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Epstein, Francona And Maddon Earned Hall This Season
By bryanflynnThe 2016 World Series is set to begin with game one on Tuesday, Oct. 25. When the first pitch is thrown, one thing might already be set in stone: No matter the outcome of this World Series,
three men have earned their place in Cooperstown. With the tough requirements for entering the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, that might sound strange.
These three men are Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein, Cleveland Indians Manager Terry Francona and Cubs Manager Joe Maddon. People might argue against Maddon, but it is hard to argue against Epstein and Francona.
The Boston Red Sox hired Epstein in 2002 as general manager, which made the 28-year-old the youngest general manager in MLB history. Two years later, the team he put together finally broke the “Curse of the Bambino” that plagued the Red Sox.
That 2004 Boston team came back from a 0-3 deficit to the New York Yankees and won the American League Championship Series. The Red Sox swept the St. Louis Cardinals and won their first World Series since 1918.
Epstein signed and brokered the trades that brought some of the biggest pieces to the Red Sox, setting up the 2004 World Series teams. He brought a second World Series to Boston in 2007 when the Red Sox beat the Colorado Rockies 4-0.
The Chicago Cubs hired Epstein to be the president in 2011. That set in motion the Cubs’ trip to the World Series this season. If the Cubs win this series, he has a chance to be a part of two organizations that broke long title droughts.
But even if the Cubs lose, Epstein should still get into the baseball Hall of Fame as quickly as the rules allow. The work he has done with Boston and Chicago are unprecedented.
One of Epstein’s biggest hires with the Red Sox was manager Terry Francona. He hired him after Boston had lost to the Yankees in the 2003 ALCS.
With the hopes of a whole city weighing on each player and coach every single season, it is hard to get everyone on the same page in such a short of amount of time. Francona worked magic in the 2004 and 2007 World Series wins for the Red Sox.
In 2011, the Red Sox decided not to pick up his option for the 2012 season. Francona resurfaced in 2013 as the manager of the Cleveland Indians.
He led the Indians to the AL Wild Card in his first season before Cleveland took a step back in the 2014 and 2015 seasons. He righted the ship this season, and the Indians reached the World Series.
Like Epstein, Francona has the chance to reverse the fortunes of two long-suffering franchises. If the Indians win, he should be added to the Hall of Fame as quickly as possible, but he should get in win or lose.
Maddon is best known for his …
Garoppolo to New Orleans If the Price Is Right
By bryanflynnNFL teams try to balance between winning right now and winning in the future. It is hard to maintain, and the few teams are able to do it year in and year out.
One of those teams is the New England Patriots. The Super Bowl champions have been able to win titles and stockpile draft picks for nearly two decades in the Belichick-Brady era.
While New England is waiting to see if quarterback Tom Brady will ever slow down, the Patriots already have a quarterback that could help build the program’s future.
New England made Jimmy Garoppolo its first pick of the 2014 NFL Draft. Garoppolo was the 62nd overall pick out of Eastern Illinois University.
As Brady continues to bathe in the fountain of youth, the Patriots have to decide what to do about Garoppolo. It seems the answer will be to trade him to a team that makes the best deal.
One of the teams that should at least pick up the phone is the New Orleans Saints. It’s likely that the 2017-2018 season will be the final season that quarterback Drew Brees plays for New Orleans.
It would be a great idea for New Orleans to inquire about Garoppolo. If the Saints can swing the trade, he will have the chance to study under two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks.
The asking price is the question, as is what Garoppolo’s actually value is.
There isn’t a lot of NFL tape on the quarterback since he has spent most of his time in the league sitting behind Brady. In three NFL seasons, Garoppolo has played in 17 games with just two starts. He has thrown 94 passes with 63 completions with five touchdowns and zero interceptions.
He started two of the four games during which Brady was suspended at the beginning of this season. He played well in both games before an injury forced rookie Jacoby Brissett to take over at quarterback.
The small sample size of Garoppolo’s NFL experience makes it hard to judge what he is worth. New England has traded away quarterbacks who didn’t go on to have success elsewhere.
The Patriots traded Drew Bledsoe to the Buffalo Bills after the emergence of Brady. Bledsoe was at the end of his career and never did lead Buffalo to a Super Bowl.
Then, there was Matt Cassel, who took over for New England after a knee injury took Brady out for a season. The Patriots traded Cassell to the Kansas City Chiefs. He never turned into a star after leaving New England, and the Chiefs moved on from him.
Finally, there is Ryan Mallett, who the Patriots traded to the Houston Texans. Houston eventually released him, but he is currently playing for the Baltimore Ravens in a backup role.
Ultimately, it’s up to New Orleans to decide if Garoppolo is worth the sacrifice. Would the Saints best be served …
Saints’ and Cowboys’ Preseason Schedules
By bryanflynnAs the NFL Draft inches closer, the league gave fans a treat on Monday, April 10, releasing the preseason scheduled for every team and the dates of the eight nationally televised games. Times and dates of the other games are not set at this point.
Only one of the national games could end up being a big deal in our state: the Hall of Fame Game, which has the Dallas Cowboys and the Arizona Cardinals kicking off the preseason on Thursday, Aug. 3, at 7 p.m. on NBC. The first full week of preseason games will be held from Aug. 10 to Aug. 14, with all 32 teams in action.
