Coaches Kennedy and Bianco compete for worst performance

This morning I awoke with joy as my beloved Rebel baseball team was playing its first weekend series in the new stadium (it's easier to say than newly renovated and expanded). Though the awful weather put a slight damper on my bright outlook, I settled down into the water covered seats. What followed was an absolutely awful performance.

Though the Rebels put on a show hitting the ball that included home runs from Zach Miller, Kyle Henson and Matt Snyder, I considered their defensive performance, well, "offensive." I could only put up with the awful performance for 5 innings as I was rain soaked and freezing, so I left and went to the basketball game and watched their awful performance.

While I was there, I witnessed total apathy from the part of the defense. The infield showed an inability to turn the double play and think on the run. The outfield on one specific instance did not relay the ball to the infield properly and it allowed another run to score. Every fan in attendance was really frustrated with the defense today.

The positive was the offense. Any time you score 13 runs, you expect to win. This makes the third straight game where the offense plated some runs. If Mike can get the defense fixed, this team might have a fighting chance.

The Rebels take the field tomorrow at noon to play a double header. According to the Ole Miss Website, both games will be 9 innings.

Basketball LiveBlog

Because of something I have to do tonight, I can't make it to the game. I'm starting a liveblog. I hope that most of you go to the game, but if not, come here to talk about it.

Ole Miss vs. TCU Baseball preview

After a disappointing 1-2 start in Mobile last weekend, the Rebels played with a vengeance against Central Arkansas slugging their way back to an above .500 record.

This weekend looms huge for an impressive start before entering conference play in a couple weeks. Texas Christian rolls in with a 4-1 record after taking 2 of 3 at Cal State Fullerton and dominating Dallas Baptist and Texas State in Fort Worth.

Texas Christian has a horrible mascot and an even worse hand signal to accompany it. They rock purple and white, which is strike two in my opinion. Third off, they are rumored to have blown off our athletic department during scheduling a football game, opting for Clemson instead of Ole Miss.

Friday:
Aaron Barrett(R) vs. Tyler Lockwood(R)
Barrett had a decent first start against Liberty making one big mistake in allowing a three run home run. Barrett showed the ability to mix speeds and reliably hit spots wherever Basham asked him to do it. Lockwood comes in with a 3.60 ERA after starting one game going five innings, striking out two and walking one. Lockwood broke into the starting rotation last year after coming out of the bullpen for the Frogs at the beginning of the year. In his 11 starts, TCU was 9-2, so he should give the Rebels some issues unless we can get his pitch count high and work into their bullpen.

Saturday:
Drew Pomeranz(L) vs. Sean Holscher(R)
Pomeranz will see his first action of the season as he was suspended last weekend due to an offseason DUI. Everyone has set the bar high for the sophomore as his first season was pretty successful as he worked his way into the weekend rotation and struck out batters in bunches. Holscher has the highest ERA on the team after six innings where he allowed five runs while striking out eight. He seems like a hard throwing pitcher and when he makes mistakes they end up being extra base hits developing into big innings. This game seems to be the best chance on paper for the Rebels to win.

Sunday:
Phillip Irwin(R) vs Kyle Winkler(R)
Irwin was ballin' outta control against USA firming up his spot in the weekend rotation for the time being. I thought he looked really sharp and could be a consistent contributor for the Rebels. While he may not run with such a low ERA for the season, he doesn't seem like the kind of pitcher that lets games get out of control. Winkler is a freshman and who gave up six runs, only one of which was earned, in 3.2 innings this season. The Rebels need to get on the board and give Irwin some room to work against TCU.

Our hitting has been stymied once against USA, but Tim Ferguson showed a spark against Central Arkansas this week. Logan Power and Matt Smith should continue to carry the heavy loads while everyone else tries to set the table for them. Pitching has been touch and go thus far, but if they grow from last weekend, TCU and Ole Miss will have a fantastic series.

I'll predict on the worries that our starting pitching is not as good as billed.

Friday: TCU 5 Ole Miss 3
Saturday: TCU 3 Ole Miss 6
Sunday: TCU 7 Ole Miss 4

Great Picture

Nothing subtantial to say here. I just wanted to share this great picture I found. I'm sure everyone has seen it except for me.

5 Things I Love and Hate About the SEC

ESPN.com's Chris Low recently released the five things he loves and hates the most about the SEC. Inspired, I decided to write mine. Neither are in any particular order.

What I Hate About the SEC

1. Jefferson Pilot/Lincoln Financial/Raycom - Nobody is going to miss you, Dave, Dave, and Dave. All you ever did was force us to wake up far too early just to watch a terrible mismatch unfold before our half-opened, crust-cornered eyes. Sure, ESPN will likely have excruciatingly early broadcasts as a part of the new TV deal, but at least the games won't look like they were filmed with a 30-year-old camera.

2. Southeastern Weather - Hurricanes push our games around and the early season's sweltering heat can be miserable.

3. Stupid Fans - Every single school has them and they are all absolutely horrible. Forrlz.

4. Florida - Yeah, I'm lookin' at you, Sunshine State. Fun fact, at the beginning of the 20th Century, Florida was the least populated state in the Southeast. At the end, it had become the most populated. How is this the case? Well, a bunch of New Yorkers, New Englanders, and the like realized that living in cold, crowded, urban areas was a shitty way to go through life (we've been telling you this for generations) and thought, "hey, there's a lot of empty space down there, let's fill it up with our horrible accents and attitudes!" And that they did. While we love what Florida does for the SEC with the national championships and all (seriously, thanks), we don't like your fanbases overall lack of Southeastern history. "But, brah, I live in Dade county." My point exactly. Simply put, if you can't find fried chicken with greens, mac 'n' cheese, and a biscuit outside of a KFC, then you're not in the South.

5. Alkeeehol Being Shunned - LSU fans, move onto the next list. Your state had a progressive alcohol attitude before the locomotive was invented. Now, on with the program. While it is certainly a much greater problem at Ole Miss than it is at other SEC schools, there is certainly an issue with the Southern alcohol culture. The fact that no SEC venue can sell booze is, in my opinion, silly and a poor business move. Pretending like people don't like to booze up doesn't make it any less true, you puritans.

What I Love About the SEC

1. Football dominance - In terms of BCS titles, stadium attendance, television deals, NFL athlete production, and revenue generation, nobody can touch us. College football is our game.

2. Southeastern weather - I've never attended a game played in a blizzard. Hell, I've never even attended a game with anything more than a few flurries floating around. Being able to wear a light sweater or a vest to a game in November isn't a bad deal at all.

3. The continual love/hate relationships we all have with each other - The rivalries in the SEC are bitter, longstanding, and emotional. Alabama hates Tennessee who hates Florida who hates Georgia who hates Auburn who hates Alabama. There are plenty of these "hatred webs" and they're all vicious, circuitous, mindboggling, and incredibly thrilling. Of course, when bowl season rolls around, we change tune right away. While we SEC fans are incredibly proud of our schools, we're even more proud of our region. We do not want other Southeastern teams to be defeated by non-Southeastern teams which is a phenomenon you do not see in other conferences.

4. Food and Drink - Admit it, there's a place you've chowed or drank at in every SEC town that you've visited that you absolutely covet. Whether you're looking for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or the inability to see out of your left eye for a few days, every SEC town has got you covered. Hell, the SEC can also be credited with the invention of the fried chicken tender franchise with Abner's, Canes, and Zaxby's all having originated in SEC towns. Couple that with tailgating, bourbon (there's a reason Kentucky is in the SEC), and the ability of an LSU fan to batter and subsequently deep fry anything and it becomes no wonder as to why our region is America's fattest.

5. The Women - The rest of America covets our women. True story. There's lots of evidence out there, but I know I'm preaching to the choir on this one. Congrats, SEC fans.


If you've got a top 5 for either list, please share them.

HT: EDSBS for the Bugs Bunny graphic.

Rebel Roundup - Houston Nutt Does Some Stuff

Is our Signing Class a bad Precedent? - SI.com talks about Houston Nutt's and Butch Davis' recent signing day classes. It's a fairly interesting read and attempts to digest the bitter, fibrous mass that is SEC recruiting.

