Virginia - 9/29/12

Where do I go from here? We just took the wind out of the windy city. Well, we were close to the windy city. What is this team going to do next? It is hard for me to concentrate wondering what journey this team is going to take me on in the future. Our offense is on fire, our special teams units are containing the returns and our defense is improving every week. The college football world has got to like the smell of a possible BCS Buster! I need to bottle this stuff up and sell it as a new fragrance. Matt tells me all of the time we take one game at a time, he takes one kick at a time and I need to focus on only that game they are getting ready to play. Do you know how hard that is to do? I am trying really hard! I am excited about the Virginia game. Janet and I are going to make the trip to Charlottesville. We are going to Baltimore for a couple of days and will catch the Ravens game on Thursday night and the Orioles game on Friday night. Then it

will be an early morning drive to Charlottesville. It should be a blast. I have watched Virginia play a few times on TV but I really don't know that much about them. They play in the ACC and they are in a town that Charlotte's Web originated in. I know they have a hard time figuring out what to call themselves. Sometimes they go by the Cavaliers, the Wahoos, the Hoos, the V-men, the Virginians or the Old Dominion. What is this all about? Come on man, figure it out! How can you call yourself the Hoos? They even call their jumbo-tron the Hoo Vision. Really? Is this where Horton Hears a Hoo is from? My favorite quote from Horton Hears a Hoo is "In my world everyone is a pony, and they all eat rainbows, and poop butterflies." You gotta love it! I talked to Matt a couple of times early in the week. He was super excited that we were coming to the Virginia game. He was kicking the ball really well and the team was practicing really well. He thinks they have a real good game plan and that they can beat Virginia. CT still wants him play the pin the tail on the donkey in the left corner.

I guess I understand, but I really don't. They worked on their specialty kicks as they were not sure what schemes they would show on kickoffs. Just kick the ball! Tuesday afternoon as I was finishing up work projects I got a call from Janet. It was the phone call that you never want to get. Janet informed me that her Grandmother (Nino) had just passed away. Oh no! How Janet going to handle this? How were we going to tell Matt and Tyler? How would this affect Matt while he is preparing for Virginia? They were both very close to her in their own way. Nino was a huge fan of La Tech football. She never attended a game and watched very few of the games on TV, but she did have a lot of pictures of Matt that she would show everybody who came to visit her. I talked to both boys and though they were very sad they handled the call very well. Matt had talked to CT and CD and they wanted him to attend the funeral if it was on Thursday. If not they wanted him to fly out with the team on Friday and we were ok with that. Janet's mom and uncle were able to get everything set up and the funeral would be late Thursday afternoon. Matt let the coaches know and they told him to head to Dallas Thursday morning and to be back early Friday

morning. They felt it was important for him to have closure and then prepare himself for the game on Saturday. They know he is mentally strong and with his faith it will carry him through. Tyler came in Wednesday afternoon and Matt made it over around noon on Thursday. This was going to be a very tough day, but this family is strong and we will make it through it. Visitation was at 3 PM and the funeral was at 4 PM. It was a beautiful service as we celebrated the awesome life of Nino. The Pastor stated in his message that Nino liked and talked about two things and that was the Bible & Louisiana Tech Football. All of those at the service got a chucke out of that. Nino we love you and you will be missed. We know you are in heaven watching down on all of us. We said our goodbyes to Tyler & Matt as they would not be going to the cemetery. We felt it was best for them to have as much time to get back to Ruston and Austin and not have to worry about being in a rush. I know Matt & Tyler will be strong. We felt it was best to cancel the rest of our trip to the Virginia game. It would have been an awesome trip, but family during these times are far more important. We had a lot of family (Meggie, Papaw, Mike, Melynda, Mikayla, John, Janet, David, Barbara and the 4 dogs Roxie, Cubby, Abe and McCoy) together for the game and we were going to have a big party watching the Dawgs take on the Hoo's. We all hung out at Janet's aunt & uncle's (David & Barbara) house Saturday as we awaited the 2:30 kickoff. The snacks were out, the beer was flowing, the red wine was flowing and even the vodka was flowing as

we all got our game faces on. Janet's brother (Mike) had his computer already hooked up on the wide screen as this game was on ESPN3. David had chairs set up everywhere. This way we had a front row and a back row. The only problem is that no one wanted the front row. We have a lot of nervous watchers who can't sit still like me. It's game time! Matt kicks off and we stop them at their 22 yard line. Virginia runs 5 plays and has to punt. Tech takes over at our 11 yard line and we run 3 plays and punt. I think each team is testing each other out. Virginia takes over at our 36 yard line and runs 2 plays and scores a TD. Tech starts at our 28 yard line and run 8 plays as Matt Nelson comes in and drills a 31 yard FG. Now that's what I am talking about. As usual I have to go in the other room as he kicks and wait for the family to say woo hoo or it is good. Virginia now leads 7 - 3. Matt kicks off and we stop Virginia at their 22 yard line. Virginia runs 9 plays

and scores another touchdown. Really? What are we doing? Tech starts on our 39 yard line and run 8 plays as CC hits PRS for a 3 yard strike. Matt connects on the PAT and Virginia leads 14 - 10. Matt kicks off and we stop Virginia at the 10 yard line. Virginia runs 3 plays as the 1st quarter comes to an end. The 2nd quarter starts with Virginia running 2 plays and scores another TD. Virginia is now up 21 - 10. What are we doing guys? Tech takes the ball on our 16 yard line and we run 3 plays and punt. What? Virginia takes over at their 41 yard line and runs 13 plays and connects on a 35 yard FG. This is not looking good! Virginia kicks off and DJB runs it back 94 yards to the Virginia 3 yard line. That was sweet. Tech runs 4 plays and cannot get the ball as we go for it on 4th down. We had the ball on the one foot line. When you don't go under center in this position you are at a huge disadvantage from the get go. Go under center! Come on man! Never give up the points! You have to kick the FG here! Virginia takes over on

downs and runs 6 plays as QG intercepts the ball and is tackled at the Virginia 25. Tech runs 2 plays and RH scores from 16 yards out. Matt connects on the PAT and Virginia now leads 24 - 17. Let's go! Matt kicks off to the end zone and Virginia brings it out to the 20 yard line. Virginia runs 3 plays and has to punt. Tech takes over at our 40 yard line and runs 10 plays and Matt Nelson comes in and drills a 40 yard FG as the family told me it was good. Just awesome Matt! Man, I hope I don't need a drawer change after this game. I did not bring any extras! We kick off and the 2nd quarter come to an end with Virginia leading 24 - 20. Wow! We need to come out fast and furious in the 3rd quarter. Tech starts the 3rd quarter at our 27 yard line. We run 14 plays as RH scoots in from 11 yards out. Matt connects on the PAT and Tech now leads 27 - 24. I like this. Let's keep this up. Matt kicks off and we stop Virginia at their 10 yard line. Virginia runs 3 plays and punts. Tech takes over at the Virginia 50 yard line and runs 4 plays as RA comes into punt. Virginia starts at

