It's time for The Mailbag, presented by Whitney McNutt of Tommy Morgan Inc. Realtors, Edition 141.
I asked for your questions. You delivered. So here we go...
From kmreb: How do you think the new NIL regulations will affect rules surrounding collegiate athletes “officially” having agents? Is this the next phase?
I would think so. There's really no reason now they can't officially have an agent. They can have representation. I'm not sure what the difference is. Most don't really need agents, but those that do should be able to hire them at this point.
From rebelfan20: How was your trip?
It was great. I love Oxford, but I needed a break from Oxford. It was nice to get away from work for a few days, spend some quality time with my son and sort of turn off my brain for a bit. I'm not naive. I know he won't be "mine" that much longer and I won't have these opportunities forever, so I was conscious about enjoying and savoring my time with him.
From Grovin1551: Are you actually a Bengals fan now?
We got an unplanned tour from a stranger who then, after getting to know us, offered us tickets to a game this fall. How could we not now be lifelong fans? Isn't that how the transaction works?
Seriously, Carson and I have discussed it and decided that this year we'll have an NFC team (Bears) and an AFC team (Bengals) and sort of see how that fits, if you will. In some ways, that tour was the highlight of our trip. It was cool.
From Hannitized: Ben Simmons or Kevin Love...HAVE to have one in your starting lineup the entire season! Who do your choose and how many games will you win...playoffs? LOL!!!
So I'm going to take this from a Thunder perspective. Give me Love. I could absorb his salary, get assets for doing so, rehabilitate his value over the season and then flip him for another asset.
From TX via TN Rebel: 2 part question if I may be so bold... 1) I'd like to hear the latest housing market update from Whitney Morgan and what she thinks prices in Oxford will do if the Lane Train stays on track. Can this level of SF pricing sustain itself? 2) Would Whitney believe there would be any value in having an OM athlete do a video tour of her properties? Seems like a good way to funnel some cash to the women's rifle and golf teams!
Whitney was too slammed to address this one today, which is likely a sign of just how boisterous the market is in and around Oxford. Obviously, it stands to reason that if Ole Miss football keeps rolling, the housing market will remain active and hot. Houses are selling within 24 hours at full asking price right now.
As for the second question, I'll leave that for Whitney to address when she gets time.
From rushingsp: who’s the better author , steve robertson or dr. seuss?
Did Seuss write hard-hitting sports exposes? No, he did not.
Did Seuss write poetry? I mean, sort of, but not about oleander and stuff.
Did Seuss bring down a football coach? No, he wrote about green eggs and ham.
This is a no-brainer.
From Kylethehoss: What would the founding fathers think about this “woke” culture in America now?
I don't think the founding fathers would be able to relate to what's happening today. It's not even about "woke" culture. I am not sure I know precisely what that is. I just think they'd look at our society today and view it as soft. The founding fathers were young, intelligent, hard-working, big-dreaming people. They weren't big on excuses and they didn't play the role of victim.
I'm not comfortable saying more, for in the culture we are in today, people are always looking for a way to exorcise, minimize and cancel you.
I just tell my kids to be well-read, to work hard, to chase their dreams. Work ethic, I tell them, will go a long way, regardless of skin color or sexual orientation or religious beliefs. I hope I'm right. I hope I'm telling them the truth.
As for the country, there's so much blame to go around for where we are today. In 2008, this country elected a black man as president. Then it did it again in 2012. That should have been a unifier as it pertains to race relations, but I blame Obama for playing the race card instead of the unity card on issues such as Trayvon Martin and Ferguson. He could have been the calmer-in-chief. Instead, he fanned the flames of racial hatred.
That led, in part, to Donald Trump, who was and is one of the most polarizing figures in American history. Trump made the media Enemy No. 1, and the media fought back. Trump insulted and provoked his way through three years in which he did a lot of other things really, really well. Then the pandemic hit, and a man who had bragged about draining the swamp was actually drowned by the very same swamp. Trump bungled the pandemic, starting off a chain of mistrust that continues to this day.
The media and big tech collaborated against Trump, which only served to motivate his base heading into a contentious election.
And here we are, some eight months after that election, and a large percentage of the country doesn't trust the results.
Let me make this clear: I'm not disputing the election. I'm not saying COVID-19 is a hoax. However, the American populace is divided and angry, is fueled by a media machine that has completely abandoned journalistic principles and confused by what appears to be a big tech industry determined to selectively censor.
So here we are, in July, with variants of the virus popping up, and large swaths of the country believe nothing they hear. And who can blame them, really? Medical experts twisted truth. Politicians on both sides of the aisle lied and used the virus for political gain. The proverbial boy has cried wolf far too many times.
So how do the founding fathers feel? I suspect they'd survey the landscape and wish they had all that sacrifice back. I suspect they'd feel unfairly tarred and feathered by a society that wants to judge them some 250 years later without the benefit of any context.
It's kind of sad. America should be the greatest nation on earth.
From walnutreb: Rank in how you expect them to produce in the receiving room:Braylon BrownJRPJahcour Pearson JJ Henry Quay Davis
There's really no way to know that. I think Davis will be given every opportunity to be productive. Pearson has some experience at the collegiate level, so I suspect he'll get a long look early as well. After that, Henry has the skill set to play in the slot quickly and I know hopes are high regarding Brown. As for Plumlee, there's no way to really know. He had a nice Outback Bowl, and the fact he was as productive as he was with virtually no preparation time speaks volumes. Still, can he be productive when he's targeted? Can he take the next step and be a part of the entire offensive package?
