't need the key,
We'll break in!
I've got no patience now,
So sick of complacence now.
I've got no patience now,
So sick of complacence now.
Sick of sick of sick of sick of you...
Time has come to pay...
Know your enemy!
Somewhere Zach de la Rocha's skin is crawling as I redefine his lyrics to describe college football instead of political revolution. So be it.
The Bulldogs enter this game in good position to keep their hopes of a bowl game alive, sitting at 4-2 on the season with 6 games left to play. Of those six, three are widely considered winnable, namely UAB, Kentucky and The Ole Miss Rebel Black Bears Jamboree and Petting Zoo.
That leaves games against Florida, Alabama and Arkansas, three perennial powerhouses of recent history in the SEC. Of these three, Florida looks to be the most winnable, and even beating a "bad" Florida team will improve post-season bowl stock for the Bulldogs.
KEYS TO THE GAME -
OFFENSE - The MSU offense appears to be firing on all cylinders after a rough start to the season. Chris Relf has improved his passing, leading to fewer INT's, and appears to have rediscovered his ability to run the ball when plays and pockets collapse. The key here is to continue the accuracy in the passing game. Florida's secondary is very talented and highly athletic, and sloppy passing is an open invitation to the pick-6 party.
Vick Ballard and the O-line will try to establish the running game, and have done so quite well in recent weeks, albeit against non-SEC competition. They must continue to refine their ground game and bust Florida in the chops in order to open up enough room for the passing game.
DEFENSE - Manny Diaz has the defense performing admirably, but that won't be enough to keep the Gators off the scoreboard this weekend. Even a Florida team sans Tebow and Harvin is still a legitimate scoring threat, and they are very fast at every position. It will be up to Diaz and the D to keep their heads on straight and focus on every play... go to sleep on one play and you'll wake up with a Gator in the end-zone.
John Brantley has been serviceable as a QB, however during the LSU game last week I noticed he spent an inordinant amount of time in the pocket on several plays, many of which resulted in lost yardage, lost downs or lost footballs. MSU will be blitzing from all sides, trying to get to Brantley and pressure him into making poor decisions with the ball.
BOTTOM LINE -
QB PRESSURE - Getting to Brantley is the key to winning this game. In the seconds or even milliseconds it takes for Brantley to recognize where the pressure is coming from, make a decision and move the ball the MSU secondary must lock down his options down the field. Show him a wall of Maroon and the Bulldogs have a fighting chance to saunter out of the Swamp winners. Show him swiss cheese and watch him shred it all day long.
WILD AND WOOLLY PREDICTION -
MSU 27 UF 21
REALISTIC PREDICITON -
MSU 17 UF 27
Much has been made of the fact that Dan Mullen was the offensive coordinator for Florida during the 06 and 08 National Championship seasons. Mullen knows Urban Meyer and the much maligned Steve Addazio, who has replaced Mullen as OC for the Gators. Now obviously that works both ways, as the Florida staff is familiar with Mullen as well, but the bottom line is this knowledge could provide advantages to whomever makes the most of it... and so I give you:
Know Your Enemy
Hey yo, and get with this...uggh!
Word is born
Fight the war, fuck the norm
Now I got no patience
So sick of complacence
With the D the E the F the I the A the N the C the E
Mind of a revolutionary
So clear the lane
The finger to the land of the chains
What?
The land of the free?
Whoever told you that is your enemy
Now something must be done
About vengeance, a badge and a gun
So rip the mike, rip the stage, rip the system
I was born to rage against 'em
Now action must be taken!
We don't need the key,
We'll break in!
I've got no patience now,
So sick of complacence now.
I've got no patience now,
So sick of complacence now.
Sick of sick of sick of sick of you...
Time has come to pay...
Know your enemy!
Somewhere Zach de la Rocha's skin is crawling as I redefine his lyrics to describe college football instead of political revolution. So be it.
The Bulldogs enter this game in good position to keep their hopes of a bowl game alive, sitting at 4-2 on the season with 6 games left to play. Of those six, three are widely considered winnable, namely UAB, Kentucky and The Ole Miss Rebel Black Bears Jamboree and Petting Zoo.
That leaves games against Florida, Alabama and Arkansas, three perennial powerhouses of recent history in the SEC. Of these three, Florida looks to be the most winnable, and even beating a "bad" Florida team will improve post-season bowl stock for the Bulldogs.
KEYS TO THE GAME -
OFFENSE - The MSU offense appears to be firing on all cylinders after a rough start to the season. Chris Relf has improved his passing, leading to fewer INT's, and appears to have rediscovered his ability to run the ball when plays and pockets collapse. The key here is to continue the accuracy in the passing game. Florida's secondary is very talented and highly athletic, and sloppy passing is an open invitation to the pick-6 party.
Vick Ballard and the O-line will try to establish the running game, and have done so quite well in recent weeks, albeit against non-SEC competition. They must continue to refine their ground game and bust Florida in the chops in order to open up enough room for the passing game.
DEFENSE - Manny Diaz has the defense performing admirably, but that won't be enough to keep the Gators off the scoreboard this weekend. Even a Florida team sans Tebow and Harvin is still a legitimate scoring threat, and they are very fast at every position. It will be up to Diaz and the D to keep their heads on straight and focus on every play... go to sleep on one play and you'll wake up with a Gator in the end-zone.
John Brantley has been serviceable as a QB, however during the LSU game last week I noticed he spent an inordinant amount of time in the pocket on several plays, many of which resulted in lost yardage, lost downs or lost footballs. MSU will be blitzing from all sides, trying to get to Brantley and pressure him into making poor decisions with the ball.
BOTTOM LINE -
QB PRESSURE - Getting to Brantley is the key to winning this game. In the seconds or even milliseconds it takes for Brantley to recognize where the pressure is coming from, make a decision and move the ball the MSU secondary must lock down his options down the field. Show him a wall of Maroon and the Bulldogs have a fighting chance to saunter out of the Swamp winners. Show him swiss cheese and watch him shred it all day long.
WILD AND WOOLLY PREDICTION -
MSU 27 UF 21
REALISTIC PREDICITON -
MSU 17 UF 27
Friday, October 8, 2010
The Spotlight is On...
The Bulldogs take on the Houston Cougars this Saturday, and it's fair to say the spotlight is on this game. The game has big implications on both sides of the ball, as Houston looks to defend the fourth longest home-winning-streak in the NCAA at 18 wins, and the Bulldogs look to grab a win that would have a definite impact on their hopes for a post-season game in Dec/Jan.
So yes, The Spotlight is On...
You know the one thing you're fighting to hold,
Will be the one thing you've got to let go.
And when you feel the wall cannot be burned,
You're gonna die to try what can't be done.
Gonna say stay out but you don't care.
Now is there nothing like that inside of you anywhere?
Oh just take the fall...
You're one of us.
The spotlight is on!
As I mentioned last week, MSU can ill afford to give up a game during this stretch if they intend to go Bowling for Dollars this year. This game has been circled on the calendar since some suspicious officiating and costly turnovers lost the game for the Bulldogs last year. At the start of the season this looked to be a great 'acid test' for MSU facing off against Case Keenum and the high-powered Houston offense. But unfortunately for the Cougars both Keenum and their 2nd string QB Cotton Turner were injured against the Bruins earlier in the season, leaving Houston to start their true freshman QB Terrance Broadway. And the hits just keep on comin', as Houston also loses top receiver James Clevleand for "a violation of team rules." (don't you just love obscure sports-speak? reminds me of Press-Hop...)
MSU looks to be relatively healthy on both sides of the ball this week with the exception of Nick Bell (brain mass, removed) and Marcus Green (torn ACL). Expect the Bulldogs to keep their fingers crossed, knock on wood, and maybe sacrifice a live chicken or two to keep the winning streak alive.
