Thank You Jack

The legendary voice of the Bulldogs Jack Cristil passed away Sunday night, September 7 in Tupelo. It’s a sad day for the Bulldog family. It was late Sunday evening, and many Bulldogs fans like myself woke up to the news. While we are in our mourning, let’s not forget to celebrate the man that made Mississippi State football and basketball games a much more memorable experience. On behalf of the entire Bulldog family I want to say, Thank You Jack.

Thank You Jack for being there for us. It hasn’t always been easy to be a Bulldog fan. The last twenty-three years haven’t been so bad, but I know our history. There has been a lot of pain and heartache to endure when you cheer for the Maroon and White. The one constant has been you talking us through it all. You made the losses a little more palatable, and you made the wins so much more sweeter.

Thank You Jack for being in our family. As Dak Prescott said in his own personal tragedy last year, we don’t have fans, we have family. You’ve been like a grandfather to so many of us. I think of the little kids who would gather around their grandfather’s chair and listen to the stories he would tell of a different age. That’s the way it was for so many of us listening to you. Before every game was guaranteed to be on television, we came to you to tell us what was taking place on the field and court. When we listened to your stories of the gridiron and hard court, we were transported away to the venue with you. It never ceased to amaze me that whenever I would see highlights of the plays you called, they would always be exactly as I had pictured it when you called it.

Thank You Jack for being a legend. Mississippi State fans often get mocked by other fans when we talk proudly about our beloved Bulldogs. It doesn’t stop us, but people do try. The one thing that they never questioned though was the greatness that you provided to our school. People may debate how great a certain player or coach was, but the one thing that was never up for debate was how legendary of a broadcaster you will always be.

Thank you Jack for giving us your time, lour loyalty, and your heart. You bled maroon and white longer than many of us ever have or could possibly ever imagine. You were always praised for keeping the broadcast fair and balanced, but it was always evident that you loved the team you announced for through the years. Many schools would have done anything to have a broadcaster that could tell us about the games like you did, but you never budged from your seat in Starkville. So thank you Jack for all that you have done. Thank you for being a part of my love for Mississippi State. Thank you for just being you.

Last, and most importantly, Thank You Jack for letting us know that when every time the Bulldogs are victorious, we can wrap it in Maroon and White.