| Monday, September 1, 2014 |
| 'Blueprint' solutions sought from IHL students | |
 | Some key Mississippi leaders are turning to "the best and the brightest" of the next generation to try to help solve the many economic and quality-of-life issues facing the state. The Blueprint Mississippi Social Business Challenge will create a process where students at the eight public universities can take on projects to develop plans to deal with many of the social ills facing the state. The winners at each of the state's eight public universities will compete statewide. David Shaw, vice president of research and economic development at Mississippi State University, said the challenge would take advantage of the entrepreneurship that already exists on the university campuses. |
| Mississippi State reopens Davis Wade Stadium with record crowd | |
 | Mississippi State reopened Davis Wade Stadium with a bang. MSU blew out Southern Miss 49-0 in the first game at the stadium since the completion of the $75 million renovation. The last time the two teams met in 1990 there was 40,115 in attendance at Davis Wade Stadium. Saturday MSU set a school record for attendance at a football game with 61,889 fans. The new seating along with the scoreboard in the northwest end zone caused the cheers from the student section to reverberate throughout the stadium. Even with the seats scarcely filled 90 minutes before kickoff the noise from the end zone replicated that of a game. |
| Mississippi State football tailgaters are back in full swing | |
 | Cowbells, generators and the smell of barbecue on the Mississippi State campus means football season is back in full swing. But before the big game there is only one thing to do, tailgate. "If somebody wants to come and get a plate, we feed them," MSU alumni James Johnson said. "We take care of them, they would do the same for us. That's how we do it here in Bulldog nation." The Johnson family is one of many that camp out on campus to get the full game experience. The family said they use MSU football games not only to enjoy the sport, but as a tool to spend quality time with each other. |
| Mississippi State fans tailgate in the rain | |
| Mississippi State opened its season with a 49-0 win over Southern Mississippi on Saturday, and despite the inclement weather, fans still had fun tailgating in the Junction. |
| Grant will fund work on Ulysses Grant memoirs at Mississippi State | |
 | A grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission will allow the Ulysses S. Grant Association to continue its work on the first two volumes of the personal memoirs of President Ulysses S. Grant. The grant of $43,490 will be used by the association for the 2014-15 fiscal year. The association is based at Mississippi State University. |
| Students Prepare for Success at Mississippi State Summit | |
 | Students are preparing for success during, and after college, at Mississippi State University's annual Men of Color Summit. Students at the summit are learning how to become the next generation of leaders. "Anybody can stand in front of a group of people, but they actually teach you how to be a leader, and how to portray yourself as a leader, and I think that's very important, especially going into the job market now," said student Fredrick Wilson. The summit even had a new event this year -- an oratory challenge -- where students spoke for up to three minutes about issues impacting students of color. |
| Rising country star to play Bulldog Bash | |
 | There's a running thread in Mississippi State University's recent concerts -- a streak of some things Southern, and many things country. It began in August with country music legend Merle Haggard's performance for the MSU Lyceum Series. It will continue Oct. 30 when the Humphrey Coliseum welcomes the "little ol' band from Texas" ZZ Top. And when Bulldog Bash descends on the Cotton District Oct. 3, it will bring two more country bands and one more southern-born rock band to Starkville. (Subscriber-only content.) |
| MSU Bulldog Bash Announces Musical Lineup | |
| Country music star Justin Moore will headline the Mississippi State University Student Association's 15th annual Bulldog Bash. Taking place Oct. 3 -- the day prior to MSU's Southeastern Conference home football game with Texas A&M University -- the annual free outdoor concert also is featuring country artist Drake White and The Dirty Guv'nahs, a rock band. Moore was named Best New Artist of the Year at the 2014 Academy of Country Music Awards. He is best known for the No. One singles "Small Town USA" and "If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away." Taking place just off campus in the heart of Starkville's Cotton District, Bulldog Bash has grown since 2001 to become the largest musical venue of its kind in Mississippi. |
