The deadline for proposals to expand the Walton Arts Center is Monday. Officials say they have 20 proposals from municipalities and individuals thus far. Fayetteville will release its proposal on Monday.
Dr. William Harrison is closing his clinic in Fayetteville today. Despite decades of protests and an attempted arson, his reason for closing the only clinic that offers elective abortion in northwest Arkansas is his own health. The outspoken Dr. Harrison was diagnosed with Leukemia.
It’s one third complete but now the city of Fayetteville is reconsidering its changes to Block Avenue that include back-in parking.
Some Fayetteville business owners are not interested in the city hiring a “festival czar” to help the city administer and expand events like Bikes Blues & BBQ.
Fayetteville’s Oktoberfest will include home brewers this year and is set for October 16th. And we don’t need a festival czar?
Benton County Prosecuting Attorney Van Stone says that Dave Bisbee’s legal fees are not reasonable. He’s challenging the request.
Washington County Assessor Lee Ann Kizzar has completed a county-wide re-appraisal that she says has lowered home values by an average of 4.5%.
(This is the 5th in a series in our annual SEC Preview leading up to the beginning of Fall Camp on August 5th.)
The good news for new Kentucky Head Coach Joker Phillips is that he is no longer the Wildcats’ coach “in waiting”. The bad news is that now that he is at the helm, all he has to do is replace 4 starters on the offensive line and two of the most decorated defenders in school history.
It may be a daunting task, but Joker Phillips is a UK alum who is serious about the program, and thinks he has the tools to eventually turn his alma mater into a force in the SEC East.
In the captain’s chair for just six months, Phillips has hit the ground running.
”It’s definitely been a whirlwind,” Phillips told the gathering at SEC Media Days last week. ”But, I’m truly living the dream. Not only am I a letterman, alumnus, a Kentuckian, for me to be able to lead the program I truly love, I’m living the dream, and carrying it out. “
Phillips takes over for Rich Brooks, who, after a bumpy start, quietly led the UK program to one of the most prosperous eras in school history, guiding Kentucky to seven wins in each of the last four seasons. Brooks just missed out on taking the ‘Cats to four straight bowl wins for the first time in school history when UK lost the Music City Bowl to Clemson 21-13 to end last season and send Brooks’ out on a sour note.
Phillips said he is equipped for the ups and downs of his new gig, thanks, in part to some pearls of wisdom from his predecessor.
“The best advice I got from Rich was, Don’t listen to the noise,” Phillips. ”‘The noise’ is you the media, some of the fans. Just continue to go about your business, make sure you got sound plan, stick to your plans…….When we first took over, there were a lot of young coaches, including myself, we wanted to veer off from the plan because we were struggling in year one and year two. Rich, the wise soul that he is, Hey, we gonna stick to this plan. That’s the other thing he taught me, Get you a sound plan, stick to it.
The Kentucky Offense
Fans and media will focus on the Kentucky quarterback competition, but even former NCAA record-setter and Wildcat signal-caller Andre Woodson would struggle if he had eligibility remaining and had to run for his life behind a brand new offensive line. So, it’s incumbent on some new faces up front to grow up, fast. Guard Stuart Hines (6-4 293) is the only returning starter from last year’s solid UK offensive line. Chandler Burden (6-4 296) will be asked to replace All-SEC tackle Zipp Duncan, and will try to avoid being zapped by anxious opposing defensive coordinators who know full well that Hines is new to one of the toughest positions on the field, and is trying to complete a tough transition from the defensive line.
Brad Durham (6-4 310) takes over the right tackle spot and has some much-needed starting experience.Center Matt Smith (6-4 289) who, like Burden, is a converted defensive lineman, has a bit of field experience, and will get the first crack at the starting job.
Senior QB Mike Hartline (6-6 206) has been serviceable (passing for over 1,600 yards in 2008) at times during his career. But, he will have to produce early in order to avoid losing the position to a couple of highly recruited underclassmen–Morgan Newton and Ryan Mossakowski (6-4 221).
Newton wasn’t even supposed to play last season, but due to injuries. stepped into the starter’s role and now has road wins at Auburn and Georgia on his resume’.
Jeff's Snarky Comment From the Casual Fans' Peanut Gallery: I propose that Kentucky, Indiana, Duke, & North Carolina have a Basketball-School Football Bowl Series. Wouldn’t that save everyone a lot of time?
But, if there is one Wildcat that can take credit for those road wins and Kentucky’s recent success, it is All-SEC, All-Purpose performer Randall Cobb (5-11 190) who does everything for Kentucky but line the field.
One of the most dynamic players in the country, most casual college football fans do not know about Cobb, but they should. As a (literal) Wildcat QB, he ran for 573 yards and 10 touchdowns a year ago. As a wide receiver, Cobb caught four touchdown passes and grabbed 39 receptions for 447 yards in 2009. He also returned kickoffs and punts, averaging 26.5 and 12.8 per attempt, respectively. If that was not enough, Cobb has been(unsuccessfully, thus far) lobbying Phillips for some reps in the defensive backfield.
The other playmaker on offense for UK is running back and Razorback-killer Derrick Locke (5-9 191). Locke, a former track star, returned from a knee injury in 2008 to rush for 907 yards and six touchdowns in 2009. He has the ability to go the distance from anywhere on the field.
The Kentucky Defense
Dequin Evans sacks Jonathan Crompton
The UK defense will have to replace 5 starters from last season, including All-SEC performers Micah Johnson LB, Trevard Lindley CB, and Corey Peters. Defensive end Dequin Evans (6-3 257) is a proven pass-rusher and linebacker Danny Trevanthan (6-1, 225) shined a year ago, alongside the marquee linebacker, Johnson. Former Razorback commit Winston Guy is back at free safety, and the UK staff hopes he can display some of the athleticism he flashed as a freshman kickoff returner.
The Kentucky Special Teams
Ryan Tydlacka will not be lacking for face time, as he will attempt to pull a rare double these days as both the placekicker and punter. Cobb and Locke are an exciting, dangerous duo on returns.
The Kentucky Schedule
Kentucky will open the season against in-state rival Louisville, and its first-year head Coach Charlie Strong in a showdown of guys who should have been head coaches much earlier than 2010.
The Wildcats should beat the Cardinals for the 4th consecutive season, and then have a pair of home layups versus Western Kentucky and Akron. A free shot in The Swamp precedes a winnable game in Oxford. Then, UK will come home for a key, 3-game homestand versus Auburn, South Carolina and Georgia. The ‘Cats come down the stretch with a trip to Starkville, home dates against Charleston Southern and Vandy, and a season-capper on Rocky Top.
What Will Happen
Kentucky should take advantage of a favorable early schedule, but struggle to move the ball against most SEC squads. Replacing four offensive lineman, and having multiple former defensive lineman lined up to do so, is a recipe for disaster–particularly with a stationary quarterback.
