1. It’s amazing how much momentum can be lost in a little more than seven days.
Last Saturday afternoon, Ole Miss had the basketball twice, down just one point, at Kentucky, with a chance to claw back into the NCAA Tournament picture.
A little more than seven days later, the Rebels’ season, for all intents and purposes, is over.
I’ve been reading a book, This Tender Land, by William Kent Krueger, and it has, combined with other stuff, put me in a deep, contemplative mood. So I have no real idea how this content item will turn out this week.
I started the book last weekend in Fayetteville and this week, when opportunity has arisen, I’ve stolen minutes to read. It’s caused nightmares and reflection. It’s one of those books that make you laugh and cry.
Anyway, last Saturday, Ole Miss was so close to turning the corner, so close to making basketball fun again. Then Breein Tyree missed a free throw and Devontae Shuler made a horrible decision to end a possession and the Rebels left Lexington with a loss.
Three days later, Ole Miss lost at Missouri in a game that seemed to encompass all the flaws this team has. It’s thin. It’s too dependent on one player. It doesn’t have the highest basketball IQ. It can get soft on defense and the oddest of times.
Then Saturday night, the bottom fell out. Less than two weeks after playing its best game of the season in a blowout of Mississippi State, the Rebels were mauled by Alabama. The game was marred by the ejection of Kermit Davis and 49 fouls, but get past the controversy and it was Ole Miss’ worst performance of the season.
Change the outcome at the free throw line last Saturday and make a shot or two fall in Columbia and maybe things would’ve been different Saturday night in Oxford. Of course, that’s not how basketball _ or life or anything else _ works.
There’s a moment in the book I’m reading where Odie, the main character, tells young Emmy, “Love doesn’t always work out.” He’s referring to a love interest who had just left with her family, looking for a new start in Chicago. However, Odie’s quote could apply to a lot of things, including basketball teams. Sometimes, things just don’t work out.
A year ago, everything that could’ve gone well did for Ole Miss’ basketball team. A year later, the breaks evened out. Barring a miracle _ and it would be a miracle of epic proportions at this point _ Ole Miss’ season will end early next month in Nashville. An offseason full of critical decisions awaits.
2. There’s a difference of opinion regarding what happened to this team. My belief is it’s just too thin and too many players, especially Tyree and Shuler, are playing too many minutes and are tired late.
“I do think it’s kind of affecting at the end of the game,” Tyree said Friday afternoon. “No excuse. I’m out there to play. When I was a freshman, maybe I wanted to play a little bit more but it’s a be careful what you wish for kind of thing. Maybe just playing 30 minutes, having 10 minutes of rest, me and Devontae would be a little bit fresher at the end of games. …It would be a lot of help just for some guys to step up.”
Davis disagreed.
“I just think there are guys all around the country playing minutes,” Davis said. “Whether it was LSU or Auburn or Kentucky, it’s just us keeping people out of the paint or us maybe settling at the end and not driving the ball and trying to get fouled. I don’t think fatigue has anything to do with that.”
3. Tyree had a lot of other interesting things to say, from what’s gone wrong this season to what he’s done to improve his professional stock moving forward. It’s worth a watch/listen.
4. Ole Miss travels to Auburn Tuesday. Then the Rebels play host to Vanderbilt Saturday at noon before finishing the regular season with a home game against Missouri and a trip to Mississippi State. Then it’s off to Nashville and into the offseason.
This team hasn’t quit. Guys are playing for their scholarships here in the final few weeks. Davis is looking for toughness. He’s looking for basketball IQ at the end of games. He’s looking for player development and team development.
“We just have to keep plugging along, keep playing,” Davis said. “We all know the conference tournament is going to be unbelievable ride, some unbelievable games, those four or five days.”
