Killer Article from Brad Locke

[Indndawg]

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top"> <font size="4" face="Tahoma">BRAD LOCKE:View from rock bottom simply not encouraging</font>

<font size="2" face="Tahoma">11/4/2008 4:50:19 AM
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<font size="2" face="Tahoma">The faith it must take to be a Mississippi State football player right now. Those guys truly believe things will get better.

"The spirit of this team, we have our ups and downs, bad things happen, but we always seem to find a way to have faith in God and believe in each other and come out each week and fight," cornerback Jasper O'Quinn said after Saturday's 14-13 home loss to an injury-depleted Kentucky squad.

Maybe O'Quinn and his teammates will be proved right. But not this year.

Because on what basis could one possibly argue that MSU will win any of its last three games? Alabama is No. 1, Arkansas just beat Tulsa, the team with the nation's No. 1 offense - State ranks 107th in total offense, by the way - and Ole Miss has made more strides in one season under new coach Houston Nutt than the Bulldogs have made in five years under Sylvester Croom.

Yeah, last year is looking more and more like a fluke. But I guess that is from whence players are drawing faith. Because nothing that's happened in 2008 gives reason for hope.

Here is the current combined record of the teams MSU (3-6, 1-4 SEC) has lost to: 30-22. OK, but three of those teams are currently at .500 or below.

Even less impressive, the combined mark of the teams State has defeated is 11-14, and two of those wins came against Southeastern Louisiana (Division I-AA) and Middle Tennessee State (formerly of Division I-AA).

Oh, but the Bulldogs beat then-No. 13 Vanderbilt. That win looks less impressive by the week.

For all the talk from MSU coaches and players about being "this close" on hitting big plays, or needing "just one play" out of eight or 10 to win, or needing a little bit better execution, etc., there remains this one glaring fact: This is a bad football team.

The offense has almost zero home-run ability, the defense doesn't adjust well to unexpected or unconventional offensive strategies, the offensive line protects about as well as cheap suntan lotion.

And now, chip-shot place kicks are high adventure.

I'm not trying to run anyone down, I'm just being realistic.

I believe what Hebrews 11:1 says: "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

I admire faith, which is toughest to have when things go south. This team is at rock bottom, and that is when faith is needed most.

But this being football, there is no guarantee that this faith will be rewarded any time soon. Faith doesn't win ballgames; good football teams win ballgames.

It's easy to see the players are trying hard. I commend them for not giving up, for still believing in Croom, a man who runs his program the right way when it comes to discipline and integrity.

Who knows, maybe the Bulldogs can win out, go 6-6 and snag another bowl bid.

But that requires more faith than I could ever have.

Brad Locke ([email protected]) covers Mississippi State for the Daily Journal.</font>
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[Indndawg]

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top"> <font size="4" face="Tahoma">BRAD LOCKE:View from rock bottom simply not encouraging</font>

<font size="2" face="Tahoma">11/4/2008 4:50:19 AM
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<font size="2" face="Tahoma">The faith it must take to be a Mississippi State football player right now. Those guys truly believe things will get better.

"The spirit of this team, we have our ups and downs, bad things happen, but we always seem to find a way to have faith in God and believe in each other and come out each week and fight," cornerback Jasper O'Quinn said after Saturday's 14-13 home loss to an injury-depleted Kentucky squad.

Maybe O'Quinn and his teammates will be proved right. But not this year.

Because on what basis could one possibly argue that MSU will win any of its last three games? Alabama is No. 1, Arkansas just beat Tulsa, the team with the nation's No. 1 offense - State ranks 107th in total offense, by the way - and Ole Miss has made more strides in one season under new coach Houston Nutt than the Bulldogs have made in five years under Sylvester Croom.

Yeah, last year is looking more and more like a fluke. But I guess that is from whence players are drawing faith. Because nothing that's happened in 2008 gives reason for hope.

Here is the current combined record of the teams MSU (3-6, 1-4 SEC) has lost to: 30-22. OK, but three of those teams are currently at .500 or below.

Even less impressive, the combined mark of the teams State has defeated is 11-14, and two of those wins came against Southeastern Louisiana (Division I-AA) and Middle Tennessee State (formerly of Division I-AA).

Oh, but the Bulldogs beat then-No. 13 Vanderbilt. That win looks less impressive by the week.

For all the talk from MSU coaches and players about being "this close" on hitting big plays, or needing "just one play" out of eight or 10 to win, or needing a little bit better execution, etc., there remains this one glaring fact: This is a bad football team.