Needs to Emerge: Mister Cobble…..just because of the name
Key Games: @ Louisville, AU, S. Car., UGA
UK Schedule (5-6)
Sept. 4 at Louisville W
Sept. 11 WKU W
Sept. 18 Akron W
Sept. 25 at Florida L
Oct. 2 at Ole Miss L
Oct. 9 Auburn L
Oct. 16 South Carolina L
Oct. 23 Georgia L
Oct. 30 at Miss State L
Nov. 6 Charl. Southern W
Nov. 13 Vanderbilt W
Nov. 20 OPEN DATE
Nov. 27 at Tennessee L
We’re going wall-to-wall at BlogHawgs.com on the Jeremiah Masoli situation.
George Schroeder is quickly becoming a BlogHawgs favorite. The Southern boy gone Oregon has reliably good stuff on college football, especially all things Masoli. His take today asks a very good question: Does Jeremiah Masoli really deserve another chance after having burned so many?
Beyond the moral questions of letting a troubled yet talented kid play football, there are some really shady things happening behind the scenes here. The critical line from Schroeder’s column today is this:
In essence, the coach wants to lure a big-name free agent for one season, because no one is seriously suggesting Masoli plans to hang around and earn a graduate degree.
This is the central problem. No one in his or her right mind believes Masoli is going to get his graduate degree from Mississippi. The have found a loophole to bring in a quarterback for a coach that has continually run off talent. His backup quarterback transfered, and his “franchise” from last year decided to roll his dice with the NFL rather than stay one more year in Oxford. Snead did not get drafted, but he is still probably closer to playing in the NFL than he would have been given one more season at Mississippi.
But I digress…
The ultimate frustration here is that the NCAA has a loophole that will be exploited by a desperate coach and a felon quarterback. And there is nothing that anyone can do about it. Ultimately the University of Mississippi may decide that their school’s integrity is more valuable than 7-8 wins on the gridiron this year. Given their past, though, I doubt this institution of “higher learning” cares too much what the outside world thinks.
The only job Les Miles may be less qualified to hold than his current position is that of timekeeper at any Olympic games. That’s how bad of a head coach I believe he is. Trigger locks were invented to keep people like Les from killing themselves. Yet here he is, back for another run at disappointment for the fine folks in Baton Rouge. LSU lost 3 of their last 5 games with their only wins coming over Louisiana Tech (24-16) and Arkansas (33 – 30) in Overtime. The Tigers carried little momentum and even less optimism heading into the offseason. The question now is this: Do you trust the head coach to pull the 2010 team together?
The fact of the matter is that the Tigers need to be ready to go right out of the gate. North Carolina has one of the best defenses in the country this year, and LSU will be sunk immediately if they cannot figure out how to run the football this year. Leading rusher Charles Scott only managed 542 yards last season, and he’s gone to the NFL.
The good news for LSU is that their coach is on it! He knows his kids will be ready. Don’t believe me? Read this: “When I allowed our administration to envision this game, the decision being made to take it, was only based on the fact that my team would accept the competition,” The Hat told members of the media last week. George Bush can’t even understand this guy.
Miles has developed quarterbacks at a rate that would make the Mississippi coach blush. Just two years ago Jarrett Lee turned heads by throwing 6 touchdown passes TO THE OTHER TEAM. Jordan Jefferson emerged last year as a reasonably efficient signal caller, but the numbers were hardly overwhelming.
Ever since losing Jimbo Fisher the Tigers have been a team in search of an offensive identity. This year LSU faces the daunting task of needing to vault not only Alabama but also Arkansas – and perhaps Auburn – if they have any designs of getting back to Atlanta without a travel agent. Teams like this need good fortune, good special teams, and good coaching. If I were an LSU fan, I’d grab some Abita and boiled crawfish, and settle down for a very disappointing season.
For the first time in recent memory, LSU has but 2 players (LB Kelvin Sheppard & CB Patrick Peterson) on the preseason All-SEC teams. If the Bayou Bengals plan to make any noise at all this season, they will need Sheppard and Peterson to lead the charge. Because on offense, it could get down right offensive.
The Offense
The Tigers return six starters on offense, but they lose their top options at running back or wide receiver. Terrence Tolliver looks to be Jefferson’s primary target this year. Many folks in Louisiana expect this to be the year Russell Shepard emerges as a big play threat. Running back remains a spot where LSU will likely use a committee approach, much like last season.
As mentioned above, Jordan Jefferson appears to have emerged as the leader under center. Jefferson produced solid numbers last year, especially in the second half of the season. While most of us willremember the Meltdown at Mississippi, he still managed to throw for more than 2,000 yards and 17 TDs. Miles believes Jefferson has a real chance to build on those numbers, largely because he has now been through the SEC wars. “I think our quarterback position will play extremely well. This will be the first time in two years we’ve had a quarterback start the season that has a complete season’s experience,” says the Mad Hatter.
A lot of that will be based on how the big uglies fare up front for the Tigers. Line play has not been a serious concern in the Bayou State for some time now. That all came to a stunning end last year, though, when the Tigers could not routinely open running lanes or protect their quarterback. Ciron Black and Lyle Hitt are long gone, and T Bob Hebert is still recovering from off-season surgery. He is also rehabilitating his image after a DWI arrest in May. If his suspension is lifted, Hebert is expected to anchor the line as the team’s new starting center. Will Blackwell is the unit’s lone senior – although based on last year new blood may not be such a bad thing.
The Defense
Statistically speaking, the LSU defense in 2009 was a shadow of its former self. When you look at the stat that matters, though, the Tigers kept opposing offenses out of the endzone as well as anyone. This bend-but-don’t-break mentality does not reflect the typical attitude in Baton Rouge or that of defensive coordinator John Chavis. Chavis and the rest of the Tiger faithful need Drake Nevis to become the latest NFL prototype defensive tackle to come from LSU. He was a force last year and will be relied upon to draw double-teams while the rest of the new faces get adjusted to life in the SEC regularly.
LSU also needs to fill holes at the linebacking corp. Kelvin Sheppard returns, and he’s a great one to feature as the leader. Stefoin Francois moves up from the safety spot to try and fill one of the starting roles. Special team superstar Ryan Baker will get first crack at the other side in LSU’s 4-3 defense.
The secondary should be a strength, if only because Patrick Peterson will be lurking about. If Morris Claiborne lives up to the hype, LSU could have the best tandem of cornerbacks in the country. Jai Eugene will also return, but he’s moved to safety thanks to the emergence of Claiborne.
Special Teams
The kicking game will certainly be critical this year – as it is every year in the SEC with so many close games. Josh Jasper was perfect on PATs last year and connected on 17 of 20 FG attempts, including the game winner against Arkansas. Derek Helton is the returning punter and looks to improve on his 39.9 yard average from last year. As usual LSU has a plethora of options in the return game. The coaches want to put the ball in the hands of Russell Shepard as much as possible, so look for him to get a shot early in the spring at being the primary returner for both punts and kicks.
The Schedule
Jeff's Snarky Comment From the Casual Fans' Peanut Gallery: Les Miles looks like he’ll follow Spurrier as a one-hit wonder. The Yogi Berra of the SEC shoulda taken the Michigan job while he was hot.
If LSU was looking for a more difficult opponent to begin the season, it would be hard to do. While North Carolina has to answer plenty of questions on offense, their defense is as good as anyone’s right now – including most of the NFC West. LSU follows up the neutral site opener with a trip to Nashville before three straight home games. Then comes the trip to Gainesville and trip to Auburn with McNeese St. thankfully sandwiched in between those two. Alabama and Mississippi come to Red Stick this year before the Tigers meet Arkansas in their traditional Battle for the Golden Boot.
