Our Attitude....

tsufan · June 27, 2007

Want to know why the Trojans always seem to play the "big boys" tough? Here is an interview with one of our starting DBs....

Drew Champlin

dchamplin@dothaneagle.com

Like most of his teammates, Troy cornerback Elbert Mack is eagerly awaiting the release of NCAA Football 2008 on the Playstation 2.

Mack wasn’t on the game last year as a junior college transfer, but the senior has already seen ratings for the game and knows what to expect.

“I wasn’t on the game last year but I’ll be on it this time,” Mack said. “I’ll just be happy to be on it this time.

“Some of the people are overrated and some are underrated. I won’t say who, but it’s fun to sit around and laugh knowing you’re faster than someone on the video game.”

Mack said he’s a fan of Utah on the game because of the Utes’ spread offense, but that won’t be the first team he plays with on this version, scheduled for release in mid-July.

“I’ll play with Troy,” Mack said. “Most definitely I’m going to play with myself. I’ll have to.”

Mack, a Wichita, Kansas native, visited with the Dothan Eagle for a question and answer session.

Q: What was the biggest adjustment about being at Troy for the first time last year?

A: Being so far away from home. Not being able to hug your mom and play with your little brothers. That’s the biggest thing, because everyone else gets to go home. You have to adapt and go home with someone else and adapt to someone else’s family.

It makes it that much sweeter when you see your own family.

Q: Has your family seen any of your games in person yet?

A: I had about 30-40 in the stands for the Nebraska game, but I got hurt in the second quarter and didn’t play any more. It’s a blessing because my family was so happy to see me play.

This year they’ll try to make it to the Oklahoma State game and both games in Arkansas.

Q: When you look back at the New Orleans Bowl, when you had such a big game (two interceptions in a 41-17 win over Rice) after your father passed away earlier that week, how big was that?

A: It was very big. Looking back at it now, it’s even bigger than it was then. For me, the emotional roller coaster I was on, for me to go out and have a good game and for all my people to see me play back home (on ESPN), it was a big achievement.

It was another stepping stone and I stepped over it.

I know my dad was watching. He hasn’t gotten to see me play since high school, so that was a blessing.

He’ll be watching from here on out so hopefully I can get two picks every game.

Q: Did you get a lot of calls after the game?

A: I got a lot of phone calls and text messages but I tried to ignore most of them until I got home because I was still on an emotional high.

Q: Did that game bring out the best in Troy on both sides of the ball?

A: That showed the caliber of the team we should be this year. From the beginning of last season till the end, we looked like two different teams, offensively and defensively. We’ve got a lot of people coming back and we’ve got a chance to do some big things. Hopefully everything will click and we can go back to the New Orleans Bowl or something bigger. Maybe we can be the Boise State of this year.

Q: When you look at facing teams like Arkansas and Florida, what goes through your mind?

A: You know they have tradition and everyone knows who they are and no one knows who we are.

The saying is in the locker room every week: They put on their pants just like we put on our pants and we’re trying to go out and make a name for ourselves.

Hopefully we can go out there and play with the best of them and let everybody know that Troy’s just not a pushover and we’re ready to win and that’s for real.

Mean Green 93-98 · June 27, 2007

Be sure to pass that on to the MUTS. They always love to hear how their conference mates are doing.

emmitt01 · June 27, 2007

Wait a minute. Didn't they get the memo that they should feel lucky to even play Florida and should be hoping to get out without any injuries?

LongJim · June 27, 2007

Here is an interview with one of our starting DBs....
“Most definitely I’m going to play with myself. I’ll have to.”

I giggled.

NCMeanGreen · June 27, 2007

I giggled.

Your a bad, bad man...