The Senate Wastes More Time and Money - The Mississippi Senate recently recognized Houston Nutt's success thus far at Ole Miss. While this is certainly older news, I didn't realize that they actually gave him a framed plaque thing to commemorate it. Hey, Senate, why don't you work on something like, I dunno, our shitty public schools instead. The few of us who actually pay taxes would appreciate that.

Scott and Sanders Excommunicated from the Right Reverend's Congregation - James Scott and Justin Sanders have been shunned by Houston Nutt's Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Community of Friends in the name of our God Jesus for "violation of team rules." No, I do not yet know what that means but I'm guessing they didn't keep their Lenten promise (we're only 2 days into it guys, c'mon). Scott, the Ohio State transfer, was expected by many to contribute to the Rebels' thin secondary this fall. Sanders, not so much, as he was stuck way towards the bottom of our depth chart at DT.

Rebs find their bats in the 11-3 victory over UCA

One change in the stadium is the fence protecting the dugout. This should keep more balls in play.

Logan Power was obviously hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and the umpire did not agree. Mike Bianco was pissed. Power proceeded to hit a single that scored one.

Mort leads off...

I had the privilege of making my first game at the newly renovated/expanded baseball stadium today, and I came away very impressed with the renovations. Also, I was impressed with the Ole Miss Baseball team...

We totaled up 11 runs on 15 hits, and we only committed one error defensively. Brett Bukvich (1-0) got the win as he worked five innings, and he only allowed one run! After Brett came out, McKean, Corrigan and Park all got a taste of action on the mound.

Offensively, Tim Ferguson and Logan Power are on fire! Ferguson went 4 for 5 with two doubles, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Power went 3 for 5, hit his third dinger of the season, had two RBIS and two runs scored.

One thing that the Rebels did today was string hits together and score in bunches which is something they lacked this past weekend in Mobile. If the bats stay hot, this weekend's match up against TCU looks a little less daunting. One Man to Beat will have the TCU series preview up on Friday.

Random Notes:

-Kevin Mort looked a lot better at short today as he made an incredible dive to stop a ball from going into the outfield. He also had two hits.


-Kyle Henson got his first start at catcher today, and he looked serviceable. I saw one hit of his, and I am unsure of his total stats.

-Jordan Henry might not have a very high batting average, but he gets walked A LOT. So, his on base percentage is high which is the point of being first in the order anyway.

Rebs to face Tigers... No, not those Tigers... no, not those either.

They play basketball at Auburn?

The Roundball Rebs will be facing the Auburn Tigers tonight on the Plains. Auburn is statistically the conference's best defensive team so if the Rebels go cold, it won't be brief. The keys to winning this game should be offensive boards (I'm looking at you, Murphy Holloway), letting Terrico keep them honest on the perimeter, and reducing poorly chosen shots.

If one of our big men have a decent night coupled with a big night from either Terrico or Dahveed, we should have more than a punchers chance to win. To think, we're within reach of being over .500 in SEC play. Say what you will about his issues, but Andy Kennedy has his younguns playin' some ball right now.

I know Auburn isn't one to lose at home, and I know we're not ones to win on the road, buuuutttt......

Rebels - 67, Auburn Tigers - 60


Any other analysis? TOTGA, OMTB, either of you have anything to add?

Rebs improve to 2-2 with win over Central Arkansas

The Ole Miss Rebels' bats came alive in a 10-2 victory over the Bears of Central Arkansas. This victory comes on opening day of the expanded and renovated Oxford-University Stadium at Swayze Field. The Rebels were down 2-0 early, but Jake Morgan's (2-0) relief performance allowed the Rebels (and Jake) to get the win and Dustin Ward (0-1) to get the loss.

Red[REDACTED]Cup player of the game:
-Jordan Henry's single that scored two to tie the game and started a rally that gave the Rebels the lead for good. Congrats to Jordan.

Random Notes:

-Hightower saw his first defensive action as a Rebel filling in for Basham.

-Nathan Baker went 4 and 2/3 and only allowed 2 earned runs

I would provide more stats, but the stat-tracker was absolutely horrible for the game. It looked like something from a gameboy game from the early 90s. Check olemisssports.com later tonight where they should have the stats posted.

The Rebels take the field tomorrow at 3 p.m. to face UCA once again. Brett Bukvich is slated to start.

Rebels doing well... Baseball Update

The Rebel Baseball team is doing well against Central Arkansas right now... In the bottom of the sixth, the Rebels lead 5-2 following a solo shot from Taylor Hashman. I will come back later tonight and give you a small recap of the game complete with stats. If you are in Oxford, you can find the game on 105.5.

Thanks ESPN Front Page

Click this.

Just what we need.

Let's write a story about Mississippi and racism. Way to think "Outside the Lines".

Fat Tuesday's Rebel Roundup

Yessir, the only day when an Ole Miss Rebel can act like an LSU Tiger and not hate him/herself afterwards. I hope you're all celebrating somehow, whether it be in Oxford, the Big Easy, or at points beyond as a part of the Rebel diaspora. To ease you through the day like an oversized-cinnamon-roll-stuffed-with-cream-cheese induced coma, here are some links:

Baseball Stadium Ready? - Apparently so, as the Rebels and their new fancified digs are set to take on Central Arkansas for the 2009 home opener. One of our baseball correspondents should fill you in later on today assuming that they're not still grieving this past weekend's losses.

Michael Oher and Eugene Monroe Don't like Weightlifting - That's what I gather from this. I mean, c'mon, they've got to be stronger than that, right? I doubt this absolutely kills the big man's draft stock, but it could (and has already to a certain extent) damage it significantly. On another note, Peria isn't participating in all of the combines workouts because he either doesn't want to hurt his draft stock or thinks all of this running and jumping is "gay, dawg."

Ole Miss Featured on College Football Live Yesterday - They're doing some fancified countdown or something. Anyway, here's what was shown, courtesy of ReplayReb (as always). ESPN analysts love Houston Nutt and Jevan Snead which is a welcome change of pace for this bloggeur.

Coca-Cola Classic: A short photographic journey

We finally got our camera hooked up and photos edited from this past weekend in Mobile when the Rebels stumbled out of the gates with a 1-2 record.

Here's a few photos from our escapades:

Brett Bukvich comes in to protect the lead against Mercer...great move Mike

A rally cap moment during the UM vs USA game

PUN INTENDED!!!! LOLZZZZ!!

Is Mercer sponsored by Tony Stewart? WTF is up wit dem numbaz?

A paparazzi moment with Mike Snyder? Matt Snyder? One of them

The infamous Sweats McJaguar cheering during UM vs USA game

Up next: A two game series with Central Arkansas, and a weekend series versus TCU. At best, we're expecting a 5-3 record by this time next week. More on those games later.

Late February Draft Talk

A few notes we've gathered from Friends of the Cup (FotC) and the Arpatubes:

-Mike Oher's stock has been falling, along with his counterpart of the Crimson Tide, Andre Smith. Apparently their physical strengths and work ethics have come into question. Many scouts now have Baylor's Jason Smith and/or Virginia's Eugene Monroe ahead of the SEC heavyweights on their big boards. Of course, many others still see them as the top tackle prospects so it's still anybody's guess as to where they'll end up come April.

-Mike Wallace is crazy fast. He turned in one of the fastest speeds for a receiver at the combine and has certainly helped his draft stock on pure athleticism alone. The word is that his route running skills aren't NFL level (hell, they weren't college level) but that hasn't kept him out of the picture as a late-first-day/early-second-day pick.

-Peria Jerry should still be a first round pick. He doesn't have incredible lower body strength when compared to other top DT's, but the scouts can't get over his film, attitude, and motor. I think a team running a base 3-4 would be well served to see him at SDE but maybe I'm way off on this one.

-Links and links and links and links where you can find some of this information and more.

Rebels stunned by USA in extra frames

Well, a huge waste of human sat behind us at today's baseball game between our Rebels and the South Alabama Jaguars.