Aside from the start the schedule sets up nicely for LSU if – and that’s a big IF – the offensive and defensive lines can come together. Oh yeah… and their coach somehow learns how to manage a game, too.
What Will Happen
LSU is going to lose the opener. But in the grand scheme of things, it’s not the end of the world. That comes later with losses on the road to Florida, Auburn and Arkansas. Toss in a home loss to Alabama, and the Les Miles Era will be near its end right after the Tigers are selected for a non-January 1st bowl game.
LSU Offense
Returning Starters: 6
Key Players: Jordan Jefferson, Terrence Tolliver
Needs to Emerge: Russell Shepard
LSU Defense
Returning Starters: 4
Key Players: Patrick Peterson, Kelvin Sheppard, Drake Nevis
Needs to Emerge: Stefoin Francois
Key Games: North Carolina, at Florida, at Auburn, Mississippi
Schedule/Predicted Finish: (7 – 5, 4 – 4)
Sept. 4 North Carolina * – L
Sept. 9 at Vanderbilt – W
Sept. 18 Mississippi State – W
Sept. 25 West Virginia – W
Oct. 2 Tennessee – W
Oct. 9 at Florida – L
Oct. 16 McNeese State – W
Oct. 23 at Auburn – L
Oct. 30 OPEN DATE
Nov. 6 Alabama – L
Nov. 13 ULM – W
Nov. 20 Mississippi – W
Nov. 26 at Arkansas – L
The venerable Chris Low at ESPN.com reports tonight that the Wrong Reverend should have his latest reclamation project very soon. The University of Mississippi offers 3 graduate programs the University of Oregon does not, and Masoli will be required to enroll in one of those programs in order to be eligible. For all of many, many faults, Masoli is reportedly a very smart man and good student. He just routinely does very dumb things.
As for the Mississippi head coach… I can’t think of anything new to say. Here is the link to an editorial piece that shown the light on his ridiculous “justice” system.
Someone please explain my popularity to the over 40 crowd.
I admit. I stopped watching MTV about 12 years ago. Maybe longer than that. And yes, I’m officially in my 40′s. I also admit that my entire understanding of Jersey Shore and specifically Snooki comes from Saturday Night Live.
(This is the third in a series in our annual SEC Preview leading up to the beginning of Fall Camp on August 5th.)
He has been called many things–a used car salesman, a master motivator, a Baptist preacher and a texting ace–to name a few–, but one thing Mississippi head coach Houston Nutt cannot be called is inconsistent.
A veritable elder statesman of SEC coaches as he enters his 13th consecutive season at the helm of an SEC West squad (Arkansas 1998-2007, Mississippi 2008-present) Nutt, more than most coaches in today’s “what have you done for me, NOW” society” has a track record–of survival.
He has shown that he is what he is–a skilled, yet flawed coach that can invigorate a moribund program and bring notable success–but one who cannot lead the pack and finish with a kick.
And, if the preceding paragraph looks familiar to avid readers of this space, it should.
Hotty Toddy
It’s a paragraph from our 2009 Mississippi Preview which, flying in the face of seemingly every national pundit who had Mississippi pegged as a program poised to make a leap in 2009, predicted the Rebels would bring their fans great highs and lows before finishing with 8 regular-season wins.
Ultimately they did just that–rising as high as the #5 ranked team in the national polls before finishing 8-4, losing the “Egg Bowl” to in-state rival Mississippi State by a score of 41-27, and for the second consecutive season reaching Nutt’s Cotton (Bowl) ceiling.
A year later, we at BlogHawgs might appear to be a bit too self-congratulatory. But in reality, we are merely decent Houston Nutt historians. We should be. We have lived it, one–head-scratching move after another.
Unfortunately, instead of being able to strut around with an undeserved sense of entitlement while calling ourselves “Doctor”, all we got out of our 10-year Houston Nutt Doctoral program was a repeatedly rejected dissertation (that he can take a program to the next level) and a crummy pair of golden handcuffs.
But take heart, Mississippi fans. For every disappointing Houston Nutt-led season, eventually, somewhere, there is an unexpected (relative) rejuvenation. Thanks to an annual rite of passage under Nutt–Mississippi’s soft early season schedule–and much lower expectations for this year’s Rebels’ squad, Nutt has everything in place to deliver a textbook 6-7 win Houston Nutt season.
In fact, he seems to welcome the “experts” having lower expectations for the Rebels than they did a year ago.
“Most of the time I’ve been picked towards the bottom,” Nutt told the assembled media at last week’s SEC Media Days in Birmingham.
“I don’t really worry about that. I never have. A lot of people say, You coach better when you’re not under such high expectations. I’ve always been under low expectations, so most of the time I don’t really worry about that. I tell our young men, Doesn’t matter. All the polls and Bowls, that’s decided on the field, so it doesn’t really matter. Doesn’t matter where you put us. I understand somebody told us y’all picked us last. Thank you. That’s all right. It’s good. It really doesn’t matter.”
The Mississippi Offense
The look and feel of Mississippi’s offense will largely be defined in the coming days, as the final (collegiate) chapters of The Book of Jeremiah (Masoli) are written.
After a checkered juvenile past, (robberies) Oregon took a chance on Masoli, and he rewarded the school by leading it to 10-3 records each of the past two seasons and its first Rose Bowl appearance in 15 years in 2009. He was second-team Pacific-10 Conference last season after completing 177 of 305 passes for 15 touchdowns and six interceptions, and running for 668 yards and 13 scores.
Masoli
Masoli, a unique, versatile talent, has been so good on the field that he has appeared on some Heisman lists during his career and has his name sprinkled throughout Oregon’s football records. Unfortunately, though, he has been amassing an extensive criminal record, as well.
He is currently looking for a new school after first being suspended from the Oregon football team for the entire 2010 season for violation of team rules (burglary of a fraternity house, theft of laptops) and then being dismissed after getting into more trouble with the law. (marijuana arrest)
If the courtship of Masoli to Mississippi comes to fruition it will do so because only a coach the likes of Houston Nutt can make it happen. But, although Nutt, at this hour, is apparently desperate and willing to get on one knee, it wasn’t love at first sight. Instead, the entire Nutt/Masoli affair has had more of a creepy Russian Mail Order bride feel.
Consider the following timeline:
July 7, 2010–4-star Mississippi Wide Receiver Pat Patterson is dismissed from the team by Nutt for violation of team rules;
July 25, 2010–Masoli to Mississippi is more likely, but Nutt texts the reporter to tell him it’s not a done deal.
One can only wonder what Patterson, Cotton, and Mississippi 1st-team quarterback (for now) Nathan Stanley must be thinking. Stanley (11-23, 163 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT for his career) has waited patiently behind the latest quarterback to have his career killed by Nutt–Jevan Snead–and was poised to pull off his best Casey Dick impersonation. Instead, Stanley must be steaming as he waits to find out if he will be the Mississippi signal-caller, after all.
