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The Mailbag, pres. by Whitney McNutt/Tommy Morgan Inc Realtors: Edition 139

It's time for The Mailbag, presented by Whitney McNutt of Tommy Morgan Inc. Realtors, Edition 139. I asked for your questions. You delivered. So here we go...

From Jasper AL Reb: Do you think the last week will negatively affect recruiting in baseball? Some people are acting like it won't be a problem at all.

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That's such a different world. It's likely something Bianco's staff will have to address from time to time, but the kids they're recruiting are 8th and 9th graders, often times. I doubt they're hung up on that.

From DeuceMccluster22: We talk sports movies a lot on this site whether it be on pod or on the message board. IMO 1993s "the program" is possibly the best sports movie ever made. Even thirty years later, it's still a very accurate portrayel of college football without all the sappiness that comes w/ most sports films. ( FYI it was directed by same guy who did major league 1-3)There is a deleted scene in the movie that is very infamous bc it lead to the death of a guy soon after its release and it was pulled from the movie. Watch the scene and answer this... ( this is all lighthearted and no disrespect to the guy in the accident)my question is what five ole miss players during your tenure covering the beat would you consider crazy enough to do such a stunt? Going to assume Robert Nkimdeche is definitely one...

I mean, the names that come to mind are Denzel Nkemdiche and Greg Hardy. That scene is insane. I'm surprised there was no hand-raise guy in the room when that was filmed asking questions.

From Levi275: How do you define leadership and "clutch" within the context of team sports and is it different than the way you'd define those traits in life in general?

To me, leadership in sports is about actions over words. Clutch is more about wanting to be in the penultimate moment and not being afraid of the criticism that comes with failure.

As for life, I don't know. I know we all say sports mirror life, but do they, really? I mean, there's a lot to learn from Kobe Bryant's work ethic, sure, but his work ethic alone didn't make him a great basketball player. Yes, he led by example, and guys around him worked hard because of it, but if he had been less gifted, would that hard work have been labeled as leadership? And I wouldn't know how to begin to define "clutch" in life, though I suspect it's similar -- desiring to be a decision-maker and unafraid of criticism that would come with failure.

From Pants83: Maine has no venomous snakes and has a cool climate. Is that your dream world? By the way, please don’t leave.

Laura always jokes about wanting to retire and move somewhere obscure and run a bed and breakfast. Sometimes I joke about wanting to just do it. I could cook and make cocktails and disappear while she talks to guests and stuff. Maine does sound lovely for that project. In four years, the nest will be empty. Who knows?

From WBurns42: I don’t recall if you’re a conspiracy theorist guy or not but if you are, what’re your top 5 favorite conspiracy theories of any subject?

I'm not a big conspiracy theorist, thank God. I believe Oswald acted alone. I don't think 9/11 was an inside job. I think NASA actually landed men on the moon.

Like I said, thank goodness I'm not wired that way, because the past 16 months or so would drive a conspiracy-minded person nuts.

From Kylethehoss: What is going on at WJOX in Birmingham? Did they want to get rid of one of the roundtable guys

I don't feel comfortable getting into it. It was as simple as their contract was expiring and they explored another avenue. They're tweeting about it, to some extent. They're going to do really big things, in my opinion. Those guys are immensely talented and they're about to make some serious money.

From walnutreb: Do you think there was any substantial thought in Keith's head this week that said "Screw it, Mike put me in a really shitty spot, I'm letting him go. If that means Coach X Y or Z isn't coming so be it, I'll find another"?

No, I don't think so.

From nyc-tup: I have so many questions:What do you think happened in that Birmingham hotel room? When Sally drove back to Oxford and told Billy about her weekend how do you think he felt? How do you think she felt? Do you think Sally’s ex will wink at Billy when he sees him at industry conferences and the like? Do you think Sally and Billy still end up tying the knot? If next April Sally has a baby will Billy raise it as his own? Neither of them seems like the kind of person who is into this stuff (not that there is anything wrong with that) do you think this will be their thing going forward?But I only want you to answer one:If you had to give a toast at Sally and Billy’s wedding what would you say? BTW two stipulations (1) you have had two and a half drinks before you get to toast the happy couple (2) you get to decide if Sally is pregnant at the wedding

I'll skip all the code names. Here's what I think happened, and given what a crappy job I did of covering it, you can choose to believe it or not. Up to you.

1. LSU was going to hire Kevin O'Sullivan until it realized the PR was too bad.

2. LSU started surveying the field with Woodward looking for a splash. They floated Pat Casey's name in the media and the backlash was too strong.

