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A 4-star running back/safety (scout.com and 247sports.com) from Itawamba Agricultural High School, Ashton Shumpert took some time to talk to me this afternoon. A big thanks to him for giving me some of that time (he's a pretty busy guy, ya know?).
(Photo courtesy of NEMS360.com)
While talking to Ashton, I had the feeling that I had caught him at just the right time to talk to him. I was right. Ashton has been hitting the gym HARD this summer. He's squatting 405 and benching 225 about 5 times. Everyone who knows anything about life knows that that hard work, will translate into a better product on the field. He thinks IAHS can surprise some people this fall. "I believe we can go as far as we want." Shumpert told me, "Everyone needs to play every down as hard as they can and everything will take care of itself."
On his college recruitment, Shumpert told me that "everybody is pretty much even, so it basically is wide open." Although its anyone's guess where he will end up, Shumpert did note that in-state schools Mississippi State and Ole Miss were pursuing him the hardest. I asked Ashton if he had grown up watching and pulling for either of those schools. Get this: Ashton Shumpert did not watch college football until he was a freshman in high school. That's the year that he told himself that if he worked hard enough, he could be a special football player. He also noted that his "special love for the game" is a major reason for his well-developed skills. Shumpert told me that he will most likely end up playing RB at the college level because of his ability to develop holes in the offensive line for himself as well as his ability to use moves that he uses in the second level of the defense. I also asked him about the Ole Miss recruiting tactic controversy (although I should point out, MSU isn't too far behind)and how that affects his attitude towards those schools. "It doesn't change it really."
Good-Win! Sports Blog- " I'm getting the feeling that you aren't going to set a timetable on your commitment, are you?" Ashton Shumpert- "No, I'm not. I'm going to ride it out as long as I can." G-W!SB- "Just trying to make the best decision?" AS: "Yeah. And have a little fun with it too. It's a great time."
Good luck to Ashton this fall with his senior year as well as his college recruitment (I'll wish him a good time too).
Any thoughts/comments/question? Thanks for reading!
If you'll notice the title, you'll read "The Final Draft". This might seem like a weird title to a blog post, but I'll point out that while yes it is rather unusual, it also connotes that there was a rough draft. So, that's what we will use when we refer to last year because, like on a rough draft, there were things I wish I could do better or even redo. Some might say: "I thought you did an excellent job with the blog last year!". To which I would say: "Thanks! I think I did too! I truly appreciate you reading my blog! But when I refer to things I wish I could redo, I mean things in my personal life." So without getting too personal, I will leave it at that. The way I was running the blog last year made me give up several things (one of which was this blog). So, this year is the redo. This year (and from then on) is the final copy. Things will be changed for the better. So enough with the regrets! The rest of this post will be dedicated to what will be done differently as well as new features on the blog (plus a request)
Towards the end of my writing (April and May), I started covering some recruiting that was not related to local sports. Honest time: I bit off more than I could chew. This year, I will try my best (no promises) to cover local (local is such a relative term) recruiting. I've learned my lesson. Leave the recruiting to Rivals.com, Scout.com, and 247sports.com. They're the pros.
This is important enough I'm giving it its own paragraph; take note. If you think you might possibly be interested in writing for the blog, please contact me. I would be more than happy to share this medium with anyone that wants to share their own opinion!I've even done it before!I'll even let you write about NASCAR (tongue-in-cheek). A big props to Andrew Toler (AKA tolernator) for stepping up and picking up the Ole Miss side of things here on the blog as well as the writing while I was on "vacation". And while none of us here are particular USM fans, we would be more than happy to welcome anyone who would like to pick that up!
Now.... Here's what's going on with the blog!
Madison Central
This is one area of the blog that I would really like to expand. Any students that would like to provide some perspective here are more than welcome! Last year we only covered football, which is disappointing because Madison Central had a lot of excellent athletic teams! Fast pitch softball won a state championship! Boy's basketball made the playoffs for the first time in a long time. Boys and Girls soccer both had great seasons that extended into the postseason. Boys track and fieldwon a state championship! Baseball went all the way to the state championship series! Last year was a great year to be a Jag! So help us cover some Jaguar sports!
What we're keeping: Well there isn't much to keep (we didn't do too much). We will definitely continue to do scouting reports on upcoming opponents!
What's new? We'll try our best to follow even more MC sports next year! Look for analysis after games with quotes from players and notes from us! Also look for player updates (reports written by players to help keep people in the know)!
What we're keeping: I'm going to continue to try to find Mississippi State recruits that will open up to the blog. I'll continue to search through the numbers to find the true story.
What's new? Not much in this category. If any opportunities arise, I'll see where it takes me and then reevaluate.