If Masoli is at the helm, look for the Mississippi offense to be dangerous. He is a perfect fit for the Wild Cat/Hog/Dolphin/Rebel/Land Shark/Bear (hereinafter Wild Land Shark) offense that Nutt’s brother, Danny, didn’t invent.
Unlike most Wild Land Shark QB’s, Masoli has the ability to run, or pass, effectively.
And, he would have an offensive line with a couple of talented tackles in Bobby Massie (6-6, 317) and Bradley Sowell (6-7, 305) and one of Nutt’s prototypical deep, and talented, running back corps featuring Brandon Bolden (5-11, 220), Enrique Davis and Rodney Scott. Throw in a potential game-changer in Jesse Grandy (Pine Bluff Dollarway) and the Mississippi offense would strike fear into the hearts of opposing defenses and computer lab proctors.
Brandon Bolden
If Mississippi says “No Mas” (pronounced “No Mass” in the 50th The Magnolia State) of the Nutt/Masoli dalliance, the job will remain with Stanley and he will be asked to do very little in terms of playmaking. His chief responsibility will be to display enough effectiveness that the Rebels do not have to rely on JUCO All-American transfer Randall Mackey (6-0, 190) who has talent, but has only been on campus for a short period of time and will have a steep learning curve. Without Masoli, Mississippi’s 3rd-string quarterback may have to come from the intramural fields, again.
To be effective, Stanley will have to keep the offense out of bad plays and avoid turnovers–something with which Snead struggled mightily last year. With Patterson out of the mix and Grandy anything but a conventional Wide Receiver at 5-10, 165, the primary target for either Masoli or Stanley should be wide receiver Markieth Summers.
Look for Nutt to employ Grandy all over the field, including special teams and occasionally QB, as he did with Dexter McCluster, who almost single-handedly whippped Arkansas last season and was a threat to score every time he touched the ball.
The fact that Mississippi has a new (co)offensive coordinator, Dave Rader, should at least be mentioned, here. Nutt is–you guessed it–excited about the addition and said playcalling and game-planning will be a collaborative effort.
Houston Nutt and his next Offensive Coordinator
“Dave Rader, Mike Markuson, and myself, with the rest of the crew, we put together a game plan,” Nutt said. ”I’ve been calling plays for the last — since I got to Ole Miss. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s just me. We really do a thorough study……Really, anybody could call the game. To me, it’s fun being in there, being part of it, getting in there with those young men. To me, it’s the funnest time there is. SEC Saturday competing, there’s nothing like it.”
Nutt’s comments notwithstanding, to think there is much room for the fingerprints of anyone other than Nutt or longtime Offensive Line Coach and frequent (as he is now) ”Co” Offensive Coordinator, Markuson, on the gameplan is at this point in Nutt’s career,to ignore reality–just ask Kent Austin, David Lee and Gus Malzahn, who are former offensive coordinators under Nutt.
The Mississippi Defense
The Mississippi defense should be one of the better units in the league, particularly if the Mississippi offense can be consistent and avoid putting new Defensive Coordinator Tyrone Nix’ crew in bad situations via excessive turnovers.
Nix is a proven winner for whom Nutt has pined for a while. Now, he has Nix, and a defensive line that should be the strength of the team, even after losing some key players from last year’s squad. Kentrell Lockett (6-5, 254) and Jerrell Powe (6-2, 330) look like excellent SEC defensive lineman and they play that way, too.
If they can continue to be disruptive at the point of attack, Mississippi may be able to protect the presumptive starters at cornerback coming out of spring practice–Marcus Temple (5-10, 188) and Jeremy McGee (5-10, 180)–and limit the damage from the loss of defensive backfield stalwarts Marshay Green and Cassius Vaughn on the edges.
Johnny Brown (6-0, 212) is is a head-knocking safety that will help ease some of the pressure on the new corners. Junior college transfer Damien Jackson (6-2, 195) also made a push during spring practice and appears to have nabbed the starting free safety position.
Jeff's Snarky Comment From the Casual Fans' Peanut Gallery: Years until Ole Miss tires of HDN mediocrity: 4. Years until the run up to dismissal: 6. Cotton Bowl appearances during that time: Three. Times HDN calls it a “special” opportunity: Three. Unexplainable text messages to female Oxford News Anchor during that time: 293,843.
The linebacker spots are manned capably by Joel Kight, Jonathan Cornell and Allen Walker. Former Auburn Tiger transfer Patrick Trahan was one we told you to watch last season, and he did not disappoint. His production will need to be replaced.
Mississippi Special Teams
Placekicker Joshua Sheane, a 4-year starter is gone. Bryson Rose will be handed the thorny task of taking over for him. Sophomore Punter Tyler Campbell took over the job last season and was very good. Grandy, as previously mentioned, has the potential to do big things in the kicking game.
The Mississippi Schedule
The 1st-half of the Mississippi schedule is tailor-made for early success. The second half is tailor-made for early retirement. Nutt admitted early-season success at home is a key for his team.
(The) schedule is really in our favor early on,” Nutt said. ”We got to take advantage of it.
Then, Nutt disagreed with…… himself.
“Jacksonville State, though, you could say, Oh, Jacksonville State, but Jacksonville State had Florida State beat,” Nutt said. “They have real athletes. Jack Crowe does a tremendous job for them. It’s not as easy as if — I want to make sure our players understand, Just don’t look at the schedule and look at it like maybe one of your relatives are looking at it, like, okay, one, two, three, four, five, six. You should win the first six. Hold on now. Let’s get these practices going, let’s get better, let’s get the snap from the center. We got a lot of work to do.”
Two Words: The Citadel
Mississippi will presumably have the Quarterback-Center exchange down before it opens with Jacksonville St. (which is, as Nutt mentioned, led by fellow former Arkansas Head Coach Jack Crowe of, “The Citadel” infamy) on September 4th, and follows with Tulane in New Orleans before hosting Vanderbilt.
And so, Mississippi should start 3-0 before hosting a Fresno St. team that, after taking on Pac-10 powers like Southern Cal in recent years, won’t be afraid of an SEC foe–particularly one that is expected to finish at the bottom of its division. Kentucky comes to Oxford on October 1. Then, Mississippi gets an off week to reflect on what should at least be a 4-1 record.
That is when the fun starts. Mississippi travels to face defending national champion Alabama on October 16th. Then, Nutt and the Rebels travel to Fayetteville on October 23rd for a tilt with a Bobby Petrino-led Razorback Nation that has been waiting to take its pound of flesh from Nutt for almost three years. Old Home month continues for Nutt when Gus Malzahn and Auburn come to Oxford on October 30th.
Finally, after what should be a glorified scrimmage with Louisiana-Lafayette on November 6th, the Rebels travel to Rocky Top on November 13th, march to Death Valley to take on LSU a week later and then wrap up the season by hosting Mississippi State for the “Egg Bowl”.
“What you really want to guard against is you want to embrace it, but at the same time, you got to be ready to help your team if the bubble pops, Nutt said. “The bubble bursted on us in South Carolina Thursday night. It was a very difficult schedule to go from Saturday to Thursday night, especially no matter where you play in the SEC, each stadium is the best in the country, the atmosphere. South Carolina is awesome on Thursday night.
