McCready: 10 Weekend Thoughts, presented by Harry Alexander
1. Thursday marks the one-year anniversary of the day the sports world — and our worlds — changed due to COVID-19.
You know the story by now. Ole Miss and Georgia were playing in the first round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament when the Utah Jazz-Oklahoma City Thunder game was stopped before tipoff due to Rudy Gobert’s positive COVID-19 test.
In the next 24 hours, everything stopped. In hindsight, it was an overreaction of epic proportions, one of the first steps in turning 2020 into a clown-car circus act that will be dissected for generations to come.
I won’t spend time today reflecting on that. I’m sick of the topic, if I’m honest.
A year later, we’re slowly returning to normal. We’re divided as hell and we all seem to hate each other and everything is politicized, but we’re returning to normal.
We’re debating the effectiveness of masks. We’ve learned terms such as “efficacy” and “virtue-signaling,” but the sports world is slowly returning to normal.
Some fans will be allowed in Bridgestone Arena this week for the SEC Tournament. Media will be allowed, though the media will be relegated to a press box at the top of the arena and all interviews will be done via Zoom, which is, at this point, silly. More than 5,000 fans are now allowed at Swayze Field, but media interviews are conducted via Zoom.
Science is fascinating.
Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson all have produced effective vaccinations against COVID-19. Soon, anyone who wants a vaccination will have the ability to get vaccinated. At that point, the pandemic will come to an end.
Alabama and Oklahoma, among others, have announced football stadiums will open to maximum capacity in the fall. A local business owner told me Saturday night that his business had enjoyed “home football weekend numbers” this past weekend. I guess Belmont baseball really travels, huh?
People are ready to live again. Anthony Fauci’s 15 months of fame are just about up. The NCAA Tournament will be held later this month in Indiana, complete with masks and social distancing and Zoom interviews, but it will happen. States are opening up, red states going first amid consternation from the media, but make no mistake; the blue states are itching to open as well. Money, after all, makes the world go ‘round.
We’ve come a long way in a year. We all know each other really well now. Friendships have been lost. Relationships have been shattered beyond repair. Everything seems to be viewed through a political and/or racial lens.
The world has changed quite a bit since March 11, 2020. A long nightmare is just about over, however, as much as some seem to want to hang onto it for as long as humanly possible. A new normal awaits, and it will be interesting to see what that looks and feels like.
2. Saturday was also Senior Night for Ole Miss forward Romello White.
The grad transfer from Arizona State has enjoyed a strong second half of the season and quickly become one of the leaders on the Rebels’ roster. He said Saturday he has absolutely no regrets about finishing his college career in Oxford.
“Actually, I’ve had a better year than I thought I would have,” White said. “This year has been great for me on and off the court. Players and coaches, this year has been a really good year for me. Having a lot of freedom to work on my game and expand my game, I feel like Coach Davis has really helped me with that. My guards really look for me as much as they can, keeping me better. I appreciate every single player on my team, the coaching staff and the whole Rebel nation.”
3. It wasn’t Senior Night for Jarkel Joiner, but the Oxford native was reflective after leading the Rebels to a 56-46 win over Vanderbilt.
It’s been a roller coaster of a season for Joiner, who began his career at Cal State-Bakersfield before transferring to Ole Miss and sitting out last season due to the NCAA’s transfer rules. After a slow start, Joiner has heated up on the offensive end, becoming one of the Rebels’ primary perimeter weapons.
“It’s indescribable, playing in front of friends and family,” Joiner said. “The coaching staff is great. I’m so blessed that they brought me back. Playing with teammates like ‘Melo, it’s been fun. I didn’t envision this. I always had hopes and dreams of being in the NCAA Tournament but my first year has been big-time.
“We knew COVID was going to mess up certain things but we didn’t let it get us down. We just persevered and pushed through all the adversity.”
Joiner said it’s been fun being back in Oxford, hearing from people who have known him from when he was a little boy.
“I just hear how proud they are of me, how much they’ve been watching me grow since high school, even since middle school,” Joiner said. “Some even go way back to OPC. They tell me to keep going and keep my blinders on. My dad always tells me to keep my blinders on and stay in the right position and be in the right place at the right time. Being a hometown guy, you have to stay out of certain situations. It’s been fun.”
4. No matter how it ends, it’s been an unforgettable season for Ole Miss. Not every SEC team made it to the finish line of the regular season after playing a full allotment of 18 league games. Ole Miss did.