their 35 yard line and runs 4 plays as DC intercepts the ball and returns it to the Virginia 43 yard line. Happy Dance! Tech runs  4 plays as CC runs it in from 14 yards out. Matt connects on the PAT and Tech is up 34 - 24. Way to go guys! Matt kicks off and we stop Virginia at their 20 yard line. Virginia runs 2 plays and CH intercepts the ball and takes it to the house for a touchdown! Matt connects on the PAT and Tech is now up 41 - 24! Are you kidding me? Someone please pinch me! Matt kicks off for a touch back. Virginia runs 10 plays and attempts a 39 yard FG and it is no good. Tech takes over at our 22 yard line and runs 3 plays as the 3rd quarter comes to an end. Just incredible! It's time defense! Tech runs 5 plays and it is 3rd and 14 at the Virginia 28 and Matt comes in and drills a 45 yard FG as the family gave me the signal from the other room. Oh my, I am about to have a problem! Way to go Matt! Tech is now up 44 - 24. We can do this! Matt kicks off and Virginia returns it to their 30 yard line.

 Virginia runs 14 plays and scores a TD. Tech takes over at 25 yard line and runs 5 plays and RA comes on to punt. I have faith! Virginia takes over at their 12 yard line and runs 7 plays and scores another TD. Are you kidding me? What are we doing? Tech takes the kick off and we start at our 26 yard line. We run 3 plays as Virginia uses all 3 of their time outs and it is 4th down and we send out our punt team and let the clock run down and we call time out. We then send our offense back in like we are going to go for it and Virginia has a penalty called on them for 12 players on the field. Are you kidding me? This gives us a 1st down and we can run the clock out! Holy Cow! Tech Wins! Tech Wins! I am in shock and I am in need of a glass of red wine! We are 4 - 0! Hugs and high fives are going on right now as everyone is celebrating. I bet David & Barbara's neighbors are wondering what is going on. I am out of breath! I am so happy for this team and all of the fans. The college football world knows who we are now. Matt called as they were waiting to board the bus.

You could tell he was excited. He said this was a huge win for this team. They would enjoy this win tonight and then start getting ready for UNLV on Sunday. He said his 40 yard FG was closer than he wanted it to be. He said he nailed the 45 yard FG and he said he almost lost it after that kick as he knew that Nino was watching down on him. That about did it for me as we had shed enough tears already this week. We talked a little bit more as we had him on the speaker so everyone could say their congrats. Matt said CT gave him a big hug after the game and told him his Great Grandmother would be very proud of him. We said our goodbyes and started our victory celebration. Then I get this tweet from Matt while he was on the bus. "It's cool to know that my Great Grandma got to see me kick today! I know she was watching over me. RIPNino!" Don't do this to me. Now I have really lost it. Matt you amaze me more every day. Actually both Matt & Tyler amaze me more every day. Their mom has done an awesome job raising these two fine young men. More tears! Our celebration meal was about to get started and the pork tenderloins were on the grill.

It was time for some more pork tenderloin sliders on these awesome pretzel rolls all topped with a homemade white queso with hatch green chiles! Red wine was a flowing! Janet's mom (Meggie) was the dog whisper after the game. She had all 3 on the couch  the dogs did not want to make Meggie mad while she had her glass of red wine! :) We celebrated the rest of the evening and then sung Happy Birthday to Uncle David and ate snicker doodle cupcakes. His birthday is actually on Monday. Happy Birthday David! Then it was time for our goodbyes. What an awesome day! Our time together today with family during this time was truly needed! We celebrated Nino's life and we celebrated another Tech victory. To the Graves and Stiles family I am truly sorry for your loss. Nino was an awesome lady and she will never be forgotten. She is in heaven now getting everything organized. Love you all! I will leave the Virginia game here. A truly spectacular performance today by this awesome team! I can't wait to see where you take us next. Matt hates when I bring these things up but I think they are awesome. After the 14 points he scored today I am told he moved into 2nd on career points scored by a kicker behind Josh Scobee and 4th career all-time scoring at La Tech. We also received notice that Matt is a Semifinalist for the William V Campbell Trophy this week. I am just amazed. UNLV is up next. They are 1 - 4 and return to Ruston for the first time since 1993. I know they are from Sin City, but that is about it.

There mascot is named Hey Reb (Rebecca). What is up with that? It has a cool mustache. At one time they used to have an awesome basketball team. They call themselves the Runnin Rebels. I bet they will be running their Rebel ass back to the Sin City when we get done with them! I feel good about this game and I feel like Tech will score a ton of points on UNLV. It's time to get my tailgate on. See ya in Ruston! A special thanks to Donny Crowe and Louisiana Tech University for the use of the photos in this blog. They are awesome photos. What a blast it was and we are so blessed to have the honor to watch Matt and this team. I appreciate all of those who are following my journey. I can't wait to share my thoughts with everyone as the season goes on. It is such a blast to follow Matt Nelson through his eyes and this Bulldog team. I write from the bottom of my heart and what my feelings are at that time and sometimes I get a little carried away. I am very passionate about La Tech Football! I am just a College Football Fan and I Love College Football! Until our paths cross again have a blessed week! College Football Dad! RIP Nino!

Tis the Season! Let's get this started!

Camp is over and game week is staring us right in the face! I am not sure if anyone else feels this way, but camp seems like it flew by. I am sure the players would not agree with me. I am so ready for the season to start! My football juices are flowing! Please fast forward me to the opening kickoff. Matt went into camp with a smile on his face. He said this team is focused and have really come together during the off season. The team goals are in place! The personal goals are in place! The leg is fresh! The body is strong! Let the games begin! The team would be staying in the Mitchell dorms during camp. Matt is rooming with Ryan Allen this year. Matt said he was going to be kicking a lot during the first 2 weeks with team. He knows he needs to get the reps in with Josh and Taylor, but wants his leg to be as fresh as possible when the season starts. Matt said the first couple of days he kicked with team were interesting. One day there was not a goal post and he aimed at the camera guy who was filming from the lift tower.

The next day they had a temporary goal post, but it was not in the center of the end zone of the practice field. It was off center by about 10 yards. That would have been pretty funny to see. When he is not kicking with the team he is kicking and charting kicks from various distances for review with Coach Thommerdahl. Last year I did not get to make any of the practices. This year I was able to make the two full pad scrimmages. David (Janet's Uncle) and I drove over from Big D in time to catch the Thursday night practice before the scrimmages on Friday, but we arrived Ruston just in time to get pelted by a nice 20 minute hail storm. Due to all of the rain, practice was moved indoors so we did not get to see anything. I was pretty bummed! We caught up with Matt around 8:00 after he had to check in at the cafeteria. Since we were in town he could go eat with us, but he had to check in first. We went to Sundown Tavern.

