Thursdays With Greg Byrne - 4/2/09
bulldog-club@athletics.msstate.edu
WE ONLY THOUGHT WE WERE DONE TALKING BASKETBALL
Last week in this column, we led with a note that was entitled “Final Thoughts On Basketball.” Since that time, a few other items have come to our attention that need to be mentioned. First, we received this email:
“Mr. Byrne,
I have been meaning to send this email for a few days now. During the SEC men's basketball tourney my friends and I stayed at the same hotel as your team and pep band. I just wanted to let you know that we so enjoyed our time there, other than our team losing (we are UK fans).
Just wanted to let you know they represented your university in only positive ways that I could see. Rob and Lee from the pep band were especially memorable to me. By the way, congrats on your wins too.
Sincerely,
Marsha Poe”
We hope that you take as much pride in hearing how our team, band and cheerleaders represented our university when away from Starkville as we do, particularly from groups that have no attachment to Mississippi State University.
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SPECIAL CONGRATS GO OUT TO JARVIS AND ALEXIS
It was a great basketball season for both our men’s and women’s teams, as we mentioned last week. This week began with the Howell and Gillom Trophy presentations at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in Jackson, two awards given annually to the state’s top male and female basketball players. We were excited when our own Jarvis Varnado and Alexis Rack swept those honors for Mississippi State.
Jarvis is the third MSU player to win the Howell Trophy, joining Lawrence Roberts (2005) and Jamont Gordon (2008). Alexis is our first winner in just the second year of the women’s award. You can take pride in the fact that Jarvis and Alexis are both great people as well as great basketball players.
By the way, Mississippi State is the first school in the state to sweep the Howell and Gillom Trophies in the same year.
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GOVERNOR’S CUP BASEBALL GAME ON THE HORIZON
We hope that you will join the Central Mississippi Alumni Chapter in the left field picnic pavilion (Left Field Lounge South) at Trustmark Park, in Pearl, on Tuesday, April 14, to watch the Diamond Dawgs do battle with Ole Miss in the annual Governor's Cup game.
For $30 per person, fans will receive a ticket to the game and a trip through the Bulldog Baseball Buffet. If you have already purchased your ticket, you can still join in the fun and fellowship by purchasing a food/beverage wristband for $15.00. Children four or under will be admitted at no charge.
This year's game is sponsored by the Bulldog Club, Associated Architectural Products, Dr. Tommy Byrd and Florence Dental Clinic, and the local alumni chapter.
To purchase a ticket or wristband, contact Regina Bishop at 601-939-9230 or by email at dawgbish@comcast.net. Once an order is placed, make your check out to the "Central MS Chapter, MSU Alumni Assn.” and send it to: P.O. Box 653, Ridgeland, MS 39158. The alumni chapter will be taking reservations until 4 p.m. Friday, April 10. To purchase using a credit card, go to the Central Miss. Chapter’s website www.msu-alumni.com and click on the Governor’s Cup icon. There will be a small convenience fee charged for this transaction. Tickets will be available at the Central Miss. Chapter table outside the main gate at Trustmark Park starting at 4:30 p.m. on the day of the game. Seating is limited, so reserve your place in the picnic pavilion now.
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TRACK ATHLETE RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS SCHOLARSHIP
We mentioned recently in this column the outstanding academic exploits of some of our student-athletes. One in particular, track and field athlete Mitch Weegman, is of particular note. Mitch, a junior wildlife & fisheries major from Winona, Minn., is a member of the Shackouls Honors College. He was recently informed that he was selected a 2009 Goldwater Scholar.
A formal reception in honor of Mitch will be held before the end of the semester in order to celebrate his accomplishment and also acknowledge the faculty members who wrote letters on his behalf.
Here are a few more details about Mitch:
He's a member of the M-Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, MSU Chapter of the MS Wildlife Society, and serves as the Editor of the College of Forest Resources Dean's Council. He is also a published author (along with his twin brother, Matt) and has 2 more manuscripts under preparation. His research specialty is the Lesser Scaup, commonly known as the bluebill. He's been awarded the CFR Undergraduate Research Award. His career goal is to become a waterfowl biologist.
Here are some details about the Goldwater Scholarship:
Mitch competed with 1,096 students from all over the country (many from prestigious Ivy League schools) to win one of 278 awards for the 2009-10 academic year given to undergraduate sophomores and juniors.
Goldwater Scholars are selected on the basis of academic merit in the areas of mathematics, science, and engineering students who were nominated by the faculties of colleges and universities nationwide. The one- and two-year scholarships will cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500 per year. The Goldwater Scholarship is the premier undergraduate award of its type in these fields.
Goldwater Scholars have very impressive academic qualifications that have garnered the attention of prestigious post-graduate fellowship programs. Recent Goldwater Scholars have been awarded 73 Rhodes Scholarships, 102 Marshall Awards (7 of the 40 awarded in the United States in 2009), and numerous other distinguished fellowships. In its 21-year history, the Foundation has awarded 5,801 scholarships worth approximately $56 million.
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FOOTBALL IN THE NEWS AS SBW APPROACHES
Mississippi State fans have a unique opportunity to join in the fun as a head coach during the Maroon-White football game on Super Bulldog Weekend, April 18. An online auction has begun on our athletic department’s official website - www.MStateAthletics.com - and fans can bid now.
Fans that have existing Dog Tag accounts should log in with their normal account information. They will be able to monitor their auction history through their account. Those that do not have existing accounts should simply click the "Create Account" button on the auction home page to begin the simple bidding process.
The winning bidder will become the head coach of the “White” team in the spring game, which will be televised live by CSS. As head coach, the lucky fan will participate in staff meetings as the teams are “drafted,” give the pregame speech and make the tough game day decisions for their team.
Bidding will close at 12 noon on Monday, April 13, and the winner will be invited to attend the Friday morning staff meeting at which the teams are selected.
As part of the reorganized and revitalized Super Bulldog Weekend, the Maroon-White game will mark the final spring football practice and begin at 5:30 p.m. at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field.
Beginning today, head football coach Dan Mullen and the Bulldog coaching staff will host their first Spring Football Coaches Clinic. High school and youth league coaches are invited to attend the event.
The two-day event will feature on-field demonstrations by the our coaching staff, presentations by top high school coaches from around the state and “chalk talk” sessions with MSU coaches. The best part: participants will also be treated to three all-you-can-eat meals.
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CONGRATS GO OUT TO SOFTBALL PLAYERS AS WELL
While Jarvis and Alexis were reaping basketball awards this week, softball players Ali Bainbridge and Lindsey Dunlap received SEC honors for their play. Bainbridge was named the SEC Player of the Week, and Dunlap was tabbed the SEC Freshman of the Week following the Bulldogs’ series triumph over No. 9 Tennessee.
Bainbridge was honored as the league’s top player after hitting .500 (6-for-12) with a double, a home run, six RBI and two runs scored. Dunlap earned the team’s second freshman of the week honors after picking up all three of the Mississippi State’s wins in the circle this week.
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2. Financially Support the Bulldog Club
3. Get Others To Do The Same
Thanks for taking the time to read this update.
Go Dawgs!
Greg Byrne
byrne@athletics.msstate.edu