Free Republic

The father said he had no specifics on a cause of death. The teen had talked with his parents about the book "Into the Wild" and told a friend he wanted to run away. Croom's SUV was found Wednesday in Riddle, a town of 1,200 people just off the state's main north-south thoroughfare, Interstate 5.

Croom said he fears his son may have been inspired by the 2007 film "Into the Wild." The movie was inspired by the real-life events of Christopher McCandless, a young hiker who sought isolation in the Alaskan wilderness. Authorities found Johnathan Croom's 2000 green Honda CR-V abandoned in Riddle, Ore., on Wednesday. The teen's wallet, photo ID, $200 cash and a book on outdoor survival tactics were left inside, leading police to believe he may not want to be found. Croom was due back last weekend before his classes began at Mesa Community College in Mesa, Ariz., on Aug. 19,

Jerious Norwood backed up his coach's big talk. Norwood scored four touchdowns in his final game at Mississippi State, leading the host Bulldogs to a 35-14 victory against rival Mississippi on Saturday in the Egg Bowl. His big performance came after coach Sylvester Croom spiced up the rivalry when he said ''we're going to beat their butt,'' then stuck by those strong words in the days before the game. Norwood rushed for 204 yards and three touchdowns on 34 carries, and caught a 5-yard scoring pass from Mike Henig in leading the worst offense in the Southeastern Conference to 409...

<p>STARKVILLE — Sylvester Croom knew what he was looking for after coaching so many years in the National Football League: a small town full of passion for the game, a place he could get to know the fans on a first-name basis, a situation where criticism from the faithful is a good thing because it comes from the heart.</p>