Nothing too crazy to be honest. I'd more-so get tickled when I'd be holding for field goals. The trash talk was hilarious to me. Punting wise, if there was any jawing, I never heard it. I was pretty locked in to punting that football. So there may have been plenty. It just never registered with me.
Swede - AMA - 2022 Edition
- Thread starter Swede39
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I'm sure there was plenty going on. I just personally didn't see much of it. I got mentally prepared more from an introspective place. So more-so locked in on my job and making sure my nerves are good. Some guys got more hyped and prepped together kinda feeding off each other. Different strokes. But yeah I'm sure there's drugs involved on some level. I never did partake though.
It was frustrating for sure. Word was that our DC at the time (Not Manny and not Collins, the guy in the middle. Can't remember his name) said we would have to run a 4 man front to have a shot. Mullen shot it down multiple times and made us play a 3 man front. And we all know how that turned out. They got in a shouting match on the sidelines over it. It was tough from a team standpoint just because we feel like we weren't even in the hunt the entire time.
Boobie was always hilarious. The guy just has a zest for life.
I always respected Coach Hughes (still there). The guy just had a presence about him and you just naturally respected him.
As a former player, what's your perspective on referees? Are they just generally trying to do a good job with the occasional mistake? Or are they doing what the SEC office wants them to do?
If playing at MSU fell through and was not an option, what would have been your dream school to play for?
Yeah the last two seasons I've contemplated this one. It seems like they do a worse job. But is that because we have better technology now that reveals some blatant errors we just didn't see in the past. I honestly don't know. But it does seem like SEC refs are worse these days. Very frustrating.
I've got two Swede boys now. I'll teach them if they're interested. My oldest has shown that he's got a leg already so that's pretty exciting. We'll see if it goes anywhere.
We used to do this in practice off on our own field (not team periods). I think I was able to get out to like 30/40 yards if memory serves correct.
See my comments about the 2012 Egg Bowl. There does seem to be some outcome controlling. Again, no way to prove it. But I thought it was almost obvious when Slive was SEC commish.
How bad was Relf hurt during the 2011 season. Don't think it was ever announced other than maybe some rib soreness after La Tech early in the year, but he didn't seem to be the same QB. Was he injured for a lot of that year? Or did he just regress some passing because the Oline was that much worse in 2011?
I'll answer this one in two ways.
1. State was the dream. Growing up a State fan. Going to games. Etc. That was the dream. So any school beyond that would more so be just a business decision if State didn't work out. I think it would've been fun to play at LSU or Tennessee. They recruited me hard late in the process right when State offered.
2. With that said, Ole Miss pretty much had me in the bag. They were recruiting me the hardest. Had State not offered I feel pretty certain I would've gone to Ole Miss. It killed me because I grew up hating them too. State came in at the last second and offered and it was over after that.
Hmm I don't remember him being badly hurt that year. But that was also 10+ years ago and I'm getting old lol. To your point though, it may have been more on the o-line play at that point. Under Mullen, we seemed to always have good seasons when we could run the trap pretty effectively. If memory serves correct, I don't think we could run it well that year.
Was Mullen open to players coming to him for personal problems, whether it be school, girlfriends, whatever? Some coaches are but others don't care. Mullen always seemed to me that he wouldn't want to hear any personal problems that people might have?
Was there ever a player or players that consistently either showed up late to practice or didn't show up at all?
He may have been, but didn't really put out that vibe. On the flip side, you felt like you could approach your position coach or any of the strength coaches at any time about any thing. The bonds we developed with the strength coaches were very very strong.
There was this one time. Dennis Thames. He showed up late one too many times. We all got punished. This was during the summer. He left the team.
So you're saying that Dennis denied us his services? (messageboarding is an audio medium)
Honestly I don't. Mainly 2 reasons. 1. I just don't have time anymore. 2. There's such a leap from when the recruit signs with us to playing time that I just don't see it being worth it to follow honestly. So much can happen in that gap. A lot of players can't handle not being the big man on campus anymore and they're among incredible SEC athletes so they kinda shut down and never pan out.
Let me reframe that question... did you (or other teammates) keep up with recruiting when you were playing?
