The Bulldogs are 2-0 on the season, and an old regional friend is coming to town. The University of Southwestern Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns are 1-0, coming off a win over in-state rival Grambling. Here are three reasons that USL sucks.
The entire 2014 and 2016 college baseball seasons.
I will forever hate USL for the debacle that was the 2014 NCAA Baseball Regional. USL fans were next level **** talkers headed into this regional. Tickets were basically nonexistent. Then Jackson State went in and beat the greatest USL baseball team of all-time 1-0 to send them to the loser's bracket. They would claw their way back to face MSU in the regional title game - which they cheated in both games to advance and let Ole Miss beat them to get to Omaha.
In 2016, they again had a solid club, but couldn't beat Arizona. Arizona came to Starkville and beat our SEC Championship team and went on to the national championship series. USL did not want to face MSU after the 2014 debacle.
The head basketball coach at Opelousas High School
You see that high school coach with his daughter? That's Brad Boyd. He's the head coach at Opelousas High School. One of those Cajun schools. In 2002, Mississippi State came into the season ranked in the top 10, and hosted USL to start the season. USL was a solid club, but shouldn't have been on the same court as our Top 10 Bulldogs, led by Derrick Zimmerman. But Brad Boyd, the original RAT, had the game of his life. He could not miss. We had a finger up his nose and he would drain a 25-foot three pointer to lead USL to a 79-76 upset. Game reports say that Boyd had 33 points that game. Those that were there would have sworn it was twice that.
I will try to explain this but I worry my words will not be able to speak to you young ones. You see, 2002 was the worst of the bad football seasons. We went 3-8 and were rarely competitive. The season started out at Oregon in the Kevin Fant tire game. Our wins were Jacksonville State, Troy and Memphis. We were on national television just twice in an 0-8 SEC season. We endured that season because we knew one thing: The Hump was going to rock that season.
We had everything coming back from a team that was a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Preseason polls had us pegged in the top 10, and we were a popular pick for the Final Four. Timmy Bowers. Mario Austin. Derrick Zimmerman. Branden Vincent. Big Feces. Basketball season was upon us and futility was about to disappear. To the Hump for Hoops - a sellout crowd on a Saturday night after losing to Arkansas on the gridiron.
Then USL came in and beat us. We had a fine season - but were upset by Butler in the first round of the tournament.
A reminder of my biggest beef with Dan Mullen
See that guy being lifted up by his teammates? That's Brett Baer, and this is after kicking a 50+ yarder to win a bowl game. He had several of those in his career - I can't remember the last time we attempted a 50 yarder. I do not dislike Brett, but playing USL makes me think about Brett. You see, he was a Lou Groza finalist at USL. He also hailed from Brandon, Mississippi and grew up a huge Mississippi State fan. Mullen wouldn't give him the time of day. So while Mullen was going through a series of bad kickers, this guy was quite the weapon for USL, and helped lead them to their most successful seasons in history.
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