BOISE, Idaho — Hello from cold, wet Boise, Idaho, home of the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
Allow me to tell you that while bowl games matter and making bowl games is an accomplishment, many of these early bowl games are nothing more than made-for-TV events.
I watched Oregon State beat the hell out of a disinterested Florida team in the SRS Distributions Las Vegas Bowl and then saw Eastern Michigan dispose of San Jose State in Boise.
In both cities, the games were afterthoughts. Hell, in Boise, most of the restrooms weren’t open in Albertson’s Stadium. That’s not a knock; they weren’t needed. My Uber driver on Tuesday had no idea a game was happening 30 minutes later.
They’re ESPN events, built for programming in the holiday season.
I will say this: The game in Las Vegas is going to become a major bowl soon. The city is too vibrant, the stadium is too incredible for that not to happen. It’s a matter of when and not if, in my opinion.
Florida didn't take many fans. Oregon State, however, did. My strong suspicion is Ole Miss would take a ton of people to Sin City to see the Rebels play in a bowl game. Down the road, I suspect, Vegas is going to be a college football postseason destination, not an afterthought.
1. Ole Miss didn’t have a lot of National Signing Day drama on Wednesday.
In fact, the Rebels hauled in the prospects they expected to sign fairly early in the morning. Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin addressed the media later in the morning.
My thoughts are pretty well-documented. It’s a good class, one that has several very likely impact players. Suntarine Perkins should get a fifth star soon, and I suspect we’ll all see why in the fall. He’s an elite linebacker, the kind of player who can disrupt any and all offenses.
Ole Miss was a little short at wide receiver in 2022. Ayden Williams is the type of receiver who could make a fast dent in those problems. There are some valid criticisms of recruiting in the Kiffin era. One is the Rebels have failed to sign a high school wide receiver who has made a real impact on the field. Williams should change that.
I’m very high on defensive lineman Jamarious Brown and offensive tackle Brycen Sanders. Expecting immediate impacts from either would be unfair, but both have extremely high ceilings.
The same likely applies to running back Kedrick Reescano. The four-star Texan isn’t in the five-star conversation because of a lack of home-run speed, and while I’m not diminishing that skill, that’s not a major detriment. Reescano has vision, toughness and is quick in the hole. In the modern running game, those skills are every bit as important as breakaway speed.
I like Braxton Myers. I like Jayvontay Conner. I could go on. It’s not a huge class at all, but it’s one that should be impactful. It’s one that fills some needs. People will obsess about rankings, and I get it, but I’m just not sure rankings are very applicable to programs like Ole Miss at this point.
Why not?
2. In short, the transfer portal. Judging Ole Miss’ “signing class” can’t be done for several more weeks — and maybe even several more months.
As one source told me Tuesday, Ole Miss is heavily involved in the portal and there are likely players playing in bowl games over the next 12 days or so who have yet to get in the portal but plan to. Kiffin said as much Wednesday.
Ole Miss appears to lead for several transfer portal players and are a desired destination for several others. Wednesday was a deadline day of sorts for the high school prospects. It was just Wednesday to guys in the transfer portal. I look for the portal news to pick up after this month ends. Realistically, players have until the end of January to choose Ole Miss, enroll in school for the spring semester and join the program.
My strong expectation is the portal will be very impactful for Ole Miss. Yes, it has to be, but my guess is it will be. I look for the Rebels to add multiple wide receivers, at least two offensive linemen, several defensive linemen, a couple of linebackers, at least one cornerback and at least one defensive back to join Chris Partridge’s scheme that relies heavily on versatile safeties.
If none or a lot of that doesn't happen, all of the angst is justified. Until then, however, it's premature. I've said for a while now -- and it just pisses people off and I need to just stop talking about it -- recruiting has changed. Sure, there's a little drama at the end, but not much. ESPN didn't even do a Signing Day show this year. The portal reliance, along with the much earlier cycle and NIL/pay-for-play, has eliminated a lot of the drama that some fans are simply addicted to. They long for the craziness of the final days of the cycle and the euphoria of NSD morning wins. There's still some of that, but the landscape has changed.