5. It’s time for my weekly ranking of SEC basketball teams, with NET ratings in parentheses:
1. Kentucky (21) -- Talent wins out.
2. Auburn (28) -- The Tigers look more fallible lately.
3. LSU (29) -- Skylar Mays has had such a strong season.
4. Florida (34) -- The Gators have proven to be resilient.
5. Alabama (40) -- The Tide is one athletic bunch.
6. Mississippi State (56) -- The Bulldogs have no margin for error moving forward.
7. South Carolina ((63) -- No one wants to see the Gamecocks in Nashville.
8. Arkansas (45) -- Isaiah Joe's return makes the Hogs dangerous again.
9. Tennessee (65) -- The Vols let an opportunity get away in Auburn.
10. Missouri (87) -- Somehow, some way, the Tigers are playing their way out of the Wednesday night session in Nashville.
11. Ole Miss (94) -- I still think Breein Tyree can carry this team.
12. Georgia (88) -- The Bulldogs, to their credit, haven't quit.
13. Texas A&M (117) -- Buzz Williams has done a terrific job.
14. Vanderbilt (145) -- How did the Commodores beat LSU?
6. Tyson Fury won boxing’s heavyweight title Saturday night in Las Vegas, scoring a TKO over Deontay Wilder.
The fight ended in the seventh round, making Fury the unquestioned face of the sport moving forward, at least until Fury-Wilder III. First, Fury will likely face Anthony Joshua in a title unification bout.
Whatever. Fury is a fascinating character. He’s not the chiseled fighter we’re so accustomed to seeing. He’s more of a lumberjack. More importantly, Fury has a back story he’s willing to share, and now that he’s on this platform, I’m hoping he’s going to positively influence others who struggle with depression.
Fury has openly discussed his struggles with mental health, admitting he was suicidal not so long ago. If a man of his stature and his talent can admit to the frailties of the mind and openly discuss getting help, it should make it easier for others to get past the stigma associated with counseling and get help of their own.
It was said often late Saturday night Fury had a chance to make boxing relevant again. That’s true, I suppose, but I think he can do much more with his newfound fame.
7. Saturday marked the 40th anniversary of the Miracle On Ice, when the U.S. defeated the Soviet Union in what was essentially the semifinals of the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, N.Y.
It’s funny. I was 10 years old, just a kid in Ruston, La. I knew nothing about hockey, really, but I remember that weekend as if it were yesterday. My family spent that Friday night at Jane and Phil Rice’s house in our neighborhood. The match had already been played, but we didn’t know it. It was televised on ABC and we watched that evening, cheering for the upstart Americans against the mighty Soviets.
Two days later, we went to early church so we could get home in time to see the Americans beat Finland and win the gold medal. I remember cheering wildly in my upstairs bedroom. I had no idea what icing was. I didn’t understand the nuances of the game, but I knew about Herb Brooks, Mike Eruzione and Jim Craig. I knew beating the USSR at anything was important.
I knew we had hostages being held in Iran. I remember my dad popping popcorn many nights and watching the CBS Evening News. I also remember seeing Tony Atlas and Kevin Sullivan on Georgia Championship Wrestling. Their rivalry against the “Russians,” Ivan Koloff and Alexis Smirnoff was a very big deal for my brothers and me. Russians were bad. Beating the Russians was a very patriotic thing to do.
On that weekend when a group of young American boys took down the greatest hockey machine in the world, it resonated with almost everyone. Forty years later, I can still remember Al Michaels’ call, “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” If you were around then, I suspect you remember that moment profoundly as well.
8. The Houston Astros cheating scandal continued to simmer last week. If anything, it got worse.
The pitcher at the heart of the scandal, former Houston reliever Mike Fiers, revealed he has received death threats. Fiers’ former teammate in Houston, outfielder Josh Reddick, said he has as well, adding the threats have extended to his young family.
"You just see the first things in your suggested box and it just says, 'I will kill your family. I will kill your kids. Blah blah blah,'" Reddick told media over the weekend. "It's depressing to read because it's over a game of baseball. It's not worth that kind of drastic measure.”
Reddick, a 12-year veteran of MLB, is worried about his and his family’s safety this season.
