It's hard to argue that a ten-point loss should be one for the record books.  Yet the 100 yard pick six Jonathan Banks snagged off of Tim Tebow could signal the future of Mississippi State football.

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State's star running back Anthony Dixon is averaging well over a hundred yards a game, and I've got no doubt in my mind that he will break the MSU rushing record held by Jerious Norwood--and break it this weekend.

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ed.- bumped from the fanposts.

In the past few weeks, a lot of electrons have been spilled examining the strong and capable 2009 Alabama squad.  TeamSpeedKills has even said "Alabama has played the best football in the SEC so far."  Here at RollBamaRoll, you'll see a lot of pride and praise, but constructive criticism as well, often revolving around the idea that the team may not be living up to its perceived potential. 

Recently, while acknowledging the value of statistics in achieving a deeper understanding of the Tide (in a great post by Nico), I urged that we use statistics "to serve as tools, or insights, but not definitions" of the team.  Said a lot simpler:  with Alabama, it's the intangibles that matter, and that make the real difference in our games.  Accordingly, it can be difficult for us, the hardcore fans, to get what others see--because we're gritting our teeth over a dropped pass, or a false start.

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So a few hours ago on this rainy day in Jackson, Mississippi a good buddy called.  "Hey, the wife's dad isn't going to make the trip this weekend up to Oxford, and we can't go--you want the tickets?"

I'm not saying I started crying, but I dang near did.

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Can't get out of Mississippi this weekend so I'm missing the A-Day--and I might as well scout out the enemy.  Big day on CSS in Jackson--Auburn right now, Ole Miss in a few hours, State after that.

First off, for those of you in Bryant-Denny (the Holy Land, my friends)--Jordan-Hare is EMPTY.  It's glutted at the 50, but no more than a good high school or C-USA game, with the end zones completely empty.  

There is some speed--Tate just ran in a touchdown, with a bit of explosive power.  

I'm more interested in what Kodi Burns does today.  He's a scrambler--and I'm hoping the boys really are pushing the pass-rush this year.  Don't want him to get out from under us.

Just realized there may not be much to watch during a Spring game. I'll clock in if anything of note happens.  

UPDATE 1:18:  Tate just got his second touchdown, after a great reception by Fannin (with his helmet knocked off!) to set up the six.  For right now, the scheme is Burns-Tate.

Sidelines note that Malzahn has the line on a 5,000 calorie diet!  Sounds like a lot of Nutty Bars, guys.  

Goggans is blowin' through the second-O line and getting the touch sack.  Back to back sacks on the 2nd O.

UPDATE 1:28:  Terrell Zachary blows down the field on a 70-yard reverse.

UPDATE 1:35:  WR Coach Trooper Taylor has been trying to fire up his receivers (most of whom are out today) by telling them that the're "not respected by the other teams."  Haw haw!

UPDATE 1:39:  Don't ever buy a Tiffin Motorhome, "official sponsor of Auburn Athletics."  They've got Big Al getting pulled over in a vintage Pontiac GTO, by a state trooper filling out a traffic ticket with a "Tigers" pen.  Points: Al in a souped-up GTO.  Negatives:  bite me.

UPDATE 1:42:  At the half, Quentin Groves is talking about the NFL and getting to play with folks like Peyton Manning, and declaring that Auburn "made the right decision hiring Coach Tuberville, and they made the right decision hiring Coach Chizik."  Nice equivocation.  Too bad Iowa State ain't Ole Miss.  

Third Cochran Law Firm commerical this half--I hope they got a discount.  Pretty good commercials, but it always weirds me out, since their namesake died in 2005.  

UPDATE 1:54: Um, Chizik changed shirts?  

I was hoping I'd get a clue as to what Auburn would be looking like for the fall, but I'm not seeing anything particularly insightful, nor really anything that marks a huge change from last year.  There's probably a lot of folks more sensitive to formation that might notice things I'm not--and maybe in the Spring Game you don't get much more than vanilla, but this is not even Blue Bell, it's so standard. 

