By this time next week, a college football game _ Florida versus Miami _ will have been played.
Ole Miss' trip to Memphis will be less than a week away. Carson's first soccer tournament of the year will be in the books. Caroline's first pep rally performance of her junior year will be in the books. Sorority rush at the University of Arkansas will be over, and my liver likely will have earned a break.
Summer is over. Football season is here.
I was out of pocket from Wednesday through Friday, so I don't have a lot of material to work with this week. That won't be a problem next week, or the week after that, or the week after that or...
So bear with me here, this one time.
1. I get asked a lot about how the Rebels look in fall camp.
Here's the honest answer: I don't know. I watch them compete against air. I watch them stretch, do individual drills, do some special teams, etc.
I don't get to see other teams, so I have nothing to compare Ole Miss to. I'm as curious as you guys about Memphis on Aug. 31, about Arkansas on Sept. 7, and on and on.
Here's what I feel safe saying:
-- Matt Corral can really spin it and he looks comfortable in Rich Rodriguez's offense.
-- The running back depth appears to be impressive.
-- Elijah Moore is going to be a star in the Southeastern Conference if he remains healthy.
-- The offensive line will be the focal point of the early weeks. It can't afford to suffer injuries, but the Rebels' coaching staff is working diligently to force depth.
-- I think the defensive front-seven could be better than it was a year ago.
-- I like Ole Miss' inside linebackers but I worry about the depth at outside linebacker.
-- I'm not sure about the secondary, as I've not seen them go against a single receiver.
-- This team is going to be significantly better coached.
-- This team is relying on a lot of youth.
So, that's it. I'm fascinated to see what happens. The football gods could come down and tell me most anything and I'd buy it. We will start to get answers soon.
2. I was in Fayetteville for a little less than 48 hours last week, moving my daughter, Campbell, into her dorm room.
I had several conversations with Arkansas people during my brief stay, and when the subject of football came up, I heard the same thing over and over: "We'll find out what we are after the Ole Miss game."
Arkansas opens on Aug. 31 against Portland State in Fayetteville. I feel safe giving the Hogs a win there, but after that, there aren't many gimmes on the schedule.
Ole Miss has the Razorbacks circled as a must-win of sorts. The Hogs apparently are reciprocating the circling. If Arkansas is to go bowling, it likely must win in Oxford. Ole Miss can't afford to overlook Memphis, of course, but that Sept. 7 game in Oxford could go a long way towards boosting the season outlook for either Ole Miss or Arkansas.
3. Before Ole Miss can think too much about Arkansas, it has to focus on Memphis.
The Tigers held a scrimmage in Jackson, Tenn., on Saturday, and from reports, Memphis coach Mike Norvell came away pleased with quarterback Brady White and his starting defense.
It's becoming a sexy pick for some to put Memphis into the discussion of perhaps being the best Group of Five team in the country. CBS' Dennis Dodd recently wrote that "it's been easy to underestimate the Tigers with UCF dominating. Seven teams are favored in all their games this season. Memphis is one of them. Get past Ole Miss in the opener and a 12-0 season is possible."
I continue to wonder where that's coming from. Darrell Henderson is gone, and the Tigers are 8-8 in their last 16 games.
4. Ole Miss' Sammy Hunter, per sources, has completed his needed summer work and should be cleared soon to officially become a part of the Rebels' program.
Assuming that happens _ and there's no reason to believe it won't _ a very talented, extremely intriguing Ole Miss team will get even better. The Rebels have been pleased with the newcomers on campus, and Hunter is expected to play a fairly big role for Ole Miss this season, combining with Khadim Sy to give the Rebels a couple of athletic, long options in the front court.
Throw in the still-possible option of Shon Robinson reclassifying and arriving in Oxford sometime between now and the start of classes in a week and the Rebels could emerge as one of the more compelling stories in the SEC when hoops season rolls around in November.
5. Michigan Football: Rashan Gary turned down $300K to play for Wolverines.
My reaction: Hahahahahahaha.
Oh my God. Does anyone really believe Rashan Gary and/or his people turned down $300,000 to go to a school for free? Seriously?