"There are ways to add security to a lot of places on the road whether it be in our hotels, on the way to the field," he said. "At the field, obviously, being a lot more hostile environment. Be a little crazier. I think, also, at the hotels because you see a lot of people line up at our hotels. They know where we stay, they know what times we usually go to the ballpark. And what time we get back.
"For me, myself having almost 5-month-old boys, it is going to be pretty scary because my wife is going to go want to come on a lot of road trips just because wanting to have my help in raising them and do our parenting thing. So it is definitely something you can think about every night.
"I put a post of my kid rolling over for the first time and I gotta look down there and see 'I hope your kid gets cancer. It makes you really want to see that person in person. Really makes you want to go up to him and see what they would do if you put your face to their face and really get a little bit of retribution for yourself. Pisses you off.”
Meanwhile, prominent major leaguers such as Mike Trout and Kris Bryant spoke out against the Astros this past week. The pitcher the Astros beat twice in the 2017 World Series, Yu Darvish, wondered in an interview with the Los Angeles Times would would have happened to the Astros had they cheated in the league he once played in, Nippon Professional Baseball.
“Wouldn’t the organization be disbanded?” Darvish said. “The organization would be disbanded, right?”
I’m on record with my feelings. I think the Astros’ scandal is egregious. I think they should be stripped of the 2017 title and players involved should be severely punished. I think the integrity of the game is hanging in the balance. I think there is a massive difference between stealing signs from second base and using technology to steal and decode signs and use that information to help hitters in real-time. If you don’t see that distinction, I can’t help you.
However, I think this entire episode has served as a reminder of just how nasty social media is. It’s horrible. Yes, cheating in professional sports is serious. Yes, careers were altered. Some were ruined. There should and likely will be ramifications.
But this isn’t life and death stuff. It shouldn’t make people so angry. And children should never, ever, ever be brought into these things. I’m not a Reddick fan. I haven’t appreciated his condescending response to criticism of the Astros. However, I fully support his anger at those who dare invoke his children’s health and safety in the wake of a baseball scandal.
And he’s absolutely right. Those keyboard warriors would never say to his face what they’ll say from the safety of their devices.
9. Our resident chef, Burton Webb, flew from Paris to Mississippi, via New York, to attend his grandmother’s funeral this weekend. Still, Burton made time for us. Here’s this week’s installment of Taste of the Place, Lesson 24 — Spaghetti All’Amatriciana:
Well we are back to another great pasta dish from, you guessed it, Italy. Some people will tell you that it hauls from Roma but, it actually comes from a town two hours north of it. What makes this dish is the simplicity of tomatoes, red chili, and, of course, guanciale. Two different versions exist out there in the world as well — one white and one red, just an FYI. Let’s get into the tidbits.
Tidbit #1: When you cut the guanciale, you need to make sure that it is about 1/2 in thickness and into rectangles. This will allow once you cook the pork to satisfy a crunchy and soft texture throughout.
Tidbit #2: Going back to this guanciale, don’t throw out that wonderful grease that will render out once you cook those pieces.
Tidbit #3: When slicing the onion, you will need to slice it as thin as possible. When we incorporate it into your sauce, they need to be able to caramelize as soon as possible.
Tidbit #4 (Last Thing): When it comes to pasta cooking, regard the 70/30 rule for cooking of 70 percent of the cooking time in the boiling water and 30 percent in the sauce. Also, once you start your pasta sauce with the red onions, it is going to go fast. Like a strike-em-out and throw-em-out against Louisville, so be ready!
Things you will need:
3 People
Wine
A Beautiful Sunday Evening
35 Minutes
Utensils Needed:
1 Work Surface with a Small Chef’s Knife
1 Medium Sauce Pot
1 Large Saute Pan
1 Pair of Thongs
1 Soup Ladle
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Box Grater
1 Side Plate
2 Small Mixing Bowls
Measuring Cups of 1 Cup, 1/2 Cup, 1/4 Cup, 1 Tsp and 1/4 Tsp.
