Persistence pays off

Persistence pays off

Burdette visits local fifth grade class

Always work hard and never give up.

That was the message when Ole Miss freshman Quintavius Burdette visited fifth graders at Senatobia Middle School last week.

credit: Ole Miss Athletics

Burdette graduated from Senatobia High School last year and signed a scholarship to play football under new head coach Hugh Freeze, himself a Senatobia High School graduate and a native of Independence.

Burdette moved to Oxford right after his high school graduation to participate in the team’s offseason conditioning program and it didn’t take long for coaches to take notice of his work ethic. Strength Coach Paul Jackson, who spends more time with the team than anyone during the offseason, said that Burdette was ahead of many of his fellow freshman in both the weight room and the film room, adding that he thought Burdette would be able to play quickly.

And play quickly he did. Burdette, a defensive back who also plays special teams for the Rebels, registered the first tackle of the Hugh Freeze-era at Ole Miss during the season opening kickoff against the University of Central Arkansas.

Nothing comes easy

But, as he told the students last week, things didn’t always come easy for him.

Burdette said that he was a kid in middle school who would always get into mischief.

“I didn’t really worry about school or my grades until after ninth grade,” Burdette said. “I was the kid who sat in class having fun and joking around. Grades just weren’t that important to me.”

Burdette made an instant impact for the Warriors on the field playing running back as a freshman in high school. It was after that season that Burdette said someone pulled him aside and told him that he could be good enough to play football in college but that he needed to straighten up and keep working on his grades in order to do so.

From that point on Burdette said that he made sure to work as hard in the classroom as he did on the field. His hard work paid off, as he was inducted into the Senatobia High School Beta Club as a senior. He also earned a 3.8 grade point average.

Senatobia High School head football coach and athletic director Phil Oakley had high words of praise for Burdette when he signed with the Rebels in February.

“I think his smarts and his speed are his biggest attributes, as well as his leadership ability. He’s been a good leader for us, even before he was a senior. He gets his books. He minds his manners. You’re not going to find him roaming the streets at 12:30 or 1 at night. He’s just a good all-around kid. I think Coach Freeze saw that in him. He’s going to be a plus for the program down there,” Oakley said. “It means a lot to me to see a young man like Quintavius who has taken care of his business and done what he is supposed to do through the years get rewarded for it.”

Commitment is key

Burdette told the students that they can accomplish great things if they commit themselves to their studies.

“You have to be accountable for your actions. You don’t need to just procrastinate and barely get by. It’s a different ball game in college, and you have to be responsible for yourself,” Burdette said. “No one is there to wake you up and make sure you go to class, you have to make sure that you get up and you go. If I don’t go to class, I don’t get to play. It’s that simple.”

Burdette said that he believed it was important for him to use his status as a college football player to be a positive role model for the children here in the community.

“Kids in Senatobia are sometimes overlooked and led down the wrong path. This is a small town and they will follow whoever is around or the guy (who is there) at the moment. Sometimes that is not the right choice,” Burdette said. “I want to be that guy they use as an example to say people here in Senatobia can make it. I want them to follow someone who is trying to do it right. And I want to show them the importance of grades!”

 

After Burdette introduced himself to the class, he greeted each student individually, asking their names.

“I know a lot of you knew me, but I didn’t know many of you when I came in here. Now I do. I probably won’t remember your names but I know your faces now,” Burdette said, adding that he expected to hear good things about them.

Each of his new friends also came away with Burdette’s autograph.

Goal:Met. Prayer: Answered.

In honor of the beginning of the college football season, I figured I would post a previously published story that I wrote regarding Hugh Freeze, a Tate County native now entering his first season as head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels.

(As published in The Democrat on December 20, 2011.)

Goal: Met. Prayer: Answered.

 Tate County’s Hugh Freeze lands dream job

 

Senatobia native Hugh Freeze has been named the University of Mississippi’s 37th head football coach.

Archie Manning, a former Ole Miss and NFL quarterback, who was chosen to co-lead a search committee along with Fed Ex Executive Vice President of Market Development and Corporate Communications Mike Glenn, announced the decision via video on www.olemisssports.com last week.