What we're keeping: Like i said before, not too much to keep.
What's new? What's not new? Look for Andrews new (insert amount of time)ly Rebel Report (the name was my idea). He'll talk about Ole Miss athletics and knowing him, there is nothing that he won't talk about when it comes to Ole Miss (He threatened me with Ole Miss tennis once). I think he will probably want to cover a tad of Ole Miss recruiting too.
Lastly, this may sound like a lot of new stuff. It's not. All I did was use big letters and fancy colors. Sure, there is some new stuff, but not a ton. We will try our best to keep the blog updated, but in the words of the all time winning-est coach in Mississippi State basketball history, "It is what it is."
Any thoughts/comments/questions? Thanks for reading!
Jake Thomas is a 4 star Offensive Tackle (scout.com) from Columbus, Mississippi. Below you'll find nearly everything you need to know about his recruitment.
Last updated: 5/9/12
Top Schools-
Alabama (Scholarship offered/Stoutland)
University of Mississippi (No scholarship offered/Luke)
Mississippi State (Scholarship offered/Hevesy)
Southern Miss (Scholarship offered/Unknown)
Jake has no current "favorites", but has spent the most time at MSU and Alabama.
Main Recruiting Factors:
- Good academics
- Good athletics program
- Comfort factor
- Distance NOT a major factor
Jake has been nominated for the Army All American bowl. (5/9/11)
I recently interviewed Derek Millinghaus, a point guard from Schenectady, New York. He recently signed with St. Bonaventure, but his letter of intent was released, and he then signed with Ole Miss.
Andrew Toler: Would you mind explaining the situation with St. Bonaventure?
Derek Millinghaus: I signed with St. Bonaventure last year and I did not want to go there anymore because my family was moving down south. I wanted to be kind of close to my family.
AT: There's a lot of colleges down south! What made you choose Ole Miss?
DM: I chose Ole Miss because Coach [Andy] Kennedy has had a lot of good point guards during his career and I felt that he will push me to be the best player and point guard that I can be.
AT: Tell us about your recruitment to Ole Miss.
DM: Coach Kennedy has been at my games faithfully, so I felt that [Ole Miss] really wants me.
AT: I understand. Who are some players you look up to/feel your game is most like?
DM: I would say Chris Paul and Brandon Jennings.
AT: How is their game similar to yours?
DM: They are able to score and pass, and bring excitement to the game.
AT: What excites you the most about playing for Ole Miss?
DM: The passion the fans have for ther school, being able to play in the SEC, and having a chance to make it to the NCAA Tournament.
AT: How do you feel about Ole Miss's current roster? Who are you excited about playing with?
DM: I feel that we have a lot of pieces to make it far next year, probably even the Final Four. I'm excited about playing with everyone on the roster.
AT: Do you feel like you could be the missing link to the Ole Miss offense?
DM: Yes, I think that I'm the type of guard that they need.
AT: What kind of guard does Ole Miss need?
DM: They need Derrick Millinghaus! [Laughs] Ole Miss needs a guard that attack the basket well, shoots well, and will do anything to help his team win.
AT: Thank your for taking the time to talk to us. I'm an Ole Miss fan, so I'm looking forward to seeing you play. Hotty Toddy!
DM: Alright thank you. I appreciate it.
Thanks to Derek Millinghaus for interviewing with me. He is a great guy and I hope to do it again soon.
As you all know, two new teams were added to the SEC starting in the 2012 football season. With the conference realignment, I think it would be a fun idea to do a little mascot realignment, if you catch my drift.
I just want to start off with a little introduction. My name is Andrew, and I will be helping out my man Will. Keep reading our blog.
Let's start with the West. In no particular order.
1. Alabama, formerly know as the Crimson Tide.
New mascot: Thundering Elephant Herd.
I know this is jipping a certain C-USA team. But seriously, C-USA? No one cares about their mascots anyway. And Alabama has been long overdue for a mascot change. Crimson Tide? What does that have to do with elephants?
2. Arkansas, formerly known as the Razorbacks.
New mascot: The Ones That Never Catch A Break.
Darren McFadden never won the Heisman, and they have only been selected for 1 BCS bowl regardless of their recently high rankings. And then when they actually get a decent coach, he has to mess things up for them. Really Bobby? Really?
3. Auburn. Formerly known as the Tigers.
New mascot: Plainclothesmen.
For all of you familiar with college football locales, particularly in the great state of Alabama, it is known that Auburn University is located in the region of the state called "the plains". But don't think there's anything plain about the state of Alabama. They have the last 3 BCS championships.
