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1. The Southeastern Conference wrapped up its spring meetings in Destin, Fla., late this past week.
I’m sure things got accomplished behind the scenes, but for the most part, the convention basically served as a reason for media to bitch about the state of college athletics.
Some media is mad at the SEC for not agreeing to a format that would give the league four automatic qualifiers to a 16-team college football playoff tournament. Those same media ignore the reality that the league would be giving away bids, in all likelihood, if it agreed to that.
The Big Ten, by the way, shares the SEC’s sentiment.
All of that led to more calls for Congress or even President Trump to get involved. Breaking news: They’re not going to do anything in Washington, and they shouldn’t. There are bigger fish to fry than “fixing” college athletics.
There was plenty of House settlement talk. Judge Claudia Wilken has not signed off on the settlement and has said she’s not prepared to do that until, as The Athletic wrote Sunday, “the NCAA’s schools had a plan to make sure upcoming roster limits don’t screw over current players.”
2. Of course, there was continued conversation about expanding to a nine-game SEC schedule.
You’ll be shocked to learn coaches are against the idea. Admin types are generally for the concept, for they need the money. Of course, they want more money than television partners are willing to provide — at least to this point.
So, nothing was resolved. What the SEC does in 2026 remains unknown — basically by anyone.
Here’s the thing: Coaches will never be for it. Athletics directors know that, and they know if they vote for the idea, they’re going to have a dispute with their respective coach.
My guess: Eventually, the television partners ante up and make it so much money that the SEC has no choice but to go to nine games, but until then, no one’s budging. That was confirmed again in Destin.
3. There’s an increased level of buzz around Ole Miss commitment Ilias Kamardine.
I linked an X thread about the French guard, but people around the Ole Miss program are getting excited about his abilities off the bounce, something the Rebels lacked at times last year, even on a team that went to the Sweet 16.
I recommend reading the thread. Per program insiders, Ole Miss has one spot left and is still looking for a lead guard. I haven’t heard names, but I don’t sense that Ole Miss is all that involved with USC transfer portal guard Desmond Claude. His price tag is exorbitant.
The one name I've heard a bit is committed elsewhere out of the portal, so unless there's been a flip or something -- there are no reports along those lines as of this writing -- it's still a waiting game as the summer begins.
4. Despite a heroic comeback, No. 17 Ole Miss softball saw its season come to a close in the Women’s College World Series, falling 6-5 to No. 16 Oregon in 10 innings on Friday night at Devon Park.
And with that loss, an unforgettable and likely program-altering season came to an end. Ole Miss coach Jamie Trachsel, who rebuilt the program after coming to Oxford from Minnesota, discussed the season and more afterwards.
5. The Super Regionals are set. Here are my sure-to-go-ridiculously wrong predictions for who will make it to Omaha:
Miami over Louisville in 3
Florida State over Oregon State in 3
North Carolina over Arizona in 2
Auburn over Coastal Carolina in 3
UCLA over UTSA in 3
Duke over Murray State in 3
LSU over West Virginia in 2
Arkansas over Tennessee in 3
6. I have a grievance about the NCAA Tournament. Regional hosts should always be the home team. Period.
On Saturday, Ole Miss played Western Kentucky in an elimination game. Both teams were 0-1 in the tournament. Yet Ole Miss was the “road team.”
Later that day, our oldest daughter texted to say she was at the Arkansas game in Fayetteville. So my wife turned it on, hoping, I suspect, she’d see her daughter in the crowd. It was a winners’ bracket game. Both Arkansas and Creighton were 1-0 in the regional, yet Arkansas was the “road team,” wearing its road grays.
On Monday night, LSU was the "road team" in Baton Rouge versus Little Rock. It's just non-sensical.
Frankly, it’s just stupid. That’s it. That’s the grievance. Let the host teams be the home team. They earned it. It’s a way to make the regular season mean something.
The NCAA’s weird obsession with “fairness” has always been obnoxious. Making home teams be road teams and wear road uniforms is just silly.
7. The NBA Finals begin Thursday in Oklahoma City.
The Western Conference champion Thunder will host Games 1 and 2 before the series shifts to Indianapolis. The Indiana Pacers defeated the New York Knicks in six games to return to The Finals for the first time since 2000. OKC is returning to The Finals for the first time since 2012 when it lost in five games to the Miami Heat.
The Thunder won both regular season meetings with the Pacers and are prohibitive favorites in this series.