There will be plenty of fans who will want to see if Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott avoids a second-year slump. If he plays in the Hall of Fame Game, it won’t be for long, but fans will still want to see the young star.
This newly released schedule gives us a chance to look ahead at the matchups for both the Cowboys and the New Orleans Saints.
Dallas will be in Los Angeles against the Rams for the first full week of the preseason. This game will feature two young quarterbacks—Prescott, who was drafted in the fourth round in 2016, and Jared Goff, who was the first overall pick of the same draft.
New Orleans will travel to Cleveland in week one to face the Browns. If both teams use their current draft power, this game could feature four first-round picks, with both teams having two in the upcoming draft. It could also feature the number-one overall pick if the Browns don’t trade that spot before or during the draft.
Week two of the preseason, which takes place from Aug. 17 to Aug. 21, will see the Saints heading out to Los Angeles to play the Chargers, who are no longer in San Diego. New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees will face his former team but not in the same city where he played.
Dallas will head home in week two to host the Indianapolis Colts. For the second week in a row, the Cowboys will face a quarterback who was the first overall pick in the draft. This time, it is Andrew Luck, who was the top pick in 2012.
The third week of the NFL preseason is normally the week that the starters see the most playing time. These games will be held from Aug. 24 to Aug. 27 as teams try to get in a dress rehearsal before the season starts.
New Orleans will get its first home game of the preseason as the team hosts the Houston Texans. The Saints will try to keep a returning J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney away from Brees when the starters are on the field.
Dallas will at home for the second week in a row, as the team hosts the Oakland Raiders. Prescott against the Raiders’ Derek Carr is …
Rebels Lose Two Players to Knee Injuries for Rest of Season
By bryanflynnThe fallout from the University of Mississippi’s loss to Florida State University continued on Tuesday, Sept. 6. Hugh Freeze confirmed to ESPN.com that starting cornerback Ken Webster and backup running back Eric Swinney are lost for the rest of the 2016 season with knee injuries.
Both injuries hurt units that lacked depth even before the season started. Those thin units showed in the Rebels 45-34 loss to the Seminoles on Labor Day night.
Webster’s injury might have turned the game around for FSU. Until he was hurt on the fourth play of the Seminoles’ opening drive, Webster allowed UM to play man-to-man coverage against the Seminole receivers and let the linebackers and defensive line stuff the run and pass rush.
During the second quarter, the FSU offense got rolling, as both teams made adjustments with Webster’s injury. The Seminoles were able to pick on weaker defensive backs all night when the Rebels tried to play man-to-man.
Freshman FSU quarterback Deondre Francois was able to pass for 419 yards and two touchdowns with no turnovers against the Rebels. Webster’s injury played a big part in Francois being able to settle down and make throws in his first college start.
Webster’s teammates surrounded him just moments before being carted off the field, and then, he was still yelling words of encouragement and coaching up the defense. The Rebels defense still was able to contain FSU’s offense before the Seminoles fully figured out the team’s defense right before halftime.
The Rebels were already thin at running back after redshirt junior Jordan Wilkins was suspended for the 2016 season. They got even thinner at the position when redshirt freshman Swinney injured his knee on his first carry of the game.
While no one expected the Rebels to out-rush the Seminoles, with FSU running back Dalvin Cook being healthy at the start of the season, UM did need to run the ball to give its offense balance. FSU finished the game with 161 rushing yards to the Rebels’ 61 rushing yards.
Cook out-rushed the Rebels by himself with 91 yards on 23 carries. Akeem Judd led UM in rushing with 44 yards on eight carries.
FSU was able to build a 42:39 to 17:21 advantage in time of possession. The amount of possession showed late in the game, as the Rebels defense was worn out from being on the field for so long.
The Rebels are going to need players to step up for the rest of the season. They will have to figure out their problems quickly with the University of Alabama coming to town in two weeks.
Always Dreaming Favorite for the Preakness
By bryanflynnA field of 10 horses will try to win the second leg of the Triple Crown, the 142nd Preakness Stakes, on Saturday, May 20. Five horses, including winner Always Dreaming, are in the field after running in the Kentucky Derby.
Always Dreaming is the morning-line favorite and will break from the No. 4 post with 4-5 odds. There is some good luck breaking from the No. 4 post, as well. Thirteen winners have come from that spot, with 2007 winner Curlin being the most recent.
Second choice Classic Empire, who is at 3-1 odds, will break in the No. 5 post. Classic Empire finished fourth in the derby two weeks ago after he got caught up in the traffic of the 20-horse race.
Lookin At Lee, who finished second two weeks ago, will be in the No. 9 post and is the third choice at 10-1 odds. In the derby, Lookin At Lee was at 33-1 odds but ran through the field at the end of the race.
Cloud Computing didn’t race in the derby and will break from the No. 2 post at 12-1 odds. Horses that didn’t run the Kentucky Derby are known as “new shooters” in the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes.
Gunnevera in the No. 6 post and Conquest Mo Money in the No. 10 post are both at 15-1 odds. Gunnevera finished seventh in the derby, but Conquest Mo Money is a new shooter whose owners paid $150,000 supplemental to be in the Preakness and Belmont.
