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McCready: 10 Weekend Thoughts, presented by GameChanger Patch Co.

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Be forewarned. I am not sure I have 10 thoughts about sports as I sit down this Sunday morning to embark on this weekly endeavor.

I have thoughts about a lot of other things, but I highly doubt anyone wants to hear my feelings on Chinese balloons, politics, viruses and media. After a very busy January of recruiting and basketball, I enjoyed a couple of quiet days at the end of the week in an attempt to recharge my battery a bit. I spent an hour or so sitting alone at the corner of the bar at The Blind Pig. I highly recommend the Philly cheese steak sandwich and a Bell's Two-Hearted Ale while reading about the Cincinnati Bengals' offseason on a Friday afternoon. It was a rare outing for me, but it was relaxing.

My daughter, Caroline, came home for the weekend and I'm always a little sad when those weekends come to an end. I won't see her again until mid-March and I likely won't see her big sister until much later in the spring, maybe not until she graduates in May. On Saturday night, as we watched the Thunder blow out the Rockets, my youngest, Carson, wanted to talk about visiting colleges soon. It all made me feel old.

So, I'll try to stick to sports today and hope this exercise snaps me out of feeling a little melancholy today.

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Suntarine Perkins
Suntarine Perkins (Rivals.com)

1. The 2023 recruiting cycle is on pause -- at least officially.

National Signing Day, Part II, was this past Wednesday, and February is officially a dead period. Several coaching staffs around the country are taking two-week breaks, catching their breath after a period that included preseason camp, a season, transfer portal recruiting, National Signing Day Part I, bowl prep and more recruiting.

The tampering portal is officially -- or unofficially, I suppose, but you know what I mean -- wide open and will remain so until May 1, when the transfer portal window opens for some two weeks.

Ole Miss, to this point, has the No. 3 transfer portal class in the country, per Rivals.com. Still, I anticipate a decent amount of activity involving the Rebels in May. Ole Miss will have five weeks of spring practice starting next month and wrapping up in mid-April. Then, I suspect, the coaching staff will make some decisions regarding what the Rebels have and don't have as the 2023 season nears.

My guess is Ole Miss will be looking in the tampering portal for another edge rusher, likely another interior presence up front, another inside linebacker and another safety. I wouldn't be shocked if the Rebels looked to add another wide receiver as well.

As for high school recruiting, things will slow down for a few weeks, though no one will be surprised if a few early commits pop here in the coming days and weeks. Lots of offers are being extended, but in terms of visits and such, the next three weeks or so will be slow. Ole Miss, I'd guess based on experience, will start bringing prospects to campus for Saturday spring practices, culminating with the Grove Bowl. The calendar has sped up. The March-June recruiting cycle will likely see the backbone of Ole Miss' 2024 recruiting class take shape.

Lane Kiffin
Lane Kiffin (Josh McCoy)

2. If you're looking for specific numbers regarding how many transfer portal players Ole Miss will add in the second window, prepare to be disappointed.

A rather candid Lane Kiffin was asked that very question by yours truly on Wednesday. It was clearly something he had thought about quite a bit before he heard my question.

"I don't know," Kiffin said. "There's really no way to map out a plan anymore of exactly what you are going to do because there's just too many variables. You've got multiple windows of free agency, now the SEC to SEC window is closed but everything else isn't. You can easily say here's what we have, so here's what we need, but then you're going to lose some of your own again. So you don't really know that either.

"Like I said, you're going to have surprises since it's not just going to be what it used to be. You have your disgruntled players that weren't playing very much but were a highly recruited player, so we all know that they're going to go transfer. Then they started saying this from the beginning, but this is also going to go the other way and you're going to have really good players playing well and actually be happy where they're at, but they're going to get offered to go make more money.

"What they have now is the chance to opt into free agency, which why would anybody not do that to see what's out there, to make more money. That's what happens now, and a lot of people get to the parents and not just kids so you're trying to protect your own kids and talk to them about why they should stay but then all of a sudden these other schools get to a parent. This is a constant battle and I don't really know how to do the numbers part of it and say okay, after spring this is what we need. I think the analytics are starting to show that you're just going to lose more."

