1. Ole Miss desperately needed a series win over No. 2 Vanderbilt over the weekend.
The Rebels got it.
Ole Miss won a pitchers' duel on Friday night, as Doug Nikhazy out-gunned Kumar Rocker in a 3-1 Rebels win. On Saturday, Vanderbilt's Jack Leiter silenced doubts about his health with a masterpiece in the Commodores' blowout win to even the series. Then on Sunday, Ole Miss won a slugfest to win the series, dramatically enhance its NCAA Tournament hosting possibilities and add a really strong line to its postseason resume.
Ole Miss closes the season this weekend at Georgia. Realistically, the Rebels just need to win once in Athens to host an NCAA regional in Oxford. Two wins would cement that, and a sweep of the Bulldogs might give the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee something to think about as it pertains to national seeds.
Ole Miss' RPI is around 12 after the series win over Vanderbilt. Arkansas, Vanderbilt and Tennessee have national seeds all but wrapped up, so it's a matter of how many of those eight the committee is willing to give to the Southeastern Conference. Mississippi State is also in the mix, so it's possible the SEC Tournament later this month in Hoover, Ala., could have some bearing on things.
First, though, the Rebels have to take care of Georgia, and the Rebels have the offensive firepower to do it. Give this team credit: It's provided drama and story lines all season. No one can question that.
2. It's time for my weekly ranking of the Southeastern Conference baseball teams.
1. Arkansas -- The Hogs haven't lost a weekend series this season. In this league. This year. Think about that. They never blow you away. They just win.
2. Vanderbilt -- I'm sticking with the 'Dores here, but it's really close and they've looked mortal for a while now.
3. Tennessee -- I saw a good bit of the Vols' last two series. They're very good, but I'm not sure they're quite as good as their record indicates.
4. Mississippi State -- Baseball happened to the Bulldogs over the weekend against Missouri.
5. Florida -- The Gators are 17-10 and took two of three from Ole Miss, thus the ranking over...
6. Ole Miss -- What a huge weekend for the Rebels, not only avoiding disaster but actually improving their positioning.
7. South Carolina -- The Gamecocks recovered a bit and are now 15-12. They have no margin for error if they want to host, and even if they get red-hot, they likely need external help.
8. LSU -- The Tigers are playing much better of late, but it's likely just that -- late.
9. Alabama -- The Tide needed to get hot. It didn't.
10. Georgia -- The Bulldogs needed a series win over Florida but didn't get it. They likely need at least two over Ole Miss to have a NCAA Tournament chance.
11. Kentucky -- The Wildcats need a sweep on the final weekend to have an NCAA Tournament case.
12. Auburn -- Twelve teams have to go to Hoover. The Tigers are in the driver's seat for the final spot after beating...
13. Texas A&M -- Ole Miss' Sunday loss to the Aggies could end up really haunting the Rebels.
14. Missouri -- The Tigers will always have Starkville.
3. Ole Miss did a big thing late last week, getting out in front of Name Image Likeness legislation in time to start utilizing it on the recruiting trail when the NCAA dead period ends June 1.
