From the time I was in seventh grade until I graduated from high school, my daddy and I went to all of the MIssissippi State home football games together. For those five years I believed with all my heart that there was no such thing as too much spirit wear, and it wasn’t uncommon for me to go to a game wearing a Mississippi State t-shirt topped with a Mississippi State sweater topped with a Mississippi State windbreaker. And naturally I would accessorize with my Mississippi State earrings and my Mississippi State necklace.
All the while holding a cowbell, of course.
When I was 14 Daddy and I went to the State/Ole Miss game in Jackson, and on our way into the stadium, I spotted a large MSU megaphone that was attached to a chain. Naturally I had to have it because, I mean, the shirt and the sweater and the earrings and the necklace and the cowbell and the pompom clearly weren’t enough to convey my love for my team. So Daddy bought the megaphone for me, and I used it to yell like crazy during a game that ended with a field goal that has come to be known as The Immaculate Deflection. We lost 24-23.
Oh, I was heartbroken. And to add insult to injury, my friend Jon – who was and still is a Rebel fan of the highest order – came over to our house later that night and put a huge sign that said “24-23″ in our front yard. If it hadn’t been for the fact that Jon’s daddy was a preacher (in my teenage estimation, being a preacher meant you were closer to God and therefore could SMITE SOMEONE VERILY if they misbehaved), I would have retaliated. But instead I just held tight to my megaphone-on-the-chain while I cried over the field-goal-that-wasn’t.
It was terrible.
This past Saturday we spent the morning at a soccer game and got home just in time for Mississippi State/LSU game. For whatever reason I had a feeling that we were going to give the Tigers a run for their money, so I set up base camp in front of the TV in our bedroom and hunkered down for an afternoon of football.
This is what base camp looked like, by the way.
Computer. Comfy chair. Diet Coke. The only thing you can’t see is my phone, and that’s because I was using it to take the picture. Looking for the real camera would have required far too much effort in light of the suspense-filled football festivities.
For the next three hours we screamed and clapped and cheered and sighed. I can’t even begin to tell you how many texts I exchanged with Sister. The lead went back and forth, forth and back, and by the fourth quarter, when Dan Mullen led the team in the Dog Pound Rock on the sideline, I was convinced we were going to win. I just knew it. Especially when a certain six year-old ran out of the room saying, “I’LL BE RIGHT BACK” – and then ran back in the room a minute later looking like this.
Oh, bless him. And yes, that’s my old megaphone hanging around his neck. It’s his heritage, people.
We took turns cheering through the megaphone for the rest of the game, and we were crushed when the Bulldogs came up short (six inches short, to be exact). We were a smidge deflated when it was all said and done. Our boys played so hard, and it hurt my heart to watch them walk off that field without a win.
Despite the loss, it was such a fun afternoon – lots of screaming and jumping and laughing with my people. We’re so stinkin’ proud of our Bulldogs (WHO’D HAVE THOUGHT they’d give the #7 team in the country a run for their money?), and we know they’ll bounce back. Georgia Tech is up next. Watch out, Yellow Jackets.
Another positive? No gloating LSU fans put a sign in my yard that said “30-26.” Thank goodness I didn’t have to cry into my megaphone again.
So. How did your team do on Saturday?
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University of Texas vs. UTEP 64-7.
Hook ‘em, Horns!
(And Colt McCoy onto Heisman glory this season!)
We have tortilla chips in the shape of Texas to dip with during games. Bless our hearts.
Our Wolverines (University of Michigan) scratched out a win against Indiana 36-33, which was like a balm for our weary souls after last year’s terrible, terrible season. And we were at the Big House (Michigan Stadium) for the game too, so we got to enjoy the victory in person. We took our 11 year old son, our firstborn for whom our first purchase when we discovered we were pregnant was a Michigan snowsuit and Michigan footie pajamas. He is being brought up right. I am sorry your team did not have as great a day, but as we know with college football – just look ahead to next Saturday!
It was a heartbreaker watching that game. I couldn’t bear it at the end.
Being a Buckeye, I really wanted to see you all win that game. Bum!
My Razorbacks lost to Alabama. :( I live in LSU country and even have a graduate degree from them, but dislike them greatly…thank you Eddy and Jamie! I was SOOOOOOOOOO proud that Miss. State gave them a run for their money! Would have loved to see a loss, but I’ll take them having a tough game!
uh…sorry. my team beat your team…no hard feelings?
