McCready: 10 Weekend Thoughts presented by Harry Alexander
Happy Father's Day.
As you know if you've read me for any length of time, I'm not a big Hallmark holiday guy. I also know that days like this one are difficult for many, likely including many of you, who have lost a father, so I won't wax and wane much when I touch on Father's Day later in this piece.
Also, there won't be a 10 Weekend Thoughts next week. I'll be traveling this weekend and I've got to turn around and get to Atlanta late next Monday for the annual Rivals.com convention/5-Star Challenge. I'm then taking Campbell on another college visit, etc. You know the drill. It's summer. Enjoy the break; it'll be another school year before you know it.
Anyway, onto 10 Thoughts...
1. This is that spot where I could B.S. you with some really forced football content. You know the drill. I could count down the top 40 players on Ole Miss' roster over the next 40 days or something like that. I'm not criticizing those who do it, either. It's summertime, and football is 2 1/2 months away. There's nothing to make it come quicker.
I can summarize the following each week: Ole Miss needs Jordan Ta'amu to be excellent and stay healthy. It needs someone to emerge at running back. It needs a pass rushing presence or two to emerge. Goodness knows it needs linebackers. It needs to beat Texas Tech in the opener for momentum's sake. That's it. Rinse. Repeat.
Instead, I commissioned (read: begged) Russell Johnson for a recruiting recap of sorts. He obliged. So, here's Russell:
As the calendar creeps towards the dead period, and the camp season fades into the distance, Ole Miss currently holds commitments from 13 in the class of 2019. That number will change, for better or worse, in the coming weeks.
The class of 2019 in Mississippi has been talked about as the greatest class of all time, and with that comes unrealistic expectations from both in-state programs to dominate the other and "build a fence" around the state. Currently, of the top 20 players in Mississippi that are currently committed to a school (11, according to Rivals.com) five are committed to out of state schools.
They are Brandon Turnage (Alabama), Zach Edwards (LSU), Jamond Gordon (Auburn), KJ Jefferson (Arkansas) and John Rhys Plumlee (UGA). Of those five, while you can argue who may or may not have been an Ole Miss target, that is an alarming start for what is truly a make-or-break class.
Nathan Pickering continues to visit other schools, and appears destined to leave the state as well. Nakobe Dean just wrapped up an official visit at Alabama, and is rumored to be close to finalizing a return visit to Auburn. He also has been to UGA twice in the last two weeks. Who will Ole Miss look to gain commitments from between now and the end of the summer?
It begins with the WR position, where both Dannis Jackson and Jonathan Mingo are expected to be close to a final decision. Ole Miss is the projected destination for both of them currently. There's a (very) slim chance that Ole Miss takes two quarterbacks in this class. They'll need to take two, maybe three running backs, depending on how much faith they are willing to put in Jerrion Ealy, who will surely be a first-round pick in next year's draft. After not taking a tight end in last year's class, they will need to take at least one this year. On the offensive line, depending on how many WR they take (4-6) they will take either five or six, and are hopeful to find another plug-and-play tackle similar to Greg Little and Laremy Tunsil.
Defensively, linebacker continues to be of the utmost importance. Eric Jeffries is the new in-state name to know there, as he continues to gain offers and exposure. Ole Miss was his first offer and is his leader currently. Ole Miss hosted two west coast targets at the position during the camp cycle, and while one of them committed elsewhere following the visit, both Ah You and Heimuli remain high on the board.
Oh, yeah, that Nakobe Dean fellow remains on the board, too. Signing (or failing to sign) him in this class could determine the success (or failure) of the Matt Luke era.
2. Ole Miss' basketball program has also been super busy recruiting for future classes. Ole Miss recently offered 2020 guard Gerald Doakes, a four-star prospect from Jacksonville, Arkansas.
Rivals.com caught up with Doakes at a recent NBPA Camp and talked to him about the Rebels. Doakes received offers from Illinois and Ole Miss last week. As for the Rebels, Doakes said the offer was a pleasant surprise. Ole Miss assistant Levi Watkins told Doakes Ole Miss wanted to get him on campus soon and wanted to try to steal him out of the Natural State.
Arkansas has also been involved, Doakes said, but Doakes said he doesn't feel any pressure to stay in-state. Florida, Texas A&M, TCU and Southern Miss are also showing strong interest.