| Is cotton looking too good? Farmers facing weaker prices | |
 | Cotton is looking good across the state as bolls open and harvest nears, but increased cotton acreage planted across the country means lower prices on this year's crop. The state has 400,000 acres of cotton, up 38 percent from what was planted in 2013. Cotton nationwide is up an estimated 9 percent over 2013 acreage. Brian Williams, Extension agricultural economist, said this increased acreage has not helped prices. "South Delta cotton prices and October futures are around 65 cents per pound," Williams said. "For comparison, a year ago they were 81 cents a pound." These prices are near three-year lows, a consequence of expected high production nationwide, Williams said. |
| Cotton production looking good, but price falls | |
| The MSU Extension Service says cotton production is looking good this year, but an increase in cotton acreage across the nation could lead to lower prices. Though the crop had a delayed planting season due to weather, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says an estimated 17 percent of the state's cotton is in excellent condition and 54 percent is in good condition. Much of the remaining crop is in fair condition. Darrin Dodds, state cotton specialist with the MSU Extension Service, says a good rainfall in stressed areas and warm weather to mature the plant could help the crop finish strong. |
| Mississippi State soybean, irrigation specialists talk to farmers about terminating irrigation | |
 | Conventional wisdom has long held that farmers should stop irrigating soybeans when the beans are "touching" in the pod. New research and field observations are showing that terminating irrigation when the soybeans are merely touching may mean at least one more irrigation is needed, says Trent Irby, Extension soybean specialist with Mississippi State University. But that can also depend on how much moisture is in the soil profile, according to Jason Krutz, Extension irrigation specialist with MSU. Drs. Irby and Krutz talked to farmers about determining when to stop irrigating their crops in a series of Turn-Row Irrigation meetings in the Delta Aug. 26. |
| 3Qs: Darrin Webb, state economist | |
| On this Labor Day holiday weekend, State Economist Darrin Webb answered questions from the Daily Journal's Bobby Harrison about Mississippi's economy and workers. |
| Ailing Nunnelee expected to seek 3rd term | |
| Republican 1st District Rep. Alan Nunnelee is likely to make few campaign appearances in north Mississippi this fall as he recovers from brain surgery and a stroke. The limited schedule, however, probably won't jeopardize the chances of a third term for the congressman from Tupelo. Nunnelee's campaign consultant, Morgan Baldwin, said the congressman's main focus now is on recovery rather than campaigning, although he said Nunnelee has always believed "the best-run campaign is a well-run, efficient office." |
| State ed chief: Foundation can aid pre-K expansion | |
| During her first year leading Mississippi's school system, Carey Wright has spoken often about the need to expand early-childhood education in the state. On Friday, the state superintendent of education noted a couple of efforts to bring in outside dollars to help with that effort. That includes forming a foundation to support pre-K in Mississippi and applying for a federal grant that could net as much as $60 million. "I really believe early childhood is a secret that is going to really change the trajectory of education in Mississippi," Wright said while meeting with the Daily Journal's editorial board on Friday. |
| Will McDaniel give up? | |
| Chris McDaniel is taking the long holiday weekend to mull whether he'll accept defeat from the June 24 GOP U.S. Senate primary, or continue his appeal to the state's high court. "He wasn't really ready to even accept (dismissal) was a possibility," McDaniel attorney Mitch Tyner said Friday after a special circuit court dismissed his lawsuit challenging his primary runoff loss. "...This is a very costly litigation and so he wants to take the weekend to decide." Attorneys for incumbent Sen. Thad Cochran said it's time for McDaniel, a state senator from Ellisville, to give up. "This has been an ordeal for Sen. Cochran, for his staff, for the circuit clerks, for all the people whose votes have been challenged," said Cochran attorney Mark Garriga. |
| Judge dismisses McDaniel challenge | |
