Croom gets rave reviews at Media Days
By By Tony Krausz/assistant sports editor
July 31, 2004
Sylvester Croom was like a Beatles record at the Southeastern Conference media days in Birmingham, Ala., on Wednesday an instant hit.
Just as John, Paul, George and Ringo churned out No. 1 song after No. 1 song in the 60s, it seemed like every word Croom said at the podium shot to the top of the reporter-filled room's chart.
Even when the new Mississippi State University head football coach answered a question with one word "Nope" it was met with approval.
Croom's "Nope" delivered in his steady, heavy bass voice came in response to a reporter's question of if he had any thoughts on being the first African-American head coach to speak at the SEC media days' podium.
Reporters never responded to a no so well.
Croom's mastery in front of the throngs of reporters made it seem like he was born to be a head coach.
He weaved stories together to highlight his points, he recalled lessons he learned playing and coaching at Alabama under Paul Bear' Bryant and was remarkably straight forward and funny.
Or as one reporter put it, "He's a quote machine."
When he talked about dropping in on a player's Health and Nutrition class, he told reporters how the unnamed player didn't know he was in the room. Until Croom raised his hand and asked a question.
Croom said the teacher's lesson was about bulimia and anorexia.
Croom went on to talk about how he learned in the class that historically size and girth was a sign of wealth.
Croom wasn't just a smash hit because he could induce chuckles and sometimes straight up belly laughs during his time on the hot seat.
He was also refreshingly blunt.
When Croom was asked if being an African-American would help him in recruiting African-American players, the coach quickly dispelled that line of thought.
And here is the kicker, you know that statement is true.
The man banging his head trying to get the No. 1 job on a coaching staff for years, the guy who came within inches of being named the head coach at his alma mater last year would have walked away from MSU on principle.
Croom wanted to be hired on nothing more than his coaching qualifications, and MSU athletic director Larry Templeton said he was hired on nothing but his coaching qualifications.
Of course, charisma doesn't translate into wins on the football field.
Croom takes over a team that will have a quarterback who has never taken a snap in a college game guiding a complicated west-coast offense.
The Bulldogs twice gave up double-digit leads last year against Tulane and Kentucky and the team was shut out in two games in 2003. Alabama defeated MSU 38-0 and Ole Miss won the Egg Bowl 31-0.
Croom will still need to convince people including many in that room on Wednesday that he can coach a team that has only won eight games in the last three years combined to victories.
The Bulldogs head football coach was even honest about that. In fact, it was probably the only time he slipped into clich coach speak the entire time.
He is charming everyone he meets one at a time, sparking the belief that he can bring MSU out of the SEC cellar and into the penthouse.
