Advertisement
football Edit

McCready: 10 Weekend Thoughts, presented by Harry Alexander

10 Weekend Thoughts is presented by Harry Alexander.
10 Weekend Thoughts is presented by Harry Alexander.

1. Well, this thing finally hit home.

Ole Miss center Eli Johnson, the son of Ole Miss beat writer David Johnson, tweeted Sunday that his father has tested positive for the coronavirus. Johnson is in the hospital receiving treatment. That's all we know.

David is a friend and colleague. He's a good guy and a phenomenally hard worker. He's in our thoughts and prayers.

This thing is scary. Our way of life has changed, and things are clearly going to get worse before they get better.

We are social distancing, as much as Campbell and Caroline hate it. Laura still has to go to work, and this week, Caroline and Carson go "back to school" online while Campbell works on projects for the University of Arkansas. Our WiFi is going to be tested. So will tempers and patience. Pray for us.

Earlier in the week, I sensed optimism from both NBA and Major League Baseball types that the season could resume/begin as early as July 1. Late in the week, that optimism had basically dissipated.

By the weekend, I was wondering what a fall without college football and the NFL would look like.

Hearing about David's situation put that into perspective.

Stay safe, everyone. Let's get through this the right way.

Advertisement

2. Many things have come to a standstill, but the machine that is football recruiting never really stops.

Ole Miss has been issuing offers for the 2021, 2022 and 2023 classes, not really knowing when the Rebels will be able to entertain prospects on campus again.

Eventually, the moratorium on in-person recruiting will be lifted, and all programs, including Ole Miss, will likely be in a bit of a frantic scramble.

The Rebels offered Baltimore defensive end Aaron Wilson, a '22 prospect, recently. In the past few days, the Rebels have also offered Valdosta, Ga., wide receiver Deaunte Hunter, another '22 prospect.

Ole Miss has offered Hoschton, Ga., defensive back Emon Hill; Winter Park, Fla., wide receiver Dakota Mitchell; and Miami defensive back Darian Anderson, among others. Hill and Mitchell are '21 targets, while Anderson is a '22 prospect.

For now, all contact is on phone or via Skype or whatnot. For first-year staffs, like the one in Oxford, that's a setback, but this Ole Miss staff appears poised to make waves as soon as the NCAA clears the way.

3. I love this idea. Here's mine:

C: Damon Berryhill

1B: Anthony Rizzo

2B: Ryne Sandberg

SS: Ivan DeJesus

3B: George Brett

OF: Andre Dawson

OF: Al Bumbry

OF: Ken Griffey Jr.

DH: Bo Jackson

Util: Javy Baez (It's my team; I added a spot)

SP: Kerry Wood

SP: Bret Saberhagen

SP: Mark Langston

SP: Vida Blue

SP: Mark Fidrych

RP: Lee Smith

RP: Joe Sambito

4. I've watched a lot of old-school NBA games (and some old McDonald's All-American games) over the past week. I've watched a few old college games as well.

However, the one game I'd love to see is the one referenced above. Michael Jordan versus Magic Johnson with guys like Scottie Pippen, Charles Barkley, David Robinson and John Stockton as role players? In. A game where Larry Bird is essentially the odd man out? So in.

There's some video, but I'd love to see the whole thing. I'm fairly sure it doesn't exist. It's possible it's the greatest game ever played.

5. If you're like me and you are mourning the delay _ and possible cancelation _ of the Major League Baseball season, I've found this is a really cool resource.

Pick your team and get five franchise highlight games, in full, you can watch for free. By the time this is over, I might even watch some of the Cardinals' games.

Enjoy.

6. On Saturday night, Laura and I stumbled across The Take. We ended up watching the whole thing.

It's the story of a rouge CIA agent (Idris Elba), who forms an unlikely partnership with a pickpocket (Richard Madden) to stop a terrorist conspiracy in Paris.

The movie produced just $14.8 million at the box office when it was released and it scored just 48 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

It got me to stop thinking about COVID-19 for two hours and we generally liked it. My score, on a 1-100 scale: 78.

Dr. Michael Benson
Dr. Michael Benson (Eastern Kentucky University)


7. Former Eastern Kentucky University president Dr. Michael Benson became a friend of mine in the days and weeks following his candidacy for the Ole Miss chancellor job. Benson, now the president emeritus of EKU, is a visiting professor in the Department of the History of Science and Technology at Johns Hopkins University.

He penned an op-ed in the Lexington Herald-Leader discussing the lessons learned after the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918 and the questions we'll all be asking when the COVID-19 pandemic is finally in the history books.

"Are we investing enough in our people—with the proper training, facilities, education, and experiences—to raise up those equipped to deal with global pandemics?" Benson wrote. "Who will 'make the opportunities” for the next generations?'"