Hence finished in 11th place at the derby and will break from the No. 3 post at 20-1 odds. It was a poor showing overall for Hence two weeks ago, as he never really got going in the race.
A trio of new shooters round out the field at 30-1 shots to win at the Preakness. Multiplier will break from the No. 1 post, Term of the Art will be in the No. 7 post, and Senior Investment will be in the No. 8 post.
The Preakness Stakes at one and three-16ths miles is the shortest of the three Triple Crown races. The Kentucky Derby is one and a quarter miles, and the Belmont Stakes is the longest at a mile and half.
Rain caused the derby to have a sloppy track, but it did little to slow down Always Dreaming. Weather isn’t expected to be a problem at the Preakness on Saturday, which forecasts say will be cloudy and 70 degrees.
NBC Sports Network begins coverage at 1:30 p.m., and NBC picks up the coverage at 4 p.m. The Preakness Stakes itself is scheduled to run at 5:45 p.m., but expect it to take longer with the pre-race festivities.
More Super Bowl Numbers and Other Oddities
By bryanflynnWhen working on this week's Super Bowl preview and prediction, I came across more information than I could fit in a single article for the paper. So, I figured with the big game just a couple of days away, why not share some of the rest of the information I found that I couldn't use in print.
Between the print article and the paper, you should be able to have plenty of stats and information to spread around at any Super Bowl Party you are attending. If you missed the print article here is the link.
Also, if you missed my rant this week, here is a link to it as well.
If anyone is hoping for the weather to warm up on Super Bowl Sunday, it is Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning. In the playoffs when the temperature is under 40 degrees, Manning is 0-3 (to be fair as well all three of those games were on the road).
The coldest non-domed Super Bowl was at Super Bowl VI when the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Miami Dolphins 24-3. The game was played in New Orleans at Tulane Stadium and the high was 43 and the low was 24.
Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks quarterback, has only played in one game under 40 degrees. That was week 15 of this season against the New York Giants, in what will be stadium the game will be played in this Sunday. The Seahawks won that game 23-0.
Manning and Wilson will set a Super Bowl record when the game kicks off. The two quarterbacks will set the record for biggest age difference between two quarterbacks. There is a 12 year and 250 days difference in age between the two starting single callers.
At 25, Wilson would join both Joe Montana and Joe Namath also won the big game at the age of 25. The Seahawks quarterback also has the most wins at 27 (including playoffs) for a second year quarterback starting the Super Bowl.
Manning has the Super Bowl experience, which is good but Wilson has some recent Super Bowl numbers on his side. Quarterbacks with previous Super Bowl experience have been in 19 Super Bowls and those quarterbacks have a 10-9 record.
Wilson has the recent history on his side. The quarterbacks with experience haven't fared so well as the quarterbacks without experience have won the last three straight (Eli Manning over Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers over Ben Roethlisberger and Drew Brees over Manning).
Both these teams meet in the preseason this year. That is important if anyone tells you the preseason meeting doesn't matter.
This will be the seventh time, since 1994, teams who faced off in the preseason play in the Super Bowl. The team that won the meaningless game went on to win five of the six previous Super Bowls.
In the preseason Seattle beat Denver 40-10.
These two teams have meet 52 times in regular …
Before Kaepernick, There was Abdul-Rauf
By bryanflynnNews this weekend was like reliving 1996 again. That summer Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf caught the eye of the nation and media when people found out that he would stay in the locker room or stretch on the sideline during the national anthem.
Abdul-Rauf, whose birth name is Chris Jackson, converted to Islam in 1991. He changed his name in 1993. He was drafted by the Denver Nuggets in 1990 and could light up the scoreboard in the NBA on any given night.
Born in Gulfport, Miss., Abdul-Rauf became one of the most highly recruited basketball players in the history of the state. When he was known as Chris Jackson, Abdul-Rauf was a standout player at Gulfport High School and Louisiana State University.
Abdul-Rauf was a smooth guard in high school and college and could score with the best in the country. He was a two-time Mr. Basketball in Mississippi and played in the McDonald’s All-American game.
He was also one of the best free-throw shooters in NBA history. Maybe, if not for the national-anthem firestorm, he could have earned the best free-throw percentage in league history.
Abdul-Rauf called the American flag “a symbol of oppression, of tyranny” when asked why he didn’t join his teammates during the national anthem. Fans, media, fellow players and more were divided on how to respond to him.
In June 1996, Abdul-Rauf was traded to Sacramento Kings, where he spent the next two years as mainly a reserve. He played overseas before resurfacing from 2000 to 2001 to play with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Abdul-Rauf didn’t play another minute in the NBA after his single season with the Grizzlies. He finished his career playing overseas in several countries.
Injuries played a part in Abdul-Rauf’s fall from the NBA, but the national anthem controversy without a doubt played a part in his exit from the league.
Fast-forward 20 years, and we are nearly at the same moment once again.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick was the focus of a ton of media and social media attention this weekend for not standing for the national anthem.
"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick told NFL Media in an exclusive interview after the game. "To me, this is bigger than football, and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."
The quarterback is entering his sixth year in the league, and there is a chance that his decision could cause him to not make the final roster. There are a few reasons he could make the team, but this would be his final year.