No. Freaking. Way.
The whole system is corrupt. I get that. I accept it. It is what it is. However, I can't, not for the life of me, understand how a journalist, even one who is clearly a fan writing for fellow fans, could assert that a prospect turned down legitimate offers to play for a program for free.
6. I'll continue my preview of non-SEC leagues today with the Pac 12. Bet accordingly.
North Division
1. Oregon
2. Washington
3. Stanford
4. California
5. Washington State
6. Oregon State
South Division
1. Utah
2. USC
3. Arizona State
4. UCLA
5. Arizona
6. Colorado
7. The first edition of this season's Associated Press Top 25 will be released on Monday. I am not a voter, as it wouldn't be a possible for someone who is as fanatic as I am about the team I cover to possibly be objective about something as important as ranking college football teams.
If I had a ballot, my first one would look like this (and yes, I know there will be disparities between where I've picked teams to finish in their respective conferences and where I have them ranked here):
1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Georgia
4. Oklahoma
5. Ohio State
6. Utah
7. Texas
8. Oregon
9. Notre Dame
10. LSU
11. Florida
12. Washington
13. Texas A&M
14. Iowa
15. Penn State
16. Wisconsin
17. UCF
18. Auburn
19. Michigan State
20. Michigan
21. Stanford
22. Syracuse
23. Boise State
24. Northwestern
25. Iowa State
8. Next week, I'll make my much-anticipated Super Bowl predictions, complete with my picks for what the NFL playoffs will look like in January.
This week, I'll project postseason individual winners. In other words, I'm about to jinx the hell out of some people. I apologize in advance for ruining your favorite teams' seasons.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: David Montgomery, RB, Chicago
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Devin White, LB, Tampa Bay
NFC Coach of the Year: Doug Pederson, Philadelphia
AFC Coach of the Year: Freddie Kitchens, Cleveland
Defensive Player of the Year: Aaron Donald, DL, Los Angeles Rams
Offensive Player of the Year: Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City
9. On the way to Fayetteville Wednesday, I caught up on the Room 20 Podcast and then started In the Dark, Season 2. I'm on the ninth episode now, and I'm furious.
The podcast is the story of Curtis Flowers, who has been been tried six times for four murders in Winona, Miss., in 1996. Flowers has been convicted and sentenced to death four times (two trials ended in hung juries). On each occasion, including June 21, the conviction has been overturned because the district attorney had violated Curtis' constitutional rights by intentionally removing African-Americans from the jury.
Frankly, I don't think Flowers is guilty. More importantly, there's not enough evidence to send a man to prison -- and certainly not to his death.
Worse, I have virtually no doubt the district attorney, Doug Evans, has made the case personal. Worse, I have strong suspicions Evans has violated the constitution (or worse) in prosecuting the case. Even worse (there's a lot of worse here), there's no doubt Evans had intentionally struck blacks from jury pools strictly because of their race. That is, of course, illegal.
The podcast most certainly reminds us that for as much progress as our state has made on race relations, there are still dinosaurs who are able to slow (or completely eliminate) that progress.
10. We'll have coverage of Ole Miss football this week, starting with Monday's media opportunity following practice. Until then, here are some links of interest to me _ and hopefully to you _ for your reading pleasure:
Eli Manning is the Giants’ Jeter, Rivera, Messier and Ewing - New York Daily News
Inside Nagy 202: How the Bears are challenging Mitch Trubisky
Group text: Predicting SEC football for the 2019 season
‘Dude, what are you swinging at?’ Kris Bryant talks tunneling, guessing at the plate – The Athletic
Jomboy is obviously good for baseball, and the Yankees should lighten up - New York Daily News
Have a dominant pitch? Trevor Bauer will take that, thank you very much – The Athletic
One bad headline cost him his job at ESPN. The priesthood brought healing. - sportsbusinessdaily.com
Ex-Blackwater Contractor Sentenced to Life in Iraq Shootings | Military.com
Jeffrey Epstein Spent Time Alone With Young Woman In Prison's Attorney Room - forbes.com
Epstein had bizarre painting of Bill Clinton in dress, heels in townhouse
