Retiring soon? How long should you wait to take social security? What accounts should you pull from first? Already retired? Should you consider ROTH Conversions? These are some of the questions that can only be answered with a personalized retirement income plan. Andrew Sego with Sego Wealth Management specializes in helping folks just like you come up with their retirement gameplan. Whether you meet at his office in Collierville or prefer Zoom from anywhere, schedule a free discovery meeting and see what he can do for you. www.rebelsretire.com. Stress out about the Rebels, not your money.
1. The college baseball regular season is over. Now it’s time for the postseason, and for the first time since 2022, Ole Miss will be a participant.
The Rebels took two of three from Auburn to finish 16-14 in the Southeastern Conference. They’ll face South Carolina or Florida Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. in the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Ala. Should Ole Miss win Wednesday, it will face Arkansas in Friday’s quarterfinals.
Let’s start with this: Before the season, given the disastrous last two campaigns, Ole Miss fans would’ve rejoiced at 16-14 in the league and the No. 7 seed in the conference tournament. No one should move the goalposts now. Mike Bianco made some changes, hit the portal aggressively and returned Ole Miss to contender status. In a loaded league, the Rebels more than held their own. They enter the postseason capable of exiting early but also capable of making a deep run into June.
2. Will the road to Omaha go through Oxford?
It could. In fact, history says it will if Ole Miss wins Wednesday. Remember, Ole Miss defeated Mississippi State in the Governor’s Cup game last month in Pearl. So that’s 17 wins against league foes. A win over South Carolina or Florida would give Ole Miss — checking my ULM math here — 18 SEC wins.
Some 64 of 65 SEC teams since 2007 that have won 18 SEC games and had a top 20 RPI have hosted regionals. As of Sunday morning, Ole Miss’ RPI was 18. Florida’s was 13. Arkansas, who Ole Miss would play Friday, has an RPI of 5. In other words, if you’re an Ole Miss fan hoping for postseason baseball at Swayze, you’re cheering for Florida to beat South Carolina, the Rebels to beat the Gators and then Friday really wouldn’t matter.
3. That said, it’s a very crowded SEC field and no one knows what the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee will do. One projected bracket, done by the 11.7 College Baseball Podcast folks, had Texas, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Auburn and LSU serving as regional hosts. It projected Ole Miss as the No. 2 seed in Tallahassee, joining Florida State, Oklahoma State and Murray State in that four-team field.
The Tennesseean on Sunday did a projected bracket with Texas, LSU, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, North Carolina, Coastal Carolina, Alabama, Oregon, TCU, UC Irvine, Oregon State, UCLA and Tennessee as the 16 hosts. It also had Ole Miss going to Tallahassee with Stetson and Bethune-Cookman rounding out the field. In that projection, Ole Miss’ regional would be paired with the Oregon regional in a super regional round.
We’ll see. Suffice it to say Ole Miss is on the bubble, likely needing some work — and maybe some help — to bring postseason baseball back to Oxford.
4. Here’s one final weekly assessment of the SEC as the conference tournament nears:
Texas (22-8) — The Longhorns won the league in their first go-round. Impressive, to say the least.
Arkansas (20-10) — The Razorbacks have reached 20-plus SEC wins in five of their last six seasons. No title but the Hogs are the picture of consistency.
LSU (19-11) — The Tigers closed strong and will be a national top-eight seed. As usual, the road to Omaha goes through Baton Rouge.
Vanderbilt (19-11) — Weeks ago, the Commodores were my sleeper to get to Omaha. No one is sleeping on Tim Corbin’s team now.
Georgia (18-2) — No team is more explosive when it’s hot than Georgia. The Bulldogs can do everything well.
Auburn (17-13) — The Tigers needed one in Oxford and got it. It should shock no one that Butch Thompson has a team capable of contending.
Tennessee (16-14) — The Vols floundered down the stretch. Liam Doyle got rocked on Sunday in Fayetteville. The swagger feels kind of empty.
Alabama (16-14) — The Tide ran into a hot Florida team, but that doesn’t damper an amazing, unpredictable season in Tuscaloosa.
