It's time for The Mailbag, presented by The Westin Jackson, where I answer your questions from RebelGrove.com and Twitter.
I asked. You delivered. So here we go...
From wburns42: You’re named commissioner of MLB, and can change 5 things immediately. What are those things?
1. DH in both leagues.
2. Move the Rays to Nashville
3. More playoff games in daylight hours
4.Abolish the luxury tax
5. Absolutely hammer teams guilty of using electronics to cheat.
From DrBobLobLaw: Let’s play a hypothetical. Let’s say HYPOTHETICALLY that some SEC schools give high school football players candy to persuade them to commit to their respective school. (I know this doesn’t happen, as it would be against the mighty NCAA to receive such a gift.) Hypothetically speaking, of course, what is the most amount of candy you have ever heard a player from any school receiving? Hypothetically of course... And on that note, how would OM’s theoretical candy network with LK on their side compare to other SEC schools regarding their inventory? Top half? Or are we still passing out zero bars while Bama has 100 grand bars?
Hypothetically, I've heard of kids getting 500,000 pieces of candy.
I'm not comfortable with the rest of that question.
From nas5108: Why do you believe the Cubs seem to be wanting to trade Bryant and possibly others?
I think they're determined not to go the way of the Phillies, Giants, etc. They want to extend their competitive window, but I fail to see how trading Bryant does it.
From nas5108: Do you think this transition recruiting class will finish ranked top 30 in the country?
Right around there. I want to see the 2021 class.
From Bojolly: Who would get your Heisman vote if they were on the same ballot: Tua from last year or Burrow from this year?
I think I'm so in on Burrow now that he'd be impossible to beat for my vote.
From delta_Reb22: Why is there such a reluctance among national media to acknowledge how "dirty" college sports are? The older I get, the more I find the propaganda pushing disingenuous.
It's a great question. I don't understand it. Some are just so in bed with the NCAA that they can't go there, I suppose. Honestly, I just can't relate.
From colonel3491: Guess OM’s SEC basketball record
10-8
From VibinReb45: Way too early but if you had to pick who do you think Ole Miss could most likely upset next year? Baylor, Auburn or Florida? I wanna put LSU but they’re recruiting at a drag and drop level right now.
Of those three, I'd guess Baylor. The Bears gave up some points this year. Next, I'd guess Auburn. The Tigers lose a ton of defense from this year's team. Florida, I believe, is going to be very, very good in 2020.
From Ignatius9: With coaching moves, who handles the logistics of finding new coaches places to live, gets them packed and moved, puts their house on the market, get their vehicles here, etc.? Is it their agent? Or does the spouse handle it all? Does the school help with it? I can’t imagine coaches have time to deal with all that at this time of the year. Thanks.
All of the above, depending on how high up. Being a coach's wife isn't a glamorous gig, at least not all the time.
From DrLynch: Assume Red Team will consist of the #1s and the Blue team is the #2s...who will be starting QBs for the spring game? Who will be the starting QB versus Baylor?
I'd guess Corral versus Plumlee, but I have no idea what order. How could anyone know at this point?
From Usp94: In an ironic twist of fate, do you think Yancey damaged Nix’s case to be retained by outing him as his source since Kiffin is playing everything so close to the vest with the GOB crowd?
My guess: It didn't help.
From robert90: Do you think Scottie Phillips will get drafted or get a free agent camp invite?
I think he'll get a chance in a camp. He just couldn't stay healthy in 2019, and that hurt him.
From DGreenReb: What guys in this signing class do you see making an impact next season if you had to guess?
I think Jakivuan Brown, Cedric Johnson and Robert Scott (if he signs) are immediate high-ceiling guys.
From hattiesburgreb: From what state does our highest rated signee come from? And is said signee a top 50 national player?
There's no way to know, my friend. January will be wild.
From FireFighterReb: MLB equivalent of Ole Miss football.
The Tampa Bay Rays
From DeuceMcCluster22: If mayonaise turned out to be the secret to hair restoration... would u consume it?
Yes. Being bald makes one look 10 years older than one is.
From Johnny5Knot: Can Ole Miss football ever become elite, or should the fans be satisfied with 8 or 9 wins?It seemed like Hugh Freeze was close, maybe even Ogeron as well. Furthermore, can Ole Miss football keep somebody like LK for the long haul if he wins?
Yes, Ole Miss can be elite. It's a difficult road to that status, but yes, Ole Miss can do it.
Can Ole Miss keep Kiffin? Sure. Why not?