Just a couple of seasons ago, Kaepernick looked like he was going to be one of the
2016 SWAC Championship Game Preview
By bryanflynnSome people might argue the SWAC championship game took place last week when Grambling State University crushed Southern University 52-30 to win the west division. Both teams entered the contest undefeated in conference play, and the winner earned a spot in the title game Saturday, Dec. 3.
Grambling State ran roughshod over the SWAC this season, winning by an average of 38 points in conference games. The Tigers steamroll of the conference included two shutouts, and they only gave up 21 or more points twice.
Alcorn State University won its final two games of the season against Mississippi Valley State University and Jackson State University to win the east division. The Braves now have three consecutive east titles and are looking to become the first team since Grambling State from 1999-2001 to win three SWAC championships in a row.
In last year’s title game, Alcorn State beat up Grambling State, winning 49-21. ASU set championship records for points (49), rushing yards (411) and total offense (613). The Braves are the only team with multiple championship-game appearances without a loss.
Grambling State is playing in its ninth championship game and owns an 8-2 record in its previous trips. The Tigers are 5-0 against SWAC teams from Alabama but just 1-2 against SWAC teams from Mississippi.
When Alcorn State traveled to Grambling State during the regular season, the Tigers routed the Braves 43-18. GSU rolled up 534 yards total offense with 400 yards coming through the air.
Former University of Mississippi quarterback DeVante Kincade leads GSU on offense. He threw for five touchdowns against the Braves in that regular-season meeting.
Interestingly, both teams scored a safety in that game. Alcorn State held an 8-7 lead in the first quarter before Grambling State recorded a safety in the second quarter and never gave up the lead again.
The championship game will feature a battle between two of the top offenses in the SWAC. Grambling State is first in total offense (507.6 yards per game), scoring offense (44 points per game) and passing offense (300.3 yards per game). The Tigers are also fourth in rushing offense with 207.3 yards per game.
Alcorn State is fourth in scoring offense (31.3 points per game), third in total offense (417.9 yards per game), second in rushing offense (217.8 yards per game) and seventh in passing offense (200.1 yards per game).
It is on defense where Grambling State separates itself from the rest of the conference. The Tigers top in the conference in total defense (allowing 323.6 yards per game), scoring defense (allowing 16.4 points per game) and rushing defense (allowing 120.9 yards per game. GSU is also second in passing defense, giving up just 202.7 yards per game.
ASU is third in total defense (allowing 391.7 yards per game), sixth in scoring defense (allowing 29.2 points per game), third in …
NFL: Quick Thoughts on Week Two & Week Three Picks
By bryanflynnTime for my weekly thoughts on the previous NFL week. My thoughts on the New Orleans Saints game against the Kansas City Chiefs will be posted tomorrow.
Summitt And Ryan Pass on the Same Day
By bryanflynnThe sports world suffered two losses early on June 28 with the passing of legendary basketball coach Pat Summitt and defensive mastermind Buddy Ryan. Summitt was the major factor in the growth of women’s basketball and Ryan built, arguably, the greatest defense in NFL history.
After suddenly being thrust into the head coaching position at the University of Tennessee in 1974, Summitt built one of the greatest basketball programs in American men's or women's basketball history. Her starting salary at UT was just $8,900, but that changed before her time with the Volunteers was finished.
Before becoming the winningest coach between both men and women at the Division I level, Summitt starred on the court at the University of Tennessee-Martin. By the time she left UT-Martin, she was the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,045 points and two appearances in the national championship tournament.
She played for her country in the Pan American Games and the Olympics. While doing that, Summitt had already begun her coaching career.
Summitt built Tennessee in to a national power in basketball by the early 1980s and guided the school to its first Final Four in the 1981-1982 season and finished as runner up during the 1983-1984 season.
Finally, in the 1986-1987 season, Summitt broke through for her first national championship. She won seven more national championships, include three straight from 1996 to 1998.
Tennessee won 16 SEC Championships and 16 SEC Tournament Championships under her coaching. The Volunteers reached 31 NCAA Tournaments and 18 Final Fours with Summitt.
In 38 years with Tennessee, Summitt won 1,098 games, had a .841 winning percentage, coached 21 All-Americans and 12 Olympians, won two Olympic gold medals as a coach, got 112 NCAA Tournament wins, eight SEC Coach of the Year Awards and seven NCAA Coach of the Year awards.
Summitt broke the million-dollar salary ceiling for women’s coaches in 2006 when she signed a contract for $2.125 million a year. After winning her 1,000th game in 2009, Tennessee awarded her with a $200,000 bonus and a contract that ran until the 2014 season.
Before she could finish her final contract at Tennessee, Summitt revealed she was suffering from early onset dementia and stepped away from coaching after leading her team to the Elite Eight in the 2011-12 season.
She was named Sports Illustrated Sportswoman of the Year in 2011 and was honored with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award in 2012, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012 and was put in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000.
Summitt never had a losing season at Tennessee, and every player who finished their eligibility under her when on to earn a degree. She only lost 208 games during her time as a college basketball coach.
At the age of 64, Summitt passed away due to early onset dementia.
While she was breaking glass ceilings and busting down barriers, Buddy Ryan was perfecting defensive …
JSU’s Jones Looks to Shine at East-West Shrine Game
By bryanflynnCollege football players only have a few chances left to impress NFL scouts before the NFL Combine or Pro Days at college campuses around the nation. Two of those opportunities take place this week with two all-star games.