This was my first visit and the Sriracha & Honey wings were amazing! I will be back! We went back to Matt's house and visited until he had to leave to check in the dorm before the 11:00 curfew. We made it to the field around 8:45 AM. The special teams scrimmage would start at 9:45 AM. Got to watch Matt warm up and I was pretty amazed how much his kickoff height and depth had increased. His approach to FG's and kick offs were more upright and moving forward. He looked really good. His work with Coach Zauner over the summer was paying off. I have never seen a special teams only scrimmage and I was impressed with how structured it was. I thought Matt kicked very well. Matter of fact I thought most of the special teams group and drills looked good. No, they were not perfect, but that is what camp is for. You work out as many kinks as you can before the season starts. After the scrimmage was over I saw all of the players walking towards the visitors' locker room. I could not figure out what in the heck they were doing. When I questioned Matt later in the day he told me that after every practice they are required to take a 3 minute ice bath. On heavy kicking days Matt said he will stay in for 10 to 15 minutes as it helps him recover faster.

That sounds pretty frigid to me and things could start shrinking! After Matt debriefed and checked in at the cafeteria we made our way to Dowling's for my rib fix and it did not disappoint me. Man they were good! We took it easy the rest of the afternoon until the evening scrimmage. Matt had to be at the field house at 3:30 for meetings. I was very excited to see how the team preformed. We arrived at the field around 5:00 so we could see some of the drills being run before the scrimmage. Matt was not going to kick in the evening scrimmage. This was strictly offense against defense. There were quite a few fans in the stands. I think everyone wanted to see the QB's take their turns against the defense. I did get to visit with Mr. Rust, Mr. Cockrell and Mr. Ford during the scrimmage. It is always good to talk football. Before the scrimmage was over they ran 160 plays. Wow! That is almost 2 full games. I thought all of the QB's had their moments and did well. That was the first time I had seen Nick and Taylor throw the ball and they looked good. I thought we looked good at all positions. There were mistakes made, but this is again what camp is for. I was pumped with what I saw. I would say excitement was in the air. We caught up with Matt around 9:00 and headed to Raw for some sushi.

This was my first visit to Raw and it was amazing. I had the Big Easy and the Ruston roll. I was later told after I was completely stuffed that I should of had the Baldwin roll as well. Looks like there will be another trip to Raw in my future. The team had off on Saturday and we met Matt at the Waffle House for a late breakfast before heading back to Dallas. I was glad I made the trip over to see the team do its work. I was very impressed. I talked to Matt later in the week and he had a less than stellar practice with the team. He had been kicking the ball very well, but this night he went 0 for 3 on FG's with the team. He was a little hot under the collar. Let's just say I could feel the heat wave through the phone. I asked about the misses and he said that for the ball to go through the uprights you have to have a perfect snap, a perfectly placed ball and a foot put on the ball correctly. He said they are misses no matter how close they are.

After practice was over Josh, Taylor and Matt went back and kicked from all 3 spots as practice went. Matt said he connected from each spot 4 times in a row and then took his ice bath. Then it was off to the film room to dissect the kicks. Matt is the most mentally tough person I have ever been around and he will grow from this. I am sure he stewed a little bit during the night replaying those kicks in his head. I talked to him the next morning and after film they knew what needed to be corrected. Our special teams chemistry is good! My goal is to go 1 for 1 and each kick is a new kick! Later that night he called after practice was over and said dad, we got it corrected. We went 6 for 6 on FG's and 2 for 2 on PAT's with team. I did not have to say too much after that. He has all of the body parts working for the kicking game and he is refining his mental game as he gets ready for the season. I anticipate he will have a great season. He is very goal driven and he has some very lofty goals this year. I think I will leave camp here.

I have to get myself ready for Southern Miss. Before I officially leave the camp experience I wanted let you know what a typical day was like for Matt with only a night practice that day. Wake up at 7:00 AM, breakfast with the team, weights, team meeting, special team meeting with film, offensive meeting, lunch with team, team walk thru, stretch and warm up an hour before practice, practice, ice bath, weigh in, dinner with team, break down film and curfew at 11:00 PM. Now I am out of breath! The coaching staff does keep them busy and I know all of the hard work will pay off big time during the season. I can't believe the Southern Miss game is less than a week away. We will be heading over to Hattiesburg on Friday and I cannot wait for game day to get here. I am very impressed with Coach Dykes and this coaching staff. Thanks for everything that you do. A toast also goes out to the equipment staff, the training staff, the strength/conditioning staff, the film guys and all of those associated with the team. All of the things that you do behind the scenes is greatly appreciated.

The season is here and I cannot wait! I will have my tailgate spot for all of the home games and I hope I get to introduce myself to all of those who I have not met in the La Tech family. We will be located at spot # 52 in the C Lot. Please stop by anytime. I think I have said enough! I appreciate all of those who are following my journey. I write from my heart and what my feelings are at that moment. Matt, thank you for letting me live my dreams through your eyes. May your Football Season be filled with many Football Victories, Sunny Smiles, Sandy Dreams and Travel Your Way! Until our paths cross again, have a blessed week! College Football Dad!