“Hats off to our staff, to our medical staff,” Davis said. “We played a full 18 games. That’s amazing. We had that one period when we paused for a long period of time and I didn’t coach them for a while. …I keep knocking on wood because it’s not over yet but they’ve done a marvelous job to finish all 18 games.”
On Saturday, thanks to a new executive order from Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, Ole Miss was allowed to have more fans in The Pavilion. Both Davis and White said the difference in energy was palpable.
“You could tell it right from the beginning.” White said. “It’s different playing with fans. They just give you a different edge, a different fire inside you, so we definitely felt that (Saturday) and we really heard them when we were going on that run and we got dunks back to back. It was amazing. I wish I could’ve gotten to see it the whole year.”
5. Ole Miss’ NET ranking rose to 52 Sunday, an encouraging sign for the Rebels as they prepare for this week’s SEC Tournament in Nashville.
The Rebels open with South Carolina in the late game Thursday. The Gamecocks have a NET of 133, so to call Thursday’s game a must-win for the Rebels is an understatement of epic proportions.
That’s where it gets interesting, though. Assuming an Ole Miss win, the Rebels would face LSU in the late quarterfinal Friday night.
The Tigers have a strong-ass NET of 29, meaning an Ole Miss win over Will Wade and his assemblage of talent would be a very nice resume line to show the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee late Friday/early Saturday.
Frankly, that might be enough to land the Rebels in the tournament, regardless of what would happen on Saturday in a semifinal against Georgia, Missouri or Arkansas.
It’s been a seesaw season for Ole Miss, and while the Rebels have work to do, they likely have a reasonable path to the field of 68.
6. Here are my predictions for this week’s SEC Tournament:
First round: Texas A&M over Vanderbilt
Second round: Kentucky over Mississippi State, Florida over Texas A&M, Missouri over Georgia, Ole Miss over South Carolina
Quarterfinals: Alabama over Kentucky, Tennessee over Florida, Arkansas over Missouri, LSU over Ole Miss
Semifinals: Alabama over Tennessee, LSU over Arkansas
Final: Alabama over LSU
I don’t have a ballot for SEC postseason awards, but if I did, mine would look like this:
Freshman of the Year: Moses Moody, Arkansas
Coach of the Year: Nate Oats, Alabama
Defensive Player of the Year: Herb Jones, Alabama
Sixth Man of the Year: Jaden Springer, Tennessee
Player of the Year: Herb Jones, Alabama
All-SEC:
G Cam Thomas, LSU
G Moses Moody, Arkansas
G Devontae Shuler, Ole Miss
F Herb Jones, Alabama
F Dru Smith, Missouri
7. Ole Miss spring football begins in slightly more than two weeks.
One of the areas I’m most interested to watch is the defensive secondary. Last season, the Rebels had bodies there but struggled to find impact players. Until late in the season, that is.
Otis Reese became eligible for the final three games and changed the look of the Rebels’ defensive backfield. He has a nose for the football, playmaking ability and physicality. Reese also appeared to elevate some of his teammates on the back end, including Tylan Knight, Jaylon Jones, Keidron Smith and A.J. Finley.
Ole Miss returns all of those guys and more. Jalen Jordan, Jon Haynes, Miles Battle, Jakorey Hawkins and Deane Leonard are just a handful of players with SEC experience in the Rebels’ secondary.
Still, Ole Miss went heavy on defensive backs in the 2021 signing class. Several of those players — Elijah Sabatini, Dink Jackson, Kyndrich Breedlove, Demarko Williams and Markevious Brown — are expected to go through spring drills. The Rebels signed them looking for impact. They’re long and athletic and they’ll get every chance to play early. Throw in Navy transfer Jake Springer, who is listed as a defensive back after sitting out due to NCAA transfer rules in 2020, and the return of cornerback Deantre Prince and Ole Miss could and probably should have a completely different look in the secondary in 2021.
8. Major League Baseball continues to roll on in Florida and Arizona as teams prepare for the start of the season on April 1.
This week, I wrap up my divisional predictions with the American League West and the National League West.
American League West:
1. Houston — The Astros aren’t what they once were, but they remain the class of the division.
2. Los Angeles — Shohei Ohtani appears healthy and that should help, but the Angels’ pitching staff isn’t deep enough, in my opinion.
