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1. With the signing period concluded and recruiting shifting — at least for the most part — to the 2023 signing class, there’s some time to dissect where college football is today.
Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) is, as Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin said Tuesday, an “issue.” A national college football source told me over the holidays that if NIL rules — or the lack thereof — remain as is, three programs are going to dominate the national landscape. Those programs, the source said, are Texas, Texas A&M and USC.
To some degree, we saw that come to fruition over the past week. Texas A&M wrapped up a recruiting class that was ranked as the best class in history. I mean, look, College Station is fine, it’s a prestigious institution and Kyle Field is nice, but let’s get real. The Aggies were 8-4 last season, losing to Arkansas, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and LSU before ducking out of the TaxSlayer Bowl because they didn’t have enough players to face Wake Forest.
I’m guessing NIL played a role. Hell, I’m guessing NIL played tens of millions of roles.
But to the larger point…
2. Some coaches believe NIL must be regulated by Congress or the NCAA or both. They want limits on NIL deals. In other words, they want a salary cap.
Obviously, the argument against those caps is easy to make. Coaches, many of who make millions of dollars each year, don’t have salary caps. Therefore, why should players, who are putting their health in jeopardy to win games for said coaches, have caps on their earning potential?
Both arguments make sense. Both are compelling. Both can be picked apart. For now, there are essentially no rules, as long as the paperwork is filed. And as long as that’s the case, college football is going to be a system of the haves versus the have nots, just with some changing identities for several programs.
3. Over the past week, we saw two people have the “racist” tag applied to them. In both occasions, there was no proof.
Podcaster Joe Rogan, who has a $100 million deal with Spotify, apologized Saturday after a video compilation surfaced that showed him using a racial slur in clips of episodes over a 12-year span.
The mea culpa came after Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter India.Arie posted the compilation on Instagram and announced that she was removing her music from Spotify's streaming service because of it.
In a video posted on his Instagram account, Rogan, who hosts a podcast called “The Joe Rogan Experience,” said his use of the N-word in the compilation Arie posted was the “most regretful and shameful thing that I’ve ever had to talk about publicly.” But he said the clips were “taken out of context."
"It’s not my word to use. I am well aware of that now, but for years I used it in that manner,” he said during the six-minute video on his Instagram account. “I never used it to be racist because I’m not racist.”
In her video, Arie said even if some of Rogan's conversations were taken out of context, “he shouldn't be uttering the word."
“Don't even say it under any context," she added.
Let’s get real here. There are videos of Joe Biden, when he was a U.S. senator from Delaware, saying the N-word, but Biden is given the benefit of the doubt due to the context of the word. I suspect Rogan, who has hosted guests who have been critical of some mainstream approaches to treating COViD-19, has been flying too close to the sun. His shows have contributed to skepticism regarding vaccines and masks and have likely been a source of frustration for authorities and mainstream media.
In a seemingly unrelated matter, Auburn coach Bryan Harsin is in limbo at this hour, not knowing whether he’ll have a job when he returns from his vacation in Mexico.
In the words of my friend and colleague, Jay G. Tate, at AuburnSports.com:
The most likely scenario plays out like Jeremy Pruitt's final day at Tennessee — press conference/release without him there, fired for cause, litigators hash it out during the next xx months. Pruitt's termination still is being bargained, though UT has remained firm in its stance that Pruitt is owed nothing. There are differences between Pruitt and Harsin, though, primarily that Harsin hasn't been accused of multiple Level I NCAA violations. Harsin's problems center around the way he runs the program, the way he recruits, the way he decides which recruits receive offers, player attrition, staff attrition. This is an indictment of him as an individual.
And that’s fine. But what’s not cool is people labeling Harsin — or trying to — without proof. That’s a dangerous word to throw around in today’s environment (or in any environment, for that matter). Harsin’s use of character as a tool in evaluation isn’t evidence of racism. When African-American players on his team came out in his defense, that should’ve at least slowed that charge down. Hopefully, it did.
Here’s the thing: If you don’t want to listen to Rogan, don’t. If Spotify wants to end its deal with Rogan and pay him what he’s owed, cool. He can go elsewhere That’s capitalism. If Auburn wants to move on without Harsin, it should. It can pay him the $18 million it owes him and cut ties.
However, trying to label either as racists as a way to excuse those firings is inexcusable.
4. Ole Miss lost point guard Daeshun Ruffin for the season Tuesday night when he tore his ACL in the second half of the Rebels’ win over LSU.
Without Ruffin, Ole Miss lost at Florida in overtime Saturday. Jarkel Joiner returned to the lineup Saturday after missing several weeks due to back surgery. Ole Miss coach Kermit Davis said Joiner’s return had nothing to do with Ruffin’s injury.
