McCready: 10 Weekend Thoughts presented by Harry Alexander
1. I wrote it and said it so many times over the fall that even I got sick of myself saying it.
The 2018 season didn't matter much, not if you looked at the big picture. The offseason, however, was absolutely critical. Having a strong offseason was paramount to Matt Luke winning back the public confidence and giving himself an actual opportunity to be Ole Miss' long-term head football coach.
Honestly, I don't think that's a hyperbolic statement.
So here we are, some 24 days or so since the end of the Egg Bowl, and I'm pretty impressed by what Luke is doing and how he's doing it. He's been patient. He hasn't bowed to public pressure. He hasn't made excuses. He's worked hard. If there's panic inside the Manning Center, Luke and Co. have done a strong job of hiding it.
Luke had two candidates for defensive coordinator and he landed one. He was patient with Phil Longo, and that patience paid off when Longo landed the same gig at North Carolina. Amid pressure to make major staff changes, Luke has stayed the course, believing that was the right path to a successful early signing period.
There's plenty left to do, including hiring the right offensive coordinator and finishing some recruiting battles. The offseason is far from complete. There are staff changes that still must be made. However, through three-plus weeks, Luke has acquitted himself nicely in the first true must-win "game" of his Ole Miss tenure.
2. It's conceivable that Ole Miss will have an offensive coordinator in place by the end of this week.
I don't foresee anything happening before Wednesday's signing period, but if you told me there was a hire made in the days immediately following the signing of national letters-of-intent, I'd buy it.
As we reported (well, sort of reported) Sunday morning, look for Luke and Ole Miss athletics director Ross Bjork to interview 2-3 candidates fairly soon. Los Angeles Rams offensive assistant/analyst Jeff Fisch and Tulane offensive coordinator Will Hall appear to be leading candidates, though I'm not sure of the extent of Fisch's interest in the job. Colorado quarterbacks coach Kurt Roper is a candidate for the post, but the public backlash to Roper's candidacy was real and was noticed by Ole Miss officials. Selling tickets is important, and Luke would lose capital by hiring Roper. Maybe that's not fair, but it doesn't change the reality of the situation.
My personal belief, based on several sources, is if there's a leader in the race for the offensive coordinator job, it's Hall.
However, there's a real chance there are other candidates besides the ones we've just listed. Luke has done a good job of keeping details private. He does know he's got to nail this. He knows this offseason is critical for the way he is perceived and for the direction of his program. He wants to hire someone he's comfortable with, both in terms of scheme and personality.
Again, at least in my opinion, a lot of signs point towards Hall. We'll see.
3. The early signing period is Wednesday through Friday, though the overwhelming majority of early enrollees will sign Wednesday. I asked RebelGrove.com/Rivals.com recruiting reporter/analyst Russell Johnson to preview the final days before recruits can put pen to paper. Here's Russell:
Quiet time is here, but Wednesday has the potential to be rather loud, one way or another. Until midnight tonight, visitors are allowed on campus, but the coaches cannot go in-home and cannot leave the Ole Miss campus to recruit. With that being said, there are still several storylines to play out over the next 50 hours, give or take. Let’s take a look at the best- and worst-case scenarios before briefly going over the storylines.
BEST CASE
Nick Broeker sticks, spurns Ohio State
Grant Tisdale chooses to sign
Jonathan Mingo decides that there’s no reason to wait, signs
Drummond commits, signs
Charles Cross flips
Nakobe Dean commits, signs
Brandon Turnage flips from Alabama
WORST CASE
Nick Broeker flips to Ohio State
Tisdale flips to Houston or some other school
Drummond commits
Cross sticks with MSU
Dean commits to UGA
Hall commits to MSU
Brandon Turnage sticks with Alabama
Now, for the storylines:
What will Nick Broeker do? This seems like simply a continuation of last week’s spot on Broeker, although now he has completed his official visits, and the in-homes are now over as well. Broeker remains fully committed to Ole Miss at this time, but he wants to talk with his dad one more time when he gets back into town on Tuesday night before signing on Wednesday.