The offense has almost zero home-run ability, the defense doesn't adjust well to unexpected or unconventional offensive strategies, the offensive line protects about as well as cheap suntan lotion.

And now, chip-shot place kicks are high adventure.

I'm not trying to run anyone down, I'm just being realistic.

I believe what Hebrews 11:1 says: "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

I admire faith, which is toughest to have when things go south. This team is at rock bottom, and that is when faith is needed most.

But this being football, there is no guarantee that this faith will be rewarded any time soon. Faith doesn't win ballgames; good football teams win ballgames.

It's easy to see the players are trying hard. I commend them for not giving up, for still believing in Croom, a man who runs his program the right way when it comes to discipline and integrity.

Who knows, maybe the Bulldogs can win out, go 6-6 and snag another bowl bid.

But that requires more faith than I could ever have.

Brad Locke ([email protected]) covers Mississippi State for the Daily Journal.</font>
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[Indndawg]

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top"> <font size="4" face="Tahoma">BRAD LOCKE:View from rock bottom simply not encouraging</font>

<font size="2" face="Tahoma">11/4/2008 4:50:19 AM
Daily Journal</font></p> </td> <td valign="top"> <div align="center">

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<font size="2" face="Tahoma">The faith it must take to be a Mississippi State football player right now. Those guys truly believe things will get better.

"The spirit of this team, we have our ups and downs, bad things happen, but we always seem to find a way to have faith in God and believe in each other and come out each week and fight," cornerback Jasper O'Quinn said after Saturday's 14-13 home loss to an injury-depleted Kentucky squad.

Maybe O'Quinn and his teammates will be proved right. But not this year.

Because on what basis could one possibly argue that MSU will win any of its last three games? Alabama is No. 1, Arkansas just beat Tulsa, the team with the nation's No. 1 offense - State ranks 107th in total offense, by the way - and Ole Miss has made more strides in one season under new coach Houston Nutt than the Bulldogs have made in five years under Sylvester Croom.

Yeah, last year is looking more and more like a fluke. But I guess that is from whence players are drawing faith. Because nothing that's happened in 2008 gives reason for hope.

Here is the current combined record of the teams MSU (3-6, 1-4 SEC) has lost to: 30-22. OK, but three of those teams are currently at .500 or below.

Even less impressive, the combined mark of the teams State has defeated is 11-14, and two of those wins came against Southeastern Louisiana (Division I-AA) and Middle Tennessee State (formerly of Division I-AA).

Oh, but the Bulldogs beat then-No. 13 Vanderbilt. That win looks less impressive by the week.

For all the talk from MSU coaches and players about being "this close" on hitting big plays, or needing "just one play" out of eight or 10 to win, or needing a little bit better execution, etc., there remains this one glaring fact: This is a bad football team.

The offense has almost zero home-run ability, the defense doesn't adjust well to unexpected or unconventional offensive strategies, the offensive line protects about as well as cheap suntan lotion.

And now, chip-shot place kicks are high adventure.

I'm not trying to run anyone down, I'm just being realistic.

I believe what Hebrews 11:1 says: "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

I admire faith, which is toughest to have when things go south. This team is at rock bottom, and that is when faith is needed most.

But this being football, there is no guarantee that this faith will be rewarded any time soon. Faith doesn't win ballgames; good football teams win ballgames.

It's easy to see the players are trying hard. I commend them for not giving up, for still believing in Croom, a man who runs his program the right way when it comes to discipline and integrity.

Who knows, maybe the Bulldogs can win out, go 6-6 and snag another bowl bid.

But that requires more faith than I could ever have.

Brad Locke ([email protected]) covers Mississippi State for the Daily Journal.</font>
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Ouch
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[beachbumdawg]

<table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top"> <font face="Tahoma" size="4">BRAD LOCKE:View from rock bottom simply not encouraging</font>

<font face="Tahoma" size="2">11/4/2008 4:50:19 AM
Daily Journal</font></p> </td> <td valign="top"> <div align="center">

<table cellspacing="0" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td>
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<font face="Tahoma" size="2">The faith it must take to be a Mississippi State football player right now. Those guys truly believe things will get better.

"The spirit of this team, we have our ups and downs, bad things happen, but we always seem to find a way to have faith in God and believe in each other and come out each week and fight," cornerback Jasper O'Quinn said after Saturday's 14-13 home loss to an injury-depleted Kentucky squad.