3. Oakland — The A’s window has closed. Look for a step back this season.
4. Seattle — There’s young talent in the Mariners’ organization, but they’re not ready to contend.
5. Texas — The Rangers have some serious soul-searching to do as an organization.
National League West:
1. Los Angeles — The Dodgers added Trevor Bauer to a rotation that already included Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler, among others.
2. San Diego — The Padres locked up Fernando Tatis Jr. and traded for Yu Darvish and Blake Snell. Watch them at the trading deadline. They appear willing to go for it.
3. Arizona — The Diamondbacks are a fun team. They’re just in the wrong division.
4. San Francisco — The Giants are in good hands, but the rebuild on the Bay is going to take time.
5. Colorado — The Rockies basically gave Nolan Arenado to St. Louis and now say they can’t afford an extension for Trevor Story. Their fans are understandably peeved.
9. It’s time to eat. With that in mind, here’s our resident Parisian chef, Burton Webb, wit Taste of the Place, Lesson 77 —Chocolate Cakes with Caramel Creme
First off, desserts two weeks in a row. For sure. I am sorry that I forgot the “4 medium bananas” in the last taste. This week is chocolate cake. It is a quick cake that you can make in a mug and the best part is the caramel. There is a little bit of salt added to this caramel and it elevates this dessert to a whole other level.
Tidbit #1: You need dark chocolate for this recipe, don’t go over 70% cocoa in the chocolate bar or it will be too bitter for your taste. Also, stay away from milk chocolate because we will be adding a little creme to the caramel.
Tidbit #2: You will need to bake these cakes. Do not put in the microwave. If you do put in the microwave, message me @BurtonWebb to show me the results.
Tidbit #3: Use a non-stick sauté pan to make the caramel and a high-heat spatula. It is easier for the clean up.
Tidbit #4: With desserts, you will need a digital scale and a digital thermometer.
Things you will need:
2 People
Glass of whole milk
Preparation time - 10 minutes
Cook time - 25 minutes
Utensils needed:
Work surface and paring knife
Small sauté pan
Small saucepan
Measuring cups
Rubber spatula
Rubber whisk
Mixing bowl, medium
Digital scale and thermometer
2 Oven safe coffee mugs
Oven and stove top
Ingredients needed:
1 Tbsp butter
3 Pieces of chocolate
1 Egg
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 Cup flour
1/3 Cup milk
1/2 Tsp salt
2 Tsp baking powder
1 Tsp vanilla extract
1 Tsp cocoa powder
81 Grams heavy cream
50 Grams corn syrup
12.5 Grams white sugar
25 Grams sugar
1 Gram sea salt
Prepare the batter -
Step 1: Set your oven to 350°F. Place your chocolate and butter in the small saucepan and put the heat on medium-low. Let melt and then set to the side.
Step 1.2: In your mixing bowl add the egg, sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract. Mix. Then add the flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix.
Step 3: Then pour in the melted chocolate into the bowl and mix. Pour into the two oven safe mugs and place in the oven for 25 minutes.
Prepare the caramel -
Step 4: Pour the heavy cream, corn syrup, and the 12.5 grams of sugar into the small sauce pot. Bring to a slow boil. Remove from the heat.
Step 5: In your sauté pan, add the 25 grams of sugar and put the heat on medium heat. Watch it carefully and once it begins to brown, use the spatula to move it around. Add your heavy cream mixture a little at a time to the sauté pan while stirring continuously. Cook for 1 minute and then turn off the heat, add your salt and stir. Set aside.
Step 6: Once the cakes are pulled from the oven. Let them cool for 5 minutes and then pour the caramel over the top. Be careful to handle the mugs and then sit back and enjoy a movie.
From the Mississippian in Paris, Bon Appétit!
10. We’ll have coverage of Ole Miss basketball, baseball and football recruiting this week on RebelGrove.com. Until then, here are some links of interest to you — and hopefully, to you — for your reading pleasure:
Why Trevor Lawrence is the surefire No. 1 pick
Les Miles, a dark secret and LSU's systemic failure - Sports Illustrated
Why Mexican Americans continue to lack political influence - Axios
As the Insurrection Narrative Crumbles, Democrats Cling to it More Desperately Than Ever
Biden, Claiming ‘Systemic Racism’ in Policing, Defies Science - WSJ
Power and Political Investigations - The Reactionary
Democrats Sell Out Their States - WSJ
What Life Is Like For New York's Patient Zero
A Doctor Shared His Best Advice for Getting a Better Night’s Sleep
