I know that there have been several threads in the last 36 or so hours that start with "Just back from the game". I also know that rehashing what happened Saturday is just knife-twisting the wound. Without really trying to armchair QB the game and its results, I just want to offer my opinion on several things, for what they are worth. Let me preface this by saying that I was not able to attend a single game last year; my last game other than the Liberty Bowl was the 2007 Egg Bowl, which I left early (long story). I've been attending games since 1974, when I was 2. I spent 7 years at State from 1991 to 1998 obtaining my Doctorate. This is only important for perspective, as you'll see.
1. Campus looks GREAT. We've always had one of the nicest campuses, but it looks better than ever. Monsoon-season type rains can do that to vegetation, granted, but the new signs, renovated buildings, and the big crosshairs pointed at Suttle Hall really do stand out now. The signs out on 82 look first class.
2. The video board surpassed anything I could have expected. Our seats were in the north endzone on the west side (that was no accident) and I spent most of my time watching it instead of the field. The volume was PERFECT in my opinion. I thought the music choices were tough to complain about. Anything that includes at least some Metallica has to have its positives, no? I do think they could implement more scores and stats into the software, but that is a relatively minor issue to me. The operator and band director badly need to coordinate with each other, though.
3. The band uniforms look great, but you can barely hear them where they are seated; maybe it is better in other parts of the stadium. The flag girls.....where do I start? I'm pretty sure they are supposed to be twirling at the same time and at the same speed. Maybe I'm old school. Again, minor.
4. The stadium looks SO much better. The couple that was with us (LSU fans) were very impressed with how the board looked from outside the stadium as you drive north towards it. If you've been to Baton Rouge and seen their's, you'll understand why that is a huge compliment. Moving/expanding the student section was a great idea. The signs under the stands are great too; you don't have to guess how far the next bathroom is, etc... I thought the banners looked great, but I can do without the flames. They just don't go.
5. The "Fan of the game" needs to shave. Badly. If you were there, you know what I mean. I'm pretty sure he was the drummer for the Kentucky Headhunters.
6. The uniforms look great in person. I never like playing in white at home, but whatever. The helmets look great and the jerseys have grown on me. BIG improvement.
7. We are proving this year what can be accomplished at State if everyone is on board, from the top down. How many of you that were there just stopped and looked around at the crowd (in spite of the rain) and thought how great Scott Field would look as a horseshoe? I'm not trying to get ahead of myself here, but if the adminstration continues to at least LISTEN to the fans like they seem to be doing and we put even just a decent product on the field year after year, this program can make some HUGE strides.
8. I have never felt worse after a loss. Ever.
9. I honestly think Mullen is going to be successful here. He clearly still has quite a bit to learn, no doubt. I'm not one to wool up, but the entire attitude of the team is impressive to me. I could be absolutely wrong about this, obviously, but I remember when OM hired Orgeron. My first thought was that he was either going to be a monumental success or a colossal failure. I don't really get that with Mullen; maybe it's his approach or the way the team has responded these first few games, minus the defensive collapse at AU. He has almost EXACTLY the same talent as the prior regime, including very little talent at QB; where do you think we would stand right now if Croom were still here? MAYBE the same record, but what would Saturday have probably been like? How many timeouts would we have had left at the end? Would we be in any position for it to even matter? Would we have been DRIVING at the end of the first half or running out the clock?
10. I like Lee; he seems to be a genuinely good kid. A genuinely good kid who can't get a pass over an SEC lineman or throw the ball 40 yards without herniating himself. Relf can throw it out of the stadium.......to absolutely noone. Staple that problem to Croom.
11. I have never felt worse after a loss. Ever.
Just my thoughts. On to Tech.
1. Campus looks GREAT. We've always had one of the nicest campuses, but it looks better than ever. Monsoon-season type rains can do that to vegetation, granted, but the new signs, renovated buildings, and the big crosshairs pointed at Suttle Hall really do stand out now. The signs out on 82 look first class.
2. The video board surpassed anything I could have expected. Our seats were in the north endzone on the west side (that was no accident) and I spent most of my time watching it instead of the field. The volume was PERFECT in my opinion. I thought the music choices were tough to complain about. Anything that includes at least some Metallica has to have its positives, no? I do think they could implement more scores and stats into the software, but that is a relatively minor issue to me. The operator and band director badly need to coordinate with each other, though.
3. The band uniforms look great, but you can barely hear them where they are seated; maybe it is better in other parts of the stadium. The flag girls.....where do I start? I'm pretty sure they are supposed to be twirling at the same time and at the same speed. Maybe I'm old school. Again, minor.
4. The stadium looks SO much better. The couple that was with us (LSU fans) were very impressed with how the board looked from outside the stadium as you drive north towards it. If you've been to Baton Rouge and seen their's, you'll understand why that is a huge compliment. Moving/expanding the student section was a great idea. The signs under the stands are great too; you don't have to guess how far the next bathroom is, etc... I thought the banners looked great, but I can do without the flames. They just don't go.
5. The "Fan of the game" needs to shave. Badly. If you were there, you know what I mean. I'm pretty sure he was the drummer for the Kentucky Headhunters.
6. The uniforms look great in person. I never like playing in white at home, but whatever. The helmets look great and the jerseys have grown on me. BIG improvement.
7. We are proving this year what can be accomplished at State if everyone is on board, from the top down. How many of you that were there just stopped and looked around at the crowd (in spite of the rain) and thought how great Scott Field would look as a horseshoe? I'm not trying to get ahead of myself here, but if the adminstration continues to at least LISTEN to the fans like they seem to be doing and we put even just a decent product on the field year after year, this program can make some HUGE strides.
8. I have never felt worse after a loss. Ever.
9. I honestly think Mullen is going to be successful here. He clearly still has quite a bit to learn, no doubt. I'm not one to wool up, but the entire attitude of the team is impressive to me. I could be absolutely wrong about this, obviously, but I remember when OM hired Orgeron. My first thought was that he was either going to be a monumental success or a colossal failure. I don't really get that with Mullen; maybe it's his approach or the way the team has responded these first few games, minus the defensive collapse at AU. He has almost EXACTLY the same talent as the prior regime, including very little talent at QB; where do you think we would stand right now if Croom were still here? MAYBE the same record, but what would Saturday have probably been like? How many timeouts would we have had left at the end? Would we be in any position for it to even matter? Would we have been DRIVING at the end of the first half or running out the clock?
10. I like Lee; he seems to be a genuinely good kid. A genuinely good kid who can't get a pass over an SEC lineman or throw the ball 40 yards without herniating himself. Relf can throw it out of the stadium.......to absolutely noone. Staple that problem to Croom.
11. I have never felt worse after a loss. Ever.
Just my thoughts. On to Tech.