This guy complained about EVERY SINGLE PITCH that went against his team. He accused Ole Miss of every travesty imaginable including buying the game away from his beloved Jags, cheating against Mercer(a game we lost) and the JFK assassination. I'm sure you have had a similar experience, possibly even at an Ole Miss game. Lives and dies with every call by an umpire.

He was one of the most miserable people I have ever had to sit near during a baseball game. Sitting by himself in a faded USA t-shirt, sporting grey sweatpants and velcro Rockport sneakers, I can only imagine his portly physique playing baseball at some level in his life. 

His annoying personality drove everyone in his life away as he was sitting by himself but had no reservations about eavesdropping on our conversations. We spoke to those around us about Scott Bittle's great pitching ability, and he mocked us with our own words as USA drove a run across in the tenth to seal the Rebel loss.

He quickly waddled down the steps after the game's ending realizing he was in the same section as many Ole Miss player's parents who were giving him the stink eye throughout the afternoon. We luckily snapped a few photos of this brute and will be posting them as soon as possible.

The loss was embarrassing, because our pitching staff was really on point against the Jaguars while our bats were incredibly useless. We ground into three double plays while stranding over half a dozen. It was flat-out frustrating, and I hope this team does some soul searching before Texas Christian comes to town.

Mobile wasn't all bad. Most of the USA fans were reasonable, but we got the Christmas gift of sitting by Sweats McJaguar. 

A few quick notes:

- Liberty ended up winning the Coca-Cola Classic with a 2-1 record with the loss coming to Ole Miss. 

- Evan Button looked like he pulled or strained a hamstring running out a ground ball during the USA game. It was very tough to see as he was coming back from a season ending injury last year. 

- Mike Snyder got his first action as a Rebel at 3B.

Basketball Thoughts

I'm going to start off by congratulating Andy Kennedy on one helluva coaching job so far this season.  I know it is all anyone is saying lately, but it needs to be stated once more.  The injuries are one thing, but getting a team as young as we are to believe in themselves shows how good this guy is.  While I'm killing time before the USA game I figured I'd give my two cents on a couple of topics:

Dahveed Huertas:

I am going to politely disagree with Ghost and say he Huertas is overrated and inconsistent.  I don't like Dahveed and if you have ever sat around me at a basketball game it should not come as a surprise.  Yesterday was a perfect example of Huertas and how he hurts the team.  Kennedy decided to take Dahveed out early because Huertas was throwing up retarded shots.  The one that did him in was a drive to the basket when he was triple teamed and threw up a circus shot that hit nothing but backboard.  AK immediately went to the bench and when Huertas saw he was being taken out made sure the crowd and everyone on the court knew he was upset with AK's decision.  

It's clear that AK and Huertas have a strained relationship.  This isn't the first time they have got into it with each other.  I think it was the UT game when they were both yelling at each other, probably because Kennedy reminded Dahveed that he has teammates.  It drives me insane watching Huertas, who is not a very adept ball handler, waste 10 seconds of the shot clock trying to find his way into the lane or get a look at a three.  I know he puts up points, that's great, but it frustrates me to no end how he takes plays off, doesn't pass, blows up on his teammates when they do something wrong and disrespects his coach.  He's done good things for us, no doubt, but for now I am not going to miss him when he leaves.

Graham and Malcolm:

These two guys have been instrumental in our success so far.  White was a man against Georgia. That block he had against The Predator was disgusting.  He did a great job on the boards and was aggressive when he got the ball.  When he can play physical and stay out of foul trouble he is a menace to the opposition.

Graham's defense has been a huge asset to this team and he has got the job done offensively too.  I have heard some rumors that he may be the odd man out next season, but that's not going to happen.  Having him out there with EP is going to be huge for defense and he will provide us with plenty of versatility in lineups next season.

Murphy Holloway:

This is easily my favorite player on the team right now.  Holloway plays all out 100% of the time every time.  I believe he had his third consecutive double-double last night and had some ridiculous drives to the basket.  He is a freakish athlete and just has a knack for getting to the basket and always being around the ball.  He reminds me of a Jason Maxiell type player and definitely could find his way to the next level.

Terrico White:

I know they honored the All Century team yesterday, but they should have gone ahead and added Terrico to the ceremony.  He is going to be the best player in Ole Miss history, I'll go ahead and say it. 

Coca-Cola Classic Day 3: Ole Miss versus USA

Today is Sunday which is a day of atonement. It is time for the Ole Miss Rebels to atone for their sins. The opponent: South Alabama. On Friday, South Alabama beat Mercer 9-2. On Saturday, the Liberty Flames beat South Alabama twice. Today, South Alabama coach Kittrel will look for his 1,000th win against our beloved Ole Miss Rebels.

The Rebels were horrible defensively last night, and we hope that they finally awaken from their slumber today. The reality is that we could go 1-2 against inferior teams this weekend, and maybe that is the wake-up call this team needs. Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves as the Rebels will take care of business today against USA.

I expect the Rebel faithful to come out in full force again today, and it is possible that we will outnumber the USA fans there. I believe there will be a huge crowd there today.

South Alabama had a draining game last night as they lost in extra innings. I'm not sure how their defense held up in the late game, but they committed 4 errors in the morning game against Liberty.

Philip Irwin will take the mound today, and he couldn't be any worse than what we saw yesterday. Irwin is riding a great amount of momentum from a great outing in the Miami Regional, and we need to get a solid 5 innings out of him today.

The question marks for today's game:

-What will the defense show us? Is the rust finally off?

-After a good outing on Friday and a bad one on Saturday, what can we expect from the bullpen?

-Will our offense stay hot?

-Will Philip Irwin give our starting pitching a quality outing? Can he be the redeemer for a struggling group?

Prediction:

Ole Miss 8
South Alabama 5

Rebels Defeat Georgia Bulldogs 69-47

NOTE: Our basketball guys are currently in Mobile leaving me, the Mississippi expat, to cover a game which I was only to hear half of via internet radio. Thanks, assholes. Have fun with your "baseball" and "girls" and "Mardi Gras."


If the frustration of the impossible-to-comprehend loss to the Mercer [MASCOT]s yesterday at Mobile's Coca Cola Classic could possibly be assuaged by anything, it may be this: our basketball team has a .500 conference record.

Wow. I honestly would have thought that impossible a month ago. Dahveeeeed has become more consistent, the Whites have come into their own, and Kennedy is reintroducing us to his aggressive coaching style.

Yesterday, our Rebels handed the Georgia Bulldogs a loss to the tune of 69-47. While a rather unimpressive win when considering the state of Georgia basketball (how in the hell were they the SEC champs last year?), the occasion was stunning with all circumstances considered. Terrico White and David Huertas both scored from all over the floor and Malcolm White was a man-child, racking up a career-high 5 blocks. Our defense was good enough to keep Georgia to a paltry %25 shooting percentage.

While our regular season performance won't have us anywhere higher than "on the bubble," with regards to an NCAA tournament berth, a successful postseason could back us into the big dance. I certainly doubt it actually does happen, but it's not that far out of a possibility.

Next up: the Auburn Tigers, 8PM, Wednesday.

Mercer???? WTF?

One Man to Beat, his wife and I were thoroughly disgusted with the defensive effort of the Rebels today. The Rebels fell 13-11, and they looked like they were lost defensively.

After getting up 11-6, the Rebel defense gave up 7 unanswered runs. Yesterday, the bullpen was the strength of the team, and today the bullpen was awful. That compounded with poor fielding spelled disaster.

THREE ERRORS? Beside the three errors, Jordan Henry dropped a ball in center field that was ruled a hit. Absolutely pitiful on the defensive side of the ball.

THE GOOD:

-Brett Basham was really good at and behind the plate. Not only did he throw a runner out, he went three for five with a three run homer.
-Logan Power was also good at the plate with a MONSTER two run shot that traveled at least 400 feet over the left field wall.
-Matt Smith has much better plate discipline this season and has shown the ability to take the ball to opposite field. He only had one hit today, but he looks much better at the plate.
-Overall, the team has shown much better plate discipline.