Doakes said he has visited Oklahoma State already, has a visit planned to Florida and plans to check out Illinois and Ole Miss as soon as he can. The 6-foot-1, 155-pounder has tournaments in Atlanta and Las Vegas scheduled next month.
3. The above tweet is why I don't watch golf.
I know it's a great game. I know it's incredibly difficult. I know there's a value to being able to play as an adult. Deals are cut on the golf course. Friendships are developed on the golf course.
I don't play. I don't own clubs. If I'm honest, I wish I had picked up the game when I was younger. I'm going to strongly encourage my son to play whether he enjoys it or not for all of the reasons listed above.
Further, I completely understand how amazingly talented professional golfers are. They're amazing. That said, all of the over-the-top hyperbole regarding Phil Mickelson's hitting a moving ball on the 13th hole Saturday at the U.S. Open was just ridiculous. Mickelson was obviously goofing around, basically waving the proverbial white flag on the tournament.
All the stuffy, indignant reactions to Mickelson's actions turn me off, if I'm being honest. Judging by social media, I'm not alone. At least in my eyes, Mickelson wasn't cheating. He knew he was going to be penalized. He was having fun.
Of course, golf is very serious. Fun, apparently, is not allowed.
ETA: Mickelson got the last (and only?) laugh on Sunday when he "conquered" the same hole.
4. The Summer of LeBron is almost underway, and, as expected, he holds all the keys.
Well, most of them, anyway.
San Antonio's Kawhi Leonard wants out, preferably to go to Los Angeles to play for the Lakers. The Lakers are prepared to court James as well, and could have the financial flexibility to trade for Leonard, sign James and still sign Paul George or Chris Paul.
Of course, San Antonio doesn't have to trade Leonard, and there's no reason to believe the Spurs are in any hurry to give up an elite, two-way talent all while clearing the way for a conference rival to revamp its hideous roster overnight. San Antonio will try to keep Leonard, but if it can't, it'll listen to teams such as Boston and Philadelphia before even considering absorbing Luol Deng's deadweight contract from the Lakers.
Cleveland, meanwhile, is going to try to convince James to stay in northeast Ohio. To do so, the Cavaliers have to revamp their roster, a process thought could begin on Thursday night.
5. Speaking of, the NBA draft is Thursday.
Here's my first-round mock, which is sure to be blown straight to hell with trades and such:
1. Phoenix -- Deandre Ayton, C, Arizona
2. Sacramento -- Marvin Bagley III, F, Duke
3. Atlanta -- jaren Jackson Jr., F, Michigan State
4. Memphis -- Luka Doncic, G, Spain
5. Dallas -- Trae Young, G, Oklahoma
6. Orlando -- Mikal Bridges, G, Villanova
7. Chicago -- Michael Porter Jr., F, Missouri
8. Cleveland -- Wendell Carter, F, Duke
9. New York -- Lonnie Walker, G, Miami
10. Philadelphia -- Collin Sexton, G, Alabama
11. Charlotte -- Mohamed Bamba, C, Texas
12. L.A. Clippers -- Miles Bridges, F, Michigan State
13. L.A. Clippers -- Kevin Knox, F, Kentucky
14. Denver -- Zhaire Smith, G, Texas Tech
16. Phoenix -- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G, Kentucky
17. Milwaukee -- Robert Williams, F, Texas A&M
18. San Antonio -- Dzanan Musa, F, Bosnia and Herzegovina
19. Atlanta -- Jerome Robinson, F, Boston College
20. Minnesota -- Aaron Holiday, G, UCLA
21. Utah -- Elie Okobo, G, France
22. Chicago -- Kevin Huerter, G, Maryland
23. Indiana -- Keita Bates-Diop, F, Ohio State
24. Portland -- Jacob Evans, F, Cincinnati
25. L.A. Lakers -- De'Anthony Melton, G, USC
26. Philadelphia -- Donte DiVincenzo, G, Villanova
27. Boston -- Grayson Allen, G, Duke
28. Golden State -- Josh Okogie, G, Georgia Tech
29. Brooklyn -- Chandler Hutchinson, F, Boise State
30. Atlanta -- Khyri Thomas, G, Creighton
6. We're not even to the midpoint yet, but a handful of races are shaping up that could provide quite a bit of late-summer/early-fall drama in Major League Baseball.
