It's time for The Mailbag, presented by Whitney McNutt of Tommy Morgan Inc. Realtors, Edition 175.
I asked for your questions. You delivered. So here we go...
From M.O.B. Rebel: Do you think Kermit is returning because we couldn't afford to buy him out?Now that he is returning, have you heard of any staff moves? I've heard 2 were looking around.
I do think money was a major issue. Was it the only issue? I don't know. I heard for weeks that a change was unlikely, but I never could get anyone to rule it out. I'll be honest; I'm not connected at all to Ole Miss' administration. I don't know what they were thinking. When I talked to industry sources, they were always skeptical Davis would be let go. At one point, there was a rumor he was considering retirement. I believe that rumor to be completely false.
I've heard two assistants are looking around, but I don't find that particularly newsworthy. Assistants are supposed to look around. Levi Watkins is very well thought-of in the business, so he's always going to have programs sniffing around.
At the end of the day, revamping the staff isn't going to matter unless those "new" assistants are connected to an impactful player.
From chattreb: You and Chase have talked about an alternative universe where EM did not do his dog pee antic antic a few times. I have found it quite interesting, and while this is old and tired and may have been discussed ad nauseam, I would like to ask anyway. What if Freeze did not talk Laremy Tunsil into changing agents, and the punch out with his step father never happened? Would things have worked out the same or would our roster and coaching staff getting ready for spring practice look much different?
It's conceivable, in that scenario, that the second investigation doesn't happen and that Tunsil's NFL Draft experience doesn't happen. In fact, it's likely. Would've changed my life, too, but I digress...
What I don't know, in that scenario, is what happens with Leo Lewis. Does that still get pursued the way it was? Does the little bit they found get dismissed for not being enough trouble if there's no money attached to Tunsil, if the draft isn't such a black eye for the program?
I think it's certainly conceivable Freeze survives in that scenario. Does the phone thing/massage thing/Robertson's investigation (clearly aided by someone) still happen? That I don't know.
From North Tampa Rebel: If you had to guess, when does Lane actually name a starting QB? Does it go into the season? What is the strategy for keeping Altmeyer out of the portal?
I'll guess late August, no more than two weeks before the first game, after classes have begun. And I have no idea what the strategy is, or if there is one, to keep anyone out of the transfer portal.
From cctrey5: As of right now, how many QBs would you guess go in the 1st round?
I'll guess three -- Pickett, Corral and Willis. I don't think the others are first-round guys. Drafting a quarterback to sit isn't en vogue anymore.
From Deucemccluster22: How mad should the Rockford Peaches and Jimmy Dugan be for Dottie leaving the team at the start of the World Series just to let it get to a game 7 before she finally decided to return to the team and play game 7? Bc had she played they’d won in 4 or 5 at most…Once her husband returned shouldn’t that had motivated her to really win?! U can blame the Kitt drama, but I don’t believe in the whole dropped ball on purpose theory bc if that was case she wouldn’t called time out to tell pitcher how to “K”her out. Kitt just finally upped her.PS get caught up on “winning time” love hear y’all discuss it
I'd have to rewatch the movie to provide any insightful commentary. I don't think Dottie intentionally dropped the ball, an opinion that is shared here. I don't think she cared as much as Kitt, so it came across that way.
I do need to watch Winning Time. First, I have to figure out how to access my HBO account.
From Hill Rebs: what have you heard coming out of offseason workouts? what are your thoughts on Alex Anthopoulos? since coming to ATL it seems like he has been very creative in building the Braves roster. As a casual baseball fan it seems like he is a breath of fresh air in the front office
I hear stuff about offseason workouts. I typically keep that stuff to myself. It's been my experience that what I hear is 99 percent positive, and often, it does not translate to Saturdays in the fall, at which point, I, the messenger, get attacked. There was a day when those attacks rolled off my back. Now, I find myself eager to tell the attacker to F-off or to do something to me that rhymes with "row." So I just file away most of what I hear.
As for Anthopoulos, he's a brilliant general manager. The Braves are fortunate to have him.
From WhatTheHell_IHL: How does the elite and only good conference of the SEC only send 1 single team to the second weekend of the NCAA tournament, but somehow Gonzaga who was deemed to be not very good is still alive. I am very perplexed. Even the elite team of Iowa is out. Help.
I sense a lot of sarcasm here.
I thought the SEC would do better than it did in the tournament. I'm sorry I was wrong. Maybe my favorite team ever, Arkansas, can bail us out and win the whole thing. I can turn on the Hogs in the Elite Eight Saturday, put it next to Arkansas baseball and have another incredibly exciting Saturday in Oxford. The dream lives until it doesn't.
I still have real questions about Gonzaga, but I'll admit I watch them mostly studying Holmgren from an NBA perspective. If I'm wrong, good for the Zags. They seem like nice kids.
I hated to see Iowa lose. I thought they'd make a deep run.
I'm sorry you're perplexed. I wish you clear-headedness.
From LARebel83: As someone with many contacts in football and basketball, who are some coaches/former coaches that come to mind that maybe didn't have a lot of success record-wise, but are highly respected amongst other fellow coaches?
This is a good question, but I'm not sure I can answer it. I'm including it here as a reminder to myself to ask around on that topic a bit. I could give some answers here but I'm reluctant, really.