From walnutreb: This staff seems hell bent that they will sign a highly rated QB each class. With that as long as they're here that room should only get deeper.So buy or sell today:Luke Altmyer as a long term starter.
Oh, wow. That's almost impossible to predict at this point, right? I think Corral will go pro after this season, leaving Altmyer as the heir apparent. However, will Kiffin look into the transfer portal? Will Ole Miss land Arch Manning or another quarterback of his caliber in the 2023 class? Will Kinkead Dent have something to say about all of this? So many questions. So few real answers. So, as of today, I'd have to hold my powder dry. I couldn't buy or sell with confidence.
From Gatsby01: Will there still be a meet the rebels day with the new NIL rules? Will athletes have to be paid and sponsored to attend?
Sure, they'll still have that day. No, athletes won't be paid to attend, but they'll likely be able to promote their brands that day.
From Napuckett14: Which game does the media promote more?Ole Miss v. TennesseeOle Miss v. LibertyLane v. His previous employer or Ole Miss v. It’s previous coach.
That's easy. The media loves Kiffin. His return to Tennessee will be a much bigger story than Freeze's return to Ole Miss. The Freeze story requires a ton of nuance to tell accurately. Kiffin going back to Knoxville is much easier to sell and it's sexy in a non-scandalous way. The Freeze story is, at its core, kind of sad on a personal level.
From M.O.B. Rebel: Please provide the latest on basketball recruiting. We’ve had some big names come through lately. Who are the main targets for 22? They are obviously targeting bigs, but I’d selfishly like some shooters. Based on what you hear, is Krass an “SEC shooter”?
The two names I hear most are the two bigs -- Kel'el Ware and Felix Okpara. They'd love to land one of them with an eye to the future. Nothing else, I'm told, is imminent. They're recruiting a lot of guys, but they'll be cautious, knowing how fruitful the transfer market could be.
As for Krass, I hear mixed reviews. Frankly, there's a lot of skepticism from some regarding his ability to play at the SEC level. Others think he'll grow into a very good player.
From DeuceMccluster22: Will u pay money to go to a theatre to see stallones directors cut of rocky 4 this November?
Are you saying there are people who won't pay to go see the director's cut of Rocky IV? My God, we're worse off than I thought.
From seminole817: How exciting will Dallas be when Lillard forces his way out of Port to join Doncic. And why do you mispronounce “Doncic?”
Lillard and Luka would be fun.
I'm a dumbass from north Louisiana. There are just words my tongue can't pronounce. His last name is apparently one.
From KwasReb9: Posed this to Chase but it didn’t meet deadline….Agree/ Disagree? RE: Arch. Maybe it is not Ole Miss but I can’t see him leaving the SEC. Too much history within the conference. Say he goes to Clemson, think abt all the traditions and experiences he’ll pass up. Who cares abt the ACC conference games. Boring.
As of today, I'd bet on non-SEC for Arch. I'd bet Texas, followed by Clemson, before I'd bet on an SEC school. Can you imagine the NIL package Texas could put together? I mean, not that it matters, but wow.
Ole Miss will recruit him to the bitter end, and I think the Rebels have a chance, but right now, I don't get the sense that SEC traditions and experiences are high on the priority list.
From nyc-tup: How much of a media event will Freeze make the Liberty game into? What should the Ole Miss band play when he takes the field and why “So much for my happy ending” by Avril Lavigne?
He will want to win badly, and if he does, he'll be obnoxious and make it all about him. However, I have to think Freeze dreads that game a bit also, knowing all of the ugly things it dredges up.
And while that would be funny in a sick sort of way, no, Ole Miss should welcome him back, ever so briefly, give him a polite round of applause and then soundly defeat his team.
From jdmceach: You get one do over in life. What is it?
I would've started having children earlier and I would've had four instead of just three. That's really it.
I mean, I'd likely have focused on baseball and not played football. I would've had more confidence with girls. I wouldn't have joined a fraternity in college. I either would've gone to a school with a better journalism school or I would've gone to law school and been an attorney. I would've focused more on my academics. I never would've gotten fat.
There are lots of things, but one do-over? More children earlier in life. Being a dad is the most fulfilling thing in my life, and it's not even close.
From WBurns42: How are you, Neal?
I'm better than I deserve. Thank you for asking.
From Rebaz: Thoughts on Max Scherzer not making the all-star team?
He got snubbed, but I suspect it'll work out. He'll end up in Denver in time for the game.
From $WithARebelYell$: Any specific position we are looking for in the transfer portal?
Kiffin has consistently said the program is still in "best available" mode. I think they'd still love a receiver or a pass rusher off the edge, but they're not turning down anyone who could help.
From omdavem76: What is your personal definition of a "dude" when referring to athletes? When referencing the 2003 Ole Miss football team, you (and Chase) have regularly referred to it as "Eli and a bunch of dudes" in relation to Manning carrying (dragging) the squad to the doorstep of a SEC title game appearance. In this context, "dude" seems to have a, for lack of a better descriptor, negative tilt, however I have heard other sports talking heads use dude in a reverential fashion, with the most apt comparison being "dude" = "stud". If I misunderstood your use, apologies.Thanks.
I just mean "Eli and a bunch of nondescript guys." It's not an insult. It just means "non-stars." When you talk as much as I do, you fall into bad habits, I suppose, and that's one.