3. My friend and podcast partner, Tyler Siskey, had some really strong opinions about the transfer portal on our most recent edition of McCready & Siskey, powered by Reign Total Body Fuel.

I tried to link the video of the podcast, but it won't link, likely because Tyler's abuse of the King's English was extreme. So, put in some headphones, brace yourself for a few profanities and give it a listen.

Tyler believes there's one fix and one fix only. He believes college football must revert to its former transfer policies, meaning a player can transfer anywhere he wants, but no matter what (except for graduate transfers, of course), he must sit out a season before he's eligible to play again.

I agree with Tyler in principle, but I believe that genie is out of the bottle, has found an exciting life for herself and will never be lured back into the bottle again. Anyway, it's a fascinating thought, so if you're interested, check it out. The conversation is the second hour of Episode 53.

Ole Miss Rebels head coach Kermit Davis reacts after a call during the second half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Memorial Gymnasium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Ole Miss Rebels head coach Kermit Davis reacts after a call during the second half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Memorial Gymnasium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

4. Ole Miss lost at Vanderbilt, 74-71, on Saturday.

The Rebels are now 1-9 in the Southeastern Conference. They're 9-14 overall as they head to Georgia on Tuesday (6 p.m., SEC Network). I absolutely refuse to post a hot board until there's a vacancy, as I think it would be disrespectful to Ole Miss coach Kermit Davis.

However, at this point, I see no realistic scenario in which Davis is Ole Miss' coach next season, so to ignore that reality is not doing my job.

There is a lot of talk in coaching and agent circles about the Ole Miss job. How good is it? What is the NIL situation? Can you recruit there?

Somebody named "Juco All-American" wrote a piece for Red Cup Rebellion on Saturday asking Why is Kermit Davis still coaching at Ole Miss?" In the story, he/she wrote that recruiting has been "great."

No, no it hasn't. That's recruiting fan site spin. Every prospect who commits gets spun as awesome. I've watched it. Hell, I've probably unwittingly done it. It's what the consumer wants to read. It doesn't make it true. To act like Malique Ewin, TJ Caldwell and Amaree Abram were prospects coveted by multiple blue blood programs is disingenuous. Bruce Pearl only fought so hard to hang on to Daeshun Ruffin.

Yes, Davis shouldn't have let Jarkel Joiner and Luis Rodriguez walk. Fair points, but the transfer portal class that has been brought in the past couple of years has been ineffective.

Is it fair to question player development? Absolutely. Is it fair to wonder if Davis' coaching style just doesn't work with some players. Undoubtedly. But to pin the entire program's struggles on Davis is a surefire way to repeat the same cycle with the next guy.

As an aside, the question "Why are we continuing to embarrass ourselves by letting him coach out the year?" is ridiculous. There is nothing to gain by forcing Davis out before the end of the season. His team is playing hard for him. Several of the game plans in recent contests have been more than solid. The talent isn't there to win in this league. Period.

As the days wind on, it's becoming more and more obvious that Chris Beard's felony domestic violence charge might not be adjudicated in time for him to be hirable next month. Former LSU coach Will Wade could be facing a show cause from the NCAA. His case has yet to be ruled on, and until it is, he's not hirable either. It's worth noting that his hearing with the NCAA's IARP committed begins Monday in Dallas. A ruling could come by the Final Four. In the event he doesn't get a show cause, he becomes a fascinating potential target. He's an elite recruiter who, per sources, is highly motivated to return to coaching, especially in the SEC.

So that leads to the next level of coaches, guys like FAU's Dusty May, Utah State's Ryan Odom, College of Charleston's Pat Kelsey and Samford's Bucky McMillan, to name a few. Would those guys jump at Ole Miss? Would they be able to do what Davis couldn't do? Would they excite boosters and fans?

What's the financial situation? Can Ole Miss go above and beyond the $3 million mark? I'm guessing not. Would it be worth it to do that to go after Wake Forest's Steve Forbes, who got passed over when Ole Miss hired Davis?

That's the conversation worth having over the next few weeks. One would be naive to think Keith Carter isn't already having it. Ole Miss will play its final game of the season on March 8, in all likelihood. Even if the Rebels win that night, March 9 will likely mark the end. It'll end at some point that week in Nashville, and when it does, I suspect Carter and Davis will find some sort of soft landing for Davis.

