Taking My Stand In Dixie

[Noel Mugavin]

Did you have someone from the football department with you in the stadium, or can anyone enter and wander around?

Gates were open so just wandered around on my own, even openly wandered through the Physical Education Department building, poked my head in a couple of lectures.

To Textbook Brokers, some caps and hoodies for myself and a few people at home. Arkansas State were previously known as the Indians, 10 - 12 years ago made the change to Red Wolves



Oversized bank building, chief supporter of the football team and situated on the main drag - Red Wolf Boulevard





Back to the hotel, and something that I hadn't seen for a few days - a bit of blue sky
From my hotel room, Cracker Barrel restaurant directly in front; cream building another hotel on the left; dark roofed building in the distance, another hotel; red roof - another oversize bank building.
200metres right of the photo is Red Wolf Boulevard, heads to the top of the photo and the University, 5 minute drive away



Looking to the east, route I555/US 63 gets you to Memphis, couple of hotels, dark brown building is a lodge of some description, hotel guests welcome apparently. And can just see the highway overpass, which is what becomes Red Wolf Boulevard


Didn't partake


To the west, more hotels



Had dinner with the young bloke at a steak house, and early to bed ready for an early start next morning

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Up early and ready to head off to the University. Up early because not a wink of sleep, despite this was feeling pretty good though.
Arrived at the University at about 7.15, ready to sit in on the Special Teams 7.30 meeting.
Few snaps of the offices before the meeting started









I'm a big fan of Cam Newton and I didn't know beforehand that one of the coaches, Trooper Taylor, coached at Auburn during their National Championship year when Newton was their quarterback. Trooper took me under his wing a bit, showed me around the building, wanted to know about Australia and Australian Rules. Outgoing fella, his son played at Arkansas State, high academic achiever, Arthur Ashe award winner; Trooper's wife is a professor at the uni, his daughter plays on the basketball team.
Anyway, on his office wall



And myself with Trooper and his 3 rings from Auburn's season - SEC Championship ring, National Champions and BCS Championship ring



Wall celebrating high academic achievers, Trooper's son Blaise is the fella in the largest photo. Find a bio of him, very impressive young man, and having seen how much time these players have to put in to their football commitments, all the more impressive are his academic achievements.


More photos from the office areas


Too early for the receptionists/secretaries, however when they did come in they just wanted me to talk to them all day, loved the accent
Meeting room on the left, head coach's office through the door on the right

 

[Noel Mugavin]

I was given free reign to go wherever I wanted and sit in on any meetings I wanted in the offices and made full use of the privilege speaking to as many of the coaches as possible on a whole range of subjects, so really appreciative of the access I was given. A few cultural differences, lot of bible references, bibles on everyone's desks and most of them open, Arkansas deeply set in the Bible Belt; a few of the staff have the chewing tobacco going, really off-putting when they're walking around with a spit cup in their hands. One thing that can't be knocked is these guy's work ethic, they do huge hours and not a rare occurrence for them to be sleeping in their offices.
Meeting room, special teams meeting held there and then full staff meeting at 8.30





Went for a wander down to the change rooms. Not surprising that it smelled a little funky











Field view from the rooms





They didn't

 

[Noel Mugavin]

More of the locker and weights rooms







Never asked why sunflower seeds had been singled out


Player lockers that will be installed in the new facilities

 

[VPS]

why no sunflower seeds - seems to be an odd thing to be so specific about

 

[BriarFlyer]

I'm fascinated by the ban on sunflower seeds as well. So oddly specific.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Have done some quick research, seems artificial turf suppliers specify no sunflower seeds as well due to them not being able to be removed. Get under/between the turf and can cause scratches to players and imperfections in the level of the turf. Over the few days I was at the football department I did see a few players with sunflower seeds snacking on them. This was in the meeting rooms upstairs, nowhere near the changerooms or playing area. A lot more were eating honey buns though.

 

[BriarFlyer]

Thanks for the follow-up info, Noel. I'm a bit of a fan of American football, NFL and college, so am finding your trip report super-interesting.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Took a break around middayish and headed to what I'm assuming was the original main drag of Jonesboro.















Downtown is situated about a kilometre west of the university and not much going on here, seems most commercial concerns have relocated themselves closer to the interstate and the university along Red Wolf blvd and its surrounds.

 

[kermatu]

Fantastic access.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Had a look at the baseball facilities













And a road commemorating the Universities Olympic Gold Medalists

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Hotel and a shower to freshen up before I headed back, took a closer look at the little building next door - Fraternal Order of Eagles, mums everywhere should give thanks, twas the group who lobbied for the acknowledgement of mothers and therefore Mother's Day.



