Wednesday Bulldog Update - 11/11/15
November 11, 2015
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Hearts are heavy at Mississippi State this week over the passing of two Bulldogs, a father and son taken from us far too soon. I had the pleasure of going to school with Keith Joseph Sr. when he was an outstanding linebacker for us, and I regret deeply I won't have the opportunity to get to know Keith Joseph Jr. as well. Both were great Bulldogs, talented football players who were just as respected and loved off the field as on.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and teammates of those men. This is a trying time for all involved and I am grateful for the Mississippi State family stepping up. On Thursday, we will host a memorial in the Humphrey Coliseum so that our campus community will have an opportunity to celebrate these lives. The ceremony begins at 12:30 p.m. and is open to all who wish to join us in remembrance.
As we move forward, the best way we can pay respect to the Josephs is to honor them in everything we do, to work just as hard and enjoy life just as much as they did. Keith Jr. was called MJ by those close to him and our team will be wearing decals with those initials on them for the rest of the season.
BIG FOOTBALL WEEKEND, SEC NATION IN TOWN
As you are likely aware, we have quite a big game this weekend when our 17th-ranked Bulldogs host No. 2 Alabama. Saturday will be this season's military appreciation game and, as such, I recommend being in the stadium well before kickoff to help us honor those who serve and have served us so passionately. We will be singing the National Anthem a capella, as we have done the last two years for this game, and a military trio of singers will lead us off. At halftime, the Famous Maroon Band will perform its always-popular patriotic show.
The SEC Nation show will also be in town, set up on Creelman Street on the south side of The Junction just like last year and, as a result, Creelman will be closed off Wednesday night through Saturday night. The show on Saturday morning starts at 9 a.m. and the producers have encouraged those who want to be in the pit to arrive early. Friday, the crew will be broadcasting for much of the afternoon, including the Paul Finebaum Show from 2-6 p.m., so I'd encourage those planning to set up tailgates that afternoon to arrive early and stay late to enjoy the show.
The crew said last year's experience at MSU was the best they'd ever seen and I look forward to having another incredible atmosphere this year.
Oh, and two more reminders for Saturday. First off, ring responsibly! We've done a great job of this the last couple years, and it's important that we continue abiding by the league's artificial noisemaker rule. Let's keep it up. Secondly, should the game go the way we plan and MSU wins, please stay in the stands during the ensuing celebration. Our players do a great job of coming up to the stands after every game, especially big wins. For their safety, and the safety of others, please respect our request to keep the field clear following the game.
DOUBLEHEADER BASKETBALL SEASON OPENER FRIDAY
As big as Saturday is, Friday night is going to be just as fun. We've got a doubleheader with our women's and men's basketball teams, in that order, as both squads open their season. We're expecting a big crowd and an incredible atmosphere for both as Coach Schaefer's team opens the campaign as a top 15 team and Coach Howland's Bulldogs make their debut under his guidance.
As we prepare for the games, a couple notes will help make Friday night as smooth as possible. First, women's basketball season ticket holders will be allowed to stay for the men's game, which will begin at 8 p.m. All seating for men's basketball is reserved so when the women's game is completed, women's basketball ticket holders who wish to stay will have to move to open seats. However, please be aware that if a men's ticket holder arrives and you are in their seats, you will need to relocate.
For those of you who have men's basketball season tickets, please be aware that your seats are only reserved for the men's game, so you may not ask someone to relocate until the completion of the women's game.
As for parking, we are operating under usual gameday guidelines for men's games, meaning lots A-E will be held for men's basketball season reserved parking pass holders. See our basketball parking map here.
With a football game the following day, as well as the early start for the women, parking may be difficult. With that in mind, we will have a dozen extra golf carts out picking people up and shuttling them back and forth between parking areas and The Hump. Parking near the Bost Extension Center and Newell-Grissom ought to be open. In addition, the Gameday Parking Assistance line will be open to provide information. You can reach the Gameday Parking Assistance line at 662-325-9114.
Tickets for the night are on sale now and one $15 ticket gets you in to both games. I look forward to seeing The Hump packed on Friday night.
MISSISSIPPI STATE GAMEDAY APP ADDING FEATURES
This weekend, the next phase of our official Gameday App will be launched with SportsLabs. Those who have the app should enable Bluetooth before entering Davis Wade Stadium or The Hump, as the new phase includes several amenities for those attending football and basketball games.
The app already features live in-game statistics and scores from around the country and, to further enhance your experience, it will now include alerts to help as you enter the stadium before the game and while you wait in concession lines, all by way of custom iBeacon and geo-fencing technology. Other phases to assist with parking and traffic updates will also be rolling out in the coming months. The app can be downloaded by searching for "Mississippi State Gameday" in your phone's app store.
WRAPPING UP THIS WEEK'S EMAIL IN MAROON AND WHITE
• Official word will be coming in over the course of the day, but I want to welcome all the new Bulldogs who have and will be signing with us as today opens the early signing period for all sports except football and soccer. We're thrilled to have you join the family and look forward to your careers in Maroon and White.
• If you missed it, we released our full softball schedule last week and we anticipate releasing our full baseball schedule later this week.
• In addition to basketball Friday, Coach McFatrich and the volleyball team will be hosting Auburn at 5 p.m., with a broadcast on SEC Network+.
• And lastly, good luck to our 17th-ranked women's cross country team in the NCAA South Regionals this weekend. Our ladies are picked to win, and the first and second place teams will advance to Nationals, which would be a first for our program. Our Bulldogs have had an excellent season under Coach Franks and we look forward to continuing to cheer them on.
We appreciate what you do for Mississippi State Athletics and want to encourage you to get others involved. There are three things you can do to help the athletic department at Mississippi State reach its desired goals –
1. Buy Season Tickets
2. Financially Support the Bulldog Club
3. Get Others To Do The Same
Thanks for taking the time to read this Update.
Hail State!
Scott Stricklin