Jackson State defensive end and linebacker Javancy Jones will try to grab the spotlight this week in the 92nd annual East-West Shrine Game. He ended up being a late addition to the roster after he got word late last week that he was headed to Tampa, Fla., for the game.
Jones and the other players will get coaching from top NFL assistants whose teams didn’t reach the playoffs. This serves two purposes: to give assistants the chance to develop into head coaches and to give the players a chance to learn from top NFL coaches.
During his time at Jackson State, the Macon, Miss., native became one of the greatest Tigers in the long and proud history of the program. He also dealt his mother being sick and played for three different head coaches.
In his final season, Jones racked up 82 tackles, 19.5 tackles for a loss, four sacks, two forced fumbles and one pass break up. Those numbers could have been better, but Jones missed most of the Grambling State game and next game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff due to a knee injury.
After the season ended, the JSU great was named All-SWAC at defensive end and linebacker. He was a finalist for the second year in a row for the Conerly Award and won the popular vote over the eventual winner, Evan Ingram (2,862 votes), as Jones earned more than 3,000 votes.
He earned SWAC Freshman of the Year honors in 2013 and was named All-SWAC three years while at JSU, with the exception of the 2014 season. He was named Preseason All-SWAC in his final three years with the Tigers.
In his illustrious career at JSU, the star defensive player was named to seven All-American teams: STATS, BOXTOROW and the American Football Coaches Association.
An impressive showing this week at the East-West game could help Jones end up with an invite to the NFL Combine, which is from Feb. 28 to March 6. Even if he doesn’t end up at the combine, scouts could flock to his Pro Day before the draft.
This week could help Jones end up getting drafted or at least become an undrafted free agent. The former Tiger’s draft stock could skyrocket with a great week at practice and in the game.
Jones isn’t the only player from a Mississippi university looking to improve his draft stock. Joining Jones at the East-West game is Mississippi State linebacker Richie Brown, University of Mississippi wide receiver Quincy Adeboyejo and cornerback Tony Bridges, and University of Southern Mississippi quarterback Nick Mullens and offensive center Cameron Tom.
The other All-Star Game is the NFLPA …
A Look at the Cowboys and Saints
By bryanflynnCowboys
It’s official now. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is fully healthy, and he won’t be starting this weekend at home against the Baltimore Ravens. Instead, he will be backing up new starter Dak Prescott. Dallas has ridden rookies Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott to the NFL’s best record.
The 8-1 Cowboys haven’t lost since their 20-19 defeat against the New York Giants in the opening game of the season. Prescott didn’t have the full faith of the coaches early in that first game, and it showed in the play calling.
The former Mississippi State University star started his winning streak the next week with a 27-23 victory over the Washington Redskins. Flash-forward, and Prescott has won eight of his nine career starts, tying Johnny Lujack of the 1948 Chicago Bears.
He also tied Kyle Orton for second on the list for most consecutive wins by a rookie quarterback in a single season. Prescott only trails Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who had 13 consecutive wins at the start of his career.
It is easy to feel bad for Romo since he lost his starting job due to injury, but Romo himself got the Cowboys starting job after a benching of Drew Bledsoe.
Interestingly, Bledsoe earlier got injured with the New England Patriots, which opened the door for Tom Brady to take over and begin his Hall of Fame career in 2001.
It seems fitting to mention those two players at this point, as Prescott is playing the role of Brady, and Romo is playing the role of Bledsoe. That 2001 Patriots season ended with a victory in Super Bowl XXXVI to the St. Louis Rams, who are now in Los Angeles. New England needed Bledsoe during that run to a title, and the Cowboys might need Romo at some point this season.
This Cowboys season has a good deal of historical similarities.
This Dallas team is a lot like the Super Bowl winning teams of the 1990s. Those teams featured “The Triplets”—quarterback Troy Aikman, running back Emmitt Smith and wide receiver Michael Irvin—as a young core of offensive playmakers.
This year, the Cowboys have quarterback Prescott, running back Elliott and wide receiver Dez Bryant. Those 1990s Cowboys teams featured a dominant offensive line, and this year’s team has a dominant offensive line.
Dallas hasn’t won eight straight games in a season, the franchise record, since 1977. And for anyone wondering, that 1977 season ended with the Cowboys winning the Super Bowl.
Saints
Heartbreaking might not be the best word to describe the New Orleans Saints’ loss this past Sunday, Nov. 13, to the Denver Broncos, but it certainly fits. While the loss hurts, there are a lot of good things to take from it.
New Orleans went to toe-to-toe with the defending Super Bowl champion Broncos. The Saints lost the turnover battle four to two, and Denver still …
Lions Reward Former MSU Corner Slay with a Contract Extension
By bryanflynnFormer Itawamba Community College and Mississippi State University cornerback Darius Slay believed he was a top-seven corner in the NFL. The Detroit Lions brass must have agreed with him after signing him to a new four-year extension.
Detroit needed to lock up Slay, who is just 25 years old, to an extension after losing high-profile players the last two seasons. The Lions lost defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh in free agency after the 2014 season, and wide receiver Calvin Johnson suddenly retired after last season
The new deal is worth $48 million with $23.1 million in guaranteed money, and he will make a total of $50.2 million over the next five years. The former Bulldog was entering the final year of his rookie deal. The guaranteed money is good for seventh amongst cornerbacks.