Freeze, who served as the head football coach at Arkansas State University this season, led the Red Wolves to a 10-2 record and the Sun Belt Conference Championship. Prior to 2011, Freeze’s first season as head coach, the Red Wolves had never finished a season with a winning record since the team moved to the Football Bowl Championship Subdivision.

Football: ministry?

In his public introduction press conference, held in front of a capacity-plus crowd on campus at the Gertrude Castellow Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Freeze thanked those responsible for his hiring, and said he was especially thankful for his family.

“I’d like to thank my family,” an emotional Freeze said, “I’ve taken them all around the nation to get back to one place, and that’s right here at THE University of Mississippi.”

At the end of a fiery opening speech, one reporter asked Freeze, jokingly, if he’d ever considered getting into ministry.

“Absolutely, I feel blessed by God, and I think this is the ministry,” Freeze said. “All joking aside, I’m so far from perfect, but I know where my forgiveness comes from and I’m blessed to be here. I wake up every morning knowing God’s goodness to me.”

“This is home”

Freeze also told the crowd that the job is the one he had always wanted and that he never wants to leave.

“This is a destination place for me. It is not a stop along the path. It’s where I want to live. It’s where I want to be. It’s where I want to retire. This is home to me,” Freeze said.

It’s difficult to doubt his sincerity when he talks of “home,” as Freeze grew up in Independence and graduated from Senatobia High School in 1988 before attending Northwest and later graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi. He is the son of Danny and Rita (Walker) Freeze.

In a recent story for The Democrat, Freeze said that he felt blessed to have grown up in Tate County.

“I’m blessed to be a Tate County boy. That’s home to me. My parents and grandparents and so many friends are there, and when I was growing up, they all raised you,” Freeze said.  “I’m very blessed to have so many good friends there and to be raised there in Tate County and to go to High School in Senatobia.”

“Some of my dearest friends are still the friends that I had from those days,” Freeze said.

Influencing an influence

Oakley

Phil Oakley, currently the head coach of the Senatobia High School football team, coached Freeze in high school, and is a person Freeze said he considered one of his early influences. Oakley was thrilled to hear that Freeze had gotten the Ole Miss job.

“I am proud to say that I happened to be just a small portion of his life.  He has always been a blessing to me and now some other young people, who choose to attend Ole Miss, will receive that same blessing.  As we like to say at Senatobia High  ‘It is a great day to be a Warrior’ and this is especially true when former students represent your school the way Hugh Freeze has and will,” Oakley said, “Hugh Freeze will represent himself, his family, Senatobia High School and the University of Mississippi like no other. “

Faith and family

Former Independence High School and Senatobia High School football coach Jerry Barrett has been a close friend of the Freeze family for years, and is another person Freeze said he considers an influence. Barrett has had the opportunity to watch Hugh grow up, both in the game and in life.

“His dad helped me coach out at Independence for a long time. We went to church with Hugh and his family and they were all churchgoing people, Christian people, and in my opinion, none of that has changed. He’s still who he is,” Barrett said. “I think he’ll always be who he really is. I don’t think anything like this will change him. Internally, I don’t think any of this fame and fortune, this great job, will ever change any of that. I think his head is screwed on right and I think it will stay that way, simply because of the way his mother and father have raised him.”

Mission accomplished

Barrett said that to become the head coach at Ole Miss is the goal that Hugh has always wanted to accomplish.

“This is something that is a goal that he always wanted to pursue, and I think he’s pursued it the right way, putting things in perspective and in the right order. I think people who go about things in the right way usually reach those goals and, to me, that’s what it’s all about,” Barrett said.

Winning.

Freeze is known throughout the football community for his offensive prowess. He’s widely regarded as one of the best young minds in the game, and his tendency to think outside of the proverbial box has proven very successful at every stop he has made on his coaching journey.