I'll start in the American League East, where Boston and New York are engaged in dramatic battle that could shape everything that happens in the game -- both at the trade deadline and in October. Entering play Sunday, the Yankees led the Red Sox by a mere one-half game. Cleveland held a three-game lead over Detroit in the American League Central and defending champion Houston led Seattle by a mere one-half game in the American League West.
The Yankees, Red Sox, Astros and Mariners are all at least 21 games over .500, meaning the A.L. Wildcard game is going to be a doozy. None of those teams want to participate in that one-game, winner-take-all contest, so they'll likely mortgage some of their futures to avoid it.
In the National League, Atlanta entered play Sunday with a 3 1/2-game lead over Washington, begging the question: Should the Braves trade young players now to add another bat to their lineup? More specifically, should Atlanta give up young players for a half-year of Manny Machado? In the Central, Milwaukee entered play Sunday with a one-half game lead over Chicago. In the West, Los Angeles is closing strong on Arizona after a horrible start to the season. The Dodgers trail the Diamondbacks by just 1 1/2 games entering play Sunday.
If the season had ended Sunday morning, the Cubs would have hosted the wild card game against Washington. Six teams _ Los Angeles, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Colorado and San Francisco _ were within 4 1/2 games of the Nationals as of Sunday morning.
In other words, there might not be many sellers at the deadline, which is good news for teams who have premium players on the market. If you're the Mets, for example, now's the time to trade Jacob deGrom. If you're Tampa Bay, there's never been a better time to put Chris Archer on the market.
7. It's been 24 years since one of the most iconic and memorable nights of my life.
Yep, 24 years ago, O.J. Simpson made a run for it with Al Cowlings behind the wheel of a white Bronco, mesmerizing Americans and glueing us to our televisions.
I've told this story before, but it's worth repeating, I think. I was bartending at Cuco's in Monroe. Friday was my heavy work day, as I didn't have class and my assistantship at what is now ULM didn't require me on that day. Instead, I opened at Cuco's, meaning I showed up around 8 a.m. to prep for the day, worked an 11 a.m.-4 p.m. shift behind the bar, restocked the bar for the evening bartenders and then was on call to help that night if the bar got busy.
On that Friday, I never clocked out. Around 3:50 p.m CDT, Los Angeles police announced Simpson was a fugitive from justice, the suspect in the murder of his ex-wife and a waiter, Ronald Goldman. Two hours or so later, Robert Kardashian read O.J. Simpson's letter, one we all assumed to be a suicide note, on television.
Almost an hour later, Simpson made a 911 call from the Ford Bronco. When that was reported, I knew what was coming.
As the evening progressed and the drinks flowed, people piled into Cuco's to gather around screens to watch for developments.
Los Angeles police slowly followed Cowlings and Simpson, and those images were on virtually every television in America, including the ones at Cuco's. That night, the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets met in the NBA Finals, and we had customers who demanded that the televisions be put on the basketball game.
The following isn't politically correct, but it's fact. The majority of the people who wanted the screens put on the NBA Finals were African-American. The majority of the people who wanted to watch the Simpson chase, one most assumed would end in his suicide, were caucasian. The two groups weren't happy with one another, and our compromise _ to turn some of the TVs to the game and leave the other TVs on CNN _ did nothing to soothe tempers.
When NBC, which had the NBA Finals that season, cut away from Rockets-Knicks to Simpson coverage, I thought the bar was about to be up for grabs. Things ended peacefully, both in Brentwood and in Monroe. Simpson surrendered at his home and was taken under arrest.
I've often wondered what would have happened that night if Simpson, an absolute icon at the time, had shot himself. What would have happened in that bar? What would have happened all over the country? I saw a racial divide that night, one that was undeniable and so very sad.
Twenty-four years later, Simpson is a free man, albeit a pathetic figure, and we're still working on race relations as a country.
8. Again, Happy Father's Day.
I'm blessed to have my dad, Mike McCready, very much a part of my life. If he was guilty of anything as a dad, it was loving my brothers and me too much. He's always been there for us. It's as simple as that.
I'm also very blessed to be the dad of three wonderful young people. They're not kids anymore. That reality sets in a little more every day. Campbell will be a senior at Oxford High School in the fall, and the reality of her leaving soon for college is bittersweet. It's still difficult for me to completely process the little girl with the bow in her hair who once watched Dora the Explorer and The Wiggles is now just a year away from leaving the house.
