Wednesday Bulldog Update - 2/16/11
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We have already added new scoreboards at our tennis facility, and are in the process of adding a new scoreboard at softball.
It will continue to be our goal to enhance the game-day experience for our fans at our various playing venues, and we believe these ribbon boards will add to the enjoyment of those in attendance this fall. Construction will begin shortly after Super Bulldog Weekend, with completion scheduled in advance of the 2011 season.
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FIRST PITCH, DO IT FOR DUFFY, BASEBALL SEASON
On Friday, Coach Cohen and his team opens the 2011 Diamond Dawg season when the Akron Zips of the Mid-American Conference visit Dudy Noble Field for a 4 p.m. first pitch on Friday.
This is an exciting time of year. Spring weather begins its arrival after a snowy winter and our folks love Diamond Dawg baseball. It is especially exciting this year with the renovations and improvements we have made to Dudy Noble Field. A new sealant has been applied to the grandstand section of the ball park, new paint has brightened the 25-year old facility, and new chairback seats have been installed. Combine those changes with a new concessions approach by Aramark and there is much reason for the excitement.
While those new seats will not include donor names, as the original seats in the facility did, it is our intent to recognize those who through the years made the new Dudy Noble Field possible. It is our plan to install within the stadium a recognition piece that would include everyone who purchased seats in the stadium during its first quarter-century. In the coming weeks, we will provide various methods to insure that we recognize all who purchased seats in the grandstand through the years.
I hope you were able to join us this past Saturday in the Palmeiro Center on campus as baseball held its annual First Pitch Banquet. This year’s barbecue dinner, meet the team event, and entertainment program, ran flawlessly. The biggest crowd in recent memory attended and the final numbers were quite staggering. A crowd in excess of 770 people attended that night – including 151 tickets sold that night alone – easily our biggest crowd in years.
New to the schedule of events this year was both a silent and live auction to benefit the Ryan Duffy Recovery Fund. An auction total of $14,053 was raised that night for Ryan.
The food was great, Coach Cohen did a good job recognizing his players, and former Diamond Dawg Mitch Moreland was outstanding as guest speaker. It was a fun night.
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BELLARD ARRANGEMENTS ANNOUNCED
As you know by now, former Mississippi State head football coach Emory Bellard passed away last week in Texas of ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) at age 83. It was a tough loss for our institution and athletic program. Emory’s teams orchestrated a lot of great moments on the gridiron during the late 1970s and early 1980s. We were fortunate to be able to recognize him during a reunion of that great ’80 team two years ago. He will be sorely missed.
The funeral for Coach Bellard will be held this Saturday at 2 p.m., at the First Baptist Church in Germantown, Texas. The family has asked that memorials be made to the Emory Bellard ALS Clinic, Temple, Texas, in lieu of flowers.
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ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT NAMING OPPORTUNITIES
We have recently received several requests from Mississippi State alumni and friends regarding the naming opportunities they might have for various athletic facilities. Opportunities are available in the Templeton Athletic Academic Center, the new basketball practice facility (which is nearly complete), the Bryan Building, and some of our athletic playing and practice fields and courts. Donation requirements range from $15,000 to $1 million, payable over a five-year period.
A gift from siblings Bobbie McClain Gore and George McClain, in honor of their brother Elmo Fondren McClain, was recently made to athletics and featured in a University Foundation publication. The siblings memorialized their brother by having one of the tutorial suites in the Templeton Center named in honor of the 1940 entomology graduate and prisoner of war. Among the many things the three children held in common was a love of Mississippi State and an interest in sports.
All naming rights opportunities benefit the Today, Tomorrow, Forever athletic facilities initiative. Additional information may be obtained by contacting Michelle McBride, 662-325-6312, or via email at mmcbride@athletics.msstate.edu.
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OUR STUDENT-ATHLETES MAKE US PROUD IN CLASS
Once again, our student-athletes have made us very proud of their work in the classroom during fall semester, 2010. Our men and women tied for fourth overall on the Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll in sports in which we compete.
