FanNation - The Republic of Sport

This may be a bit odd, but I am a fan of 4 college football teams.  I grew up in Eugene, Oregon, and so I am most passionate about my Ducks.  When I lived there, they were horrbile, but I still loved them.  I moved away in September of 1989, and that December was their first Bowl Game since the 60's.  Though I am a Duck fan in exile, now living in California, I have enjoyed the 19 years of success, especially the 94 Rose Bowl year and the three Joey Harrington years.  I have seen my hopes dashed after fast starts now several times since 2001, but one of these years, the Ducks will break through and go to the Rose Bowl again.  This year before the season, I was thinking 9-3 or 8-4. 

 I also am an Idaho Vandals fan.  I was an undergrad there from 1991-1995 and at that time, we were a regular fixture in the 1-AA playoffs, we were in the midst of a streak of victories over our rival Boise State, and we had a fun exciting offense to watch put in place by John L. Smith.  The last ten years have been painful for the Idaho fan in me, the blowout losses, the weak offense, the weaker defense, the shuffling from league to league in hopes of a fit.  Now in the WAC, Idaho seems to me to be in the right league, but a few years too late.  The team is demoralized beyond hope and a culture of losing seems pervasive.  I really like Robb Akey, and hope he can turn things around.  I enjoyed watching the second half of Idaho-Fresno State online, and thought they looked respectable, but when will they ever win again?

I am also a Navy fan, though I must be honest, I usually only watch the Army-Navy game along with any bowl game the Midshipmen are a part of.  I love the atmosphere of the Army-Navy game, am a proud veteran of the Navy (though of course, not the Academy), and really enjoy the novelty of the triple option Navy runs.  I dream that someday, I can go to an Army-Navy game, but do not know enough about them to analyze their strengths and weaknesses.  I do know they are 4-2 and I think this was a bye week.

Last and most recent, as a new online student of Mississippi State, (though I live in California) I am now a fan of the Bulldogs.  This is the team I would like to discuss now.  I saw a Mississippi State team yesterday with fire, enthusiasm, and passion.  Though they were far from crisp offensively, they were very tough on Defense, and smart and minimizing errors as an offense, especially their QB who I think is underrated.  I am convinced that Sylvester Croom is making the most of the talent he has, and that the team is going the right direction even though they are only 2-4.  I would like to see some better recruiting of skill players, but I like that quarterback Lee.  I honestly think they have an outside shot at a bowl........They need 6 wins.  Arkansas, Ole Miss, Tennesee, and Middle Tennesee are all feasible wins, though they will be challenging.  That gets them to 6.  Kentucky is possible also, they have been looking vulnerable these last couple of games.  Alabama would be a huge upset, but may be possible because how seriously will the Tide take a cellar dwelling team with a losing record?  With that defense, anything is possible.  Will they make a bowl?  Who knows, but at least I can see hope after yesterdays game and the passion they played with, as well as an analysis of the schedule.