Maybe O'Quinn and his teammates will be proved right. But not this year.

Because on what basis could one possibly argue that MSU will win any of its last three games? Alabama is No. 1, Arkansas just beat Tulsa, the team with the nation's No. 1 offense - State ranks 107th in total offense, by the way - and <font color="#CC0033">Ole Miss has made more strides in one season under new coach Houston Nutt than the Bulldogs have made in five years under Sylvester Croom</font>.

Yeah, last year is looking more and more like a fluke. But I guess that is from whence players are drawing faith. Because nothing that's happened in 2008 gives reason for hope.

Here is the current combined record of the teams MSU (3-6, 1-4 SEC) has lost to: 30-22. OK, but three of those teams are currently at .500 or below.

Even less impressive, the combined mark of the teams State has defeated is 11-14, and two of those wins came against Southeastern Louisiana (Division I-AA) and Middle Tennessee State (formerly of Division I-AA).

Oh, but the Bulldogs beat then-No. 13 Vanderbilt. That win looks less impressive by the week.

For all the talk from MSU coaches and players about being "this close" on hitting big plays, or needing "just one play" out of eight or 10 to win, or needing a little bit better execution, etc., there remains this one glaring fact: <font color="#CC0033">This is a bad football team</font>.

The offense has almost zero home-run ability, the defense doesn't adjust well to unexpected or unconventional offensive strategies, <font color="#CC0033">the offensive line protects about as well as cheap suntan lotion.
</font>
And now, chip-shot place kicks are high adventure.

I'm not trying to run anyone down, I'm just being realistic.

I believe what Hebrews 11:1 says: "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

I admire faith, which is toughest to have when things go south. This team is at rock bottom, and that is when faith is needed most.

But this being football, there is no guarantee that this faith will be rewarded any time soon. Faith doesn't win ballgames; good football teams win ballgames.

It's easy to see the players are trying hard. I commend them for not giving up, for still believing in Croom, a man who runs his program the right way when it comes to discipline and integrity.

Who knows, maybe the Bulldogs can win out, go 6-6 and snag another bowl bid.

But that requires more faith than I could ever have.

Brad Locke ([email protected]) covers Mississippi State for the Daily Journal.</font>
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</p>

</p>

Ouch
</p>

WOW.....fire up the Genespage Boycott of the Week ; this week it is the Daily Journal

BTW.......he nailed it....

 

[vhdawg]

....is some quote with a worthless maxim about installing discipline, followed by the tried-and-true line "If discipline won championships, Army and Navy would battle for the BCS title every year."

 

[Coach34]

excellent work Brad

 

[birdZdawg]

nice job. </p>

 

[saddawg]

Indndawg wrote:

<font face="Tahoma" size="2">

It's easy to see the players are trying hard. I commend them for not giving up, for still believing in Croom, a man who runs his program the right way when it comes to discipline and integrity.
</font></p>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">That may be the best shot at Croom. He is saying he ain't doing **** else right.</span>

<span style="font-weight: bold;">That's the way writers in other states write. Mississippi writers have always been hesitant to get on coach's asses.</span> <br style="font-weight: bold;"> <br style="font-weight: bold;"> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Locke is refreshing.</span>

 

[Stormrider81]

<font size="2">" For all the talk from MSU coaches and players about being "this close" on hitting big plays, or needing "just one play" out of eight or 10 to win, or needing a little bit better execution, etc., there remains this one glaring fact: This is a bad football team"

</font> <font size="4">Thank you for stating that. I get tired of hearing about how close we were, just needing this play or that play. That's true of just about every ballgame and just about every team. If we hit this play it's a different ballgame. Well, you didn't. Sooner or later you have to admit that failure to hit on these plays might be pointing to the fact that you are a bad team. After all, the good teams make the necessary plays.</font></p>

 

[tat2ed]

state of STATE football. Mr. Locke I give your article a gold star.

 

[RebelBruiser]

Actually, the way I see it, really good teams rarely even have to look at a game where one or two plays might change the outcome. Florida for instance has only had one game all year where a handful of plays can be pointed to showing where the game outcome changed. Every other game they've played has been such a rout that no opponent could rightly claim any of the "if this or that play" BS.