As head coach at Briarcrest Christian School in Memphis, Freeze’s football teams won state championships in 2002 and 2004, as well as regional championships in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001 and 2002. Freeze was named Region 8-AA Coach of the year five times as well as Associated Press Coach of the Year four times. It was at Briarcrest that Freeze coached Michael Oher of The Blind Side fame and now starting offensive lineman for the Baltimore Ravens, and Greg Hardy who would also go on to Ole Miss and is a starting defensive lineman for the Carolina Panthers.

Freeze joined Coach Ed Orgeron’s staff at Ole Miss in 2005 as Assistant Athletics Director for Football External Affairs and became an assistant coach the next year, coaching wide receivers, which included future NFL stars Dexter McCluster of the Kansas City Chiefs and Mike Wallace of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Following Orgeron’s dismissal in 2007, Freeze landed as head coach at Lambuth University, where his teams compiled a 20-5 record over two seasons, leading to Freeze being named the American Football Coaches Association’s Southeast Region Coach of the year in 2009.

Freeze spent the next season as Offensive Coordinator at Arkansas State, before being named Head Coach of the Red Wolves prior to the 2011 season. As coordinator, Freeze’s offense improved from 95th in the nation in total offensive production and 90th in scoring offense the year before Freeze arrived, to 43rd and 45th, respectively.

This season, in his first as head coach, the Red Wolves improved further, currently ranked 25th in total offense, as well as 20th in total defense.

‘A learning process’

Barrett

Barrett said he doesn’t think that Freeze has reached his ceiling yet, so to speak, and that he will continue to improve as a coach.

“I think he is in a learning process. He hasn’t maxed out by any means. He’s just 42 years old. He’s still learning and will continue to learn. He changes with the game,” Barrett said.

“He’s been around football all his life. Not necessarily with Coach David Fly who started football out at Independence, but Danny Freeze played for Coach Fly and learned a lot of football from him and then when Hugh was born, he stayed in football,” Barrett said. “Danny and I started coaching (at Independence) together and Hugh was a manager when he was really little. He started playing when he got older.”

Barrett said that he believes that it’s not only the amount of time Freeze has spent around football, but his flexibility and adaptability that makes him successful.

“He has learned, but then again he hasn’t been entranced in ‘This is the way it’s got to be.’ He’s learned to change and has been able to evolve with the game. I think that’s a real key to his success, because he knows how to modify, but yet he knows the basics of the game, which are blocking, tackling, the kicking game and things like that. He’s able to realize what is important in the game, but he is also able to affect the game to the point where he uses the kids’ abilities to the best of his ability and makes it all work as a team effort,” Barrett said.

Barrett said that he was proud, but apprehensive when he learned that Freeze had gotten the job at Ole Miss. He said that he was proud because he knew how hard Freeze had worked his entire career to get to that point, but apprehensive because he knew that taking a job of that magnitude comes with a tremendous responsibility.

The pride of Tate County

The community reaction has been, almost unanimously positive, from supporters of Ole Miss and Mississippi State alike, according to Barrett.

“I haven’t heard anything but good things in the community. You may hear a negative vibe here and there, but overall it’s been really positive and really good. The people of Senatobia are real proud for him. They’re proud for themselves to know that somebody from the University of Mississippi thinks that highly of someone from Mississippi and from Tate County,” Barrett said. “I think we all had a part in this situation because he went to school at Independence and at Senatobia, and a lot of people have had an influence on his life and have helped mold some of his beliefs. I think that’s an important factor in all of this. I think it helps us as Mississippians to know that he is a true Mississippian at the University of Mississippi. I think that will help a lot in recruiting and in people wanting to go to the games.”

Brewer

Jerry Brewer, a local business owner and 1970 graduate of Mississippi State University, said that despite his allegiance to the Bulldogs, Freeze, as a fellow Senatobian, has his support. Brewer welcomed Freeze back to Mississippi with a congratulatory message on his business’ marquee.