New Mexico State 11/13/10

I still have not totally recovered from the Fresno State game! We had those Bulldog wannabees right where we wanted and just could not execute at the right times. I just have to let it go! That does not mean it still does not hurt. When you get beat by a pussycat it takes time to heal. Darn, I hate to lose! Move on “College Football Dad” there is another game to get ready for. On the road we go to New Mexico State. This road monkey we’re carrying across the country is getting very heavy! Can we leave this monkey in Las Cruses, NM? I am sure the Aggies can supply a new home for it! I hate to lose more than anybody, but the girls at New Mexico State are taking their WAC losing streak to new heights. I ran across this article about a flier that stated the New Mexico State girls were on strike until the football team won. I will let your imagination run wild on what they were giving up until they won. HaHa! I find it quite interesting that three colleges have Pistol Pete as their mascot; Oklahoma St., Wyoming and New Mexico State. In 2005 New Mexico State's Pistol Pete had his pistol taken away and now he just carries a lasso. He now goes by Pete. How stupid is that? Now instead of shooting his water gun he is going to calf rope you! Watch out kids, Pete is on the loose! HaHa! Matt said he has had a great week of practice as well as the whole team. The intensity has been high! He said they have practiced a lot of placement kicks to different areas of the field. He told me not to be surprised if they did a few different things on kickoffs. I told him that nothing would really surprise me because Coach Dooley took care of that last year. Matt said that everyone was upbeat and they were ready to get on the road and take care of business. Matt was looking forward to visiting with Robert Clay #28 for New Mexico State after the game. They played against each other in high school. They got to know each other when they played on the HEB All-star team their senior year. They have stayed in touch and followed each other’s progress in college. Matt did call after they got checked in to the hotel in El Paso. He sat between Phillip Livas and Lyle Fitte on the plane and said they were a hoot. He said that he saw the Mexico/US border on their way to the hotel. They had a team dinner and a movie to go to before lights out! My game day is here and I have to finish some travel biz stuff, but that does not mean that I do not have ESPN Game Day on in the background. I live for Football Saturday! It feels weird not being outside with a grill and a tent looking at Joe Aillet Stadium. Early afternoon Janet (wife) and I met her Mom & Dad (Meggie & Papaw) and her Aunt & Uncle (David & Barbara) for a pre game meal at Gloria's in The Village at Fairview. The adult beverages were good and cold. My game watching party would be with ESPN3. This will be my first game this year to watch on ESPN3. My extra pairs of drawers are on and I decided to change up my adult beverage choice and go with beer. Full Sails Amber to be exact. I needed to do something different to help get this road monkey off of our backs. The kick is away and here we go! Three quick plays and we punt. What is that? Did that just happen? The Aggies get the ball and after 9 plays settle for a 26 yard FG. This was not the start I was looking for. Maybe the beer thing is a bad idea! We get the ball back and run some Ray Holley and there it is, a TD pass to Andrew Guillot. Matt connects with the PAT and I feel better. The Aggies go three and out and they have to punt. Six plays later Lennon Creer puts it in the end zone and Matt connects on another PAT. Let's keep this going! We get the ball back with a Chad Boyd interception and the Bulldogs are on the move. The first quarter comes to an end with the Bulldogs up 14 - 3. We start the 2nd quarter off with an incomplete pass and it is 4th down. Matt come out and nails a 47 yard FG. Wow! He made great contact with the ball! There was no doubt when he hit it! Awesome Matt! New Mexico State gets the ball and drives down field with 10 plays and scores a TD. Not good! We both exchange punts on the next two possessions. Tech gets the ball back at the 7:31 mark and we run 9 plays with Ross Jenkins scoring on a 7 yard run! Matt connects on the PAT and the 2nd half comes to an end with the bulldogs up 24 - 10. I can breathe a little now. The 3rd quarter did not go as I expected it to. We did have an awesome interception by Javontay Crowe, but we throw a pick 6 and Matt missed a 44 yard FG. He made good contact with it and by Matt's reaction he thought it had to have been close. The refs said no good! I hate my computer right now. I normally pace during these games and that is what I am going to start doing. I am done with the beer and it is time to move to the box. The 3rd quarter comes to an end with Tech up 24 -17. We start the 4th quarter off with an 11 play drive and Matt boots a 21 yard FG. That gives a little breathing room, but we need more. The Aggies come back with a 12 play drive and connect with a 31 yard FG. This is way too close and I think I am going to stand on the patio and watch my computer from outside. We take the kick off and 3 plays later it is Phillip Livas to the house for a 62 yard TD. Matt kicks the PAT and this patio thing just might be working! Matt kicks off and it is a sky left and we recover the fumble. I guess this was one of those position kicks he told me about earlier in the week. Six plays later and Phillip Livas scores again! Woo Hoo! Matt kicks the PAT and I am no longer in need of oxygen. Matt kicks off again and it is a squib right and it goes out of the end zone. I cannot say that I have ever seen a squib go out of the end zone. It looks like to me they are playing keep away from Taveon Rogers. Tech holds the Aggies and the 4th quarter comes to an end with Tech winning 41 - 20! I am doing the patio dance! The road monkeys are dead! We finally win on the road! On a short note, ESPN3 sucks! I hope I have enough box wine to celebrate with. This is awesome! The whole team played great. We had our moments, but in the end we showed how much heart and determination these young men had! I wanted to take a moment and say a prayer for Chad Boyd and his family. Chad was injured during the game and he was taken to a local hospital. Chad and the Boyd family my thoughts and prayers are with you! I am mentally exhausted. I really do not like watching games on the computer. This was an incredible win and I am very proud of the team and the coaching staff. I am so happy for Andrew Guillot scoring his first touchdown! I know there will be many more. I want to give a shout out to Ryan Allen. He had 5 punts for a 43 yard average and 4 of them inside the 20! I also want to give a shout out to Robert Clay #28 on New Mexico State. I watched him play in high school and he got his first start tonight. Great game Robert and 108 yards on our defense is pretty stout. I have a very special shout out to my niece Mikayla! She plays for the Liberty Hill Panthers 7th grade basketball “A Team” and they won their first tournament of the year. Way to go Mikayla! We are very proud of you! I am going to save my final shout out for Dan "The Equipment Man" Matthiesen and the entire equipment staff. They re-painted all of the helmets and those babies were shinning! They did look good! The equipment staff and the training staff do so much behind the scenes to get this team ready for battle. I thank you for all that you do. I did talk to Matt after the game and he was pretty excited with the win. He said he kicked the crap out of the 47 yard FG and the sweet spot was nailed. He said that the 44 yard FG was close and he hates kicking on fields that have high school height goal posts. He said if he gets good height on the ball it is hard for the refs to tell if it is close to the post. I asked him about his last two kicks and he said that CD and CT told him to put it in open space and keep it away from Rogers. He was shocked as well that the squib right went out of the end zone. Matt also said the special teams coach from New Mexico State came up to him after the game and told him that he had made huge gains in the weight room from last year and he really kicked the ball well. Matt thought it was neat that a coach from the other team would make those comments. He did get to visit with Robert Clay for a few minutes before heading to the locker room. Matt said on one of the kick returns that he was heading down field on, that after the play was over that Robert was jumping up and down saying "There is Matt Nelson, There is Matt Nelson" Matt thought it was hilarious! It was a great team win and he could not wait to get back to Ruston. Winning on the road is tough, but now that the monkey is staying in Las Cruses, we have no more excuses this year! Just take one game at a time! We play San Jose St. on the 27th. They are 1 -9 with their only win over Southern Utah. They play Hawaii this weekend. They have a mascot who wears feathers on its head and carries a spear. That is enough on San Jose St. for now! Just a quick side note on Chad Boyd. He was released from the hospital and was able to fly home with the team. We are very thankful for this news! The Thanksgiving holidays are next on my list of things to do. I want to wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving Holiday! I hope your turkey stays moist and your pies warm your bellies! Please be safe in your travels and make sure you save room for seconds! I appreciate all of those who are following my journey. I would be honored if you would share my stories with other college football fans! It is such a blast to follow Matt Nelson through his eyes and the Bulldog team! I write from the bottom of my heart and what my feelings are at that moment. I don’t intend to hurt anyone, but I am very passionate about La Tech Football! Everything I say comes from my heart! I am just a College Football Fan! Don’t forget to listen to my friends at Tech Nation Radio every week. The photo’s are courtesy of Gantt Graham and La Tech Athletics. May your Football Season be filled with many Football Victories, Sunny Smiles, Sandy Dreams and Travel Your Way! If you know anyone who needs help with their travel plans just let me know. Until our paths cross again, have a blessed week! College Football Dad!

