It's time for The Mailbag, presented by Whitney McNutt of Tommy Morgan Inc. Realtors, Edition 146.
I asked for your questions. You delivered. So here we go...
From Patrick C Timoney: What would you rather have:1. Everything, and I mean everything, breaks Ole Miss’s way and Ole Miss finds it’s way into the playoff as the fourth seed. However, Ole Miss will not sign Arch Manning.or 2. Ole Miss misses the playoff and access bowls this year but signs Arch Manning next cycle.
If I'm an Ole Miss fan, I'd much rather have the second option. Arch Manning would bring so much visibility to the Ole Miss program if he signed there. He would give the program cache, and combined with the media's infatuation with Lane Kiffin, he would make Ole Miss a household name of sorts. Would I, if I were an Ole Miss fan, trade the No. 4 seed for that, and all that would come with Manning? All day. Every day.
From North Tampa Rebel: OM 2016 team: Up big on FSU and Bama but eventually lose (*loose) both. Blows out Georgia, and then finishes the season with losses to Vandy and State after Chad goes out. What was the biggest issue that season? Talent deficient defense? Freeze losing control?
Injuries hurt, sure. A lack of defensive recruiting was finally showing its ugly head. And, and boy this was big, Freeze was losing the program. His speeches and messaging were falling on deaf ears. Rumors abounded. People were talking. Players were talking. It was a mess. Go back and watch the last two games of the 2016 season. Shea Patterson had a big day in College Station, and the Aggies were without their quarterback as well. However, the bloom was off the proverbial rose and everyone knew it. Ole Miss 2017 with Freeze at the command was going to be a nightmare.
From DeuceMccluster22: As someone who has called tupelo home for 30 years, have u tried Fox Pizza down the road from Ballard park as a place to go to have wifi and drink while Carson practices?Don't go to blue canoe. It's on the other side of town. Before u even get there you'll be back in the car going to get him. Fox is literally 3ish miles away from Ballard park and shouldn't be too crowded?How do u like running at Ballard park? Have u ventured away from the little track and gone around the park itself?Nice little xc loop around baseball field.
I'm answering this one on a Tuesday, about an hour and a half before the drive over. I plan to run today because I haven't gotten any exercise. Mostly I run the track but I have ventured out some. I made the mistake of running over by the birds one day, and they don't move. Like, they're not scared of people at all, and there's bird poop everywhere. I'll try the baseball field loop. I've seen it. Mostly, I just run the track for an hour, towel off, change shirts and then walk some.
I'll try Fox Pizza at some point. I'm taking him on Tuesdays and Laura takes him on Thursdays. It's not a bad drive. School is starting to get hard, though, and time management is going to become an issue for him.
From TSUN_cheats: How would Ted Lasso do as head coach of a mid tier SEC football team? Like an Ole Miss or a South Carolina.
Hot take: Sam Pittman is kind of an overweight, Southern Ted Lasso. I'm interested to see how that plays out at Arkansas long-term. Right now, they love him, close losses and all. Expectations are about to go up, though, and I wonder if the folksy charm still works if the results don't keep up.
From Robert90: Who is the best football player ever in your opinion? From when the sport started to present day. Could be a player you heard about, saw film, heard stories about, covered, saw with your own eyes, etc.
I am not qualified to really answer that. I'll say this: The players who I saw in person who come to mind immediately include Jerry Rice (at Mississippi Valley; they were there to play Louisiana Tech in a 1-AA playoff game), Champ Bailey (he single-handedly beat Auburn for Georgia one night at Jordan-Hare), Peyton Manning, Walter Payton, Earl Campbell, Julio Jones (my God, the way he dominated a high school game was a thing to behold), Brett Favre and Drew Brees.
Of course, there are others I never saw in person who I admired on a screen. Guys like Barry Sanders, John Elway, Dan Marino, Mean Joe Green, Jack Lambert, Deion Sanders, Ronnie Lott, Joe Montana, Steve Young and more.
Here's a USA Today list of the top 100 that I found interesting.
From Rebelfan20: Since the team is 100% vaxxed, have you heard anything regarding whether or not the Walk of Champions will be happening this year?
From speaking with people with knowledge of the situation, yes, the goal is to have the Walk of Champions. I was told everything that can be done to make it possible will be done. Hopefully, Oxford's mayor and four of its board of aldermen don't get involved. But fear not, should they. They'll likely just mask the trees or something.
From ozzy2378: 1. a mob rushing a wall of police/soldiers in a third world country2. a mob of naked liberal women with p**sy hats on screaming the frustration with Trump getting elected out of their “female organ”, wearing a MAGA hat, and carrying an American flag. 3. a mob of LSU fans rushing a field with corn dogs in the middle while you were pouring catchup all over them, wearing an Ole Miss shirt, and unmercifully whipping the Bengal Tiger while they’re massing on the sidelines. (The Tiger would be caged so no worries about getting eaten).Follow up question: Why did you pick what you picked and how would you convince the chosen option not to do very bad things to you?
