1. I sat down this morning to get started on 10 Thoughts with one eye on the weather.

It's amazing, as a born and bred Southerner, how exciting an impending snowstorm can be.

One of my fondest childhood memories in Ruston, La., was the week in the early 1980s. We got ice and then enough snow and cold weather to shut schools down for a week. We tied ropes to the backs of four-wheelers and sledded and skied the hills of our neighborhood. We'd fly down Belcara and Tara, whip around the cup-de-sac on Brookwood and race each other on Hundred Oaks.

We played football for hours on end. I can't remember what I did last week, but I can remember who was on what team that week.

I remember sitting up until the wee hours on my birthday in 2010 watching the last big snow we got in Oxford. It started that night and continued for hours, leaving 8-9 inches (if I recall correctly) for the kids to play in. The girls were little then and then sledded the hills of our neighborhood for two days.

Weather is headed this way again over the next few days, and it still brings a different kind of excitement. Here's hoping everyone stays safe and enjoys a couple of snow days.

2. Ole Miss extended its winning streak to four games Saturday with an 81-74 win at South Carolina.

The Rebels are now 12-8 overall and 7-6 in the Southeastern Conference. Once again, Ole Miss found new ways to win. If you're looking for the best news of all of this four-game run, it's that.

On Saturday, Jarkel Joiner scored just six points, making just one of eight shots from the floor. Romello White played with foul trouble. Robert Allen played just 16 minutes before fouling out. Khadim Sy didn't play as he recovers from an injury suffered against Tennessee.

Ole Miss won anyway.

"It's hard to string four games together in this league," Ole Miss coach Kermit Davis said. "Being able to win games against Tennessee and Missouri and some of those games have given us confidence down the stretch."

3. I wrote about it on Saturday night and asked Davis about it after the game, but there was a play at the 17-minute mark against South Carolina that still has my attention. I think it was this turnaround encapsulated in one play.

Devontae Shuler created a steal at the top of the key and took off for a contested layup. Shuler missed, but KJ Buffen was there for a rebound. Buffen then passed to White, who finished the play with a dunk while being fouled.

"I thought it was the play of the game, too," Davis said. "I'll tell our team that on Monday when we watch the tape. We always talk about, 'Run with the ball. Run with the ball.' He ran right with the ball and made a great 50-50 ball and then he had the awareness to throw it back to 'Melo. Dunk. Foul. Really kind of swung the momentum."

The play, Davis said, is who Buffen is.

"When he does the little things, then he'll make a 3, like he did (Saturday)," Davis said. "He's so important to us. He can defend the 3 and the 4. He's in a good place right now and we're so happy for him and happy for our team."

4. Ole Miss is now up to No. 55 in the NET rankings, very much into NCAA Tournament bubble territory.

The Rebels' remaining schedule, beginning with Saturday's home date against Mississippi State, isn't exactly the Land of Opportunity. The Bulldogs are No. 93 in the NET. Ole Miss has a Quadrant 1 opportunity at Missouri (36) in nine days and finish the regular season with a trip to Vanderbilt (125) and a March 2 home date against Kentucky (76).

As of Sunday morning, here are the NET rankings for SEC teams:

Alabama 9

Tennessee 12

Arkansas 23

LSU 27

Florida 28

Missouri 36

Ole Miss 55

Auburn 65

Kentucky 76

Mississippi State 93

Georgia 99

South Carolina 111

Vanderbilt 125

Texas A&M 138

5. Davis referenced the possibility of a midweek game this week Saturday night. The weather could be a factor in that, as could COVID-related or scheduling-related concerns.

While that's up in the air, there is growing optimism the SEC Tournament, scheduled for March 10-14 in Nashville, is going to happen as scheduled.

"It sure seems like everything is leaning that way," Davis said. "One thing I think Commissioner (Greg) Sankey has always done, and he started it with college football and did it so gamely, he's going to wait and wait and wait and make the best possible decision at the time that he needs to make it. There's not going to be any hurried decisions."

Davis said if the tournament isn't played, "There's no way in the world it could be played. The SEC has done a tremendous job of helping these student-athletes getting on the fields and courts."

6. No. 6 Ole Miss opens its baseball season Friday at 3 p.m. against No. 10 TCU in the State Farm College Baseball Showdown.

The Rebels face No. 3 Texas Tech Saturday and No. 9 Texas Sunday. The other SEC teams in Arlington over the weekend will be Mississippi State and Arkansas.

My prediction is Ole Miss takes two of three this weekend, but I won't stop there with my absolutely worthless picks. I'm going to make myself watch much more college baseball this spring, so with that said, here's what I'm expecting from the Rebels in 2021:

Overall record: 38-16

SEC record: 17-13

7. While I'm doing mostly uneducated, sure-to-go-wrong predictions about college baseball, here are my picks for the SEC:

Eastern Division:

1. Vanderbilt

2. Florida

3. Tennessee

4. South Carolina

5. Georgia

6. Kentucky

7. Missouri

Western Division:

1. Ole Miss

2. Arkansas

3. Mississippi State

4. LSU

5. Texas A&M

6. Auburn

7. Alabama

SEC Champion: Vanderbilt

Player of the Year: Jud Fabian, Florida

Pitcher of the Year: Kumar Rocker, Vanderbilt

Freshman of the Year: Tre Morgan, LSU

Coach of the Year: Tony Vitello, Tennessee

8. Sometimes I'm struck by the power of sports.

Sometimes I wonder to myself, "Why do you care about this at all?"

