How many downs?

[jbjones]

I have been a lurker on this, and other forums for the most part, for a while and was wondering how much playing experience you all have. There is a great deal of good opinions and observations from many of you. So, what say you...how many of you have actually suited up and played the game? For how long, and on what level did you play the game?

Personally, I played every damned down I was able to since I was in the 4th grade. I was not a college player. I'm too old to care who was a band member and who was a water-boy. No class warfare here. I am honestly curious how many of you have played, and how it went.

-JB

[Todd4State]

Band member. Got called a smart ass by Brad Scott, former South Carolina coach, and I almost got kicked out of a MSU/Alabama game for arguing with an official in 1998 over Wayne Madkin not making it into the end zone and declaring that the official was being paid off. He didn't appreciate that. He threatened to flag the band if I said "one more word". Stood next to Lynn Swann right before halftime of the 1998 SEC Championship Game. We're the same height. I told him- "well, I guess I'm at least as tall as a NFL WR- too bad I can't catch and run like you." He laughed- he was pretty cool.

Back to Mr. Scott- we were standing behind the South Caroina bench and he pushed down one of our FEMALE baritone players because she was too close to the bench for his liking. Bear in mind I was standing right next to her, and he could have come after me- but nope. I told him- "Excuse me probably works better." He calls me a smart ass and some of the other band members start to get into with him and WE had to move.

And in typical MSU fashion- I got booed one time by a few fans because I went on the field too soon for pre-game. I deserved it.

And I will now say this now that I have totally nerded out- my biggest regret in life was not playing football in high school. And I don't have many regrets- but I think I would have enjoyed it. Probably moreso than the band. But it is what it is.

[DownwardDawg]

Another band member but not while I was at State. All the way through JCJC. I loved those days. I don't think the football team has any bigger fans than the band. I almost passed out a few times screaming at the field!!!
Neighborhood football was my favorite thing. We killed each other. Somebody in the group stayed hurt. Fun times. I never played a down of organized football.

[Pollodawg]

Band member. Got called a smart ass by Brad Scott, former South Carolina coach, and I almost got kicked out of a MSU/Alabama game for arguing with an official in 1998 over Wayne Madkin not making it into the end zone and declaring that the official was being paid off. He didn't appreciate that. He threatened to flag the band if I said "one more word". Stood next to Lynn Swann right before halftime of the 1998 SEC Championship Game. We're the same height. I told him- "well, I guess I'm at least as tall as a NFL WR- too bad I can't catch and run like you." He laughed- he was pretty cool.

Back to Mr. Scott- we were standing behind the South Caroina bench and he pushed down one of our FEMALE baritone players because she was too close to the bench for his liking. Bear in mind I was standing right next to her, and he could have come after me- but nope. I told him- "Excuse me probably works better." He calls me a smart ass and some of the other band members start to get into with him and WE had to move.

And in typical MSU fashion- I got booed one time by a few fans because I went on the field too soon for pre-game. I deserved it.

And I will now say this now that I have totally nerded out- my biggest regret in life was not playing football in high school. And I don't have many regrets- but I think I would have enjoyed it. Probably moreso than the band. But it is what it is.


Yep.

[mstate68]

High school senior here. Unfortunately I'm missing the season due to a knee injury. Sucks.

[chef dixon]

Played from 5th to 8th grade. I sucked.

[pdawg10msu]

I have been a lurker on this, and other forums for the most part, for a while and was wondering how much playing experience you all have. There is a great deal of good opinions and observations from many of you. So, what say you...how many of you have actually suited up and played the game? For how long, and on what level did you play the game?

Personally, I played every damned down I was able to since I was in the 4th grade. I was not a college player. I'm too old to care who was a band member and who was a water-boy. No class warfare here. I am honestly curious how many of you have played, and how it went.

-JB

I played since I was 5. Was starting safety for 3 years in high school. Had 4 scholarships but none any good. I played as a walk on at west alabama for a year then transferred to Jacksonville state and I didn't make the team. Now I'm an assistant coach at a small school here in Alabama

[FlabLoser]

Played through jr high.

BTW, Ken Hitchcock has never played ice hockey. He has coached at every level from little kids hockey to the NFL and won championships at every level.

Band question.... one year when I was in school, the Famous Maroon was out doing their pregame show. Kickers from the other school came out of the locker room early and proceeded to practice kicks, punting footballs into the band's pregame show.

[Will James]

Never touched the gridiron.

[ChevChelios]

Its all starting to makes sense...

