Question I would love asked of Mullen or Stricklin...

[maroonmania]

for anyone going to Roaddawgs meetings this week would be this. Why did we agree to move the LSU home game to a Thursday night this year? Besides the inconvenience to the fan traveling to the game (i.e. getting time off work, pulling kids out of school, etc.) this year's move appears, on the surface, to actually put us at a competitive disadvantage with LSU given we play a big time game with Auburn the week before and then have to come back to play LSU only 5 days later. For LSU they play Northwestern State the week before which is the next best thing to a bye week. Would be surprised if they use their starters for more than half the game in that one.

I know there is a little extra exposure for our program with this given we are the only game that night and maybe a little financial gain (although I still think most of that gets shared with the entire SEC) but I just don't see how it was worth it this year given what's riding on that game. What was really in it for us? What kind of right of refusal do we have when ESPN asks us to move such a game? I would really love to hear the answer.

 

[Coach34]

Mullen's line of thinking is- "think about what beating LSU in front of the whole country will do for our program?"

 

[maroonmania]

and they will almost assuredly be that when we play them, would do a lot for our program regardless. It would have likely been an EPSN/ESPN2 game anyway even on Saturday. I'm just afraid, with this move, that we've lowered our chances to get the job done. We are asking a LOT of our players to go to Auburn and play their guts out and then turn around and do the same with LSU only 5 days later while LSU has a cakewalk the week before.

 

[chew1095]

nm

 

[missouridawg]

That's no cake-walk...

 

[maroonmania]

I would be good with it as well. Its nearly 2 weeks between LSU's game with Oregon and ours.

 

[jzahner1]

Thursday night games are special. Anytime we get a chance to play we should. We get to beat Auburn at their place and then come home and beat LSU on Thursday night. Two big wins in one week. Yes, we are at the disadvantage with the short turn-around but the upside is huge if we pull it off. Also its our first home game. We are going to be primed and the fans are going to be crazy.

 

[maroonmania]

if you don't live near Starkville and a LOT of the season ticket holders don't. Requires requesting time off work, having to take your child out of school on Thursday afternoon and most if not all of Friday. Last year I tried to drive back, and because of the horrible traffic congestion didn't get back home until 3 a.m. If I go I doubt I will try that again. Will likely stay over but that requires additional time off work. Even with all that it would be easier to swallow if we weren't putting ourselves at a disadvantage versus LSU's situation. And the fans would be just as crazy for a Saturday night as they would for a Thursday night game. As Coach34 said, this has to be about exposure, but exposure only helps if you play well and win.

 

[AssEndDawg]

so let's make this clear, once again, to everyone wearing Maroon and White.

<font size="5"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mississippi State will <span style="text-decoration: underline;">ALWAYS</span> do whatever it takes to get us the best TV exposure. We will not turn down Thursday night games just to make it easier for the fans.</span></font>

If you have any doubt to the truth of that statement I would ask you to reflect upon our 100% approval rate of ESPN Thursday night games. We are simply not in a position to turn down national exposure at this point and anyone who thinks we are is retarded.

 

[maroonmania]

stop trying to be a jerk. We get LOTS AND LOTS of exposure just by being in the SEC and having the SEC TV contract. Exposure in the Northeast and Far West doesn't help our recruiting, we don't recruit there. We've been playing these Thursday night games for 2 decades and they don't have that much impact over a televised Saturday night game and haven't really been much of a factor for our program in my view. BEATING LSU would have more impact (whenever played) than just having a Thursday night ESPN game. And I didn't say we shouldn't do it JUST for the fans, in fact, my primary concern is doing it after we play Auburn with LSU having a cream puff the weekend before.

Bottom line is though most SEC programs are not willing to move their Saturday home games for this anymore. We are one of the very few who will. Heck, I can't even remember the last time Ole Miss hosted a Thursday night game in Oxford other than the old Egg Bowl deal a few years back.

 

[jakldawg]

any chance it could be moved to Sunday night if the lockout is still on?
That would be a great way to increase exposure for our annual<span style="text-decoration: line-through;"> complete skull<17>ing by</span> I mean, contest with LSU.

 

[Tds &amp; Beer]

Sometimes, you have to take a chance. We play Memphis on a Thursday, so we have nine days to prepare for Auburn. Two extra days to prepare for auburn and nurse our wounds. If we leave Memphis injury free, we will be looking ok. LSU always plays worse at the beginning of the year. If they can beat Oregon, and we can win our first three, think how high we would be ranked. We will have beaten the defending national champs, and one of the national champ favorites for this year, who have already beaten the team who played the champs in the championship last year. Do you realize how much exposure our team would receive during and after that game? It would be absolutely insane in Starkville. It's not that bad because we are doing it at the beginning of the season. It will be tough on the team to turn around and play LSU in five days, but we have one of the best strength and conditioning coaches in the country and I have faith that we can pull it off. I don't know if we will, but it's very possible. I don't hate it. I would rather itbe on Saturday so I can go, but it is a lot of fun watching us play on Thursday in front of the nation against a powerhouse. I love it. I'll take it.

 

[Possum Town Bob]

I was not the one who asked Mullen but someone did bring this question up this morning at the Columbus stop. Mullen's response was "exposure". He said that if both LSU and State come into that game at 2-0 both teams could possibly be top 10 teams. Mullen said thatmatchupwould generate nation wide interest and viewership that you couldn't get on a Saturday. He also explained the Thursday game against Memphis. I beleive he also mentioned exposure then as well but his main point was that it allowed us to begin practicing a couple days sooner. Appearantly you can only begin practicing a certain number of days before your first game. Moving Memphis up a couple days allows us to begin practice that much sooner.