MEDIA SERVICES AND GUIDELINES MSU ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS The 2006 Mississippi State University MSU ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS PHONE Football Media Guide has been specifically (662) 325-2703 MSU ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS FAX prepared to assist media members in their (662) 325-2563 coverage of the Bulldogs. MSU ATHLETICS WEB SITE We hope that most of your questions will be http://www.mstateathletics.com answered on the pages of this guide. However, MSU FOOTBALL CONTACTS should you need additional information or Mike Nemeth, Associate AD/Media & Public Relations [email protected] assistance, please contact the MSU Athletic Home: (662) 323-7780 • Cell: (662) 418-7229 Media Relations Office. The information on MIKE NEMETH JOE GALBRAITH Joe Galbraith, Assistant Director of Media Relations the following pages should cover most media- [email protected] related questions you have. Home: N/A • Cell: TBA MAILING ADDRESS OVERNIGHT ADDRESS We appreciate your coverage of Mississippi P.O. Box 5308 Bryan Building State University football and look forward to Mississippi State, MS 39762 Lakeview Drive working with you this fall. Mississippi State, MS 39762 OTHER IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS IMPORTANT DATES Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field Press Box . (662) 325-3776 July 28 (Fri.) . .SEC Media Day MSU Football Office . (662) 325-2534 August 1 (Tues.) . Bulldogs Report Coordinator of Electronic Media [Video/Satellite Services] . (662) 325-1332 August 2 (Wed.) . First Practice Opportunity MSU Athletic Ticket Office . (662) 325-2600 August 8 (Tues.) . Two-a-Day Practices Begin MSU Athletic Director’s Office . (662) 325-8082 August 9 (Wed.) . MSU Media Day Bulldog Club . (662) 325-3074 August 29 (Tue.) . .First Weekly Press Conference University Information . (662) 325-2323 August 31 (Thu.) . .Season Opener vs. South Carolina PRESEASON MEDIA CONFERENCE WEDNESDAY TELECONFERENCE (SEC) MSU will hold its annual preseason media conference, Wednesday, August 9, at Coach Croom will join the league's other 11 coaches on the SEC's Wednesday tele- 12:00 noon, at the Bryan Athletic Administration Building media conference room. conference. Coach Croom's seven-minute segment is scheduled from 10:49-10:56 a.m. Head coach Sylvester Croom will address the media and take questions for 30 minutes, (CT). The teleconference phone number can be obtained by calling the SEC or the MSU after which selected players will be available for approximately 30 minutes for interview Media Relations Office. The SEC provides an archived copy of the teleconference at purposes in the Bryan Building. Contact the MSU Athletic Media Relations Office for www.secsports.com for media replay. specific player requests. WEEKLY PLAYER INTERVIEWS SYLVESTER CROOM INTERVIEWS Interviews with our players are encouraged; however, all interviews must be arranged All interviews with head football coach Sylvester Croom through Joe Galbraith in the Athletic Media Relations Office. This policy facilitates the should be directed through the MSU Athletic Media Relations orderly scheduling and completion of the desired interview. During game week, all office. Please contact Mike Nemeth at 662-325-2723 to player interviews must be conducted by Tuesday evening and need to be arranged at arrange an interview time. The head coach prefers that all least 24 hours in advance. Please coordinate all requests with Joe Galbraith in the MSU interviews be conducted on Monday. Athletic Media Relations office. Croom has three scheduled interview opportunities during MSU Athletic Media Relations will not supply the media home or cellular telephone game-week and media representatives are encouraged to numbers for Bulldog student-athletes. Likewise, training room, locker room and apart- make use of these question-and-answer situations. Croom ment/dormitory areas are considered private player areas and are off-limits to the is also generally available before or after practice, but media media. members must coordinate those opportunities through Nemeth. PRACTICE COVERAGE The first six periods (until “team” periods) of MSU's spring, preseason and fall prac- MONDAY TELECONFERENCE (MSU) tice sessions are open to the media (print media, still photo & TV video). Media must MSU will conduct a Monday teleconference with coach Croom at 10:00 a.m. (CT). This remain on the sidelines during this practice time as an injury precautionary measure. is generally a 30-minute conference call that reviews the previous week's game; however, Coach Croom will be available to the media following the practice session on the prac- the upcoming game's media is encouraged to use this opportunity to speak to the MSU tice field or in the Shira Athletic Complex. Media requesting practice reports should head coach. Contact the MSU Media Relations office for teleconference number. contact the Athletic Media Relations office. Assistant coaches and players may be interviewed prior to, and after practice at the