I'll stop saying it. It pisses people off. Just note Kiffin basically said Wednesday what I've been saying for months.
3. Of course, there’s a question to be asked about quarterbacks. Marcel Reed, who had been committed to Ole Miss since the spring, flipped to Texas A&M earlier this week. The Rebels did not replace him with another high school quarterback, making it two years in a row Ole Miss didn’t add a prep signal-caller to the program.
A source indicated Tuesday Ole Miss will look to the transfer portal for quarterback depth. Jaxson Dart will return as the starter in 2023, but Luke Altmyer is exiting via the portal. Kinkead Dent has been asked to return and might, but it’s noteworthy that Dent participated in senior day activities prior to the Egg Bowl on Thanksgiving.
Dart will be draft-eligible after next season, so should he elect to leave early, Ole Miss will certainly play at the top of the quarterback market in next year’s portal. The Rebels will also have to prioritize a high-school quarterback this time next year whether Dart leaves or returns for the 2024 season. The Rebels’ top target appears to be Little Rock, Ark., quarterback Walker White, and White is believed to be pretty enamored with the idea of playing for Kiffin as well. There will be tons of competition for White, and given the quarterback cycle timing, that competition will heat up fiercely this spring.
4. Ole Miss players will report to Houston on Christmas Day to begin on-site preparations for the TaxAct Texas Bowl on Dec. 28 versus Texas Tech.
Ole Miss wide receiver Jordan Watkins discussed the meeting with the Red Raiders and more earlier this week following one of the Rebels’ final Oxford practices of the season.
5. Ole Miss suffered a devastating loss in basketball Tuesday, losing to North Alabama. The loss dropped the Rebels to No. 77 in the college basketball NET ratings.
There are at least 20 games left, 19 against Southeastern Conference competition and one at Oklahoma State. Ole Miss is now 8-4, after losing to UCF and North Alabama in an eight-day span.
Realistically, to make the NCAA Tournament, Ole Miss needs to win 12 or 13 of those games. There have been no signs whatsoever that this team is capable of doing that. Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi State and Arkansas are all in the top 17 in the NET. Kentucky is No. 30. Florida, Auburn and Missouri are all ahead of the Rebels as well.
Ole Miss opens SEC play on Dec. 28 in Oxford versus Tennessee. Following the Vols, Ole Miss travels to Alabama and Mississippi State before entertaining Auburn on Jan. 10. Ole Miss gets a bit of a reprieve after that, getting a home date versus Georgia and a trip to South Carolina before a Jan. 21 date in Fayetteville versus Arkansas. Finding a path to a 3-4 start is critical. If Ole Miss can, perhaps there’s a ray of hope.
But if that doesn’t happen, it starts to look like a lost season before the spring semester even begins, and that, frankly, leads us to another conversation.
6. It’s easy to blame everything on the coach, and a conversation about Kermit Davis’ tenure is fair if this season falls far short of the NCAA Tournament.
However, it’s also fair to start asking about the commitment level of Ole Miss to men’s basketball in the NIL/pay-for-play era. Is there enough NIL/PFP money available in basketball recruiting and the basketball transfer portal to have a true chance in the SEC? How much of this is Davis’ fault? How much of it a lack of ability to recruit the type of players necessary to win in the SEC? How much is it a lack of recruiting resources to recruit those players?
Those are all fair questions, and if you’re Keith Carter and this season submerges into the proverbial abyss, he has to study them and come up with the answers.
Inside the basketball coaching world, the rumblings have already started. So whether the rumors and rumblings are legitimate or not, losses like Tuesday's to North Alabama are going to warm up the rumor mill.
There's no perfect way to cover this kind of thing, especially when a season could still be more than salvaged. Still, there will be debates about Davis and debates about who should replace Davis -- a young, up-and-coming coach or a veteran coach with Power-5 battle scars who can handle SEC expectations.
Regardless, my mind keeps going back to the same thing -- commitment to the sport in the current era.
7. Carlos Correa is a New York Met.
Crazy.