THE BAD:

-The team didn't show much motivation or desire for victory. In the eighth and ninth innings, they finally had some yelling and shouting going on from the players in the dugout. It seemed like a heartless effort.
-Matt Smith and Jordan Henry went a combined 2-9.

THE UGLY:

-3 errors? My goodness... When it really mattered, our infield did not have the ability to make the plays or communicate. Button dropped a force out that was thrown to him at third, Corrigan made an error throwing to first and Basham was called for an error by being called for catcher interference.
-Our bullpen was atrocious. David Goforth WALKED in the go ahead run. They allowed seven runs overall (5 earned).


Random notes:

Scott Bittle was not even dressed out until the ninth inning when he was sent to the bullpen.

This team has a large following, and there was a great crowd there to support the Rebels.

Taylor Hightower made his first appearance as a Rebel by pinch running for Brett Basham.

Day 2 of Coca Cola Classic: Ole Miss vs Mercer

Yesterday's victory should have been a good confidence builder for our team. We played good small ball with a sacrifice fly to bring in the go-ahead run but also had the big three run bomb from Logan Power early on to show the line-up has some pop in their bats. 

Pitching was a little touch and go with Aaron Barrett. He made a couple mistakes, and Liberty made him pay. Lesson learned, hopefully. Our bullpen gave four solid innings in relief, and if it is any foreshadowing, I feel comfortable giving them a lead this season.

Mercer got lit up by USA last night 9-2. We could've gone to the game with our all day tickets, but we decided to eat massive amounts of hot wings and drink beer instead. The entertainment value was roughly the same. 

We're not expecting Mercer to come from behind like the Flames did yesterday if the Rebels jump out to a lead. I and Brian Walker's Elbow fully expect a thrashing today. 

Chris Corrigan will be taking the mound for Ole Miss at a striking physique of 6'3'' 157 lbs. according to our AD website. If this is true, his body is basically a bullwhip flinging a ball towards home plate. He's got game, though, as Toronto drafted him in the 18th round out of Juco.

There were approximately 12 scouts with radar guns at the game yesterday for Barrett's appearance, so we'll see how many turn out for today.

Kevin Mort didn't have a great game against Liberty, so we're wondering if he'll get another chance today. Bianco may consider moving Button to SS and getting a Snyder or Logan Williams to play 3B. Obviously, it's a little early to write off a player, but while it's early, this is when you have to experiment with the line-up before you get into SEC play. 

Rebels too close for comfort against Liberty

We're just getting nestled in to the luxurious Holiday Inn off of I-65 in Mobile. We got a real tight view of the Arby's across the street. Rollin' in style.

The first game against Liberty started off really promising as Aaron Barrett was pitching lights out striking out three of the first four batters as we jumped out to 4-0 behind a three run HR by Logan Power.

Then, we bumbled and fumbled our way to a 6-5 win by manufacturing runs and stealing a few bases. Our bullpen effort of Morgan, Goforth and the Bittler was incredibly effective as they should be against a team whose mascot, "the Flames," is in stark contrast to the conservative nature of the Christian school formerly headed by Jerry Falwell(maybe his ghost is still there, we don't know).

The Liberty fans were good natured and made fun of the deficiencies of the stadium, such as the "jumbo-tron" that was one third blacked out or the in-game promotion that offered a free box of popcorn for a foul ball returned to the concession stand. Times are tough. 

We were convinced the error button was broken on their scoreboard because we counted roughly 4 or 5 errors in the first five innings before one was actually tallied on the board. 

Kevin Mort and Evan Button weren't overly impressive on the left side of the infield letting a few balls through and booting a couple as well. Matt Smith played a good defensive game along with Brett Basham behind the plate. 

Logan Power completely bombed the home run in the first inning. Just crushed it. The home run by Liberty was somewhat of an enigma, because we never saw it go over the wall. We're pretty sure it hit the top of the wall and came back into play, but the ump ruled it a three run homer. Who knows? We still won, so not really incredibly important.

Stanky Field does sell beer...in cans. I don't know what else to say, but it was pretty comforting to see beer cans littering the stadium as we departed for some strange reason.

Mobile is traffic ridden due to Mardi Gras festivities, but we're going to hit up a few unsavory joints tonight to get some local flavor. There's no doubt some drunk coon asses that we'll be running into as the sun goes down. We'll check back in later. 

Rebel Roundup: Weekend Preview, Uncouth Jokes, DVD's

Baseball Season Begins - I'm getting all warm inside just thinking about it. I've got "The Summer of '69" stuck in my head, the imaginary scent of overcooked hotdogs wafting into my nostrils, and visions of homerun balls dinging unobservant women in the head. It's going to be tough being so far from Swayze for the first time ever, but hopefully the Cup will give me a legitimate way to vicariously enjoy this team's success. As has been blogged, our baseball correspondents, One Man to Beat and Brian Walker's Elbow, will be heading down to Mobile to indulge in fresh oysters, Mardi Gras, and the Coca Cola Classic. Hopefully their coverage of this weekend will give you an idea of the baseball coverage you can expect from the Cup this season. Oh, and if anybody is curious as to what our ad revenue goes towards, it's tickets to these kinds of things. Thanks e-Rebels and Fayetteville public library patrons!

Speaking of Baseball - Baseball America has a kickass piece on the facility upgrades going on all accross the NCAA baseball world. It's definitely worth your time. The slideshows and quotes from the coaches make it pretty evident that college baseball is slowly but surely becoming more and more important to the various university athletic programs. Our upgrades are pretty damned impressive as are Michigan's, Texas', LSU's, and South Carolina's.

"Celebrating" 100 Years of Rebel Basketball - This Saturday against the Georgia Bulldogs, the Rebels will be celebrating the centennial of our *ahem* storied basketball program. If you're in or near Oxford, be there. You're not too good to watch Basketball, especially when the closest thing to a guaranteed win in the SEC rolls into town.

"One Heartbeat" DVD on Sale Now - Only Ole Miss would make a highlight DVD of a 9-4 season. Ok, now that I've got that snarky stuff out of the way, it would be nice to own a single DVD with the Florida game, LSU game, Egg Bowl, and Cotton Bowl on it so this DVD isn't that bad of a deal.

Reader Submissions are all in Good Humor - Hunter sent this one in:

If you've got issues with this, I understand, but allow me to quote a line from the award-winning Broadway show "Avenue Q:"

Ethnic jokes might be uncouth,
But you laugh because
They're based on truth.
Don't take them as
Personal attacks.
Everyone enjoys them -
So relax!

If a puppet from the Lower East Side gets it, then why can't you, huh? Thanks again to the ever diligent Hunter for his reader submission.

Rebels face Liberty, Mercer and USA

Brian Walker's Elbow and I will be bringing you updates from the Coca Cola Classic, photos of rednecks at Mobile Mardi Gras and maybe even some videos of white people dancing at the bars.

We're about to jump in the One Man to Beat-mobile shortly and make the harrowing journey down to Mobile. 

I confirmed with the USA athletic office that beer is sold at Stanky Field, so we will have a Caligula-like feast of hot dogs and brews all weekend. 

Quick predictions:

Ole Miss 11 Liberty 2

Ole Miss 9 Mercer 1

Ole Miss 6 USA 4

Leave your predictions, comments, etc. as Rebel baseball is finally here. Does it feel like Christmas morning to anyone else?

Number #6 Rebels begin the season at Stanky Field

Stanky Field: Does that name hurt recruiting?

This post will serve as a season preview/game preview for our game against Liberty.  The Rebels start the season on the road, and the expectations are high for this team (as usual).  Ole Miss comes into the game against Liberty ranked #6 in the country by Baseball America.  

At 1 o'clock on Friday at Stanky Field, the journey to Omaha will begin once again.  Can the Rebels make it to Omaha this year?  Will it be a disappointment?  Here are some players that must contribute...