Utah St. 10/9/10

Wow! Where does time go? It seems just like yesterday that I was up way past my bedtime watching the Haka, drinking red wine out of a bottle and then out of a box! My head still hurts! What are they thinking when they schedule all of these games back to back? We (the fans) show up at the stadium 6 plus hours prior to kickoff so we can mentally prepare for the game. We watch the game in all sorts of crazy weather and give it our all from the first whistle to the last whistle. Then we spend several more hours decompressing and going over the game film in our minds after the game. We all know how to coach and what plays should have been called. On top of that we sampled many adult beverages during the day. I think the fans need a bye week to recover every now and then. Even though we do not get to step on the field, we work and coach hard out there! HaHa! We have met so many amazing people and I would not trade my game day process for anything! I am not sure what to think about Utah St. yet! They hung tough with Oklahoma and they blow away BYU. This is going to be a tough game, but it is one we must win if we have any hope of post season play. Borel is an outstanding quarterback and he runs as well as he passes. Coming into his senior year he already has six Utah St. records in his pocket. I hope our defense takes him out of his game this week. I am sure CS will have the defense playing with mean eyes! I always like to uncover some skinny about the team we are getting ready to play, but this week when reading about the Utah St. mascot "Big Blue" I decided to leave the team alone. Originally Big Blue was a real white bull painted blue before each game. When the Spectrum (basketball stadium) was first built there was concern that Big Blue would scuff up the new basketball court, so Big Blue was donned with red rubber boots; this was a disaster. Because of the damage done to the football field and the basketball court Big Blue was discontinued and sent to the packer. Why in the heck do you paint a bull blue, strap on some red boots and bring them to a basketball game? I can see a football game, but come on, red boots? Which frat house was in charge of painting the bull blue? There had to be alcohol involved! HaHa! In 1987 Big Blue got a second chance when they bought a blue bull costume and put real horns on the mascot head. What are these Blue Aggies thinking, real horns? It is just a mascot uniform! Only in Utah does this happen! Matt said practice has been much more focused this week. The team has worked extremely hard and things are clicking. There will be some new wrinkles in the offense and the defense has a few new things up their sleeve as well. Matt said he was making good contact with the ball on FG's and PAT's. The timing between Josh and Ross has been spot on and they have developed between the three of them incredible snap to kick speed. Some of the times Matt tells me are mind boggling! He said his kickoffs have good hang time and as long as he explodes through the ball after the kick, he was getting the distance he wanted. Kicking off is like hitting a driver on the golf course. When the big stick comes out, you want a swing smooth, a good follow through with your head down and finish. The key in my book is the finish! A good finish equals a good delivery of the ball on the field and in the fairway. Matt also told me that during study hall that he and Vince Cano were playing around with the word Perfect and Per-fect. It is spelled the same and has a similar definition. Matt was trying to explain to me the difference between a homonym and a cognitive synonym. I am not going to lie, but I had no clue what he was talking about. Matt with the help of Missy submitted their questions to Merriam Webster and they responded some crazy dictionary jargon answer. Matt talked with Josh Scobee during the week. Josh made a 59 yard game winning field goal against Indy and is perfect for the year so far. That is a long kick in a game situation and it is every kickers dream to kick a game winning field goal! Congrats Josh! Keep making the Bulldog Nation proud! My dad surprised me and flew in from The Villages, FL. This will be his 3rd game to attend this year and it was quite a shocker when he showed up. Our trip to Ruston started early Friday morning from Dallas. We made a stop at Maxwell's Market in Shreveport to pick up a couple of items we needed to complete our menu for our tailgate. We made our way into Ruston around 1:00 PM and met Matt at Johnny's Pizza for some amazing grub. Matt always gets Pepperoni and Bacon pizza and I lost count on how many pieces he ate. Matt said the team was ready and he had a different feeling about this game. He was in a good mood, but you could tell he was extremely focused. He had to be at the field house at 3:00 for special team meetings and then a walk through. Then it was off to a team dinner at the Log Cabin and a movie before heading to the team hotel. Matt said he was going to see Secretariat. I bet it is a good movie! We said our goodbyes and wished Matt the best of luck against Utah St. We headed to the bookstore to see if there was something we really needed and then checked into the Fairfield Inn. It was time for an adult beverage! I think I need to get mentally focused for tomorrow’s game! If Matt can, I can as well. We made our way over to tailgate spot #52 around 7:30 PM so we could setup our tents, grill and tables. I think it is awesome that the La Tech police keep a watch on the tailgate area at night so you can setup early. We setup a couple of chairs and imbibed on a couple of adult beverages and just took in the surroundings. This university and town are amazing. Why would you not want to go to school here? We ended up at Portico Bar & Grill for dinner. We had a few appetizers and the food was pretty good. The place was packed as well. During dinner Matt sent me a text that he, Ross Jenkins and Vince Cano had come up with a new word and he was going to submit it to Merriam Webster to see if they could get it added to the dictionary. They told CD and he thought the word was hilarious and might just work. It was all based on the answer that Matt got back from them earlier on the word Perfect and Per-Fect. Once I am given permission I will let you know the new word and what the definition is. Morning arrived before I knew it! After a couple of cups of coffee I was in game mode and was ready to head to the stadium. We arrived around 8:15 AM and got the rest of the gear unloaded. It was a beautiful morning! My dad was craving a Bloody Mary, so we had to jump start the morning with one. Bradley Walker was setting up early as well. (Tailgate spot 47 & 48) He had to get the satellite and TV setup and their TV expert was not going to make this game. It was a Bloody Mary for Bradley as well so he and Bryan could focus on the satellite setup. Jambalaya was on their menu today! We got to visit with Andrew and his group as well. (Tailgate spots 54 & 55) They we going to fry everything! They had fish, shrimp, hush puppies, biscuits, pickles and Oreo's. I am going to be close by for sure! JFord, Ms. Toni (Dawgmatic) and Mr. Harper (TechsasDawg) came by and we got to visit and talk about Tech football. The Guillot's (son is #19) stopped by as well. They are all amazing people! It's grill time! We had decided to low key things before the game and them pickup the cookin' after the game. Our pre-game grill grub consisted of pork poppers, bacon wrapped shrimp and the all mighty atomic turd poppers. I guess I should have said I was cookin' bacon. HaHa! As the grill is heating up Bobby & Julie Cockrell pull in to their tailgate spot. (#53) I kid you not; I am surrounded by so many awesome cooks. This is a dream come true! Bobby was cookin' his World Famous Teriyaki Beef. This is something that their family has made for some time and Chef Bobby has perfected it. I am sure if you stop by, Bobby will share his recipe with you. You need to bring pen and paper. There are a lot of ingredients. HaHa! Tailgating at La Tech is an awesome thing! Dusty McGehee and his wife Rachel made some incredible Jambalaya and a fried crayfish beignet that we got to sample. Dusty made the traditional spicy Jambalaya and Rachel made an awesome black eye pea Jambalaya. Thanks