I've always said that if you get in a bunch of tight games, you're rarely going to get all of the breaks. I call them breaks, because it is true that only a handful of plays can make the difference between a win and a loss in a tight game. Usually, those bounces come close to evening out. For you last year, those bounces went mostly your way (4-0 in games decided by a TD or less). This year, they are mostly going the other way (1-3 in games decided by 8 or less).

Some of our fans would argue that we are a handful of plays from being undefeated. That's bogus in my mind though, because 6 of our 9 games have been decided by 7 or less and a 7th was decided by 10. No team is ever going to get all of the plays to go their way in that many games. You're going to win some, and you're going to lose some. If you truly deserved to be an undefeated team, you'd be routing most of your competition and only playing a couple teams close all year. True, if the bounces in every close game went your way this year, you could potentially be 6-3 right now, but that's not realistic. To get to 6-3, you're more than likely going to have to have had a chance to win at least 8 or maybe all 9 of your games, because you're going to have a few bounces go the other way.

 

[TR.sixpack]

Signed,

Rick Cleveland

 

[8dog]

he may be slow on the blog trigger, but he is bringing the truth.

 

[futaba.79]

that this board supports this guy. Simply amazing. I don't care how much of it is valid, it's a crap piece. This line says it all:

<font size="2"><font size="2">I'm not trying to run anyone down, I'm just being realistic.</font></font>

<font size="2">What ********. This guy is absolutely trying to run down the program - he's using his position to inflict damage. Hell, he brings UM into his "editorial." And here ya'll are singing his praises. </font>

 

[tat2ed]

Sometimes the truth hurts.

 

[saddawg]

[No message]

 

[MSUCostanza]

Croom deserves to be run down. Everything in that piece is true, including the part about Ole Miss. Like it or not, Ole Miss and us compete directly for recruits and the fact that they have made more strides in 1 year than we've made in 5 is a perfectly legitimate point and should be mentioned.

 

[skip dog]

last year Um was a bunch of bumbling idiots on the field, remove the shrimper, & bring in a head coach, & they are flat out performing on the field.

There have been some stupid comparisons in the past b/w us & UM, but this is dead on correct.

We had the most boring winning season last year, & even w/ the winning season, it was obvious we had nothing on offense, & we are in the same spot this year, except we are staring a 3 win season dead in the face.

Not to mention 4.5 years of we are a insistently WCO team, & mid way though this year, we will win or lose w/ the "I" formation.

At what point does this coach look at himself & say that "I need to determine the strong point of my players, & design the offense to fit those strong points"

One thing Houston Nutt / Myer / Miles / Saben, or any winning coach, is not going to be locked down to is a specific offensive scheme, he may use it as a baseline, but they are going to adjust & design around their talent on the field.

That article is dead on correct, & 3 weeks to late.

 

[Coach34]

"I don't care how much of it is valid"

translated: The reality of how ****** we truly are in his 5th year hurts me and I dont like reading it

"<font size="2">This guy is absolutely trying to run down the program - he's using his position to inflict damage"

No sheep, he is doing his job and reporting the truth.</font>

 

[maroonmania]

not as a column. Look, nothing he said was wrong, but it IS a hatchet job from a guy likely with alterior motives. Basically kicking a team that's down. I'm not crazy about this at all. It looks like something straight off the Six Pack Message Board. And that is fine and expected from an internet message board but not from a supposedly unbiased media source. A case can be made from the other side that you are relatively close on some things when you are repeatedly losing games by one point. I guess I feel like the old adage that it is OK to pick on your own family but feel a little defensive about outsiders doing it. If Croom is given another year, I don't want 2 bit beat reporters running off recruits that will be there in the future whether Croom is there or not. We all know Croom is likely to be back at least one more year so I am not ready to throw the baby out with the bath water just yet. Now if we are in this same position again next year this time I will not feel the same. I just don't think our administration is going to make a move this year.

 

[Indndawg]

use your Garmin, you'll get there

 

[WPDawg]

You admit he has said nothing wrong so I dont actually get your point on the reporter being "biased". This isnt High school ball where you need to sugar coat everything so that the faithful fans will not turn on a friendly coach. The guy and his staff are making some serious cash and after 4 1/2 years have nothing to show other than a 2007 season where we were a few plays from being just as bad as this year.

I am interested to know where you gather your optimism for another season of this coaching staff. Outside of a few potential recruits of value, please share how 2009 can be any better with the current leadership remaining as captains of this ship. As Cromm's "agent" please sell me his credentials for improvemnt.

 

[vhdawg]

.....between an editorial and a column.

