My take on the game...

[Lumpy Chucklelips]

and I'll put it into terms that we all have witnessed. Some more than others. If you're as old as me, you've seen this scenario play out a whole bunch of times.

Miss. State vs. Alabama at Davis Wade Stadium. Alabama comes in as the traditional power that they have always been. Miss. State is the underdog David trying to slay the giant. In our worst years, we fill or nearly fill up the place; our best years see folks hanging from the rafters. Cowbells at a seasonal high in total and a little extra umph in flicking the wrist for this one. The team runs on the field a little bit more hyper, a little bit more hop in their step. The first big stop or pass play finds the Bulldogs putting a little more energy in the high fives and thumps to their chests. The fans look to their neighbor next to them and you can see that look int their eye. It's gonna happen; this is the year. Our boys are sky high and looking good. The breaks are falling our way so far....

And we battle with the giant and go into halftime only down, 14-10. We've got to keep battling we tell ourselves, gotta keep believing. Our guys come out the second half and pick up where they left off in the first half, still giving it all they have. Then, it happens. We don't see it at first, but we can sense it. Oh, man, come on. We got to keep plugging guys, come on. Then slowly it plays out. That hop in our step, the thumps to our chests, the high fives....they just aren't there any more like they were at first. Our guys are giving it all they have. We can still see that. But it just isn't enough. The giant has more weapons. It's bigger...and stronger, and more talented than David. And it keeps coming at us. And soon thereafter, it just beats us down to where we can't inflict the damage we were doing earlier, and it takes control of the contest. And as the clock ticks down to the end, we all, players and fans alike, find ourselves exhausted from the effort we put forth. And when we look up at the scoreboard one last time as we walk out of the stadium, we see that the giant has 34 points and we have 16.

Boys, this is what happened last night. We went into USM's stadium as the giant. And they put everything they had into slaying the giant, players and fans alike. But in the end, the giant was just too much to overcome. Some people wonder why the giant didn't just crush David to begin with, like it was capable of doing. Some have said the giant just wasn't motivated knowing that it was going against the likes of David. This seemed to be true to some extent. Others have said that the giant didn't utilize all of its weapons. This too, seemed to be the case as well. But in the end, the giant used its superior size, speed and talent to dispose of David. That is all the giant came to do anyway.

Now this giant knows that this weekend it will be going up against another giant. I surmise it will enter the arena this weekend ready to use all of its weapons at its disposal and ready to try and crush this other giant from the beginning.

Then, and only then, will we be able to define the talents of our giant at this point in the season. Is our giant going to be as herculean and gigantic as last years?

Only time will tell.

[CadaverDawg]

Not sure why...but I enjoyed that. And agree with it completely

[Jack Lambert]

They threw everything they had at us and we brushed it off and went on to win. They were playing with the entire play book while we were playing with one page. I do not have a problem with that. Save that info for the next game when we are really going to need it. USM coach was playing like Mullen did his first two years. All or nothing. I remember the on side kick during the Florida game in starkville to start the second half. It almost paid off. We were out class and talented hung in there and played tough but that giant was just too big for us that year and we lost.

[Beaver]

Excellent post. Was thinking (even if it was wishful) the same thing last night. Since Mullen got here we have played Bama tough at home every time. Only difference is that games against Bama are played cleaner since it's late in the season. Southern came out looking for blood, and State came out like a wet dog.

[BulldogBear]

and I'll put it into terms that we all have witnessed. Some more than others. If you're as old as me, you've seen this scenario play out a whole bunch of times.

Miss. State vs. Alabama at Davis Wade Stadium. Alabama comes in as the traditional power that they have always been. Miss. State is the underdog David trying to slay the giant. In our worst years, we fill or nearly fill up the place; our best years see folks hanging from the rafters. Cowbells at a seasonal high in total and a little extra umph in flicking the wrist for this one. The team runs on the field a little bit more hyper, a little bit more hop in their step. The first big stop or pass play finds the Bulldogs putting a little more energy in the high fives and thumps to their chests. The fans look to their neighbor next to them and you can see that look int their eye. It's gonna happen; this is the year. Our boys are sky high and looking good. The breaks are falling our way so far....

And we battle with the giant and go into halftime only down, 14-10. We've got to keep battling we tell ourselves, gotta keep believing. Our guys come out the second half and pick up where they left off in the first half, still giving it all they have. Then, it happens. We don't see it at first, but we can sense it. Oh, man, come on. We got to keep plugging guys, come on. Then slowly it plays out. That hop in our step, the thumps to our chests, the high fives....they just aren't there any more like they were at first. Our guys are giving it all they have. We can still see that. But it just isn't enough. The giant has more weapons. It's bigger...and stronger, and more talented than David. And it keeps coming at us. And soon thereafter, it just beats us down to where we can't inflict the damage we were doing earlier, and it takes control of the contest. And as the clock ticks down to the end, we all, players and fans alike, find ourselves exhausted from the effort we put forth. And when we look up at the scoreboard one last time as we walk out of the stadium, we see that the giant has 34 points and we have 16.

Boys, this is what happened last night. We went into USM's stadium as the giant. And they put everything they had into slaying the giant, players and fans alike. But in the end, the giant was just too much to overcome. Some people wonder why the giant didn't just crush David to begin with, like it was capable of doing. Some have said the giant just wasn't motivated knowing that it was going against the likes of David. This seemed to be true to some extent. Others have said that the giant didn't utilize all of its weapons. This too, seemed to be the case as well. But in the end, the giant used its superior size, speed and talent to dispose of David. That is all the giant came to do anyway.

Now this giant knows that this weekend it will be going up against another giant. I surmise it will enter the arena this weekend ready to use all of its weapons at its disposal and ready to try and crush this other giant from the beginning.

Then, and only then, will we be able to define the talents of our giant at this point in the season. Is our giant going to be as herculean and gigantic as last years?

Only time will tell.

Great post. We made some mistakes and learned some things we need to improve, a couple drastically. But for the most part, there really is no fire nor wolf. Folks need to calm down and look forward to this week's score vs. Tiguhs to be rather similar.

[Percho]

So far, post of the year!

[tcdog70]

That was the most points we have ever scored in Hattiesburg.

[TUSK]

Nice post... that's how I feel week in and week out during most of the season...

[WinningIsRelentless]

Standing slow clap for you my friend

[Reason2succeed]

Holy crap that was a great take. And I agree fully. Our team will clean it up and play like they're supposed to.