After originally agreeing to a 12-year, $350 million deal with the San Francisco Giants, Correa and the Mets agreed to a $315 million deal for the same timeframe.
From ESPN.com:
Correa was scheduled to be officially introduced by the Giants on Tuesday, but the team announced that morning that the news conference was postponed without providing a reason. The Associated Press subsequently reported that an undisclosed medical concern arose during Correa's physical examination, but sources throughout the industry who spoke to ESPN still believed the deal would be finalized.
Boras told the Post that there was a "difference of opinion" between Correa and the Giants over the results of the medical evaluation, and the Mets seized the opportunity to resume negotiations with the two-time All-Star, adding another superstar player in their aggressive pursuit of a championship.
Cohen told the Post that the agreement with Correa and Boras came together quickly because the Mets had initially fallen just short of a deal last week before Correa's pending deal with the Giants.
"We kind of picked up where we were before, and it just worked out," Cohen told the paper.
When a player and team agree to terms, they strike a deal on contract details: years, dollars, performance bonuses, opt-outs, no-trade clauses and other financial levers. A team sends a term sheet to a player, and the player signs it. But that agreed-upon contract is not official until a player passes a medical examination, which includes an MRI, blood work and other general health tests. While it's rare, teams do occasionally flag a player's medicals, which allows for two outcomes: a renegotiation of the deal or it being scrapped altogether. Here, the latter occurred.
The Mets, at least on paper, are now a juggernaut in a loaded division that includes Atlanta and Philadelphia. The Giants, meanwhile, are left to stare at a lost offseason heading into another division against National League West powerhouses Los Angeles and San Diego.
The Giants reportedly wanted to amend the deal with Correa to 12 years and $310 million, That was an error and Correa, who clearly had second thoughts, told the Mets to top it and he was theirs. The rest is history, setting up a pretty dramatic storyline when the 2023 season rolls around.
8. You’re getting a double dose of our resident Parisian chef, Burton Webb, today, as I accidentally lost his last Taste of the Place. So here’s TOTP, Lesson 165 — Foolproof Sticky Buns
Baking is a science yet, it is always easier when you know a few techniques. This will be a crowd-pleaser for the holiday season!
Tidbit #1: You will need a stand mixer to make the dough. We will let the dough set out at room temperature after prepared until it doubles in size. From here, we will place it in the fridge to “shock it” for 2 hours before rolling it out. It is easier that way to work with.
Tidbit #2: Doughs always need to be made the day ahead. This is absolutely essential.
Tidbit #3: When you spread the cinnamon butter on the rolled-out dough, it has to be at room temperature or it will cut the dough.
Tidbit #4: Cover the cinnamon rolls for the first 20 minutes with aluminum foil and then uncover for the final 10 minutes.
Tidbit #5: After making the roll of cinnamon rolls, cut what number of rolls you need to cook within the next few hours or days. For the rest, go ahead and slice them in equal portions, place them on a lined baking sheet, and then into the freezer. They freeze for up to 3 months. Of course, put them in a ziplock bag after frozen.
Things you will need:
6 People (x2)
Preparation time - 20 minutes
Resting time - 1.5 hours
Cooking time - 30 minutes
Glass of milk
Utensils needed:
Work surface and chef’s knife
Stand mixer with dough/paddle attachment
Measuring Cups and Digital scale
Saute Pan
Oven and stove top\
Metal spatula
Plastic film
Microwave
Ingredients needed:
Brioche -
615g All purpose flour
100 g white sugar
235g milk (warm)
1 Package active dry yeast
2 Whole eggs
2 Tsp vanilla extract
75 g butter (cold)
Filling -
2 Sticks butter (room temperature)
1 Cup white sugar
3 Tbsp cinnamon
Syrup -
3/4 Cup white sugar
1/3 Cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp butter cold
1/3 Cup water (warm)
Brioche
Step 1: Warm the milk with vanilla extract and add it to your mixer bowl along with the package of dry yeast. Let sit for 3 minutes. After, add the rest of the ingredients except the butter. Turn the mixer to medium-low for 4 minutes.
