Many things became painfully evident Thursday night. The first of which is that no matter who you play, six turnovers will cause you to lose football games–big.
Another was the rule the SEC just had to impose on Mississippi State saying that we can’t ring our cowbells.
The final thing I realized Thursday night was just how classless Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville really is.
On national television Thursday night, the MSU football team was embarrassed again. The Dawgs lost to Auburn 42-14 and once again slipped into a sub-500 record at 1-2.
We gave the Tigers the ball six times, resulting in 21 points for Auburn. The offense everyone said coming into the season would be much improved really hasn’t improved–or have they?
Maybe the problem isn’t totally what we have on the field, it’s what we DON’T have on the field. A lot of you already know what I’m going to say, because I KNOW you’re thinking the exact same thing. Why isn’t Jerious Norwood playing? I’ve got a one-word answer to that question–freshman.
We’ve once again run into the problem of the best player at that position not even being played. Last year it was Wayne Madkin over Kevin Fant. This year it’s Dontae Walker over Jerious Norwood.
You can’t sit there and tell me that Walker is a better back than Norwood, because he’s not. Sure, Walker has the experience, but it hasn’t seemed to matter yet. He still can’t break a run for more than three yards. Norwood, on the other hand, has made plays when given the chance. He’s faster and quicker; he may not have Walker’s size, but that can be easily corrected.
I’m straying a little from my original point, which is that we can’t keep turning the ball over. As obvious of a statement as that is, it seems to be a little easier said than done.
People at the SEC office are laughing their collective butts off right now. They set a penalty for us using cowbells, and now they know that we’re following it.
Go ahead, Mike Slive and the rest of the SEC crew, laugh all you want–you have your absolute power now. I just think it’s hilarious myself that a conference so hell-bent on tradition takes one away from one of its member schools, but hey, you have to do whatever it takes to make it look like you have control. Right, SEC?
The last thing on my agenda this week is Tommy Tuberville. I’m guessing good ol’ Tommy never really learned that you shouldn’t kick a man while he’s down. Late in the fourth quarter with the game well out of reach, Auburn decided they’d go ahead and kick a field goal on fourth down. But this is a Tuberville-coached team, so what do they do? They fake it.
The cardinal sin in football or any sport is running up the score, and that move was an attempt to run up the score. Tuberville managed to make himself look a little like Steve Spurrier in the fact that he was running it up, but Tommy Tuberville is not, nor will he ever be a Steve Spurrier. In this case, Tommy Tuberville was not “just callin’ ball plays,” as Spurrier would say.
Not only did he fake it, but when the players were running back to the bench, he had a huge smile on his face.
Come on, Tommy, I know you coached at Mississippi but show a little class. That might be a stretch for you, but at least try next time.
Now that I’m off my soapbox from Thursday night, let’s talk about something a little more happy.
In case some of you haven’t noticed, we have a pretty good volleyball team here this year. MSU has already passed last season’s win total and haven’t even gotten to the SEC schedule yet. They begin their SEC slate this weekend though, hosting Georgia and Florida.
As a little side note on the match with Florida, the Bulldogs are 0-22 against the Gators, only winning two games total. the last of which was in 1989. Could that change Sunday? Maybe. My advice: head to Newell-Grissom Sunday afternoon and find out.
If any of you thought that Notre Dame might not be for real (I was one of them), you might want to rethink that. The Irish are now 4-0 with an impressive last minute victory at Michigan State. UND is now in the top 10 for the first time in years, so look out Irish naysayers, Tyrone Willingham might have just single-handedly resurrected a program people left for dead.
Tennessee and Casey Clausen are overrated–and don’t try blaming it on the rain, UT fans. Sure it was wet, sure it was tough, but Florida didn’t seem to have any trouble, and I’m pretty sure they were playing in the same conditions, so you might as well stop whining about it right now.
One more thing, what’s with changing the football uniforms again?
Not that I didn’t like them, I like maroon on maroon, but let’s find one combination and stick with it. Jackie obviously doesn’t believe in superstition like me. I always believe that if you find something that works, stick with it. It kind of goes with the “ride ‘er ’til she bucks ya” quote. When we wore maroon helmets, maroon jerseys and white pants, we seemed to win–but then came white helmets, and what do we do? We start losing? Coincidence? Maybe.
P.S. The Magic Tea Leaves said State over LSU this weekend.