| Chris McDaniel will take Labor Day weekend to decide whether to pursue his election challenge after a judge dismissed his lawsuit Friday afternoon. Special Judge Hollis McGehee said McDaniel had waited too long to file a legal challenge to the results of the June 24 U.S. Senate Republican primary runoff he lost to six-term incumbent Thad Cochran. McDaniel could appeal that ruling to the state Supreme Court. McGehee, appointed to hear the case by the Supreme Court, said from the Harrison County Courthouse in Gulfport on Friday afternoon that he agrees with attorneys for Cochran, who argued current law gives a losing candidate only 20 days from the date of the election to file the challenge. McDaniel waited 41 days. |
| Midterm election unlikely to end gridlock in Washington, analysts say | |
 | After a summer of upheaval, from the Middle East to Ferguson, Mo., the country swings into a fall campaign with large stakes but little chance of ending the partisan stalemate that has ground Washington to a virtual halt. If anything, the results of this year's congressional races could push the two major parties even further apart, leaving President Obama struggling to accomplish much more of lasting significance. "A lame-duck president coupled with a divided Congress, or one controlled by the opposite party, is not a recipe for a whole lot of productiveness or success," said Paul Maslin, a veteran Democratic strategist who is working in several campaigns across the country. |
| Tech looks abroad to keep drones in the air | |
 | Amazon, Facebook and Google have sky-high hopes for drones --- but government regulations have grounded their plans in the United States and pushed some companies to try their luck overseas. Strict federal rules still prohibit tech giants, movie studios and other commercial operators from flying their unmanned aerial vehicles. Even before those crafts can be tested stateside, experimenters must labor to win the Federal Aviation Administration's blessings. "This is the first time in history that the United States is not leading the industry in an aviation-related technology," said Brendan Schulman, a lawyer at Kramer Levin in New York who represents several clients challenging the FAA's ban on commercial drone operations. |
| Russia Signals Hard Line on Ukraine Talks in Minsk | |
 | Russia signaled it would take a hard line during talks on Ukraine on Monday, calling on Kiev to agree to an immediate and unconditional cease-fire as President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine's leaders of escalating the violence by refusing to negotiate in good faith. Ukraine's government is under increasing pressure to agree to an end to the conflict. Kiev's fortunes have dramatically reversed on the battlefield. European leaders are skeptical of those claims and in a summit Saturday threatened new economic sanctions on Moscow if it doesn't do more to reduce tensions. |
| Former Jackson police chief heads to Jackson State | |
| After retiring as Jackson's top cop in August, former Chief Lindsey Horton is taking another job in his city. Last week, Jackson State University issued a release confirming that Horton will be joining the staff there to oversee safety efforts across all the university's locations. "Horton's appointment is part of an organizational adjustment necessitated by JSU's growth in enrollment, programs and venues," said JSU President Carolyn Meyers in a prepared statement. The new position is associate vice president for safety and security. He will report to the vice president for business finance and oversee the Public Safety Department. |
| Mississippi Valley State launches degree programs in Greenville | |
| Mississippi Valley State University is offering degree-completion programs at the Greenville Higher Education Center. "We understand it's extremely difficult for some individuals to drive to our campus, to Cleveland and other colleges just to go to school," MVSU President William Bynum told the Delta Democrat Times. MVSU is offering fall 2014 and spring 2015 degree-completion programs in criminal justice, mass communications, speech communications and physical education and recreation, said Michael Taylor, MVSU's executive director at GHEC. |
| Authorities release surveillance image after Mississippi College campus robbery | |
 | Clinton police are hoping a surveillance image will help them find the two men behind an armed robbery at Mississippi College. Police released a surveillance image of a red car believed to be the vehicle the two men were in. It was captured at Murphy's Express off of Highway 18 in Jackson. Officers said one of the men tried using a stolen credit card. Police believe the plan was to carjack the women. The victims escaped unharmed. |