Ole Miss (16-14) — The Rebels will almost certainly hand the baseball to Mr. Reliable, Hunter Elliott, on Wednesday, perhaps with a host bid on the line.
Florida (15-15) — Some team is going to draw the Gators as their No. 2 seed and die a little on the inside.
Mississippi State (15-15) — The Bulldogs, all but left for dead a few weeks ago, finished with a flourish and will be a dangerous No. 2 somewhere.
Oklahoma (14-16) — I’d bet the Sooners get in as a No. 3 somewhere, an accomplishment in Year 1 in the SEC.
Kentucky (13-17) — Barring a run in Hoover, the Wildcats might be inhaling Tums on Monday when the bracket is released.
Texas A&M (11-19) — A disastrous finish to a miserable season for the Aggies. This team is too talented to have this record.
South Carolina (6-24) — Remember when South Carolina was a national powerhouse? Ray Tanner does.
Missouri (3-27) — The Tigers will always have that weekend in College Station.
5. Here’s my sure-to-go-laughingly wrong prediction for this week in Hoover:
Tuesday:
Alabama over Missouri
Kentucky over Oklahoma
Florida over South Carolina
Mississippi State over Texas A&M
Wednesday:
Alabama over Tennessee
Georgia over Kentucky
Ole Miss over Florida
Auburn over Mississippi State
Thursday:
Texas over Alabama
Vanderbilt over Georgia
Friday:
Arkansas over Ole Miss
LSU over Auburn
Saturday:
Vanderbilt over Texas
LSU over Arkansas
Sunday:
LSU over Vanderbilt
6. I don’t have a vote for SEC postseason awards, but if I did, mine would look like this:
Coach of the Year: Jim Schlossnagle, Texas
Player of the Year: Wehiwa Aloy, Arkansas
Pitcher of the Year: Liam Doyle, Tennessee
Freshman of the Year: Chris Rembert, Auburn
C — Rylan Galvan, Texas
1B — Andrew Fischer, Tennessee
2B — Daniel Dickinson, LSU
SS — Wehiwa Aloy, Arkansas
3B — Ace Reese, Mississippi State
OF — Kade Snell, Alabama
OF — Robbie Burnett, Georgia
OF — Ike Irish, Auburn
Util — Noah Sullivan, Mississippi State
DH — Kuhio Aloy, Arkansas
SP — Liam Doyle, Tennessee
SP — Kyson Witherspoon, Oklahoma
SP — Kade Anderson, LSU
RP — Dylan Volantis, Texas
RP — Carson Ozmer, Alabama
7. I expect Ole Miss is going to get a commitment sometime soon from power forward Nikola Bundalo.
Bundalo, a 6-foot-10, 215-pounder who played last season at Prolific Prep in Napa, Calif., had been committed to Washington previously.
If he commits — he visited over the weekend and sources believe his commitment is imminent — Bundalo gives the Rebels a skilled — albeit young — big with play-making skills, size and a very high ceiling.
Per my ULM math, Ole Miss still has one spot left to fill, and I’d bet the Rebels are holding out for a guard who can score off the bounce. Who is that? I don’t know. As I said a few weeks ago, there are players who will be getting out of the NBA draft process here in the next few weeks, and perhaps that — or a recent graduate who can therefore enter the portal at any time — will provide a vehicle for Ole Miss to fill that void.
As it stands, the roster is beginning to take shape and make more sense. The Rebels figure to be deeper and more athletic this season. I’m a little concerned about scoring ability, but there’s still time — and a spot — to alleviate that concern.
8. The NBA is down to four teams fighting for the title.
Here are my thoughts and predictions for the Eastern Conference Finals and the Western Conference Finals:
In the East, it’s New York versus Indiana, just like everybody (actually, nobody) predicted. The Knicks pulled off two shockers early in the series versus Boston and then closed it out after Jayson Tatum’s terrible Achilles injury. Indiana rolled a depleted Cleveland team, with Tyrese Halliburton looking every bit the part of an underrated — not overrated — superstar.