I have no team, per se, since I went to a tee-nincy little Baptist college no one has ever heard of….BUT….hubby is a die hard Razorback fan.
There was lots of yelling, cussing, crying, and gnashing of teeth at our house.
Sort of makes me love/hate relationship with football season…
Melissa @ http://www.fordsbigbluehouse.blogspot.com
I’m with you, sadness that we lost by 6″. I do feel that our time is coming, and we will once rise again from the bottom of the SEC!! Maybe it will be against AL – oh how sweet that would be!! LET’S GO DAWGS!!!!!
Hubby’s team won though – War Eagle!
My team whooped up on Ole Miss Thursday night on national television. Yeah.
Ags won! Gig ‘em Aggies!
Well, since my team is your team, you already know! I loved reading this post…I have memories of that long-ago Egg Bowl, too, and of course Saturday we were camped out in front of our TV (after soccer games, no less!). The only difference (and I realize you have walked THIS path before, too!) is that we now live in Tigerland…yes, BR! It was a disappointing ending to a game that gave me lots of hopeful (and frustrating!) moments. Gotta keep our heads up (and megaphones ready) for next week, though! We’ll continue to show our true colors in this purple and gold town! Love your blog, by the way…I always feel like I’m reading an old friend, but never more than when dear old State is the topic!
So sorry your team lost. I hate it when that happens!
Michigan is 4-0! More means they already have more wins than they did all of last season!!
My team, the Tar Heels fell out of the rankings after losing to Ga. Tech.
I can so relate to the Immaculate Deflection. My high school football team in NC, during my senior year, lost the State Championship in a similar way. 9 seconds to go in the game, we were about to kick a field goal to win it all. The ball was blocked, picked up by the other team and they ran it back for a touchdown. I will never forget that night.
Aggies WON – WHOOP!
Considering I went to a school who, while they have a football team, has a love for hockey (GO UND! GO SIOUX!).
So, I watched the Vikings on and off on Sunday with some new quarterback named Brett Favre? No idea who this kid is…but apparently he can throw a football. : )
ROLL TIDE -we kicked some Hog Hiney! Now my Red Sox on the other hand…..
Even though I live in TN, I grew up in AR and my Hogs got slaughtered by stupid Alabama. ;)
IU lost to Michigan 36-33…..
They have been rockin it, 3-1 so far.
I still love em!
My team won… 30-26 in a nail biter! I really thought your team was going to beat my team… but apparently God’s angels are apart of our defense. Because seriously? Who would have thought they could hold them 4 downs on the goal line. I’ll be honest, i didn’t have that much faith. But all is right in my world. Sorry!
I’m a Razorback. ‘Nuff said. :( It was horrible.
Welll, since you asked . . .
No LSU sign in your front yard? Why, I didn’t know your address.
OH, I kid! I didn’t even watch it. I KNOW–shame, SHAME!
BUT, from what I’m hearing, our Tigers must’ve not played quite as well as they could’ve. I’m guessing y’all played a great game.
Besides, I’m not a gloater. At least not over college football.
To be honest, I wasn’t quite sure who they played. Shhhh, the locals might stone me.
Sorry.. my team beat your team.. it wasn’t very “purdy” either.. State played better than LSU in my opinion.. But, we will take a “W” any way we can get it.. purdy or not..
My hubby was depressed all day Saturday after this game. It was heartbreaking. Hang in there….
The Tide Rolled over my Hogs……ugh!
I tried. I TRIED. I yelled and cheered. I sat in the kitchen alone watching your game because the AL/Ark game came on before yours went off and we had NINE GUESTS, who were all Alabama fans, including one former AL coach, watching their game in the den. (Hello, long sentence)
Go State. You played a tough one.
My team won. War Eagle. We are undefeated and unranked. Don’t even get me started on the atrocity that is the pre-season rankings.
Breathe…..
Not pretty. Not pretty at all. Texas Tech vs. Houston. I am pretending not to care. lalalallala
I have the very same megaphone, well, not the very same one because that would be yours. BUT, I have one just like it!! What memories of great times with my dad. Thanks!!!
The Boilermakers were equally as disappointing.
But that’s beside the point. You are not allowed to titled posts like this. I saw the title in my feed reader, and my heart sunk. :(
I mean, I love me some football as much as the next girl…but even a rival loss isn’t bad enough for the phrase “completely shattered.”