KEYS TO THE GAME -
OFFENSE -
Mississippi State must move the chains and take care of the ball. Simple and straight forward, nothing fancy needed to walk away with the win here. Limit turnovers and get some consistent production from Relf (or Russell, if you're feeling lucky, Dan) and the O-line. Relf should be able to tuck the ball and run to pick up a few first downs if the pocket collapses, and if he can connect on a deep ball or two to keep the D honest then things will be going the Bulldogs' way. It also wouldn't hurt if Ballard broke a run or two like Dixon did last season.
DEFENSE -
Control the corners! MSU has done an admirable job of stopping the run this season, especially up the middle, but they are soft around the edges. The Bulldogs must tighten down on the ends and hold their own in the secondary if they are to control the flow of this game. Are Keenum and Cleveland big losses for Houston's offense? Sure. Does that mean the Houston won't be able to move the ball? Don't count on it. Bryce Beall will carry a large portion of the load, and he is a quality running back. If MSU cannot lock down the edges Beall could break for a couple of game-changing runs.
BOTTOM LINE -
EXECUTION. No, not that kind of execution, the kind that allows MSU to move the chains and hang on to the ball. Relf cannot loft airy passes out over the center of the field. Ballard, Perkins, et al must hold on to the football. The O and D lines must make all of their assignments properly. Do these things and MSU walks away winning handily. Fail to execute at key times and the Bulldogs will drop a costly win to an out-of-conference team and make their up-hill climb to the postseason that much more difficult. The spotlight is on!
WILD AND WOOLLY PREDICTION -
MSU 45 UH 27
REALISTIC PREDICTION -
MSU 30 UH 27
So yes, The Spotlight is On...
You know the one thing you're fighting to hold,
Will be the one thing you've got to let go.
And when you feel the wall cannot be burned,
You're gonna die to try what can't be done.
Gonna say stay out but you don't care.
Now is there nothing like that inside of you anywhere?
Oh just take the fall...
You're one of us.
The spotlight is on!
As I mentioned last week, MSU can ill afford to give up a game during this stretch if they intend to go Bowling for Dollars this year. This game has been circled on the calendar since some suspicious officiating and costly turnovers lost the game for the Bulldogs last year. At the start of the season this looked to be a great 'acid test' for MSU facing off against Case Keenum and the high-powered Houston offense. But unfortunately for the Cougars both Keenum and their 2nd string QB Cotton Turner were injured against the Bruins earlier in the season, leaving Houston to start their true freshman QB Terrance Broadway. And the hits just keep on comin', as Houston also loses top receiver James Clevleand for "a violation of team rules." (don't you just love obscure sports-speak? reminds me of Press-Hop...)
MSU looks to be relatively healthy on both sides of the ball this week with the exception of Nick Bell (brain mass, removed) and Marcus Green (torn ACL). Expect the Bulldogs to keep their fingers crossed, knock on wood, and maybe sacrifice a live chicken or two to keep the winning streak alive.
KEYS TO THE GAME -
OFFENSE -
Mississippi State must move the chains and take care of the ball. Simple and straight forward, nothing fancy needed to walk away with the win here. Limit turnovers and get some consistent production from Relf (or Russell, if you're feeling lucky, Dan) and the O-line. Relf should be able to tuck the ball and run to pick up a few first downs if the pocket collapses, and if he can connect on a deep ball or two to keep the D honest then things will be going the Bulldogs' way. It also wouldn't hurt if Ballard broke a run or two like Dixon did last season.
DEFENSE -
Control the corners! MSU has done an admirable job of stopping the run this season, especially up the middle, but they are soft around the edges. The Bulldogs must tighten down on the ends and hold their own in the secondary if they are to control the flow of this game. Are Keenum and Cleveland big losses for Houston's offense? Sure. Does that mean the Houston won't be able to move the ball? Don't count on it. Bryce Beall will carry a large portion of the load, and he is a quality running back. If MSU cannot lock down the edges Beall could break for a couple of game-changing runs.
BOTTOM LINE -
EXECUTION. No, not that kind of execution, the kind that allows MSU to move the chains and hang on to the ball. Relf cannot loft airy passes out over the center of the field. Ballard, Perkins, et al must hold on to the football. The O and D lines must make all of their assignments properly. Do these things and MSU walks away winning handily. Fail to execute at key times and the Bulldogs will drop a costly win to an out-of-conference team and make their up-hill climb to the postseason that much more difficult. The spotlight is on!
WILD AND WOOLLY PREDICTION -
MSU 45 UH 27
REALISTIC PREDICTION -
MSU 30 UH 27
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
The Day After: Alcorn
So there's not much to say here, since I did not have the benefit of recording the game Saturday (thanks Fox, you money-grubbing whores). However good friend and contributor to the House of Hooch, KOMSCUBFAN, has informed me I can catch a replay on CSS tomorrow, so I may say "I was wrong...this changes everything" but let's be honest, that's not likely to happen, now is it?
The general consensus is that we did what we were expected to do, and I agree with that to some extent. We won handily, and I don't think any but the most paranoid of fans in the stadium ever thought we were in danger of losing. We tried to give Tyler Russell of few reps, and although he connected with a couple of 20+ yard passes his performance was, on the whole, not impressive. Granted he's a red-shirt freshman and he will improve with time, but he's not as physical of shifty as Relf, so when the pocket collapses he's not going to pick up as many yards with his feet.
My disappointment in the defense really stems from vanity. I WANTED a shutout. I predicted 7-10 points. We gave them 16. A lot of credit goes to Alcorn's QB Brandon Bridge, who broke a 78 yard run on the Bulldog's D. I believe I "suggested" that Relf should be taking notes directly following that play. I will say Relf has gotten better as the season has progressed about knowing when to tuck the ball and run, but he'll never be on the level of the Michael Vick's and Tim Tebow's of the world (then again, not many of us are, for better or worse, right Vicky, you puppy-pounder? Karma is a bitch, ain't it...).
After I review the game I may amend this entry, or I may just leave it... it is, after all, just like the win. It'll do.
The general consensus is that we did what we were expected to do, and I agree with that to some extent. We won handily, and I don't think any but the most paranoid of fans in the stadium ever thought we were in danger of losing. We tried to give Tyler Russell of few reps, and although he connected with a couple of 20+ yard passes his performance was, on the whole, not impressive. Granted he's a red-shirt freshman and he will improve with time, but he's not as physical of shifty as Relf, so when the pocket collapses he's not going to pick up as many yards with his feet.
My disappointment in the defense really stems from vanity. I WANTED a shutout. I predicted 7-10 points. We gave them 16. A lot of credit goes to Alcorn's QB Brandon Bridge, who broke a 78 yard run on the Bulldog's D. I believe I "suggested" that Relf should be taking notes directly following that play. I will say Relf has gotten better as the season has progressed about knowing when to tuck the ball and run, but he'll never be on the level of the Michael Vick's and Tim Tebow's of the world (then again, not many of us are, for better or worse, right Vicky, you puppy-pounder? Karma is a bitch, ain't it...).
After I review the game I may amend this entry, or I may just leave it... it is, after all, just like the win. It'll do.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Knee-Jerk Reaction: Alcorn
Meh.
A guy a few rows behind us took a survey late in the third quarter to ask if anyone else felt like our 35-16 lead felt more like a loss than a win. Most folks said 'push' and I agree.
Tyler Russell either had a bad game or is NOT as good as advertised. Relf made some mistakes but kept his composure. The D was disappointing. Refer to my score predictions to see why.
