Wrap this one in maroon and white

My dad was a big fan of Mississippi State football.

- WILLIAM DABBS

On Saturdays, we would load into the family car and drive north from Quitman until we were within the broadcast signal from WMOX, Meridian’s premier AM station. Around Clark County State Park, the signal became static-free. There we would snack on boiled peanuts while the Bulldogs battled the foe of the week. Even before I was old enough to recognize the numbers on the dial, I learned to find State’s games by the distinctive voice of their play announcer, Jack Cristil. As I grew, so did my appreciation for Jack’s ability to make a game come to life. His description of a game was so vivid that, on occasion, when a game was televised, I would turn down the volume on the TV, and turn on the radio.