“We were looking so forward to getting him back with Daeshun,” Davis said. “That was his target date. We were sure hoping they would be on the floor at the same time and it just didn’t work out.”
Ruffin, Davis said, “makes offense easier.” Without him, the Rebels are going to struggle offensively in the back half of the Southeastern Conference season. The injury came at a time when Ole Miss was really beginning to play well and stack wins. Without him, with a thin roster and some players struggling to play well, the final several weeks could be frustrating.
5. It’s time for my weekly ranking of the SEC basketball programs as some vie for NCAA Tournament positioning:
1. Kentucky (4) — Right now, at this moment, the Wildcats are the best team in the league.
2. Auburn (7) -- The Tigers were fortunate to get out of Athens unscathed Saturday.
3. Tennessee (12) -- The Volunteers have a toughness about them that could make them a tough out in March.
4. Arkansas (37) -- At some point, you have to respect the wins.
5. Alabama (23) -- The NET is better than the look.
6. LSU (16) -- Speaking of, the Tigers are now 4-6 in the SEC.
7. Mississippi State (49) -- Why the Bulldogs don't rely more heavily on Iverson Molinar is beyond me.
8. Florida (44) -- The Gators escaped disaster Saturday versus Ole Miss.
9. Vanderbilt (82) -- The Commodores are more than capable of beating good teams.
10. Texas A&M (71) -- At 4-6 in the league, the Aggies are falling away from the bubble.
11. Ole Miss (103) -- The Rebels were close to putting it together before Ruffin's injury.
12. Missouri (138) -- It's all about Cuonzo Martin's job security now.
13. South Carolina (105) -- Frank Martin's job isn't safe either.
14. Georgia (205) -- John Calipari called Georgia a "top-3" SEC job. He wasn't doing Tom Crean any favors.
6. There are definitely some games to keep an eye on this week in the SEC.
Tuesday:
LSU at Tennessee — The Tigers have a great NET, sure, but they better start winning some games.
Auburn at Arkansas — The Razorbacks have won eight games in a row and will be primed for the top-ranked Tigers.
Wednesday:
Tennessee at Mississippi State — The Bulldogs really need Quad 1 wins now. Tennessee is very getable.
Saturday:
Arkansas at Alabama — The Tide looked flat against Kentucky. Was that the Wildcats’ prowess or a sign of something wrong in T-town?
Florida at Kentucky — The Gators really need a signature win. A victory in Lexington would go a long, long way to wrapping up a tournament bid.
Mississippi State at LSU — The Bulldogs couldn’t close the deal in Fayetteville. A road win at LSU would help the resume.
7. The start of the Ole Miss baseball season is now less than two weeks away. Mike Bianco and selected members of the Rebels team met with the media this past Friday to discuss how plans for the season, which opens Feb. 18 vs. Charleston Southern, is going.
8. Speaking of baseball, this should have been the week that pitchers and catchers report to Arizona and Florida for spring training.
It’s clear that’s not going to happen. Since the lockout began Dec. 2, there’s been very little progress made between owners and the Major League Baseball Players Association.
The owners will reportedly meet this week in Orlando to decide their next steps in negotiations, per MLB Network's Jon Heyman.
Per CBSSports.com:
Late last week, the owners submitted a request for assistance from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, an independent federal government organization. Such a request required the players to sign on before being considered, and the players declined.
The players' main point was the FMCS is there to help two sides negotiate, but that there isn't really an impasse yet because the owners haven't negotiated at all. The players came off their request for earlier free agency, but would still like to see more compensation for younger players, notably in pre-arbitration years -- well before they have a chance to hit free agency. Another big player request has been to incentivize teams to stop "tanking" and manipulating service time. Succinctly, they want every team to try to win every season and to promote players to the majors when they are ready to play in the majors instead of holding them back in the name of delaying free agency. The owners seem to not want to change anything.
I’m not going to be the guy who says the sport is dying or any of that. On the local level, in almost every market, it’s healthy. There are markets such as Montreal and Nashville eager to land a franchise.
However, baseball owners would be smart to consider the future. Young people are playing baseball in record numbers but they’re not as interested in MLB as they were just one generation ago.
Ask me how I know. When I was a kid, MLB was huge. We all knew the stars. We traded baseball cards, worshiped our idols, etc. The NFL was, at best, an equal to MLB.
