Stricklin put one across Slive's bow....

[ImHurtinLinda]

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 11px; ">"We have collected decibel readings from Davis Wade Stadium and other league facilities, and shared them with the league office and the other 11 institutions, to offset the notion that cowbells provide an unfair “noise” advantage for us. None of that seemed to leave much of an impression on the other schools. We have also asserted the “traditional” symbol it holds in our school’s history."....From Stricklin's newsletter of 10/27.</span><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#660000" face="Arial" size="3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">
</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Stricklin needs to press this big time - the story is getting more and more attention on ESPN and other national outlets (saw Fowler talking about it yesterday....he seemed to think it was ridiculous, and that they should let us ring) - arm these national guys with some facts that it is no louder than any other stadium in the SEC, and they will run with this for Stricklin. </span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">
</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So Slive, if it is not an unfair noise advantage, what is it? </span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">
</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It will piss Slive off big time, but so what......</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">
</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What is he going to do to us? -</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">have his officiating crews screw us over when we play bama in football? </span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">stump for florida for an ncaa tournament bid five minutes after we slap them around in the SEC tournament?</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sit with his arms folded and lip poked out when one of our players breaks a national record? </span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">never admit that his officials hosed up the SEC title game in basketball, and fine our head coach for pointing out the obvious?</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">send out public apologies to several other member schools when calls are botched last football season, while stating that our screwings were the right calls in spite of very clear video evidience?</span></font></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 11px; ">
</span></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#660000" face="Arial" size="3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">
</span></font></div></div>

 

[ImHurtinLinda]

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 11px; ">"We have collected decibel readings from Davis Wade Stadium and other league facilities, and shared them with the league office and the other 11 institutions, to offset the notion that cowbells provide an unfair “noise” advantage for us. None of that seemed to leave much of an impression on the other schools. We have also asserted the “traditional” symbol it holds in our school’s history."....From Stricklin's newsletter of 10/27.</span><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#660000" face="Arial" size="3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">
</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Stricklin needs to press this big time - the story is getting more and more attention on ESPN and other national outlets (saw Fowler talking about it yesterday....he seemed to think it was ridiculous, and that they should let us ring) - arm these national guys with some facts that it is no louder than any other stadium in the SEC, and they will run with this for Stricklin. </span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">
</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So Slive, if it is not an unfair noise advantage, what is it? </span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">
</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It will piss Slive off big time, but so what......</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">
</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What is he going to do to us? -</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">have his officiating crews screw us over when we play bama in football? </span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">stump for florida for an ncaa tournament bid five minutes after we slap them around in the SEC tournament?</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sit with his arms folded and lip poked out when one of our players breaks a national record? </span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">never admit that his officials hosed up the SEC title game in basketball, and fine our head coach for pointing out the obvious?</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">send out public apologies to several other member schools when calls are botched last football season, while stating that our screwings were the right calls in spite of very clear video evidience?</span></font></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 11px; ">
</span></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#660000" face="Arial" size="3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">
</span></font></div></div>

 

[Spotdawg]

The only way this situation is going to end with a positive (for MSU) resolution is to involve an outside and objective party on our behalf. Could be ESPN as an advocate...maybe a couple of influential sports writers who bang continuously on the subject.

Outside observation of the process and constant tub-thumping will be the only disinfectant that will keep the slimy back-room politics of the SEC and slive from taking the cowbell away from us. I have to agree that the more that outside media knows about this situation helps MSU to keep ringing cowbells. Our story is dynamic....especially to the world of football outside of the SEC.

But be forewarned, slive is a vindictive son-of-a-***** and already has a hardon for MSU. If we ultimately win this one...he will gut_17 us somewhere else.

 

[NicoSevero]

I saw that in yesterday's email as well and my first thought was that the results need to be published. Rank the stadiums based on decibels recorded. It's one thing to say that we looked at it and it showed we didn't have an advantage, it's another to publish the findings for other people (ESPN or whoever) to use as reference points.

The other thing I keep wondering is if any other BCS conferences have their own noisemaker rule. Is the SEC the only BCS conference concerned with noisemakers? If so, play that up in the media. We're supposed to be the toughest conference around but our members are all worried about a supposed unfair advantage provided by cowbells.

 

[Todd4State]

I've seen teams in other conferences such as Texas and Navy have cowbells in the stands, as well as things like thundersticks and stuff like that.

 

[gravedigger]

It was at one point when first made an issue with Jordan and Bryant.

THis is about other schools being intimidated about one school's fans carrying around an hand held skull cracker that doubles as a noise maker.

This is why nobody ever cared about those rubber thundersticks.

 

[MSUDawg25]

99.9% of other teams fans know nothing about the singular incidence you allude to.

 

[FlabLoser]

Slive is a figurehead in this. He doesn't have a vote.

The only drivers in this thing are 7 out of 12 SEC head football coaches. Which 7, I dunno.

At this point, maximum media exposure is our best shot. I hope it works. Publish the numbers. Hell, keep ringing the bells, since we're already screwed under the status quo. More and more it seems the best option is to show the world our bells so they'll keep talking about it.