4. LSU, formerly know as the Tigers.
Too many tigers. WAY too many tigers. And bulldogs. But we'll get to that later.
New mascot: Ragin' Cajuns.
Sorry. Had to steal another mascot. Sorry to that little Sunbelt team in south Louisiana, but this mascot fits those corndog-eating, beer-watergun-shooting "fans" better than any other.
P.S. I don't like LSU.
5. Ole Miss, formerly know as the Rebels.
This was an easy one, seeing as this is the team closest to my heart, which all you readers will definitely realize as I begin to write.
New mascot: Flood.
Jackson, Mississippi, Easter 1979. One of the worst floods the mighty Pearl river has ever produced. Yeah, it messed a lot of stuff up, which is something the Ole Miss frat boys have been doing a lot of lately to get that atrocious excuse for a football season off their minds.
6. Mississippi State, formerly know as the Bulldogs.
Again, too many bulldogs.
New mascot: Turf Managers or the Fighting Les Miles'.
As most people know, MSU has an excellent agriculture school and they pride themselves on that green glory they call grass. It's a perfect fit.
Hey guys, this has just been a little taste of what's in store for ya. Check back later this weekend for the unveiling of the new mascots for the East!
Here at the Good-Win! Sports Blog, I like to give people the best sports highlights and analysis.Southern Miss and Ole Miss were set to play one game, but it was rained out.The players got bored and made the most of their time. And while there were no game highlights or analysis last night at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Mississippi, there were some highlights there will definitely be some analysis.
Ole Miss Baseball Team Goes Bowling
Analysis:
The bowler (whose name is unknown to me) has some serious form. Any bowling coach would be proud of that.
On another note, Senquez Golson makes an excellent bowling ball. Paging coach Freeze!
I really like the acting skills of Hawtin Buchanan, number 21. He does an excellent job of putting some suspense into this.
Props to Ole Miss for the use of (what looks like) the entire team.
Overall Grade: B+
Southern Miss Takes a Roller Coaster Ride
Analysis:
First off the leader does an excellent job of leading the players.
The players did an awesome job with their reaction time.
I could totally imagine these players riding a roller coaster. They did a great job of selling this.
Overall Grade: B
Southern Miss Players Rescue Other Players
Analysis:
Props to the hand- binocualrs. It's a classic.
Those lifeguards were booking it to save those players. Except for that guy skipping out. Still not sure what that was about.
The CPR that was given looked extremely realistic. Good acting by both guys too.
The thumbs-up from the saved played was a feel-good ending
Overall Grade: B+
It's at this point that a full-on Dance-off broke out.
Dance-off
Analysis:
Ole Miss's player had some weird thing goin' on, but it worked out for him in the end.
Ole Miss' Overall Grade: B-
Southern Miss' player's swag was undeniable. The team got behind it too.
Southern Miss' Overall Grade: A-
Southern Miss Player "Bernie"'s and Leaves Ole Miss Speechless
Analysis:
The dance choice was on point. The "Bernie" is an excellent dance.
The smack-talk in the middle to Senquez Golson was a good little break before starting to do what looks like the "Dougie".
The fact that Ole Miss didn't answer is huge. They didn't even know how to respond.
Overall Grade: A
Worm-off
Analysis:
This is an excellent dance choice. You can never go wrong with classics like the worm.
Ole Miss' player, Will Jamison, gives us a little prologue to the worm. Then the man gets some serious air.
Ole Miss's Overall Grade: A
Southern's player gives us a quick look at his worm. Wasn't spectacular.
Southern Miss' Overall Grade: B-
"The Ole Miss"
Analysis:
Originality points here. Big time.
So just for future reference, I'm the first person to dub this "The Ole Miss".
The acting was great too.
Overall Grade: A+
Now this wouldn't be a sports blog if I didn't relate this to sports (besides the fact that they are baseball teams). If this were a baseball game, I would say that the final score would be:
Ole Miss 7, Southern Miss 6 (in 13 innings).
Its always fun to write pieces like this. Any thoughts/comments/questions? Thanks for reading!
March Madness. This term brings up different feelings for different fans. For Ole Miss fans, it may bring up anger ( They haven't been to the big dance since 2001). For Mississippi State fans, the most normal feeling is probably anxiety (Being on the bubble is the norm for MSU recently). And for most Southern Miss fans? Well, they probably don't know how to feel ( 2 NCAA appearances, last appearance- 1991). But let's talk about something that can totally change your season up to this point.
Conference Tournaments. It doesn't matter how infuriating your team's season was up to this point. In conference tournaments, it's simple. Win and your in.
So it's time to have some fun. Here are how things will unfold in the SEC conference tournament. (Or, at least, how I think it will).