Ohio State expects him to stick with Ole Miss, and it seems like Ole Miss locked him down during the in-home, but stranger things have happened. The Buckeyes chose not to move onto a back-up plan in terms of a December signee, so for them it will be Broeker or bust.
Will Tisdale remain in the class? Following the departure of OC Phil Longo to UNC this week, Grant Tisdale has been left in quite a precarious situation with just days to go until signing day. Tisdale saw his senior season come to an end on Saturday night in a heartbreaking loss to Duncanville at AT&T Stadium in the state semifinal. Being that he is an early enrollee, he can wait until Friday to sign if he chooses, but I currently don’t see that happening.
Where will Ole Miss sit in the team rankings on Wednesday night? Assuming no one re-opens their recruitment between now and Wednesday, Ole Miss currently has 27 commitments and currently has the No. 20-ranked recruiting class.
In the best-case scenario mentioned above, I would say that class would climb into the top 15, if not hovering around the top 10.
Worst case? That class would be somewhere around No. 25.
The likelihood? Somewhere in between the two.
Matt Luke is on the clock, and closing time has arrived.
4. Ole Miss improved to 8-2 following a 90-70 win over Chattanooga Sunday at The Pavilion at Ole Miss.
Ole Miss has just two games remaining before it begins Southeastern Conference play. The Rebels play Middle Tennessee on Friday in Nashville and then entertain Florida-Gulf Coast on Dec. 29 before starting SEC action on Jan. 5 at Vanderbilt.
The Rebels are interesting. Their guard play, when Terence Davis is dialed in, is really good, good enough to beat good teams. Their post play, however, is vulnerable enough, especially if Davis' play is sporadic, to be a major Achilles heal.
Bruce Stevens can be very good, especially on the offensive end. Dominik Olejniczak, while not the impact player he was recruited to be, can be a factor at the rim on the defensive end. KJ Buffen has had some moments of impact off the bench. Devontae Shuler and Breein Tyree, along with Davis, can score.
Blake Hinson is a freshman, so he's going to struggle to be consistent, but when he's on, he's a difference-maker.
In short, this is a good Ole Miss team, one that is capable of playing with top-level teams. It's also a flawed team that has to play close to its potential to beat the better teams in the SEC.
I still don't think this is an NCAA Tournament team, but there's no doubt the Rebels are going to be interesting to watch as 2019 arrives.
5. Breein Tyree scored 20 points in Ole Miss' win over Chattanooga. Afterwards, he talked about his performance and the Rebels' defensive development as SEC play nears.
6. Major League Baseball is blowing its opportunity to have a compelling offseason. I'm not the guy who favors an artificial deadline in the offseason to spur a flurry of free agent signings and trade, but baseball is kidding itself if it doesn't acknowledge the lack of transactions at last week's MLB Winter Meetings in Las Vegas is wasting a chance to actually draw some attention to the sport.
Bryce Harper and his representation held some cloak and dagger meetings in a hotel suite. Manny Machado may or may not have scheduled some meetings for this week in New York (with the Yankees) and in Chicago (with the White Sox).
There were rumors about trades involving J.T. Realmuto and Noah Syndergaard, but nothing happened. High-profile teams such as the Dodgers and Cubs are publicly keeping their powder dry, looking to cut payroll before even entertaining the idea of adding it.
In terms of the product on the field, it doesn't matter if Harper or Machado or anyone else signs in December, January, February or even March. However, one would think MLB notices the flurry of activity in early July that the NBA uses to own the news cycle or the rapid-fire free agency activity that the NFL uses to further extend its lead in dominating sports journalism.
Maybe baseball doesn't care. Perhaps it's happy being the regional sports it's become.
7. Once the Saints and Panthers wrap up their game Monday night in Charlotte, the NFL will have just two weeks left in its regular season.
