MSU Dogs give answer to critics

By Staff
Jan. 6, 2002
Scattershooting over the sports scene on a Sunday while seeking sightings of Rockey Felker …
Now that's what you call gaining instant respect.
Despite going into their game against Kentucky on Saturday with a 13-1 record, the Bulldogs were viewed as nothing more than another win for the Wildcats.
In the early going, that's what it looked like. UK jumped out to a 21-2 lead, but incredibly the Bulldogs powered by York, Ala.'s Mario Austin came roaring back and took a 74-69 win over the Wildcats.
The win should do a lot for MSU's confidence, as well as push the Bulldogs into the Top 20.
Next up for Mississippi State is a road game against Arkansas on Tuesday. The toughest thing to do after a big win is get up for the next one.
The SEC is so tough that each opponent is formidable. There are no soft touches in this league.
But for now, the Bulldogs are on top of the SEC and have the attention of the college basketball world.
Historic match
draws good crowd
Around 200 area soccer fans braved the chilly weather to make their way out to the Northeast Soccer Complex on Saturday afternoon to catch the match between West Lauderdale and Lamar School.
While West Lauderdale won the match rather handily by the score of 7-1, the meeting between the two schools broke historic ground.
It was the first time that Lamar an independent school and member of the MPSA had ever played a public school in sanctioned head-to-head competition during the school year.
Lamar competed in a cross-country meet early in the school year against the likes of MHSAA power Pearl, but this was the first head-to-head meeting in a traditional team sport.
Lamar high school principal Mac Barnes the former head football coach and athletic director at Meridian High School said he was glad to see it.
Fans for both teams, who sat side-by-side and carried on conversations during the match, both seem pleased with the matchup.
Maybe there will be more to come.
Northeast Lauderdale and Lamar are scheduled to play a baseball game this spring.
MJ remains
the best ever
Michael Jordan is incredible.
I got a chance to watch some of the game between Jordan's Wizards and his old team, the Chicago Bulls, on Friday night, and some of the things he did were incredible.
While it looked like he was in the flow of the game just like anybody else, he scored 29 points to lead his team to a six-point lead. He knocked down 11-of-13 free throws, made one of his patented, soaring reverse no-look layups and canned several jumpers with a defender in his face.
The man can still play.
There was no doubt that he would have a solid season, but what he is doing is incredible. He is averaging more than 24 points a game and has lead the Wizards to a 17-14 record.
There is only one MJ. My question now is not how this season will turn out, but when he retires and comes back again, how good he will be.
Like him or not,
Spurrier is legend
The Southeastern Conference is losing a legend.
Steve Spurrier's resignation was a shock, sort of.
Most figured Spurrier would keep on coaching at the University of Florida as long as he could, but there is a burning desire inside the former Heisman Trophy winner pushing him to meet and beat the next challenge.
Most people don't even realize that the Gators weren't much to worry about in the days before Spurrier began prowling the sidelines in Gainesville.
Now Florida is the perennial SEC favorite and anything less than a spot in the SEC Championship Game and the BCS is a disappointing season.
This year the Gators finished 10-2 behind the strong right arm of sophomore Rex Grossman.
Spurrier says he is just ready for another challenge. I believe that, I really do.
He also says he would listen to queries from the NFL. That probably has a lot of NFL coaches shaking in their boots, most particularly Tony Dungy.
Spurrier played quarterback for the Buccaneers at one time in his career and has said that he would prefer to work in Florida.
I don't see any changes happening in Miami, and Jacksonville is apparently negotiating a contract extension with Tom Coughlin.
But don't count anything out. It is all about business and Spurrier is a big draw.
Since we are just speculating anyway, how about this one? Mike Shanahan replaces Spurrier in Florida, then Spurrier takes the job as the head coach of the Denver Broncos, replacing Shanahan.
It doesn't seem likely, but you never know.