 

[Todd4State]

injured by those things? The ONLY documented incident that I can recall was at the Egg Bowl last year, and that guy had charges brought against him. And unless I'm mistaken, that was against another State fan.

Why should the other fans be scared of us? Are they afraid that we're going to hit them when they try to run smack on us- which they really shouldn't do in the first place- remember "sportsmanship in the SEC"?- whether we're carrying around cowbells or nothing at all. If that really is the reason, that's all the more reason to keep them- to promote good sportsmanship.


I don't think that's what it is at all. Their fans "don't like them" and since we're "good ol' Missussipi State" and they're big bad Florida/Auburn/Bama etc. they think that they can force us to take them away.

And that's essentially what Scott Stricklin is saying, and I believe him.

 

[JimC1097]

is without video proof of the game situation when recording taken, what the meter showed, etc. We must show that the noise decibel levels when opposing offense approached line of scrimmage until snap, etc. Without that, they are just numbers and they will say not a good comparison. So, without a little more insight into Stricklin's readings, it is hard to know what help it will be.....

 

[MSUDawg25]

The reason the other schools want them banned is simple. They're annoying and loud. How would you feel having something loud and annoying rung at you while leaving a game at an opposing stadium after a loss (or even a win knowing our fans)?

 

[anon1751035439]

that the other schools achieve various decibel levels without artificial noise makers. I don't care either way, but I think that is the crux of the matter. Hell, we have to instruct our fans how to yell, so we don't factor into this discussion much anyway.

 

[o_dawgstyle]

against us?? Because if any of you were at the Florida game and in any of the Florida sections, you will remember that MANY
Florida fans had bells! They weren't big cowbells but, they were bells.
So what does the SEC do about that? It's not Florida's "tradition" but, they had artificial noisemakers.
I don't know if that is something they do against any other team, or if it was only because they were playing MSU.

 

[TBonewannabe]

Get them on record like Joker Phillips saying "cowbells don't affect us". Anybody that does go on record saying it does will be called out as a ***** for not being able to deal with the noise.

 

[Guy From Gulfport]

If we get ESPN to publicize the Good Ol' Boy Network circumstances that got the rule in place, they will run with it like it was Mississippi Burning.

 

[bulldognation]

If 56k fans with cowbells = 90k FLA/AL/LSU fans without cowbells AND a MSU stadium expansion puts at least 15k more fans with cowbells in the seats, THEN it stands to reason that our talks of stadium expansion would mean unfair advantage in the near future.

Now, I'm not saying the decible measurements aren't the right thing to do to make the other schools look ridiculous for their rants, but they probably are considering the fact that we're planning on an expansion and what sort of impact that will have 10 years from now.

 

[lanceharbor7]

Get's on ESPN at every opportunity and get's in front of every national/local/regional media outlet possible. Get the media on our side. They like a David and Goliath story.

Maybe this scenario can play out without the fines:

Do it.

 

[wk80]

The other coaches have absolutely no reason to vote for us to have cowbells. Other fans hate them, and I really can't say I blame them. If I wasn't a State fan, I'm sure I would too.

 

[00Dawg]

If the reports I heard on the readings are correct, our current decibels equals War Memorial in Little Rock which has a nearly identical capacity. It's not like 56k+cowbells=65k without, or something of that nature.

 

[Topgundawg]

There are many other schools out there with Cow bells of course none have the tradition we have. As posted earlier getting ESPN connected in is a great idea and I applaud the AD if they use that tactic. If they get on board with it now, we kick Kentucky's *** tomorrow our next game will be with BAMA. That gives us several weeks to get info to ESPN and get one of the analysts fired up. There looking for something to stick SEC with and this is a great one. Especially with Ark the following week which will likely be on ESPN channel.

We just need to give SEC a reason to fine us this year and then leave us alone. Conference USA schools have purchased thundersticks for the home school to use and WAC schools have purchased cowbells for their fans trying to get tradition started. Of course, they all need something coming from those conferences. NCAA does not CARE about this.........

 

[boomboommsu]

I had to put up with hearing that for 2 hours straight AFTER the 98 SEC championship game, due to traffic. If I have to put up with that, the other schools can put up with a damn bell.

 

[boomboommsu]

Start making the argument that the SEC doesn't deserve to go to the BCS title game, because this is a rigged league. Bama even gets their division competitors traditions banned, to keep their advantage, etc. There's sure as hell enough evidence from officiating and suspensions too. Get that into the conversation, get the league worried that it will cost them chances at national titles, and they'll let us have our bells.

 

[drail14me]

I'll be VERY VERY VERY disappointed if he pulls a Templeton and just rolls over on this cowbell issue. I feel like we're fighting a losing battle but we don't have to go down quietly and quickly. Put up a fight and make some serious noise. Make the other schools look like pusses for blaming their loss on cowbells. "we can't beat them because of their cowbells" Waah, waah, waah!!