You can read the entire thing here:

Model of Johns Hopkins is needed in today’s COVID-19 pandemic | Lexington Herald Leader


Jonathan Howard authors the Drink of the Week for 10 Weekend Thoughts.
Jonathan Howard authors the Drink of the Week for 10 Weekend Thoughts.

9. Hey, great news, everyone!

Jonathan Howard is back.

Dear Rebelgrove,

Sorry for my absence the past few months have been a trying time with potential life moves and large career choices. But as we all sit home with nothing to do, I find myself with the time and energy to get back into the DOW swing of things. Over the last couple of years we have explored as much information and history about the most pertinent classic cocktails on earth, which is the WHAT. I also like to think we have covered the HOW along with this. Now let’s dive into the WHY. This is where we can take your home cocktail game to the next level making sure your drinks are balanced and fully realized.

The next phase of the DOW is going to be getting you to understand way a certain drink is made the way it is utilizing the 5 ingredients of a cocktail. Once we understand these you can start to create your own cocktails at home, and I will no longer be needed. So let us dive in shall we?

The 5 ingredients of a cocktail are:

Physical Liquids & Solids, Dilution, Aeration, Balance, & Mouthfeel, Temperature.

Physical Liquids & Solids are the tangible items being used to create the cocktail. They of course start with spirits whether they are a full 80 proof or not, but can also include acid, sugar, herbs and spices.

Dilution is the amount of water added to the drink to bind it through the use of ice or chilled water. To get proper dilution into a cocktail:

Stirred Cocktails: 35 rotations.

Shaken Cocktails: Shake hard for 12 seconds

Thrown Cocktail: Toss 6 times.

Swizzled Cocktails: Swizzle for 12 Seconds

Aeration is the amount of oxygen forced into a cocktail by stirring, shaking, or throwing the beverage. Aeration adds a dry quality to the cocktail much like drinking sparkling water instead of still as an example.

Stirred Cocktails: This is for drinks consisting of all spirits and gives minimal aeration.

Thrown Cocktail: This is for drinks consisting of all spirits and gives medium aeration.

Shaken Cocktails: This is for drinks consisting of mixed ingredients and gives maximum aeration.

Swizzled Cocktails: This is for drinks consisting of mixed ingredients and served on crushed ice and gives medium aeration.

Balance is equaling out the ratio of spirit to acid to sugar. This is something a little more complex that we will get into drink by drink as it is in my opinion the hardest and most important ingredient we will deal with.

Temperature is the desired degree of heat or cold you wish for a cocktail to be. Drinks should be chilled between 28- 32 degrees Fahrenheit for most options however hot drinks like the toddy should be around 116 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature is going to help with the mouth feel of the drink and how much of the alcohol shines through depending on what you get for balance.

Mouthfeel this is literally the way the liquid feels once it hits the mouth.

Now that we know a little more of the why let’s dive in with a basic recipe and break it down then put a simple twist on it.

THE WHISKEY SOUR

Physical Liquids & Solids: Whiskey of your choosing, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup (1:1),

egg white (optional)

Balance: A base sour recipe of 2oz. 80+ proof spirit to ¾ oz Fresh Lemon Juice to ¾ oz Simple Syrup (1:1) when not using egg whites. When using egg whites jump up the sugar and acid to 1 oz. each as Egg White give a drying quality to the drink so adding more of them is needed to balance things out.

Aeration: The drink is a base sour that requires maximum aeration so a 12 second hard shake is the move. If using egg whites a double shake is required. You give the drink a 12 second shake without an ice to emulsify the egg white and give it the desired texture. You then add ice and shake for another 12 seconds to give it the proper aeration throughout the drink.

Dilution: Dilution here should be about 1 oz of added chilled liquid as a result of a proper 12 seconds shake. This binds the beverage and puts in into balance.

Temperature: 28 degrees is the you want it chilled if using a whiskey at 100 proof or more as colder temperatures subdue the amount of alcohol present in the beverage. With a whiskey under 100 proof anywhere between 29-32 degrees is the desired temperature.

TWISTING THE WHISKEY SOUR

Physical Liquids & Solids: Whiskey of your choosing, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup (1:1), for this drink we are going to add a second flavor to the drink by utilizing a liqueur.

Balance: So adding in a liqueur like GIffard Banana or Pineapple as an example all you have to do is keep the same ratio of Whiskey and Acid but change the proportions of sugar to make sure we can keep balance. The Brix (measurement of pure sucrose in water) in a liqueur in roughly half that of a 1:1 simple syrup. So by adding ½ oz of the liqueur to ½ oz of the simple syrup you achieve the same brix level as ¾ oz of the simple syrup. This is a quick and easy way to get shelf stable flavor without a ton of cooking. If you desire any herbs just add them as they don’t change the brix to acid ratio and are a highlight flavor.

Aeration: Shouldn’t Change.

