Sunday Morning Quarterback

Gosh, that is a nice clock: embroidered, under glass! How very Mississippi- I bet they sell a ton. It perfectly embodies just why the good people of the Deep South long to send their urchins to Tulane the minute they are of age.

Sunday Morning Quarterback is one of my fellow voters: you can find me listed under Tulane! He represents the University of Southern Mississippi- and has a curious and lengthy piece on the Green Wave up.

It is a little hard to take criticism from fans of a university that thinks the GMAC Bowl is a worthwhile goal- other than Tulane ain't so far from that sort of aspiration either. I found it readable because he is sort of close enough to observe Tulane- without being of Tulane- and accordingly makes some thoughtful points without having a real axe to grind (other than being from an institution that is the closest thing Tulane has to a rival)- particularly concerning the Superdome. Mind you, I don’t know the solution to the venue problem; it strikes me an unsolvable. But his observations about the joint are dead right and sobering coming from an outsider.

I also like the USM guy’s characterization of Tulane as a game that the USM community pencils in as a win pre-season- and are further unperturbed when USM does, in fact, win. But in the few days before kick-off the Golden Eagles brood a bit- because Tulane has periods of competence and some good players every so often.

Basically, the post is probably how USM fans- our closest real rival in football- see Tulane. Our schools recruit a similar geography and play the same League- and I'm sure that his post is close to what C-USA schools tell our recruits: Tulane plays in a vacant building in front of lousy crowds- where 2500 can't be bothered to show up for senior day. Tulane can't beat USM more than twice a decade.

Yes, yes, there are caveats to all of that of course. But isn't interesting that he doesn't mention Scelfo or coaching once? He thinks- and I bet do most people agree- that Tulane loses not because of the coach but because of, well, Tulane.