The Day After comes tomorrow... but thanks to the Fox/DishNetwork debacle, I do not have the benefit of watching a recording of the game. So we'll just see what happens...
A guy a few rows behind us took a survey late in the third quarter to ask if anyone else felt like our 35-16 lead felt more like a loss than a win. Most folks said 'push' and I agree.
Tyler Russell either had a bad game or is NOT as good as advertised. Relf made some mistakes but kept his composure. The D was disappointing. Refer to my score predictions to see why.
The Day After comes tomorrow... but thanks to the Fox/DishNetwork debacle, I do not have the benefit of watching a recording of the game. So we'll just see what happens...
Friday, October 1, 2010
All I Want is a Win...
Just keep the ball rollin, baby! There's nothing like a win to cure what ails ya...
After the lack-luster performance in Death Valley the Bulldogs rallied to take care of business in the Bone Yard (that's my thing, I'm starting it... you heard it here first) against those back-of-the-pack Dawgs from the East.
This week the Bulldogs face a foe from SWAC in Alcorn State. So that means it's time for another theme song...
All I Do Is Win
All I Do is win win win no matter what.
got money on mind can never get enough,
and everytime I step up in the building...
everybody hands go UP!
and they stay there!
and they say yeah!
and they stay there!
Up down, up down, up down...
cause all I do is win win win...
and if you goin’ in put your hands in the air,
Make 'em stay there!
Now I know what you're thinking... Mr. Hooch, aren't you kinda "phoning it in" with this song? The answer may surprise you...
Yes. Yes I am. I am phoning it in by using the team's theme song for this week's theme song, but there is a very good reason. You see this is a preemptive "phone in" I am delivering with the hopes that the team won't do the same on the field Saturday.
MSU faces an undefeated opponent Saturday in Alcorn State, and even the lesser SEC teams often find themselves lacking the same emotion and intensity they have when facing other SEC schools as opposed to members of CUSA, SWAC, etc. You had better believe the Braves are planning on walking out of Starkville undefeated.
On the other side of the coin, MSU absolutely NEEDS this win. Don't believe me? Look at the rest of the schedule...
Houston, Florida, UAB, Kentucky, Alabama, Arkansas, Ole Miss.
How many of those are YOU counting as wins? A realistic/conservative estimate would be 3-4. Florida, Bama and OM are road games, and any SEC team can tell you that's never an easy task. Sure the Rebel's season looks to be circling the bowl already with loses to Vandy and Jacksonville State, but anyone can tell you when it comes to the Egg Bowl, throw the records out and get ready for some smash-mouth football.
If MSU gives up even one game among Alcorn, Houston, UAB, Kentucky or OM it could end up preventing them from going bowling in the post season. So let's get to the nitty-gritty.
KEYS TO THE GAME -
OFFENSE - Chris Relf took all the snaps against Georgia, but Coach Dan Mullen claims that Tyler Russell will see action this weekend and the 2 QB rotation is still in full effect. The game had to be a great confidence boost for Relf and the rest of the offense, even if Georgia did gift-wrap the game for us with some major penalties at bad times. The offense must carry that momentum forward and stay fired up. Anything less than 30 points will be unsatisfactory considering the level of competition we're facing. There's a lot riding on it...
DEFENSE - The Bulldog Defense did a decent job of keeping the other BulldAWGS out of the endzone until a late score in the 4th. Manny Diaz continues to improve and refine his schemes, seeming like a mad scientist with his constant tinkering, but hey, if it works, do it. But did it really work, or did we get a helping hand from the Georgia penalties? It's a very chickeny-eggy question.
BOTTOM LINE -
FOCUS - This will be the deciding factor in Saturday's contest. If the Bulldogs stay focused and keep their eyes on the prize, they walk away winning handily. Lose focus and the Braves could snatch a win from MSU before they know what hit them.
WILD AND WOOLLY PREDICTION:
MSU 35 ASU 6
REALISTIC PREDICITION:
MSU 30 ASU 13
And I'll leave you with another quote from this week's theme song... Al Davis said it best, just win, baby, win!
Snoop:
I hung with the worst of them,
bust till I burst on em,
floss em up, toss em up, Hardaway, boss em up.
pardon me I bossing the pressure up, bless ya bruh.
don’t wanna mess with us,
we like the U in the 80’s.
back to back set a trap,
hit the lick, hit it back,
hit the trick, jump the track,
bitch I want my money back!
time and time again while I’m sippin on this gin...
Al Davis said it best, just win baby win!
After the lack-luster performance in Death Valley the Bulldogs rallied to take care of business in the Bone Yard (that's my thing, I'm starting it... you heard it here first) against those back-of-the-pack Dawgs from the East.
This week the Bulldogs face a foe from SWAC in Alcorn State. So that means it's time for another theme song...
All I Do Is Win
All I Do is win win win no matter what.
got money on mind can never get enough,
and everytime I step up in the building...
everybody hands go UP!
and they stay there!
and they say yeah!
and they stay there!
Up down, up down, up down...
cause all I do is win win win...
and if you goin’ in put your hands in the air,
Make 'em stay there!
Now I know what you're thinking... Mr. Hooch, aren't you kinda "phoning it in" with this song? The answer may surprise you...
Yes. Yes I am. I am phoning it in by using the team's theme song for this week's theme song, but there is a very good reason. You see this is a preemptive "phone in" I am delivering with the hopes that the team won't do the same on the field Saturday.
MSU faces an undefeated opponent Saturday in Alcorn State, and even the lesser SEC teams often find themselves lacking the same emotion and intensity they have when facing other SEC schools as opposed to members of CUSA, SWAC, etc. You had better believe the Braves are planning on walking out of Starkville undefeated.
On the other side of the coin, MSU absolutely NEEDS this win. Don't believe me? Look at the rest of the schedule...
Houston, Florida, UAB, Kentucky, Alabama, Arkansas, Ole Miss.
How many of those are YOU counting as wins? A realistic/conservative estimate would be 3-4. Florida, Bama and OM are road games, and any SEC team can tell you that's never an easy task. Sure the Rebel's season looks to be circling the bowl already with loses to Vandy and Jacksonville State, but anyone can tell you when it comes to the Egg Bowl, throw the records out and get ready for some smash-mouth football.
If MSU gives up even one game among Alcorn, Houston, UAB, Kentucky or OM it could end up preventing them from going bowling in the post season. So let's get to the nitty-gritty.
KEYS TO THE GAME -
OFFENSE - Chris Relf took all the snaps against Georgia, but Coach Dan Mullen claims that Tyler Russell will see action this weekend and the 2 QB rotation is still in full effect. The game had to be a great confidence boost for Relf and the rest of the offense, even if Georgia did gift-wrap the game for us with some major penalties at bad times. The offense must carry that momentum forward and stay fired up. Anything less than 30 points will be unsatisfactory considering the level of competition we're facing. There's a lot riding on it...
DEFENSE - The Bulldog Defense did a decent job of keeping the other BulldAWGS out of the endzone until a late score in the 4th. Manny Diaz continues to improve and refine his schemes, seeming like a mad scientist with his constant tinkering, but hey, if it works, do it. But did it really work, or did we get a helping hand from the Georgia penalties? It's a very chickeny-eggy question.
BOTTOM LINE -
FOCUS - This will be the deciding factor in Saturday's contest. If the Bulldogs stay focused and keep their eyes on the prize, they walk away winning handily. Lose focus and the Braves could snatch a win from MSU before they know what hit them.
WILD AND WOOLLY PREDICTION:
MSU 35 ASU 6
REALISTIC PREDICITION:
MSU 30 ASU 13
And I'll leave you with another quote from this week's theme song... Al Davis said it best, just win, baby, win!