Then Carter will be very much on the clock. He's a smart guy. He's known since early December this was likely. I expect he'll be prepared and have a strong sense of the job market and of the way the job he's trying to sell is valued.

Tennessee guard Zakai Zeigler (5) reacts at the end of an NCAA college basketball game between the Auburn Tigers and the Tennessee Volunteers in Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Saturday Feb. 4, 2023. Tennessee defeated Auburn 46-43.
Tennessee guard Zakai Zeigler (5) reacts at the end of an NCAA college basketball game between the Auburn Tigers and the Tennessee Volunteers in Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Saturday Feb. 4, 2023. Tennessee defeated Auburn 46-43.

5. It's time for my weekly ranking of the SEC basketball programs, complete with NET ratings in parentheses.

1. Tennessee (2) -- The Vols' defense gives them a chance to go very far in March.

2. Alabama (3) -- The Tide woke up a bit this past week. I want Brandon Miller on the Thunder so much.

3. Kentucky (31) -- Here come the Wildcats, just like you knew they eventually would.

4. Auburn (30) -- The Tigers very nearly pulled one off in Knoxville. Big guards slow down that offense, however. It's something to watch in March.

5. Arkansas (29) -- The Hogs nearly blew it at South Carolina, but with the win, they're back to .500 in the league. Will Nick Smith Jr. return?

6. Texas A&M (41) -- I remain so very impressed with the Aggies. Even this past week, in a loss at Arkansas, Buzz Williams' team showed great resilience.

7. Florida (43) -- A win over Tennessee and a close loss at Kentucky has the Gators back in the tournament picture. Colin Castleton has been terrific lately.

8. Mississippi State (46) -- The record isn't great, but the NET has the Bulldogs in the hunt in the final month of the season.

9. Missouri (48) -- Does Dennis Gates' team have enough juice to make a run? We're about to find out.

10. Vanderbilt (108) -- The Commodores are good enough to spoil someone's season down the stretch.

11. Georgia (127) -- Mike White's team has run out of gas.

12. Ole Miss (125) -- The Rebels just can't answer opponents' runs.

13. LSU (137) -- The Tigers had a valiant effort against Alabama.

14. South Carolina (276) -- Credit to the Gamecocks; they scared the hell out of Arkansas Saturday in Columbia.

5b. I know Ole Miss' games have been rendered meaningless at this point, but here are some SEC games to watch this week:

Tuesday:

Auburn at Texas A&M

Arkansas at Kentucky

Wednesday:

Florida at Alabama

Saturday:

Alabama at Auburn

Mississippi State at Arkansas

Missouri at Tennessee

6. LeBron James could become the NBA's scoring leader as early as Tuesday night in Los Angeles.

James needs 36 points against Oklahoma City to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the leagues all-time scoring title. The Lakers are home against Milwaukee on Thursday and at Golden State on Saturday. James is averaging 27.2 points per game.

It's an incredible accomplishment, one that will likely stand for years.

“We talked about it, that he had a chance, and he was like, ‘Oh whatever,’ ” James' former coach, Tyronn Lue, told NBA.com, chuckling. “Now look at his 20th year. He’s right here.”

"I certainly wasn’t paying attention to that 10 years ago," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who coached James in Miami, said. "I thought that would be untouchable. But I definitely didn’t think about the context or perspective of it. It’s really incredible that LeBron is going to be the all-time leading scorer and arguably the most skilled passer. I think he could play until he’s 50 and break both of them [the scoring and assists records]. I think it would be amazing if he could break (John) Stockton’s record. He could do that as long as he plays long enough."

Former Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) returns the ball against Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) in the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Former Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) returns the ball against Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) in the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

7. Speaking of the NBA, the trade deadline is Thursday, and all eyes were on Brooklyn and Kyrie Irving on Sunday.

The news broke Sunday afternoon that the Brooklyn Nets are sending Irving to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, an unprotected 2029 first-round pick and multiple future second-round picks.