| Five U. of Alabama students begin internships at Walter Reed | |
 | Five University of Alabama students will spend the fall semester at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center as the first interns in a new undergraduate social work program at the facility in Bethesda, Md. The program launched this year is the first for undergraduates majoring in social work anywhere in the Department of Defense. The students will participate in a rotation at the hospital, gaining experience in medical social work, group work, multi-disciplinary treatment team participation, care coordination and referral, crisis intervention, administrative and policy implementation, risk assessment, as well as service learning opportunities, said Carroll Phelps, the coordinator for the UA School of Social Work's Washington, D.C., internship programs. |
| New re-branding campaign to highlight U. of Florida's contributions to society | |
 | During Saturday night's opening game against the Idaho Vandals, folks will see the first 30-second spot for the University of Florida's new re-branding campaign -- its first in nearly a decade. "For the Gator Good" is a $1.4 million, two-year campaign to show what UF has done to improve people's lives, help the environment and improve the state's economy. "We are turning the cameras away from UF and onto the people that benefit from the research here," said Nicole Yucht, UF's director of marketing. |
| Two attacks near U. of Florida campus | |
| Two women were attacked Saturday night and early Sunday in separate incidents near the University of Florida campus. Police suspect the women were assaulted by the same man. At about 9:20 p.m. Saturday, Gainesville police responded to reports of a woman screaming near 1824 NW Second Ave. When they arrived, they found a 21-year-old woman who had been punched in the face by an unknown man. The woman told police that the man ripped off some of her clothes and tried to rape her. The man left before raping the woman and vanished into a crowd of Gator football fans. A second woman called police at about 2 a.m. Sunday. The woman had been dragged from the sidewalk into the woods along the edge of campus. |
| Computer wizards converge on LSU to test their skills | |
 | With cases of energy drinks, pillows, blankets and, of course, their laptops, about 75 students descended on Coates Hall on LSU's campus this weekend to compete in the 24-hour GeauxHack hackathon. The group of college students from all parts of the country came for the chance to compete in teams for the best invention of the day, with the winners receiving bragging rights and scoring new tablets. The competition involves writing computer code and coming up with innovative products. GeauxHack is one of more than 50 hackathons the company Major League Hacking will put on this year, aimed at helping young computer science students and hobbyists gain valuable experience in the field. |
| Food trucks rolling onto Louisiana college campuses | |
| The booming food truck craze has hit college campuses in Louisiana, as schools look to meet the ever-evolving demands of picky students. LSU in Baton Rouge and Tulane University in New Orleans have debuted their own food trucks this fall -- merging the ongoing expansion of on-campus dining services with the restaurants-on-wheels phenomenon. "Students seek dining options available around the clock. Food trucks allow a quick dining option and mobility where food actually comes to the student," said Tom Williamson, resident district manager for LSU Dining at Chartwells. |
| CARPOOL back again at Texas A&M to give safe, free rides home | |
 | Aggies and others who've had too much to drink to drive safely can again make it to their destinations through the auspices of CARPOOL, the volunteer student organization that provides rides to those too inebriated to make it home on their own. Since giving the program's first ride on Sept. 15, 1999, the drivers in the CARPOOL organization have delivered 226,946 people to their destinations confidentially and free of charge. CARPOOL Chair Jake Ingle said keeping drunken drivers off of the street by offering free rides is a major undertaking. The organization was formed after a Texas A&M student was arrested for drunken driving and he decided to make a difference. |
| U. of Missouri rock climbing wall might be coming down | |