for sharing! It was awesome! Chef Bobby and his sous chefs David & Michael continued to cook the teriyaki beef and I finally got to sample it. It was amazing and I was in heaven! Chef Bobby also made this incredible Maque Choux. I sure love all of this food. I also got introduced to my first "Butt Naked" concoction. You start with a big drink dispenser and you add a big can of pink lemonade concentrate, 1/2 bottle of vodka and 6 to 8 cans of cheap beer. You shake it up and serve over ice. I was told that after many of these you will run "Butt Naked" anywhere! I must admit, it was pretty tasty! No, I did not streak down tailgate alley! HaHa! After all of this awesome food and adult beverages I am a stuffed duck. I hear the sirens and the team have arrived. We make our way over to watch the players make the walk through our awesome band. I see Matt and he is lookin' straight forward and I know he is focused. I am ok with him not looking at me. I know his game face is on. His Mom (Janet) wants to see eyes! I was very disappointed when I saw CF peel off and go to the field house around the west side of the stadium and not walk with the team down the field. What message does this give this team? If your a team player then walk with the team! I can tell you I do not like the message! After a couple of more adult beverages I am game ready. We normally sit next to the tuba players, but this time we sat in the upper level right behind the band. I liked these seats. I feel good about this game! Here we go! Matt kicks off and the height was good but the distance was so so. There was some wind, but we were able to stop Utah St. at the 25. Utah St. ran 14 plays and attempted a 40 yard field goal. No good, wide left. Here we go! Ross, Lennon and Tim all take their snaps at QB. Wow! This is different! 12 plays later and Ross connects with Tim! Matt makes the PAT and I am smiling. Back and forth we go in the 2nd quarter and we score again. Who is calling these plays? I like what I am seeing! Matt kicks a 38 yard field goal and Utah St. connects with a 40 yard field goal and the first half comes to an end with Tech leading 17 to 3. Holy Moly! I am first half satisfied and like what I am seeing. The play calls on offense are crazy good and the defense is playing lights out. Where has all of this been? The 3rd quarter goes by pretty quick and Utah St. gets a 22 yard field goal. Our defense is rockin'! The start of the 4th quarter we run one play and Matt lines up for a 45 yard field goal and I watch Matt from my lens and I hear block! I have pictures, but I did not see it. Was it a good snap, was it a good hold, was the line pushed back, did Matt get a low kick off? I just don't know! This was Matt's first block in his kicking career. Whatever the problem was Matt will say it was on him. That is just the way Matt is. I am ok with this and the film and pictures will tell. Matt will still take all of the blame and that is ok. That is what makes Matt, Matt! I know Matt will beat himself up over this and he will be better because of it. Tech gets the ball back at the 9:38 mark and they march down and score with Lennon running for a 10 yard score. Tech goes up 24 - 6 and this would be the final score. I am not sure what happen in practice or in the locker room this week, but we need to try to duplicate the same intensity. It feels so good to get a win! Way to go Dawgs! I make my way back over to the tailgate area while the rest of the family goes over to the field house to see Matt. I would see him later as he and some of the players were going to come over and get some food and visit for a bit. The grill is lit and ready to cook. We are cookin' pork tenderloins for some pork sliders, sausage for some sausage wraps, pork poppers, and some more of those famous Maxwell's Markets atomic turd poppers. The family made its way back over and said Matt was pretty pissed that he had a block. He goes into all FG's and PAT's going 1 for 1 and that did not happen. We all know Matt and he will grow from this experience! Mr. Harper, Ms. Toni, John Sr., Janet, Mr. Rust, Matt, Dan "The Equipment Man" Matthiesen, JFord (Pop Corn Man), Kasie (Matt's girlfriend) and David & Barbara (Janet's Aunt & Uncle) all made their way over and were starving! Food was served and great football conversation was happening. What a great day it has been. I talked to Matt some and he was not sure exactly what happened except the defense got tremendous penetration. He was upset for the special teams and knew they would grow and learn from it. Dan I know you will get your double real soon! There is nothing wrong with a single as long as you have several of them! HaHa! I love ya Dan! With the early start of the game many of our tailgate neighbors cooked after the game. This was really cool and I wished many more on tailgate alley would have done the same! There was even a Dancing with the Stars competition. I think Dusty was the Big Winner, but I must state "What happens in Ruston stays in Ruston! Dusty is going to kill me on this one! Our night comes to an end! Wow, I am tired, stiff and I am in need of a bed! I was so impressed with the whole team! They played as one unit! Maybe it was the players. Maybe it was the coaches, but whatever it was, it worked. My first shout out goes to the entire team and the coaching staff, it was a job well done by all. A win makes everything good. I hope we continue with a similar game plan against Idaho. My next shout out goes to Missy Farrar, she is the academic advisor for the football team and she does not get enough credit for everything she does for this team. She works behinds the scenes and keeps these athletes in check with their school work and study hall. I appreciate everything you do for the team and for keeping Matt in line with his grades. La Tech is very blessed to have such a wonderful person like you! Sunday morning comes way too early! We take the tents down and re-load the suburban. Then it is off to the Waffle House to meet Matt and Dan for a quick breakfast. Matt was anxious to go watch film and see what he needs to start working on for the Idaho game. What a weekend and I hope the La Tech supporters will show up in masses for the Idaho game. We need everyone to be in attendance. I will end my Utah St. experience here! This is going to be a busy week for me. It is the World's Largest Cruise Event week and I hope to be super busy as I share my passion in travel. It is time for me to get my mind right for Idaho. Idaho is 3 - 2 on the season and is coming off of a great season last year. It is going to be a tough game for us, but one I feel like we can win. We had them last year and let them come back and beat us. Matt missed a 56 yard game winning field goal last year wide left. I can tell you that Matt thinks about that kick every day and wants revenge on Idaho this year. Idaho potatoes need to be put back in the ground! They are not ready for La Tech this year. I know it is cold in Idaho during the fall, but why do you have a dome? Who came up with this Kibble & Bits dome concept? You would think that you would want your opponents to have to play in the elements. Is that why you are the Vandals? Are you a person who deliberately causes damage or destruction to personal or property in public view? No wonder why you have to hide in your Kibble & Bits dome! Bring your Vandal butt’s to Ruston! We are ready for you spuds! I have to give another shout out to Josh Scobee! He made 5 field goals and 3 PAT’s on Sunday. Josh is on fire this year. My fantasy team loves all of the points! Congrats again Josh. The Bulldog Nation is pulling for you! I appreciate all of those who are following my journey. It is such a blast to follow Matt through his eyes and the Bulldog team! I write from the bottom of my heart and what my feelings are at that moment. I don’t intend to upset or hurt anyone, but I am very passionate about La Tech Football! Don’t forget to listen to my friends at Tech Nation Radio every Tuesday night from 6:00 – 8:00 PM. It should be a great show as always! May your Football Season be filled with many Football Victories, Sunny Smiles, Sandy Dreams and Travel Your Way! If you need help with your Travel Plans just let me know! Until our paths cross again, have a blessed week! College Football Dad!