HA! The announcer said, "we need to run this type of play, because, you know, we don't have a Julio Jones--" Fantastic. Yikes. Freshman Onterio McCalebb just blew through the line and showed some heavy speed. He's a little guy--5' 10" and just 165--but a freshman, out of Fort Meade, Florida. ALSO: MAY GOD PUNISH ESPN, WHO IS STILL SHOWING THE WORTHLESS CHICAGO-BOSTON BASKETBALL GAME AO87UAOSIHDFLAIHSEFO IA2WY46R98WYROAR DAMN THEIR EYES

UPDATE:  2:09:  ESPN continues to ruin my life, and Kodi Burns--while scooting out of a busted play--continues to show good footwork and speed.  I haven't laid out the score yet, because who cares, it's a scrimmage--but the first team is killing the second, 43-22, although the one pass-for-touchdown was from the second team.

UPDATE:  2:23:  The Bama game is bumped from ESPN due to some sort of "basket-balls" game, which makes me want to cry.  Troy notes that Auburn is sucking it up--and really, the numbers are showing that Johnny Second Tier (i.e, Neil Caudle) is beating out Kodi Burns.  Track 'Em Tigers is murmuring that the Barners are favoring Caudle already.

UPDATE:  2:31:  Game's over, first team won--and ESPN is still showing the Bulls & Celtics.  I'm going to cry.  

Listen:  It's 1982 and I am six years old and my Nana holds my hand and we walk into Legion Field and I point and laugh at Aubie and Big Al and

Tim Tebow:  my dad and I talked this morning--I should have gone to church, but calling your dad to talk about the Tide surely counts in the big scheme of things--and we both said if we had a vote, we'd vote for Tebow.  Can you believe that guy, we say?  He had Mount Cody in his face and could still make things happen, heckuva guy.  Looks like a movie star from 1952, with that brush cut and that

Listen:  It's 1992 and we're heading to Bryant-Denny because they're just doing so good--it's just the Cincinnati game, but my uncle who played for Coach Bryant is singing the National Anthem and

Javier--my favorite, my hero--sets his foot on the line and I suck in my breath, hoping this won't hurt.  All I can think of is my favorite game of the year, Arkansas--where he pushed a man out of his route, intercepted the ball, and faked Casey Dick so hard he fell down like a freshman.  A high school freshman, and

Listen:  It's 1999 and I'm in Dave's Darkhorse Tavern in Starkville, and Brother Dubose is sidling down the sidelines, and I'm running a block down to the B-Quik to call my dad on the payphone--"they did it--they did it--they

Throw that long ball--a two-play offensive drive!--John Parker to Julio and then Glen punches it in so hard.  I'm punching the air, screaming Roll Tide, the dog is barking, and my buddy John--whose great uncle played in the 40's, coached for Thomas and Whitworth--and I think they can pull it off.  There's this feeling:  that anything can happen, that the Tide can beat anybody.  It doesn't matter if it's Florida or Miami or Notre Dame or we're in the Rose Bowl or the Sugar, they can DO IT, this is Crimson Tide Football, and these young men could take cities, countries, our mighty atomic knights, and

Listen:  it's 1983 and I'm in the TG&Y in Forestdale, and there was an announcement over the intercom, and I don't quite understand what's happening, but the grown man in line next to my momma and me starts crying, the first man I've ever seen cry, and puts his head in his hands, and I get real scared and my momma hugs me close, and then

Rashad Johnson jumps up and there's two LSU men right next to him and I'm on the other side of Tiger Stadium and I only know he grabbed it because of the quiet that spreads, like a virus, through one hundred thousand people.  And

then

and

then

and

then

Roll.  Tide.  I wish I could have been in Tuscaloosa to welcome them home.  For every year:  every victory:  for the 315 I saw as a child, for the National Championship they gave us in high school, for the fear and pride and honor the day Coach Bryant died, for beating Florida twice in 1999, for the Undefeated Season, for getting to sing Rammer Jammer in Baton Rouge, for the way that my throat starts to catch when I say it:  for the way the tears came when

Roll

Tide.

Roll

May the story never, ever end.