Key Pitching Returnees:

Scott Bittle-lights out closer

Drew Pomeranz-incredibly hard to hit when he is throwing his curve for strikes

Jake Morgan-amazingly reliable in the middle innings or to close the game

Key Offensive Returnees:

Jordan Henry-speed on the base-paths

Logan Power-plate discipline with occasional power

Matt Smith-the HR threat

Key Defensive Returnee:

Brett Basham- even though he was drafted, he elected to come back for another year.  I truly believe he is the best defensive catcher in the country.  Since Kyle Henson and Taylor Hightower are on the team, there is finally someone to come in and relieve Basham.  Just a year ago, he had to start every single game, and five games a week take a toll on a catcher.  I can forsee Basham starting on the weekends and Hightower and Henson splitting time during the Tuesday and Wednesday games.  

Game versus Liberty:

The Friday starter will be Aaron Barrett.  He is a guy the coaches have a lot of confidence in, and the pitching coach, Carl Lafferty, says that he is  "no doubt our Friday night guy."  

The defensive lineup will be as follows:

C Brett Basham

1B Matt Smith

2B Zach Miller

SS Kevin Mort

3B Evan Button

DH Cullan Kight

LF Logan Power

CF Jordan Henry

RF Jeremy Travis

The coaches have said there could be a lot of shifting, and I think we will see a lot of shifts and different line-ups this weekend.

Random Notes:

Scott Bittle has been named to several watch lists including Stopper of the Year and Golden Spikes Player of the Year.  Bittle has also been named to preseason All-American team.

Three players are serving suspensions this weekend:  Drew Pomeranz, Tim Ferguson and Kyle Henson.  

So, What Happens?

Just as important as our season finish is the finish of our conference and division foes.

Byes in the SEC tournament, in case you have forgotten, go to the top two teams in either division. Four teams are tied atop the SEC East. LSU has all but locked up the SEC West. And Mississippi State (7-4), Auburn (6-5), and Ole Miss (5-6) are in contention for the second bye in the West.

Ole Miss, with games hosting Georgia and Alabama and State and visiting Auburn and Arkansas, ought to be satisfied with three wins down the stretch, elated with four, and opiated, should we begin thinking about all five. So, a satisfactory conclusion to the season that avoids complete implosion will likely leave the Rebels at 17-13 overall, 8-8 in the conference, the third or fourth seed in the West, and hot going into the NIT - it ain't the big dance, but it beats being the leg-and-teeth-braced ginger gorging himself on chex mix, mints, and punch because he couldn't even get a pity date.

What we're really playing for is four-out-of-five, including the game at Auburn and finale hosting State, which would be a healthy effort on our part towards getting an unlikely first-round bye in the SEC Tournament. How? State finishes with three road games (Alabama, Tennessee, and Ole Miss) and two homers (Auburn and Florida). If State goes winless on the road and our hypothetical four final wins include Auburn and State, the Rebels will be in, at worst, a tie for second place, holding the tiebreaker over the Plainsmen and the Pups. In that, unlikely circumstance, our first game in the tournament would be against the West 6 (Alabama or Arkansas) or the East 3 (heaven only knows).

Of the four East teams tied atop the standings, we've beaten one closely at home (Kentucky), beaten one convincingly at home (Tennessee), and lost to two comfortably on the road (Florida by 10; South Carolina by 9). That's all a little short of inspiring. And even if we finish with our crowd-pleasing four wins, we'll still only have a 7-3 record over the past ten games, sitting at a rather pedestrian 18-12, 9-7 record in a rather pedestrian conference.

In short, if we are hot, and I mean hot, we need to make the championship game of the tournament to reach 20 wins and the bubble. Realistically, if you homers out there want to talk about the tournament, we're more or less in the same boat no matter what happens over the next five games. We need an automatic bid. Winning a couple of games at the end of the regular season just avoids making the SEC look real silly (see: Georgia 2008 ... or, for that matter, Ole Miss in 1981).

So, what happens? I think we'll end up as the third seed in the West, beat Georgia in the first round, lose to Kentucky or Florida in the second, be happy to make the NIT, and do with this season what Andy should have done with that cab in Cincy - wait on the next one.

Andy, What in the Hell is Going on? - A Bloggeur's Ramblings

Yeah, I don't know either.

After losing an All-SEC point, the team's best defender, and an oftentimes white-hot 3-point shooter to injury, most would have tossed this season aside. We all heard it:

"Ah, well, let's let the freshmen get some reps or something. When's baseball season, again?"

However, there were a few good men who didn't give up on this year. Malcolm White, Terrence Henry, Murphy Holloway, Terrico White and, most importantly, Andy Kennedy knew this team could win some games.

Take, for example, last night's pounding of Tennessee. There is no way you can sugarcoat this for a Volunteers squad who never came close to having a lead during the second half. They simply got their asses handed to them in the Tad Pad. Bruce Pearl with his waxy skin and beady eyes was stunned by Terrico White's 21 points and Murphy Holloway's double-double. Tennessee looked frustrated and lost against a team which has had enough off-court issues to cover for the entire conference. Ole Miss looked very, very good.

And, really, our Rebel roundballers are very, very good outside of their inexperience. The athletes that Coach Kennedy has been able to bring to Oxford have shown that they are worthy of their recruiting hype. It's not coaching and it's certainly not physical talent that is keeping out of the SEC basketball picture. It's our team's inexperience. Many of these freshmen simply weren't ready to have such responsibility thrust upon them so early.

Of course this inexperience has led to inconsistency. Having a losing record in conference while earning home wins against Kentucky and Tennessee and a very rare road win against Mississippi State epitomizes this inconsistency about as well as anything else this season has seen. However, those moments when the team is just clicking in all aspects of the game--shooting, rebounding, defense--really give we fans an indicator as to just how much potential these athletes have.

A few of these guys wouldn't have been able to see nearly as many minutes on the court if it weren't for these injuries. Furthermore, I don't think we're going to need to worry about Andy Kennedy's expected departure for a "bigger" program for a while now, what with that whole "punching minorities" thing hanging over his head. Yes, proverbial stars are aligning and that is giving this Rebel basketball fan an odd, odd feeling of cautious optimism.

We could realistically end the season with an 8-8 in conference record and have an impressive showing in the conference tournament. All things considered, that would be an incredible finish to this disaster of a season.

Yes, this is definitely way too early to be saying such things, but if Chris Warren and Eniel Polynice can return from injury without having lost any of their quickness, this team will be very, very good next season. I'm talking "in-the-running-for-the-SEC-title" good. We will have legitimate Kennedy-ball experience at every spot on the floor and halfway down our bench.

Perhaps the knee injuries and Andy's War on Terror will turn out to be blessings in disguise. Next season's prospects are exciting, Rebels. Get cha popcorn ready (you know, like 8 or 9 months from now).

Disclaimer: Early in the morning. Not enough coffee. Thoughts scrambled.

RSC Salutes

With the annual man-boy love-fest of recruiting season finally having drawn to a close, some very interesting storylines emerged in the Southeastern Conference. As always there was the intra-conference bickering - pissfits between Houston Nutt and Nick Saban, between Mark Richt and Urban Meyer, and between Lane Kiffin and, well, everybody. The Right Reverend Nutt got so gall-giggity worked-up that he forgot he was recruiting for a football team and not a sorority, but he's still just ohmigodlikeyallsoexcited!!!1! And all eyes were on Starkville to see how the SEC's only freshman coach would fare on his first signing day. The biggest news, if not the most surprising news, is that which we at RSC really feel like we need to recognize. It is this:

Bobby Petrino dominated the state of Arkansas.

It's tough for a Rebel to admit this clear and unimpeachable evidence of Bobby Petrino's superiority over Houston Nutt, but facts are facts. And it's all right here in black and white: Petrino lassoed in every Arkansan target on the Razorbacks' big board. Every one.

"Oh, yeah, Bobby Petrino is clearly heads and shoulders above Houston. Bobby got every in-state prospect he wanted. Whereas, with Houston, I knew he would always ignore any quarterback who could throw and just sign 25 running backs on the team. One time Houston recruited an armless quarterback, no lie, that was like no where near our target list," Steve Roberts, head coach at Arkansas State, said.

