There’s just something about spectator sports that make them special. Fans add a lot to a game, and, as our cowbells have proven, can definitely make an impact on the outcome of a game.
However, it can get frustrating being a fan of a team without a winning tradition. Or a school without a winning tradition, for that matter. It’s hard to get behind those teams.
A combination of the school’s “big three” of football, men’s basketball and baseball records gives us a 48-49 mark. These are the three sports that bring revenue in to the school, that get the most attendance and fan attention and that get the most media coverage, despite that unimpressive mark. What’s newsworthy or casual-conversation-worthy about a sub-.500 performance?
Believe it or not, at this point in Mississippi State history, there is a successful team on campus. If you’re looking for a good team to watch and cheer for, look no further.
It’s the softball team. The softball Bulldogs finished the 2008 season with a solid 41-22 mark and an appearance in the NCAA Regionals.
The season featured some big highlights, including 11 mercy-rule victories, an All-American selection and a game against the USA Olympic team.
The softball team was good last year. Yes, I know the men’s basketball team also did well, getting into the second round of the NCAA Tournament before losing to eventual runner-up Memphis by a close margin. That team was good too.
But what separates these two is that softball is still good. That’s not a guarantee for basketball.
How do I know this? The softball team is returning the majority of its starters, including both corner infielders (a combination of two sisters). All of last season’s pitching staff is returning, as well as junior catcher Chelsea Bramlett, a two-time All-American.
Don’t find yourself trapped in the sexist mindset that the only sports that matter are men’s sports, either.
Right now, Starkville is a softball town. And until the team starts to lose or other sports start to succeed more, it’s going to stay that way. You can either hop on the softball bandwagon when the spring semester rolls around, or you can sit back and still wish you had good teams to cheer for at your school.
As for me, one who enjoys seeing MSU succeed, I’m looking at these fall sports and thinking to myself, “There’s always softball season.”
Joey Harvey is a senior majoring in communication. He can be reached
at [email protected].