As The Athletic's Zach Harper wrote Sunday, "Dallas has been desperate to find a secondary initiator/creator to put next to Dončić after Jalen Brunson bolted for New York this summer. While Dinwiddie has done an admirable job filling in and we’ve seen his 3-point shooting be pretty valuable, there isn’t a consistent dominant force like we saw from Brunson during last year’s run to the Western Conference finals. On the court, the question here is whether Irving can play next to Dončić stylistically.

"Both of these guys like the ball — and need the ball — in their hands. We’ve seen Irving play with a ball-dominant player in LeBron James when he was in Cleveland, and it had some obvious and impressive success, culminating with the 2016 championship. Dončić is a little more ball dominant, even though he racks up assist numbers. His usage rate is even higher, although he hasn’t had anybody of Irving’s caliber next to him to balance things out.

"To make this work, they’ll have to find some middle ground, and that’s mostly on Jason Kidd to figure out. There’s also a prior relationship between Mavs lead executive Nico Harrison, formerly of Nike, and Irving, also formerly of Nike. Does Irving want to play next to Dončić? Is he interested in deferring to him most of the time and trying to fit in? Is there a way to stagger the two enough to give Dončić some rest but also allow Irving to do his thing on the court?

"This is a team that has struggled defensively all season, while the offense has been in the top 10. Is the hope that Irving elevates the offense to the elite of the NBA and the defensive struggles just disappear? Finney-Smith was one of their few defensive-minded players, so you can expect that side of the floor to struggle even more. But maybe the scoring ability of these two all-time players makes it easier to figure out each night and in the playoffs. It’s a big risk to hope this thing meshes on the fly."

There are so many questions now. Can Kevin Durant be happy in Brooklyn? Does Irving's departure eliminate a distraction. Dinwiddie gives the Nets an accomplished point guard and Finney-Smith is a good defender, but can Durant carry the scoring load?

Irving is a free agent after the season? Will Mark Cuban give him a max deal and give Luka another star in Dallas?

Brooklyn is currently the No. 4 seed in the East, a conference that looks more and more like a three-team race among Boston, Milwaukee and Philadelphia as the weeks go on.

Dallas, meanwhile, is the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference, just 2 1/2 games out of third but just two games ahead of 12th-seeded Oklahoma City.

The Lakers, currently the 13th seed in the West, wanted Irving badly. They simply didn't have the ammunition to get a deal done. It's a major blow for their hopes. The Lakers are just four games out of fourth place in the West, so there's plenty of time to make a run behind James and Anthony Davis, but with just one-third of the season remaining, the margin for error is very thin.

Here's a look at some other players who could be moved between now and Thursday.

 Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) drops back to pass against the Dallas Cowboys in the second half during the wild card game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) drops back to pass against the Dallas Cowboys in the second half during the wild card game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

8. Looks like I'm going to get to the end sticking to sports. I'm proud of myself. Here are a few assorted sports thoughts bouncing around in my head:

-- Tom Brady announced his retirement Monday. As I write this, the NFL Network is doing a Super Bowl marathon, highlighting past championship games. Brady is everywhere. The guy played in 10 Super Bowls. Incredible.

-- The Super Bowl is Sunday. I'm not sure I've ever been more disinterested. I have Chiefs fatigue. If I watch, I'm for Philadelphia and former Ole Miss star AJ Brown. That said, there's a real chance Iron Chef America takes over my television.

-- I have gotten back into long-distance running recently. On Sunday, I took a break from 10 Thoughts and went to my gym. I ran 11 miles, which gave me a chance to not only watch most of Tottenham Hotspur's 1-0 win over Manchester City but also finish the Netflix documentary on The Redeem Team. I now want to go back and re-watch the gold medal game between Spain and the U.S. in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. I miss Kobe Bryant. He was amazing, and the desire to please and impress him for guys like James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Chris Bosh and others really comes through in the documentary.

-- Congratulations to Clinton High School. The Arrows wrapped up a second straight Class 6A state soccer title Saturday, beating Brandon, 2-1. The Arrows didn't lose all season, winning every game but one, which ended in a tie. Clinton beat my son's Oxford team twice, once in December, 1-0, and again in the second round of the state playoffs, 5-0, late last month. The Arrows were the best high school team I've ever seen. They were physical without being dirty. They communicated incredibly well. They were fast and relentless on offense and a brick wall on the back end. If there's a better high school soccer team anywhere, I hope Oxford never has to play it in the playoffs.