I was expecting really bad things.
I’m so grateful that I didn’t find any really bad things, though! :) Try to be easy on my sentimental heart, okay??
(And I forgive you, because Alex? Wearing your old megaphone? Well, that just makes me and my silly little heart smile big smiles!)
I work at MSU, and Artie Cosby (the famous kicker of the Immaculate Deflection) is the son of my boss. We sure did give LSU a run for the money! GO STATE!!
HOOK ‘EM HORNS!!!
Sorry for y’alls hard loss, tough one for y’all. It’ll get better, take it easy this week so you recover fully. ;)
My poor Razorbacks…
I love to see someone who loves their team so much. Sorry for your loss, but I’m proud to say….ROLL TIDE!! We won over Arkansas!
My Auburn Tigers were victorious … over Ball State, so I wasn’t too worried. What’s sucky is that I live in AZ but am a dyed-in-the-wool Southern girl who loves her some SEC football – and it’s not always easy to get here :-(
I literally thought I was going to vomit right there in the stands at Davis Wade…such is the sadness I felt when the Bulldogs didn’t get in the endzone. Like you, I’ve seen my fair share of tough losses…my parents took me to games since I was a tiny tot, my brother (who is 11 years older) played for Sherrill and I was a State cheerleader. The first thing my husband said to me this morning….”I still can’t believe we didn’t win that game.” We are passionate fans! Let’s hope next week is a W!!!
Go Hokies!
Well, I bit off every fingernail watching that game yesterday, and I’m not going to lie… I was crushed. Oh, yes, I was crushed. I always want our Bullies to win, but I really wanted it Saturday. I work with an LSU fan who gave me you-know-what every day last week. Bleh.
My team beat your team. But they better wake up! Luck only runs so far!!! Better luck for your team next time! If I knew your address, I would have put the sign in your yard….with lots of Christian love of course:)
Geaux Tigers!!!
Amy K.
Aggies won! And the tailgating wasn’t bad either!
Got to see my beloved Buckeyes in my beautiful Columbus win against Illinois!!
We are Big 10 watchers in our house – nestled here in Big 12 country. But I told my husband we had to root for two SEC teams also, in honor of you and Kelly. I was sorry to see both your teams lost : ( (Big Mama’s Aggies won, and they are my team of choice here in Texas.)
You’re not living in Mississippi now, are you? Is it easier living in another SEC state, do you think, versus living in a whole different conference?
My team (USF) got a big win against FSU. In Tallahassee. With their backup QB. And I even got to watch it thanks to ESPNU.
My team won, 26-24 ;-). But I must say that play was painful to watch, even for the other team. As long as that team isn’t Auburn :-).
Georgia Tech over North Carolina!!!! Next week we meet….BRING IT!!! :)
My team won 68-13, which would seem like a huge victory. It wasn’t. Why? Because we learned Sunday afternoon that our awesome quarterback – Robert Griffin – is out for the rest of the season with an ACL tear. Talk about crying into your megaphone!!
Oh, and our backup is hurt too. Awesome, right? It’s rough being a Baylor Bear. Although I’m still amazed Griffin was able to play for an entire half with a torn ACL. And I thought childbirth was rough…now I’m reconsidering…
My boys rarely lose. When they do, we mourn.
Hook ‘em!
I’m sorry for you loss.
But Boise State creamed Bowling Green and they are now #5 IN THE POLL!!!!!
To say we are excited is a huge understatement.
I have two teams:
the Florida State Seminoles.
They didn’t win.
I don’t want to talk about it.
-and-
the Georgia Bulldogs.
We won by a field goal in the last seconds.
Tell me, TELL ME, how many times does a game come down to the kicker!!
The pressure is almost to much for me to bear.
I still think that Dixon broke the plane on 2nd down there at the end. Why oh why didn’t they review that??? And you could probably call that LSU defensive player batting down Tyson’s pass into the endzone another immaculate deflection. *sigh*
I was there Saturday and did everything I could short of running onto the field and running that 6 inches myself. I was so proud of our Dogs though. For the first time the LSU fans weren’t talking smack after the game-they were giving us the respect we deserved.
Hopefully we will take our frustrations out on the yellow jackets this week.
Roll Tide Roll! We beat the Razorbacks 35-7. What a day for football.
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