Oh, give me the second option all day. Those women, invariably, are so sensitive that I'd be able to beat them back with a few well-placed insults. If not, I could move them out of my way by grabbing their fanny packs and pulling lightly. Those are the ones walking the aisles of Kroger, 100 pounds overweight, with little Tommy and little Susie wearing masks and gloves, looking in abject horror at anyone not wearing a mask. If you ever seen them out with their husbands, look the man in his eyes. You'll see there's nothing left. His soul is gone. He's just a human shell finishing out his cold, miserable days.
The mob would crush you. The LSU fans would kill you. The women are harmless.
From coachnuke: Does Javy Baez sign with the mets after the season
I don't think so. There's some buzz about his returning to Chicago, but I don't see that, either. Baez and the Cubs were close to a deal before the pandemic. I suspect the pandemic will end up costing him $200 million or more.
I love Javy. He's one of my favorite Cubs ever. When we were in San Francisco, Baez saw Carson wearing his jersey and signaled for him to wait where we were so he could come over and say hello after batting practice. He did. Carson was in awe. He posed for pictures and the whole deal. Carson was so awestruck that he forgot to ask him to autograph anything.
However, Baez's game is going to deteriorate as his incredible athleticism wanes. Frankly, I think it's already happening around the edges.
From LARebel83: 1. Who, in your opinion, are the ten best college football coaches since 1980?2. Have you ever thought about doing an MLB-only podcast? I think people would listen.
I'm not great at these lists, but I'll try.
1. Nick Saban
2. Urban Meyer
3. Tom Osborne (look at Nebraska since he left)
4. Barry Switzer
5. Bobby Bowden
6. Steve Spurrier
7. Lou Holtz
8. Dabo Swinney
9. Bob Stoops
10. Pete Carroll
Just off the list: Houston Nutt
And no, I've never thought about doing an MLB podcast. There are so many people better informed and connected than I who do MLB podcasts. Mine would pale in comparison.
From theangus2K: I’m in Monroe, LA every month for work. Any restaurant recs or have you been gone too long? It seems most of the ones that get decent reviews are heavy on seafood of which I’m not the biggest fan.
I've been gone since 1994, so it's hard for me to say. I know Warehouse No. 1 is still going strong. I always loved Genusa's, and it's still rolling. I've heard people talk about Waterfront Grill and Cotton, and I'll forever have a soft spot for Cormier's.
From kpal3889: I'm running the Chicago marathon in October and I've never been to the city. First, how early should I show up before the gun if I need to use the bathrooms?Second, where should I go eat afterwards?
You're going to have to get to the park early to find your corral. Use the restroom right before you get in your corral. Also, pro tip: If you're worried about your time, wait to make a restroom stop, if needed, until after the 10th mile. The pack begins to thin a bit and you make a fast stop if necessary. As for places to eat, if you're like me, you won't eat for a few hours after the race and then you'll be so freaking hungry that it won't matter. That happened to me after all four of my marathons. When the hunger hits, it's kind of desperate, so go someplace you can be served fairly quickly and eat whatever the hell you want.
From walnutreb: If I told you that Cedric Johnson looked like a dude and Demon Clowney showed some big time flashes this year.While Iton and Tywone came along pretty strong at the end of the season would you buy Ole Miss having a top half of the league D-line in 23?
Yes, if all of those things happened, absolutely. I would hope, for their sakes, that even if they hit that trifecta, they'd add more depth. The one overriding issue on the Ole Miss roster today is depth.
From hey bob: You have stated Kiffin and ole miss “fit”. Does it appear lane is starting to see that same “fit” as you have gotten more access to him.Also, I’m curious if you would agree more or less with him fitting the more you have been around him.
My access to him is so limited and controlled that I have no idea how he feels about anything. I know it's been an adjustment for people inside the building and the university, but yes, viewing how the fan base adores him, I think he fits in a lot of ways that are difficult to really quantify.
Bottom line: If he wins, none of the eccentricities matter. If he doesn't, they do.
From um98rebl: It’s been stated that Kiffin could win 8-9 games and stay at OM as long as he wants. That comment is generally geared toward the average OM fans expectations. Having relatively low expectations is often put forth as a positive for keeping Kiffin longer.Personally, I see this as a potential negative. Meaning that, I think Kiffin sees the potential trajectory here as being higher than most fans. Therefore, if fans and the OM administration don’t increase their expectations and investment in the program I see that as a reason why Kiffin would look elsewhere. What say you?