From UM Media Relations:
From Archie Manning to D.K. Metcalf, Ole Miss student-athletes are some of the most recognizable in sports, and soon, current Rebels will have the opportunity to capitalize on their personal brands through the Next Level program. Through an enhanced partnership with INFLCR, Ole Miss Athletics is launching Next Level, a comprehensive name, image and likeness program that will empower its student-athletes with the knowledge and resources to elevate their brand and platform. When the state of Mississippi's NIL bill takes effect July 1, Ole Miss student-athletes will have the tools, content, curriculum and infrastructure to maximize the benefits that arise from the legislation. "We are excited to launch this robust program and put our student-athletes in an optimal position to advance their personal brand to its full potential," said Keith Carter, Ole Miss Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics. "The student-athlete experience is ever evolving, and with INFLCR's technology and the dedication of our staff, we are expanding our commitment to developing our student-athletes with the education and resources to take advantage of these new opportunities. "The Ole Miss brand has never been stronger, and its global impact coupled with the Next Level program sets up our student-athletes not only for success in college but in their time after graduation and beyond." A clear example of the reach of the Ole Miss brand is in social media, where its channels produce some of the most engaging content in college athletics, garnering 420 million impressions during the 2020-21 season. While Lane Kiffin has the most Twitter followers among SEC football coaches, the Rebels' team Twitter has also experienced extreme growth with the fifth-largest increase in interactions in all of college football in 2020. Ole Miss Baseball has consistently boasted some of the most popular social media accounts in the sport, including the largest TikTok audience in the nation with more than 221,000 followers and 3.4 million likes. The brand development opportunities for Rebel student-athletes are further strengthened by Ole Miss' extensive national media exposure, including the SEC's television agreements with CBS, ESPN and the SEC Network, and the university's powerful alumni network of more than 150,000 living members around the world, connecting Rebels with influential business and community leaders. As the Next Level program helps student-athletes leverage that reach, INFLCR's platform, mobile app and dedicated INFLCR Plus team will play a central role, offering educational support, social media measurement tools, fair market value assessments and other critical elements for brand growth. Once equipped with Next Level, Ole Miss student-athletes will be able to measure, assess and analyze data related to their personal brand in addition to receiving best practices for growing their reputation. They will also continue to access videos, photos and graphics provided by Ole Miss' content team to effectively communicate their story on their own social media channels. Utilizing the INFLCR app, Rebel student-athletes received 51,000 pieces of content from Ole Miss athletics staff in 2020-21 and gained 31,000 Instagram and 11,000 Twitter followers.
Make no mistake, this is the kind of program schools such as Ole Miss will simply have to have in place to compete in the new NIL era. What will it mean, financially, for student-athletes? I don’t know. I have some real doubts that the average student-athlete will reap many rewards from NIL, but schools have to be aggressive in looking like they’re marketing the athletes who wear their uniforms. Ole Miss took a major step in that direction last week.
4. From UM Media Relations:
The annual Egg Bowl game between Ole Miss and Mississippi State will be played on Thanksgiving night for both the 2021 and 2022 seasons, the SEC announced on Thursday.
This season's Battle for the Golden Egg will be played on Thursday, Nov. 25, in Starkville, Miss., with a 6:30 p.m. CT kickoff on ESPN. The Rebels will then play host to Mississippi State Nov. 24, 2022 in Oxford.
The game has been held on Thanksgiving night 23 times previously, including 2017-2019. The winner of the annual matchup has been awarded the 'Golden Egg Trophy' each year since 1927.
Ole Miss and Mississippi State have met 117 times previously and is the second-most played rivalry game in the SEC, with the first game taking place in 1901. Ole Miss holds a 62-46-6 advantage in the series, including a 31-28 win over the Bulldogs last season. The game is the 10th longest uninterrupted series in college football and has been played each year since 1944.
My take: Maybe it’s just me, and I’ll admit this is likely due to my not wanting to have to work on Thanksgiving, but I hate this development. I enjoyed last season’s game on a Saturday. Further, competing head to head with the NFL is just crazy, especially on a night when the NFL is going to pit two very good teams — the New Orleans Saints and Buffalo Bills - against one another.
In the end, ESPN pays the lion’s share of the bills, so it gets what it wants, and if it wants the Egg Bowl on Thanksgiving night, it gets it. I just think there is going to come a moment when Ole Miss is going to move this game back to Saturday.