 | The rock wall that was built when the University of Missouri renovated its Student Recreation Complex during the early 2000s is coming down. Diane Dahlmann, director of recreation services and facilities, held a team meeting for her staff at the recreation complex Sunday to discuss upcoming projects, including one that involves taking down the rock climbing wall and expanding the weightlifting room into that space. Current and past students who say they formed a sense of community during their time at "the wall" are frustrated about the decision. |
| BIRNEY IMES (OPINION): Partial to Home: Baseball, anyone? | |
 | The Dispatch's Birney Imes writes: "When our almost 8-year-old grandson, Benjamin, announces he's ready to go to Dudy Noble, he initiates a time-honored sequence of events. He goes and gets a metal bat and a small cloth bag containing six to 10 worn-out tennis balls, and I begin looking for my shoes. We then go over to the vacant lot behind the Catholic Church where I become equal parts Red Barber and Sandy Koufax and he, 'Lucky 13,' the star hitter and mainstay of the Mississippi State Diamond Bulldogs." |
| BILL CRAWFORD (OPINION): Schools vs. tax cut rumble looms for Legislature | |
| Syndicated columnist Bill Crawford of Meridian writes: "Are you ready to rumble? In one corner stand Gov. Phil Bryant, Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves and their allies who want to cut taxes. In the other corner stand the champions for fully funding the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) for K-12 schools. The conventional wisdom is the state budget cannot accommodate both, so all are preparing for a big fight. Looming behind the MAEP corner are two very different initiatives. ...Hearings before the Joint Legislative Budget Committee starting this month should give the first glimpse of what is to come." |
| SAM R. HALL (OPINION): Could federal case succeed where McDaniel failing? | |
| The Clarion-Ledger's Sam R. Hall writes: "Special Judge Hollis McGehee delivered what could be the final blow to Chris McDaniel's election challenge in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate. McGehee sided with Thad Cochran in dismissing the court challenge, saying McDaniel missed a 20-day deadline to file his challenge with the Mississippi Republican Party. ...It is seemingly illogical that McDaniel would choose to throw the towel in at this stage. To not appeal would be conceding defeat, something he has absolutely refused to do to this point. ...Nevertheless, it does appear that McDaniel's challenge will never see a trial, and that's probably just fine with the state senator. He's an attorney, and he has to know that he has a weak case." |
| GEOFF PENDER (OPINION): McDaniel mulling it over, again | |
| The Clarion-Ledger's Geoff Pender writes: "On the evening of Oct. 15 last year, Chris McDaniel told me he would spend the next evening in a secluded arbor in his backyard, praying and meditating whether to run for U.S. Senate. He ran -- boy howdy, did he run. But he lost. And a judge on Friday threw out his lawsuit to try to overturn that loss. McDaniel's lawyers said he'll be spending this long holiday weekend contemplating whether to appeal to the state Supreme Court. My guess is, he'll be spending some time in that spot in his backyard." |
| SID SALTER (OPINION): Katrina casts long shadow nine years later | |
| Syndicated columnist Sid Salter writes: "Mississippi communities are rejoicing over the fact that Federal Emergency Management Agency Community Disaster Loan Program debts are being forgiven by the federal government in area where those loans were made nine year ago for Hurricane Katrina relief. Yet almost a decade later, Hurricane Katrina still casts a long, sad shadow over the Mississippi Gulf Coast. For the remarkable progress made in the nine years since the storm, the lingering impact remains easy to see." |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State looks the part, blows out Southern Miss | |
| The day began with Dan Mullen quoting Cousin Eddie from the holiday classic "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation." It foreshadowed his team's performance in the season-opener against Southern Miss. Like the Griswolds, Mullen dealt with a number of mini-disasters, but the day ended happily for the Bulldogs 49-0 in front of 61,889 at Davis Wade Stadium. "We won," Mullen said. "Fifty percent of the people who played lost. We were on the winning side." |
| Defense delivers dominating effort for Mississippi State | |
