As I was watching Mississippi State play Vanderbilt Saturday in a grid iron showdown, something had dawned on me. We sit around and watch 18-23 year old guys (on the average) play football. We let it control our emotions and even our schedules, but man I sure do I love it.
So pondering thoughts about how football came into play in my life. I was in the band in high school and so we followed the football team to every game, unless it was more than a two hour jaunt. We didn’t travel to Corinth our Senior year, but a few of us went to the game anyways. Then came my decision to go to college. With about two months left of my high school career I was gung ho Mississippi State bound. Then came the band director from East Mississippi Community College and she offered myself and a hand full of my friends scholarships to come to Scooba, MS. We adventured down to Scooba and there is football again, but I always watched to see what the MSU Bulldogs were doing. It was the winning days of the 90s. So of course I followed, because I was just about my way to MSU to finish off my college career.
So in comes the Fall of 1999 and I am full force at MSU. Then is when I got my first set of football season tickets. Three dollars a football game. Wow! How can you pass it up. In the student section, you stand up on the bleachers, not in front of them. You must stand tall if you want to watch the game. If you aren’t at least two hours early you are in the steps watching the game. It was an experience in the student section that will not be missed, but never forgotten. I have gotten season tickets every year since then. I sure do miss that student ticket price (even those MSU has raised the student ticket price to $5 a game).
As you can see I have a love for football. The game. The players. The pride. The joy. The heartbreak. It’s all apart of the game. Is my support for Mississippi State football my support for the State of Mississippi. I am proud of my MS roots. I have roots in the Columbus/Caledonia area, but now planting roots firmly here in Starkville. I’m not an advocate for MS, but I do have a love for my state. The state in which I have lived for 30 years (minus the time I lived in Birmingham to fulfill my co-op while in school). Can the love of the sport be a love for the state? MSU is a land grant institution, funded by the state, so there for MSU = State of Mississippi? Probably not. When I travel, I usually try to take garments to show my support of MSU. You wouldn’t believe the how many people say are you from Michigan State? WOW! Seriously? Green does not equal maroon. It’s the maroon and white I cheer for.
So this is pointless blog entry, just an opinion and observation on my point of view. My perception of my affinity for Mississippi State football. So as we plan our tailgate for the LSU game this weekend, I’ll be wearing my MSU colors with pride. We bring in the #7 LSU Tigers into town, which is going to be a tough test for this young coaching staff. Go Dawgs!