Game by game-
Game 1 (LSU vs. Arkansas)- This game will probably be a good match up. LSU has a frontcourt that may pose a problem for Arkansas. Ultimately though, I think Arkansas' defense will be too much for LSU.
Game 2 (Alabama vs. South Carolina)- This will not even be a good game to watch. Alabama's suffocating defense will confound an already confused USC offense. 12 points may be too little to pick Bama to win by.
Game 3 (Ole Miss vs. Auburn)- This game wouldn't even be close. Except that Auburn has been on a great shooting streak recently. UM fans better hope Frankie Sullivan doesn't drop 30+, or this could be a long night for Ole Miss.
Game 4 (Mississippi State vs. Georgia)- A blowout. MSU will get revenge against the team that started their 5- game free fall. This won't be a good game. MSU will jump on Georgia and then go for UGA's jugular.
Second Round
Game 5 (Arkansas vs. Kentucky)- This game will feature two great defenses. Unfortunately for Arkansas, this game only boasts one great offense.
Game 6 (Alabama vs. Florida)- If Florida doesn't hit their 3 pointers, Alabama could win this easily. The only problem with that is that UF doesn't often get cold from behind the arc. And if the Gator's are hitting their 3's, Bama will have to make 'em too. That won't happen. The Tide is on pace to become the worst 3-point shooting team in SEC history.
Game 7- (Ole Miss vs. Tennessee)- UT is playing really good amazing. Their the second hottest team in the SEC right now. Ole Miss will play pretty good, but ultimately I think UT's 3-point shooting will be the last nail in the coffin for Ole Miss.
Game 8 (Mississippi State vs. Vanderbilt)- If Vandy doesn't catch fire, Mississippi State will win this. Think about it. Vandy hasn't done anything spectacular. They've won the games they were supposed to. No major upsets. No spectacular wins. Plus, the Bulldogs are playing as good as anyone in the country right now.
Semi-Finals
Game 9 (Kentucky vs. Florida)- UF will play good for this game with a trip to the SEC championship game on the line. Florida is a GREAT home team. However, this game is being played on a neutral court. And in my opinion, Florida is just a GOOD team on a neutral/ away court. And UK is a GREAT team everywhere.
Game 10 (Tennessee vs. Mississippi State)- This game will be a good match up. MSU has the advantage in the front court as well as the back court. So honestly, I expect MSU to outplay UT. Another reason to pick the bulldogs: MSU has done abnormally well in the SEC tournament under Rick Stansbury. But I do think that UT will have done enough to get a bid into the NCAA tournament.
Championship Round
Championship Game (Game 11- Kentucky vs. MSU)- Frankly, this game will be the same old song for State. The Dogs will come out playing great. Take a (fairly) large lead into the locker room. Start crying about some questionable calls from the officials with about 7:30 left in the game. Make a major mistake. Kentucky will take the lead. State will have to foul and hope that Kentucky will miss their free throws. Yep.
So, here's what I think this tournament will do for teams trying to make the NCAA tournament:
So that's what I think. If you'll post who you think will win in the comments section below, we'll have contest. Winner gets a shout out on the blog's next post after the tournament.
Any questions/comments/thoughts? Thanks for reading!
1. Basketball in Mississippi can just be abysmal sometimes. Now would be about that time.
MSU has dropped 2 straight to completely inferior teams. Why? Well in my opinion, they are simply tired. For a good stretch, they played a 7- man rotation.
I am writing this during the skull dragging that is the Vanderbilt @ Ole Miss game. Vandy is up 23, but that is close considering how bad it was earlier in the game.
Southern Miss is still having a very solid season, but just suffered a loss at the hands of a horrendous UAB team.
2. Baseball season starts tomorrow!!!!!!
Ole Miss opens up in Ft. Worth, TX against a consensus preseason top-15 team in TCU. Mississippi State opens up with a Washington State team trying to regain momentum. USM opens up against a paltry Nicholls State in Hattiesburg. All 3 teams have a great chance at making it to the postseason this year.
3. It's official. I'm Linsane. Jeremy Lin has emerged as the best story in the NBA since the 3- point line. He has brought the New York Knicks back to a .500 record but more importantly revamped a bored fan base. Here's the good part: Carmelo Anthony isn't even playing with the team yet (due to a injury). How Carmelo is going to fit Lin (See what I did there?)with this new dynamic surrounding the team is going to be very interesting to watch. Carmelo just doesn't seem like the type to give away the spotlight and be happy about it. Hopefully 'Melo realizes the ultimate truth: America is Linfected with Linsanity. (+10 points for me)
Any thoughts/ comments/ questions? Thanks for reading!
