I can’t wait until Brookhaven’s first home football game on KingField. The Panthers will showcase their Ole Miss look-alikeuniforms and their state-of-the-art scoreboard will light up thescene.

As BHS athletic director and head football coach Tucker Peaveyput it, “We are anxious to put some points on that newscoreboard.”

Brookhaven makes its 2003 debut next Friday night, Aug. 29, atHazlehurst. It’s a 7 p.m. kickoff so you best get there early.Otherwise, you’ll miss the first quarter.

The long-awaited King Field debut arrives Friday night, Sept. 5,when high-powered and No. 4-ranked Vicksburg visits the Panthers.The Class 5A Gators usually have an explosive offense so that newscoreboard might blow a fuse. Kickoff is 7:30.

If you remember, the old scoreboard was destroyed last springwhen a small tornado or straight-line winds passed over the field.The scoreboard, located behind the South end zone, was neatlylifted right out of the ground and fell face down on the trackcircling King Field.

Bids were taken on a new scoreboard and the decision was made.It is placed behind the North end zone. Final installation wasWednesday afternoon.

The new scoreboard, with an installed price tag of $70,000, isbeautiful to behold. It is secured to three steel girders whichwere sunk 12 feet in the ground. It has a message board suitablefor names, messages and cheers.

The two steel beams on the outside edge of the scoreboard arereserved for sponsor names. Brookhaven Superintendent of EducationDr. Sam Bounds said the scoreboard enhances the field andcompliments the new chairback stadium seats plus the renovated highschool buildings.

Bounds said two local sponsors who are dedicated to thecommunity, Brookhaven Honda and Brookhaven Home Oxygen, helpeddefray the cost of the new scoreboard. He said he plans to honorCoony Jordan of Brookhaven Honda and Rob Fisher of Home Oxygenduring a halftime ceremony at the first home game.

The new scoreboard is controlled by a laptop computer. StanPatrick, the regular public address announcer, will run thecomputer. Peavey said the rest of the scoreboard (clock and score)would be run by the regular clock operator who works with theofficiating crew.

You have to appreciate the warm and friendly fellowship whichfilled the Brookhaven Country Club’s banquet room for theMississippi State University alumni meeting. Monday night’s eventfeatured an array of MSU speakers and they all had a sense of humorfor the southwest regional meeting.

Michael Richardson, MSU Director of Chapter Programs for the MSUAlumni Association, praised the banquet feast which featured friedcatfish, jambalya and hotdogs plus side dishes. “I can tell youpeople love Mississippi State. You are great people and I thank youfor being here.”

Richardson pointed out the importance of supporting all MSUathletics. Michael Ware, president of the MSU Lincoln County AlumniChapter, provided the welcome. Three local students, Heather Wilsonof Loyd Star, Judson Langston and Tedrick Ratcliff of Brookhaven,were recognized for receiving local scholarships from the alumniassociation.

The crowd was reminded that the annual MSU Alumni GolfTournament is scheduled Oct. 18 at the Brookhaven Country Club. Awomen’s tennis tournament might be added to the Saturdayactivities.

Gary Blair of Brookhaven, recently named MSU National Alumnipresident, conducted a fund-raising auction for four footballtickets in the reserved seating section of Scott Field. Owen Cartywon the bidding battle ($375) and asked to have the seats for theSept. 27, MSU-LSU game.

David Murray, editor of Dawgs’ Bite, entertained the crowd witha series of noteworthy items regarding MSU athletics. The recentsigning of Baylor transfer Lawrence Roberts drew rave reviews fromMurray. Roberts received a waiver from the NCAA yesterday and willbe eligible to play for the Bulldogs this season.

With the departure of power center Mario Austin to the NBA, theBulldogs were looking extremely thin in their front line. MarcusCampbell, a slender 7-footer, was the only true post player on theroster.

Roberts, a 6-foot-9, 230-pound talent, was a third team All-Big12 pick at Baylor. He has relatives in the Starkville area so heshould have some kin pulling for him when he plays in HumphreyColiseum.

It was unusual not to see Liz Becker at Monday night’s meetingbut she was unable to attend due to illness. She sold about 30tickets to the event. Blair led the crowd in a “Happy Birthday MissLiz” chorus. She turns 90 next month.

We also missed the presence of Alcus Smith, a longtime, devotedfollower of the Bulldogs. Mr. Alcus passed away in June.