Wednesday Bulldog Update - 4/18/12
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SUPER BULLDOG WEEKEND IS HERE – A DAY SOONER THAN USUAL
I hope that you will be able to join us this weekend for Super Bulldog Weekend Presented by Regions Bank, but I hope you’ve made plans to arrive on campus one day earlier than usual. Coach John Cohen and his baseball team need you in the grandstand tomorrow night (Thursday) for the series-opening game with Tennessee. To that end, we have made grandstand seating open for general admission tickets as well as reserved season tickets. Just remember that season ticket holders have priority to their reserved seat.
We plan to “white out” Dudy Noble Field for the game, so pull out your white garments for the game. New men’s head basketball coach Rick Ray will throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the game. Following the game, a fireworks display will be held. The baseball series with Tennessee continues Friday at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday afternoon at 1.
Our men’s tennis team, fresh from beating Ole Miss in Oxford this past week to win the Southeastern Conference Western Division championship outright, will serve as host of the SEC Tournament this weekend, as well. Play begins at 8 a.m. Thursday. Our team, which received a first-round bye, plays the winner of the Tennessee/Alabama match on Friday at 11 a.m. in the quarterfinals.
Coach Vann Stuedeman’s softball team, which swept Ole Miss last weekend in Oxford, also hosts a three-game weekend series as part of SBW. The Bulldogs will play Kentucky Friday at 5 p.m., Saturday at noon, and Sunday at 1 p.m.
Tickets to the 2012 Spring Football Game, featuring a post-game concert by country music recording super star act Sugarland, are also on sale to the general public in advance or at our athletic venues through Saturday afternoon. SBW Presented by Regions Bank/Sugarland tickets may be purchased on our official athletic web site (www.HailState.com) or by contacting our athletic ticket office in the Bryan Athletic Administration Building (1-888-GO DAWGS) for this first-ever event.
This Saturday, tickets will be available at the Cotton District Arts Festival from 8 a.m. until noon. Look for the Mississippi State tent on the east side of University Drive near the bridge leading to campus. Beginning at 10 a.m., the box office on the south side of Davis Wade Stadium will be open, as well as the Will Call entrance in the breezeway on the south side of the stadium between box office and the M-Club building. A remote ticket area will open at the northwest corner of the stadium at noon. The ticket office at Dudy Noble Field, which will have Maroon and White football game/Sugarland tickets, will open at 11 a.m.
We are the seventh stop in Sugarland’s 25-city “In The Hands of the Fans” Tour. The reigning CMA and ACM Vocal Duo of the Year’s tour, a unique series of concerts determined solely by fan interaction to determine set lists played in each city (thus the tour name), continues through mid-August. We mentioned how Mississippi State fans could become involved in the tour in this column a couple of weeks ago. Sugarland has reached over 15 million in worldwide sales and achieved eight #1 singles since arriving on the music scene in 2004.
Singer/songwriter Canaan Smith, who gained fame from his appearance on the CBS series Amazing Race, will open for Sugarland. He will release his debut album this year.
Club-level tickets to the football game/concert have sold out, but $50 field and $25 reserved seat tickets still remain available.
You won’t want to miss Coach Dan Mullen’s team in its final spring tune-up. It looks like this is going to be an exciting football team. You may want to take advantage of seeing Coach Mullen and the players at FanFair Saturday. The traditional Fan Fair area will open at 10:30 a.m. in the Junction, and autograph areas will be set for Coach Mullen and the players beginning at 11 a.m. FanFair will close at 12:30 p.m. The Humphrey Coliseum floor will be used as the FanFair rain location. I hope you are making your plans to be with us.
The Game Day Web Site for SBW Presented by Regions Bank has been launched – www.hailstate.com/gameday -- and is available to the general public for review and planning purposes. It includes very helpful information on traffic (including some road closures) and parking for the weekend. Make sure you are also following the @HailState twitter account for any weekend alterations due to weather or time changes.
REMINDER: MAY 1 DEADLINE FOR BULLDOG CLUB, TICKETS
While we are getting set for Super Bulldog Weekend Presented by Regions Bank this weekend, please remember that the May 1 deadline for ordering your football season tickets and making contribution adjustments through the Bulldog Club for priority consideration is looming.
Football season ticket re-orders generally run in the 95-97 percent range, and with the excitement in our football program running high, this season should be no different. Please don’t miss the deadline.
Likewise, if you care to make an increase in your giving level, prior to May 1 is the time to do it. Donation increases help establish a better priority for season tickets.
You may have seen in a recent column that we have waiting lists for season tickets in all areas – general public, faculty/staff, regular chairbacks, club level and suites. Even those on the waiting list for season tickets should consider an increase in giving, as it will also help those still awaiting the opportunity to purchase season tickets for the first time.
BULLDOG CLUB ONLINE INITIATIVE LAUNCHED
We are thrilled to inform you of our new Bulldog Club membership e-mail campaign, which some of you may have received already. We have received over 100 new Bulldog Club Members thus far in the campaign. Donations are being collected from all over the country, one as a far away as Las Vegas, Nevada!
If you have not received the video by e-mail, it will be coming your way within the next few days. We encourage you to watch the video, make a 2012 pledge/donation if you haven't yet and forward it on to friends to help us reach our goal of 10,000 members. If you have already made your 2012 pledge/donation, we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your role in helping us develop a remarkable athletics program here at Mississippi State University!
Click here to view the video
TOP DAWGS RECEPTION HELD IN JACKSON
President Mark Keenum and head coaches Dan Mullen and Rick Ray, and I were in Jackson, Monday, April 9, for a reception with our state legislators and other key officials at the School of Architecture fifth-year program in the Jackson Community Design Center. See our group picture here.
IT’S SBW PRESENTED BY REGIONS – TIME TO WEAR MAROON
Super Bulldog Weekend is a special time on our campus. This is our 26th annual SBW… a great time to wear your school color. Are you in the maroon?
THIS WEEKEND’S MISSISSIPPI STATE HOME SCHEDULE
Thursday, April 19 – Baseball v Tennessee, 6:30 pm
Friday, April 20 – Men’s Tennis v Tennessee/Alabama (SEC Men's Tennis Championship quarterfinal), 11 am; Softball v Kentucky, 5 pm; Baseball v Tennessee, 6:30 pm
Saturday, April 21 – SEC Men’s Tennis Championship semifinals, TBD; Softball v Kentucky, 12 pm; Baseball v Tennessee, 1 pm
Sunday, April 22 – SEC Men’s Tennis Championship final, TBD; Softball v Kentucky, 1 pm
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