From ozzy2378: If you were a dog and you had to choose between peeing on a bright red fire hydrant in the middle of a 4 alarm fire or a sunburned and masked Anthony Fauci which one would you choose?ETA: And Why?
If I were a human with coolers full of ice water and Fauci were in front of me on fire, I'd save the water. Let's put it that way.
I believe we, as a society, did major damage to young people over the last two-plus years. I don't think he cares. Worse, I think a lot of this was intentional and I suspect he profited handsomely. The schools never should've been shut down. The basketball seasons and soccer seasons should've continued. The cloth masks were never necessary. Fauci didn't care. Again, I'll stop there. I've got a really busy 4 1/2 weeks coming up, followed by a nice "break."
From Ignatius9: What is the future of NASCAR? Are the climate change activists and lawmakers going to pass laws that make them drive electric racing cars?
I think NASCAR must work to be more inclusionary with all of the groups. Find a group and include it. Then include another one. Then apologize. For the love of God, apologize. And wear patches. And put signs on the car promoting social change. That's how one saves NASCAR.
Now, the next step is obvious. No. More. Fuel. Go to electric cars. That way, the environment will be saved, the cars will go slower, and everyone will be safer. At the Daytona 500, for example, teams will have to decide when to pull in for a good 15-minute charge. Oh, boy. Exhilarating.
No. More. Fuel.
From BigDogSaint23: If Ole Miss decides to move on from Kermit next year and wanted to hire AK - would AK take it?
I don't think either side would have the appetite for that.
From Kylethehoss: How would you rank the SEC basketball coaches after this season?
1. Musselman
2. Barnes, Pearl
4. Calipari, Oats
6. Stackhouse
7. Williams
8. White
9. Davis
10-14. New guys
15. Will Wade
In case no one can tell, this is a fairly sarcastic answer based on nothing but this postseason. I have enough enemies. I don't need to make more.
From ThePunter87: Do expect Ole Miss’s pace of play to change in football? They should have more depth on offense and a lot of folks to keep happy. Will the pace slow or be more deliberate?
I basically asked Kiffin that on Monday and he said no. Jonathan Mingo, separately, said they're still going as fast as they can. So I'm guessing they'll go as fast as they can.
From randle4: On your pod with Chris Lee, your Final Four picks were Tennessee, Texas Tech, Iowa, and Kentucky. 3 of 4 are out. 2 lost their first game. Who is your new Final Four picks and Champion after the first weekend?
I'll go Texas Tech, Purdue, Villanova and Kansas.
I'll say Texas Tech wins it. I'm being stubborn, damn it.
If my Razorbacks can't win it, I hope they just cancel it.
/s
From Cobbrebel: How much tension do you think there was between Lebby and Kiffin this past year over play-calling?
Honestly, not a ton. I think there was tension regarding who got the credit and criticism at times. There was a ton of tension on the recruiting trail involving quarterbacks after Lebby left for Oklahoma, and I think that was obvious in Kiffin's press conference Monday.
From pinntrust: If you could live anywhere else in continental US (same job, same pay, etc.) where would it be and do you think you would be the least bit sociable? Asking for a friend.
When I move, I don't know that I'll do this job anymore. I could see me staying in the podcasting end of things but I don't think I'll write much at my next gig, if there is a next gig.
Where do I fantasize about going? I mean, if I could go anywhere, I'd probably either move to like Montana or somewhere totally different or I'd get a place on the beach. As long as I had a strong, reliable Internet connection, I could podcast whenever and wherever.
Do I think I would be the least bit sociable? Laura and I went out with friends Monday night. Prior to that, we went out in Oxford in December (we took the kids to dinner). Prior to that, we went out in Oxford in June, I think. Before that, January (my birthday). So that's what? Four times in 15 months or so? So once every four months, roughly? I'd say that's pretty social, really. If family stuff doesn't count, that's once every eight months. Still more social than I was a few years ago.
I don't go out much here. I don't know many people. Over the last two years, I've been outspoken against masks and policies that took opportunities away from kids. I've been a critic of online school, as it doesn't work. In that process, I've made enemies in a town where a lot of people already didn't like me. I'm not sure the juice is worth the squeeze.
So I keep a low profile here. That's not going to change. As you know, the things that happened to me (and frankly, to my family) after the NFL Draft in 2016 changed the way I view a lot of things and it changed the way I live here. It became a place where I work and raised my kids.
Hypothetically, if I moved elsewhere, would I be more social? I honestly don't know. The truth, and whether this is good or bad is up for debate, is I don't require a lot of socialization to be happy. I finished 10 Thoughts Sunday afternoon, opened a book, started a fire and watched the NCAA Tournament until after 9 p.m. I didn't talk to anyone. I was perfectly content.
From Grovin1551: Is this the funniest way to lose a potential job?
The fact that someone took his clearly sarcastic tweet literally is, in a microcosm, what's wrong with society today. The guy clearly wasn't going to burn down a grocery store. He has a sense of humor and he's likely creative and smart. It's all incredibly silly.
That said, it's a reminder to remind our kids to say NOTHING of substance on social media (or anywhere, for that matter). Someone will get triggered.