Wow, that's a lot to consider for a coach entering his second year. I suspect Kiffin has very high expectations/goals. He wants to win nationally. However, I don't think he's living in some fantasy world. He knows there is plenty of work to be done. I'm not sure he's the type to worry a lot about what fans expect. He appears to have the full-throated support of the administration, but he's still in the early portions of a roster rebuild of sorts. I understand the sentiment of the question. I just don't know that there's enough data, if you will, available right now to properly answer it.
From Levi275: How successful will Urban Meyer be as HC of the Jags? How many years will he be their HC?
If Trevor Lawrence is a superstar quarterback, Meyer will be very successful and there for a while. If he's not, he won't be. It's that simple. It's a quarterback league.
From CobbRebel: 1. How much input do you think Monte Kiffin has in the strategy of the defense?2. Do you know if anything is going on within the softball program? Any rumors?
1. None, really.
2. I've heard things. I suspect they're true. In doing a risk analysis, I would side on never touching that story.
From MilneW: @Neal McCready I just rewatched Godfreys documentary called “Foul Play” and you were quoted with“Leo Lewis is a victim…Leo Lewis is a pawn…Leo Lewis has been used” Has anyone heard from him since 2018? It sure sounds like your words were proven true as he disappeared into the shadows while Dan Mullen and the NCAA moved on with gluttonous happiness… Does Leo Lewis regret his actions 4 years later in your opinion?
Boy, I nailed that, didn't I?
I've not heard from Lewis. I suspect he'd tell you publicly he has no regrets and privately that he has all the regrets. It's what he'll be remembered for. It's his legacy. And what did he get out of it? Some diapers for his child? A free pizza? What a joke. Mississippi State used him and spit him out when it was done, just as anyone with a working cerebellum knew would happen.
From Nugeman: What would it take this season for Lane Kiffin to turn into Led Tasso?
Oh, I suspect Kiffin has that side to him. He might let others do the dirty work, so to speak, but I suspect his teams know when he's unhappy with them.
From MilneW: @Neal McCready Which Mississippi author is your favorite, ie Grisham, Faulkner, Morris, Robertson (jk 😀)
Well, I mean, I love me some poetry, but I'll admit reading Grisham is a bit of a guilty pleasure. Sure, it's formulaic and sometimes it's kind of mindless, but I typically enjoy his work, especially if I'm traveling or on the beach or something.
From Landon_RH: Neal, Jake Mangum was a Rebel killer in baseball for a few years. Who was the guy who always seemed to get the hit at the wrong time against the Cubs?
I hate to admit it, but it's long been Paul Goldschmidt, first with Arizona and then with St. Louis. Albert Pujols destroyed the Cubs when he was with the Cardinals. Randy Johnson was unhittable against Chicago. Other guys that come to mind are Adam Frazier, Ozzie Albies and Daniel Murphy. If I recall correctly, John Olerud used to destroy Cubs pitching also.
From Rebsrockem: STL Cardinals vs CHI Cubs.........Most Favorable moment(s)?Most Least-Favorable moment(s)?
Favorites:
I don't want to rehash bad memories today. I've had a bad week.
From nyc-tup: The decision by the US to pull out of Afghanistan and the awkward execution of that decision has caused people to ask all sorts of questions about military involvement overseas. I ask this: if you had to go to Iraq, and get in a foxhole which Ole Miss coach that you covered would you most (and least) want in that foxhole with you? Please rank from first to last and mention pro’s and con’s of each.
From most to least:
Andy Kennedy
Matt Luke
Kermit Davis
Houston Nutt
Hugh Freeze
*Note: I don't know Lane Kiffin well enough to rank him here.
From cap_hill_reb: Do you think a B1G, Pac12, ACC “alliance” would work? It seems like the conferences are banding together trying to keep their highest profile members from “crossing the line” over to SEC.
No. It's a total joke. As I've said, I expect realignment to continue with some drastic occurrences over the next several years.
From SipRebCard: For much of last year, you were of the opinion that State had the lowest ceiling and you felt Arkansas was better and would be better in the future. As the season approaches you seem to like State more. What has changed.
No, not really. I just think MSU is going to be slightly better than Arkansas now. I'd bet on Sam Pittman stock before Mike Leach stock longterm.
From DgreenReb: Do you think there is a decent chance your feeling about Kentucky this year could be like your feeling about South Carolina a few years ago?If you take away covid, mask mandates and everything is back to normal would you rather cover the games in person or something more similar to 2020 (zoom calls, watch party,etc)?
As for Kentucky, sure, I'm frequently wrong.
As for your second question, I don't know. I suspect another year of covering remotely and I'm not going to be overly eager to go back.
