<p class=""><font color="#660000">NEW VIDEO BOARD DEBUTS THIS WEEKEND</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">Sometime today, the final Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) will be installed, all of the electrical connections will be made, and the power will be supplied to the video board at the south end of Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Tests will be run on the system and video will be programmed into the new high definition board. By Saturday, the board will be functional. But it won't be finished.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">Construction crews have worked around the clock, 24 hours per day for the last two weeks, to bring this new video board to life. Capturion Network, the lead contractor on the project and a division of Busby Outdoor in Laurel, met the contractual deadline of having the video board erected and ready to go. You will enjoy what you see Saturday afternoon. But it remains a work in progress. It will continue to get better. </font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">The new speaker system, which was designed off-site and computer-directed based upon stadium seating models, is hung above the giant board, but will not be operational until our final home game this season against Arkansas. It was our decision to place complete construction concentration on the video board itself, so that our fans could have that experience this weekend. Those crews will turn their attention to the speaker system after Saturday. </font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">Even then, there will be so much more to do. High definition pre-recorded video will eventually be standard operating procedure for the board, as will the finest sound system in the industry. As with everything else we do, we will continue to modify and enhance the product for you, our Bulldog Club member and fan.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">For this weekend, we hope you enjoy the video presentations we have ready, as well as high definition instant replays of game action.</font></p> <p class="" align="center"><font color="#660000">* * *</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">TEMPLETON ATHLETIC ACADEMIC CENTER DEDICATED</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">Ribbon-cutting ceremonies will take place Saturday at 11 a.m. on the Templeton Athletic Academic Center immediately adjacent to the Holliman Center and Dudy Noble Field, Polk-DeMent Stadium.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">Construction on the new facility, which will serve the academic needs of our student-athletes, is complete. Our athletic academic staff will move in late next week.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">It is a facility that meets a need. Our student-athletes have done an outstanding job for several years, often working in cramped and inadequate conditions in the residence hall basement where academics is currently located.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">The new $10 million facility will provide state-of-the-art support to the school's student-athletes. The 34,000-square foot building will house academic counselor's offices, tutoring rooms and work stations, plus computer labs and a resource room. The building also contains a 300-seat dining room with fully functioning kitchen. The Templeton Athletic Academic Center allows student-athletes to strength train, practice, eat, and receive medical and academic support within a short walking distance at the north end of campus.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">In this column last week, we announced that 62 percent of our student-athletes who entered during the 2001-02 calendar year graduated, the third-best success rating among all Southeastern Conference freshmen that started that year. We also mentioned that our graduation rate for those student-athletes exceeded by four percentage points that of the Mississippi State student body as a whole (58 percent). We were the only school in the SEC to have our student-athlete graduation rate surpass that of the general student body.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">This past spring we announced that our combined grade point average for all student-athletes - men and women together - was a 2.98, the highest recorded grades in school history. In the past five years, eight of our 13 varsity sports have achieved their highest-ever grade point average. We believe that this new facility will provide the resources for us to maintain that level of accomplishment.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">And as we have often said, recruiting and graduating student-athletes remains our primary reason for being here, and preparing them for life after college with a meaningful degree is our greatest concern.</font></p> <p class="" align="center"><font color="#660000">* * *</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">MEN'S BASKETBALL SEATING NEARING COMPLETION</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">Seat selection appointments for the top 2,000 Bulldog Club members ended last Friday afternoon, and yesterday Bulldog Club staff finished assigning seats to the remaining men's basketball season ticket orders. Every Bulldog Club member who ordered basketball season tickets was accommodated within their priority limit. Our staff is working now on filling orders from members who ordered above their priority limit. We will know next week whether any single seats remain available within Humphrey Coliseum for the 2008-09 men's basketball season.
</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">Another sellout of season tickets is expected. The sale of the new premium courtside seating at the Hump (pictured at right) has been a success. Only a few pair of seats remains on the court. These padded seats, which are selling for $12,000 per pair this season, will give fans an up-close view of Bulldog basketball (women's courtside seats are $500 per pair). Contact the Bulldog Club (662-325-3074) for more information on courtside seating. </font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">Some interesting notes from the selection process:</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">* The last person to pick two lower level seats together was ranked #524 and selected those seats on Tuesday afternoon.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">* Those individuals who purchased basketball season tickets pledged a combined $9.6 million to various funds (facility donations, annual fund, scholarship endowments, football skyboxes) to the Bulldog Club in 2008, and have a lifetime giving total of more than $74.9 million from all sources.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">* Those in the lower level combined to pledge $7.4 million in all areas for 2008, and have given over $61.4 million lifetime through those various sources.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">* On average, those individuals in the lower level purchased 5.5 seats each.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">* The average current year pledge for those seated in the lower level was $16,860.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">* Of all orders for men's basketball season tickets, 40 percent were facilitated on-line.</font></p> <p class="" align="center"><font color="#660000">* * *</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">PLAYING HOST TO THE SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE </font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">This coming Monday morning, a lot of hard work by many athletic department staff members will go on display when we play host to the Southeastern Conference men's and women's cross country championships. Women's cross country teams begin competition at 10 a.m., while the men's teams start at 11 a.m.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">Coach Al Schmidt and his staff, as well as other athletic department staffers, have done an outstanding job preparing for this event.