Is has been a great weekend in sports. And do you know what is the best part about it? IT'S NOT OVER YET!
1. Super Bowl. That's all I need to say. Here's what I think. Tom Brady and the Patriots offense might be too much for the Giants Secondary (there are no pro-browlers in it.) If there is any reason for the Giants to win, it's probably the best one: their super hot.
Patriots 38, Giants 35.
2. A great day of college basketball. State played a close one with Auburn and pulled it out. MSU was smoking from behind the three point line. In my opinion, the only reason that Auburn was in this game was simple. They shot 31 free throws.
I did not get to watch the entire Ole Miss game. The 2 overtime periods (which I watched) were interesting to say the least. As has become a pattern of late, Ole Miss found a way to lose. Ole Miss is so close to winning big, it's not funny. Andy Kennedy is a good coach and UM should keep him.
Southern Miss is better than I expected. With a big time win against Memphis, the golden eagles are demanding some national attention. In my opinion, this could be a top-25 team.
This could be the first time in a long time (or ever) that all of Mississippi's big 3 schools make it too the big dance.
3. In a few weeks, baseball season starts. Man I'm super excited. All of the "big 3" in Mississippi brought in excellent recruiting classes. Southern Miss has a very good chance of wining the C-USA championship. MSU and Ole Miss's chances of winning a SEC championship? Eh... Not so much. The SEC is straight-up loaded.
4, Shout out to the Madison Central boys and girls soccer teams and the boys basketball team. Both soccer teams had great seasons, just coming up short in the playoffs. The boys basketball team has had more success than in recent memory. They won district for the first time since I can remember. But I haven't kept up with it either, so take that for what it's worth.
Any comments/ questions/ thoughts? Thanks for reading!
1. Wow. I just watched a great game. If you missed it, LSU just gave MSU a complete run for their money. The game ended in a steal by Dee Bost (something MSU has become accustomed to). Some stats that jump out to me:
A. MSU outrebounded LSU 40-23. MSU had 17 offensive rebounds .
B. Arnett Moultrie had 28 points and 12 rebounds. He's on the top of my (imaginary) SEC player of the year ballot right now. He's also a Wooden award finalist as well.
C. LSU shot 52% from behind the 3 point line. 11-21(!!!).
2. Ole Miss has a huge match up tomorrow against Florida (@Ole Miss). I think one of the key match ups will be to see if Ole Miss' 3 point shooters can keep up with Florida's 3 point shooters. Ole Miss averages 3 3-pointers per game.
3. Is anyone going to watch the probowl? I'm not. Just not interested in watching people play football with nothing on the line. In the case of professional all-star games, I side with the MLB. That all-star game at least decides which league will have home field advantage.
4. Alabama lost @ South Carolina. That is just another great example of how there is not one game on anyone's schedule that is a "gimme".
Any comments/ thoughts/ questions? Thanks for reading!
1. I know that polls mean nothing, but I personally don't think Mississippi State will fall in the polls this week. That Vanderbilt win was HUGE. Speaking of polls, we will have a new number 1. And in my opinion, that team should (and will) be Kentucky.
2. Ole Miss pulled out an awesome win at Georgia today. They played very well and continued to play solid basketball for the second straight game. It looks like to me that Andy Kennedy is doing his best coaching under pressure.
3. A crazy day for the top 10 in college basketball. #1 Syracuse fell to Notre Dame without major player Fab Melo (all-name team, right?) #3 Baylor lost at home to #5 Missouri in a close game #4 Duke broke a 45- game home winning streak on a last second shot to Florida State.
4. My picks for this weekend:
Baltimore (35%) @ New England (65%)- New England's offense will just be too much for Baltimore's Offense to keep up with.
New York Giants (55%) @ San Francisco 49's (45%)- This is the most intriguing match up of this weekend. My gut just tells me that Eli will be clutch this weekend.
Any thoughts/ comments/ questions? Thanks for reading!
It's been a rather exciting weekend in sports. Let's get to talking about it.
1. The Saints lost to the 49's this past Saturday. It was exciting game. Congrats to the Niners and their fans. It's been a while since they've won at all. The Saints had a record-breaking season and it was a success if you ask me.
2. Tebow-Mania is over (at least for this year). Does anyone else think that Tim has made this season very memorable? He is a great story and I can't wait to pull for him next year.
3. Eli and the Giants knocked off the top seeded Packers today. Does it seem like 2008 again? I personally like the Giants to win it all now.