| Dak Prescott pointed to the scoreboard high above the north end zone of Davis Wade Stadium and smiled. There were plenty of reasons to smile in the Mississippi State football team's 49-0 season-opening victory against Southern Mississippi on Saturday in the season opener for both teams before a record-setting crowd of 61,889 at Davis Wade Stadium. "I look up there and I see that zero, and I think that says a lot," said Prescott, MSU's junior quarterback. "That's what it's all about. Offense played well, but the defense was lights out. That's the perfect way to open the season." In the first meeting between the state rivals in 24 years, the Bulldogs dominated every aspect. |
| Total domination: Bulldogs' offense explodes for 550 yards in rout | |
| Mississippi State had to wait 24 years to renew its rivalry with Southern Miss. The Bulldogs made sure it was a memorable occasion dominating the Golden Eagles in all three phases Saturday night in a 49-0 shutout, the largest margin of victory in the instate series. MSU racked up 550 yards and six touchdowns on offense, created three turnovers on defense and even blocked a field goal and returned it for a touchdown in the rout. "I'm proud of our team today," said MSU coach Dan Mullen. "I'm proud of the way we played to start off the season. We played a lot of guys and a lot of guys made plays. I'm really proud of the way our defense played all night." |
| Mississippi State opens big, dominates Golden Eagles | |
 | The Dak Prescott show is off to a tremendous start for 2014. The dark horse Heisman Trophy candidate did as he pleased, racking up 284 passing yards and four scoring tosses as Mississippi State trounced Southern Miss, 49-0, Saturday night at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville. "As a coach, I'm thrilled with the outcome of the game," MSU coach Dan Mullen said. "It was a big win. We put up big numbers." USM (0-1) waited 24 long years for another shot at its in-state rival and the school's fans will not remember return of the rivalry fondly. |
| Mississippi State's Josh Robinson shows promise in season debut | |
| In a postgame press conference, as Mississippi State defensive end Preston Smith took the podium, his teammate Josh Robinson was the first to ask him a question. "Did you ever play any offense?" said the running back after MSU shutout Southern Miss 49-0 Saturday at home. In all fun, the junior wasn't shy to make a point in his own season-opening performance. He averaged 6.2 yards per carry, en route to 87 yards total against the Golden Eagles. That was 15 yards shy of a new career high. Still, the performance remained as one of Robinson's best, as he tallied a new career high with 49 receiving yards on three receptions. |
| Hughes returns for Bulldogs in style | |
| Jay Hughes waited a year for this. Hughes, a senior safety from Oak Grove High School near Hattiesburg, sat out most of the 2013 season after rupturing an Achilles' tendon on the sixth play of the season opener against Oklahoma State. On Saturday night, his return to the lineup was remarkable in a 49-0 victory against Southern Mississippi at Davis Wade Stadium. Starting for the first time in 364 days, Hughes registered his first career interception near the end of the first half when he picked off a pass by quarterback Nick Mullens in the end zone. |
| Loss to Mississippi State same old, same old for Southern Miss | |
 | Less than 20 minutes after Southern Miss' 49-0 season-opening loss at Mississippi State, Golden Eagle head coach Todd Monken didn't need to study any film to know what went wrong. He didn't need much time to reflect. The second-year coach didn't need to be reminded of his offense's deficiencies against the Bulldogs. Or the old inexperience bug returning to bite his team. But Monken did want to remind everyone that the drawing board is simply not something he's willing to go back to. Monken's philosophy is and has always been to stick to his guns. |
| Can Rebels, Bulldogs build on strong starts? | |
| There were plenty of similarities between Mississippi State and Ole Miss in their season openers. Both teams played exceptionally well on defense and overcame some hiccups offensively to rout their respective opponents. The Bulldogs rolled up 550 yards of offense in a 49-0 shutout win over Southern Miss at home Saturday while the Rebels tallied 458 yards in a 35-13 win against Boise State. "The shutout to me is a huge thing," said MSU coach Dan Mullen. "You take pride in that. The No. 1 thing about defense is not letting (the opponent) in the end zone. Our offense put them in bad situations a couple of times but they came up with the plays and made the stops." |
| Mississippi State, Southern Miss head into Week 2 on different notes | |
