For Whom the Cowbell Tolls Mailbag | May 11, 2012

Usually on Fridays CroomDiaries, robnoladog and I spend hours sifting through all the fanmail, gifts and undergarments that fans of this site send to us*. So it was only natural that when fans starting sending in questions, we wanted to give out answers.

Last week we made a call out for questions from our readership, and you guys responded well with questions from the full spectrum of things we might have imagined. We've compiled them, and chose a few to answer here. We try to get to all of them, so if you don't see yours included here, send it to us again and we'll get it in next week's edition!

Catherine asks: Most of you guys write under pen names. Do many people know who the real guys are behind your alter egos?

That's a good question Catherine. It varies from writer to writer and their situation at this site. For example, justinrsutton is obviously Justin Sutton: a talented sports writer who writes with us for fun and to also promote his writing skills. Everyone knows who he is obviously because he uses his real name. In situations like myself (thecristilmethod), CroomDiaries, RobbieRandolph and others, we use pen names because this is more of a hobby for us, and because well we don't want to receive any death threats. I can't speak for the other guys, but I would say a fair amount of people know who I really am. Maybe less know who the other guys are. No one outside of us here at the site knows who Just1BroArguing is. There are rumors that he's a drunken homeless man who played for State in the 70's that we allow computer access to every so often to write posts. We will neither confirm nor deny those allegations at this time.

Monica asks: why do you guys, along with many other sports writers and radio hosts, write and talk like your entire audience is male?

You know Monica, that's actually a really good question. It is so easy to make that mistake in what we do. So often we make that erroneous assumption that we are simply writing or talking to a male fanbase, but you're right: I've noticed both here in our comments, on our Facebook and our Twitter that we have a lot of regular female readers. If we say "guys" or "sirs" or grunt in our posts, it's done subconsciously, we promise! But we will make a better effort to write as if we are addressing a more balanced audience - male and female, because we really are. And as a side note, when I say "you guys" in a post, that means boys and girls. Just to clear that up!

Josh asks: who shot J.R.?

Answer sir, although that may not be our department.

Michael asks: what are y'all's honest expectations for Tyler Russell this fall?

Good questions Michael - I think that's one that is on a lot of Bulldog fan's minds right now and going into September. So much has been expected from Tyler Russell even before he stepped on campus, and I think for the most part he has handled it all very well. I don't think we've seen the best of Russell's game on the field yet, and I do honestly believe his talent and dedication may finally culminate this fall. The reason I think he's poised for a breakout year is 3-part: 1) soft early schedule to warm up 2) finally has a complete set of weapons around him 3) is finally the #1 guy all by himself - no one looking over his shoulder. Now, some guys play better with a backup breathing down their neck, but rest assured this is Tyler's team, and I really think that fact will give him more comfort out on the field and in the pocket. I think you'll see the next step from Tyler Russell this fall that we haven't seen so far, and honestly, I wouldn't be surprised at all if he breaks Dave Marler's 1978 single season passing record of 2422 yards.

That's all the mail for this week. If you have any questions, and seriously we do mean any, that you want to ask of us for next week's mailbag, please send them to forwhomthecowbelltolls@gmail.com, tweet them to us, or leave them on our Facebook page.

See you guys next week!

#HailState

*no we really don't spend hours upon hours sorting through fan mail, because we don't get fan mail or gifts at all. Expect for that one time, when Croom's mom sent us those wicked awesome cupcakes.