5. The NBA regular season ended Sunday. I obviously don’t have a ballot, but if I did, my postseason ballot would look like this:
Coach of the Year: Monty Williams, Phoenix
Rookie of the Year: LaMelo Ball, Charlotte
Most Improved Player: Julius Randle, New York
Sixth Man of the Year: Jordan Clarkson, Utah
Defensive Player of the Year: Rudy Gobert, Utah
Most Valuable Player: Nikola Jokic, Denver
First-team All NBA:
G Steph Curry, Golden State
G Luka Doncic, Dallas
C Nikola Jokic, Denver
F Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee
F Kawhi Leonard, L.A. Clippers
Second-team All-NBA:
G Damian Lillard, Portland
G James Harden, Brooklyn
C Joel Embiid, Philadelphia
F Paul George, L.A. Clippers
F LeBron James, L.A. Lakers
Third-team All-NBA:
G Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn
G Donovan Mitchell, Utah
C Rudy Gobert, Utah
F Kevin Durant, Brooklyn
F Julius Randle, New York
6. The NBA Playoffs begin with the play-in round this week. I’ll have comprehensive playoff predictions next week. Here are my predictions for what I think is coming this week:
Eastern Conference Play-In:
Tuesday:
Washington over Boston (Wizards earn 7th seed)
Indiana over Charlotte
Thursday: Boston over Indiana (Celtics earn 8th seed)
Western Conference Play-In:
Wednesday:
L.A. Lakers over Golden State (Lakers earn 7th seed)
Memphis over San Antonio
Friday:
Golden State over Memphis (Warriors earn 8th seed)
7. I have tons of respect for Scott Van Pelt. He’s a legend in broadcasting, the best there is, at least in my opinion, at studio hosting.
However, he got this wrong.
The Thunder did the only thing the Thunder could’ve done this season. The Thunder simply has to tank, and when it became obvious they might just be too good to be as bad as they needed to be, they sunk their own ship. So, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Al Horford sat the final two months and Lu Dort played sparingly.
Is it good for the game? No, not really. Is it an awful look? Yeah, no one can deny that.
But was it smart? Was it prudent? Was the very best thing for the franchise? Yes, yes and yes.
Oklahoma City is likely never going to land a high-profile free agent in the prime of his career. So the way to accumulate stars, as they did when they landed Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Serge Ibaka, is via the draft. The best way to get to the top of the draft is to accumulate ping pong balls and the best way to do that is to lose big. The Thunder want to add stars to a team that includes Gilgeous-Alexander, Dort and Darius Bazley. They’d love to see Cade Cunningham or Evan Mobley or Jalen Suggs in Oklahoma City, and there’s a small chance the Thunder could have two top-five picks.
That chance goes to zero if the Thunder are mediocre. The organization knew that. So it tanked. So did, for the record, Cleveland and Orlando. That’s why Cleveland played its finale Sunday versus Brooklyn without Matthew Dellavedova, Darius Garland, Kevin Love, Larry Nance Jr., Taurean Prince and others. The Cavaliers needed to lose.
It might be a bad look, but it’s a good strategy. Hell, it might be the only strategy.
On Sunday night, by the way, the Clippers out-tanked the Thunder in Oklahoma City, throwing a game to avoid the Lakers until the Western Conference finals. Again, I've got all the respect in the world for Van Pelt, but the rail on the Thunder was off. Tanking happens in professional sports. I'm not sure there's anything that can be done about it. The Jaguars all but threw games to ensure the rights to Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence. It's just part of the landscape of sports.
8. I sometimes get asked parenting questions.
They always strike me as crazy, as I think I'm the last person who should be giving parenting advice. I think in my mind I'm still in my 20s, still focusing on my work and making money and all of that.
In reality, however, I'm 51. Our oldest, Campbell, is 20 now. Caroline, our middle child, is 18. She graduates from Oxford High School Friday night. She leaves for college in August. We'll just have Carson here, and he's starting high school in the fall.
I say all that to say this: Time flies. Our demographics tell us a lot of you are in your 30s. Your children are young. Life is hectic. You've got baseball practice, soccer practice, cheer and tumble practice, dance practice, whatever. Dinner has to be cooked. Homework has to be done. The days melt into each other. So do the weeks and months. You know the rest. Life is hectic and you're just trying to get through the day.
But hear this:
Caroline has been dancing since as long as I can remember. She loves it more than anything in life. I often joke about this, but I coached her in softball when she was like a first-grader. She played second base. She would be out there in her ballet shoes. It was cute, but behind the cuteness, there was a burning desire to dance. It has never faded.
Over the last few years, Caroline has spent hours upon hours refining her craft, both with the Chargerettes and with what is now Oxford Elite Dance Company. She has one competition left, but on Sunday, her dance company held its season-ending recital at the Ford Center on the Ole Miss campus.