“When that bubble popped, that’s where you better have some ‘Dr. Feel’ in ya. You better be ready to go, to help your team, because expectations are so high. Fans have this vision that you’re going straight to Atlanta. You got to be ready to adjust. We all want to go there.”
What Will Happen
With or without Masoli, Mississippi will start strong. A team of BlogHawgs All-Stars would fare well versus Mississippi’s early schedule. However, in the second half of the season, with or without Masoli, the Rebels will be beaten about the face and the head (figuratively, of course).
But, if Masoli is on board, and if he stays out of trouble (a big if), look for him to be worth one, and maybe two, unexpected wins.
Mississippi Offense
Returning Starters: 3
Key Players: QB Nathan Stanley or QB Jeremiah Masoli, OL Bradley Sowell, OL Bobby Massie, ATH Jesse Grandy
Needs to Emerge: P.O. Masoli’s Probation Officer
Mississippi Defense
Returning Starters: 5
Key Players: NG Jerrell Powe, DE Kentrell Lockett, CB Marcus Temple
Needs to Emerge: S Damien Jackson
Key Games: at Arkansas, AU, at Tennessee
Schedule (7-5)
Sept. 4 Jacksonville St W
Sept. 11 at Tulane W
Sept. 18 Vanderbilt W
Sept. 25 Fresno State W
Oct. 2 Kentucky W
Oct. 9 OPEN DATE
Oct. 16 at Alabama L
Oct. 23 at Arkansas L
Oct. 30 Auburn L
Nov. 6 La Lafayette W
Nov. 13 at Tennessee L
Nov. 20 at LSU L
Nov. 27 Miss State W
This seems like a great precursor to Adam’s preview of the 2010 Mississippi Rebels tomorrow.
Stop me if you’ve heard this: Good player gets in trouble with the law and receives a minimal punishment; average or less critical player gets in trouble and get the boot.
That, according to this piece, encapsulates Houston Nutt justice. For Arkansas fans this will seem quite familiar. Now that Jeremiah Masoli is all but wearing the Mississippi colors, the Mississippi football coach’s erratic code of criminal justice once again deserves a thorough review. As Ben Dial notes in his column, the “Right Reverend” looks far less holy and much more like a snake oil salesman.
The Ole Miss Rebels are finding out what Houston Nutt justice is all about. The Rebel general may be known as the “Right Reverend,” but a closer look at history presents a different persona. The fact is that he resembles more that of a smarmy TV evangelist than a real holy man. Houston Nutt has a long history of preaching right and wrong, but that history is also blemished with actions based on self-preservation rather than moral fortitude. Ole Miss fans are following their newfound leader of glory, but Houston Nutt is still in first-class Robert Tilton form.
(This is the second in a series in our annual SEC Preview leading up to the beginning of Fall Camp on August 5th.)
Coaches often say that winning cures all problems. While that is certainly true during the season, winning can create some problems, too. Problems like unreasonable fan expectations, offseason media hype, and players who think they may be a little better than they truly are at this point in their careers.
Welcome to Gene Chizik’s world.
The second-year Auburn coach rose above his laughable record at Iowa State (mustering only 5 wins in two seasons for a team that went bowling the year after he left) to turn Auburn into a contender right away – at least early in the season. He made great hires in Gus Malzahn and Ted Roof to run the offense and defense respectively. And Auburn quickly emerged as a recruiting juggernaut after several down years under Tommy Tubberville. Judging by his press conference at SEC Media Days, Coach Chizik may be preparing to set expectations to where they should be in 2010. “This is a long-term plan. This is a long-term vision,” said Chizik only seconds into his prepared remarks.
Now comes the hard part. Last year most reasonable Auburn fans would have been happy to go bowling, even if it meant Shreveport. Instead Auburn raced out of the gates to a stunning 5-0 start, leaving gaudy offensive numbers in their wake. Then came a trip to Fayetteville where the Gus Bus got derailed with Auburn losing by 3 touchdowns.
Ultimately Auburn somehow made its way to Tampa for the Outback Bowl (despite having the same record as Arkansas, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Georgia – none of whom Auburn defeated except a narrow win over Tennessee (USC and Auburn did not play)), played recklessly in the second half, pulled out a miracle win in overtime, and signed a highly regarded recruiting class.
Jeff's Snarky Comment From the Casual Fans' Peanut Gallery: It's funny to me that Hog fans withhold hate for AU--probably so as to not burn a bridge with the second coming in coaches, Gus.
Okay, coach. What have you done for me lately? “We feel extremely, extremely excited on the fact that we feel we have the football team based on last year going in the right direction. That doesn’t mean we have arrived, and we know that,” said the head coach.
The 2010 edition of the Auburn Tigers/War Eagles/Plainsmen has potential. The offense should be ready to click a little better this season after getting better acquainted with Gus Malzahn’s offense. The laws of large numbers say that Auburn could not suffer as many injuries on the defense as they did last year, but they still need to retool their defensive line. The schedule sets up nicely for Auburn with their toughest (on paper) games coming on The Plains other than the Iron Bowl.
So why am I not buying Auburn as a contender this year? Let’s take a look.
Offense
The Tigers have a strong edge at the offensive line position. Big Lee Ziemba (Rogers, AR) returns to anchor an experienced, athletic unit. He is one of 7 offensive starters who come back this year, including do-it-all back Mario Fannin. These two young men will certainly have a big impact on the Tigers’ season, but the most explosive player looks to be Darvin Adams. The 6’ 3”, 192-pound junior dazzled last year, reeling in 60 grabs for 997 yards and 10 touchdowns.
The big question entering camp is simple: Who will throw it to him?
The smart money is on Cam Newton, the dismissed thief from Florida who transferred to Auburn for his second chance. Most reports seem to indicate the young man has taken his fresh start seriously, and that should excite Auburn fans. One has to wonder, though, how much of the complex Auburn offense has he mastered? Folks from Arkansas know just how dangerous the Malzahn offense can be if he has an effective trigger man. Newton has the tools and talent, but does he have the experience? Unless you are surrounded by exceptional talent everywhere , any SEC fan knows that it is all but impossible to win big with a brand new quarterback.
And let’s be clear: Auburn aint Alabama.
Defense
Where to begin? The Tiger defense once struck fear in the hearts of SEC offensive coordinators. Last year’s version fell victim to sadistic injury problems, leaving them as thin as Kate Moss at linebacker. Coming into fall camp, questions now abound regarding the secondary. All but one projected starter is dealing with some form of injury, so expect to see some new talent fighting for spots back there. “(We’ve) got to continue to build the depth of our defense,” said Capt. Obvious Chizik at SEC Media Days.
Josh Byrnes comes back as the heart of the Auburn defense. He broke the century mark in tackles, and
Eat something!
the senior returns now with his eyes set on leading the Tigers back to prominence. Byrnes will need a lot of help, especially with the departed Antonio Coleman leaving a huge void up front.
Linebacker/defense end hybrid Michael Goggans will be expected to step up his game significantly after losing his starting job at linebacker last fall. Coaches believe Goggans will provide them with the flexibility they need to cover some of the inexperience in the front seven.
