Welcome General Foglesong

There is currently a lot of debate on the State message boards regarding the potential hire of General Robert H. "Doc" Foglesong as Mississippi State University's next president. Many are upset because their man, Dr. Keenum, did not get the position and many are upset about the nature of the search. That's understandable.

"He has a clear vision of where he wants to take MSU over the next five years," Cole said of Foglesong. "What set him apart from the others was the specifics of his ideas about how to move Mississippi State forward."

I don't know much about Dr. Foglesong, but what I do know, I like. It's my understanding that he was well liked and respected by his Air Force colleagues, which is no small feat for a Four Star. I suspect this man will be a well liked president, once "folks get to know him."

Outsiders are never looked upon kindly in the South. Change comes hard. But a new perspective and strong leadership is what our University needs and what I believe our University will get with Dr. Foglesong.

Here are my top five predictions for Dr. Foglesong's tenure at Mississippi State:

1. The Golden Triangle will receive multiple aerospace contracts in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
2. MSU research grants will break dollar amount records.
3. Dr. Foglesong will be called upon by the masses to be more publicly vocal regarding athletics. He won't do it. But he will demand excellence behind the scenes.
4. Dr. Foglesong will be visible and accessible.
5. The flyovers at football games will be much better aircraft than the T37s from Columbus.