Over 10,000 fans packed Humphrey Coliseum Wednesday night with hopes of seeing their Mississippi State Bulldogs defeat the Tennessee Volunteers. But considering the 22-point blowout delivered to the Vols, the most competitive action that night may have been provided by two students trying to catch rubber chickens in laundry baskets on their heads at halftime.
Had it not been for MSU Athletics’ marketing department landing a promotional deal with Abner’s, the idea of a game involving rubber chickens, slingshots and laundry baskets might seem ludicrous.
“It’s very difficult to find rubber chickens in Starkville,” said Mike Richey, assistant athletic director for marketing.
That didn’t stop him or State’s longtime color commentator, though. Jim Ellis, who’s known for broadcasting football and basketball games alongside Jack Crystal and calling baseball himself, also takes on the role of associate athletic director for external affairs. Corporate sponsor Abner’s wanted a halftime show, and Richey and Ellis delivered.
“Jim Ellis and I had both seen something very similar over at UAB (Alabama-Birmingham),” Richey said. “I think the fans enjoy it. It’s something a little different than what we’ve done in the past.”
Each head-to-head winner of the chicken catch receives an Abner’s t-shirt and a gift certificate to Abner’s. No one, however, has scored a higher chicken total than senior Sean Covich on his record-setting day-Jan. 10 during the MSU-Arkansas game.
“It was like catching fly balls to me,” Covich said. “You look up in the air, and you just try to judge it and catch it. I didn’t know they were going in. The only way I could tell was by the roar of the crowd.”
And the crowd roared several times-five and a half to be exact.
“Sometimes they hang on the basket. They’re not in, but they’re not out,” Covich explained. “I say six, but they say five. I want the SEC officials to review the film.”
Covich, who was incidentally battling his roommate, Chip Frazier, failed to recall how many chickens Frazier bucketed.
“His performance paled in comparison to my record-setting performance,” Covich said with a laugh. “I wanted him to do good. Don’t get me wrong, but when you’re out there to catch chickens, you’re out there to win.”
A lifetime Bulldogs fan, Covich says he takes pride in the accomplishment.
“To walk off that court knowing that I had just set a Humphrey Coliseum record was the biggest thrill of my life,” he said.
While the Athletics marketing department probably can’t make dreams come true for every fan, it does manage the Bulldog Club, which led to the 2003 creation of the Student Bulldog Club. Any student can join for $25 and pay an annual fee to maintain membership.
“We realize that all of our Bulldog Club members now were students here at one point,” Richey said. “It was just our way of reaching out to the students now and let them know what the Bulldog Club is all about while they’re here.”
Covich, who serves as the membership chairperson for the Student Bulldog Club, says its focus is to encourage student participation in MSU sports, and it gives students a chance to get to know the various coaches.
As an incentive for joining, new members receive a t-shirt, car decal and lapel pin. Members of the Student Bulldog Club earn points toward membership in the Bulldog Club. This way, students can save money for when it comes time to divvy up to the Bulldog Club after graduation. Many students, however, haven’t learned about the opportunities the club offers.
“I definitely think the word should get out,” senior member Ginger Jordan said. “When I wear my shirt people ask, ‘there’s a Student Bulldog Club?'”