A generation later, that’s changed. My son is 15. I asked him what kids talk about when they discuss sports. The answer should bother MLB executives. They talk about the NFL, NBA and college football. My son plays soccer, so he and his teammates discuss the English Premier League or other European leagues sometimes. They all have fantasy football teams — both NFL and college. Many have NBA fantasy teams. They don’t, he said, discuss Major League Baseball. And keep in mind this is a boy who grew up with a rabid Chicago Cubs fan as a dad, a dad who dragged him to baseball games all over the country.
As CBSSports.com's Matt Snyder said:
At this point, those of us wanting an agreement to happen will be hoping for the owners to offer some sort of concession, from the previous deal, by later this week and then hopefully it gets the proverbial ball rolling in negotiations.
In the very near term, the players should have a little bit of leverage. Spring training games have become relatively lucrative for the owners while the players' salaries are only for the regular season. Simply, losing spring training games hits the owners in the pocketbook but not the players.
Of course, as we creep closer to the regular season, that paradigm shifts. The owners collectively have exponentially deeper pockets and they both stand to lose money with regular season games lost.
Opening Day is scheduled for March 31. I’d argue owners and players stand to lose a lot more than money if the gates to stadiums are still locked on that day.
9. It’s time to eat. Here’s our resident Parisian chef, Burton Webb, with Taste of the Place, Lesson 121 — Maple-Pecan Crusted Salmon.
It’s simple and the taste factor is amazing. Not as popular as one might expect yet, it delivers on all fronts. Pair it with sautéed veggies or rice…and you’re golden.
Tidbit #1: I like to keep the skin on because you won’t sear the bottom part of the salmon making it tough. Some like the filet skinless, to each their own.
Tidbit #2: When you cook the salmon, you will first put it into a hot skillet, skin side down for 2 minutes. After, you will slide it into your oven to continue and finish the cooking process. About 8-10 minutes, depending on the size.
Tidbit #3: Just so you know, the pictures that you might see on the internet of the top crust being perfectly dark brown with the topping….the salmon is…extremely overcooked. There I said it.
Things you will need:
4 People
Preparation time - 10 Minutes
Cook time - 15 Minutes
A glass of Burgundy Chardonnay
Utensils needed:
Worksurface and chef’s knife
Measuring cups
Mixing bowl
Spoon
Saucepan
Stove
Fish Spatula
Ingredients needed:
4 Salmon fillets
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
2 cloves minced garlic
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
Roughly 1/3 cup maple syrup
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Mise en Plac
Step 1: Pre-heat your oven to 350°F. Then add your saucepan that is big enough for all 4 filets on medium heat on your stovetop.
Step 2: Add the ingredients to your mixing bowl and mix using your spoon until it resembles a paste consistency. You might need to add more maple syrup for this.
Step 3: Season the top of the salmon with salt and pepper and then spoon over the pecan mix. Gently push down to make an even layer on top using your hand.
Final
Step 4: Place the salmon skin side down in the pan with a drizzle of olive oil and cook for 2 minutes before placing them in the oven to finish the cook. Once you pull from the oven, let rest for 3 minutes before platting. Then serve it alongside herbed cream cheese, veggies, and you will be happy!
From the Mississippian in Paris, Bon Appétit!
10. We’ll have coverage of basketball, baseball and whatever else may come up this week on RebelGrove.com. Until then, here are some links of interest to me — and hopefully, to you — for your reading pleasure:
The incredible unretirement and return of Eric Weddle to the Rams - Sports Illustrated
Inside Lincoln Riley’s shocking move from Oklahoma to USC - Sports Illustrated
NFL draft: Nevada QB Carson Strong, Round 1? One big concern might stand in the way
How Bears GM Ryan Poles plans to use his O-line and Chiefs background to build the roster
Doug Glanville - Why I'm OK with Barry Bonds not being elected to the Hall of Fame
'I just never met anybody as interesting as Pat': Tales from Pat McAfee's Colts days
Sunday Notes: The Crime Dog’s Equal, Carlos Delgado Deserves Another Look
Anthony Harris takes fan to daddy-daughter dance after father's death
Remembering Daniel Pearl, 20 Years After His Killing
Jon Stewart sides with Joe Rogan as more artists leave Spotify: ‘This overreaction is a mistake’
Smoking gun documents tie Nancy Pelosi's son to a fraud and bribery scheme | Daily Mail Online
Harvard medical professor says it's time to move on from pandemic
Michelle Obama: Democrats' 2024 'break glass in case of emergency' candidate | TheHill
Adam Carolla: ‘If AOC was fat and in her 60s, would anyone listen?’
JFK assassination expert: Lone gunman theory is still ‘bulls--t’
Documents Reveal That Clarence Thomas Has Been in Contact With Ron DeSantis "On Various Things"