Caroline will be a sophomore. She spent the weekend at Ole Miss participating in a Rebelettes camp. That's her goal -- to be part of a college dance squad, and goodness knows she puts in the work. I've learned that's the toughest part of fatherhood. You can't make their dreams come true. You can merely encourage and support, celebrate achievements and be there for failures.
I picked up Carson from soccer camp in Gray, Tennessee, on Thursday night after dropping him off on Sunday morning. He's 11, and he was one of the younger boys at the camp, one that had three workouts during the day and games at night. I could tell by his texts and calls that he was tired and ready to come home by the end of the camp. I got to Johnson City late Thursday afternoon, checked into the hotel, went to the camp to throw his stuff in the truck and then found the stadium where they were playing their final night of games.
I'm not sure who was happier to see who, but it was great to get my hands on him again. We got back to the hotel after his games and he enjoyed his first hot shower of the week. He enjoyed a late-night burger and fell asleep seconds after putting his head on the pillow. He sat in the back on the way home Friday, watching movies on his phone while I listened to assorted podcasts. It was a much more pleasant drive than the exact same one I'd done just five days earlier.
9. It's Jonathan Howard's first Father's Day as a dad, but he still took the time out of his day to bring us the drink of the week. You won't meet many better guys than Jonathan. I appreciate his taking time each week to provide this service. Here's Jonathan:
Happy Fathers Day to all the Dads out there! Today is a day for quiet, good drinks and cigars. And to celebrate, here is something we don’t often get but often deserve -- The Last Word.
The Last Word was first introduced in Ted Saucier's classic cocktail book Bottoms Up! in 1951. In the book, Saucier attributes the drink to barman Frank Fogarty of the Detroit Athletic Club, who was serving the drink there 30 years earlier before introducing it to New York as well.
John Frizell later researched the archives of the DAA and found the drink was actually a pre-prohibition libation and was the most expensive cocktail on their menu at 35 cents a serving. The drink is a rather potent, herbaceous and refreshing gin cocktail.
For the gin, I would use a London Dry, Beefater or Tanqueray specifically, as the other ingredients are rather complex in flavor so the dryer and simpler the flavor profile of the gin, the better. A couple of the ingredients might be a bit strange to find in a neighborhood liquor store but are easily available online.
Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur is distilled from ripe marasca cherries, their crushed pits, sprigs and leaves, honey, and other ingredients that remain a secret. It is the only known European liqueur that is developed through distillation. Green Chartreuse is a 110 proof liqueur made from 127 alpine herbs by three Parisian monks. Each monk knows only one third of the recipe, therefore making it impossible to replicate.
The Last Word
3/4 oz. London Dry Gin
3/4 oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
3/4 oz. Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
3/4 oz. Green Chartreuse
Directions: Add all of the ingredients to a cocktail shaker tin, add ice to tin and shake HARD for 12 seconds. Strain the cocktail through a tea strainer into a preferably chilled cocktail glass.
NEXT LEVEL TIP: Place your cocktail glass in the freezer for 10 minutes before use. You will notice your drink will stay remarkably colder longer.
10. We'll have some recruiting coverage this week, and we'll also be around to handle anything that breaks (again, it's summer; SEC Media Days begin July 16). Until then, here are some links of interest to me _ and hopefully, to you _ for your reading pleasure:
Oral History: Neifi saves the season
Path to fatherhood emotional for Allen
Biggest NBA free-agency, trade and draft decisions for every team
Olney: Billy Hamilton could be a real weapon on the right team
Major League Baseball Sees a Sharp Drop in Attendance
Why one former MLB player's dad is looking for his son's baseball cards
The Royals' pen pal is a 74-year-old Navy vet who wants to fix Danny Duffy's follow-through
10 Degrees: The Mensa member's idea that can solve almost all of baseball's problems
Stark: How MLB expansion could lead to realignment, a new playoff format, a universal DH and more
Yankees’ trade deadline could include relief war with Astros
Six potential trade destinations for Kawhi Leonard
Can the relationship between Kawhi Leonard and the Spurs be repaired?
There's Never a Bad Time With Deandre Ayton
Courting the King: How every team can pitch LeBron
Kevin Durant stands apart among all-time greats
How Draymond Green sacrificed to build the Warriors' dynasty
Scientists Say They Can Recreate Living Dinosaurs Within the Next 5 Years
Gene Chizik reflects on joys and lessons of fatherhood one year after leaving football