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Papelbon introduced during MSU victory |
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Wednesday, 16 January 2008 |
By AARON SEIDLITZ
Starkville Daily News
At the first break of play in the first half, with Kentucky holding a 12-10 lead, Mississippi State used a a familiar face to boost the crowd’s spirit.
Former Bulldogs star pitcher and current closer for the World Series champion Boston Red Sox, Jonathan Papelbon, was introduced to the 8,787 in attendance at Humphrey Coliseum Tuesday night.
The crowd rose to their feet to greet Papelbon, who stayed out on the court long enough to take in the crowd’s reception and then wondered back to his seat.
But he did say, during halftime, that he was happy to be back in Starkville and was impressed with the way the school was looking and with the direction it is going.
“A lot has changed, that’s for sure. It’s always good to see that the school that you went to is going in a good direction, and I definitely feel that,” Papelbon said.
Even as he has gone on to the Red Sox, been an All-Star twice in his career already and has won a World Series, Papelbon expressed a belief that he still represents Mississippi State.
“Everywhere you go, you’re known as a kid that came out of Mississippi State,” Papelbon said. “So I always try to stay true to my roots, obviously.”
He also said that it was a good moment when he played back in the south, against the Atlanta Braves, to look out and see people wearing Mississippi State hats and jerseys in support of him.
The closer also held court on a variety of other subjects, including his role as a closer versus a starter, learning from other Major League stars like Mariano Rivera and even the touchy subject of steroids in baseball.
On the last topic he said, firstly that he never did steroids, and that he doesn’t quite understand the reason behind going back and digging up dirt on past players instead of focusing on treating the problem now.
Varnado triples the fun
State’s sophomore center, Jarvis Varnado, recorded just the school’s third triple-double.
Varnado had 10 points, 10 blocks and 12 rebounds to join teammate Jamont Gordon and Lawrence Roberts as the only Bulldogs to earn a triple-double.
With the blocks and rebounds already secured, it took one final free throw from Varnado earn the distinction.
Admittedly free throw’s are not the center’s strength, but he knocked down what he needed to.
More importantly to Varnado than the numbers, he believes the blocked shots he records give his team a shot in the arm, and help the overall feeling of the team.
“I feel a lot of energy when I block a shot. The crowd gets into it, I have my teammates get into it and everybody just gets pumped really to go back down and get another stop on the defensive end,” Varnado said.
Bulldogs still battling injury bug
Even as senior forward Charles Rhodes earned his first start since December 21 against Texas A&M Corpus Christi, it was obvious the Bulldogs were still not over their injuries that have come of late.
Starting guard Ben Hansbrough missed the game because of a broken left hand, but the team did get a lift from Rhodes.
Bulldogs coach Rick Stansbury said after the game that he wasn’t sure before the game what he would from Rhodes because the forward had tweaked the same ankle he had previously injured against Georgia on Saturday.
But Rhodes answered the bell with 12 points, three rebounds and one block in 30 minutes played.
Saying he would just have to wait and see how long Hansbrough would be out, Stansbury did say that the guard would be a “no-go” against Alabama this upcoming Saturday in Tuscaloosa.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 17 January 2008 )
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