4. College Basketball in the state of Mississippi. Ole Miss lost to Auburn(@ AU) in 2OT by 1 point. Yes, you heard that right. Ole Miss lost to Auburn. Mississippi State beat Alabama in a close one at the Hump. I think this win will help the bulldogs in the long run. With all of that said, boy am I looking forward to this Wednesday. Mississippi State @ Ole Miss. It ought to be a good game. Look for the Rebs to press the dogs in the backcourt. And look for MSU to get the ball inside to Moultrie for easy points ( UM can't hang with the MSU frontcourt).
Any thoughts/comments/questions? Thanks for reading!
The non-conference basketball season is over (for the SEC at least), with a few exceptions. And before I actually start the "real" preview, let's recap what has happened to this point for each team.
SEC STANDINGS (I've put them into categories)
TOP TIER
1. Kentucky (14-1, #2 AP)- Kentucky. That's about all you need to know about this team. They look like Kentucky. They play like Kentucky. They win like Kentucky. Their only loss came this buzzer beater to now #12 Indiana. Other than that, they have just taken care of business.
2. Mississippi State (13-2, #15 AP)- A surprise team to most, Mississippi State has had some quality wins (Texas A&M, Arizona, West Virginia) and a (semi?) disappointing loss to Akron.
3. Florida (12-3, #13 AP)- Florida has had a great non-conference season, adding some good resume-building wins(Arizona, Texas A&M). Their three loses were all (mostly) understandable (@ then #3 Syracuse, @ then #3 Ohio State, and 2OT to Rutgers).
4. Alabama (11-3, received 1 vote in AP poll)- If you want to see a team that was over-hyped in the preseason, take a good look at Alabama. They were ranked as high as 12th. They lost to now #9 Georgetown, and seemingly started an uncontrollable spiral downward (3 losses in 4 games). They now seem to have that under control.
MEDIOCRE AND/OR UNDERACHIEVING
4. Arkansas (11-3)- This team has played a rather soft- preseason schedule. They were not expected to win any of their 3 losses (Houston, then #10 UCONN, Oklahoma). They have lost team-leaders PF Marshawn Powell to injury and Rotnei Clarke to transferring to Butler.
5. Auburn (10-4)- Auburn is mediocre and overachieving. Losses include Seton Hall, (a good) Long Beach State University, UTEP (UGLY!!!), and a 29 point loss to Florida State. Notable Wins: South Florida, Hawaii (Do those even count?).
5. LSU (10-4)- An all-around inconsistent team. I can't decide if they're on the rise or if they just get lucky every now and then. Losses: Coastal Carolina, Northwestern, University of South Alabama in OT, then #23 Virginia. Good Wins: then #10 Marquette.
5. Ole Miss (10-4)- Just a plain, old mediocre team. With losses to then #19 Marquette, Southern Miss, Middle Tenn. State University, and Dayton, it is not going to get any easier to win for Ole Miss now. As of today, Ole Miss's leading scorer Dundrecous(sp?) Nelson was booted from the team for, as he stated under oath, "unlawfully and willfully used paraphernalia to ingest or inhale a controlled substance." Notable wins include: Miami, Penn State, TCU.
5. Vanderbilt (10-4)- If you want to see another over-hyped team, look no further than Vandy. A consensus top-10 basketball team in the preseason. Losses: Cleveland State, then #11 Xavier, then #6 Louisville, Indiana State Sycamores (yes, they are the sycamores). Wins: BLOWOUT @ then #13 Marquette.
THOSE EASTERN TEAMS THAT WILL BE LUCKY TO ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING
6. Georgia (9-5)- Inconsistent. Notable Wins: Notre Dame, USC. Losses: then #18 CAL, then #12 Xavier, Colorado, Cincinnati, Georgia Tech
7. South Carolina (8-6) Even more inconsistent than Georgia. Bad losses, but hung with then #2 Ohio State until after halftime. Notable Wins: Clemson. Losses: then #1 UNC, USC, Providence, then #2 Ohio State, Elon, Tennessee State(!!!!!!!!).
8. Tennessee (7-7)- Just bad. Dealing with the NCAA doesn't help either. Notable Wins: none. Losses: then #6 Duke, then #8 Memphis, Oakland, then #17 Pittsburgh, Austin Peay, College of Charleston. It may be a long year for the Vol faithful.
PREVIEW
Well now that our recap is complete, I'm gonna preview the SEC season. Complete with best and worst case scenarios, NCAA tournament and NIT chances, and my Pre-SEC season- ALL SEC- Team.
1. Kentucky. This is not a hard choice. Easily the most talent in the SEC.
Best Case Scenario: 16-0. Hey, it could happen.
Worst Case Scenario: 12-4. Are there even 4 teams in the SEC that could hang with Kentucky?
NCAA TOURNAMENT? Yes, 1 seed. 2 seed at worst.