Snoop:
I hung with the worst of them,
bust till I burst on em,
floss em up, toss em up, Hardaway, boss em up.
pardon me I bossing the pressure up, bless ya bruh.
don’t wanna mess with us,
we like the U in the 80’s.
back to back set a trap,
hit the lick, hit it back,
hit the trick, jump the track,
bitch I want my money back!
time and time again while I’m sippin on this gin...
Al Davis said it best, just win baby win!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Killin Time
Well, it was a less-than-stellar performance by the visiting Bulldogs last Saturday that resulted in the lopsided 29-7 score against LSU. If only the Dogs had taken to heart what I said in my last blog about taking care of the football... but alas, it wasn't meant to be.
No matter. It's a new week and time for a new foe... and of course, a new theme song!
Killing Time - Hed (P.E.)
I keep my eyes on the stars,
That's where I come from.
Belt of Orion.
Son of a sun God.
You know my name, I'm the conqueror...
The Lion-King,
Kamehameha, come.
Twenty-twelve, come 12 tribes, come 12 strands, come 12 lives.
12 steps, 12 months, 12 muthafuckers...
All make bail, kicked 'cause of the crowded jails.
Sex and violence sells...
12 serial killers, 12 dead without a trail or trace,
It's prime time, the fight night, pay-per-view, suicide,
The Bee-Sting-Butterfly!
So... is MSU just killing time? This weekend will tell the tale...the Bulldogs face a Georgia team that began the season ranked in the top 25 before putting together a 1-2(0-2) record. Georgia and Mississippi State have played eerily similar opponents thus far in the season, with Georgia losing at South Carolina, and again at home in a heartbreaker against Arkansas. Meanwhile Mississippi State first lost at home in a close game to Auburn before going on the road to Tiger Stadium where they all but handed the game to LSU.
This match-up is one that both fan bases are viewing as a "must win" game, and no one knows that better than the coaches and players.
KEYS TO THE GAME -
OFFENSE - It's not Christmas yet, so for Christ's sake STOP GIVING THE BALL AWAY! Chris Relf and Tyler Russell combined to throw SEVEN interceptions in last week's game. I couldn't find any record of a collegiate football team winning a game after giving up 7 turnovers... but I did find this. Guess that last one was just a bit too much, huh?
DEFENSE - The MSU defense looked great in the second half against Auburn, and carried much of that momentum forward to the first half of their match-up with LSU, holding the tigers to 4 field goals and no TD's in the first half. However they could not keep up the pressure in the second half, whether it was due to effort, mistakes or coaching. The defense will catch a break with prospective-NFL receiver AJ Green being suspended for this weekend's game, though.
QUARTERBACKS - Will Chris Relf finally emerge as a true starting quarterback? Will Russell usurp Relf and take the helm? Will EITHER of them manage not to throw any INT's? Why do I sound like the end of an episode of Soap? The 2 QB system has it's advantages, and they will likely be easier to see this weekend than in the past three games. Still, it's up to the QB's to get the ball in the hands of the right guys at the right times.
BOTTOM LINE - Who wants it the most? That's who's going to win this weekend. Obviously taking care of the ball is key, so if the Bulldogs are plagued by turnovers again this weekend look for some drastic changes on the offensive side of the ball. But both Georgia and MSU badly need this win to make their way towards the post-season.
WILD AND WOOLLY PREDICTION -
MSU 21 GA 14
REALISTIC PREDICTION -
MSU 14 GA 21
No matter. It's a new week and time for a new foe... and of course, a new theme song!
Killing Time - Hed (P.E.)
I keep my eyes on the stars,
That's where I come from.
Belt of Orion.
Son of a sun God.
You know my name, I'm the conqueror...
The Lion-King,
Kamehameha, come.
Twenty-twelve, come 12 tribes, come 12 strands, come 12 lives.
12 steps, 12 months, 12 muthafuckers...
All make bail, kicked 'cause of the crowded jails.
Sex and violence sells...
12 serial killers, 12 dead without a trail or trace,
It's prime time, the fight night, pay-per-view, suicide,
The Bee-Sting-Butterfly!
So... is MSU just killing time? This weekend will tell the tale...the Bulldogs face a Georgia team that began the season ranked in the top 25 before putting together a 1-2(0-2) record. Georgia and Mississippi State have played eerily similar opponents thus far in the season, with Georgia losing at South Carolina, and again at home in a heartbreaker against Arkansas. Meanwhile Mississippi State first lost at home in a close game to Auburn before going on the road to Tiger Stadium where they all but handed the game to LSU.
This match-up is one that both fan bases are viewing as a "must win" game, and no one knows that better than the coaches and players.
KEYS TO THE GAME -
OFFENSE - It's not Christmas yet, so for Christ's sake STOP GIVING THE BALL AWAY! Chris Relf and Tyler Russell combined to throw SEVEN interceptions in last week's game. I couldn't find any record of a collegiate football team winning a game after giving up 7 turnovers... but I did find this. Guess that last one was just a bit too much, huh?
DEFENSE - The MSU defense looked great in the second half against Auburn, and carried much of that momentum forward to the first half of their match-up with LSU, holding the tigers to 4 field goals and no TD's in the first half. However they could not keep up the pressure in the second half, whether it was due to effort, mistakes or coaching. The defense will catch a break with prospective-NFL receiver AJ Green being suspended for this weekend's game, though.
QUARTERBACKS - Will Chris Relf finally emerge as a true starting quarterback? Will Russell usurp Relf and take the helm? Will EITHER of them manage not to throw any INT's? Why do I sound like the end of an episode of Soap? The 2 QB system has it's advantages, and they will likely be easier to see this weekend than in the past three games. Still, it's up to the QB's to get the ball in the hands of the right guys at the right times.
BOTTOM LINE - Who wants it the most? That's who's going to win this weekend. Obviously taking care of the ball is key, so if the Bulldogs are plagued by turnovers again this weekend look for some drastic changes on the offensive side of the ball. But both Georgia and MSU badly need this win to make their way towards the post-season.
WILD AND WOOLLY PREDICTION -
MSU 21 GA 14
REALISTIC PREDICTION -
MSU 14 GA 21
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Shake it off...
Well, despite all the opportunities our beloved Bulldogs snatched defeat from the jaws of victory last Thursday, losing to Auburn 17-14. Ignoring the 10 points AU scored from our two costly turnovers on offense, the WR's dropped about 6 passes in the 2nd half (a half which also saw our defense blank the Tigers), 1-2 of which could've broken for big-time plays and potential scores. Also there was a near interception on defense that could've resulted in a pick-6, but alas it was not to be.
But that's ok, it's a new week, and a new foe, so it's time to shake it off...
THEME SONG THIS WEEK -
The Donnas - Take It Off
Go on and take it off
(echo) Take it off!
You gotta shake it off baby, for me
C'mon and break me off
(echo) Break me off!
'Cause I get what I want and I like what I see!
This week the Bulldogs face another set of Tigers... The Bayou Bengals. Going on the road in the SEC is never easy, and winning at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge has proven to be a tough task for the Bulldogs in the last decade. Through the first two games of the season LSU's defensive front is putting up solid numbers. There are some questions at the QB position, though, which could prove beneficial for MSU.
KEYS TO THE GAME -
DEFENSE - MSU's defense held Auburn scoreless in the second half of last Thursday's game. The defense will need to build on that success and maintain their momentum, as they face another dual-threat QB in Jordan Jefferson. Although Jefferson is not as "dyn-o-mite" as Cam Newton, he can run the ball. The Bulldogs will have to shut down the running game to try and force LSU to beat them through the air. If that happens, we have a shot.
