Graduation Rate

Over 70% of the 2001-2002 MSU freshman football class made it successfully through college. Only 32 other schools graduated over 70% and just 4 other SEC schools. It is nice to see that they are doing so well in the classroom and this is absolutely something to be proud of, but even so Croom still will not be getting any sympathy from me. That's just half the job, the other half is actually winning some games. Succeeding at 1 out of 2 just doesn't cut it.

Fire Ron Polk NOW.

Yes, I am completely serious about that headline. Why you ask? Is it because of the complete and utter collapse of the baseball team that we all knew was coming after that debacle last year? As of May 8 Mississippi State was 31-12. Then Polk proceeds to lead them to two straight losses to Austin Peay, 2 losses out of 3 to Georgia, and then 2 losses out of 3 to Alabama. Now MSU sits at 33-18 (15-13) and 4th in the SEC. Brilliant coaching job there Polk, but is this why I want him gone? No, not really although two straight embarrassing finishes to a season should at the very least put him on the hot seat. Per David Murray, Polk said this following yesterdays loss,

What happened this weekend was both teams accomplished what they wanted. Alabama got in the tournament, and we played well enough not to get swept.

WHAT?!?!?! That was the goal coming into the weekend?! Lets not get swept?!!!! THEN GET YOUR WORTHLESS ASS OUT POLK!!! Its painfully obvious he just doesn't give a crap anymore. If I was athletic director, I would of fired his butt on the spot after uttering that moronic statement. Knowing that clown Templeton though, he probably treated him to a steak dinner. Make sure to read through that thread that I linked. Quitman 81 is an idiot and a jackass and symbolizes all that is wrong with this fanbase. According to him, somehow its the all fans fault for this embarrassing collapse. Makes perfect sense to me seeing as how they are the ones coaching the team. Wait, nevermind, that's Ron "I hope we don't get swept" Polk. I apologize for the language, but I cannot tell you how furious I am right now.

Update: What a shock, that thread has mysteriously disappeared. If you didn't get a chance to read it, I'm afraid you missed out on quite a few laughs.

Goodridge On His Way Out and Other Things

Big day of posting ahead. Most of it will be bad news unfortunately, but what else would you expect out of MSU athletics. So, lets get to it. Vernon Goodridge has announced his plans to transfer to La Salle. Now looking at this event by itself and you don't think much of it. However, taken in the context that this is the 4th player to transfer out after this past year and personally I am getting a little worried. Not about how this will affect the on-court play of the team next year. Goodridge was a benchwarmer who by the end of the year was barely getting in the game even during garbage time. So from that perspective, the team is not losing much. What worries me is what may be the cause for all of these transfers. It is starting to get the feel of rats jumping off the sinking ship. Sure looking at the Goodridge transfer only and it is easy enough to say the explanation was he was not happy about playing time. What about the other three though, and what are the chances of four players leaving in a single season all because they are unhappy with their playing time? Something doesn't add up here but I won't speculate further. You can do that well enough on your own.

Sticking with basketball, apparently Jarvis Varnado and Phil Turner have been playing for the SCORE International team, whatever that is. The team went 5-0 with Varnado averaging 12.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg, and 4.2 bpg. He led the team in both rebounds and blocks. Turner was the third leading scorer on the team averaging 13 ppg. So, what can be taken from this? Umm...I don't know? I have no idea what level of competition they are playing so these numbers are more or less meaningless as far as I go. Just in case you are an avid follower of the SCORE team though, I thought I should let you know.

State Gets Peay'ed on Two Nights in a Row

It has been a long, long time since I mentioned anything about MSU baseball. It is about time to bring it back seeing as we are on the stretch run. Things have been looking up. Mississippi State had just come off a 3-game sweep of Auburn over the weekend giving them a 31-12 record. They were ranked #8 in the RPI and 3rd in the SEC overall. Hosting a regional was not only possible, but likely. Then Austin freakin' Peay sweeps them in the midweek series. How does that happen? Is this the beginning of a collapse reminiscent of last season? Two losses isn't any reason for the alarm bells to go off just yet, but when those two losses are to Austin Peay the thought tends to enter your head. From what I've read, Mississippi State is still in fairly good shape to host providing they take the upcoming weekend series at Georgia. So come on guys, lets pull it together.

NFL Undrafteds and Such

The dry period (for me at least) of the sports calender is nearly in full effect. Football and NCAA basketball are what get my juices going and neither is in sight. Baseball has never been able to hold my interest for more than an inning or so and probably never will. Golf? Nascar? Tennis? All unwatchable as far as I'm concerned. I enjoy watching the Chicago Bulls but otherwise the NBA does little for me either. Chicago is the only thing keeping me going as of now and it doesn't look like they'll be around much longer. Once they bow out, its nothing but a giant desert of sports until August and the return of football. Actually, real football doesn't begin until September, but by the time August rolls around I am usually so desperate that a pre-season NFL game feels like the Rose Bowl to me.

I digress though. That really wasn't supposed to be the point of this post at all. In case you are into this kind of thing, here are the MSU players who have been picked by the NFL thus far. Not surprisingly the vast majority were signed as undrafted free agents. Antonio Johnson(DT) was taken by Tennessee in the 5th round of the NFL draft and was the only Mississippi State player to be drafted. Jeramie Johnson(S) joined Jerious Norwood in Atlanta, Quinton Culberson(LB) signed with St. Louis, Andrew Powell(DT) signed with Baltimore, Bryson Davis(FB) got picked up by Cleveland, Deljuan Robinson(DE) signed with Houston, and finally Michael Heard(DE) was signed by Kansas City.

NCAA moving back the 3-point line

Not strictly MSU related, but too big to not pass along. Starting in the 2008-2009 season, the 3-point line will be moved back a foot. Technically the rules oversight committee still has to give its approval, but that is thought to be a done deal.