Southern Miss 9/25/10

Yellow Buzzard, Yellow Buzzard where art thou? I have watched Southern Miss play on TV twice this year already. Against South Carolina they looked like the got the mustard squeezed out of them and against Kansas they looked like they just came out of the car wash all sparkled up. Now they are headed to Ruston sporting their new doo! Which team will we get? I will take either one of them. Bring your best buzzards and I think you will leave town a loser after the Bulldawgs have hiked their legs and rained on your new doo! All funny business aside, I am looking forward to playing Southern Miss. They are where we want to be in the CUSA and what a great chance for us to fill some butts in the seats and show the CUSA we have it going on! Very similar to Navy, Southern Miss has been to a bowl game for the last 8 straight years. I think this is a tradition that we would like to start here at La Tech. We are not playing the powder puff team. We are playing a very good football team! When I look at Southern Miss football and school traditions they are all over the map. Every student gets a handbook called the Drawl. What kind of name is a Drawl? History says that the school name has Southern in it and what do Southerners talk with? Really? Is this a joke? The next thing I found was the Yellow Buzzard Code of honor! If you are a Yellow Buzzard this is the oath you must abide by: A Yellow Buzzard always does the right thing, is punctual and respectful (gets there on time and stays to the end), is always a lady or a gentleman and is true to the Black and Gold (Yellow). Do you have to sign a document to buy a ticket? I think they are just making things up! The Nasty Bunch is the name of the football team’s defense, and it is also the team’s defensive cheer. “Nasty Bunch! Nasty Bunch! Nasty! Bunch!” It is used each time Southern Miss holds an opposing offense on third down or when the Nasty Bunch makes a significant defensive play, which is not often! The song “Are You from Dixie?” is played after every extra point scored during a Southern Miss football game. Enough of this Yellow Buzzard BS! We have a football game to get ready for. I spoke to Matt several times during the week and he said practice has gone well. Staying mentally focused and going through his check list in his head before each kick. The ball seems to be popping off of his foot better than anytime so far this year. I keep telling him to practice his golf swing and your ball will always land on the green! Josh Scobee contacted Matt early in the week to see how things went. Matt told him things went well during the Navy game and then he told Josh thanks for getting him 8 points for his fantasy football team. Josh thought that was pretty cool! Chris Boniol checked on Matt as well. I think it is great that these guys take the time out of their busy schedules and take a deep interest not only in Matt, but the school as well. Matt's plant leg is getting stronger and he feels like he is about 108%. He worked on a few more kickoffs during the week with the team and was getting good distance and 4.2 plus hang time on his kicks. His legs still feel fresh and is ready for Southern Miss. Matt said the team has had a good week of practice and is pumped and ready. Before they head to the team hotel Friday evening they are going to go see the movie Wall Street "Money never Sleeps". Good luck Dawgs! Let's kick some Yellow Buzzard butt Saturday evening! My trip to Ruston for the game will not be a typical trip. My wife informed me early in the week that this was going to be a "Visitation Tailgate" What? I am not going to a funeral! She said get your beer, wine, chair and set your tent up. Then sit your butt in the middle of it and visit! Are you kidding me? No cooking? No way! Do you know what this makes me look like? After many rounds back and forth I decided to give in and say "Yes Dear" if this will make you happy! It damm sure does not make me happy, but I agreed to do it this time and only this time! Does she not know I am surrounded by professional chefs at tailgate spot 47 and 48 (Dusty, Bryan and Bradley) tailgate spot 53 ( Chef Bobby Cockrell) and tailgate spot 56 (Master Chef Ross, AKA Marketdawg)? These guys are going to want to know if I am wearing a skirt this weekend! I will take my medicine this time only! It worked out ok because we could not drop the dogs off in North Dallas until 8:00 Saturday AM. We swung by Johnny's and picked up some muffaletta's and hit the tailgate spot at 12:15. It makes no difference how many times you stop it is a solid 4 hour trip. The tent is setup, my chair is in the middle of the tent and my butt is drinking an Abita Turbo Dog! Let the visiting begin! HaHa! My tailgate neighbor Chef Bobby Cockrell had 15 slabs of ribs going, Master Chef Ross had his shrimp boil going and Dusty, Bryan and Bradley had the wings going. What did I have going? My tail between my legs! This is not looking good! Since the team arrives at 4:00 (Janet likes to go watch Matt warm up! It calms her down supposedly!) I would of only had 3 hours and 30 minutes to get things setup anyway, so it worked out Ok! Don't tell Janet (wife) that I said this worked out ok! I told her I was still not happy! During my Visitation Tailgate I got to visit with Jonathan Ford and Mr. Ross Harper. Thanks for the beer, water and sodas Mr. Harper. You are an awesome ambassador for the school! After I served my visitation time in the chair Mr. Harper & I walked around and he introduced me to many of the Bulldawg family. We even walked up the hill and visited with the BBB group. I saw Adam, John and got to meet Dwayne. I was hoping to see Dawgmatic and introduce myself to HD, but they were not there. That was my first time to go that direction during a game day! I was surprised how many people were tailgating up there! Very cool! We made our way back to the visitation tent and Meggie & Papaw (Janet's mom & dad) along with David & Barbara (Janet's aunt & uncle) had made it in for the game. While I was walking around with Mr. Harper, Dusty and Bradley brought over some wings to sample. They were awesome guys! I had been watching most of the afternoon Chef Bobby (tailgate spot 53) cook these ribs. Yes my tail was still between my legs. He had this awesome charcoal technique that turned his Weber grill into a rib cookin' machine. He was cookin' 15 slabs with his chef coat on! That is what I would love to do! Bobby is an awesome cook/person and I have a lot to learn from him this fall! Oh and the ribs were to die for and you need to come ask him about his cookin' technique and his rib recipe! Thanks to everyone for the food samples! I owe you big time! Mr. Woody Rust came by and we shared some football stories and drank a few beers. It is always good to talk to him about the defense. That is a part of the game that I do not know too much about. He has a very good knowledge of the defensive game and explains it so that am learning some! I had a very special visitor come visit right before we were headed to the stadium. I had heard awesome things about him from Matt and I finally got to meet Matt Graham! Wow! What an amazing visit. Thomas Graham has taken Matt (#33) under his wings since he arrived at La Tech and we as a family are so grateful for Thomas & Matt Graham. They are just awesome! Thanks for being someone Matt (#33) can lean on! It's game time and with a beer (Abita IPA) in hand I head to the stadium. We sit in