OFFENSE - The MSU offense gave up two turnovers last week and Auburn monopolized on those opportunities big time. The offense must protect the ball and execute plays. The microscope will be focused on the WR's until they show they can make the catches they need to make. In order to open up the passing game I think you will see MSU try to run the ball a bit more this week, likely at the edges with some option plays before they try to send Ballard or Perkins up the middle. If they can move the chains with the running game the world is their proverbial oyster.
TURNOVERS - Turnovers have been a hallmark of MSU football in the last decade, but not the good kind like you like. For the Bulldogs to win they have GOT to protect the ball. They will likely need the help of a pick-6 to come out on top, though, so forcing turnovers is a must.
BOTTOM LINE - For the Bulldogs to get what they want and like what they see, they have to come out ahead in the turnover margin.
WILD AND WOOLLY PREDICTION -
MSU 24 - LSU 21
REALISTIC PREDICTION -
MSU 17 - LSU 27
I sure hope I'm a Woolly Bully come Saturday night...
But that's ok, it's a new week, and a new foe, so it's time to shake it off...
THEME SONG THIS WEEK -
The Donnas - Take It Off
Go on and take it off
(echo) Take it off!
You gotta shake it off baby, for me
C'mon and break me off
(echo) Break me off!
'Cause I get what I want and I like what I see!
This week the Bulldogs face another set of Tigers... The Bayou Bengals. Going on the road in the SEC is never easy, and winning at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge has proven to be a tough task for the Bulldogs in the last decade. Through the first two games of the season LSU's defensive front is putting up solid numbers. There are some questions at the QB position, though, which could prove beneficial for MSU.
KEYS TO THE GAME -
DEFENSE - MSU's defense held Auburn scoreless in the second half of last Thursday's game. The defense will need to build on that success and maintain their momentum, as they face another dual-threat QB in Jordan Jefferson. Although Jefferson is not as "dyn-o-mite" as Cam Newton, he can run the ball. The Bulldogs will have to shut down the running game to try and force LSU to beat them through the air. If that happens, we have a shot.
OFFENSE - The MSU offense gave up two turnovers last week and Auburn monopolized on those opportunities big time. The offense must protect the ball and execute plays. The microscope will be focused on the WR's until they show they can make the catches they need to make. In order to open up the passing game I think you will see MSU try to run the ball a bit more this week, likely at the edges with some option plays before they try to send Ballard or Perkins up the middle. If they can move the chains with the running game the world is their proverbial oyster.
TURNOVERS - Turnovers have been a hallmark of MSU football in the last decade, but not the good kind like you like. For the Bulldogs to win they have GOT to protect the ball. They will likely need the help of a pick-6 to come out on top, though, so forcing turnovers is a must.
BOTTOM LINE - For the Bulldogs to get what they want and like what they see, they have to come out ahead in the turnover margin.
WILD AND WOOLLY PREDICTION -
MSU 24 - LSU 21
REALISTIC PREDICTION -
MSU 17 - LSU 27
I sure hope I'm a Woolly Bully come Saturday night...
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Go time...
To borrow a phrase from the greatest show that never got a third season, Frisky Dingo, it's "Go time, mother-humpers!"
Tonight MSU faces Auburn in a truly pivotal game for both teams' seasons. A win for Auburn tonight sets the War Eagles/Tigers/Plainsmen/whatevertheHELLtheyarethisweek (snip-snap!) on the road to an Iron Bowl showdown with Alabama which will likely determine the SEC West participant for the SEC Championship game in Atlanta. A loss for Auburn and they are effectively out of the running unless they manage to run the table in the west, which is never an easy task.
On the other side of the coin, a win for MSU would lend some credence to the already mounting evidence that Dan Mullen and his Bulldogs are on the rise and are now a legitimate threat in the SEC. A loss doesn't end the season, but it leaves a lot of work left to be done if the Bulldogs are to make a bowl appearance this postseason.
There are a lot of subplots in this match-up, but none more compelling than the man under center for Auburn. Cam Newton, the new star QB, once studied under MSU head coach Dan Mullen while both were at Florida. Newton was all but sold on playing for MSU and Mullen until he suddenly changed his commitment to Auburn at the last minute. Comments made by Newton's father would lead Joe Fan to believe his son was too good to play for lowly MSU...
AND I QUOTE:
“He was leaning toward Starkville.,” Cecil Newton said to the Montgomery Advertiser. “He had that relationship with Dan Mullen and there was a comfort level there. I didn’t think that was the right place for Cam. They just don’t have all the moving parts. Cam was going to have to be the star. He’d have to do everything himself. I didn’t want him to be a rented mule.”
End quote.
The rented mule bit is too easy, so we won't go there. Suffice to say there will be no love lost between MSU's fans and Auburn's QB, but when hasn't that been the case? Dan Mullen did quite a job of game-planning for another QB he mentored last season, and although the Bulldogs fell to Florida, I expect to see more of this tonight.
After suffering through the last decade as an MSU fan, it's difficult for me to view tonight's game objectively. I'm trying to remain realistic, but in truth I want Auburn to feel like Felicity "Fat-tits" Finnegan when we get done with them this Thursday night ("Aw, so close to the weekend, that is rough...").
But in the end, my fandom wins out every time. I believe both teams have quality athletes on both sides of the ball. I'm not completely sold on Gene Chizik as a coach, although he looks a hell of a lot better than the Lane Kiffins of the world. One thing I do know, though... that Dan Mullen's crafty.
Hooch out!
Tonight MSU faces Auburn in a truly pivotal game for both teams' seasons. A win for Auburn tonight sets the War Eagles/Tigers/Plainsmen/whatevertheHELLtheyarethisweek (snip-snap!) on the road to an Iron Bowl showdown with Alabama which will likely determine the SEC West participant for the SEC Championship game in Atlanta. A loss for Auburn and they are effectively out of the running unless they manage to run the table in the west, which is never an easy task.
On the other side of the coin, a win for MSU would lend some credence to the already mounting evidence that Dan Mullen and his Bulldogs are on the rise and are now a legitimate threat in the SEC. A loss doesn't end the season, but it leaves a lot of work left to be done if the Bulldogs are to make a bowl appearance this postseason.
There are a lot of subplots in this match-up, but none more compelling than the man under center for Auburn. Cam Newton, the new star QB, once studied under MSU head coach Dan Mullen while both were at Florida. Newton was all but sold on playing for MSU and Mullen until he suddenly changed his commitment to Auburn at the last minute. Comments made by Newton's father would lead Joe Fan to believe his son was too good to play for lowly MSU...
AND I QUOTE:
“He was leaning toward Starkville.,” Cecil Newton said to the Montgomery Advertiser. “He had that relationship with Dan Mullen and there was a comfort level there. I didn’t think that was the right place for Cam. They just don’t have all the moving parts. Cam was going to have to be the star. He’d have to do everything himself. I didn’t want him to be a rented mule.”
End quote.
The rented mule bit is too easy, so we won't go there. Suffice to say there will be no love lost between MSU's fans and Auburn's QB, but when hasn't that been the case? Dan Mullen did quite a job of game-planning for another QB he mentored last season, and although the Bulldogs fell to Florida, I expect to see more of this tonight.
After suffering through the last decade as an MSU fan, it's difficult for me to view tonight's game objectively. I'm trying to remain realistic, but in truth I want Auburn to feel like Felicity "Fat-tits" Finnegan when we get done with them this Thursday night ("Aw, so close to the weekend, that is rough...").
But in the end, my fandom wins out every time. I believe both teams have quality athletes on both sides of the ball. I'm not completely sold on Gene Chizik as a coach, although he looks a hell of a lot better than the Lane Kiffins of the world. One thing I do know, though... that Dan Mullen's crafty.
Hooch out!