"And, hey, losing on television like Bobby does is better than not being on TV at all."

Charlie Weatherbie, head coach at cross-border rival UL-Monroe, told The Cup that he "thought we had a real good shot at some of those Arkansas prospects, what with the way we really should've beat the hogs, but Petrino just has the lockdown on that state."

"I mean, seriously," Weatherbie continued, "can you think of any Arkansas prospects worth a s**t that Nutt recruited to that school?"

It is his dominance in the talent-rich State of Arkansas that will undoubtedly lead to Bobby Petrino's eventual departure to a more prestigious program placement among the truly great coaches in the history of the SEC, where; a distinction, we must all admit, to which Houston Nutt will never ascend.

Ed Orgeron's 2006 Class - Re-ranked to #7

According to Andy Staples (a fella who I've gone on record as calling a "dumbass"), our 2006 recruiting class is a top-10 style team in hindsight. While we've basically shrugged our shoulders at recruiting rankings as of late with our "they matter but not that much" stance, that doesn't make this assessment any less interesting.

That class saw some booms and busts. While there were certainly some players who contributed as we would have expected, there were just as many total busts as there were "diamonds in the rough." If anyone needs any indication of why Ole Miss fans are skeptical of recruiting rankings, 2006's recruiting class is it.

Of course, the success in 2008-9 wouldn't have been at all possible without Jevan Snead (2006 signee for Texas), Mike Wallace (2005), Michael Oher (2005), Peria Jerry (2005), Brandon Bolden (2008), Ashlee Palmer (2007), Marshay Green (2005), and Jamarca Sanford (2004) so take Andy Staples' word for whatever it may be worth.

UT Preview

I'll be the first to admit when I am wrong and that is the case when it comes to Tennessee's season so far.  The Volunteers are still doing alright and still have legitimate Tournament aspirations with their 16-8 record, 7-3 in the SEC.  

Still, the Vols have dropped some disappointing contests.  Gonzaga (twice), Temple, Memphis at home and Kansas.  Basically, they haven't been able to pull off a big win.  

The Vols are led by Tyler Smith, JP Prince and Wayne Chism who are all averaging over 10 points a game.  Tyler Smith is projected to be a first round pick and Wayne Chism is one of the harder to defend bigs in the SEC.  Personally, I think Prince is overrated and cannot stand seeing him out on the court.  He is a walking turnover with no midrange game and is shooting 6 percent from beyond the arc, not a typo.  

Besides these three, the Vols also have some key freshmen and newcomers on the team.  Scotty Hopson looks to be a future NBA player and is averaging 9 points per game and Emmanuel Negedu looks to be a promising player for the Vols.  

Next you have to look at the two biggest names on the Volunteer roster.  The Solution and Swiperboy.  Or, in case you aren't familiar with their stage names, Bobby Maze and Renaldo Woolridge.  

Maze, a JUCO transfer from Kansas, quickly made a name for himself with his hit single "I Put on For Tennessee."  The song took off among UT fans and even inspired an awesome new shirt for douche bag UT students to wear that simply says "I Put On For Tennessee."  You may remember one sporter of said shirt sitting directly behind Jay Bilas during one of Tennessee's games back in January.  I don't know about you, but I'm waiting on Rebel Rags to take off on this idea so I can start wearing an awesome new shirt that says "All the fine girls go to Ole Miss."

Here is Bobby Maze/B-Maze/Be Amazed/The Solution's video:

Don't forget about his man Prince...his man Prince.

Perhaps Bobby should spend less time doing his best AI meets Ron Artest impersonation and work on his assist to turnover ratio a little more.  

The final rap is Renaldo Woolridge, aka Swiperboy, aka The Answer, aka Bluejay's hit Voller Ball.  I'll let him introduce the video to you in his own words.

"Sup..haha...yea...this ya boy The Answer aka Swiperboy...I got somethin new for yall..."

Honestly, it's not that bad.

Tennessee isn't the three point shooting power it once was.  They have more athletes now and like working the inside more too with Chism and Smith.  Malcolm and Holloway will have their hands full with these two players and their performance on both ends will determine the outcome of this game.

Prediction:

Tennessee 72

Ole Miss 68

Moon Landings Faked, 9/11 an Inside Job, Monk Ratted on by Nutt

Un. Fucking. Believable.

That link will send you to the SEC Rant board of TigerDroppings, one of the most popular SEC message boards on the web. Specifically, the link brings you to a thread which proposes the following scenario:

Marcus Monk, former Houston Nutt coached wideout who spent a brief amount of time on the Chicago Bears roster before returning to Fayetteville to play hoops, was removed from the Razorback basketball team after it was revealed that he had been in violation of certain eligibility rules. Houston Nutt found out and snitched to Andy Kennedy who in turn snitched on Monk.

Wow. Just, wow.

You've done it again, Razorback nation. You've derailed the reason express. What's even more amazing is that each subsequent anti-Nutt allegation is more preposterous than it's predecessor. What's next? Is Houston Nutt hiding Bin Laden? Was Houston Nutt on the grassy knoll? Has Houston Nutt written this badass new book called Diuretics or something?

Look, Houston Nutt had nothing to do with this. Monk was in violation of the rules and he got caught. Yes, it is that simple. I know that it isn't the convenient or fun answer, Arkansas, but it's the most logical. Despite whatever you may think, Houston Nutt has better things to do than investigate the eligibility of his former receivers.

All of the necessary links are within that thread so click away if you've got time. Suffice it to say, this shit is bananas like monkey turds and just about as lofty so peruse at your own risk.

You're not fooling me, Nutt!

Rebel Roundup - Where have all the Cuppers gone?

We've been terribly busy and a few of us are currently MIA (honeymoons? jail? who knows). Please accept our apologies, cup fans, for our delinquency. For now, sustain yourselves off of these links.

Ask Coach Chris Vaughn - It's pretty interesting, I guess. He talks a bit about recruiting (which he hasn't gotten enough credit for) and our returning and incoming defensive backs. There was one part in response to a question about the differences between recruiting at Arkansas and Ole Miss which elicited an "oh snap" out of me:

Now we are in a true southern state, recruiting in southern states and that makes it easier.

Gotta love that Coach Vaughn. He really is a good one and I'm pretty damn glad to have the guy.

Ole Miss Earns a Vote - For SEC Baseball champion, that is. The SEC coaches seem to think we're a good team but, after last year's fiasco of a season, I'm assuming that we're all reserving our judgment of this team until the postseason. Stay tuned for in depth Cup coverage of the Coca Cola Classic to kick off our 2009 baseball coverage.

Chris Low Gives Love, Etc. - For Valentines Day, ESPN.com's Chris Low gave every SEC team something about which to be hopeful. We Rebels were reminded that Jevan Snead and Kent Austin are badasses. We didn't need the help with that, Chris, but we appreciate your observation nonetheless. He also did some research and outlined the major OOC opponents for each team over the next few years. Some games which should be interesting are Ole Miss vs. Clemson, Ole Miss vs. Texas, Alabama vs. Penn State, Tennessee vs. Oklahoma, Tennessee vs. Ohio State, Georgia vs. Oregon, South Carolina vs. North Carolina, and many, many others. A lot of SEC h8urz like to say that we're afraid to play opponents outside of the Southeast. To that I say "malarkey," keep h8in.

Be My Valentine, The Darkness of Nightfall

Hate me...

Here I sit. Alone. Deeply, darkly, blissfully alone. You would laugh at me. Oh would you ever laugh at me. But it is I who has the last and most soulful laugh on this day, a disgusting day. While you and whatever vapid tramp you're dragging around-stuffing her face with shitty pasta, chocolates, and appletinis-are about, feeding the corporate guilt war machine with your own wealth all because you hope to get laid, I, xxgr3gxx, will be suffering through true bliss.

Loneliness, that is my bliss. Oh, sweet darkness, envelop me, take my soul. Make me bleed inside. How do you fight loneliness? You smile all the time and laugh at every joke. Hah. Pathetic. Loneliness is for the honest, the ones who are not afraid of their own anguish.