The Super Bowl is just seven weeks away. With that in mind, here are a few of my really casual NFL observations:
A. I told Chase Parham this a couple of weeks ago, but as Andrew Luck shakes off the rust and gets comfortable, the Indianapolis Colts become an interesting team. The Colts are now 8-6 after a blowout win over Dallas Sunday. Luck threw for just 192 yards, but he was 16-for-27 passing against one of the league's better defenses. More importantly, he didn't turn the ball over.
B. On the other hand, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott threw for more yards, but he had an interception and had several very poor throws that cost the Cowboys chances to make a game of it in Indianapolis. I just don't see how the Cowboys make a deep playoff run with Prescott at the controls. The margin for error is simply too thin.
C. The Bears wrapped up the NFC North with a 24-17 win over Green Bay in Chicago Sunday. The Bears are playoff-bound for the first time in eight years. Defense is Chicago's calling card, but Mitch Trubisky was pretty good Sunday. New Orleans and the Rams would be heavy favorites over the Bears in the playoffs, but Matt Nagy's team is going to be a dangerous, worrisome draw in January.
D. Eli Manning wasn't particularly good Sunday in a loss to the Titans, but prior to the game, reports surfaced that the Giants plan to bring back the former Ole Miss star in 2019. Manning is due $16.5 million next season, and the Giants might want him to play one final season in New York while they potentially groom his successor, whoever that might be.
E. Jacksonville very nearly won the AFC a year ago. On Sunday, after a loss to Washington, Jaguars coach Doug Marrone admitted he's not sure he'll get a chance to redeem himself in 2019. The decision to double down on Blake Bortles has never looked worse.
F. The Steelers defeated the Patriots Sunday, but neither team was all that impressive in the process. Both teams are headed towards divisional titles, but with teams such as the Chiefs or Chargers and the Colts waiting as playoff opponents, Pittsburgh and New England could face early January exits.
8. I know many of you don't care for the NBA, but these are my thoughts, and I do think about the NBA quite frequently. So, for the two or three of you who care, here are some of those thoughts:
A. Denver and Toronto, the teams leading the Western Conference and Eastern Conference, respectively, are facing one another as I type this. The Nuggets are a great story and a fun team to watch (Nikola Jokic is a future Hall of Famer; remember I told you), but they're likely going to have a hard time holding on to the top spot in the West. Toronto, on the other hand, is for real. Maybe Kawhi Leonard is going to bolt for Los Angeles, but he's a perfect fit on a very balanced team like the Raptors.
B. If you're ever flipping the channels and the Dallas Mavericks come on, check it out. The Mavericks' rookie forward, Luka Doncic, is averaging 17.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. There are other rookies that have future star written all over them _ Memphis' Jaren Jackson Jr. comes to mind _ but Doncic has a chance to be a dominant player for more than a decade. There's really not much he can't do on the floor.
C. Boston has won eight of its last 10 games to improve to 18-11, good for fifth place in the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee, Indiana, Philadelphia and Boston are separated by just 1 1/2 games. Unlike in seasons past, the Eastern Conference playoffs are shaping up to be very exciting.
D. If the playoffs began today, the Washington Wizards wouldn't be in them. Scott Brooks' team is 12-18, 2 1/2 games out of the playoffs. As the deadline approaches, the Wizards are one of the more interesting teams. John Wall's contract likely can't be traded. Bradley Beal's, on the other hand, can. His name could come up frequently between now and February.
E. Washington beat the Lakers, 128-110, Sunday in the nation's capital. LeBron James scored just 13 points in the loss, but he's got the Lakers at 18-12, just two games out of the lead in the Western Conference. You may have heard, but he's an incredible player.
F. James had hoped to team with Paul George this season, but George elected to sign a long-term deal in Oklahoma City. George is averaging 24.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game for the Thunder, who are 18-10 entering Monday night's home game against Chicago. If the MVP voting were conducted today, George would draw serious consideration.
9. Hey, it's the holidays. You almost need an excuse to not have a drink. With that in mind, here's Jonathan Howard:
Sometimes we all need an escape. Whether it is to hide from deadlines, brace for a stressful week of waiting, or just because it is very much needed.
I prefer islands and rum. So, let’s all close our eyes, feel the breeze on our face and sip on our drink of the week, the Old Cuban.