Friday, August 6, 2010
Welcome back, old friend...
It's the most wonderful time of the year...
Honestly, if they'd only start fall camp a week or two earlier it would literally be Christmas in July. Football is back and I am basking in it's warm and fuzzy glow. This is the greatest time of the year for all the fans, because it's all still out there, waiting to be played. Everyone's favorite team is undefeated and gearing up to run the table all the way to the National Championship game. The coaches and players are gearing up, working out, and practicing their asses off (if they know what's good for them).
As an out-and-out Mississippi State fan it's hard not to see the world through maroon-colored glasses right now, but I try to remain realistic. Even so, our program is definitely on the rise.
Since the end of what is commonly referred to as the "Croom Error" (pronounced "era", and yes that honestly is Sly Croom in that pic) Mississippi State has made a lot of headway in very little time. Fresh off the heels of a 5-7 season that saw the Bulldogs lose by narrow margins and marginal officiating against the nation's second toughest schedule (or first, depending on your sources) the Maroon and White looks to be much improved on both sides of the ball.
Second year head coach Dan Mullen enters his sophomore season at the helm with all the momentum he can muster. This offensive genius was a heavy contributor to Urban Meyer's win column as the offensive coordinator at Florida. And in his first season as head coach he took a team that performed abysmally under "Sly" Croom and pulled a complete 180. Much of the workload last season was borne by Anthony "Boobie" Dixon, who has since been signed by the San Fransico 49ers.
However with Dixon's graduation there is no one star on the offensive side of the ball for opposing coaches to game plan around. But this suits Mullen's system just fine. Mullen will be employing a spread option offense again this season, and with a taller and more athletic QB leading the offense the sky's the limit. The running back stable is full of talent in the likes of Vick Ballard and Nick Elliot, and it's up to these young men as to who will step up and fill Dixon's sizeable shoes.
On the defensive side of the ball, injuries plagued the Bulldogs last season, but as of the time this post was written the entire 2-deep rotation is in perfect health and looking strong. Players like Pernell McPhee (6'4" 285 lbs.) and James Carmon (6'7" 245 lbs.) will create all sorts of mismatch opportunities on the line, allowing Manny Diaz to install aggressive blitz packages from everywhere. This will hearken back to MSU's glory days on defense, when Joe Lee Dunn was the defensive coordinator for Jackie Sherrill.
And that's only the tip of the iceberg. For the first time this CENTURY the Bulldogs actually have depth at most of their positions. Nevermind that they are staring another pre-season top 5 strength of schedule in the face again. MSU faces defending National Champs Alabama, and preseason coach's poll favorites Florida (3), Arkansas (19) and Auburn (23) on the road. Dan Mullen is looking to win every single one of these games, and based on his and his team's performance last season, there's a chance he could pull it off.
But like I said, I try to remain realistic, and it is with that thought in mind that I present my best guesstimation of how the season will play out for the Bulldogs. I can see the Dogs finishing 5-7, I expect them to finish 6-6 and win their bowl game handily, and I would be ecstatic with 7-5 or anything better.
Mississippi State Bulldogs 2010 Schedule
Sept. 4 Memphis - W
Sept. 9 Auburn - L*
Sept. 18 at LSU - L
Sept. 25 Georgia - L
Oct. 2 Alcorn State - W
Oct. 9 at Houston - W
Oct. 16 at Florida - L
Oct. 23 UAB - W
Oct. 30 Kentucky - W
Nov. 6 OPEN DATE
Nov. 13 at Alabama - L
Nov. 20 Arkansas - L
Nov. 27 at Ole Miss - W
So this is how I see it playing out. First off we'll take the non-conference games. Memphis looks to be a cellar-dweller in an already out-matched CUSA match up, and the Bulldogs historically take care of business against Memphis even in their worst of seasons. Alcorn State and UAB, I mean you no disrespect, but these are pretty much a given.
The asterisk(*) beside the Auburn game is for one simple reason: This is the game that could define the Bulldogs' season. It's their first conference game, coming at home against a good Auburn team that will be marshaled by Cam Newton. This will be Newton's first SEC game, and the MSU defense will give him a waaaarm welcome. Also, Dan Mullen worked with Newton when both were in Florida, before Newton was dismissed and Mullen was hired away, so Mullen knows at least a bit about what to expect and what weaknesses Newton might exhibit. A win here gives the Dogs momentum going into a tough game at Tiger Stadium the next week, and LSU could get off to rocky start as well.
Assuming the Dogs go 1-1 in their first two SEC games that will give this team enough confidence in itself to know they can line up and beat any given team on any given day. A loss to Auburn could have the Bulldogs second guessing themselves before they even get started this season. It is for this reason I put the asterisk by the Auburn game, as a win in this game could launch the following alternate timeline:
Sept. 4 Memphis - W
Sept. 9 Auburn - W*
Sept. 18 at LSU - W
Sept. 25 Georgia - L
Oct. 2 Alcorn State - W
Oct. 9 at Houston - W
Oct. 16 at Florida - L
Oct. 23 UAB - W
Oct. 30 Kentucky - W
Nov. 6 OPEN DATE
Nov. 13 at Alabama - L
Nov. 20 Arkansas - W
Nov. 27 at Ole Miss - W
So now you're obviously thinking "I'll have whatever HE'S having." Nine wins? I mean this is Mississippi State, right? Right. This is Mississippi State. The same team that, in 1999, had several dramatic "come from behind" victories in the last 2 minutes or less of many of their games. The same team that in 1991 beat highly touted Texas 13-6. The same team that in 1980 defeated Alabama 6-3 and ended Alabama's all-time school record 28-game winning streak and all-time SEC record 27-game conference winning streak.
These Bulldogs are often underrated, and that will work to their favor this season. A word of warning to the perennial powerhouses of the SEC; Overlook these Dogs at your peril.
Aaahhhh... football is in the air. Can you feel it?
Honestly, if they'd only start fall camp a week or two earlier it would literally be Christmas in July. Football is back and I am basking in it's warm and fuzzy glow. This is the greatest time of the year for all the fans, because it's all still out there, waiting to be played. Everyone's favorite team is undefeated and gearing up to run the table all the way to the National Championship game. The coaches and players are gearing up, working out, and practicing their asses off (if they know what's good for them).
As an out-and-out Mississippi State fan it's hard not to see the world through maroon-colored glasses right now, but I try to remain realistic. Even so, our program is definitely on the rise.
Since the end of what is commonly referred to as the "Croom Error" (pronounced "era", and yes that honestly is Sly Croom in that pic) Mississippi State has made a lot of headway in very little time. Fresh off the heels of a 5-7 season that saw the Bulldogs lose by narrow margins and marginal officiating against the nation's second toughest schedule (or first, depending on your sources) the Maroon and White looks to be much improved on both sides of the ball.
Second year head coach Dan Mullen enters his sophomore season at the helm with all the momentum he can muster. This offensive genius was a heavy contributor to Urban Meyer's win column as the offensive coordinator at Florida. And in his first season as head coach he took a team that performed abysmally under "Sly" Croom and pulled a complete 180. Much of the workload last season was borne by Anthony "Boobie" Dixon, who has since been signed by the San Fransico 49ers.
However with Dixon's graduation there is no one star on the offensive side of the ball for opposing coaches to game plan around. But this suits Mullen's system just fine. Mullen will be employing a spread option offense again this season, and with a taller and more athletic QB leading the offense the sky's the limit. The running back stable is full of talent in the likes of Vick Ballard and Nick Elliot, and it's up to these young men as to who will step up and fill Dixon's sizeable shoes.