As much as the national media will try to steer into a Knicks appearance in The Finals, I kind of like the Pacers. My pick: Pacers in 6
In the West, Minnesota will head to Oklahoma City Tuesday night for Game 1. The Wolves dispatched of the Lakers and the Steph-less Warriors to get to the WCF. OKC, meanwhile, had to grow up and mature versus Jokic and the Nuggets, winning Sunday in a Game 7 blowout.
It's SGA versus Anthony Edwards now. Two great young players squaring off, with one heading to The Finals. It should be a fantastic series. My pick: Thunder in 7
9. It’s time to eat. Here’s our resident Parisian chef, Burton Webb, with Taste of the Place, Lesson 288 — Roasted Pineapple Salsa + Fresh Tomatillo Salsa.
Sweet heat meets zesty green bite—two perfect salsas for grilled dishes, tacos, or tortilla chips.
The Chef’s Tidbits
— Char = Flavor: Roasting your pineapple caramelizes its sugars and adds smoky depth—great contrast to spicy elements.
— Tomatillos = Tang: These bright green gems aren’t just for salsa verde. Raw, they keep their bite and color beautifully.
— Make-Ahead Bonus: Both salsas can be made in advance. Chill and let the flavors bloom.
Salsa #1: Roasted Pineapple Salsa
Sweet, smoky, and just the right amount of heat.
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh pineapple, sliced thick ½ red bell pepper 1 jalapeño, halved and seeded ¼ red onion 1 tbsp olive oil Juice of 1 lime 1 tbsp chopped cilantro Salt to taste Instructions:
— Roast the ingredients: Preheat oven to 425°F or use a grill. Toss pineapple, bell pepper, jalapeño, and red onion with olive oil. Roast or grill for 15–20 minutes until lightly charred.
— Cool and chop: Let ingredients cool slightly. Dice everything small, including the roasted jalapeño (adjust to desired heat).
— Finish: Toss with lime juice, cilantro, and salt. Chill or serve room temperature.
Salsa #2: Fresh Tomatillo Salsa
Tart, bright, and herbaceous—perfect for spooning on anything.
Ingredients:
6 fresh tomatillos, husked and rinsed 1 small garlic clove ½ small white onion 1 small serrano or jalapeño pepper (optional, raw) ¼ cup chopped cilantro Juice of ½ lime Salt to taste Instructions:
— Chop the base: Finely dice tomatillos, onion, and chile (if using). Mince garlic.
— Mix and balance: Toss with cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Stir and taste. Let sit for 10–15 minutes to mellow the raw bite.
Final Step & Presentation:
Serve both salsas in small bowls or jars. Pair with tortilla chips, grilled chicken, tacos, or shrimp skewers. For bonus flair, sprinkle with toasted pepitas or queso fresco just before serving.
From the Mississippian in Paris! Bon appétit!
10. I’ll have coverage of Ole Miss baseball, basketball and football recruiting and whatever else comes up this week at RebelGrove.com. Until then, here are some links of interest to me — and hopefully, to you — for your reading pleasure:
The New York Knicks, after 25 long, humbling and frustrating seasons, are back
Weiss: The reality of the new NBA caught up with the Celtics, who might have to find a new way
2025 NBA offseason spending power: What money, exceptions each team has at its disposal
So far for the Lakers, it’s been status quo in the offseason
Expert shares very encouraging insight about Jayson Tatum’s injury
Jayson Tatum’s comeback will be aided by knowing everyone is rallying around him
Draymond Green said what many Black people feel. But then he missed the point
Wild NBA Draft Lottery night opens door to blockbuster trade possibilities
2025 NBA Mock Draft V.7 - No Ceilings
The Angels didn’t capitalize on having Shohei Ohtani. Now they get to watch the Dodgers do so
The potential Pete Crow-Armstrong MVP season is starting to happen for the Chicago Cubs
Pete Rose now eligible for Hall of Fame after years of ineligibility
Mike Schmidt on Pete Rose and the Hall of Fame: ‘There will always be a cloud’
Ditching the drama: Why a 49ers-Brock Purdy deal was so essential this offseason
Super Bowl odds, projections: Why our model sees Ravens, not Eagles, as early favorites
Have Crystal Palace brought modern fandom to the Premier League?