 

[maroonmania]

is of course strictly opinion based and is not normally written by a beat writer. In fact, Locke may find a cold shoulder from our football program at the moment. From the CL, you would normally read something like this from Hampton or Cleveland, not from the guy following the team around everywhere. I guess with the limited staff of the DJ, the guy is serving both roles but this sure seems like a pile on piece.

 

[dawgstudent]

[No message]

 

[maroonmania]

for another season just that I feel about 99% sure that we are NOT going to make a move this year. I have little optimism of next year being significantly better. However, I don't think State has the intestinal fortitude or the money to want to deal with the political and financial fallout of ditching Croom this year after giving him the raise and extension. That being said, I would like to get the best class Croom has ever had in here for SOMEBODY to coach down the line. Nutt is only having success at Ole Miss because Orgeron did leave some pretty dang good football players behind.

And no, he didn't say anything technically wrong, but I could have written a piece with the opposite slant giving all the proper excuses for our results and not been technically wrong either. I know most on here want our program to go further in the crapper as fast as possible to accelerate Croom's demise, but since I think he's still going to be around, I would like to see us not go so far in the hole that the next coach (or Croom if we have a miraculous turnaround) will need 3 years to dig our way out. I don't have enough patience to wait all of that out.

 

[Columbus Dawg]

good post.

 

[Todd4State]

If we make a change NOW before things get too bad, we will be OK- and maybe even do pretty well next year. We can't worry about what the media thinks, we can't worry about what Al and Jesse think, and we sure as hell can't worry about what Ole Miss or the rest of the SEC thinks or how they try to portray it. Losing is worse than whatever the worst thing that the media could do or say about us, worse than what the Rainbow Coalition could say about us, and worse than what our competitors could say about us. If we make a change now, I don't think that it will take that long to rebuild- and the truth is we didn't have to wait four-five years to rebuild either. All of that was a lame excuse throw out there to buy these assclowns time until they had their fluke season.

And I'm not worried about the money being there either. If the cigar boys want Croom gone, it will happen. And we have an AD that has balls AND can raise money. He knows what will happen if we have ****** football year after year, and I guarantee you that he knows what will happen if we have a good team every year to.

 

[8dog]

to what you see from legitimate papers across the country. Croom has gotten the biggest pass from the press so its nice to see someone calling it as it is.

 

[8dog]

he'd write an excuse-laden column praising Croom and telling everyone that Croom just needs more time b/c of the situation he inherited.

 

[dawgatUSM]

Though Locke isn't the best blogger, I swear he's a sixpack reader.

 

[futaba.79]

No. he didn't do his damn job. He strung together a few of your posts and called it a column. I know a hack piece when I see it and that's what it is. A well-written criticism of all things MSU football is called for. But this is poorly written ********.

Hampton blasted Croom and the offense after the UT debacle. That was a nice scathing editorial. Lock's work is crap.

 

[dawgstudent]

http://www.clarionledger....19/COL0508/810190374/1180

 

[Henry Kissinger]

I completely agree. It's kind of sad, really

 

[futaba.79]

nt</p>

 

[Coach34]

rather than logical.

And I agree with 8dog- if he wanted to do damage to the program- he'd be praising him and begging fans for more time

 

[futaba.79]

Locke's the one that's being emotional, rather than objective and logical.

It reads like a student newspaper's mid-season analysis of their school's opponents, and 18-21 yr olds that write those things don't hide their feelings very well.

 

[Frances Drebin]

<font size="2"><font size="2">This guy is absolutely trying to run down the program</font></font>

<font size="2">Um, actually, Croom is doing a pretty good job of that himself. Locke is just taking the opportunity to put it in print. </font>

 

[gptdawg]

that this board supports this guy. Simply amazing. I don't care how much of it is valid, it's a crap piece. This line says it all:

<font size="2"><font size="2">I'm not trying to run anyone down, I'm just being realistic.</font></font>

<font size="2">What ********. This guy is absolutely trying to run down the program - he's using his position to inflict damage. Hell, he brings UM into his "editorial." And here ya'll are singing his praises.</font>

I'm with futuba on this one. Whenever I want an unbiased opinion on anything MSU related I always run to the nearest OM homer.

 

[bulldogbaja]

to get attention. Same as the dumbasses who write editorials in the Reflector saying controverial stuff every week, just to get the attention of being flamed. This is about as obvious of a case as it gets. I have no respect for writers who have to do it to get people to read their stuff.