3:21 p.m. Croom begins speaking. His voice is just as baritone as on television, but sounds quieter than you would think. No Richter-scale need.

3:23 p.m. Seeing effects of winning season in recruiting just now. "We are way ahead of where we've ever been in recruiting for next season."

3:26 p.m. Sly doesn't understand "all these different kind of tubes we have on the Internet."

3:28 p.m. Croom on his likely quarterback: "He still doesn't have an arm." [SEC transcript says "a great arm." Probably right.] Mississippi State fans, rejoice!

Reporter: "His arm's got to be better than last year."

Now Croom backs up: "Wes (Carroll) has a good arm."

Carroll's arm: Not great, but good.

3:35 p.m. Croom was working on 2010 depth chart last night. Now that's planning ahead. Bobby Petrino won't even be at Arkansas by that time.

3:44 p.m. C&F asks about Mississippi State's penchant for, um, close games last year. Sly says that's just the way it is in the SEC. As for blowout games -- "Those days are over. ... Not in the SEC competition, that's not going to happen anymore."

3:46 p.m. "Our goal is to win the conference championship."

3:49 p.m. Discussing the pay of coaches, Sly says he does it for the love of the game. "I enjoy going to work everyday." The joy must be increased, though, by making seven figures.

3:50 p.m. As a former center, Croom says a LT is the second most important guy on the offensive line. Take that, Michael Lewis!

3:53 p.m. Croom on what he told his players after LSU: "They didn't lose the game; I did." C&F likes a coach taking the fall -- particularly when he cites specifics (going for the TD at the end of the first half, in this case).

3:58 p.m. Croom is done. Les Miles is next. C&F hopes everyone brought their taffy.