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Morning Linkage

Mullen on the Belk Bowl - Mullen gave a brief Belk Bowl press conference this week. Hit the link to read his comments.

Talkin' 'bout practice - If there's already a void in  your soul from missing college kids in body armor run into on another every Saturday, go check out bowl practice. There's five open sessions coming up.

Nick James is saving America - Nick James may have one of the most entertaining public personas on State's football team. If he's on film doing something, watch it. Guarantee he's going to make you smile. Hit the link for a nice profile of the young man.

"Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Kangaroos" - When we write articles for this site, we have to use SB Nation's web-based story editor application. It's got its quirks and limitations, but it seems to get the job done. Well, at the right of the box in which I'm typing my pithy witticisms, there's  a column that lists upcoming sporting events. I usually don't even notice the thing when I'm typing, but today's made me do a double take. The first listing right now is "12.12.2015 - Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Kangaroos." Took me a few seconds of befuddled staring to figure that one out. Tell us more about these Kangaroos, Coach Howland:

Apparently kangaroos prefer playing zone defense. Whoda thunk?

Also, as Howland mentions at the very beginning of the press conference, Demetrius Houston is no longer on the team. No official reasons given, though the word is just that he hasn't been on the same page as the new staff from the get go. Too bad.

No marsupials for the ladies - The women's team is also back in action this weekend, taking on Louisiana Tech. Tell us about your more mundane mammalian opponent, Coach Schaefer:

Elite Grass - So there's something called the "Sports Turf Managers Association" that gives out awards for grass. And, as you've probably been aware for some time, State's grass is second to none. Now it's official: Scott Field is the "Football Field of the Year" in 2015.

Nerdin' it up for the bowl game - Hit the link for the advanced-stat preview of MSU's upcoming game with NC State. Cliff notes: Should be a good game.

Because it always makes me laugh. Always.

Got that Holy Ghost feeling

About ten years ago, a small record label out of Atlanta called "Dust to Digital" put out its first release. It was a six-disc collection of mostly pre-WWII American spiritual music that spanned just about every genre that existed at the time, from blues to gospel to bluegrass to country to jazz to early rock to sacred harp. Some of the performers were well known, like  the Carter Family, Blind Willie McTell, and Mahalia Jackson. But most were singers or bands or ministers that never enjoyed (or, in some cases, even attempted to achieve) widespread notoriety. And many of the recordings in the collection were taken in the field, not in a studio, perhaps on someone's front porch or in their living room.

The set is called Goodbye Babylon, and if you're even vaguely interested in the history of American music—and since you're reading a website dedicated to a school in Mississippi, chances are good that  you are by default—or if you're looking for a good Christmas present for someone who is, I highly suggest you take a gander. If you'd like to hear it from the horse's mouth, let's see what one of Meridian's native sons has to say: