As you know, this normally is published on Sunday evening. Given that last Sunday evening, Ole Miss was tied 1-1 in the Fayetteville Super Regional and given that this Sunday, I'll be in Fayetteville for my daughter's freshman orientation, I'm splitting the difference and publishing on a Wednesday.
1. Ole Miss’ baseball season ended Monday in Fayetteville with a 14-1 loss to Arkansas. The Hogs are going back to Omaha and Ole Miss’ season once again ends somewhere besides Nebraska.
Some say that fact alone represents abject failure. I disagree. That’s ludicrous. Ole Miss won 16 Southeastern Conference games, made the championship of the SEC Tournament and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, coming one win away from the College World Series.
That’s not failure.
But…
It’s not Omaha, and right or wrong, fair or unfair, reasonable or unreasonable, that’s the standard Mike Bianco’s program is being held to these days.
It’s just my opinion, but whatever angst there was after the weekend in northwest Arkansas is primarily due to the residual dissatisfaction that still haunts Black Monday 2018. That team should’ve gone to Omaha, should’ve competed for a national title and should’ve stopped the narrative about Bianco and the postseason. Those two losses to Tennessee Tech still linger over the Rebels’ program, in my opinion, and has led to some of the fan mindset surrounding the program.
Still, this was a season that could have ended much differently had the Rebels not salvaged it late. Bianco was on the hot seat in mid-May, but the Rebels rallied, won a home regional and got eight innings from their goal. It’s hard to call that anything but successful, even if it doesn’t quite feel like it.
2. That said, I expect a rebuilding year of sorts for the Rebels next year, and I do wonder what that means in the big picture. It will be Bianco’s 20th year in Oxford, and assuming the season ends somewhere other than Omaha, there will be many who argue the program is stale.
Again, is that fair? Is that reasonable? I don’t know. It’s not really my place to say. But I get it, and assuming there’s a chancellor in place by this time next year and assuming there’s a permanent athletics director in place as well, it’s a topic that will certainly be discussed.
Bianco has done a tremendous job at Ole Miss. There’s no denying that. However, his program is behind Mississippi State’s right now. It just is. It’s behind Arkansas. It’s behind LSU. And this year, Auburn made it to the College World Series. None of that really helps Bianco in the eyes of fans who can’t understand the postseason failures.
Again, it’s a brutal league, but Bianco created this monster, and it demands to be fed. And at some point, it’s going to have to be fed in June
3. Ole Miss wrapped up its football camp season Sunday, getting a flurry of verbal commitments during the camp and in the days immediately afterwards.
Ole Miss now has 14 public commitments (yes, I included that word intentionally) and is ranked No. 23 nationally.
There has been some concern on RebelGrove.com about the ranking or lack thereof of some of Ole Miss’ commitments. To that, I say this:
— This staff isn’t star-chasing. They have a plan and they’re sticking to it.
— This staff is re-stocking a roster. The NCAA sanctions and all of the uncertainty around the program over the past few years absolutely took a toll on the roster.
— Elite five-star-type players aren’t going to buy into Ole Miss until they see success and stability on the field. Rebuilds take time.
— Ole Miss is offering guys it is seeing in person. These aren’t desperate offers. This is Tyler Siskey’s evaluation plan being put into motion. They are looking for certain types of players at different positions and they’re searching for certain types of personalities and character as they try to return the program to prominence.
— Rivals doesn’t have a ton of evaluation in place in Mississippi. The Mississippi State site is basically non-existent and the person over Mississippi lives in Georgia. Make no mistake, Chad Simmons does a super job, but he’s one guy and it’s still mid-June; he hasn’t seen and/or evaluated everyone. Kentrel Bullock, for example, has elite skills and great film. Rivals will get a chance to evaluate him further. There are other examples. I’ll simply say I believe they’re putting together a really solid class, one that can provide a foundation for a rebuilding program.
4. I got a chance to spend some time around the program over the past couple of weeks, and there’s a different feeling in the air than there was this time a year ago or this time two years ago.
There’s real excitement about the freshman class. All 31 are in Oxford, and there’s a feeling there are impact players and building blocks in that group. Coaches are excited about Jerrion Ealy’s potential on offense, John Rhys Plumlee’s leadership and the overall look of several defensive signees.
Several people inside the program said Rich Rodriguez has put his stamp on the offense’s mentality this offseason. It has an edge already, and it’s just June. The defense has more playmakers, sources said, and they insist the defense is not only going to be more fundamentally sound but that it’s also going to be noticeably better.
All of that said, it’s going to be a young team. It’s going to be a green team, and it’s going to have to grow up quickly. The early portion of the schedule isn’t brutal, but it’s dangerous, and everyone inside the program knows Ole Miss needs something positive to happen early.
All in all, there’s a refreshing air around the program. The sanctions are in the rear-view mirror, there is momentum on the recruiting trail and an almost tangible excitement to get started.
5. I get asked all of the time, “How do you think the football team will do?”
So ok, it’s mid-June, and while I reserve the right to change these multiple times between now and Aug. 31, here are my game-by-game predictions, with some hedging included:
Aug. 31 at Memphis — Win (I’m not ready to buy into the Tigers just yet; Mizzou smoked them last fall).
Sept. 7 vs. Arkansas — Win (This is a much tougher assignment than Memphis, in my opinion)
Sept. 14 vs. Southeastern Louisiana — Win
Sept. 21 California — Win (Maybe I’m being overly optimistic here, but if I’m right on the first three, Vaught-Hemingway _ and the weather _ will work in the Rebels’ favor here.