2. Mississippi State. One reason I have MSU over Florida is the easier schedule. The second reason wears jersey #3.
Best Case Scenario: 13-3. MSU will drop some close ones and maybe one they aren't supposed to.
Worst Case Scenario: 9-7. Another late-season collapse leads to a disappointing season.
NCAA TOURNAMENT? Yes, anywhere from a 3 seed to a 7 seed.
3. Florida. Just continues to be a solid basketball team under Billy Donovan.
Best Case Scenario: 14-2. All wins except two close ones to either Kentucky, Mississippi State, Vandy, Alabama
Worst Case Scenario: 8-8. An injury to Kenny Boynton would kill UF.
NCAA TOURNAMENT? Yes, 3 seed to a 9 seed.
4. Alabama- Will hopefully improve since the non-conference schedule.
Best Case Scenario: 13-3. This Alabama team is known to play great defense. If they get hot... LOOK OUT!
Worse Case Scenario: 8-8. A lack of effort can become contagious on a team.
NCAA TOURNAMENT? On the bubble, could be anywhere from a 8 seed to a 13 seed
NIT? If they don't get an NCAA berth, look for Alabama to host a NIT region.
5. Vandy- I think they will get better.
Best Case Scenario: 12-4. They basically return all the key clogs from an excellent team last year.
Worst Case Scenario: 8-8. Ezeli could get reinjured. That would be very bad.
NCAA TOURNAMENT? On the bubble, Vandy as a 9 seed is very possible. Heck, Vandy as a 7 seed is very possible.
NIT? Well if they don't make the NCAA, look for Vandy to host.
6. Arkansas. We're gettin' on down the list.
Best Case Scenario:11-5. They play a very potent full-court defense. They could get hot.
Worst Case Scenario: 7-9. Injuries could stack up on a team that already only plays 9 scholarship players.
NCAA TOURNAMENT? If they make a run in the SEC season and go fairly deep in the SEC tourney, they could be anywhere from a 10 seed to a 13 seed.
NIT? Very likely.
7. LSU. A team that has definitely improved from last season.
Best Case Scenario: 10-6. Trent Johnson could finally wake the sleeping Tigers.
Worst Case Scenario: 6-10. Another LSU basketball season.
NCAA TOURNAMENT? Probably not, but if they make a (unlikely) run in the SEC tourney, it IS possible.
NIT? Extremely likely.
8. Ole Miss. Andy Kennedy will probably be on the hot seat by the end of the season.
Best Case Scenario: 11-5. Jelan Kendrick could step and be the star he's capable of being.
Worst Case Scenario: 6-10. Lack of depth could hurt the Rebs.
NCAA TOURNAMENT? Probably not, they would probably have to win the SEC tourney to grasp a 12 seed.
NIT? Almost definitely.
9. Georgia. They have a tough schedule.
Best Case Scenario: 10-6. They could get lucky. That's all I've got.
Worst Case Scenario: 4-12. Like I said, they have a tough schedule. Kentucky X2, Florida X2, MSU, Vandy X2
NCAA TOURNAMENT? No.
NIT? Probably.
10. Auburn. Just a inconsistent team.
Best Case Scenario: 9-7. They could win most of their home games and maybe two or three more.
Worst Case Scenario: 4-12. It's Auburn basketball.
NCAA TOURNAMENT? No.
NIT? Maybe. I'm leaning towards no.
11. Tennessee. The only thing that separates UT from South Carolina is the talent level.
Best Case Scenario: 10-6. They DO have talent. Just some poor coaching.
Worst Case Scenario: 4-12. Bad coaching. It happens.
NCAA TOURNAMENT? No.
NIT? Maybe. They would have a better chance of making it than Auburn just for their namesake.
12.South Carolina. Just bad. Just really, really bad.
Best Case Scenario: 8-8. They could win the easy ones.
Worst Case Scenario: 2-14. Now THAT would be bad. Like fire your coach midseason bad.
NCAA TOURNAMENT? No.
NIT? Nothing is impossible.
Pre-SEC season-ALL SEC-Team
PG: Dee Bost, Mississippi State
SG: John Jenkins, Vanderbilt
SF: Doron Lamb, Kentucky
PF: Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi State
C: Anthony Davis, Kentucky
Any comments/ thoughts/ questions? Thanks for reading!