Slay is one of the few cornerbacks to be overshadowed most of this career. At MSU, Johnthan Banks grabbed more headlines than Slay did.
Slay ended up drafted ahead of the 2012 Thorpe Award, winner Banks in the 2013 NFL Draft. The Lions selected Slay with the 36th overall pick in the second round, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Banks with the 43rd overall pick in the same round.
In the NFL, Slay has quietly become one of the best cornerbacks in the league. He slowly began his pro career with four starts and played in just 13 games as a rookie in 2013. He finished his first year with 34 total tackles and 27 solo tackles with five passes defended.
Slay started all 16 games for the Lions in his second year and made 61 total tackles and 48 solo tackles. He had 17 passes defended and two interceptions.
Last season, Slay again started all 16 games for Detroit. He had 59 total tackles and 48 solo tackles. The cornerback added two more interceptions and 13 passes defended in 2015.
Pro Football Focus rated Slay as the No. 2 overall cornerback and had him ranked No. 8 in pass coverage. He has a passer rating of 90.1 when targeted in coverage, and he only allows a completion percentage of 63.2. NFL Media research says he was targeted 68 times last season.
Slay is counted on to cover the opponent's top receiver on most plays. He will also have to be a leader in the second for Detroit, with 2014 fourth-round pick cornerback Nevin Lawson slated to start opposite of him.
The six-foot, 190-pound corner might not be under the radar much longer after signing his new extension. If Detroit could win more games after finishing 7-9 last season, Slay might become a household name with NFL fans.
Small but Impressive Group of Football Hopefuls at Winnipeg Tryout
By bryanflynnAs the sun set on Friday, Jan. 27, at Smith-Wills Stadium, 30 former college football players stretched and talked as they waited for a chance to impress scouts from the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Nearly every player at the tryout just finished up their career in the 2015-2016 college football season.
While it was a smaller group of players than years past, plenty of talent was on display during the tryout. Players from universities all over Mississippi were in attendance, as well as other schools such as Jacksonville State University, Southeastern Louisiana University, the University of Akron, the University of Memphis and Tulane University.
One of the earliest players to impress scouts at the tryout was former Jackson State University defensive back Zavian Bingham. In the 40-yard dash, he ran an unofficial 4.3 seconds on both his attempts.
His times in the cone drill and length in the broad jump ended up being solid numbers. Bingham, a native of Terry, Miss., talked to Winnipeg scouts for most of the night.
Former Mississippi State University offensive lineman Justin Malone was one of two players in that position at the tryout. Malone spent time with the Pittsburgh Steelers before a knee injury ended his hopes of making the team.
Malone, a former Madison-Ridgeland Academy standout and Madison, Miss., native showed good footwork and nice blocking skills. He is trying to get his career back on track after the knee injury and can play several spots on the offensive line, including center, like he did at the 2015 Belk Bowl.
Two quarterbacks were at the tryout. Former Delta State University quarterback Tyler Sullivan and Alabama A&M University quarterback De’Angelo Ballard both struggled, but showed flashes of being able to play at the next level.
Sullivan, who is from Louisville, Miss., looked good on deep throws most of the night. Ballard, who is from Macon, Miss., showed plenty of arm strength and showcased his speed during the agility drills.
Overall, nearly every one of the players who showed up on Friday displayed some potential and made plays during the four-hour workout. It was a small but impressive group; each man seemed to give his all for a small chance to keep playing football.
Late in the event, every player was reminded of what can go wrong at a tryout.
Former Alcorn State wide receiver Jordan Payne stood ready to take off on a pass route. As the play started, Payne took two steps and fell in a heap as everyone on the field heard a loud pop. Most players thought the wide out tripped on his own feet, something that does happen, until his body language and the way he stayed on the ground let them know it was more than just a player tripping.
Payne suffered some type of lower leg injury. Other players said it was an Achilles tear as he was carried off the field toward his waiting family.
While Bingham and Malone might …
Four Teams From Our State Could into Regionals
By bryanflynnNone of the universities from our state got into the Division I NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. The University of Mississippi was the only close-but-no-cigar team, as they went to the National Invitational Tournament.
That should not be the case with the Division I NCAA Men’s Baseball Tournament. Our state could see as many as four teams get in.
Note: these rankings and standings were as of May 12, 2017.
A lot can change over the last two weeks of the season and in conference tournaments, but Mississippi State University and the University of Southern Mississippi seem to be solidly in the field. Jackson State University is in only if it wins the SWAC Tournament, and UM seems to be having some trouble.
One of the biggest things for MSU is it being one of the top eight seeds. In four recent projections (Baseball America, College Sports Madness, Perfect Game USA and D1Baseball), the Bulldogs are a national seed. Baseball America has the team as the No. 7 seed, and every projection has it as a host for a regional.
Over the next two weeks, the Bulldogs can work their way up the projections and earn one of the top eight seeds. MSU can help itself by winning the SEC West title, along with the SEC title, and get help if other teams falter over the next couple of weeks.