"We should all feel good that a Senatobian has achieved so much in such a relatively little time.  Hugh is no doubt a successful coach but more than that he is a successful human being because he puts Christ first and isn't ashamed to say so," Brewer said. “Mississippi did well to hire Hugh Freeze and the SEC cadre of head coaches will be elevated by his addition.  I don't think he'll ever do anything that will embarrass the school or the state or his hometown.  He is just a first class person.  Even though I hope State continues its Egg Bowl win streak, I nonetheless wish him success at the school up north!"

Oakley knows first-hand the effect that Freeze’s hiring could have on recruiting in the state of Mississippi. His quarterback, Quintavius Burdette, committed to play for Freeze at Arkansas State. Since the coaching change, however, Burdette may be looking at a change of plans.

“We had a player verbally commit to Arkansas State back in the summer and when all of this happened I spoke to him about his commitment and he said, ‘Coach, I want to go to wherever Coach Freeze is, no matter how.’  If Hugh Freeze can do this with one recruit, what can he do to others?“ Oakley said.

When asked why he committed to Freeze, Burdette made mention of Freeze’s character as well as his prowess on the offensive side of the football.

“He is a Christian man and if you like offense there's no better man to play for than Coach Freeze,” Burdette said. “I want to play for Coach Freeze.”

Work hard and dream big

In an earlier story for The Democrat, Freeze was asked if he had any advice for others growing up in Tate County as he did, his message was direct.

“Dream big. Refuse to believe that because of your background or your circumstances, whatever the status of your life is at this point, you can’t change that. Have tremendous faith in God and work extremely hard and dream big dreams,” Freeze said.

A new era is dawning for the University of Mississippi. Only time will tell whether or not Freeze’s Rebels will be successful, but for one county in North Mississippi, confidence has never been higher, and for one Tate County man, it’s time to start living a dream.

Rebel with a cause

I thought that, in honor of the kickoff of the college season, I would post a story I've had published regarding Quintavius Burdette, a Senatobia High School product who is beginning his freshman career at Ole Miss.

(As published in The Democrat on February 7, 2012)

Rebel with a cause

Burdette signs with Ole Miss, eager to represent his home state

Tate County has long been home to great football, boasting an impressive track record in recent years of sending players on to play major college football.

Just last year, the Mississippi State Bulldogs had three starters with Tate County roots, with Addison and Cameron Lawrence, formerly of Magnolia Heights School, and Quentin Saulsberry, formerly of Independence High School.

Senatobia High School’s Quintavius Burdette is next in line, officially faxing in a National of Letter of Intent to play football for the University of Mississippi.

Each year on National Signing Day, which took place Feb. 1, high school players from across the country have the opportunity to make official their commitments to their future schools by mailing in their LOI’s accepting scholarship offers.

For Burdette, his decision was simple: he wanted to play for Head Coach Hugh Freeze.

“Hugh Freeze has moved places a bit but that is who I wanted to play for anyway,” Burdette said. “He’s from the same town I’m from and he knows how it feels to come from this little town.”

Burdette committed to Freeze while he was the head coach at Arkansas State University. Freeze accepted the head-coaching job at Ole Miss after leading the Red Wolves to a 10-2 record in his first season as head coach.

Patience pays off

Freeze’s change left Burdette in what many would consider to be a difficult position, not knowing whether to seek new options or to hold out hope for a scholarship offer from Freeze at Ole Miss. Burdette, however, was able to keep the situation in perspective.

“I was being very patient. I didn’t just rule them out. I knew that he was going to come through for me and he did,” Burdette said.

That opportunity came during Burdette’s official visit to the Ole Miss campus on the weekend of Jan. 29, when he got word that he had indeed received that scholarship offer. He wasted no time in making his commitment.

In addition to his admiration for Freeze, the chance to stay close to home and represent his home state was impossible to turn down.

“I liked the school and I liked Coach Freeze so when he moved and then he offered me, there was no doubt that I was going to commit to Ole Miss,” Burdette said. “I’m a Mississippi boy. I’ve got to play for my home state.”

Another factor in his decision was the official visit and the chance to get to know his future teammates.