On the defensive side of the ball, injuries plagued the Bulldogs last season, but as of the time this post was written the entire 2-deep rotation is in perfect health and looking strong. Players like Pernell McPhee (6'4" 285 lbs.) and James Carmon (6'7" 245 lbs.) will create all sorts of mismatch opportunities on the line, allowing Manny Diaz to install aggressive blitz packages from everywhere. This will hearken back to MSU's glory days on defense, when Joe Lee Dunn was the defensive coordinator for Jackie Sherrill.
And that's only the tip of the iceberg. For the first time this CENTURY the Bulldogs actually have depth at most of their positions. Nevermind that they are staring another pre-season top 5 strength of schedule in the face again. MSU faces defending National Champs Alabama, and preseason coach's poll favorites Florida (3), Arkansas (19) and Auburn (23) on the road. Dan Mullen is looking to win every single one of these games, and based on his and his team's performance last season, there's a chance he could pull it off.
But like I said, I try to remain realistic, and it is with that thought in mind that I present my best guesstimation of how the season will play out for the Bulldogs. I can see the Dogs finishing 5-7, I expect them to finish 6-6 and win their bowl game handily, and I would be ecstatic with 7-5 or anything better.
Mississippi State Bulldogs 2010 Schedule
Sept. 4 Memphis - W
Sept. 9 Auburn - L*
Sept. 18 at LSU - L
Sept. 25 Georgia - L
Oct. 2 Alcorn State - W
Oct. 9 at Houston - W
Oct. 16 at Florida - L
Oct. 23 UAB - W
Oct. 30 Kentucky - W
Nov. 6 OPEN DATE
Nov. 13 at Alabama - L
Nov. 20 Arkansas - L
Nov. 27 at Ole Miss - W
So this is how I see it playing out. First off we'll take the non-conference games. Memphis looks to be a cellar-dweller in an already out-matched CUSA match up, and the Bulldogs historically take care of business against Memphis even in their worst of seasons. Alcorn State and UAB, I mean you no disrespect, but these are pretty much a given.
The asterisk(*) beside the Auburn game is for one simple reason: This is the game that could define the Bulldogs' season. It's their first conference game, coming at home against a good Auburn team that will be marshaled by Cam Newton. This will be Newton's first SEC game, and the MSU defense will give him a waaaarm welcome. Also, Dan Mullen worked with Newton when both were in Florida, before Newton was dismissed and Mullen was hired away, so Mullen knows at least a bit about what to expect and what weaknesses Newton might exhibit. A win here gives the Dogs momentum going into a tough game at Tiger Stadium the next week, and LSU could get off to rocky start as well.
Assuming the Dogs go 1-1 in their first two SEC games that will give this team enough confidence in itself to know they can line up and beat any given team on any given day. A loss to Auburn could have the Bulldogs second guessing themselves before they even get started this season. It is for this reason I put the asterisk by the Auburn game, as a win in this game could launch the following alternate timeline:
Sept. 4 Memphis - W
Sept. 9 Auburn - W*
Sept. 18 at LSU - W
Sept. 25 Georgia - L
Oct. 2 Alcorn State - W
Oct. 9 at Houston - W
Oct. 16 at Florida - L
Oct. 23 UAB - W
Oct. 30 Kentucky - W
Nov. 6 OPEN DATE
Nov. 13 at Alabama - L
Nov. 20 Arkansas - W
Nov. 27 at Ole Miss - W
So now you're obviously thinking "I'll have whatever HE'S having." Nine wins? I mean this is Mississippi State, right? Right. This is Mississippi State. The same team that, in 1999, had several dramatic "come from behind" victories in the last 2 minutes or less of many of their games. The same team that in 1991 beat highly touted Texas 13-6. The same team that in 1980 defeated Alabama 6-3 and ended Alabama's all-time school record 28-game winning streak and all-time SEC record 27-game conference winning streak.
These Bulldogs are often underrated, and that will work to their favor this season. A word of warning to the perennial powerhouses of the SEC; Overlook these Dogs at your peril.
Aaahhhh... football is in the air. Can you feel it?
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
The Competitour...
What follows is the amalgamation of all the posts made on our team blog for our Competitour in the summer of 2009. I have edited a bit to remove superfluous data and try to maintain the integrity of the thread... this is really more for me than anyone else, but there's definitely some good reading in here when I get to recapping the days/challenges.FYI I bolded the topic/title of the posts to keep it readable... >---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
day 1 is in the books
Day 6
When the levee breaks...
No tattoos....just hot-iron branding.
Jan/Sean
Team WEATHEHEKAWI
*
* handles: hooch, jmorgan811
* watch their videos: www.youtube.com/wea0728
* Team Name Challenge:
Jan & Sean are believed to be descendants of a long lost Native
American Tribe which is thought to have it's origins in
They were a nomadic people, however they were not believed to be very
good at tracking or navigation. As a result, the tribe tended to
stray from their intended course. Eventually the tribe disappeared
completely, and was thought to be lost forever. Recently
archaeologists have unearthed maps used by the Weathehekawai people.
Upon examination, these maps were found to be both incorrect and
incomplete. Legend has it that late at night during the full moon,
the ancient voices of the tribe members can still be heard calling out
to each other, trying to find their way home...
"Where The Heck Are We" Going?
Well, at this point we don't know. But soon our initial destination will be revealed. Then it's off to
Last edited by jmorgan811; 07-26-2009 at 07:47 PM.
This is a wonderful adventure for you guys. I'll be keeping up with you. I have also forwarded your email to some of my other family members (Kay, Tip, Bev, my sisters, etc.) so you'll have mucho gringos checking you out and keeping up with you. NumbaTwo - watch out for the European Sheilas!!! Love to both of you and good luck/bon chance/buena suerte/viel gluck (OK. That's all the languages in which I'm even remotely familiar with common phrases!!)
Art
how about the "Canadian Sheila's"
Don't worry about the European "Sheila's" - its the Canadian Sheila (aka Kismet) and Laura (aka
kismet
Well, Ifinally got it right, with your help.
Thanks for your help...Now I am good to go! I look forward to two weeks of exciting reports from exciting places, and I'm real excited! GOOD LUCK!
Danna
OK, Kids. I'm ready for some exciting news. It has been raining in KO (and in Starkvegas) for most of the time since you guys left. Being in the house, I'm looking for a little excitement. Help a boy out!! I figure you guys are probably about 8 hours ahead of us, so you're probably supping and wondering where you can buy a Swiss knife to help you in your quest. Yes, I'm bored. That's why I'm rambling!! Love both of you guys!!
Art
Very good one, Sheila! Eh?
Art
Do Us Proud!
Great article about your grand adventure in today's SDN! I'm very excited about following your progress!! I’ll have to admit to being a little worried after discovering that you’re genetically predisposed to getting lost, but I have confidence that you’ll do us proud.
Libby
day 1 is in the books
...and boy was it a doozy! We travelled all over
We have uploaded some videos of our challenges to http://www.youtube.com/wea0728 so check it out!
I will go in to more detail when I have some time, but it has been a wild ride today, as you will see in some of the videos. Tomorrow we fly to
-Sean aka Numba2, Stan, Hooch, and other unmentionables...
Old 07-30-2009, 03:44 PM
Sounds like you Yanks are off to a great start. I saw the reference to the
Art
Sounds FABULOUS!! Things on the homefront are relatively quiet. Lots and lots of rain, though. I'm excited about following your adventures.
Libby
Third place with a bullet!
Found the post-day 3 stats and see that you guys are in the thick of things. Great work! Just watched all the days 3 & 4 videos. See that Hooch ditched mom in favor of a brew. Wonder from where that inclination was passed down to him? Another beer-related question: When you guys were doing the "bobsled" thing, did you have to bribe the folks with free beer? I can tell that you guys are having a ball!!!