I pity you.

Have a horrible Valentines day, motherfuckers. I'm going to sit alone at Huddle House and drink decaf for two or three before going home to slip into some girls jeans and flat iron my hair. Oh, and I'm going to weep to my new Girl Talk CD.


-emo Greg Hardy

Be My Valentine, Terrence

TeRR BeAr,

Boi, I haD drEAmEd AboUt U laSt niGhT AgIn! I nO U bIn lOoKiN @ mY FAceBOOk! BoI U BetTa RigHt oN My WaLl! U mAy NoT LoOk @ mY FaCeBooK BuT I No I look @ YoUrs!!! WhY DoN’T YoU eVAR caLl?? I jUs 1 2 TalK 2 U! I CaLleD U thA UtHa DaY! I dOnT THiNk U sEeN It BuT I cAlLeD U A LoT sO U MiGhT HeRE It BuT U DidNT!
U bIn HanGiN’ LoW WITh ThAt UtHa GUrl? DaT BiTcH I cUt wItH Da BoX CutTAhZ? I hOpE Not CuZ iF U HaZ I gOn CuT U! HAHAHAHA! iM JuSt PlAyINg! I WoOD NeVAr HuRt U TwAtTy WaTtY! U No I lUv U! I LuV U MoRe DaN D’LiShUs LuVs FlAvA o NeW YoRk LuV TaYleR MaId!
BuT iF U HanGin WiT Dat CrAzY BitCh AgIn, I DoNT KnOw WuT I WoOD Do. It MaY Get mIdEivAl Up in Here! My GuRl CaNnIe aNd Me Is gOnA CoMe vIsiT dAt bItCh aND We GoN BriNG OuR CutTAhZ in CaSe ShE neEd uS tO OpEn a PaCkaGe or SuMThIng!
CaLl Me BaCk TeRR BeAR. We ShUd B 2GethA 4EvA!

Ur GuRl,

***MaRiShA***

Be My Valentine, Kimber

One of our "sources" found this stuck to the Kennedy family refrigerator. It's totally legit and wasn't at all written by me at work just now. Pinky-promise.

Sensitive medical information has been edited out to protect the "innocent."

RSC Recruiting Analysis - Quarterbacks

With Jevan Snead returning and Nathan Stanley waiting in the wings, I thought that it would be very difficult to get a QB worth anything to sign with us. It's crucial that a program signs a legitimate quarterback every year. This year, we signed two quarterbacks.

Raymond Cotton - 6'4" 215 lbs. - 4.6 (self-report)
Cotton is the type of quarterback that we had to sign this year. Before the season even started, quarterback was a necessity in our recruiting class. With only one guaranteed quarterback on scholarship in 2010 (Nathan Stanley), it was important to sign a quality player to compete with him once Jevan graduates (or leaves for the NFL). Cotton is a perfect fit.
When selected to participate in the exclusive national Elite 11 camp, Cotton garnered the following praise.

"One of the nation's more intriguing quarterback prospects in the Class of 2009, possessing some incredible physical gifts. He's a rare combination of size, power, speed and arm strength. Still very raw mechanically and needs polish, but has a chance to be something very special down the road. Posted a whopping 109.14 SPARQ Rating at the New Orleans Nike Combine this spring and also threw well in drills at both the Tuscaloosa Nike Camp and EA SPORTS Elite 11 regional camp. Father is in the Coast Guard and has recently moved to Maryland after playing his junior seasons at Mobile (Ala.) Faith Academy, where he helped his team to a state title game berth."

I'm excited that he's a player with all the physical tools but is a little raw. He has two years (hopefully) to develop under Kent Austin before he will be asked to take over for Snead. Cotton's physical abilities are uncanny. He's fast, throws the ball on a rope, etc. It will be interesting to see what his decision making is like since that's not something you can really tell from a video.



Clayton Moore - 6'1" 200 lbs. - 4.75 (self report)
I don't know what to think about Moore. Well before he committed to us, I heard him being talked about as the best QB in the state. He played well as a senior, but his off the field issues overcame that. How much of a dick do you have to be if you're the starting QB and get kicked out of the playoffs? Don't you think the coach thought he needed his QB? It just spoke volumes to me. Then came the reports that his team mates voted him out of the next playoff game. Also, I think everyone forgets about that ridiculous interview he conducted on his way home from camp when our coaches hadn't offered him and he expected it. I just think that Moore has some growing up to do. I hope that he succeeds and eventually sees time at Ole Miss, but I'm not going to count on it.

Which of these things is NOT like the others?

DING DING! Correct! Nice work, Cup fan!


As you know, football isn't a gentleman's sport. Hell, it's hardly a sportsman's sport. Football doesn't concern itself with what is or isn't couth. Football doesn't have a code of etiquette. Football doesn't give a damn about "manners."

The NCAA doesn't yet realize this. If you're too lazy to click the link, allow me to paraphrase: the NCAA has suggested that unsportsmanlike conduct calls be changed from a dead ball foul to a live ball foul.

This means, of course, that a penalty called as a result of an endzone celebration could result in the touchdown being called back. Besides the most obvious ass-backwards element of this idea (the ball is immediately dead once a touchdown is scored, omg duh like everybody knows that duh), the whole thought-process and attitude behind all of this is appallingly idealistic and stupid.

It's as if the NCAA is treating the Jake Lockers and Knowshon Morenos of the world like their actions are a part of some grand pandemic that's just ruining the game. Is this really that big of a problem? Is this really that necessary?

Rules should only be in place to promote fair competition and safety. A false start gives a player an unfair advantage. Grasping of the facemask is dangerous. Late hits are a cowardly form of cheating. Pretending your hand is a cell phone (hey LSU fans, call me!), spiking the ball, or actin' a foo wif ya boize after juking a guy out of his shoes on the way to the endzone are none of the above. I don't care if your players or coaches get discouraged or have their "wittuw-bitty feewings huwt" when their opponent makes certain to remind them that they just got bitchified. That's football. Deal with it.

Are these celebrations unbecoming of a gentleman? Sure, but I don't expect our football programs to transform boys into dapper gentlemen. I expect them to transform boys into ass-stomping touchdown machines and, hell, maybe get them a degree or something while they're at it.

Thanks again, NCAA, for losing sight of what the whole point of all of this really is.

Be My Valentine, Houston

Most internet seekers of truth who get their daily fill of The Cup are probably aware that Valentine's Day will be upon us on Saturday. For those who were not yet aware, you are now on notice. For those who were not yet aware and have a girlfriend, you're welcome. For those who were not yet aware and have a boyfriend, I say, "You are welcome here, ma'am," or, in the alternative, "Back away, sir."

While some of us here can occasion the sweet taste of woman, we are uncaring cavemen and, so, were like the web-minority out there - unaware that the annual Day of Love had come upon us.

Until our sources deep inside the athletic department leaked a series of letters received by them. The first of which is reproduced below.

Recruiting Analysis - Special Teams

Special teams are special. We all know this. Houston Nutt knows this. James Shibest, Special Teams Coordinator of the year, knows this. Here are the super special special (s)teams stars we brought in for this season.

Tyler Campbell - P - Little Rock, AR - Catholic HS
Campbell should be expected to contribute right away his freshman season as Rob Park will no longer be on the team come graduation time (Congrats, Rob, I hope car insurance in Memphis is a blast). As a junior, Campbell averaged an impressive 47 yards per punt. Outside of that, I don't know a whole lot about the Natural State punter. He is rumored to have hit Mike Markuson in the back from 75 yards away during an Ole Miss scouting camp; a feat which he accomplished shortly after having coffee with Paul Bunyan and beating Davy Crockett in a crazy intense checkers game.


Saint Andrew of Ritter - Savior - Canaan - Jackson Academy
A kicker out of Jackson Academy, Ritter can boot the hell out of the ball. This past season, Ritter made two 58 yard FGs and kicked all but one or two of his kickoffs out the back of the endzone. Those kickoffs would place the ball two yards or so into the endzone at the collegiate level. Having earned offers from Arkansas, Ole Miss, and Southern Miss, Ritter became one of the most highly sought after kickers in the country.