Ahh I see what you're asking. Sorry. I kind of did. A lot of guys didn't. There were a few that followed it religiously. So I'd say majority didn't with a few sprinkled in that did. What also didn't help was that a lot of freshman would come insanely over confident and the upper classmen would just kind of roll their eyes because these young guys hadn't yet figured out that their world is about to be rocked lol. I had multiple walk on punters come straight up to me and say "I'm gonna take your job this year". I would just smile and say, "Go ahead. It's all you". Then 4 months later they end up quitting lol.
Just felt like this thread was incomplete without…
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Best was either when we beat Florida in Gainesville in 2010 (I didn't even play but I got to travel and dress out). Or probably 2011 Egg Bowl. I had a pretty good game and we were just rocking the whole game. That was my first year to finally start playing so it was like the icing on top.
Worst was Egg Bowl 2013. I still can't even watch the game. I had had enough with Mullen's crap. He throws me into game without any warning. I'm in the back of the end zone right before half. Not even warmed up. Bobble the snap and Ole Miss blocks it and gets a quick 7 points. They had all the momentum going into half time. Had Dak not come in and saved us, we would've lost that game. It killed me because I let my teammates down but also it was just the cap on the end of a ****** season that I had no control over. After I bobbled the snap, Mullen told me I'll never play another snap for Mississippi State and I'll just ride the bench the rest of the year. I had just had enough of it all.
Honestly, just like any ole conversation that any of us would have on here. He may take it. He may not. Believe it or not, it didn't worry most of us. Looking back it probably should've. New coach means a big shift in everything but I guess we were so of the mindset of week to week, it just didn't matter much.
Have you ever said this speech at Christmas?
Hey. If any of you are looking for any last-minute gift ideas for me, I have one. I'd like Dan Mullen, my coach, right here tonight. I want him brought from his happy holiday slumber over there on Melody Lane with all the other rich people and I want him brought right here...with a big ribbon on his head! And I want to look him straight in the eye, and I want to tell him what a cheap, lying, no-good, rotten, four-flushing, low-life, snake-licking, dirt-eating, inbred, overstuffed, ignorant, blood-sucking, dog-kissing, brainless, dickless, hopeless, heartless, fat-assed, bug-eyed, stiff-legged, spotty-lipped, worm-headed, sack of monkey **** he is! Hallelujah! Holy ****! Where's the Tylenol?"
Hey. If any of you are looking for any last-minute gift ideas for me, I have one. I'd like Dan Mullen, my coach, right here tonight. I want him brought from his happy holiday slumber over there on Melody Lane with all the other rich people and I want him brought right here...with a big ribbon on his head! And I want to look him straight in the eye, and I want to tell him what a cheap, lying, no-good, rotten, four-flushing, low-life, snake-licking, dirt-eating, inbred, overstuffed, ignorant, blood-sucking, dog-kissing, brainless, dickless, hopeless, heartless, fat-assed, bug-eyed, stiff-legged, spotty-lipped, worm-headed, sack of monkey **** he is! Hallelujah! Holy ****! Where's the Tylenol?"
What’s the typical practice like for punters & kickers? Are you out there the entire time just punting & kicking? How many times can a guy punt a ball in 2-3 hour practice?
Did you guys go thru the same strength & conditioning workouts as rest of the team?
Did you guys go thru the same strength & conditioning workouts as rest of the team?
In your experience did it appear any coaches ever paid any attention to fan-based message boards? How about players?
Typically we'd go out before practice to get warmed up. Practice starts and periods 1-2 are punt team. So 1st and 2nd team punt getting looks from the scout team. From there, I was pretty much done from a team practice standpoint. We would go to our field and typically do drills and such. To your point, you just can't physically punt balls for 2-3 hours every day. So it was kinda backwards almost. Full punt first, then the rest of practice you're working on drills and maybe correcting stuff that you didn't do well in team periods.
Yep we went through the same strength and conditioning as everyone else. I hated it. But it also earned us instant respect among everyone else on the team. I miss being that in shape. I could hit my pitching wedge like 180 easy. Boy was I humbled when I got out of college lol.
Coaches didn't. That's a crazy lifestyle man. During the season, they're putting in CRAZY hours. Like 18-20 hours days. Not even kidding.
I think some of the players did. I always followed on here just to see what the pulse of the fan base was.
