here we go....

A few posts ago, you were warned about my tendency to talk about my brother a little too much. Well, basketball season has started and here I go. I am so proud of him and I guess you can say that I like to brag on him just a little...which makes me think of a quote by Dizzy Dean, "It ain't braggin' if you can do it." Well, Andrew has started off the basketball season really well.

They have played two games and he has scored a total of 52 points....yep, in TWO games. Andrew scored 25 points in their 76-49 victory over CM&I and scored 27 points in the opener against Simpson, which they also won 84-39. Andrew was also named the week's TOP PERFORMER by the Clarion Ledger! I can't wait to get to Madison so I can watch him play. GO PATRIOTS!!!

So it's no secret......I LOVE Coach Croom. He is a great football coach AND a great man. He is just a good ole guy from the South with a genuine heart and a grounded faith. I consider it a blessing to know him and thank God each day that Reed has the opportunity to learn from such an amazing man.

Keven Scarbinky is a columnist in Birmingham that wrote a column about OUR coach after the victory this weekend. It is an article that will make you PROUD to be a BULLDOG. I hope you take a second an read this. ENJOY!

OK, class. We're only going to go over this one more time. Open your dictionaries. Now look up the word "Croom." Go ahead. I'll wait. All right, all right, we don't have all day. This isn't a play under review.
What's that? The word "Croom" isn't in the dictionary? You know why? Because it's not a verb. Or a four-letter word. Not anymore. You do not lose to Mississippi State these days and lose your job. At least Tommy Tuberville, Rich Brooks and Nick Saban hope that's the case. Tuberville, Brooks and Saban are good football coaches, but that's not all they have in common. They all coach teams that will play in bowl games this season. They all coach teams that have been ranked this season.
They all coach teams that were ranked this season when they lost to Mississippi State. And not one of them would trade rosters with Sylvester Croom for all the cowbells in Starkville.
Beat one ranked team as an underdog, and it could be a fluke. Beat a second ranked team as an underdog, and it could be an extraordinary run of good fortune.
Beat three ranked teams in the same season, two of them away from home, and there's no explanation beyond hard work against long odds.
That's why today, more than ever, "Croom" is nothing more and nothing less than a proper noun. It's the proper name of a proud head football coach in the Southeastern Conference.
In a few weeks, it'll be the name of the 2007 SEC coach of the year.
Croom has come a long way in four long years at Mississippi State. He's gone from making Alabama look bad by not hiring him to making Alabama look bad by playing him.
The Crimson Tide can't use probation and sanctions as an excuse after a second straight loss to the Bulldogs. Croom inherited probation and sanctions himself in Starkville, without a rich tradition to help overcome those problems.
Consider that his alma mater can boast of 12 national championships. His employer can boast of 12 bowl teams.
Don't laugh. Six of State's bowl teams actually won their bowl games.
Unlike its 24-16 loss to Mississippi State last year, Alabama can't blame Saturday's 17-12 defeat on Mike Shula. In some ways, this loss under Saban was worse.
Last year, Alabama lost with a first-year starter at quarterback to a State team with a second-year starter under center.
This year, Alabama lost with a second-year starter at quarterback - who's regressing under the new regime - to a true freshman at the wheel.
Not to mention, after losing to State last year, Alabama should've had all the motivation it needed to even the score, especially for a master psychologist like Saban. Instead, the Tide now has active multi-year losing streaks to three of its five SEC West rivals.
Four years of grinding across the state line have made one thing more obvious than ever. Alabama hired the wrong man in 2003.
The Bullies have lost a lot of games the last four seasons without losing their way, without losing faith and hope in their head coach.
In that way, Mississippi State is the school that got Croomed.
Lucky Dogs.

Kevin Scarbinsky's column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Write him at kscarbinsky@bhamnews.com.

