The most underrated and perhaps vital necessity in all of college athletics is momentum. Mississippi State has that in spades. The hottest player in the world of sports is the quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, a fourth round rookie by the name of Dakota Prescott. Dak Prescott claims the bulldogs as his family. The greatest narrative in women's sports history was rewritten by a five foot nothing point guard, who used a basketball as her stone, slingshotting Mississippi State into the national championship by knocking off the 111-0, mighty Goliath, University of Connecticut Women's Basketball team . Dak Prescott was there. Both Dak and Morgan have since received Espy's.
But this is not about receiving Espy's, making national championships, or even having the greatest quarterback professor in the history of the college game as your head football coach. We could talk about how ever since the baseball program played for a national title, the women's basketball followed suit, and the football team spent the better half of 2014 ranked number one in the country. We could talk about a two time final four coach cleaning up in recruiting at a monumental rate, while recently hiring the hottest young mind in baseball. All of that is magnificent, and proof of the momentum State has been able to build, but its not about that. No, it is about implementing an identity outside of the state of Mississippi. One that is slowly becoming recognized as a premier choice to play college athletics with regards to building character, resilience, and obtaining a loving and surrounding environment.
It's about Vic Schaeffer watching as his point guard loses her dad, immediately claiming her as one of his own daughters, and witnessing as she scores 50 points, sending her new found family to the final four, one day from the anniversary of her father's death. Morgan William will always have a place to call home at Mississippi State. Similarly, Dak lost his mother in 2013, taking his team to number one the very next year. He considers Dan and Megan Mullen to be his own and he was there to help celebrate and hug Morgan one week from her performance. Dak and Morgan are what defines this university, character, resilience, and an unconditional sense of love and kinship. Starkville, Mississippi is, and always has been, a culture that considers you family before friend or athlete.While not an overly flashy town in "Stark-vegas", what they may lack in dollars, they more than make up for in moral fiber. And, while other schools may have more money in the trust fund, the bulldogs have taken these moments and have built momentum. After 29 years of following sports, if there is one thing I do know, it's this.
A family full of momentum is a mighty hard train to stop. That, you can take to the bank.
But this is not about receiving Espy's, making national championships, or even having the greatest quarterback professor in the history of the college game as your head football coach. We could talk about how ever since the baseball program played for a national title, the women's basketball followed suit, and the football team spent the better half of 2014 ranked number one in the country. We could talk about a two time final four coach cleaning up in recruiting at a monumental rate, while recently hiring the hottest young mind in baseball. All of that is magnificent, and proof of the momentum State has been able to build, but its not about that. No, it is about implementing an identity outside of the state of Mississippi. One that is slowly becoming recognized as a premier choice to play college athletics with regards to building character, resilience, and obtaining a loving and surrounding environment.
It's about Vic Schaeffer watching as his point guard loses her dad, immediately claiming her as one of his own daughters, and witnessing as she scores 50 points, sending her new found family to the final four, one day from the anniversary of her father's death. Morgan William will always have a place to call home at Mississippi State. Similarly, Dak lost his mother in 2013, taking his team to number one the very next year. He considers Dan and Megan Mullen to be his own and he was there to help celebrate and hug Morgan one week from her performance. Dak and Morgan are what defines this university, character, resilience, and an unconditional sense of love and kinship. Starkville, Mississippi is, and always has been, a culture that considers you family before friend or athlete.While not an overly flashy town in "Stark-vegas", what they may lack in dollars, they more than make up for in moral fiber. And, while other schools may have more money in the trust fund, the bulldogs have taken these moments and have built momentum. After 29 years of following sports, if there is one thing I do know, it's this.
A family full of momentum is a mighty hard train to stop. That, you can take to the bank.
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