Back to the college and upstairs meeting room for the player's meeting. Few little chats to some of the blokes, lot of fist pumps from the guys coming in.
Like the movies had the music going, bit of dancing and a whole lot of group singing until the boss man came in to address the group





10 minute or so meeting, then players and coaches broke off into positional meetings. I sat in on the wide receivers meeting, where the coach proceeded to talk at the players for a little over an hour. No way they could take half of what was said in.
At 4ish, players are on the track, with training officially starting at around 4.45, with 18 sessions of 5 - 8 minutes to come. Prior to that though 4 pre-training sessions, not counted in the training time, but they were training. I was amazed at the schedule these guys follow, and the lack of recovery time, 5 training days, 5 uni days, 1 playing day, 1 rest day plus getting uni assignments done as well as the occasional community service.

Again like the movies, huge speakers blaring the music out as they went about the pre-training training

The big boys, training for 2 plus hours and don't touch a ball once



Far end, Allison Field sign, he's the money man, head of Centennial Bank


The young fella during pre-training. His sessions are over by about session 6 of 18, so he and the other special teams players amuse themselves for the last hour or so. Worked for him though, he practices his throwing, able to get away a fake punt in the preceding seasons bowl game. During the coaches special team's meeting in the morning, they were formulating 2 more fake punt plays for him to be able to go with during a game.


Random training shots, Johnny Allison Tower in the background. Bit of a theme going.



By this stage the defense and the scouts (non playing squad members who act as the opposition) had moved to the indoor field


And off course we finish training with a prayer



It was about a quarter to 7 by this stage, coaches were going back to the offices for more meeting and to analyse film of training. Not for me, sleep deprivation had caught up and I was out of there.
Ordinary burger at a 5 guys, and finally managed a decent nights sleep.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Woke up fresh after finally getting a decent sleep, and back up at the uni just after 7. Today was a mirror image of the previous day regards being with the coaches.
Few snaps of the surrounds.
Where we picked our tickets up on game day



Entrance to the football building. College's medical centre conveniently located at the base of the building


Dull skies had set back in, looking towards the tailgating area




Took another midday break, this time went and had a look at more of the uni's sporting facilities


Most famous Olympian? Al Joyner, triple jump gold medalist, brother of Jackie, husband of Flo-Jo


The less than salubrious rugby field and facilities

 

[Noel Mugavin]

They take their halloween very seriously

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Back to the uni for afternoon meetings and training, handed over an Australian Rules Football, tim tams and a heap of chocolates to the coaches and office staff as a thankyou for allowing me access for the last couple of days.

Recruitment and leisure area are on the same upper floors as the meeting rooms






Wall showing where A State players have played in the NFL







One last prayer



One last stadium photo



Said my goodbyes and with that my time at Arkansas State University was over. Had an ordinary dinner with the young bloke at an Olive Garden, then my goodbyes to him.

Early start next day as I worked out I could catch up on a few things from the missed day at the start of the trip if I was able to get away early enough.

 

[cjd600]

Great access to the football program - thanks for sharing, very interesting.
Surprised they had a rugby field, no matter how shoddy!

 

[Noel Mugavin]

To fit everything I had to get going early, and thankfully my mind/body co-operated and I was able to get a decent sleep. I aimed to be on the road by 6, as always a little ahead of schedule, grabbed an apple, a couple of pastries and a coffee and I was on the road at a quarter to.
Shots of the room before I left





Didn't really want to be driving before light but sometime you've got to do what you've got to do. Of course it started to absolutely persist down about 20 minutes after leaving, so a little hairy for a while, however by the time I approached Memphis the light was beginning to break and the rain had stopped.
My first stop and had entered another state



Too early for it to be open but good to stop the car and stretch the legs.
Big, open roads and not much traffic this morning



Turned off to my destination and cotton fields began to appear, as did evidence of the South's equivalent of the cane toad, Kudzu.
It is amazing to see the plant smother everything in its path. Didn't stop to get a picture at any stage, however it was very similar to the stock photo below.



Soon enough arrived at my destination that I missed out on a few days before



University of Mississippi, better known as Ole Miss



Light drizzle and fog, activity just starting to get underway
The Manning family are a bit of a big deal around this way



There were a few things I wanted to see, but I had to rush through as much as possible



More Mannings

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Vaught-Hemmingway Stadium, unfortunately no way to get inside and have a look.







Sad story of Chucky Mullins, left a quadriplegic from an injury staged during a game and died 2 years later as a result of the injuries. Road leading into the University named after him




Basketball Stadium, able to have a walk inside a little later on

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Lot of the Universities have their own strange traditions greetings, songs etc, Ole Miss has the Hotty Toddy Cheer



As close as I got to the playing field, photo taken through a grilled gate



Inside The Pavilion








Out of The Pavilion and on to find a particular part of the University that I wanted to see. Was a race againts the clock to fit everything in today, so I waddled with a mission
A very pleasant campus and although I couldn't find what I was after did enjoy the walk

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Continued searching





Eventually decided to cut my losses and head back to the car and keep moving.
Headed back the way I came



Back down past the football stadium and then through a doorway that led to an unexpected surprise







May have mentioned the Mannings previously