TUESDAY PRESS CONFERENCE (MSU) Shira Athletic Complex. Contact the MSU Athletic Media Relations office to arrange this Coach Croom will conduct a weekly media conference each Tuesday prior to an MSU time. Players MAY NOT be interviewed after Tuesday night during a game week. game. The conference will be conducted at the Bryan Athletic Administration Building. When the Bulldogs are on the road, the media may attend any "walk-through" prepa- Coach Croom's press conference begins at 1:00 p.m. (CT). Selected players will be avail- rations and interview coaches provided they have contacted the MSU Athletic Media able following Croom's presentation (at approximately 1:30 p.m.). To request specific Relations office in advance. players, media members must contact Joe Galbraith in the MSU Media Relations Office (662-325-2703) by 5:00 p.m. the Monday preceding each respective media conference. 198 MEDIA SERVICES AND GUIDELINES MSU ON THE INTERNET MEDIA CREDENTIALS Visit the official Mississippi State Athletics Arrangements for media credentials for Mississippi State's seven home football home page on the Internet at: http://www.msta- games in 2006 must be made through the MSU Athletic Media Relations Office. teathletics.com. The site provides updated sta- Requests by accredited media members should be made in writing and submitted tistics, game notes and other pertinent football on company letterhead to Mike Nemeth (via mail: P.O. Box 5308, MSU, MS 39762, information to visitors as well as live statistics and or by fax, 662-325-2563). Credential requests received via e-mail will only be granted audio links for all of MSU’s home football games to media representatives that regularly cover Mississippi State football or their weekly and selected road contests. opponents. An abbreviated transcription of head football Priority for the issuance of credentials will be given to daily newspapers, radio sta- coach Sylvester Croom’s Tuesday press confer- tions and television stations which cover MSU football on a regular basis. Due to space ence each week is available on MSU’s athletic limitations, weekly publications, non-broadcasting radio representatives and on-line ser- web site. Maroon To The Max, MSU’s premium vices may not be granted credentials. Student publications, radio stations and web sites area on the web site, carries Croom’s Tuesday that do not regularly cover MSU or its opponent, will be limited to one working media press conference live for media members who credential and/or one sideline photo pass, if applicable. Other credential requests will subscribe to the site and cannot attend the conference in person. M2M also covers be filled on a space-available basis. Non-working spouses, dates, relatives, non-work- selected preseason and game-week football practices, including post-practice interviews ers, and anyone 16 years of age or younger are not permitted in the press box. Media with the Bulldog head coach. credential holders who violate this policy risk forfeiture of future credentials. Media The site also offers up-to-date information on all of State’s 16 varsity sports, including credentials must be requested at least 48 hours prior to the requested game. schedules and results, player and coach biographies as well as the latest news from the Media credential holders in the press box who are not actively covering the game, MSU athletic program. Links to the NCAA, the Southeastern Conference and the other or credential wearers on the sideline who are not on assignment, will be asked to leave 11 SEC schools are also provided. those respective areas. Press box or sideline security will be requested should the cre- dential wearer not comply. Credentials used in an unauthorized manner will be revoked MEDIA WILL CALL immediately, and news organizations who allow credentials to fall into improper hands A media will call window will be operated on game days at the Davis Wade Stadium will have the credentials revoked for the remainder of the year or the succeeding year, at Scott Field Ticket Office (south end zone) for the distribution of credentials which have at the university’s discretion. not been mailed. Proper ID will be required. See Scott Field map on page 202 for exact location of will call. PHOTOGRAPHERS/VIDEOGRAPHERS MSU follows the guidelines established by the NCAA Communications Committee MEDIA PARKING and the SEC regarding sideline control to insure the sideline is a working media area. A limited number of season and individual-game parking spaces reserved for the The following guidelines are adhered to: media are available just west of Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Requests for media 1.) Each photographer is required to wear an armband at all times. parking passes should be specified with credential requests. Due to space limitations, no 2.) Armbands must be secured at the photographer's credential pickup, at the base of motor homes, campers or oversized vehicles will be permitted in media parking. Parking the media elevator at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field.