2 Stove Top Eyes
Timer on your Phone
Ingredients Needed:
1 Small Can of Plum Tomatoes (San Larazano)
1 Small Red Onion
1 Tsp Red Chili Flakes
2 Cups of Guanciale “Rectangled”
2 Roma Tomatos
3/4 Cup of Grated Pecorino Romano + 1/4 Cup for Plating
1/4 Cup White Wine
1/2 Cup of Parmesan Cheese Grated
1 Small Bunch of Parsley
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Box Spaghetti Pasta, Decco Brand
Salt
Ground Black Pepper
Directions:
Step 1: “Mis en Place” all of your items. Chop your guanciale and put to the side of your work surface followed by the sliced onions, quartered tomatoes, and chopped parsley Bring your sauté pan to medium heat and begin to cook that pork jaw. Use your thongs to move around the pieces. Place on your side plate once finished cooking, 8-10 minutes.
Step 1.2: While your pork is cooking, add water to your sauté pot. Also, shave your cheeses and place into the mixing bowls.
Step 2: With the fat still left in the saute pan, add your olive oil and turn your heat to medium-high. Once you see the first smoke of the pan, add your onions to the pan. You will cook them for 2-3 minutes while turning occasionally. Add your red chili flakes after to the pan and continue to cook for 1 minute. Add your white wine now and then pull of the heat.
Step 2.1 (Strike-Em-Out): Turn the eye for your sauce pot to high. With your sauté pan pulled off the heat, add your can of plum tomatoes. Place back on the stove top and keep on medium heat. Add 1 tsp of Salt.
Step 2.2 (Throw-Em-Out): With your water boiling, add 1 Tsp of salt to the mixture following by your pasta to the pot. Cook for 5 1/2 minutes. After, add to your saute pan along with your quartered tomatoes, 1/2 of your cooked guanciale, and 1/4 Tsp black pepper.
Step 3: Pull the saute pan off of the heat. Pour the 3/4 of the pecorino cheese and all of the parmesan cheese into the pan. Swirl till all is melted with your thongs.
Step 4 (Last Step): Add to the pan two pinches of the chopped parsley. Swirl once more. Taste for salt content, you may need to add a pinch or two at this point. Plate your pasta and then finish with the other half of the cooked guanciale and the other shaved pecorino cheese. Bon Appeitio. Enjoy with friends and family. It’s a great dish during this colder weather back home. From the Mississippian in New York, have a great meal and night!
10. We’ll have coverage of Ole Miss basketball, baseball, (possibly) football recruiting and whatever 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:
Chris Paul, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the best lineup you don't know about
Nine chaotic moments that could shake up the suddenly stable NBA
The Legacy of Mambacita | Bleacher Report | Latest News, Videos and Highlights
Daniel Bard found grace through goodwill, from Red Sox heat to a Rockies revival – The Athletic
Yu Darvish: Astros likely disbanded for sign stealing in Japan - Los Angeles Times
A’s Mike Fiers on exposing the Astros’ scandal and concerns about his safety – The Athletic
McCullough: Would your GM know if your team was cheating? Let’s ask him – The Athletic
A catcher’s life: Spending a day with Curt Casali at Reds spring training – The Athletic
McCullough: After an offseason of MLB upheaval, the A’s have AL West in sight – The Athletic
'I don't hold grudges': How Arenado and Bryant are moving forward from trade rumors
‘One in 10 million’: An oral history of Zack Greinke’s years with the Royals – The Athletic
A beer nerd’s guide to baseball: Ranking every stadium by craft beer offerings – The Athletic
Mel Tucker: Inside final hours as Colorado football coach - Sports Illustrated
How the Bengals can set up Joe Burrow to succeed as a rookie
Tulsa's Elijah Joiner, father reflect on college basketball viral moment
Newman's Daytona 500 crash reminds us of fragility of life in dangerous sport
Ben Affleck Talks About Drinking Problem, 'The Batman' Exit
Single women own more homes than single men. Here's what they're doing differently.
A Reporter Remembers the Miracle on Ice 40 Years Later
When Bernie Sanders Almost Primaried Barack Obama - The Atlantic