Still, though, he's a kicker.

Ole Miss fans can be pretty stupid sometimes. Yeah, I know this applies to many people from many different fanbases, but we Rebels seem to have a disproportionate number of fans who just don't "get" football. You know, the kinds of folks who fail to see NCAA football for what it really is (The NFL's minor league) because of their false ideas of this being an amateur, gentlemanly competition among scholarly sportsmen. These are the kinds of people who love Andrew Ritter.

I shit you not when I saw multiple people saying that he was their biggest "want" in our recruiting class.

Wow. Just wow.

Look, he may be a damn good one, but he's still a kicker. He will see a grand total of, I dunno, TWO MINUTES of playing time over the course of the regular season. I'd rather take a stud lineman or quarterback 10 times out of 10 before I take a stud kicker.

"But he's white and went to a good private school in Jackson and his parents are Ole Miss alumni and it wouldn't cause my grandmother to roll over in her grave if my little Dorothy Jane brought him home for supper!"*

Yeah, I know... I completely get it.


*He's also a good kicker, sheesh. You people are just too touchy sometimes.

Rebel Roundup: Commitments, Misfits, Vikings

Randall Mackey Commits - The Former Bastrop, LA standout quarterback and Rebel signee will graduate from EMCC in December before joining the Rebel football team. Mackey will be a perfect fit for the Wild Rebel and, no, this is not some sort of "everybody says that about all of our recruits" kind of thing; we really mean it. The kid's elusive, quick, and has a good enough arm to be a legitimate passing threat.

Daverin Geralds Named to SI's All -Two Star or Fewer Team - Also on the team are Alabama's Terrence Cody, Kentucky's Trevard Lindley, and Vanderbilt's Patrick Benoist. I felt that Daverin Geralds did a helluva job this year. We rarely had a botched snap (if any) from the Rebel center. Mike Markuson really can develop offensive line talent and Geralds is great evidence of this.

Rebel Netters to Face #1 Buckeyes - The Rebel tennis team, the 8th best tennis team in the college tennis ultraverse, will face the #1 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes tonight. I really don't know much of anything about this but I found it to be pretty interesting nonetheless. Click here for someone to actually "explain" it to you.

Obama's speech to team- preseason

Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Mike Bianco. You make us all proud.

On behalf of the great state of Mississippi, Home of the Blues, let me express my deepest gratitude for the privilege of addressing this team.

I stand here today, grateful for the accomplishments of Mike Bianco, aware of the futility of Ole Miss Baseball since the departure of Tom Swayze. I stand here knowing that Swayze's story is part of the larger American story, that we, as Ole Miss fans, a debt to all of those who came before us, and that, in no other school on earth, is this story even possible.

Tonight, we gather to affirm the greatness of our university -- not because of the height of our jumbotron, or the power of our landshark guided defense, or the size of Oxford-University Stadium. Our pride is based on a very simple premise, summed up in a declaration made over seventy years ago:

"The University is respected, but Ole Miss is loved. The University gives a diploma and regretfully terminates tenure, but one never graduates from Ole Miss"

That is the true genius of Ole Miss, a faith -- a faith in simple dreams, an insistence on small miracles; that we can put Matt Smith in in the ninth inning and know that they he will hit the walk off home run; that Mike can say what he thinks about Pete Boone, without hearing a sudden knock on the door; that we can have an idea and change our defense without paying a bribe; that, unlike Starkville, we can attend baseball games without fear of catching disease.

This year, in this season we are called to reaffirm our values and our commitments, to hold them against a hard reality and see how we're measuring up to the legacy of our forbearers and the promise of future generations.

And fellow Rebels, Democrats, Republicans, Independents, I say to you tonight: We have more work to do -- more work to do for the Rebel fans in Rolling Fork, MS who are sick of State fans saying they've been to Omaha recently and we haven't; more to do for the father that I met who was losing his job and choking back the tears, wondering how he would pay 500 dollars a ticket for the seats his son needs so he can be at Swayze every Sunday afternoon after church; more to do for the young woman in Bay St. Louis, and thousands more like her, who has the grades, has the drive, has the will, but doesn’t have the money to make it to Swayze every weekend.

Now, don’t get me wrong. The people I meet -- in small towns and big cities, in diners and office parks -- they don’t expect Mike Bianco to solve all their problems. They know they have to work hard to get ahead, and they want to. Go into the collar counties around Oxford, and people will tell you they don’t want their ticket money wasted, by an underachieving team. Go in -- Go into any inner city neighborhood, and folks will tell you that Mike alone can’t teach our kids to plate discipline; they know that fans have to cheer, that players can’t achieve unless we raise their expectations and turn off the television sets and eradicate the slander that says a Rebel team can't make it Omaha. They know they can.

They know we can do better. And they want that choice.

In this season, we offer that choice. Our university has chosen a man to lead us who embodies the best this country has to offer. And that man is Mike Bianco.

Mike Bianco understands the ideals of community, faith, and service because they’ve defined his life. From his heroic service to McNeese State, through eight years as coach of the Ole Miss Rebels. Again and again, we’ve seen him make tough choices when easier ones were available.

Can we get that clutch hit? When Jordan Henry steps into the box, we'll respond: Yes, we can. Can we make that play from short-stop? When the ball is hit Evan Button's way, we'll respond: Yes, we can.

Can the Rebels win the western division? Yes, we can. Can the Rebels win the SEC? Yes, we can. Can the Rebels make it to Omaha? Yes, we can. Yes, we can. Yes, we can.

Grinds my Gears

And now, a session that I'm blatantly ripping from Family Guy entitling "Grinds my Gears."

You know what really grinds my gears? The belief that Houston Nutt is incapable of coaching a team that passes.

This belief is usually held by Arkansas fans. These fans said that while Nutt was at Arkansas, he didn't lead a high-powered passing offense. They're right. Matt Jones was not a passer. Neither were Casey Dick or even... MITCH MUSTAIN. Yes that's right. Even Mitch Mustain couldn't pass very well during his freshman year. He completed only 52% of his passes with a whopping 6.8 yards per attempt. TD:INT Ratio? 10:9.

But here's where it gets really interesting. In Houston Nutt's first season at Ole Miss, the Rebels threw the ball only 100 times fewer than the 2008, Petrino-led Razorback squad. That's roughly eight more pass attempts a game by Razorback quarterbacks. Did I mention that we played several games in which Jevan only threw four or five times in the second half because we were up by a million? Arkansas, on the other hand, was obliterated (and thus needed to pass) against Alabama, Texas, Florida and South Carolina, needed come back efforts to overcome Louisiana Monroe, LSU, Western Illinois (who they threw 41 times against), and had to fight back (by passing) to keep it reasonable against Ole Miss and Mississippi State. The Rebels on the other hand, often up by a good bit at half time, rarely threw more than ten passes in the second half. Sure, it may not be flashy, but look at the results.

I guess that Arkansas fans will always have an offense that has a lot of pass attempts if they're always behind. Maybe that's what they want. It certainly makes the numbers look better at the end of the year. "Hey! We passed for 4,300 yards since we were down 30 at every halftime! Awesome!" Well I'll take winning the cotton bowl over 100 more attempts for Jevan Snead.

I guess my points on this issue are twofold:
1. This team passed a good bit.
2. Even if they hadn't, we still won nine games.

One last thing to really get that comment thread going:
Casey Dick's passer ratings in 2006 and 2007 were better than in 2008. Discuss.

Welcome Back, Coach

It looks like Jackie Sherrill has decided to leave the suburbs of Memphis and venture to Alabama where he is going to be a head coach.

Yes, our old friend is now the head coach/general manager of the Alabama USFL team which is set to open the season in 2010. This was announced February 2nd so I am sure it is old news and I'll be bombarded with Germans, but it is news to me and I don't think we have had a post on it here.

I wonder if he is going to take Joe Lee Dunn, of Ridgeway High School fame, and current DC at New Mexico State with him to the big show. What a coaching staff that would be!

(insert probation joke)