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">The championship, which will be run at the cross country course on the South Farm by the Mississippi Horse Park, will be taped by Fox Sports Net and will be rebroadcast at a later date. But come out and support our teams if you are in the area Monday. </font></p> <p class="" align="center"><font color="#660000">* * *</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">BUT BEFORE THAT...</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">The men's and women's basketball teams will meet the fans at the Oktibbeha County Meet The Players night, tonight (Thursday) at 6 p.m., at the Griffis Boardroom adjacent to the Palmeiro Center on campus.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">The women's team will be available for autographs and photographs beginning at 6 p.m., while the men's team will follow at approximately 6:30. Admission is free and light refreshments will be served.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">Tomorrow, the Dugout Club will meet at Griffis for its season-opening fall dinner at 5:30 p.m. Shortly thereafter, new head coach John Cohen will send his baseball team through Game 2 of the Maroon and White World Series at Dudy Noble Field. There is no charge for admission. Also Friday, our women's soccer team plays host to Ole Miss in its season-ending match at 7 p.m.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">The Starkville Young Professionals are hosting another Dawg Rally, Friday night at Barrister's Grill and Bar, 100 East Main Street, in historic downtown Starkville, from 6 to 7 p.m. Yours truly and football media relations contact Joe Galbraith will address the gathering. </font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">The men's basketball team will play its first exhibition game of the 2008-09 season following the football game Saturday. Coach Rick Stansbury's team will play host to Montevalo at 6 p.m. in Humphrey Coliseum. That game is open to the public with free admission.</font></p> <p align="center"><font color="#660000"><font color="#660000">* * *</font></font></p> <p class="" align="center"></p> <p align="center"></p><font color="#660000">We appreciate what you do for Mississippi State Athletics and want to encourage you to get others involved. There are three things you can do to help Mississippi State reach its desired goals -</font> <p class="" align="left"><font color="#660000">1. Buy Season Tickets
2. Financially Support the Bulldog Club
3. Get Others To Do The Same </font></p> <p class="" align="left"><font color="#660000">Thanks for taking the time to read this update. </font></p> <p class="" align="left"><font color="#660000">Go Dawgs! </font></p> <p class="" align="left"><font color="#660000">Greg Byrne</font></p> <p class="" align="left">
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</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">Another sellout of season tickets is expected. The sale of the new premium courtside seating at the Hump (pictured at right) has been a success. Only a few pair of seats remains on the court. These padded seats, which are selling for $12,000 per pair this season, will give fans an up-close view of Bulldog basketball (women's courtside seats are $500 per pair). Contact the Bulldog Club (662-325-3074) for more information on courtside seating. </font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">Some interesting notes from the selection process:</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">* The last person to pick two lower level seats together was ranked #524 and selected those seats on Tuesday afternoon.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">* Those individuals who purchased basketball season tickets pledged a combined $9.6 million to various funds (facility donations, annual fund, scholarship endowments, football skyboxes) to the Bulldog Club in 2008, and have a lifetime giving total of more than $74.9 million from all sources.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">* Those in the lower level combined to pledge $7.4 million in all areas for 2008, and have given over $61.4 million lifetime through those various sources.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">* On average, those individuals in the lower level purchased 5.5 seats each.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">* The average current year pledge for those seated in the lower level was $16,860.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">* Of all orders for men's basketball season tickets, 40 percent were facilitated on-line.</font></p> <p class="" align="center"><font color="#660000">* * *</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">PLAYING HOST TO THE SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE </font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">This coming Monday morning, a lot of hard work by many athletic department staff members will go on display when we play host to the Southeastern Conference men's and women's cross country championships. Women's cross country teams begin competition at 10 a.m., while the men's teams start at 11 a.m.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">Coach Al Schmidt and his staff, as well as other athletic department staffers, have done an outstanding job preparing for this event.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">The championship, which will be run at the cross country course on the South Farm by the Mississippi Horse Park, will be taped by Fox Sports Net and will be rebroadcast at a later date. But come out and support our teams if you are in the area Monday. </font></p> <p class="" align="center"><font color="#660000">* * *</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">BUT BEFORE THAT...</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">The men's and women's basketball teams will meet the fans at the Oktibbeha County Meet The Players night, tonight (Thursday) at 6 p.m., at the Griffis Boardroom adjacent to the Palmeiro Center on campus.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">The women's team will be available for autographs and photographs beginning at 6 p.m., while the men's team will follow at approximately 6:30. Admission is free and light refreshments will be served.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">Tomorrow, the Dugout Club will meet at Griffis for its season-opening fall dinner at 5:30 p.m. Shortly thereafter, new head coach John Cohen will send his baseball team through Game 2 of the Maroon and White World Series at Dudy Noble Field. There is no charge for admission. Also Friday, our women's soccer team plays host to Ole Miss in its season-ending match at 7 p.m.</font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">The Starkville Young Professionals are hosting another Dawg Rally, Friday night at Barrister's Grill and Bar, 100 East Main Street, in historic downtown Starkville, from 6 to 7 p.m. Yours truly and football media relations contact Joe Galbraith will address the gathering. </font></p> <p class=""><font color="#660000">The men's basketball team will play its first exhibition game of the 2008-09 season following the football game Saturday. Coach Rick Stansbury's team will play host to Montevalo at 6 p.m. in Humphrey Coliseum. That game is open to the public with free admission.</font></p> <p align="center"><font color="#660000"><font color="#660000">* * *</font></font></p> <p class="" align="center"></p> <p align="center"></p><font color="#660000">We appreciate what you do for Mississippi State Athletics and want to encourage you to get others involved. There are three things you can do to help Mississippi State reach its desired goals -</font> <p class="" align="left"><font color="#660000">1. Buy Season Tickets
2. Financially Support the Bulldog Club
3. Get Others To Do The Same </font></p> <p class="" align="left"><font color="#660000">Thanks for taking the time to read this update. </font></p> <p class="" align="left"><font color="#660000">Go Dawgs! </font></p> <p class="" align="left"><font color="#660000">Greg Byrne</font></p> <p class="" align="left">
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