| The Mississippi State and Southern Miss football teams enter the second week of the 2014 season headed in entirely different directions. MSU (1-0) prepares to host UAB this week with plenty of swagger following a 49-0 victory over Golden Eagles in Starkville on Saturday. USM (0-1) is simply looking to regain some confidence after taking a sound beating at the hands of the Bulldogs. The Eagles host Alcorn State at 6 p.m. on Saturday with a good shot at earning their first win of the season. Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott only increased the buzz surrounding his junior campaign on Saturday as one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC. |
| Brother of MSU's Lewis shot and killed | |
| Instead of celebrating his team's 49-0 win over Southern Miss, one Mississippi State player is in mourning. According to WJTV in Jackson, Tyriunce Lewis, the brother of Bulldogs senior wide receiver Jameon Lewis, was shot and killed in Tylertown on Sunday morning. Walthall County Sherriff Duane Dillon told WJTV that Tyriunce Lewis and Kendall Magee got into a disagreement and that Magee shot Lewis once in the head at Oakhurt Apartments. Lewis was airlifted to Forrest General Hospital and pronounced dead later Sunday afternoon. |
| Jainudeen's golden goal gives Mississippi State overtime win against Southern Miss | |
| Shannen Jainudeen's golden header with 4:25 left in the second overtime gave Mississippi State a 2-1 win at the MSU Soccer Field Sunday evening. The win was Mississippi State's second in as many days against the Golden Eagles as the Bulldog football team opened 2014 with a 49-0 win 24 hours earlier. Jainudeen's header was her first goal of the season, and it came as MSU was forced to play most of overtime with 10 players due to a red card. |
| Mississippi State cross country begins season with a pair of first place finishes | |
| Kicking off the 2014 season, the Mississippi State men's and women's cross country teams begin with a pair of first-place finishes at the Memphis Twilight. This is the second year in a row MSU has brought home first place from both squads in this race. The women's team finished first beating out Ole Miss, Central Arkansas, Memphis and Arkansas State. "I was really pleased by the performances of all our freshmen," MSU coach Houston Franks said. "It's always great to see the toughness in the freshman regardless of the results." The Bulldogs next action will take place on Sept. 13 at the Vanderbilt Classic. "It was a good was to start the new season, but we still have some work to do to get ready for the Vanderbilt meet in a couple weeks." |
| Decision regarding Idaho-Florida game to be made soon | |
| A decision regarding the status of the suspended Idaho-Florida football game is expected to be made in the next few days. UF issued a statement Sunday saying that no decision would be reached on Sunday and more would be known in the next two to three days. Saturday night's game was suspended due to unsafe field conditions after only one play. The start of the game was delayed two hours, 48 minutes due to rain and lightning in the area. |
| 'The grand lady of the skies': Auburn University staff, fans remember Tiger | |
 | Auburn fans gathered at Plainsman Park Friday to celebrate the life of Tiger, War Eagle VI, who died in June. "Even though Tiger has flown her last flight, her memory will live on forever and ever," said Auburn Athletics Director Jay Jacobs. Tiger made her debut in August 2000, when she became the first eagle to free fly at Jordan-Hare Stadium. "Tiger was the grand lady of the skies over Jordan-Hare Stadium," said Calvin Johnson, DVM, Ph.D., dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. "She truly did have a spirit that was not afraid." During the memorial, Raptor Center staff introduced the War Eagle Forever program, which benefits the Southeastern Raptor Center and the flight of Auburn's eagles. |
| Donor's Passion Animates the Gamecocks' Success | |
 | Under the generous shade of oak trees in a parking lot across the street from Williams-Brice Stadium last Thursday afternoon, as many as 100 people mingled between a catered buffet and a trailer with an amply loaded bar. Their host was Joe Rice, a South Carolina graduate (college and law school), a successful Charleston lawyer and a booster who in the last decade has, with his wife, Lisa, donated about $5 million to the Gamecocks athletic program. Boosters could grow even more essential if athletic departments face higher demands because of the recent O'Bannon ruling, in which a judge said that players should be compensated for the commercial use of their names, images and likenesses, and major-conference autonomy, of which South Carolina's president, Harris Pastides, was an important proponent. |
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