My God- watching the 2007 Egg Bowl is sickening

[Rayburn8]

As much as I hate Croom, that 2007 egg bowl still is my favorite and gave me my favorite bulldog play by my favorite bulldog player of all time.

[LC Dawg]

There are many things we Mississippi State fans can argue about but I am shocked that we are arguing whether or not Sylvester Croom was a good head coach.
As I said before, if he was such a good head coach how come the only jobs he's had since our job is as an NFL position coach?
He was not a good head coach and I think deep down inside he felt that the Mississippi State job was beneath him.

[HSVDawg]

All insignificant statistics aside, who would win the game?

This is an easy pick.

So Win-Loss records and number of points scored are insignificant statistics?

I honestly think its 50/50. I think they'd probably split 10 games against each other. Neither team was very good, but they were comparable in terms of overall results against similar competition with maybe a slight edge to the 2007 team. Thats all I was saying. You can't say that just because we had a better coach and were running a better offensive system in 2011 that the team was better as a whole.

[Coach34]

He lost me completely and instantly when he implied (2008) that the reason we weren't winning was we were getting enough defensive scores. Blamed. The. Defense. ...instead of his inept offense. He was in way over his head as a HC.

Crooms had many wtf moments- and this is one that still amazes me that this was actually said. Somebody being dumb enough to make that statement yet got paid over a million dollars just pisses me off.

[Bully13]

This is really the root of the Croom hate. He wasn't as bad a coach as people say he was, but the people in the inner circle didn't like him. He was right to say on the 30 for 30 that he got no support because he didn't. Look at the facts: After leading us to our only winning season of the decade he was basically gone as a head coach for losing in an upset in the first game of the following season. That was shocking. Also, look at people's attitude toward his winning season, that it was all luck. I've never seen so many Bulldog fans pull against the Bulldogs.
Mullen seems to be working out. He's certainly got the schmooze factor mastered, unlike Croom. This next season we have a huge challenge ahead of us. We'll see how the fans react to whatever disappointments we encounter next season.
My problem is that fans put the coach at the pinnacle of the program even though the coach in always a temporary Bulldog. I think we've suffered a lot from inertia within the institution over the years.

If yall go to the political board, you'll better understand after reading some of his stuff over there

[SheltonChoked]

He wanted to win the 1970's Alabama way and win doing basic stuff that works for schools like 1980's Nebreaka and 1970's Alabama because they usually have the hosses and the defenses were slower.

FIFY

[SheltonChoked]

This is really the root of the Croom hate. He wasn't as bad a coach as people say he was,...

No he was worse. He is a good man, and had enough charisma to assemble a very good staff in the beginning, and all of the good coaches jumped ship. That should have been a clue to us. The thing about Sly is he is like Jack Lemmon's character in Glengarry Glen Ross. He thought he had it figured out. He's a nice guy, he put in the work. He deserved to have the time to get the job done. But that's not coaching. Coaching is winning.

Watch this and replace Closing with winning. This is what Greg Byrne should have played Croom as he fired him.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4PE2h...ature=youtu.be

We got rid of Shelley Levine and got Ricky Roma.

[BrunswickDawg]

Bryne: "Put. that coffee. down. Coffee is for winners only."

[5 Star]

So Win-Loss records and number of points scored are insignificant statistics?

In my opinion, they do. Obviously they factor in on some scale, but they are not to be the sole judgment criteria, especially when none of the teams are the same. 2007 was no doubt the better season, I just think 2011 was the better team.

I honestly think its 50/50. I think they'd probably split 10 games against each other. Neither team was very good, but they were comparable in terms of overall results against similar competition with maybe a slight edge to the 2007 team. Thats all I was saying. You can't say that just because we had a better coach and were running a better offensive system in 2011 that the team was better as a whole.

We can disagree, it's all good. I am judging by the coach, the talent, the offense, the actual teams we played, and who I think would win on a neutral field.

Top 2007 opponents: #1 LSU (0-45), #6 West Virginia (13-38), #12 Tennessee (21-33), #15 Auburn (19-14)
Top 2011 opponents: #1 Alabama (7-24), #2 LSU (6-19), #5 Arkansas (17-44), #9 South Carolina (12-14)

That is 4 teams in the final Top Ten in 2011, plus another SEC heavyweight in Georgia. I also look at how we played them, when we played them, and the schedule factor. That 2011 schedule was just brutal in the way it broke. We played more average SEC teams in 2007, thus the better record. We were using all our 'up' games in 2011 against elite teams we probably weren't going to beat anyway, thus were flat against Georgia, Louisiana Tech and other somewhat average teams (Georgia was hardly average, they won the East). That is the intangible SEC grind that no talking head or sidewalk football fan ever really understands. Schedule is HUGE.

Our defense was good in 2007, no doubt about that. I am not sure you can chalk all those flukes up to luck, but when it happens vs. Auburn, UAB, Alabama AND Ole Miss.....you are just having a lucky year. We beat Gardner-Webb 31-15. We caught Kentucky in a let-down week. We caught Alabama after LSU. Essentially, we won small and lost big.

[sandwolf]

He wasn't as bad a coach as people say he was.....

Oh yes he was. He was truly awful. I'm sure he is a solid guy and he is a good assistant coach, but he was absolutely horrid as a head coach.

He's certainly got the schmooze factor mastered, unlike Croom.

What? Croom was 10 times more likable that Mullen's yankee, abrasive ass. Mullen has gotten better, but he is still no politician.

[5 Star]

Don't forget burning Ralph's redshirt in a 45-0 game last game of season.

Relf redshirted in 2007.

[maroonmania]

There are many things we Mississippi State fans can argue about but I am shocked that we are arguing whether or not Sylvester Croom was a good head coach.
As I said before, if he was such a good head coach how come the only jobs he's had since our job is as an NFL position coach?
He was not a good head coach and I think deep down inside he felt that the Mississippi State job was beneath him.

Exactly, I like Croom the person but Croom the college HC was clueless.

[Coach34]

Croom fell asleep on a recruit's couch. He was ****ing awful

[SheltonChoked]

I was thinking more.

Byrne: First place is a trophy. Second place is a set of steak knives. Third place is your fired.

[BrunswickDawg]

Byrne: "Get. Out. Of that golf cart. Golf carts are for winners only."

[Dawgtini]

Relf redshirted in 2007.

He is thinking of the secret weapon. A. Clark

[scottycameron]

The first time I saw the Geico ad with Flo where she consoles the little loser in an old 70's type reel to reel film and offers to buy him ice cream and he says "with sprinkles?" I immediately thought of Crooms. Wish I knew how to post a pic or video of it. I've always felt that there is an MSU grad at work behind the scenes in that ad development.

[Dawgcentral]

Croom was simply tired. And stubborn.

He stuck by McCorvey like the guy had incriminating photos. He took a great RB, Jerious Norwood, and wore him down. He expected his offensive line to knock 7 guys off the ball with pure will and strength.

No way Croom had the drive and energy to put in the hours it takes to build a winner in Starkville. No freaking' way. You could give him 10 year and he might get 2 seven win seasons. That offense was simply pitiful.

[Vinsanity]

The first time I saw the Geico ad with Flo where she consoles the little loser in an old 70's type reel to reel film and offers to buy him ice cream and he says "with sprinkles?" I immediately thought of Crooms. Wish I knew how to post a pic or video of it. I've always felt that there is an MSU grad at work behind the scenes in that ad development.

This one?

[Billy Ray Valentine]

Croom never had an offense ranked better than 100. For five straight years we had to watch shitty offense. He lost to Maine. MAINE

He lost me at Maine. Remember the Maine!