Wednesday Bulldog Update - 3/30/11
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SUPER BULLDOG WEEKEND JUST ONE WEEK AWAY!
The 26th Super Bulldog Weekend presented by Regions is just one week away. Hard to imagine that it has been 25 years since the very first SBW and hard to imagine this academic year is quickly winding to a close.
As you know, Super Bulldog Weekend is a great opportunity for our Mississippi State family to come together for a spring homecoming of sorts. Last year, the largest crowd ever returned to campus, and with the great schedule of events we have planned and all the momentum surrounding our athletic programs, we’re expecting even more people on campus this year.
Coach Dan Mullen kicks off the weekend at the Student Association’s movie night at Davis Wade Stadium next Thursday. He will address the crowd at 6:30 p.m., prior to the showing of Toy Story 3 on the SEC’s largest video board. Admission to the movie is free and Bulldogs of all ages are welcome.
On Friday, the annual Pig Cooking Competition begins at 8 a.m. behind McArthur Hall. Fans are welcome to take part in the Mississippi Pork Producers/Farm Bureau Sampling of the Grill at 4 p.m. on Friday and again at 11 a.m. on Saturday. Both of those events will take place at the corner of Barr and Collegeview, near the entrance of McArthur Hall.
Also on Friday, the women’s tennis team hosts Auburn at 3 p.m., softball entertains Auburn at 5 p.m., and baseball begins a series against Florida at 6:30 p.m.
You’ll want to be on the campus for a busy day Saturday. It begins early with the Strength & Conditioning Camp at 7:30 a.m. and Pig Cooking Competition judging at 8 a.m. Both soccer and volleyball hold alumni matches at 11 a.m. Softball plays game two of its series against Auburn at 11:30 a.m., and baseball’s Game 2 first pitch vs. Florida is set for noon.
Saturday’s football festivities begin with FanFair in The Junction from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The highlight of those activities is an autograph session with several Bulldogs currently playing in the National Football League. The annual Maroon-White Spring Game kicks off at 5 p.m. Following the game, Music Makers, Campus Activities Board and the Student Association hosts a free concert featuring Robert Randolph and the Family Band in the MSU Amphitheater.
The weekend concludes Sunday with another noon first pitch for baseball against Florida and softball’s series-ender against Auburn at 1 p.m. Women’s tennis hosts Alabama beginning at 1 p.m. as well.
The full schedule of events can be found on the Super Bulldog Weekend presented by Regions page on Mississippi State’s official website at www.mstateathletics.com/gameday.
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SPORTS RADIO NETWORK TALENT NAMED
We knew the day would come at some point that the university would have to replace Hall of Fame play-by-play announcer Jack Cristil. It doesn’t make this day any more enjoyable just knowing that it was coming, but we are fortunate that we have developed broadcast talent through the years that makes that transition as seamless as possible.
Veteran broadcaster Jim Ellis will take over as the play-by-play voice of our football and basketball teams, while continuing his responsibility as the “Voice of the Diamond Dogs.” Former Bulldog quarterback Matt Wyatt will join Ellis as color analyst for football games, while Assistant Athletic Director Bart Gregory will be added to the baseball broadcast.
Jim will continue his role as weekly call-in show host for all three sports, and will add hosting duties of weekly coaches’ television shows. While Matt will be a new addition to the football broadcast booth, he won’t be a completely new voice. He served as co-host of the pre- and post-game radio shows for the past two seasons. Jim and Matt will be joined by another very familiar voice, John Correro, on the sidelines. John has been a part of the radio broadcasts since 1979.
Bart, who works in our Bulldog Club, will continue to serve as the play-by-play voice of the Lady Bulldog basketball team, share the microphone with Matt on pre- and post-game shows, and now join Jim in the baseball booth beginning next season.
The only piece of the broadcast team left to be identified is the basketball radio color analyst spot next to Jim. We are working closely with our multi-media rights partner Learfield Sports to finalize details on that position, and hope to announce it soon.
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APRIL IS THE LAST CHANCE TO RENEW FOOTBALL TICKETS
We have received the second weekly report from our ticket office on football season ticket sales for the 2011 season, and a frenetic buying pace continues. At this early point in the sales process, we continue to run about 2,000 season tickets ahead of where we were last season, when we sold every available football season ticket. Officially, we sold 43,387 season tickets a year ago, obviously an all-time record, and a credit to our great Bulldog fan base.
The interest is certainly unprecedented. When you consider that we have more than 600 accounts totaling in excess of 1,500 tickets from new customers or existing fans looking to increase their order, tickets will be in high demand for this coming year.
Remember, the season ticket order renewal deadline is the end of April (actually May 2). You don’t want to miss that deadline this year, because any non-renewed season tickets will be sold to those on the waiting list.
The ticket office also reports that road game ticket orders will be put in the mail next week. We hope you are able to follow Coach Mullen and his team on the road this fall.
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FORMER DIAMOND DAWGS SET TO BEGIN MLB SEASON
Major League Baseball opens its season this weekend and several former Mississippi State players have made opening-day rosters.
Texas Ranger first baseman Mitch Moreland, who went from College World Series to MLB World Series in three years, begins his second season at the major league level.
Former Diamond Dawgs’ pitchers Paul Maholm and Jonathan Papelbon begin their seventh seasons with Pittsburgh and Boston, respectively.
And former Bulldog great Buck Showalter opens his 13th season as a major league manager, his second with the Baltimore Orioles.
Also of note, former Mississippi State first baseman Chris Maloney will again manage the Memphis AAA affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, and while he’s not a former Bulldog player, good friend of the program Roy Oswalt (from nearby Weir) starts his 11th season as a major league pitcher.
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MISSISSIPPI STATE WEEKEND HOME SPORTS SCHEDULE
Wednesday, March 30 – Baseball v Alabama A&M, 5 pm (rain out make-up from 3/29)
Friday, April 1 – Track & Field hosts Bulldog Twilight Invitational; Men’s Tennis v Tennessee, 2 pm; Softball v Ole Miss, 5 pm
Saturday, April 2 – Softball v Ole Miss, 1 pm
Sunday, April 3 – Men’s Tennis v Georgia, 1 pm; Softball v Ole Miss, 1 pm
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IT’S FRIDAY…DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR MAROON IS?
Maroon Friday continues through the spring. 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