Step 2: Stop the mixer and add the butter. Turn the mixer to medium speed and mix for 5 minutes.
Step 2.1: Place plastic film on the bowl and let sit in a warm place until the volume has doubled in size. After, place it in the fridge.
Cinnamon butter
Step 3: Microwave half of your butter until melted, then add the other half. Whisk carefully until both are incorporated along with the cinnamon and sugar. Set to the side for later.
Syrup
Step 4: Place your non-stick saute pan on high heat. Add 1/2 of your sugar to the pan. Once it begins to turn dark, stir using your rubber spatula. Add the rest of the sugar at this point and cook until the same caramel color comes about.
Step 4.1: At this point, add the butter and 1/4 of the water. Stir. Continue to add 1/4 of the water until completed while stirring. Take from the heat and add in the chopped pecans. Stir.
Final
Step 5: Add your sauce to your baking dish of choice. Roll out the dough into a rectangle and then spread the room-temperature butter. Roll into a log. Cut into equal size pieces and place in the casserole dish. Let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes while the oven is pre-heating to 375°F.
Step 5.1: Bake for 25-30 minutes. Once out of the oven, let the pan sit for 5 minutes. After, being careful, place a plate on top and then turn over both at the same time *while over a sink in case there is any extra sauce that drips off. Enjoy!
9. And here’s Lesson 166 — Roasted Whole Fish.
Cooking fish can be very rewarding in not only the taste but also the presentation. Using the technique of roasting can ensure a 1 pot meal is just done in a different format. Also, you don’t have to go outside in the cold to accomplish it.
Tidbit #1: For your fish, you will need them to be de-scaled, internal organs removed, and the head kept on. The reason for this method is 3 fold:
Tidbit #1.1: The scales won’t be eaten but the fish skin will become crispy during the cooking process and it is an added plus for not just taste but also texture.
Tidbit #1.2: The insides give a bitter taste when eaten.
Tidbit #1.3: You can use the head and then also the bones to make a fish stock after the dinner or lunch that you’re serving. It is a good way to reuse fish.
Tidbit #2: For any vegetables/potatoes that you serve with it, they can be cooked in the same pan to absorb the juices of the fish during the roasting. For me, you will measure the size of the cut of the vegetables by the cooking time. Potatoes need to be about “thumb” size to cook in the same amount of time as the fish.
Things you will need:
4 people
Preparation time - 10 minutes
Cooking time - 40 minutes
A glass of Pinot Gris
Utensils needed:
Work surface and chef’s knife
Oven
Mixing bowl
Baking tray
Ingredients needed:
1 Whole Fish or 2
2 Whole lemons (sliced)
1 Bunch of fresh thyme
1 Head fennel (sliced)
4 Cloves garlic (smashed)
2 lbs red potatoes
Salt and pepper
Paprika
Olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
Mise en Plac
Step 1: Heat your oven to 400°F. While this is going on, toss your potatoes in some salt, pepper, paprika, and olive oil. Place in corners in the baking tray with the smashed garlic in the middle of them.
Step 1.2: Place a bed of lemon slices in the fish bottom followed by the fennel slices, and finally thyme.
Step 2: Drizzle olive oil over the fish and throw a little black pepper on as well. Any leftover vegetables, place against the body of the fish. Place your fish(s) into the oven and cook for 12 minutes. After, drop the temperature to 340°F and continue to cook for another 30 minutes.
Final
Step 3: Once the fish(s) have cooked, pull them from the oven at let them rest for 5 minutes before slicing. As you pull the fish, add the butter on top of the potatoes to melt to add another layer of flavor. Serve a side for each guest and enjoy!
From the Mississippian in Paris, Bon Appétit and Merry Christmas!
10. We’ll have coverage of Ole Miss football, basketball, transfer portal and whatever else comes up this week, though we’ll be taking a few days to celebrate Christmas. I’ll have my annual year-in-review 10 Thoughts on New Year’s Eve. Until then, here are some links for your reading interest/pleasure:
Merry Christmas to all of you.
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