From RebnCrockett: What article or series that you worked on are you most proud of and why?Any chance that there could be a series on Rebelgrove where you highlight some of the under reported walk-ons to Ole Miss? I realize you both are swamped with traditional material, but would love to see some of the young men (and women) that bust their humps 'for' us get some recognition for their work and dedication.Oh, and thanks to you both for putting out a product that not only entertaining but well written and customer focused!
Sure, we could do some stories on walk-ons. We've done some of that in the past. As for my work, not really. Sitting here in this moment, I can't even recall anything I've done that I was particularly impressed with. I don't think of myself as very talented so I just don't see it that way.
From 92Rebel: Obviously with a new offense to learn, does CLK require JRP and JE to go through spring practice? And if JRP does not go through spring practice, do you feel he will be moved to another position?
Those are good questions. He'll be asked those questions. His answers will be fascinating. Plumlee, to my understanding, has no interest in moving positions.
From Hattiesreb32: You must:A) willfully allow a poisonous snake to bite you and receive immediate medical helpB) wear a cards hat and jersey everyday for 5 years straightWhich do you choose?
Am I guaranteed to live from the snake bite?
From Hattiesreb32: OM 2018 went 5-7 with AJ, DK, Lodge, Knox, Phillips, Taamu and an experienced line- what would a Kiffin staff (including competent DC) have had as a record?
8-4 or 9-3, probably, but that defense was really limited.
From RebYell: Do you believe aliens are out there?
Absolutely.
From North Tampa Rebel: In Home Alone, how was Kevin's dad able to pay for the entire extended family to go to France?
He was a cold-blooded businessman. When he got back home on Christmas Day and saw Kevin, he wasn't even a little emotional. He was thinking of his next deal.
From StanBReb: Is Shuler in a slump or was last year a fluke? What is his ceiling?
He's snapping out of it. His ceiling is an All-SEC point guard.
From Hannitized: Tear up more when watching "Ole Yeller" on Disney Plus(surely you gave in by now) OR during Joe Burrow's speech?
I read Ole Yeller. I cried. I watched Burrow's speech. It got dusty. I am a crier -- not in the Yancy Porter accusation way, but in reality.
From henryreb: With the lack of success with the freshman/younger receiving core, was it more of scheme this season or lack of talent/experience?
The scheme wasn't friendly to them. How talented are they? I guess we're about to see.
From jmbonelli: What is it like to have the power over an entire SEC program?Are you going to invite me up for a whiskey sipping on a podcast?Could you help me with my finite math?
It's like at any moment I could go into a rampage.
Sure.
No, not even a little bit. I could pay for your tutoring, I suppose.
From 5pointsrebel: Do you think next year’s basketball team will be better or worse than this year’s?
Significantly better, I'd guess.
From FourthGradeSpellingChamp: Neal, I completely trust Coach Kiffin but from the outside looking in, Kade Renfroe's stats look a bit pedrestrian. According to Maxpreps.com, his stats for 2019 are 17 TD's and 11 INT's, 2400 yards, 59% completion percentage. Again, I trust Kiffin and his QB development. But Tua was #1 QB in the country out of high school, Jalen Hurts was a highly ranked 4* (#4 Dual Threat QB). In fact, as a senior in HS, Jalen Hurts passed for 25 TD's and also rushed for 25 TD's.I'm just wondering if this kid will be a future backup TE. What do you guys think?
He looks good on film, but that's not my expertise. These coaches obviously like him a lot.
I've tried so hard to just destroy the place. I just can't kill it. Ole Miss keeps coming back. Then it wins. Then, just when I think I've divided it enough to kill it off, it gets all unified behind coaches and stuff. Damn! I guess I'll just keep trying.
Ma'am, this is a Wendy's.
He's the worst. He calls at all hours asking if I've heard about this 2026 wide receiver or this 2028 linebacker. I've had to talk his wife out of leaving him six or seven times already. He wanted to name his new son Robby Ashford Berry. See how that would've turned out had I not stopped it?
We have a personal elf at the North Pole. His name is Jimmy. He writes the kids letters throughout the year and then a few days before Christmas, he flies down on his personal sleigh and leaves them a present. When the kids were little, it was so exciting. Now, they're older, and the gifts from Jimmy are more sentimental. Last year, he gave the girls necklaces that said "Believe" on the pendant. In August, on one of the most nerve-wracking nights of sorority rush, Campbell wore her Jimmy necklace. I _ I mean, Jimmy _ was moved to tears.
Merry Christmas, everyone. May Santa grant all your dreams.