We had a total of 45 athletes earn a 3.0 grade point average either during the fall semester or over the past year, tying Alabama for fourth on the list. South Carolina (60), Florida and Vanderbilt (46) were the only league schools to finish above us in the sports we play. Georgia (43), Auburn (42), Kentucky (39), Tennessee (38), Arkansas (34), Ole Miss (32) and LSU (29) trailed our total.
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COACH MULLEN “OPENS” SPRING PRACTICE AGAIN
Coach Mullen will get his first look at the 2011 Bulldog football team when spring practice begins on Friday, March 4. Once again, fans are invited to watch those sessions on the practice fields behind the Shira Fieldhouse and Holliman Athletic Center. The Bulldogs will hold their annual Maroon-White Spring Game on April 9 at Davis Wade Stadium as part of Super Bulldog Weekend Presented by Regions Bank.
Highlights of the five-week practice schedule include Junior Day on March 5 and the annual coaches’ clinic on Thursday, March 24 and Friday, March 25. Possible Saturday scrimmages will be announced as the schedule approaches.
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IT’S “MSU NIGHT AT THE GRIZZLIES” IN MEMPHIS
We hope you will be able to join me and other staff members for Mississippi State Night at the Grizzlies on Tuesday, March 1, at the FedExForum in Memphis. The Grizzlies will take on the San Antonio Spurs and I will be there at 6 p.m. to meet and greet MSU fans arriving for the game that night. Tip off is set for 7 p.m.
MSU fans may receive discounted tickets for the game, with a portion going to the Memphis Maroon Club and Desoto Dawgs’ mission of attracting and providing scholarships for Memphis area and North Mississippi students to Mississippi State.
For more information, contact Martin Taggart with the Grizzlies, 901-205-1459.
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ADKERSON, CRISTIL TO BE HONORED FRIDAY
Longtime friend of the university and athletic program Richard Adkerson will be honored this Friday night at a banquet on campus as the school’s Alumnus of the Year.
Richard is a 1969 Mississippi State graduate and is currently CEO of Freeport-McMoRan Exploration Co., the world’s largest publicly traded copper producer and an international oil and gas exploration company. Richard resides in Phoenix, but his heart lives in Starkville, Miss.
Richard has been very generous to his alma mater through the years and to our program, which he dearly loves.
The alumni association will also honor Jack Cristil during the banquet ceremonies for his nearly 60 years of service as our play-by-play radio announcer for football and men’s basketball.
Contact the Alumni Association for more information, or if you can’t be on the campus for the event Friday, watch the webcast live online at 6 p.m. at www.msstate.edu.
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MCCARTHY TO BE HONORED SATURDAY AT THE HUMP
The late Babe McCarthy, legendary head basketball coach at Mississippi State during the late 1950s and early 1960s, will be recognized this Saturday during halftime ceremonies of our men’s basketball game against Ole Miss.
Coach McCarthy will have a banner in his honor hung from the Humphrey Coliseum rafters, much as we did a couple of years ago for Bailey Howell. Approximately 30 of his former players from his SEC championship teams and their families and friends will be on hand to celebrate the occasion, as will members of McCarthy’s family.
It should be a memorable occasion. I hope you make plans to be with us as we take on our in-state rivals again. Our players and coaches need your support.
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MISSISSIPPI STATE WEEKEND HOME SPORTS SCHEDULE
Thursday, Feb. 17 – Women’s Basketball v Vanderbilt, 7 pm
Friday, Feb. 18 – Softball v Louisiana Tech, 3 pm; Baseball v Akron, 4 pm
Saturday, Feb. 19 – Baseball v Lamar, 11:30 am; Men’s Basketball v Ole Miss, 12:30 pm; Women’s Tennis v Southern Miss, 1 pm; Softball v Butler, 2 pm; Baseball v Akron, 3:30 pm; Softball v Southern Illinois, 4 pm
Sunday, Feb. 20 – Softball v TBA, 1 pm; Women’s Tennis v Troy State, 1 pm; Baseball v Lamar, 2:30 pm
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REMEMBER IT’S MAROON FRIDAY!
We have a full weekend of home events. Hope you can make it back, but remember, Friday is a special day. Are you in the maroon?
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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.
Go Dawgs!
Scott Stricklin