Why we should not play USM

[newyorkdawg]

1) If we win, it's no different than playing UAB.

2) Unlike UAB, we will be the biggest game on their schedule and even if we are substantially better it will be a tough game.

3) If they win, they will claim they are just as good a program and this will hurt in recruiting. They definitely outrecruited us for a good number of guys in the 80s. I do know the BCS has helped, but there is no point in taking the risk.

4) Some say we will play before a full house. We already sell out all our games.

5) But the biggest reason to not play them is that it could energize their fan base. They have poor attendance now, but they also have a lack of enthusiasm. Watching the BoG Bowl, they don't even have the ability to get fired up. They would get fired up for us and if they could use that to energize their base they could become much more competitive in a lot of ways. All of those ways would to some degree take away from us.

Flame away.

 

[Dawgzilla]

Losing sucks. Losing non-conference games sucks. Losing to C-USA teams sucks. Playing USM will be fun, as long as State wins. Losing would suck.

 

[was21]

Starkvegas. Even if we were to lose one of those games, it would not have any long term lasting effect on recruiting. It would just give their small fan base something to run their mouths about for a year. There's really no close comparison between the two programs and recruits know it, as do their parents. I don't follow recruiting that intensely, but don't believe there have been any recruits in recent memory that signed with them that we really had an interest in. If so, it was a rare occasion.

 

[patdog]

1. It's only two games. I doubt we lose either, but even if we do, it won't have any real effect. This isn't like the 80s when we really didn't have a big lead over them in terms of resources (money, stadium, TV contract, etc.). The resource gap now is huge and just getting bigger. Veryfew recruits are going to give up playing our schedule and being on national TV every game to go play UTEP on a Tuesday night with no TV.

2. It's the 1st game of the season both years. If we played them mid-season you might have a point about them being sky-high for a game we weren't up for. But being the 1st game, both teams will be up for it.

3. As for the "we shouldn't help USM out" argument, this really won't help them that much. They'll sell a couple thousand more season tickets that year, but long-term we'll probably pick up about as many new fans from playing down there as they will (although neither side will pick up many).

 

[RebelBruiser]

It pisses off their fanbase.

You don't need any other reason. They know they need games with the in-state SEC schools, and it's fun to watch them squirm when they don't get them.

I still can't believe Byrne caved and scheduled them. He did a lot of good things, but that was one really awful move.

 

[patdog]

it pisses off YOUR fanbase.

 

[tippahdog]

The decision not to play USM originated with the bears and they deserve credit for it being the right decision. It has knockedSouthern off the map as far as recruiting. Apparently legislative pressure has played into this. As others have stated this will be their biggest game of the year and will put them back in the position of recruiting head to head with us. Thereis nothing to gain for State. We fill our stadium now regardless of who we play. Why should we fill their stadium for them?We have eight SEC games which make our schedule tough enough. Vaught made his reputation dodging Alabama and playing the likes of Ouachita Baptist and Chattanoga. Win your four out of conference games and go .500 in the SEC puts you in a pretty good bowl.

 

[JabbatheGut1]

I personally see it as a no lose situation for OM. State wins, make fun of USM/demeanState for cupcake win...State loses, give State hell.

 

[KurtRambis4]

Dan as our coach and our current leadership, what makes you say "if" we win. I'm pretty gd mother 17ing confident with Dan as our coach that it is not "if" we win. That is why I don't give two ***** about playing them. It's just another W on our schedule to me.</p>

 

[Tulsa Dawg]

They consistently win enough games in C-USA to go bowling. Our biggest problem this year is in our win column, only one team had more than six wins (Florida) and we only beat three bowl teams. In other words, we have plenty of cupcakes on our schedule.

I've heard several ask what have we done to be ranked? Of our 8 victories, 5 came to programs with losing records and the three others are only notable because those teams are historically good. How many people outside of the fan base talk more about our close loses to winners than to our victories?

Also, it might come in handy in future bowl scenarios for us to have a slightly tougher OOC schedule than the Floridas, Georgias, and Tenns since they have name cred going for them.

I realize its still a C-USA team, but at least its a very beatable team that will be bowling each year, AND people will actually show up to this C-USA game.

 

[shsdawg]

teams back in the '80s. 1981 comes to mind immediately. Your statement about them sums up why we should never play them. We always look at it as just another non-conferance "win." They look at it as the Super Bowl. Playing them is a no win situation for us anda no lose one for them. That's a BAD combination.

 

[MeridianDog]

Proves our side of that BS statement"we will play any school anywhere anytime." We have done that and we need to continue doing that.

We need to be able to play any school anywhere anytime - If we can't beat USM we are a really bad program and we aren't. We will beat them twice.

If we need easy wins for our first game of the year. We need to get good enough that USM is an easy game. I think we are just about there and will be there the first time we play them.

Why not take the attitude that they are no more than a chump school that brings 1,000 people to their home games and that this will be a good first game used to warm up a quality MSU program.

We need to get away from crying that USM can beat us. I'm sick of crying about football. We are a rising program. Rising programs beat schools like USM.

I look forward to teh day when schools like USM say "There is no way in hell we want to play the Dawgs. They beat us into the ground every time we play them and then give us hell the rest of the year.

Think of how good SPS makes the Buzzards feel when we whine away"Oh NO! They may beat us!"

I'm here to say

<font size="4">"It Ain''t Going To Happen on Dan's Tour of Duty"</font>

 

[thunderclap]

*** whoopin.