3. Skip Bertman and the old guard at LSU started pushing hard for Bianco. That campaign gained momentum.

4. Ole Miss made a super regional, which delayed discussions between Carter and Bianco. Had Ole Miss gotten to Omaha, it would've gone away. When Ole Miss didn't, the rumor mill heated up.

5. Bianco and Carter met. Carter didn't offer a raise or any security promises. Bianco told him he'd have to listen to LSU. Carter essentially said, yeah, you should.

7. Bianco wanted the job. Carter wanted him to get the job. Carter knew who he would pursue if Bianco left on his own terms.

8. Bianco interviewed in Birmingham on Thursday. I have to believe he felt he was the leading candidate and the interview was a formality.

9. The interview leaked in the media, a move, in my opinion, to force Bianco out and allow Woodward to tell Bertman and the boys he talked to their guy but...

10. Here we are.

From Rebel901: Do you think the upcoming Rebel basketball season will be better than last year, worse, or about the same?

I'm taking a very Show-Me approach to this season. I'm going to wait and see. No predictions from me.

From gmerithew19: Favorite running trails in Oxford?

I've never run on any trails here. I run in my neighborhood or on a treadmill. I used to go to campus and run but I haven't done that in years. Trails scare me. I'd worry so much about snakes that I wouldn't be able to enjoy my run.

From North Tampa Rebel: If OM Football has a great season (9 or more wins), basketball and baseball tank (not out of the realm of possibility), you guys could have 3 coaching searches in the span of about 6 months. 

Dear God.

From RebelHigh: Where do you see our baseball program 5 years from now?

It's been pretty consistent for 20 years, so that's the easy bet. The league is getting tougher, though, and there are some scholarship issues. So if you were going to bet on a pendulum swing of sorts, I think you'd have to bet on the side of marginal regression.

From Loanshark21: Ole Miss is a top eight program in regards to fan and financial support (at least before this Bianco/LSU fiasco). Is there a way to turn that willingness to donate to the program and the new NIL rules to even the playing field with the scholarship issues?

The NIL stuff is still in its infancy. I've been making some calls about it, but to date, no one has mentioned baseball. I just don't know that a business is going to get much bang for its buck on baseball. Maybe some local businesses, but you're not talking about real money, and if local businesses in Oxford are doing sponsorships, local businesses in Starkville, Knoxville, Baton Rouge, Fayetteville, etc., are doing them as well.

From OleMiss1982: You and others have criticized the investment in the baseball program compared to other schools and our lack of appearances in the CWS. If you compare that investment over the last 21 years to the investment in football and basketball (much larger investments btw) and then compare those programs’ success or lack thereof, don’t you think OM gets a lot larger ROI (defined by winning) on its investment in baseball than in the other two sports. I’d argue that the ROI in basketball is great than that in football and that football is a distant third. Shouldn’t the big gripe be that we can’t get over the hump in baseball while we can’t even get to the hump in football and basketball? Which of the big 3 sports do you think OM realistically can win a national championship in the next 5-10 years? Why?

You make a strong argument. I'd argue you have no choice but to invest heavily in football and men's basketball.

As for winning a national title in the next 5-10 years, I'd say baseball is the best bet because Ole Miss is perennially in the tournament. In the last two years, Ole Miss has essentially been in the Sweet 16.

The expanded playoff format will improve Ole Miss' chances in football. Now, making the tournament as the hottest team is in play, a much more viable route for Ole Miss than being a top-four team.

As for basketball, there's just no evidence whatsoever that Ole Miss can talk about national titles. I've been on the beat 13 years. In that span, Ole Miss has won two NCAA Tournament games (and one of those was a play-in game in Dayton). In 13 years on the beat, I've covered five NCAA Tournament games, counting Dayton.

From M.O.B. Rebel: Forgive me if this has been discussed, but I haven't seen it in the few threads I've watched. Yes, I wanted a clean break from Bianco and yes, I think Keith got caught with his pants down. Total WAOM moment to have the stars align for a Bianco to Lsu / Dan or Cliff to OM, only to have none of it happen.But I've seen a lot of posters say Omaha or bust next year. Keith will fire him next year. ETC. Umm, Keith just rolled him over to 4 years, making Bianco's total term at 25 years, which I believe is the number for Public Employees’ Retirement System of Mississippi. Those hoping for a change before then are setting themselves up IMO. I think we're stuck with him, in typical Ole Miss fashion. I believe he finishes his career here and then gets reassigned in the Athletics Department.Agree or disagree and why.

I don't know about what opportunities Bianco would have/wouldn't have in Oxford as anything other than the baseball coach. I just don't know.

I'm told he really wants to coach another 8-10 years, so I'm guessing he'd coach elsewhere if he left the dugout in Oxford.

