Happy New Year everyone! Its going to be a great year here at the birthplace of the king!

Don Smith '86

Romero Miller, former Ole Miss QB

This week’s “Classic Call” voting takes Mississippi State fans back to the ‘86 Syracuse game, and Ole Miss fans back to some great Ole Miss/Kentucky games in the past. Vote for your favorite “classic call”.

Link!

The following is a press release from organizers of the upcoming “Pigskins in the Park” in Tupelo, when a large jumbotron video screen will display the Ole Miss vs Alabama, and Mississippi State vs Florida games to tailgaters in Tupelo’s Fairpark District on October 16th. (more…)

Thanks to everyone who made the 2010 City-wide Pep Rally a big hit in Tupelo. Several thousand people came through the gates at Fairpark, including the voice of the Mississippi State Bulldogs Jack Cristil (below, left), and Ole Miss football sideline reporter Stan Sandroni (below, right).

Jack Cristil and Stan Sandroni pose with the Egg Bowl Trophy

Jeremiah Masoli

So, yeah, I’m hearing Jeremiah Masoli and Ole Miss want each other and are attempting steps to make it happen. I hope for one of my good friend’s sake (who hates the idea of Nutt taking Masoli) that my sources are wrong. We’ll see. Guarantee you there’s red tape, steps, and more tape.

BUT I”LL SAY THIS: I believe Houston Nutt has to cover his own rear-end here. If he doesn’t take a guy like Masoli who’s available at a time when he now only has one current QB after Raymond Cotton’s departure, then it will be “Fire Hosuton Nutt” time from fans if Stanley gets injured in fall practice and leaves you with no options other than an incoming 5′9 JUCO player.

He’s in a pinch, and I think Nutt can’t afford NOT to bring in Masoli.

Like I said…we’ll see.

Coach Fisher with his 9-yr old son, Trey, and Seth Gaines, Tupelo Parks & Rec director of events

I got a chance to meet Florida State head football coach Jimbo Fisher while he was in town last week to watch his 9-yr old son play in the Dizzy Dean baseball World Series being hosted here in Tupelo. Turns out he’d just finished an earlier interview with national sports radio host Paul Finebaum in which he mentioned our town.

Click here to listen from a mobile phone, or just click play below to hear the interview.

Tupelo hosted the 9-yr old Dizzy Dean, and 8-19 USSSA softball World Series’ this & last week. At opening ceremonies on Thursday the 15th at BancorpSouth Arena, a crowd of approximately 3,000 got a treat with the following video welcome. (also found here at our Youtube channel)

Rebel?

I just don’t quite get it. Of all the mascot choices that Ole Miss rolled out two weeks or so ago, the best, most obvious match is not on the list. Realizing that supposedly thousands of suggestions were accepted by the mascot search committee folks, I can’t be convinced that a “patriot” type soldier (you know, the ones that the British army referred to as “rebels” during the revolutionary war) is not a MUCH better option than anything that Ole Miss fans are currently voting for.

Over the fourth of July weekend, I spent some time with my wife’s family who are all big Rebel fans. These are level headed folks who love their school and are somewhat emotionally and financially invested in its history and its future. (more…)

This time of year, college football players are going through the toughest part of 2010 season, yet no one sees it. There are no TV cameras. Erin Andrews isn’t there to report what the coaches said in the huddle.

Summer workouts are grueling, evil, yet necessary. In theory, many September games are being won/lost right now in weightrooms around the country. ESPN has some nice stories up about some “Workout Warriors” around the country.

• Brandon Bolden at Ole Miss was highlighted last week. Check out his numbers.
• John Simon of Ohio State utilizes a sand pitt.
• Bruce Carter of North Carolina is, simply put…a freak.

What was he looking at?

Seriously, this has to be like a 9.5 on a 10-point scale. Awful. No replay in the SEC back in ‘01…unfortunately. (Youtube Link for mobile phone viewers)

I know, I know, referees are human and make mistakes. That’s true. I guess it should just be a reminder that it’s a game…not a matter of life and death…even though we’ll probably be talking about these bad calls 10-years after they happen. But seriously, this one’s laughable.