Art
better late than never...
Sorry for the delay in updating the blog, we've been working our tails off and it hasn't left much time for updating blogs and such. Let's recap day 2...
Stiegl Brewery tour...First of all, in our attempt to get to the brewery we managed to ride the number 27 bus the wrong way, twice. But I am now very familiar with a certain route around the city center and outlying areas. Once at the brewery we ate an interesting sausage and cheese platter...I liked it, Jan did not. The beer was gut, ya!
World's thinnest house...is, in a word, thin.
Pferdeschwemme... I went a little "Hi I'm Vince from Sham-Wow!" on it, but I think it works.
Through poor planning and even worse communication myself and several other competitouristas were turned away from Red Bull's Hangar 7, but no great loss...we made up for it last night.
More to come...
Edited to add: Sean will be writing all the blog stuff unless otherwise noted.
Last edited by jmorgan811; 08-01-2009 at 06:10 PM. Reason: because I frickin wanted to, ok?
Old 08-01-2009, 06:22 PM
...and then there was day 3
This day left us feeling like complete failures...yet somehow we managed to scrape together a spot at third place.
Kelsteinhaus (Eagle's Nest)... This was Hitler's little "home away from home." A bunker built into the side of a mountain, and it's gi-normous. We were practically breaking our arms patting ourselves on the back for all the research we did on this challenge beforehand, only to find that we were wrong about some things. Details aren't important, we got the points since it wasn't a Risk/Reward challenge, but we were bummed when some of the other teams informed us of our mistakes. It really was an interesting place, and all of the disturbing Nazi crap was confined to the
Toboggan run... yeeeaaahhhhh. Not so good. We did not have enough time to make it to any other challenges due to transportation woes, so we used a little resourcefulness to improvise a toboggan run of our own with two other teams. The judges must have taken pity on us, because they actually gave us points. Thanks guys!
One of the reasons we ran out of time was because we had to catch a train back to
And with that, day 3 was in the books!
Old 08-01-2009, 06:42 PM
and on the fourth day...
We had a deceptively good start to the day and thought the worst of our problems were behind us. Little did we know...
Viktualeinmarkt... after lucking out and getting 5 hours of sleep (I expected to get 1-2 tops) we made our way to Munich's premiere outdoor market, where we convinced some locals to show us a few different methods for eating a popular white sausage. Things went relatively smoothly and we were on to the next challenge...
Frauenkirche... Aside from walking right past an item we were looking for the first time, this challenge went well. In and out in around 30 minutes, and we were feeling good about our progress. No snags in travel or navigation...
Loden Frey... This is like the Macy's or Bloomingdale's of
...at this point it's around 2:30 or 3 in the afternoon. Our last challenge was to find two different sculptures in the city and say a little something about them. We knew it might be difficult to find them going in, but we tried anyway. We managed to find the first 'sculpture' with a little help, but as you can see in our video, it was removed very recently. No harm, no foul. There was still plenty of evidence that we were in the right spot. Off to find the last sculpture and wrap up this cake-walk of a day, right?
Wrong.
Nature's call precluded a direct trip to what we later discovered wasn't the correct spot. In the course of 5 minutes, thanks to oblivious hourly employees of random German restaurant, my teammate and I were sent out different doors to look for each other. We didn't see each other again for 2-3 hours.
Luckily my teammate came through (way to go, Mom!) and found the other location, where she discovered that this sculpture ALSO had been removed. Again, the evidence was overwhelming so we feel like we achieved our goals.
All in all not a bad day, possibly one of our better ones, but we will have to wait and see the scoring to know for sure. It's closing in on 2 am here now and I was planning to be in bed an hour ago, but I wanted to update everyone.
Tomorrow we take another swing at
Old 08-02-2009, 01:18 PM
You guys are kickin' some booty! WayToGo! First place is within reach. Keeping up with you has been a lot of fun. And, a note of interest...WZZQ 102, the defunct
Last edited by Art; 08-02-2009 at 01:26 PM.
Art
what day is it?
Days...blurring together...can't think straight!
We wrapped up
Koniglicher Hirschgarten... This was the king's private deer garden. Sounds lame until you walk in and realize the place is basically a giant beer garden that can accommodate up to 8000 people. We created a new brand name for raddler's, which the British would call a shandy...and some really kick-ass guys and gals helped us film the commercial. We also came up with a great new mascot for the place, so go check out the videos!
That was it for the challenges...well, for the challenges that were worth any points. Myself, Tyler and Steve had another challenge when we managed to board the wrong train, which had us arriving in
Old 08-05-2009, 12:06 PM
Hooch: Does this mean that your next adventure is going to be backpacking through
Art
Fallen to sixth place? Time to go out tonight and get good and drunk and don't even think about the competition. Just like we used to do every year at our district softball tournament at
Art
Fun, fun, fun?
Your videos indicated you guys were having a ball. The race results don't tell the whole story, I'm sure. Another adventure which you will never forget so, all things considered, it was...fun, fun, fun!!!! Have a safe trip home. A-Bomb is officially a kindergarten student. God save the
Art
I will try to update the final two days of the challenge for the blog when I have some time, maybe tonight. If you've been following the live scoring you know we didn't win, but we still had a blast, so I'll try and recount our adventures when I get the chance.
Congrats to Rad and Lanthy, and to everybody who was in the competition with us. We had a wonderful time, made some great new friends and had one of the best trips ever...what more could you want?
Hooch
Old 08-28-2009, 04:42 PM
Day 6
So it's a month later now, but I'll try to remember this as best I can...
It's all kind of a blur but I THINK this is the night that the Oedipus Gang supped along the
Hooch
Old 08-28-2009, 05:05 PM
When the levee breaks...
Day 7 was our undoing...
We entered the day in 2nd or 3rd place, but this day was full of surprises.
Day 7 was a 'double points' day and was also a '4 country mystery tour' day. We later found out that three of the four countries were the
We also did a little skeet shooting with laser rifles...no, not quite like the red and blue laser rifles from GI Joe. I scored second over all which I was pretty happy with considering I've shot a gun like twice before in my life.
But lasers aren't dangerous enough, so then we moved up to real crossbows. I still maintain that my crossbow's sight was off, because I was dead center for the first shot, which lined up vertically, but was off to the right by about a foot. So for the second shot I tried to adjust by shifting to the left a bit. Great, now I was only about half a foot off center. I tried to compensate on the third shot, but apparently I didn't do a very good job because all three bolts ended up right of center and we graded out pretty poorly.
...and finally, one of the coolest things we did this day. We go to
Hooch
Old 08-28-2009, 05:19 PM
the last day...
Just two challenges this day...we tried to get the most points possible to at least make it respectable.
Snow World... This. Was. Cool. (no pun intended) World's largest indoor skiing facility. I am an accomplished skier, having skied several times in my younger days in
Rail Biking... huh? Yeah that's what I said too, but this was pretty neat. Now it probably didn't blow me away like some of the other folks on the tour who have lived in big cities all their lives but I rather enjoyed it. We boarded a pedal-driven device and peddled our butts 14 kilometers along some old abandoned railroads with one twenty minute break in the middle. And half of that was UP HILL!!! Both ways! In the snow! wait...bah you get the idea.
And that's it...that was our last challenge. That night after we returned to
I made some great friends, had some incredible and wonderful experiences, and even though we didn't win I had a great time. And now I'm an official Competitourista! I wonder if there's a tattoo for that, like the Iron Man tattoo that Sheila from Team Serendipity is sporting...hm, I'll have to look into that.
Cheers!
Hooch
Old 08-29-2009, 10:31 PM
No tattoos....just hot-iron branding.
SteveB
Hooch
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