This coming Saturday night, a championship game will be played in the state of Mississippi. And while this game won't decide national or even conference championships, it WILL decide who gets bragging rights for the next 366 days. The 107th meeting between Ole Miss and MSU will take place in Starkville . The game will be broadcasted on ESPNU at 6 p.m. The are several story lines going into Saturday night's game. For Ole Miss, Houston Nutt and his assistants will be coaching their last game as the Ole Miss coaching staff, capping off a more than disappointing season. But rest assured that his players will want to send him off a winner. For Mississippi State, there is a sense of confidence, maybe even arrogance surrounding this match up. And maybe rightfully so. State will enter Davis-Wade Stadium winners of the past two egg bowls. They will also enter as the largest favorite in egg bowl history. The spread on this game is 17.5(!!!) points. And check out this first in college football, hashtags in the endzone!!!
( I don't care who you pull for, this is AWESOME.)
Ole Miss enters this game with the 94th worst total defense in the division 1. Out of 120 teams.
And it could be worse. State has the 87th worst total offense in the nation averaging about 386 yards per game. However (Ole Miss fans) if you just laughed at that,save your breathe. Ole Miss is 114th in total offense. Yeah. And State has a pretty good defense. 32nd in the nation in scoring defense. Oh, and by the way. Numbers mean nothing in such a heated rivalry. So forget everything I just said.
You know? Honestly there's only one chance Ole Miss has in my mind. If Ole Miss's freshmen come out to play for coach Nutt, Mississippi State might just have a game on their hands.
The Stake's are high. Bragging rights. A bowl game for Mississippi State. And for Ole Miss, nothing could be sweeter than denying MSU a bowl game.
MSU's Right Tackle Addison Lawrence said it best. "I think they're going to come out fired up and hot, but if we jump on them, I think they'll kind of lay down. I feel like they're wanting to lay down in a way, because of the things that have been happening here recently."
Prediction: As a state fan I HAVE to pick State. However I will pick 2 outcomes so I don't seem TOO biased.
1. MSU- 38, Ole Miss- 10
2. MSU- 42, Ole Miss-35 2OT
Wow. Did you see that game?LSU beat Alabama 9-6 in OT. Both defenses were tough and tenacious. I'm not here to brag that I not only picked the correct winner, but I picked the correct margin of victory. Seriously, I did. Check out the article below this one to see the proof. Now I have a question that I think needs to be answered. So, if the best two teams should meet in the national championship, shouldn't LSU play Alabama again? In my mind, those two are, without a doubt, the best teams in America. Some will argue for other undefeated teams in different conferences. But seriously, if you think that, you need to watch this game again. Guys, you are looking at an Alabama team so loaded that if it had played against any other team in the history of college sports, I would pick Alabama. AND THEY ARE STILL NUMBER 2 IN THE SEC!!!! On a side note to that, I would love to see a Boise State vs. SEC match up. Then the SEC could beat them by 60 points, and Boise State would be quiet. Back to my point guys, watch this situation. This is potentially VERY interesting.
Houston Nutt has been fired at the University of Mississippi. While anyone getting fired is a serious situation, I will be the first to say this (because we were ALL thinking it). SYLVESTER CROOM TO OLE MISS. OK, I was joking. But this news will also bring with it new coaching rumors, which can be a distraction to the team. And without an "official" athletic director, finding the right coach will be even harder.
As I sit here and write this, Game #5 of the World Series is being played. And after rereading my last weekend depth chart prediction about the Fall Classic, I KNOW I was absolutely correct about this being a good world series. This has been one of the best World Series since '03( Marlins vs. Yankees). The Marlins have long since fallen from glory, but that series lasted 6 games. Watching this World Series, it's hard not to pull for Ron Washington and Josh Hamilton. Hamilton has a great life story. Check it out.
Well, there's another prediction I was not completely wrong about ( I wasn't right either). Texas Tech defeated Oklahoma. So my prediction of a SEC vs Big 12 National Championship isn't wrong. However, right now it looks like Oklahoma State in the National Championship game instead of Oklahoma.
Wow. Absolutely did not see this coming. Ole Miss played well against #9 Arkansas. Very well. Props to Houston Nutt for preparing his players for war. It came down to the wire, and the difference in the game was one intangible. Arkansas knew how to win. However, most Ole Miss fans were happy with this effort by the Rebels. I would be too.
Preview
The game of the year in MHSAA football this year takes place this Thursday at Northwest Rankin High School. The Cougars, ranked # 3 in the state by the Clarion Ledger, will take on the #7 ranked Jaguars of Madison Central. This game features 2 of the best rushing attacks in the state.
2. Arkansas, formerly known as the Razorbacks.
3. Auburn. Formerly known as the Tigers. 
4. LSU, formerly know as the Tigers.
5. Ole Miss, formerly know as the Rebels.
6. Mississippi State, formerly know as the Bulldogs.
7. Texas A & M, formerly know as the Aggies.