The defensive backs desperately need the big guys up front to provide them some help as this M*A*S*H unit sorts itself out. There is clearly talent, but it is raw and oft-injured. Neiko Thorpe looks to be the most healthy option in addition to having several snaps under his belt. Thorpe has the last name and the size to be one of the SEC’s top defenders. The one player even the most hardened of Crimson Tide hearts can support is senior Aairon Savage. He has battled serious injury after serious injury and hopes now to be the difference maker he promised to be during his freshman campaign.
Special Teams
Wes Bynum is about as consistent as you can find. The preseason 2nd Team All-SEC selection could be a vital weapon for a team that expects to play a lot of close games. Bynum missed just one kick all season in 2009.
The punter position appears to be open with senior Ryan Shoemaker the clubhouse leader. In terms of returning kickoffs and punts, Auburn has several options including Fannin. Demond Washington put up flashy numbers last year, and Onterrio McCalebb could contribute in addition to his running back duties. All three of those guys will get a look at returning punts, as will Quindarius Carr.
The Schedule
Auburn has a chance to get off to another solid start in 2010. The Tigers get a “rebuilding” Arkansas State team (Hey, Steve Roberts is a family friend. I can’t help but be generous with the Indian Red Wolves) before an extremely dangerous trip to Starkville. Three consecutive home games follow – including an interesting non-conference game with Clemson – before another dangerous roadie at Lexington. Arkansas and LSU make trips to Auburn in back-to-back weeks after Kentucky. Auburn then hits the road again, this time to Mississippi. They have a late-season layup against UT-Chattanooga before closing with their annual rivalry games against Georgia and at Alabama.
A cynic sees little reason to expect anything more than six wins here. An optimist sees, realistically, eight wins and potentially nine. So what will happen, you ask?
What Will Happen
Auburn will not start 5-0 like last season, but this team has the potential to grow. The problem for Auburn, though, is that the second half of the schedule includes 5 bowl teams from last year including the national champs. I happen to think, though, that the team will come together enough to pull off some big wins in October and November.
Earlier this week I was convinced Auburn would struggle to win more than six games. After a little more review and further examination of the folks they have returning, I think another 8-win season is possible. But I do not believe it is likely.
Auburn Offense
Returning Starters: 7
Key Players: Lee Ziemba, Darvin Adams, Mario Fannin
Needs to Emerge: Cam Newton
Auburn Defense
Returning Starters: 8
Key Players: Josh Bynum, Neiko Thorpe
Needs to Emerge: Michael Goggans
Key Games: at Mississippi State, at Kentucky, v. Arkansas, v. LSU, at Mississippi
Schedule/Predicted Result: (7-5, 3-5)
Sept. 4 Arkansas St – W
Sept. 9 at Miss State – L
Sept. 18 Clemson – W
Sept. 25 South Carolina – L
Oct. 2 ULM – W
Oct. 9 at Kentucky – L
Oct. 16 Arkansas – L
Oct. 23 LSU – W
Oct. 30 at Ole Miss – W
Nov. 6 Chattanooga – W
Nov. 13 Georgia – W
Nov. 20 OPEN DATE
Nov. 26 at Alabama – L
This video was so bad, I docked Auburn a predicted win this season.
Rumor has it that Dunkin Donuts has its eye on Arkansas. Our reputation as a slovenly, malnourished people may finally land Arkansas one of the nation’s best franchises. The only drawback I see right now is that a Dunkin’ franchise could lead to commercials featuring their spokeswoman Rachael Ray. If I hear her voice while driving, I may very well end up in the Arkansas River.
(This is the first of a series of articles in our annual SEC Preview leading up to the beginning of Fall Camp on August 5th)
Last year, Alabama used the memory of a crushing end to the 2008 season to help the Crimson Tide focus on its goals and roll through a perfect 2009 campaign that ended with its first Bowl Championship Series title and Heisman Trophy Winner.
Now, a year later, Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban says it’s time to forget 2009.
“We’re not into repeating…..It’s more difficult to focus on the process of what it takes to being successful when you’re coming off of success. ” Saban said at last week’s SEC Media Days.
“That’s certainly going to be the challenge for our team, our players’ willingness to focus on doing the right things, the things that are necessary. To create an identity for this team in terms of what this team wants to accomplish and what this team can do in this football season is what we’re trying to focus on.”
Turning the page on the 2009 season may be easier said than done for Alabama, which, despite losing 11 starters (8 from a stifling defense) as well as last year’s starting kicker, punter and ace return man, is the presumptive national pick to win the BCS Championship, again.
But, if there is a team equipped to refocus and reload it’s Bama, behind it’s no-nonsense head coach and a stable of top-notch athletes who have been biding their time behind upperclassmen and will now get their opportunity after 13 members of last year’s squad signed professional contracts.
Junior running back Mark Ingram (5-10 215), the 2009 Heisman Trophy winner, thinks this year’s Alabama team could be better than it was during last year’s dream season.
“Last year we were good but I think this year we can be better,” Ingram said after Bama’s Spring Game in April. “We have a lot of talent all over the field, young guys that are hungry trying to prove themselves, and older players that know what they are doing and what it takes to win. I think once we mesh all that together we should be alright.”
Alabama Offense
Ingram's emotional Heisman Acceptance Speech was one of the highlights of last season.
Two players who have already meshed quite well are Ingram, and sophomore running back Trent Richardson from Pensacola, Florida. Ingram racked up 1658 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground last year during his run to the record books.
Meanwhile, Richardson, who attended the same high school (Escambia) as his idol, NFL career rushing leader Emmitt Smith, rushed for 751 yards and 8 touchdowns last year as a true freshman while splitting carries with Ingram.
Both are 2010 preseason 1st-team All-SEC selections and together have the potential to form one of the best backfield duos in recent SEC history (with the likes of Arkansas’ Darren McFadden and Felix Jones and Auburn’s Carnell Williams and Ronnie Brown).
McElroy's playmaking responsibilities should increase in 2010
In order to do so, Ingram and Richardson will have to rely on continued maturation from their quarterback, Greg McElroy.
A year ago, McElroy was the big question mark on the Alabama team. Fourteen wins and a couple of championships later, he has his eyes on another title.
If he leads Bama to a second consecutive ring, McElroy would undoubtedly vault from being considered a poor man’s Jay Barker (QB of the 1993 Alabama National Championship team and husband of country music star Sara Evans) to an icon in the land of Houndstooth hats.
Jay Barker Has Had a Decent Run
McElroy, who is applying for a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship is smart enough to know that, with opposing defenses focused on slowing down Alabama’s running game, he will have the opportunity to add more punch to the passing than he did a year ago.
His primary target, once again, will be much-ballyhoed, and, to this point, overhyped, wide receiver Julio Jones (6-4, 211).
Despite bursting onto the college football scene in 2008 as one of the best and most talked-about freshmen in the country, and being McElroy’s passing security blanket in 2009, Jones did not finish in the Top 10 of any of the SEC statistical categories a year ago.
In 2009, Jones had 43 receptions for 496 yards and 4 receiving touchdowns. And, for his career, in two full seasons (28 games) Jones has a total of 101 catches, 1,520 yards and eight receiving touchdowns (with a 12-game touchdown drought on his resume’).