-- Congratulations to Lafayette High School for making the Class 5A state championship game. We know some of those guys from club play over the years and were hoping that they could win the whole thing on Saturday. Still, getting to the final is a major accomplishment. Congratulations to the Commodores for a strong season.

Burton Webb authors Taste of the Place each week for 10 Weekend Thoughts.
Burton Webb authors Taste of the Place each week for 10 Weekend Thoughts.

9. It’s time to eat. Here’s our resident Parisian chef, Burton Webb, with Taste of the Place, Lesson 172 — Beef Tartare.

So if you only know about that Geico commercial oh so long ago: “I’ll take the beef tartare but hold the tartare sauce,” it will show your age. Beef tartare is a weird thing, to be honest, but, in a good way. And yes, I have a modern version of this French classic.

Tidbit #1: You need to get your filet mignon from the butcher along with it being grass fed and no steroids. I don’t think I need to say why for this point.

Tidbit #2: For a perfect cube look, place the piece already cut in 2 in the freezer for 20 minutes to harden up. This will give you better cut lines.

Tidbit #3: You need to make the tartare that night/for lunch with the meat that you bought/received that day. Freshness matters not only for taste but also for cooler.

Tidbit #4: There will be truffle potato chips used in this recipe. If these aren’t available, use regular lays chips. It gives a slight crunch to the tartare that texture-wise is nice.

Things you will need:

6 people

Preparation time - 20 minutes

Glass of Malbec

Utensils needed:

Work surface and chef’s knife

Mixing bowl

Measuring cups

Digital scale

Ingredients needed:

350 g beef diced

100 g parmesan cheese

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp soy sauce

1tsp balsamic vinegar

1 pinch salt

Crumbled truffled potato chips

Mise en Plac

Step 1: Small cube the filet with the technique as described above. After, place the meat in a mixing bowl along with the cheese and oils. Mix using a spoon. Let it set for a few minutes.

Final

Step 2: Once you are ready to serve the tartare, crush up the potato chips very small and mix a little with the portion you want to serve. Place on your serving plate and enjoy!

From the Mississippian in Paris, Bon Appétit!

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts deplane after arriving at Goldwater Air National Guard Base. Mandatory Credit: Michael Chow-USA TODAY Sports
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts deplane after arriving at Goldwater Air National Guard Base. Mandatory Credit: Michael Chow-USA TODAY Sports

10. We'll have coverage of Ole Miss basketball, baseball and whatever else comes up this week on RebelGrove.com. Until then, here are some links of interest to me -- and hopefully, to you -- for your reading pleasure:

What Jalen Hurts has shown for years that sets him apart from his peers

Doug Williams Q&A: Why a Super Bowl with Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts is so meaningful

NFL sees rise in concussions during 2022 season

Former Chicago Bears WR Earl Bennett, now with a Ph.D., a role model for post-NFL success

Bears mailbag: NFL free-agency, salary-cap space edition

How a Joe Burrow extension will dictate Bengals' free agent returns

Howe: What I'm hearing about the top QBs in the NFL Draft, Panthers' new power dynamic

Adley Rutschman Is America's Catcher After Chugging Stout Beer As Young Orioles Crushed Brewskis

Mets’ pursuit of Shohei Ohtani could be derailed by threat of tax rise

MLB offseason grades for all 30 teams: Who got the highest (and lowest) marks?

MLB's 2023 schedule changes: Everything you need to know and what it means for your team

NL Central roundtable: Can the Brewers or Cubs catch the Cardinals?

Lauri Markkanen's long road to becoming an All-Star: 'I came in here ready to work'

Kevin Durant Wants Breanna Stewart to Sign With WNBA’s Liberty

Choosing the Premier League Team of the Season (so far): Haaland, Casemiro... Cresswell

Reynolds and McElhenney’s effect on Wrexham: ‘They’ve given us everything we lacked’

One Chinese Spy Balloon Goes By

Republicans’ 2024 Magical Thinking

Hunter Biden finally admits infamous laptop is his as he pleads for criminal probe

The press versus the president, part one

The Friday 'Sip: Week of Jan. 30th

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