From sadkins11: After this week, where does the Ole Miss fan base rank on your most annoying list?

Ole Miss fans have every right to be pissed off. If I were an Ole Miss fan, I'd be furious.

From tjcrebel: Who wins after the new SCOTUS decision besides the athletes themselves? The richest fanbase? The biggest fanbase? I believe the first step will be players selling autographs, what is your take? Will Alabama players take a cut in pay because now they will have to pay taxes on there disclosed earnings?

Yes, I believe the rich are about to get richer. The most invested networks are going to flourish. Yes, I believe players will sell autographs and appearances. I think they'll do less media that isn't bought. I am curious to see how this income is taxed. It should be educational for a lot of people.

By the way, the black market of college sports isn't going away. There are still going to be car dealers, for example, who want to help State U. but want to do it under the table.

From Hannitized: If you were Carter would you have an advertising firm of some sort meeting with each recruit and family when they came in for a visit? Good meet & greet?

That's probably a good idea and it's likely something that will happen more and more as NIL is rolled out.

From Patrick C Timony: Last week you stated that the Hawks were a “good” but not “great” team. Do you want to reconsider you opinion in light of their participation in the conference finals?

No, I still don't think they're a great team, but they're much better than I thought they were. Kudos to them and to you (I'm assuming you're a Hawks fan).

From walnutreb: You said last week that "He can't come back if he interviews". Do you stand by that? What are your steps to show that you can't do that if you're Keith and this happens.

Yes. Anything less than a trip to Omaha and this is resurfacing as an anger point among fans this time next year.

Carter knew about the interview. Carter wanted Bianco to get the job. I suspect there had been an agreed-to level of privacy that Woodward violated.

From kinsley1m: I went to a Rangers game a few weeks ago and didn't recognize the game I watched as a kid, extreme shifts and low batting averages mainly. What can or is MLB doing? Would you go for something along the lines of more or less fixed positions, with rules similar to football player placement?

I love Major League Baseball because I grew up loving it, but it's boring now. Compared to NFL or NBA or NHL or (hell, I can't believe I'm saying this) the English Premiere League, it's boring. Everyone throws hard. Everyone swings for the fences. Analytics have eliminated small-ball. No one runs anymore. The players are amazing but the product is spotty. I think they're going to have to tinker with the mound, reduce/eliminates shifts, that kind of thing. They've simply got to put more action into the game.

From petervenkman: petervenkmanFive-Star Prospect Gold MemberToday at 2:29 PMAdd bookmark#26Why do you think there is so much difference in Ole Miss baseball’s postseason success vs. MS State’s? How would you fix it? (aside from the obvious coaching change)

I don't know enough about their program to truly judge that. They play with real confidence and that never seems to waver, even when they're losing series during the season. I watched them a few times this year and they always were consistent. I do think Lemonis is a terrific coach.

From RebelCommodore: What was your first summer job?

I picked peaches at Mitcham Peach Farms in Ruston, La., once I was old enough to drive. I would get up at 6, be on the trailer to the farm by 7. We'd pick until noon, take a lunch break and then go back out until around 4 or so. I think I made pretty good money for a 15-year-old.

Looking back, the 20-something year-old guy who was our supervisor was completely full of shit. He'd regale us with stories of his love life and I, as someone who had yet to reach first base safely, would listen in relative awe.

It was hot as hell, and you learned quickly that no matter how much your face and/or neck itched, you DO NOT SCRATCH. The fuzz and the insecticides would burn like a son of a bitch until you could wash it off. My partner was not from America. He spoke broken English. He could really pick peaches fast. We got paid by the bucket and he would get frustrated at me because I couldn't keep up with him.

Of course, he never got called to work on Select Day, when we were paid extra to pick nothing but the perfect peaches for the top customers. I was good at that. My partner just picked every damn thing. He would get us yelled at a lot. Looking back, it was a great job for a kid. I learned a lot.

From OleMiss1982: One more, I listened to SEC and beyond today and heard your and Greg’s speculation on what would happen with the NIL payouts to athletes and affects on the schools. One hypothetical that wasn’t discussed was what about a booster (business owner) that historically has given $10,000, $50,000 whatever to the school but now could give that directly to an athlete to advertise for the business. Wouldn’t that put the school and star quarterback in competition for those $$$’s?

Yes, indeed. And, as I mentioned, it's going to eventually lead, in my opinion, to tough choices regarding the true need for capital improvements and luxury additions. Can you afford to have water slides and barber shops and photo rooms in your locker room when you need to be figuring out how to put together the endorsement packages for the top cornerbacks? Interesting times ahead.

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