While those numbers are certainly respectable, and Jones has, at times, flashed glimpses of his tremendous potential, he is not currently worthy of his SEC household-name status and 1st-Team All Conference accolades.
Julio (pronounced Jew-Lee-O if you are Arkansas PA Man John George) Jones
Nevertheless, Jones is one of eight Alabama players (5 on offense) that were selected to the All-SEC Conference 1st Team by the media. Joining Jones, Ingram and Richardson on the 1st Team Offense are Offensive Lineman Barrett Jones and James Carpenter.
As a unit, the Alabama offense will have to be potent, particularly early in the conference slate, to give a reloading Alabama defense an opportunity to get its feet on the ground.
Alabama Defense
Jeff's Snarky Comment From the Casual Fans' Peanut Gallery: "Bama may not be quite as good as last year but at least we have another year of exciting and whimsical interviews with Mr. Personality, Nick Saban."
Saban and company have the unenviable task of replacing eight defensive starters, including headliners Rolando McClain (LB) (8th overall pick by the Oakland Raiders), Kareem Jackson (CB)(20th overall pick by the Houston Texans) and Terrence “Mount” Cody (NG)(57th overall pick by the Baltimore Ravens).
The key area of concern on the Alabama defense has to be the secondary, where the Crimson Tide will have to replace all four of its starters.
Sophomore cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick is a budding star, but he underwent shoulder surgery following spring practice, and has a history of nagging injuries thus far in his college career. Assuming he recovers well, Kirkpatrick should get the nod at one of the cornerback spots.
B.J. Scott, a former wide receiver who redshirted in 2009 behind more experienced players, is entering his third year in the program and is the frontrunner for the other starting cornerback position.
Kirkpatrick and Scott will look to safety Mark Barron who was 3rd-team All-American a year ago, to provide stability and support in the secondary. And like any other group of defensive backs, they will need the front seven to pressure the opposing quarterback in order to be successful.
Hightower (30) is Hoping to Return to Form Following a Knee Injury.
One potential defensive star who should wreck some havoc in the front seven is junior linebacker Dont’a Hightower (6-4, 258). Hightower missed much of last season after suffering a torn an ACL in his knee in the first quarter of Alabama’s 35-7 drubbing of Arkansas in late September.
Although many compare Hightower to his former teammate McClain, Saban said the two are different in some respects. Per Saban, Hightower is the more versatile of the two and McClain, while also physically gifted, is more of a cerebral, defensive signal-caller.
“Dont’a is a little bit more of a pass-rusher, could play defensive end, and be a designated pass-rusher,“ Saban said. “He can move around, play multiple roles and positions. That’s how we were using him last year prior to his injury. We would like to be able to use him that way again this year if that’s possible.”
Hightower may not have as much room to roam with Cody, the behemoth noseguard and season-saver gone to the NFL.
Junior Josh Chapman (6-1 313) has starting experience and will step into an integral role in place of Cody at the nose guard position in Bama’s 3-4 scheme.
If he is able to steer clear of eligibility issues stemming from allegations that he and several other high profile college athletes may have “taken their talents to South Beach”, defensive lineman Marcel Dareus should also be a force.
Dareus with the signature play of the BCS Championship Game
Dareus showed rare athleticism (See Left) for a player of his size when picked off a shovel pass and took it 27-yards to the house for a pivotal touchdown in the BCS Championship game against Texas. Saban’s job will be made even more difficult, though, if Dareus is deemed ineligible.
Alabama Special Teams
Like its defense, Alabama’s special teams unit will have to overcome a mass exodus after losing it’s placekicker, Leigh Tiffin, return specialist and game-changer, Javier Arenas, and punter P.J. Fitzgerald.
Alabama took the relatively rare measure of handing out a scholarship to a punter–high school standout Jay Williams. And, as one of the premiere programs in the country, Alabama undoubtedly has capable replacements lined up at kicker and on returns.
However, as Tiffin’s early struggles at Alabama reflect, the kicking and punting duties at the major college level are an iffy proposition for any player, regardless of talent, until they put cleat to pigskin in front of 80,000 screaming fans.
The Schedule
Alabama’s schedule features a marquee matchup with fellow college football blue blood Penn State in Tuscaloosa on September 11. It will be the first matchup between the two in 20 years. Nonetheless, the uniforms of both squads have refreshingly remained essentially unchanged.
Love the Unis.
The battle with Joe Paterno and the Nittany Lions will undoubtedly spark interest far and wide, but Alabama’s fortunes are likely to turn depending upon their success during a three-game stretch in which the Tide travels to Arkansas (Sept. 25), hosts Florida (Oct. 2) and then heads back on the road to face the ‘ole ball coach, Steve Spurrier, and the South Carolina Gamecocks in Columbia (Oct. 9).
Alabama also travels to Baton Rouge on November 6, and although the Tigers are expected to be down, a bit, any road trip to Death Valley presents the distinct possibility of heading home with a loss.
What to Expect
Look for the Crimson Tide to again be very good, but lose a few games along the way in 2010. Just as any team that survives the rugged SEC gauntlet, Alabama was fortunate to emerge unscathed after close shaves against Tennessee and Auburn last season.
With a more demanding schedule and several players being asked to fill defensive voids this season it is highly unlikely that Alabama will run the table, again.
And, before Bama fans write that off as a homer take from an Arkansas blogger, they might want to consider this writer’s 2009 Alabama prediction, or better, yet, their head coach’s own words.
“I see probably the two teams that lost the most just on paper are probably Alabama and Florida, who played in the championship game last year,” Saban said, “I think there will be more parity in the league. And it will be more difficult week in and week out for all of us to determine the success we’re going to have and the challenge of being consistent.”
Alabama Offense:
Returning starters: 8
Key Players: Greg McElroy, QB, Julio Jones, WR, Marquis Maze
Key Game(s): @Arkansas (Sept. 25), Florida (Oct. 2), South Carolina (Oct. 9) @LSU (Nov. 6), AU (Nov. 26)
Schedule/Predicted Result: (10-2)
9/4 San Jose St. W
9/11 Penn St. W
9/18 @ Duke W
9/25 @ Arkansas W
10/2 Florida W
10/9 @ S. Carolina L
10/16 Mississippi W
10/23 @ Tennessee W
OPEN DATE
11/6 @ LSU L
11/13 Miss. St. W
11/8 Georgia State W
11/26 Auburn W
As, expected, Alabama and Florida were picked to win the divisions, and Bama was chosen as the SEC Champ. And, I think if LSU finishes as predicted (and it should) “The Hat” will be on the hot seat by November in Baton Rouge.
Three UA offensive players made the Preseason All-SEC team, but once again, a receiving corps that collectively (generally) regarded as one of the best in the nation fails to get a nod. I kinda like it. Between this preseason, and the remarkably unjust snub of UA WR Greg Childs last postseason, I think the UA wide receivers will have a nice big chip on their shoulders this year.
Kids, don't do drugs or you'll end up running for public office under the delusion that non-mushroom-eaters will vote for you.