Not all of the projections consider Southern Miss as a possible host for a regional. USM is a host in Baseball America, Perfect Game USA and D1Baseball, but College Sports Madness does not see the Golden Eagles possibly hosting. If USM were to win the C-USA regular season title, it should help the team get locked in for hosting a regional.
The Rebels are in the game in every projection but Baseball America, which has the team as one of the first four teams out. Perfect Game has the Rebels as one of the last three teams into the field, and D1Baseball has them as a third seed in a regional.
The good news for UM is the team closes the season hosting Texas A&M University and at Auburn University. Both the Aggies and Tigers are nationally ranked, and taking two-of-three in a three-game series would put the Rebels on solid ground.
The SWAC is only going to get one team in the tournament, and that is the team that wins the conference tournament this week in New Orleans. Jackson State has won the East Division and could be considered the top team in the conference.
If JSU does get into the tournament, there is no consensus on where the Tigers might be headed. Three of the four projections actually place the field in four-team regionals, and Jackson State doesn’t land in the same spot in any of them.
D1Baseball has JSU as the No. 4 seed in the Starkville Regional that Mississippi State is hosting. Baseball America puts the Tigers …
College Football Gets a Playoff
By bryanflynnThe BCS Presidential Oversight Committee approved a four team playoff for college football. The deal will start in 2014 and will last for 12-years starting in 2014 and ending in 2025.
Teams will be seed and the games will be rotated over six sites hosting. Those sites are the Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and Rose Bowl with two other bowls joining "the big four" most likely the Cotton Bowl will be one of the six.
The coveted sixth spot will be contested between some of the higher tiered bowls. In the mix should the the Chick-Fil-A-Bowl, Outback Bowl, or Capital One Bowl. One long-shot bowl game for the sixth spot could be the Liberty Bowl.
Even though the 11 conference commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick presented their plan and it was agreed too, no details were released today on how teams will be selected for the playoffs or how the revenue will be shared by all of college football.
The proposed playoffs formats talked about publicly have been the top four teams or top four conference champions. Teams will be seed one through four with one playing four and two playing three and winners meeting for the national championship.
If the top four team format was used last year the seeding would have been:
(1) LSU vs. (4) Stanford
(2) Alabama vs. (3) Oklahoma State
If the top four conference champions format was used last year:
(1) LSU vs. (4) Wisconsin
(2) Oklahoma State (3) Oregon
New playoff deal could be worth as much as $50 billion according to early reports.
USA Ties China for Most Overall Olympic Medals
By bryanflynnChina (9 gold, 5 silver, 3 bronze) started fast but the United States (5 gold, 7 silver, 5 bronze) has finally caught the Chinese in total medals. Both countries have 17 total medals after three days of competition.
China leads every country with the most gold medals with nine. The United States is in second place with five gold medals with North Korea in third with just three gold medals. Four countries have two gold medals.
Italy was in third place in overall medals but has been over taken by Japan (1 gold, 4 silver, 6 bronze) who has earned 11 medals. Now the Italians (2 golds, 4 silvers, 2 bronze) are in fourth place with eight overall medals
France (3 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze) is in fifth place with seven medals, followed by South Korea (2 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze) is sixth with six overall medals. Russia (2 gold, 3 bronze) has underwhelmed with just five medals in seventh place.
Two nations are tied with four medals and five nations have three medals.
Host nation Great Britain has only three medals and has yet to win gold on home soil. Overall 37 countries so far have captured a medal in these games.
It has been an up and down games for the United States. The U.S. has been a slight disappointment in swimming and men's gymnastics team blew a fast start to finish out of the medals.
Team America still has plenty of chances to medal in the London Games with track and field starting soon.
Next Three Weeks Big For Cowboys and Saints Playoffs
By bryanflynnAs of this moment, the only team in the NFL playoffs is the Dallas Cowboys. Since its opening-week loss, Dallas has reeled off 11 straight wins.
The Cowboys get a chance to avenge their only loss of the season to the New York Giants this Sunday. More than just revenge at stake for the Cowboys.
A victory over their hated rival isn’t the only thing on the line in this game. A Cowboys win would lock up the NFC East title for the club and put a strangle-hold on home-field advantage.
New York, on the other hand, can keep Dallas from winning the division and help its playoff hopes. The Pittsburgh Steelers overwhelmed the Giants last week and have both the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles hot on their tails.
Dallas can wrap up home-field advantage with a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the next week on Sunday Night Football. The Cowboys can then use the last two weeks of the season to let banged up players rest.
It would take a massive fall from the Cowboys to lose the division and home field, but massive falls have happened before in the NFL. Dallas ends the season with games against the Detroit Lions and the Eagles.
Every team the Cowboys play in the final four weeks of the season are still in the hunt for the playoffs. That means locking up division and home field will become more important each week.
On the other hand, the New Orleans Saints burned all their margin for error in a loss to the Lions. Detroit helped its playoff hopes and put the Saints in must-win mode for the last four weeks of the season.
New Orleans gets another chance to help its playoff hopes, as the team plays Tampa Bay in two of the next three weeks. A road game against the Arizona Cardinals is mixed between the two meetings against the Buccaneers.
Few teams have been as hot as Tampa Bay the last four weeks. Since losing to the Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 3, the Buccaneers have won four straight games and tied for the NFC South lead.