the general admission area and try to get as close to the tuba players as possible. I love the band and we get into the "Move the Chains" after a first down! I only got to see Matt kick a few kicks before game time. When Southern Miss came through the tunnel they looked pretty big to me! We take the opening kickoff and start on our own 26 yard line. 3 passes to the feet and we have to punt! This is not starting off very good! I would think our first possession would be scripted rock solid! Southern Miss starts out on their 36 and goes 3 and out! Ok, everything is equal now. High Octane Offence you can kick in now! Oh no! Southern Miss just intercepted and is on our 16! This is not good! It is 3rd down on our 4 yard line and a pass to the corner of the end zone is intercepted by Josh Victorian. Great pick Josh, but you have to take a knee there. A new QB is in already? It looks like Coach Franklin has no patience for any mistakes made on the field tonight. The first play out of the shoot and it is a pass play good for 38 yards. Woo Ho! It was only woo ho for a moment as we had to punt again. Southern Miss drives down and kicks a FG. Tech gets the ball back and we drive down and kick a FG! Score tied 3 - 3. Way to go Matt! It looks like your golf game is spot on! Back and forth we go for the 2nd quarter and the score is still tied a 3 -3. Southern Miss starts the 3rd quarter with the ball on our 40 yard line and in 6 plays they score a TD and lead 10 - 3. Southern Miss would kick another FG while we were kicking punts! The 3rd quarter would come to an end with Southern Miss leading 13 - 3. It has been an awesome night weather wise for me until the rain came pouring down, but that is ok with me. This was going to be fun! We are still in the game! Our first possession of the 4th quarter starts by throwing an interception. Our next possession we score, the PAT is good and the score is 13 - 10. The next thing I know I see Matt going in to kickoff. Ok, maybe they have a special play called. Nope, it is a normal kickoff, but we are offside’s. We backup 5 yards and kick again. The Southern Miss kick returner makes his way through a huge hole and Matt gets an assisted tackle. It was a good tackle, but it did not matter and they had an illegal block in the back. They run 3 plays and our defense holds them, they go to punt and Rufus Porter blocks the punt. We had several chances to get the ball in the end zone, but the punter knocked the ball out of the end zone for a safety. Wat to go Rufus! Tech is within one point and the rain is still coming down. The fans that stayed were getting loud and we still have a chance to do this. I am waving my towel, yelling until I lose my voice and jumping up and down trying not to injure my plant foot on the slippery aluminum seats. Whatever I was doing it did not work! Things would not go so well for us as we fumbled, punted and threw an interception in the last 10 minutes of the game and Southern Miss would win 13 - 12. We had so many chances, but had WAY TOO MANY 3rd and shorts that we could not accomplish. I know a FG would of been difficult with this rain, but at least give a chance to win the game. Throwing 40 yard passes in the rain is not going to cut it. Where is our running game? I think we need some super unleaded for our high octane offense! Using regular is not cutting it! This is a very tough loss for us. With conference play starting next week we have no room for error the rest of the season. The rest of the family made their way to the tent and Janet, Kasie (Matt's girlfriend) and I made our way in the pouring rain to the locker room area. The rain sure felt good to me, but the loss was very painful. Matt made his way out a little later and we visited for a few minutes before he went and took his shower. As we all do, Matt hates to lose and was pretty quiet! The only comment he made to me was that he was mentally/physically ready for a game winning FG if the game presented that scenario. Matt said he will be ready when called upon! I made my way past the Southern Miss locker room wondering what if! I kept playing these what ifs in my head. I made it to the tent and everyone was under it. It was really pouring down. I had loaded some things before the game, but not everything. Matt drove over and helped us get some things loaded and we would leave the rest to pick up on Sunday. Matt & Janet went to pickup pizza at Johnny's and would meet the rest of us at the Fairfield Inn. It would be Johnny’s pizza and ESPN until early in the morning on our agenda. I cannot get these what ifs out of my head! My personal shout outs go to the defense for playing 4 quarters, the punting game, Rufus Porter, the remaining fans who stuck it out until the bitter end in the rain, the amazing band and our fantastic student section! I am not sure what to say about the offense. I hope Coach Franklin gets this side of the ball moving in the right direction. I feel like we have the right players on the team, but the players need to execute the plays that are called. We are very young at the skill positions and they need more game experience! When we miss blocks, throw interceptions, fumble balls it makes the coaches look like the bad guys. I think the best is still to come from this team and coaching staff! I have said enough about the Southern Miss game. I have lost my voice and I have not gotten over this loss yet, but it is time to move on. Early Sunday AM we make our way over to the tailgate area and load up the rest of our gear and start our journey back to Dallas. It is time to get my mind right for Hawaii! WAC play is here now and we have to get focused! I am ready for this team to go to Honolulu and kick the Haka out of their Hawaiian butts! Haka? Is this a type of food? Is that what you do when you have a hair ball? The Haka is a posture dance that involves the entire body in vigorous rhythmic movements, which may include swaying, hip gyrations, slapping of the chest, butt and thighs, stamping, and gestures of stylized violence. It is accompanied by a chant and, in some cases, by fierce facial expressions meant to intimidate, such as bulging eyes and the sticking out of the tongue. What in the world is this? Do we need to bring our guns? What does the term Rainbow Warriors represent? I know what it means if you have a rainbow sticker on your bumper! I guess I will never understand these huge guys wearing diapers either! Who helps them pin things back up when Mother Nature calls? HaHa! I will end my Southern Miss experience here. Good luck Bulldogs as we take on the Haka Queens from Hawaii! It will be a 10:30 PM CST game, so get your nap in before the game! HaHa! I appreciate all of those who are following my journey. It is such a blast to follow Matt and the Bulldawgs! I write from the bottom of my heart and what my feelings are at that moment. I don’t intend to upset or hurt anyone, but I am very passionate about La Tech Football! Don’t forget to listen to my friends at La Tech Nation Radio every Tuesday night from 6:00 – 8:00 PM. It should be a great show as always. If you want a picture of your favorite player make sure and visit Tom Morris at La Tech Sports Pix! Mr. Rust I hope you have a blast in Hawaii! May your Football Season be filled with many Football Victories, Sunny Smiles, Sandy Dreams and Travel Your Way! If you need help with your Travel Plans just let me know! Until our paths cross again, have a blessed week! College Football Dad!