Former Green Party candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives Abel Tomlinson is running for the District 92 seat to the Arkansas House of Representatives. Tomlinson has had some run-ins with the law including his most recent which included him leaving his running car on College Avenue and climbing a tree in front of the Washington County Courthouse. I can’t make this up.
"I'll make Fayetteville as popular as the NFL on Fox!"
Fayetteville’s city council voted this week to pay $19,800 to be featured on “Today in America,” hosted by Terry Bradshaw. The five minute spot will be similar to a short infomercial.
The UofA is expecting record enrollment this fall and because of it, they are looking for beds for kids to sleep in.
The City of Springdale will no longer require victims of graffiti to clean it up. Instead the city will do it for them.
It’s over. Fired Washington County jailer, Jessie Lunderby did not appeal her termination for posing nude for Playboy.com.
It’s not over. Benton County Judge Dave Bisbee wants the county to pay his attorney fees for defending himself against charges that he hired his own company to do county work.
President Clinton will be returning to Arkansas in August for a speech in Springdale.
Earlier this evening I came across a New York Times article by William Yardley that pieces together the early life of the “Barefoot Bandit,” Colton Harris-Moore. The description of his childhood reads like the opening statement of a defense attorney. Harris-Moore was apparently verbally abused and according to a report when he was twelve years old: he wanted his mother to quit drinking. She had been investigated for negligence and maltreatment but never charged with either. In the article one neighbor asks the reporter for anonymity for fear of the boy’s mother, Pam Kohler.
This case would not be a national headline nor be ripe for novelization or a movie script were it not for a teenage boy’s wit, daring, intuitiveness and well… bare feet. Harris-Moore certainly felt little fear. From an early age he was stealing frozen pizzas and other treats from a neighbor’s freezer. Later he ordered something with a stolen credit card and had it delivered to that same neighbor’s address. And while on the run after escaping from a halfway house, he stole five airplanes which he had apparently taught himself to fly. He crash-landed all five and walked away each time. Fear it seems is relative when you go home to an abusive parent every day.
My goal for writing this is not to assign blame but rather to open the eyes and hearts of people who do not witness behavior like this in person. Seeing it on the news allows for assumptions and quick judgment. It is easy to say that this kid is just a punk with little regard for either his fellow man or his own life. But would you be brave enough to steal a frozen pizza if you did not have food in your house? The article mentions that Harris-Moore tended to bullying behavior. Not an uncommon characteristic among those who are abused. The article also mentioned that his mother – who was in contact with him until the end of his run – even suggested that he escape to a country that did not extradite to the U.S.
In my work in a high school I see kids who do things like lying, stealing, cheating, fighting, and bullying. Sometimes these things are completely uncharacteristic of the family from which the child was reared. But more often, it is behavior that is at worst modeled and at best just condoned at home. Sometimes I joke with friends that you have to have a license to hunt; you have to have a license to fish; you have to have a license to drive a car. But you don’t have to have a license to be a parent. Funny but sadly true. I mean would you be issued a license to be a parent if instead of racing to see your captured son after two years on the run, you hire a lawyer to handle news media inquiries and film and book proposals based on your son’s story?
We have different laws for juveniles in this country and different penalties for violating those laws. The reason for that is because they are kids and they don’t have the maturity to correctly discern right from wrong. We also have laws that protect juveniles from adults who take advantage of that same adolescent inability. So tell me. How do you handle a case like this? Do you charge a 19 year old boy as an adult for crimes ranging from petty theft to illegally transporting stolen property outside the country? Or do you look up the family tree to an allegedly abusive mother that not only condones but also encourages her child’s crime spree so as to make the book deal that much more lucrative?
See below for some of my favorites. Oh, and I love Petrino’s swagger. He isn’t afraid to take on the golden calf of the league, (now that College Football Baby Jesus Tim Tebow has ascended a Mile High to the NFL) Bama Head Coach Nick Saban.
From Mallett:
Q. Talk about the expectations this season and how well do you think this offense can click? Do you think it’s going to be just as good as last year’s offense? RYAN MALLETT: You know, obviously, especially in the state of Arkansas, the expectations are really high. We have even higher expectations of ourselves as a team.
As far as the offense, we lost some great players and we also got some players coming back and incoming freshmen that are going to help. You look at the defense, they’re going to be better. We got guys coming in on the defense that are going to help the defense be better. We’re going to gel better, especially during camp, is really when we’re going to gel. I feel like this is the closest team I’ve ever played on, especially the three years I’ve been here. Really my whole life, this is the closest group of guys, especially as many of us as there are, that I’ve ever been a part of.
and Coach Petrino:
Q. There have been a lot of comparisons made between the expectations for Arkansas this year and Ole Miss last year. Have you used Ole Miss as an example with your players of how to handle or not handle expectations?
COACH PETRINO: No, not at all. We always try to worry about ourselves. I like the high expectations. I think that’s why you’re in the profession, is you want to have people think that you’re gonna be good. You want our players to understand we have an opportunity to be good, and our coaches to really be driven by that. It’s taken us a while to get to the point where we have high expectations as a university and as a fan base and players. I think it’s a good thing. I think the one thing we can’t do is shy away from it. Let’s embrace it, let it motivate us, then let’s go out and do everything we can to make ‘em come true.
The SEC Has Addressed Its Horrible Officiating Situation by Hiring Phil Fullmer?
and another
Q. With your brief experience in the NFL, Coach Saban was talking a lot about how he thought the NFL Players Association and the NFL commissioner should get involved in the agent process in regard to the student-athlete. What is your take on that?
COACH PETRINO: You know, I think that’s wishful thinking. I think what we have to do is just do something my mom taught me a long time ago, and that’s worry about the things we can control. So it’s up to us to control the education, the decision making, to help the young men.
It would be nice if everybody in America was 100% and we all hit it just right. The truth of the matter is, there’s going to be young men that don’t make the right decisions all the time. But we have to worry about what we can control, our educating, our continuing to work on the decision making, the understanding of what’s right and what’s wrong, not try to think that somebody else is going to handle it for us.
The good news for new Kentucky Head Coach Joker Phillips is that he is no longer the Wildcats’ coach “in waiting”. The bad news is that now that he is at the helm, all he has to do is replace 4 starters on the offensive line and two of the most decorated defenders in school history.
NWC Report for 7/30/10
Posted by Jeff on July 30, 2010
What about a beer making czar?
Dr. William Harrison is closing his clinic in Fayetteville today. Despite decades of protests and an attempted arson, his reason for closing the only clinic that offers elective abortion in northwest Arkansas is his own health. The outspoken Dr. Harrison was diagnosed with Leukemia.
It’s one third complete but now the city of Fayetteville is reconsidering its changes to Block Avenue that include back-in parking.
Some Fayetteville business owners are not interested in the city hiring a “festival czar” to help the city administer and expand events like Bikes Blues & BBQ.
Fayetteville’s Oktoberfest will include home brewers this year and is set for October 16th. And we don’t need a festival czar?
Benton County Prosecuting Attorney Van Stone says that Dave Bisbee’s legal fees are not reasonable. He’s challenging the request.
Washington County Assessor Lee Ann Kizzar has completed a county-wide re-appraisal that she says has lowered home values by an average of 4.5%.
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