"Bragging Rights"

"We got bragging rights. When I go visit momma and I take her to dinner, I don't have to say anything....but if I want to, I can." Sylvester CroomWhat a day. I have never, in my 25 years of being a STATE fan, felt such an electric atmophere in Starkville. It helps that the big guy is a former BAMA lineman and our own Titus Brown was born and raised in T-town. I am so proud of our guys. They deserved every bit of glory and praise they received yesterday. Their hard work is paying off, and like Coach Croom said after the game, "We've beat three conference teams that were conseidered-the day we played them-the best in the land. If nobody believes now, then they have their heads in the sand."

So I guess Coach Stringer was taking in some serious words of wisdom on the sidelines...or who knows, maybe HE was the one doing all the talking. I would definitely not be suprised. Reed is very smart on and off the field. He works so hard and I am so proud of him and all of the BULLDOGS!




Reed looks pretty excited! That is him
with his hands up in the air!!! All I can say is..."We just beat the hell out of you! MAROON, WHITE...fight, fight fight. MISSISSIPPI STATE, woo, you're damn right!"




Next week we travel to Little Rock to play Arkansas. I cannot believe that we only have 2 more games left in the regular season. I feel like we are just getting started!!! Anyway, all is well in the Stringer house. All is REALLY REALLY well.

who is YOUR favorite celebrity?

So, I have a little brother. I am a pretty big fan of his, which you will come to learn. It is very possible that you will get tired of hearing about my brother seeing as how basketball season is
upon us. He is great. He is a senior at MRA where he leads FCA. He is involved with Young Life for Junior High Students and many other church organizations and activities. He is also a really good athlete. You will hear alot about MRA basketball in the coming months and then on to baseball in the spring. Anyway, the best thing about Andrew is his witty personality and his sense of humor. He is hilarious. From doing full out impressions of Will Ferrell (from any of his movies) to cracking a joke at the dinner table, he is a hoot! That is why I was not surprised wen I saw this picture on his facebook. During homecoming week, they had "celebrity day" where the students dressed as their favorite celebrity. Will Ferrell? Jerry Rice? A musician? Oh no. That would be too easy...and he might just fly under the radar. That would be NO fun!
As you can see from the picture, Andrew chose a much more exciting celebrity to honor on this day!!! Prison pants, a football jersy, some gold chains, and of course some DOGS
hanging around his neck!!! I cannot believe that he got away with this!!!! I little risky, but altogether clever and yet again HILLARIOUS!!! Thank, Michael Vick, for making me smile!

blowout in the bluegrass

I know I am a little behind with this post, but we have been so busy around here that I really have not had time to sit down at my computer for more than two seconds.
We had a great trip to Lexington for the Kentucky game. The trip home was even more fun!!!!
Let me just start out by saying...NEVER TRUST THE WEATHERMAN! The wives all flew with the team so I was "asked politely" by my husband to "pack light." HA. I know we were only going to be there for one night, but you never know about the weather or my mood or whatever excuse we ladies give for packing our entire wardrobe for a weekend away! So....about the weatherman. It was SUPPOSED to be 60 degrees and partly cloudy, so we were thinking....GREAT, BEAUTIFUL Kentucky weather for the game. WRONG. We woke up Saturday morning and went to get on the bus and it was DARK outside....at 9:30 in the morning....DARK and FREEZING. More like 40 than 60. Our husbands and even the equiptment staff were all running out bringing us extra sweatshirts and rain gear. (I guess they were thinking about the flight home with us and would rather us not all be wet and bitchy.)

We all bundled up but actually were a little warm throughout parts of the game because we were jumping up and down so much!!! I actually stripped down to my tank top when the refs made that terrible call against derek pushing andre woodson out of bounds. I was so fired up!!!

We were just a little excited at the end of the game....if you can't tell!!!

MINT online.....

MINT now has a blog! This blog will keep you updated on sales and special events at MINT. We will also post new exciting items so you will always know what is going on!!!! Please check us out at http://mintconsignment.blogspot.com/!!!!!