Dilution: Shouldn’t Change

Temperature: Shouldn’t Change

Recipe could look something like this

Pineapple Whiskey Sour

2 oz Bulleit bourbon

½ oz Pineapple Liqueur

½ oz Simple Syrup

¾ oz Lemon Juice

1 Sage Leaf.

So, play with that formula over the next week. Send me any questions via DM and we will tackle another drink next Sunday.

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

9. I'm so bored these days that even I, a person normally afraid of food, am looking forward to meals, although I plan to spend the next couple of days punishing myself for eating fried chicken Saturday night. So here's our resident chef, Burton Webb, with Taste of the Place, Lesson 28: Sandwich Bread, Pain de Mie (Pan da Me).

Well just to update all as of me writing this, I am in my first ever lockdown of a city. What does this mean, you ask? You are only able to go to work, if needed, and to the supermarket. That is it. A lot of the items that you might expect to be at the grocery store — toilet paper, milk, bread, or dried pasta, aren’t there. For this week, let’s look at how to make sandwich bread for your household.

Tidbit #1: We are going to make little sandwich breads as opposed to the big loaf. Yes, you will need a digital, baking, or receiving scale.

Tidibti #2: You will also need a mixer with the bread hook attachment. It is a lot easier on preparation. I will say in the “step process” to go on speed 1 which is medium-low. Speed 2 is medium speed for your mixer.

Tidbit #3: I have attached the link above to help you all with the shaping/forming of the dough.

Tidbit #4: To proof bread correctly, you have to find a warm place in your house. That could be a windowsill, a top floor, or an attic (yes I said attic). It needs to be warm, not hot! So think about room temperature but plus 4 degrees higher. Also, you will need a damp towel placed over the three containers.

Things you will need:

People to eat the bread when your done

Warm Place in the House

Patience

4 Hours Maximum

Equipment Needed:

Work Surface

Small Sauce pot

Small Metal Whisk

Scale

Electric Stand Mixer with Dough Hook Attachment

A Damp Towel

Measuring Cups of 1 Tsp

Plastic Cone to Cut the Dough Or Knife

Oven

Stove Top

2 Baking Trays

3 - 6.5 Inches in length Baking Tins

Pan Spray

Pot Holders

Ingredients Needed:

2 Tsp Active Dry Yeast

500 Grams All Purpose Flour

55 Grams White Sugar

10 Grams Salt

1 Small Egg

50 Grams “sliced” Butter

390 Grams Whole Milk

Directions:

Step 1: “Mis en Place”! Add the milk to the small saucepot and heat on medium heat until warm, 4-5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add your active dry yeast. Let sit for 10 minutes.

Step 2: In your stand mixer, add the flour, salt, and sugar. Turn to speed 1 to incorporate everything.

Step 2.1: With you mixer still going, slowly drizzle in the heated milk mixture. Continue mixing for 3 minutes. After, add your egg, and continue for another 2 minutes.

Step 3: Now add the sliced butter and increase to Speed 2 for 5 minutes. Let rest for 30 minutes in the mixing bowl in a warm place with the damp towel on top.

Step 4: Follow the instructions at in the video for shaping your dough/proofing your dough.

Step 5: Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes. Being careful when removing from the oven, untold your loafs of bread and keep on the baking tray until cooled to room temperature. Enjoy with family and friends and share the recipe as well. If you are in a bind for bread, make your own. You will actually enjoy its you make and more. So from the Mississippian in Paris, Bon Appetite!


Tampa's Raymond James Stadium
Tampa's Raymond James Stadium (USA Today Sports)

10. I don't know what we'll have coverage of this week, but we'll do something. Until then, here are some links of interest to me _ and hopefully, to you _ for your reading pleasure:

How Brady became a Buc, and all the signs we missed along the way

Report: NFL draft moving out of Las Vegas amid coronavirus outbreak, planning for in-studio version

A timely Q&A with Bears tight end and ‘resident scientist’ Ben Braunecker – The Athletic

Coronavirus is having a major effect on the 2020 NFL draft (and even the 2021 draft)

How Ed Orgeron became one of the public faces of fighting COVID-19 – The Athletic

Lee: What we will all miss out on if the NBA season...

Basketball Recruiting - Most coaches feel seniors should not be granted extra year

Devon Dotson saw his Kansas championship dream end on Twitter | Charlotte Observer

March Madness is canceled and rightfully so

MLB’s coronavirus pause could impair Hall of Fame cases

Here’s a homemade version of the Codebreaker algorithm — and how to break it – The Athletic

Inside the Yankees' fiercely competitive Madden NFL league

A’s star Matt Olson and his special friendship that ‘transcends typical speech’ – The Athletic

How The Seattle Times Has Dealt With the Coronavirus Pandemic - The New York Times

Her Facebook Friends Asked if Anyone Was Actually Sick. She Had an Answer. - The New York Times

The show won’t go on: Halftime performers adjust to COVID-19 measures – The Athletic

Opinion | The Single Most Important Lesson From the 1918 Influenza - The New York Times

Advertisement