[CJDAWG85]

Couldn't play HS football... We didn't have a weight room... I wasn't about to sign a death wish... Played soccer and baseball and have 3 state championship rings for soccer

[Dallas_Dawg]

Its all starting to makes sense...
+1

[Todd4State]

Played through jr high.

BTW, Ken Hitchcock has never played ice hockey. He has coached at every level from little kids hockey to the NFL and won championships at every level.

Band question.... one year when I was in school, the Famous Maroon was out doing their pregame show. Kickers from the other school came out of the locker room early and proceeded to practice kicks, punting footballs into the band's pregame show.

That was LSU 1999 at Scott Field, and it was actually the halftime show. Personally I thought it was classless on the kickers part. Look- OK I know everyone is in the bathroom at halftime- but that's the band's time. Aside from Stanford/Cal 1982- you don't see the band running out on the field during the actual game. That act was probably why the indians allowed Rod Gibson to score to win the game.

We as the band were a little sensitive about LSU anyway. We went as a full band in 1998 and were promised security after all the horror stories we had heard. We got a line of police tape around the bus. I kid you not. We got the full wrath of beer bottles being thrown at us among other things. 3/4 of the time I have been given the finger in my life was that night. Honestly, really the only dangerous thing was the beer bottles being thrown because they were glass.

NO ONE was happier when we beat them in 1999. I talked plenty of trash after that game- I told some of them- "yeah too bad you didn't have the chance to run away like the cockroaches you are this time." That was followed up by me and some of my friends ringing cowbells at 2 AM that night at their RV's. Good times.

[StarkRavenDawg]

I played 4 years of high school. Wanted to play big time college ball but I didn't have the size or the skill. Ended up in JUCO but washed out after the first year. Decided to give it up and transferred to MSU.

[angusyoung]

this is the message board equivalent of a dick measuring contest.

btw, here's a pic from my glory days

126

[WeWillScrewItUp]

Started playing peewee in the 3rd grade and played all the way through my senior year of high school. During my senior year I played at least a handful of snaps at every position on the OL. Was a center by position but due to injuries and dumbassery I had to move around quite a bit.

[Mjoelner34]

Jr. high and 1 year of high school. I loved it but it didn't love me. I was a whopping 5'10", 130lb DE/TE. Now I'm 6'0", 205lbs. Oh to have been this size at 17!

[DownwardDawg]

Its all starting to makes sense...

I was waiting for this comment.

[Original48]

Played third grade through Felker's first year at State....6-1, ranked 13th in the country. Then Auburn, Alabama, LSU and Ole Miss took us to the wood shed. Still would LOVE to have seen what Don Smith could have done in today's offenses. Thick will be along shortly.

[Political Hack]

played everything, but thought I was way better than I really was in basketball. got some interest from small schools but royally screwed up my recruitment listening to my AAU coach telling me that Tenn was going to get me a spot. I basically quit in favor of barley and hops after that rather than go to Juco or a small lower division school. only had real interest from two or three D1 programs.

won state in AAU and got to play in nationals against some really great players and future NBAers. That was cool.

[Bo Darville]

Played from 4th grade through 12th grade at a small school. Tailback and defensive back. Actually was recruited by some of the major powers in college football. At least if you consider Holmes JUCO and division III schools like Millsaps major powers (FYI D-III doesn't offer athletic scholarships). Chose MSU because had full ride academically. Also wasn't sure I wanted the pressure of bigtime college ball like Millsaps or Rhodes. It's a business at that level.

[K9 Avenger]

Started playing in 3rd grade and played all the way through high school. Over the years I played a little bit of everything from QB to TE to FB to MLB to DT and finally ate my way to an OG....actually punted and place kicked some too....wasn't particularly very good at anything :)

[FISHDAWG]

7th through 12th @ South Jones with DR King & Ron Harper (both MSU players) and Rob Phillips (lb @ USM ) ... left side OT - was going to play @ JCJC but last game of the season I tore my shoulder up

[Coach34]

7th through 12th @ South Jones with DR King & Ron Harper (both MSU players) and Rob Phillips (lb @ USM ) ... left side OT - was going to play @ JCJC but last game of the season I tore my shoulder up

all these damn Jones County people around here

[Coach34]

Dad was a coach- I was at football practices before I could even walk. Spent my summers as a young kid up at school getting equipment ready and learning how to make practice plans and depth charts. Also shooting alot of basketball in a 100 degree gym. Played all through school, but chose baseball to play in college. It was alot easier to hit the ball 400 feet than it was to block someone that weighed 275

[Barking 13]

this is the message board equivalent of a dick measuring contest.

btw, here's a pic from my glory days

126

nothing but teenie weenies in here.. self included...