Caroline and the other two seniors were honored, of course, and there were video tributes to them. Caro's hit me hard. It's not that she's graduating. It's not that she's going off to college. It was the realization that I won't watch her dance again. I won't watch her do the thing that gives her so much joy again. Dance has given her confidence. It's refined her work ethic and enforced time management skills. It has also provided her with a home away from home, friends who are basically family. It's taught her how to win and how to lose. It has provided some of the highest highs and some of the lowest lows.
Make no mistake. I believe doors close so that others can open. Caroline is a fantastic leader, and the world needs leadership more than dancers right now. Maybe she's being pointed in a new direction.
We'll see. But on Sunday, watching my little girl dance one more time was an incredibly bittersweet moment.
So here's the unsolicited advice: Slow down. Enjoy the moments. They go really, really fast.
9. It’s time to eat. Here’s our resident Parisian chef, Burton Webb, with Taste of the Place, Lesson 87 — Calamari Tacos.
One of the best things about Mexican cuisine is the ability to put fresh flavors together simply and fast. And why not even throw in some pomegranate seeds as well?
Tidbit #1: Calamari is a delicate thing to cook. You either have to cook it on low heat for a long time or high heat for a short time. You don’t want to have color on the calamari when you fry it. Cook it for a maximum of 45 seconds for each piece.
Tidbit #2: If you can’t find chipotle paste, you can of course go with sriracha in the mayo. Just add enough to tint the mayo slightly pink.
Tidbit #3: When you clean the calamari, make sure to clean out the center cavity before slicing it into rings. There will be a very thin piece of the skeleton on the inside, so be careful.
Tidbit #4: I used purple corn tortillas. You can definitely use regular ones and you won’t taste a big difference. It is mainly for the color on your plate.
Things you will need:
4 People
Tecate beer
Preparation time - 10 minutes
Cook time - 5 minutes
Utensils needed:
Worksurface and chef’s knife
1 small mixing bowl
2 medium mixing bowls
Scissors
Spoon
Fork
Measuring cups
Small saucepot
Large sauté pan
Spider
Plate with paper towels
Oven cooktop
Ingredients needed:
1 lb. Calamari, cleaned and cut in 1/4 inch rings
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
2 oranges, cut into segments
1 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 white onion, small diced
Juice of 2 limes
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil for frying
16 Corn tortillas
Prep the calamari
Step 1: Once you have your rings cut, place your oil in the small saucepot and turn to medium heat. In one of your medium mixing bowls, add the flour, salt, paprika, chili powder, and garlic powder. Mix with the fork and set to the side.
Make the salad
Step 2: In the other medium mixing bowl, add the cut orange slices, pomegranate seeds, onion diced, lime juice, chopped parsley, chopped cilantro, and olive oil. Salt and pepper once you mix the ingredients for your taste. About 2 pinches of salt and 1 pinch of pepper. Set to the side.
Make the mayo and tortillas
Step 3: Add your mayonnaise to the small mixing bowl along with the chipotle paste. Season with a pinch of salt and any leftover lime juice from above. Mix until combined. At this point, place your large sauté pan on medium heat and begin to warm the corn tortillas on both sides.
Fry the calamari
Step 4: With your oil hot, place your calamari into the flour mixture. Ensure that all are thoroughly coated and begin frying the pieces in batches. Take out of the oil after 45 seconds, and set on your side plate with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt. Now it's time to assemble the tacos and enjoy!
From the Mississippian in Paris, Bon Appétit!
10. We’ll have coverage of Ole Miss baseball, football recruiting and whatever else may come up this week at RebelGrove.com. Until then, here are some links of interest to me — and hopefully, to you — for your reading pleasure:
‘We’re getting Justin Fields’: An exclusive look inside the tension, elation of Bears’ draft room
Sam Houston State's late TD gives them FCS title
NCAA football teams push to get players COVID vaccine - Sports Illustrated
Israel showed US ‘smoking gun’ on Hamas in AP office tower, officials say - The Jerusalem Post
They’re Vaccinated and Keeping Their Masks On, Maybe Forever - The New York Times
Facebook ‘fact-checkers’ disagree about university COVID vaccine mandates | The College Fix
Study: Americans are leaving blue states for red in droves | 77 WABC