tsufan · June 27, 2007

Want to know why the Trojans always seem to play the "big boys" tough? Here is an interview with one of our starting DBs....
Drew Champlin
dchamplin@dothaneagle.com
Like most of his teammates, Troy cornerback Elbert Mack is eagerly awaiting the release of NCAA Football 2008 on the Playstation 2.
Mack wasn’t on the game last year as a junior college transfer, but the senior has already seen ratings for the game and knows what to expect.
“I wasn’t on the game last year but I’ll be on it this time,” Mack said. “I’ll just be happy to be on it this time.
“Some of the people are overrated and some are underrated. I won’t say who, but it’s fun to sit around and laugh knowing you’re faster than someone on the video game.”
Mack said he’s a fan of Utah on the game because of the Utes’ spread offense, but that won’t be the first team he plays with on this version, scheduled for release in mid-July.
“I’ll play with Troy,” Mack said. “Most definitely I’m going to play with myself. I’ll have to.”
Mack, a Wichita, Kansas native, visited with the Dothan Eagle for a question and answer session.
Q: What was the biggest adjustment about being at Troy for the first time last year?
A: Being so far away from home. Not being able to hug your mom and play with your little brothers. That’s the biggest thing, because everyone else gets to go home. You have to adapt and go home with someone else and adapt to someone else’s family.
It makes it that much sweeter when you see your own family.
Q: Has your family seen any of your games in person yet?
A: I had about 30-40 in the stands for the Nebraska game, but I got hurt in the second quarter and didn’t play any more. It’s a blessing because my family was so happy to see me play.
This year they’ll try to make it to the Oklahoma State game and both games in Arkansas.
Q: When you look back at the New Orleans Bowl, when you had such a big game (two interceptions in a 41-17 win over Rice) after your father passed away earlier that week, how big was that?
A: It was very big. Looking back at it now, it’s even bigger than it was then. For me, the emotional roller coaster I was on, for me to go out and have a good game and for all my people to see me play back home (on ESPN), it was a big achievement.
It was another stepping stone and I stepped over it.
I know my dad was watching. He hasn’t gotten to see me play since high school, so that was a blessing.
He’ll be watching from here on out so hopefully I can get two picks every game.
Q: Did you get a lot of calls after the game?
A: I got a lot of phone calls and text messages but I tried to ignore most of them until I got home because I was still on an emotional high.
Q: Did that game bring out the best in Troy on both sides of the ball?
A: That showed the caliber of the team we should be this year. From the beginning of last season till the end, we looked like two different teams, offensively and defensively. We’ve got a lot of people coming back and we’ve got a chance to do some big things. Hopefully everything will click and we can go back to the New Orleans Bowl or something bigger. Maybe we can be the Boise State of this year.
Q: When you look at facing teams like Arkansas and Florida, what goes through your mind?
A: You know they have tradition and everyone knows who they are and no one knows who we are.
The saying is in the locker room every week: They put on their pants just like we put on our pants and we’re trying to go out and make a name for ourselves.
Hopefully we can go out there and play with the best of them and let everybody know that Troy’s just not a pushover and we’re ready to win and that’s for real.

I don't waste my time with them.....they would find some way to spin it and make themselves look better in the process.

meangreendork · June 27, 2007

If his statement is for real or not, that's getting close to the attitude I hope our guys have this year and every year. I think Dodge has it in his that if his schedule says "play Superman U.", then he'll do his best to get his guys ready and himself ready. That kind of mindset that he can play at their level and find a way to beat them, and if not, scare the crap out of them in the process.

UNTLifer · June 27, 2007

I giggled.

Not much else to do in Troy, Alabama, eh?

Keith7 · June 27, 2007

I'd whoop this guys butt at NCAA football on xbox360 but that doesn't mean I can step on the field and beat troy.. This article is a joke

FirefightnRick · June 27, 2007

tsufan,

I and Plumm, and Harry and DallasGreen and SilverEagle and just about everyone else who were fortunate enough to watch NT during times when we too had that attitude of seeing a game against the bigger schools as an opportunity rather than a detriment , have reminded everyone else here who was not, what it was like because it's not been that way for many years around here. So it didn't surpise most of us in '05 when our head coach nearly crapped his pants over the fact that NT, ULM and LSU worked it out to "reschedule" our game against LSU. And naturally most here wrote that game off long before Katrina hit that August while I kept reminded everyone how Troy nearly walked out of Death Valley with a win. But that's now thankfully in the past. I am certain no one on this staff or this team will ever again go public with the ATTITUDE that "we are fortunate to be on the same field with...." but rather with the ATTITUDE of "We didn't come here to lose". And it's been a long time coming.

Rick

Edited June 27, 2007 by FirefightnRick

PlummMeanGreen · June 27, 2007

tsufan,
I and Plumm, and Harry and DallasGreen and SilverEagle and just about everyone else who were fortunate enough to watch NT during times when we too had that attitude of seeing a game against the bigger schools as an opportunity rather than a detriment , have reminded everyone else here who was not, what it was like because it's not been that way for many years around here. So it didn't surpise most of us in '05 when our head coach nearly crapped his pants over the fact that NT, ULM and LSU worked it out to "reschedule" our game against LSU. And naturally most here wrote that game off long before Katrina hit that August while I kept reminded everyone how Troy nearly walked out of Death Valley with a win. But that's now thankfully in the past. I am certain no one on this staff or this team will ever again go public with the ATTITUDE that "we are fortunate to be on the same field with...." but rather with the ATTITUDE of "We didn't come here to lose". And it's been a long time coming.
Rick

Was it Silver Eagle who coined this phrase: "We didn't come here to lose!" (?) Whoever it was, it's got a good ring to it.

GMG!

PS: The pond in front of my house used to be 45 feet from my wooden deck; it's now 25 feet from my front door and now the Brazos River is rising again.................Is it time we pray for sunshine?

Edited June 27, 2007 by PlummMeanGreen