 

[windcrysmary]

for each section... flyers handed out at each game? prolly won't cost as much as the fines we are going to get hit with...I'd be willing to try about anything to keep them from being banned.... if we could just stop when the bad guys have the ball as they break huddle I think we could win this conflict...

 

[rawdawg14]

I don't remember the year, all I know is it was a long time ago and it was raining but a teenager was ringing his bell after the game to drown out the trash talking @#%* fans who ended up taking it from him and beating him with it....It took several of us STATE fans to pull those racists, stuck-up, jack asses off of him....I don't condone ringing the bell in people's faces or taunting them with it at all, but the kid didn't deserve any of what he got...Not to mention the people that attacked him were easily 15-20 years older than him

 

[MSUCE99]

"An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life."

 

[AlCoDog]

if this is the case

 

[Uncle Leo]

The reason is simple... We're winning again and we're not supposed to.

If nobody has a problem with cowbells when we're losing (and they never do), then they should never be a problem.

 

[dawgstudent]

more winning = more people = more cowbells. I know I am more inclined to bring a cowbell when we are doing well.

 

[Hanmudog]

The reason the other schools want them banned is simple. They're annoying and loud. How would you feel having something loud and annoying rung at you while leaving a game at an opposing stadium after a loss (or even a win knowing our fans)?

Hotty Toddy, sockless loaders,and red pants annoy the hell out of me but I don't want them banned no matter how gay they are.

 

[Agentdog]

........but he certainly could have never let the issue get to the point of being voted on. He caved into a few schools complaints rather than telling them to STFU and just telling them to deal with it. Like they always have. Now, you have more cowbells at SEC games than ever before, pissing off the rest of the SEC. Then next year, everyone associated with State will be ready to hang the SOB.

Like someone else said, this isn't about noise. This is about a couple schools and their sour grapes. They don't like State beating them. So, this is something they can take away from us (legitimately or not) just to let us know where we are suppose to stand. Slive gave into that and allowed it to be apart of the agenda at last year's SEC meetings.

 

[Pat Pat]

Slive's office knows they must cater to the big money SEC schools, who provide an easier route to make bigger money for the SEC in general. And they are unhappy with ANY advantage poor lil MSU may have because they want us to be a sure win that they can overlook while getting ready to face other, more important SEC brethren. So they are yelling in Slive's ear. He wants to shut them up because it makes his life easier.

The hate in the SEC is like nothing I've ever seen before. It literally is out of control.

Slive doesn't care about noise. The other SEC coaches might. But I suspect it's more that they are frustrated because they can't just show up and beat down lowly MSU anymore - so they must level the playing field by whining instead of prepping your team better.

 

[yakalot]

The reason is simple... We're winning again and we're not supposed to.

If nobody has a problem with cowbells when we're losing (and they never do), then they should never be a problem.

Because at the beginning of last season we, in essence, told the SEC to get <17>ed. We are bringing our bells and we are going to ring 'em, and you can take your stupid cowbell rule and shove it.

So this spring when the annual meeting was held, the SEC told MSU to get <17>ed. Bring 'em and ring 'em all you like, but it will cost you dearly.

From the looks of things, they were right. We go from a very cohesive fan group to a fractured one. Substitute Col. Reb for cowbell and one would think one was on Nafoom.

Can ESPN and others help us? I don't know. I'm trying to remember the last time they did. And I can't.

 

[idog]

if it's 7/12 coaches that are need to vote against the bell then it's over and we can just forget about it. if it's slive then push the media thing and put some pressure on him. there isn't a fan base for a single SEC school that would be happy with their coach if he voted in approval of cowbell use.

 

[lawdawg02]

LSU fans.

 

[cps36]

I dont see an expansive bowl record.
I dont see a winning record against many SEC teams.

If we have gained an advantage, what would we be without cowbells? VANDERBUILT?
Are they SERIOUSLY saying cowbells have caused us to win more games than we would otherwise?
Jesus. They are basically saying they fully expect us to lose ALL of our games. Because lets face it, we haven't exactly been a national power.

Our Athletic Director says that"most coaches would agree" with Joker Phillips when he said he doesnt think cowbells have changed the outcome of any games he has been apart of. WELL it must be the Presidents of the universities, the other athletic directors, and the SEC commissioner/office itself that is wanting our cowbells banned. That pisses me off. And lets be honest the other coaches want them banned too o matter what they say in public.

 

[ImHurtinLinda]

when you ring the bell (assume a clock face to your right), the opening of the bell is at around 10 o'clock when the clanger hits - that is pointing up and out of the stadium.

when you yell, your pie hole is pointing directly at the field of play

maybe dude needs to do his physics lesson on the jumbotron regarding field level noise (bell vs. yell)</p>

 

[futaba.79]

the rest of SEC AD's and the other 11 SEC Presidents fear the wrath of Stricklin.

 

[ArlngtnDawg]

the rest of SEC AD's and the other 11 SEC Presidents fear the wrath of Stricklin.

Which is why you need to beat them in the court of public opinion. The best way to do that (in the sports world) is to get ESPN on your side and get them to do the work for you.