If the Saints are going to make the playoffs, they are going to have to earn it. The team must beat Tampa Bay twice and then Arizona and Atlanta just to have a chance to get in the postseason.
Every team in the NFC is still alive for the playoff except for the San Francisco 49ers. Pretty much every game in the NFC will matter as far as playoff hopes go over the next four weeks.
The next three weeks, however, are huge for the Cowboys and Saints but for different reasons. Dallas becomes the top team in the NFC, and the Saints can end up playing for something in the final week of the season if both just win.
Dak Prescott Second on Merchandise Sales List
By bryanflynnNFL fans can argue whether or not the Dallas Cowboys are “America’s Team,” but they can’t argue that the men with stars on their helmets can move merchandise. Two rookies led Dallas to the playoff last season and led the NFL Players Association’s Top 50 players year-end sale list for March 1, 2016 to Feb. 28, 2017.
Rookie Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott landed in the top spot and is the first rookie to finish the year on top of the sales list. Fellow Cowboys rookie quarterback Dak Prescott followed him.
After Dallas drafted Prescott in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft, he landed a starting role Dallas after No. 1 quarterback Tony Romo and No. 2 quarterback Kellen Moore got injured. It was a role Prescott excelled at last season, so much that it pushed Romo into retirement.
Dallas finished with three of the spots in the top five, and wide receiver Dez Bryant came in fourth. The young Cowboys core is poised to take over the league on and off the field if they can repeat or better the feat from 2016.
Ageless tight end Jason Witten of Dallas finished 12th on the list, and Romo finished at No. 15 even though he played just a few snaps in the season finale. Dallas was the only team that had five players land in the top 15 of the list.
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady finished in third even though he was suspended for four games at the beginning of last season. The finish was perfect, as he led an epic comeback from 25 points down to win the Super Bowl.
New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. rounds out the top five. Wall posters of his insane catch against the Cowboys might have led to his lead in the wall-mural sales on Fathead.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is No. 6, Philadelphia Eagles Carson Wentz came in at No. 7, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers reached No. 8, Brady’s teammate tight end Rob Gronkowski reached No. 9—even with missing the Super Bowl to injury—and Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton closed out the top 10.
Quarterbacks landed the most spots on the list with 19 single-callers making it. Wide receivers were second with 17 players, and nine defensive players made the list with three running backs and two tight ends.
Dallas wasn’t the only team to land five players on the list, as the Seahawks pulled off the feat as well. Joining Wilson on the list is cornerback Richard Sherman at No. 24, wide receiver Tyler Lockett at No. 43, safety Kam Chancellor at No. 47 and wide receiver Doug Baldwin at No. 49.
Five teams, the Patriots, Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota Vikings and Oakland Raiders, landed three players each on the list. The Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans and New York Giants each placed two players on the list. …
NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Results
By bryanflynnWhile no athletes from universities in our state won at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, there were strong performances. The University of Mississippi, Mississippi State University and the University of Southern Mississippi all saw athletes qualify for the meet.
USM junior Cra’vorkian Carson finished 18th overall in the 100 meters, reaching the semifinals to earn Honorable Mention All-American. His teammate, senior Emron Gibbs, placed 20th in javelin to ensure Honorable Mention All-American honors, as well.
The MSU women placed two athletes on First Team All-American and one on Second Team All-American. Junior Logan Boss placed fourth in the high jump, and junior Tiffany Flynn finished eighth in the long jump for First Team honors. Junior Rhianwedd Price landed on the Second Team with a ninth-place finish in the 1,500-meters.
Two Bulldogs men earned First Team honors in the same event. Junior Nicolas Quijera finished second in the javelin, as teammate and defending national champion Curtis Thompson, who is a junior, finished seventh.
The MSU 4x400-meter relay team of Stephan James, Rasheed Tatham, Charles Taylor and Juston Waters finished 15th for Second Team All-American honors. Senior Leah Lott finished 18th in the women’s long jump, sophomore men’s long-jumper Willie Reed finished 19th overall, and the men’s 4x100-meter team of Charles Taylor, Philip Smith, Stephan James and Lawrence Crawford placed 19th overall to earn Honorable Mention All-American.
UM junior Janeah Stewart racked up the honors. She placed fifth in the women’s shot put for First Team All-American honors, and ninth in discus and 10th in hammer throw for Second Team All-American honors.
Teammate Raven Saunders, who is also a junior, finished ahead of Stewart in shot put in fourth place to earn First Team All-American for the Rebels. Shelby Brown finished 23rd in the steeplechase, and the women’s 4x100-meter relay team of Deanna Tate, Breanna Tate, Shannon Ray and Nicole Henderson finished 19th to earn Honorable Mention All-American.
Three UM men earned First Team All-American honors. Senior Craig Engels finished third in the 1,500-meters, senior MJ Erb finished fourth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, and junior Brian Williams finished fourth in the discus.
Junior Dempsey McGuigan finished in 10th place in the men’s hammer throw to become the only men’s athlete to earn Second Team All-American honors for the Rebels.
MSU men finished in 26th place overall, and the university’s women’s team finished 38th overall. The Rebels’ men finished in 19th place overall, and the UM women took 29th in the final standings. USM’s two participants didn’t earn points to place overall.
