1. If Lane Kiffin needed a lesson on Mississippi football, he got it this week.
Ole Miss backed off former Mississippi State players Jarrion Jones and Fabien Lovett late in the week, days after Jones publicly committed to the Rebels and days after -- I believe this, but I can't confirm it -- Lovett signed with Ole Miss as well.
What did Kiffin learn? Well, if he's smart, he learned the obsession in Starkville isn't going to go away just because he and Mike Leach exchange some niceties on Twitter. If he's smart, he learned that there are elements in and around the Mississippi State program (possibly one and the same, and that's a question a couple of entities should address) that are always going to keep a very vigilant eye on The School Up North.
Leach and Kiffin might want to be pals, but that's not going to be a popular stance in Starkville. And if Ole Miss is going to be involved in the transfer market with players unhappy at Mississippi State, it better cross every T and do every I.
From the sounds of things, that didn't happen this time around. Somebody obviously did something that created some discomfort in Oxford. There was very clearly concern that moving forward with Jones and Lovett was too much of a risk. Specifically, it was an $8 million risk, a gamble that would be insane at this time.
Jones and Lovett are good players. Don't spin that. They would have made Kiffin's program better. However, they're not superstars, so if this was the price of a critical lesson for Kiffin and his new staff in Oxford, it was probably a bargain.
2. I've said it before and I've caught all sorts of hell for it, but the faster Ole Miss distances itself from the rivalry with Mississippi State, the better off it will be.
It's an opinion that is gaining some steam in Oxford. If I were Keith Carter, I'd be lobbying the Southeastern Conference to move the Egg Bowl to the middle of the season. Unlike their predecessors, who were almost as guilty as the folks in Starkville of ratcheting up the rhetoric, I wonder if Carter and Kiffin might have reached a point where they realize it's time to de-escalate the rivalry.
Mississippi State embraces the rivalry from the top down. The rest of the nation, especially in the last few years, has just sat back on Thanksgiving night, poured a stiff one and laughed at the ridiculousness.
The rivalry meant too much to Hugh Freeze and Matt Luke. They embraced it wholeheartedly, giving Mississippi State exactly what it wanted. Kiffin hasn't beaten the Bulldogs yet, of course. That, obviously, comes first. But when and if he does, it'll be interesting to see how he handles it.
There's no way he's as emotionally invested as his predecessors at Ole Miss, but he's got a chance to change the tone of the rivalry in a way no one else ever has before. His personality -- kind of quiet, introverted, a bit aloof -- is perfect for the job.
However, Mississippi State would prefer to engage. That was made clear this week. From all accounts, Ole Miss did the right thing, walked away and took all risk off the table.
The episode was absolutely a salvo fired in Oxford's direction, however. There's no doubt whatsoever it was noticed and noted.
3. Players will begin reporting to Ole Miss and other SEC programs this week to begin preparations for the start of voluntary summer workouts June 8.
Everyone around the league is excited and nervous as hell. Players are eager to get back into facilities. Coaches are eager to get their hands back on the players. Administrators are scared to death.
Lots of COVID-19 tests are going to be administered this week. I'll be stunned if there are no positives. The onus is on the schools to handle those positives responsibly but without panic.
Administrators know these are college kids and they know there's no way to corral them in Oxford, Baton Rouge, Tuscaloosa, Knoxville, Lexington, etc. They know they're going to go out. They're going to go to parties. They're going to be exposed. That's the worry.
However, they know, if they're being honest, that's been going on for months. They also know young, healthy people are largely unaffected by the coronavirus. There's no reason to panic, even if there's a "spike" or a "breakout" inside a program. The key is going to be being smart, being transparent and remaining calm.
June is just the start of a long summer in the spotlight. There will be setbacks somewhere; of that, we can be almost certain. However, every program shares the same goal -- getting to September able to play football.
4. College football has time on its side.
Major League Baseball does not. June begins Monday, and if MLB is going to start around the Fourth of July -- as had been hoped -- the MLBPA and the owners need to reach a deal this week.
As of Sunday afternoon, there was no sign of that. An opportunity to be the first team sport to return to the playing fields since the start of the pandemic is slipping away. With it, the chance to market the sport to a sports-hungry audience is going away as well.
I still believe a deal will get done and MLB will get started in July with an 80- to 90-game season. However, the animosity on both sides is so intense and the mutual trust is so fractured that it's not at all inconceivable that the game could just shut down for a year or more.
If that happens, the fallout, both financially and in public sentiment, would be catastrophic. Both sides have to know that. To date, however, neither side seems to care.