The Old Cuban is a modern classic created by bar legend Audrey Saunders of the famed Pegu Club NYC. Pegu Club was a breeding ground for some of the best bar talent in the world. In fact, three of the bartenders that studied under Saunders have gone on to win world's best cocktail bar. That’s like one NBA team having three league MVPs on the same team at the same time.
This drink is her calling card, and it’s fantastic. The beverage is a marriage of two classic drinks -- the Mojito and the French 75. It is a ru- based drink with lime, sugar, mint, Angostura bitters and sparkling wine. It is fizzy, refreshing and exceedingly Caribbean.
I love using aged runs in this cocktail. Maybe it is the name of the drink, but it also feels right. The aged rum gives the drink more structure and depth. I’d look to something like Bacardi 8-year or Appleton Estate. The sparkling wine selection is also of note with this drink. A Prosecco is going to give the drink a sweeter quality while champagne will make it drier.
The approach is similar to making a Mojito, but do not muddle the mint in. Simply shake it. This will impart the flavor gently and make it less bitter. Also, shake for a short amount of time. Shaking dilutes and adds water. This is usually a good thing; however, when you are using a sparkling additive like champagne or soda, too much water kills the bubbles.
Taking those choices and techniques in account should make for a delicious cocktail.
Cheers!
Old Cuban
1.5 ounces aged rum
3/4 ounce fresh lime
3/4 ounce simple syrup (1:1)
1 dash Angostura
8-10 mint leaves
Prosecco
Directions: In a mixing tin, add mint, bitters, sugar, juice and rum. Add ice and shake briefly. Add small amount of Prosecco to tin and fine strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a mint top.
10. I'll be out of town most of this week, so my loose plan is to return with a 10 Weekend Thoughts, Christmas edition either on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. There's a chance I'll punt and instead work on my countdown of the 10 biggest stories of 2019 and have that ready by New Year's Eve. We'll see.
Anyway, we'll have coverage of recruiting, football coaching searches, basketball and whatever else may pop up this week. Until then, here are some links of interest to me _ and hopefully, to you _ for your reading pleasure.
Where the market stands after Winter Meetings | MLB.com
2018 Winter Meetings: Why so little action in Las Vegas?
Eli Manning and Saquon Barkley play Santa Claus for offensive line | Here are the gifts they’re giving Giants teammates | nj.com (The tailored jeans, by the way, are Blue Delta Jeans).
Pompei: As he recovers from health scare, Mike Ditka’s heart is with the Bears – The Athletic
Alex Smith released from hospital after multiple surgeries
On the road with an NBA spy: The grinding work and lifestyle of an advance scout
11 Essential Rye Whiskeys For Your Liquor Cabinet
My Dad's Friendship With Charles Barkley | Only A Game
At 12, He Lost His Best Friend. He Found a Way to Remember Him. - The New York Times
10b. I joke around on the Oxford Exxon Podcast and on Twitter about the Oxford High School Chargerettes. I go to pep rallies or to the Chargers' games on Friday nights and watch them perform and comment that the game is officially over. It's mostly just me being silly, but in all seriousness, Caroline's dance team is awesome.
Over the past few months (and yes, I mean months), I've watched them prepare for the state competition, which was held Friday in Jackson. They practiced for hours every day. Caroline sometimes didn't get home until almost 9 p.m. They practiced every Saturday and Sunday, perfecting a 2 1/2-minute routine, knowing any mistake could prove costly.
They earned my respect. I wasn't in Jackson on Friday, but I saw the routine. It was spectacular. The Chargerettes finished fourth out of 13, likely missing out on second place because of one minor mistake on an aerial.
Caroline is a great kid. She makes great grades, has super study habits, is a leader in her school and busts her tail for both the Chargerettes and her dance school. She was disappointed Saturday, already thinking of ways Oxford can close the gap and win in 2019. I was impressed. I'm not sure I was that driven at 15.
Like I said, I joke a lot about the Chargerettes, but I'm a big fan. Here's to a title in 2019.