I mean, think about it. For the most part, we don't know the people we cheer for, and if we're being honest, the outcome of the games we watch has no real impact on our lives.

Sports are entertainment. They're not that important.

Deep down, I know that. On Friday afternoon, however, when news broke that the Chicago Cubs were bringing back Jake Arietta on a one-year, $6 million deal, I was giddy.

I wondered why. Arietta is 34 now, six years removed from his magical 2015 season, one that saw him throw a no-hitter en route to winning the Cy Young Award. He's five years removed from 2016, when he threw another no-hitter and then beat the Cleveland Indians (can we still call them that?) in the World Series.

He's not the same pitcher now. Injuries and Father Time have combined to make him a mere mortal. He will round out the Cubs' rotation, not headline it.

Still, his return made him ridiculously happy for a bit. It's been a tough offseason for Cubs fans. Kyle Schwarber and Jon Lester are now with the Washington Nationals. Yu Darvish was traded to San Diego in a deal that appeared to be financially driven. There are rumors Kris Bryant and/or Willson Contreras could be dealt very soon.

A window is closing. An era is ending. So Arietta's return is nostalgic and likely nothing more.

But maybe that's what sports really are. Maybe sports are, above all else, a vehicle for nostalgic memories to remind us of days gone by. That 2015 Cubs team is likely my favorite of all time. It made that summer and early fall joyful. A year later, that team did what I thought no Cubs team would ever do. In the years since, the Cubs have been good but not great, but that 2015-16 run with Arietta and Lester leading the pitching staff gave me a lifetime of feel-good memories.

I know Arietta will be a shadow of his former self this summer, but on those days when he takes the hill at Wrigley or elsewhere, I'll cheer a little harder, hoping that on that day, he can turn back time and remind me of the magic of days gone by.

Maybe that's the answer.

9. The ice and snow makes you hungry. With that in mind, here’s our resident Parisian chef, Burton Webb, with Taste of the Place, Lesson 74 — Zucchini Fritters with Tomato Mayo.

It’s funny to think that you can fry, well, almost anything. If zucchini is not a big thing on your dinner plate, this could be the dish that you add to your recipe book. It is a play on a greek salad... just in “fritter” form. If you are not into the mayo, add fresh cherry tomatoes to the batter mix and enjoy.

Tidbit #1: Fritters are usually done with an ice cream scoop because the batter isn’t solid. This is the same. So with your ice cream scoop or a big spoon, dip out the batter, and place in your plate of panko bread crumbs. Working swiftly, add to your pan of oil. Don’t worry, the shape doesn’t need to be perfectly round.

Tidbit 1.2: For those fresh tomatoes in the mix, add 10 cherry tomatoes sliced in half.

Tidbit #2: Once you shave the zucchinis, place them in a wire strainer and sprinkle with salt. Let set in your sink for 10 minutes to drain out any excess water.

Tidbit #3: For the tomato mayo, you will need 6 spoons of mayo to 1 spoon of tomato paste. Add 1 pinch of oregano and salt to the mix. Stir.

Things you will need:

3-4 People

An IPA with lemon

Preparation time - 10 minutes

Cook time - 2 minutes per side

Equipment needed:

Work surface and chef’s knife

Box grater

Medium mixing bowl

Measuring spoons

Wooden spoon

Medium sauté pan

Soup Spoon

Metal spider

2 Side plates

Paper towels

Ingredients needed:

2 Zucchinis

2 Garlic cloves, sliced thin

1 Red onion, diced small

1 Block of feta cheese

1 Egg

2 Tbsp fresh dill

1 Tsp paprika

4 Shots tabasco

1/2 Cup flour

3/4 Cup panko bread crumbs

Salt

Pepper

Oil for frying

Directions:

Step 1: Wash the zucchinis, slice off the ends. Put the box grater over the mixing bowl and grate them. Place in your mesh strainer and sprinkle with salt. Let set for 10 minutes.

Step 1.1: In your sauté pan, add just 2 tbsp of oil and sauté the red onion and garlic for about 3 minutes over medium heat. Place in the mixing bowl when done.

Step 2: Pour your oil into the pan so that it reaches halfway up the pan. Turn the pan to medium heat.

Step 2.2: In the mixing bowl, add your egg, dill, paprika, tabasco, crumbled feta, and finally the drained zucchinis. Mix with the spoon. After, add the flour with salt and pepper. Mix one final time.

Step 3: When the oil is hot, start making the fritters right away. Pour the panko on the side plate. Spoon one fritter at a time into the panko to coat it. Grab the fritter and place it in the oil carefully. Cook until golden brown on each side, about 2-3 minutes per side. Serve with lemon wedges and mayo. It is a great appetizer or a side item for a Sunday lunch. Enjoy and from the Mississippian in Paris, Bon Appétit!

10. We'll have coverage of Ole Miss basketball, baseball and whatever else may pop up this week on RebelGrove.com. Until then, here are some links of interest to me -- and hopefully, to you -- for your reading pleasure:

John Wall exclusive: Inside his Wizards-Rockets trade – The Athletic

Inside Maryland coach Mike Locksley's mental health initiative – The Athletic

Chicago White Sox's A.J. Pierzynski on playing with an edge – The Athletic

Daughter of Lombardi Trophy designer wants apology from Tom Brady

Op-Ed: Chris Cuomo's Situational Ethics Covering Gov. Cuomo

Opinion | People who previously had covid-19 should go to the back of the vaccine line

'Woke' American Ideas Are a Threat, French Leaders Say - The New York Times

Chris Harrison Steps Away From 'The Bachelor' After Controversial Interview | Hollywood Reporter