5. From strictly a COVID-19 perspective, there's really good news this week.
NASCAR has resumed without incident. The KBO is going strong. The PGA Tour is on pace to get started very soon. Bundasliga is playing without fans.
And now, the English Premier League is set to begin in 2 1/2 weeks without fans. If you're a college football fan or a university athletics administrator, all of these things are wonderful news.
6. The NBA is coming back also.
Book that.
What it will look like, however, is another matter.
My educated guess is the NBA will return to training camps late in June with an eye towards resuming its season in late July. My guess is the league will either just bring 16 teams to Orlando, play a few exhibition games to get into game shape and then start the playoffs OR do something kind of crazy with 24 teams. In that scenario, in all likelihood, the league would try to squeeze some more regular season games in, create some competition for the final playoff spots and then host the playoffs, likely still in Orlando and likely without fans.
There has been talk of a World Cup format, one that would include pods of teams competing in round-robins. However, my guess is the NBA wants to crown as true a champion as it can. So I anticipate the standard Eastern Conference and Western Conference playoffs, culminating in a seven-game NBA Finals series.
ESPN.com reported Sunday the league is planning a Thursday vote of board of governors -- with owners expected to approve commissioner Adam Silver's recommendation on a format to restart the season in Orlando.
"We are lining up behind (Silver) on this," one owner told ESPN on Friday. "The posturing will end. Nothing is going to be perfect for everyone."
The NBA has been examining several plans for a return to play, but numerous members of the board of governors tell ESPN that there's growing support for a plan to bring 22 teams to Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in July.
That would likely push the start of the 2020-21 season to December, which is a good thing on a couple of fronts. One, it eliminates the current schedule, which begins in mid-October and has the sport dwarfed by college football and the NFL for two full months. Two, it would give nature more time to burn off the coronavirus and/or science more time to develop an effective treatment and/or vaccine.
7. And in the best possible news for those of us hoping and praying for a successful launch to a college football season in September, the NFL appears poised to move full-speed ahead this summer with training camps.
Yahoo Sports reported last week NFL head coaches could return to team facilities as early as this week — with players potentially following in full-squad minicamps in mid- to late June.
The sources told Yahoo Sports that if coaches resume their in-house work next week, minicamps including players could be scheduled as early as June 15 or as late as June 27, depending on COVID-19 data and whether a handful of franchises get a “go ahead” signal from state governments to resume full operations.
Resuming full operations and getting a minicamp scheduled would represent the league's biggest step to date toward keeping the 2020 NFL season on track for a regularly scheduled fall kickoff. It would also take a ton of pressure off college administrators, as it would be far easier to follow the NFL than it would be to blaze a trail without the most powerful league in American sports.
One league source told Yahoo Sports that a declaration from California Gov. Gavin Newsome would serve as the key hurdle in whether the NFL can pull off a fully operational minicamp in June. If Newsom opens the way for full team operations (without any fan attendance), the league could then give NFL franchises the option of holding a minicamp sometime in June, before breaking once again and setting dates for the opening of training camps.
“If California is open for (team) operations soon, minicamps can still happen in June — probably late June, I’d think — but maybe even mid-June,” the league source told Yahoo.
“I think there definitely will be a football season this year,” Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross told CNBC Tuesday. “Real question is, will there be fans in the stadium? Right now — today — we’re planning to have fans in the stadium. … We all miss our sports. The NFL, I think, will be ready to go. I know we’re all looking forward to it. I know I am.”
8. There's enough out there about the nightmarish days we're enduring in the wake of the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
However, I've never been more disappointed in the media. There's a difference between peaceful protest and riots.
I've linked an example of both in front of this thought. You can, I would hope, figure out the difference. One is a fundamental element of what our country was built on and an absolute right of our citizenry to push for needed change.
The other is just looting and rioting, with a social cause providing an excuse.
One action can bring change. The other brings skepticism -- or worse.
I've watched all weekend, understanding the anger and the frustration but finding myself bewildered at the media's outright refusal to discuss Antifa's clear role in riots all over the country. It doesn't take a genius to see who is looking to peacefully demonstrate and who is looking to incite chaos. It's the media's job to dissect situations like these and disseminate that information to its viewing and/or reading public. For the most part, media sources have failed to do so, and I can't help but wonder at times if it's intentional.
As I wrote Friday, I believe most people are good. I've yet to meet anyone who wasn't appalled by Floyd's death. I've yet to meet anyone who doesn't believe the officers involved shouldn't be punished to the harshest extent of the law.