Sept. 28 at Alabama — Loss
Oct. 5 vs. Vanderbilt — Win (I expect Vandy to take a big step backwards this fall)
Oct. 12 at Missouri — Loss (The Tigers are going to be sneaky good)
Oct. 19 Texas A&M — Loss (This could be a really fun game, but the Aggies are more talented)
Nov. 2 at Auburn — Loss
Nov. 9 vs. New Mexico State — Win
Nov. 16 vs. LSU — Loss
Nov. 28 at Mississippi State — Win (Call me crazy, but I think the Bulldogs are going to take a precipitous fall this season. RIP to my Twitter mentions).
6. Kevin Durant had surgery on his ruptured Achilles on Wednesday. A day before Game 6 of the NBA Finals between Durant’s Warriors and the Toronto Raptors, Durant’s injury is the talk of the league.
The Warriors can protest all they’d like, but it never should have happened. Durant very clearly had a lower calf injury a month ago, suffered in a playoff game against Houston, and one doesn’t need an advanced degree from ULM to know that jeopardized Durant’s Achilles when he rushed back _ or, more likely, was rushed back _ early to help Golden State go for the three-peat.
Durant will almost certainly miss another season of his prime. He missed almost all of the 2014-15 season with the Thunder with a foot injury.
He’ll be 32 when he plays again, and past history says he won’t be the same player. Dominique Wilkins played at an elite level after his Achilles injury. Rudy Gay, Wesley Matthews and others have been solid since Achilles tears but not the dominant offensive scorers they once were. Kobe Bryant was never the same.
Durant’s brand has been so damaged. Maybe he’s misunderstood. Maybe he’s just gotten bad advice. Maybe he just doesn’t know what he wants. But here we are, on the precipice of an offseason that was going to revolve around Durant and now, he hurt, off the radar and his future couldn’t be cloudier.
So many are so eager to take the blame away from the Warriors. I’m not. They got greedy, so desperate for another title that they jeopardized the future of one of the league’s best players. The gamble backfired. Frankly, I’m hoping it’s a move that haunts the Warriors for years to come.
In my mind, the decision was indefensible.
7. Game 6 is Thursday night in Oakland. If there’s a Game 7, it’ll be Sunday in Toronto.
All signs point towards a Raptors title, but take it from someone who, three years later, isn’t completely over what the Warriors did to Oklahoma City when the Thunder took a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference Finals.
Don’t count out Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Don’t count out Steve Kerr. He’s a brilliant coach. In short, don’t count out the Warriors. They’re not my favorite team, but they’re a proud champion, and Toronto will have to take the title. Golden State won’t, in my opinion, give it away.
Throw in the rampant speculation about Anthony Davis’ future or lack thereof in New Orleans, Zion Williamson’s impending arrival in the Crescent City, the unknown destinations of Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard and others and the NBA is poised for another dramatic late June/early July.
Chicago could trade Zach Lavine. Washington could trade Bradley Beal. There are multiple contenders who could circle 2019-20 and load up for a title. We’ll find out soon, and for those of us who love the NBA as much for the soap opera as we do basketball, it’s an exciting time.
8. We get a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Finals tonight.
I don’t care about the Boston Bruins or the St. Louis Blues. I’m not a huge hockey guy. However, I will be glued to this one tonight — just for the sheer drama of a Game 7 in the finals of a major professional sport.
Game 7s are gifts. I always cherish them, no matter who they involve. For those of us who love sports, they’re special.
As a little boy, I always pretended to play Game 7 for the Cubs or the Lakers or whoever. I’d pretend to take the jump shot to win Game 7. All of the guys who will lace up the skates in Boston tonight had the same daydreams, the same fantasies.
Tonight, those dreams come true. They’ll play a game they’ll never, ever forget.
9. Happy Father’s Day to every dad out there.
I’m not a big Hallmark holiday guy, so I’ve never been one to turn Father’s Day into some deal where my kids feel obligated to get me stuff -- unless it's another pair of Blue Delta Jeans.
However, I’ll use the occasion to thank my dad, Mike McCready, for all he’s done for me in my life — from the day I was born until today. I’ve never had to doubt if he would be there for me. Not everyone has that gift, for one reason or another. I try to never take that for granted.
I’ll spend my Father’s Day with my oldest, Campbell, as we drive to Fayetteville for orientation. We’re going to listen to Kim Goldman’s “Confronting O.J.” podcast on Wondery, We’ll stop at the Starbucks in Russellville and we’ll go to a nice dinner on Monday night before coming home Tuesday. I couldn’t ask for a better Father’s Day present.
I hope all of you _ and your dads _ have a great one as well.
10. It’s summer, so I’m not sure what exactly we’ll have on RebelGrove.com over the 11 days or so until 10 Weekend Thoughts is published again. However, here are some links of interest to me _ and hopefully, to you _ for your reading pleasure:
2019 NBA Draft: Knicks, Lakers and needs for all 30 teams | SI.com
Three big questions the day after Kevin Durant's Achilles injury
Sources: Pelicans open to multiteam Davis deal - espn.com
Cam Reddish is the 2019 NBA Draft’s best and biggest mystery - SBNation.com
Let the virtual brawls begin: Jonah Keri picks his early All-Star rosters – The Athletic
Stark: Jay Bruce’s Guide to Getting Traded – The Athletic
Kettle bells, HBO and Cracker Barrel: A day in the minors with Taylor Trammell – The Athletic
‘Blue Chips’ at 25: The inside story of Western University vs. Bob Knight’s Hoosiers – The Athletic
Opinion | The Coming G.O.P. Apocalypse - The New York Times
Five best-selling books to gift dad this Father's Day based on his tastes