Indiana plays with pace and has depth, nullifying a couple of Oklahoma City’s strengths. The Thunder have been nails at home in the postseason, losing just once (Game 1 versus Denver). The Thunder figure to give Tyrese Haliburton fits and that is going to make it difficult for the Pacers to score.
My pick: Oklahoma City in 5
8. It’s a rematch in the Stanley Cup Finals.
I won’t pretend to know enough hockey to break down the ins and outs of the Florida Panthers versus the Edmonton Oilers.
I watch and I’m not sure I completely understand what I’m watching. I do remember watching last year’s series, won by Florida in seven games, and it was enthralling hockey.
I’ll watch again this time, I suspect, and wonder why I don’t give the sport more of a chance.
My pick: Florida in 6
9. It’s time to eat. Here’s our resident Parisian chef, Burton Webb, with Taste of the Place, Lesson 290 — Herb-Crusted Chicken Paillard with Arugula & Parmesan Salad.
A classic that never goes out of style: thinly pounded chicken breast, seared until golden and crispy, topped with a zesty arugula salad and shaved parmesan. Light, bold, and spring-ready.
The Chef’s Tidbits
— Paillard = Pounded Thin: It cooks fast and stays juicy.
— Salad on Top: This is a dish where salad and protein become one. Dress lightly just before serving.
— No Deep Frying: A simple sear in olive oil gives all the golden crispness you want.
Things You Will Need:
Serving: 4 People Prep Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 10–12 minutes
Utensils Needed:
Cutting board & plastic wrap (for pounding) Heavy skillet Mixing bowl Peeler or microplane (for cheese)
Ingredients Needed:
2 large chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded thin 1 tsp Dijon mustard ½ cup breadcrumbs (panko or homemade) 2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tsp dried oregano or thyme Salt & pepper Olive oil for cooking
For the Arugula Salad:
4 cups fresh arugula Juice of ½ lemon 2 tbsp olive oil Salt & black pepper Shaved parmesan (or pecorino) to finish
Mise en Place:
— Pound chicken thin between plastic wrap. Season with salt and pepper.
— Mix breadcrumbs with herbs.
— Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper for salad dressing.
Cooking Instructions:
Step 1: Crust and Cook the Chicken
— Brush chicken with a little Dijon mustard. Press into the herb breadcrumb mix.
— Heat a skillet with olive oil over medium-high.
— Cook chicken 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Set aside to rest.
Step 2: Make the Salad
— Toss arugula with lemon dressing.
— Shave parmesan over the top.
Final Step & Presentation:
Place each chicken paillard on a plate. Top generously with the dressed arugula salad. Finish with extra parmesan shavings and cracked pepper.
From the Mississippian in Paris! Bon appétit!
10. I’ll have coverage of Ole Miss baseball, football/basketball recruiting/ the baseball transfer portal and whatever else comes up this week on RebelGrove.com. Until then, here are some links of interest to me — and hopefully, to you — for your reading pleasure:
House Settlement Still in Limbo a Month Before Terms Would Start
Lions' Frank Ragnow suddenly retires from NFL at 29 in major blow - New York Post
How NIL, new NCAA landscape alter expectations for DT Eric Gregory, Bengals UDFAs
New data shows transfer players far less likely to be drafted
Pacers, Thunder Both Built Finals Teams Off Trading Paul George
Pascal Siakam leans on his championship credentials to will Pacers into NBA Finals
2025 NBA Finals preview: Thunder-Pacers key matchups, X-factors and more
NBA Finals odds: Oklahoma City among most lopsided favorites ever against Indiana
The NBA Finals-bound Thunder are here to stay: ‘These guys are uncommon’
Tyrese Haliburton is New York’s new villain, joining Jordan, Reggie and others - The Athletic
‘Inside the NBA’ on TNT ends with Eastern Conference finals, but its legacy lives on
Inside Knicks’ imperfect yet historic season — and how they build off it
Merging old school grind with new ways of thinking, the Detroit Tigers are here to stay
Sliders: As he nears 3,000 Ks, Clayton Kershaw shares thoughts on the future of his craft
The Oilers’ tweak that could change Stanley Cup Final rematch vs. Panthers
For Oilers, Panthers and other truly elite NHL teams, the regular season doesn’t matter much
The NHL’s Sun Belt ‘problem’ has no easy solution. But does it need one?
Chelsea review of 2024-25: Mission accomplished for Enzo Maresca – but can he build on it?
Ronaldo, Alexander-Arnold, Pogba and more: Transfers that might happen before Club World Cup