Maybe I'm naive, but I don't think there's as much difference between whites and blacks as some insist there are. In the end, we all want the same things -- happiness, success, prosperity for our children, an opportunity to excel, a sense of belonging, community and freedom.
The real differences are between good and evil and between love and hate. That's not to say there aren't racial inequalities. There clearly are, and if there is any good to come from the last few days, it is those inequalities are being discussed openly.
These are critical days for media, however. The public at-large has never trusted media less. The last few days, with exceptions, have only validated that mistrust.
9. Let's relax and have something fun to eat. We all deserve it. Here's our resident Parisian chef, Burton Webb, with Taste of the Place, Lesson 38 -- Crispy Noodle Balls.
Summer is pretty much here. Does that mean more small plate appetizers, entrees, and desserts? Yes. The dish that we have this week was an adaptation of growing up in Mississippi and also being a college student at one time. When you see the ingredients, you will understand why. Let’s get right into the tidbits.
Tidbit #1: When sources your quail eggs, it will be in your best interest to find them at a farmer’s market. Ask around if you don’t see any, there will be someone who knows someone. Guaranteed.
Tidibit #2: After forming the ballls, put them in the refrigerator from 30 minutes to 2 hours. This will allow everything to cool down to one temperature before frying them.
Tidbit #3: Wash the quail eggs before using them.
Things you will need:
3-4 People
A nice IPA beer
1 Hour and fifteen minutes to goodness
Utensils needed:
1 Work surface with a chef’s knife
2 Medium mixing bowls
1 Large plate
1 Wooden spoon
Measuring cups of 1 tbsp
1 Wire spider spatula for the frying
Paper towels
1 Medium sauce pot
1 Refrigerator space
1 Stove top
Ingredients needed:
5 Little piece of tofu
10 Quail eggs
4 Tbsp of All-Purpose flour
2 Sheets of instant noodles (ramen)
1/2 Carrot diced into a small dice
2 Green onions chopped
3 Cups of Vegetable Oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Step 1: Wash the quail eggs in the sink and then place on your large plate. Chop your carrot and put to the side of your work surface. Crush the ramen noodles into one of your mixing bowls using your hands.
Step 2: Crush the tofu in your other mixing bowl using the wooden spoon. Add to this the green onion, carrot, flour, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of pepper. Mix to form a dough.
Step 3: Take a small piece of dough (think cherry tomatoe size) and make it into a ball. Then flatten it out using your fingers. Put one quail egg in the centre and then reshape it into a ball again. Place back on your large plate.
Step 3.1: Now roll the balls in the crushed ramen noodles. Make sure all of the surface is covered. Place in your fridge.
Step 4: When you get ready to fry the balls. Turn your stove top eye on medium heat and let the oil heat for 10 minutes. Pull your large plate from the refrigerator and then fry in batches of 3-4 eggs per time until golden brown. The time will range from 2-4 minutes. Place back on your plate that has been topped with paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Then enjoy! You can really put any sauce that you would wish with these. I enjoy a srirachs mayonnaise. It is phenomenal. With the quick bite to eat this week, enjoy yourself, stay safe, and keep eating-on. From the Mississippian in Paris, bon appétit!!!
Extra: For your sriracha mayo, add 1 cup of mayonnaise to a small mixing bowl. Add a pinch of salt and then add the smirch while mixing until the color is a slight pink color. Voila!
10. We will have coverage of the return of football, football recruiting, the build-up to the Major League Baseball draft and more this week on RebelGrove.com. Until then, here are some links of interest to me -- and hopefully, to you -- for your reading pleasure:
Feldman: George Floyd has spurred college football coaches to speak up – The Athletic
How the Minnesota Timberwolves are responding to the death of George Floyd
New civil rights movement - sports.yahoo.com
This is what life after lockdown looks like in Vietnam
Though still in question, vision for baseball to return in Chicago grows clearer – The Athletic
Stark: Memo to baseball — don’t drive off this cliff! – The Athletic
Baseball needs an adult to step up and stop this madness: Sherman
Players Association plans to propose longer season, insist on full prorated salaries – The Athletic
Why the Cubs believe David Ross can lead them through an uncertain season – The Athletic
Chris Paul: We want to play bad (1:37)
Garber claims MLS hired firm to investigate leaks, citing The Athletic’s reports – The Athletic
UGASports - Smart outlines initial plans
Has the Demise of CFB in California Been Greatly Exaggerated?
Face masks made from fabric IU scientist developed could kill the coronavirus
