Coach Mullen and his staff spent a few minutes welcoming them and extolling the virtues of state.
Coach Mullen said he knows what it takes to become a championship team and recounted the championship seasons he was involved with at Florida and told them that being a championship team involved a group of men all wanting to be champions together. It is, was and will always be, team first.
He was so intent on listening to Coach Mullen he didn't see the recruit ambassadors who entered the room. Each pair came up and claimed his recruit. Joe was glad to see Phil Welbourne grinning as he approached Joe.
He stuck out his hand and said with a big toothy grin said, "I can't believe they stuck me with the kid that made me look bad all those years ago, so let's go get something to eat and see if I can show you a bad time."
The night that followed was one of the most fun he had ever had, but because it was game night, it was over far too soon.
As he fell asleep that night he was still remembering all the sights and sounds of campus and all the haunts and fun places he had seen. He could actually envision himself being a part of this group.
He hadn't seriously thought about State until now, but they did certainly have more to offer than he initially thought.
In a hard fought game the following day, State beat Vandy in a defensive struggle that was finally decided when Phil Welbourne took a pitch and broke a tackle as he reached the end and streaked the last 26 yards for a 21-17 win.
The recruits were invited into the locker room after the game. It was certainly a different mood from the prior week when they had been severely slapped by Alabama.
"Guys, today you beat a bowl team from last year, you've made a statement that the rest of the SEC and nation had better hear. These dogs can bite! And they're hungry! And they're only getting hungrier and their teeth are only getting bigger! This is a great time to be a Mississippi State Bulldog!" Coach Mullen said.
Caught up in the moment and feeling very much a part of it all, Joe didn't hesitate to bark with the rest of the 'dogs'.
Before he left on Sunday morning, he was still very much feeling the love as he visited parties and got to know more of the team. On the ride home, he remembered Phil's last words as he got in his car for the trip home.
"My time here is ending soon Joe, I'd like to know that you're coming in to pick up the mantle and keep what we've got here building. Coach Mullen's the real deal and he's going to take this team somewhere special, he just needs some special guys to help him and Joe, you're one of them."
The drive home was surprisingly short as he replayed the great moments and sights he had seen.
"Wow", he thought, "Can it get any better than this?" He would soon find out as his other visits were to follow.
** End of Chapter Two **
Chapter one can be read at Joe Everyguy's Story of Making It in Division I-A Football
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