“It was a good feeling because I was down there with the guys that I’m going to be with next year and they really took care of me; not only my host, but all the other players. The upperclassmen really made sure that everyone was good to go and that everyone had what they needed. I liked that a lot,” Burdette said, adding that he’d have no trouble at all blending into the team’s chemistry.

On his official visit, Burdette had the opportunity to stay on campus at The Inn at Ole Miss, and said that he considers it to be one of the most important elements of his visit.

“The campus is great. I loved the campus, especially the hotel we were staying in. I’ve never stayed in a hotel like that in my life and I stayed in that one while on the Ole Miss campus. There are many hotels, but they don’t look as good as that one on campus did,” Burdette said.  “I liked that. The food was great, too.”

A multi-dimensional threat

While it is official that Burdette will attend Ole Miss, the position he will settle into for the Rebels is still up in the air.

“They’re recruiting me as an athlete, but I’ve been talking to the defensive backs coach more than anyone. He was telling me that I’m going to play defense, but that if there are some plays on offense, I could sub in there and also do kick returns and punt returns,” Burdette said.

Burdette did a little bit of everything during his time with the Warriors, having played running back up until his senior season when he moved over to the quarterback position. Burdette also played defense up until his senior season as well.

While many are projecting him to play on defense on the next level, his talents on the offensive side of the ball may be too much to ignore, and running back and wide receiver remain options.

Despite having never played wide receiver for the Warriors, Burdette was invited to participate in the Bernard Blackwell All-Star Classic game in Biloxi as a wide receiver.

Burdette led all receivers in the game with 55 yards receiving, including a 48-yard reception that was the longest offensive play of the game.

Burdette said he shrugged off the notion of the difficulty of learning the new position.

“It was like I always say, I’m not just a running back. I’m a football player. For me to change positions like that, I had to work on it for a couple of weeks beforehand, but after I worked on it, it came like second nature, just like football in general,” Burdette said.

As far as where he ends up playing in college, it’s something that he says he isn’t concerned about.

“It doesn’t matter to me what position I play,” Burdette said, “I just want to play football.”

Senatobia Head Coach Phil Oakley said that Burdette possesses the skill set necessarily to settle in and contribute on the next level.

“He’s got all of the tools and he’s got a lot of potential that he hasn’t reached yet. I know that when he gets over there and gets in the program, he’s going to bulk up. He ran a 4.53 (40-yard dash) electronically timed at Ole Miss. I think that’s going to get better too,” Oakley said.

And, while Oakley can’t say for sure that the results will come right away, he fully expects Burdette to become an impact player for the Rebels.

“He may redshirt the first year or he may play a little bit of special teams, but before it’s over with, he’s going to work hard enough and compete hard enough to play,” Oakley said. “He just loves competing.”

Burdette feels like his strength is his skill with the football, on either side of the ball.

“I feel like being around the ball is my strength. Being around the ball, period,” Burdette said. “Sitting back and watching is not what I do best. I’ve got to be active, so being active is a strength.”

And while he acknowledges that there are areas of his game that he needs to improve on, he believes his work ethic will make for easier improvements.

“All football players have areas to work on. It’s all about whether you put in work and I’m willing to work,” Burdette said.

Looking ahead

For Oakley, Burdette’s biggest strengths are not only physical, but also mental. Burdette has accumulated a 3.8 grade point average and has scored an 18 on the ACT.

“I think his smarts and his speed are his biggest attributes, as well as his leadership ability,” Oakley said. “He’s been a good leader for us, even before he was a senior. He gets his books. He minds his manners. You’re not going to find him roaming the streets at 12:30 or 1 at night. He’s just a good all-around kid. I think Coach Freeze saw that in him. He’s going to be a plus for the program down there.”

Oakley said that it means a lot to see his players go on to the Division I level.

“Guys like this are few and far between. The last one that we had was Jeremy Garrett. This reminds me so much of the Jeremy Garrett situation because he was kind of a last-minute offer,” Oakley said. “It means a lot to me personally. I’m not in this for me, but it means a lot to me to see a young man like Quintavius who has taken care of his business and done what he is supposed to do through the years get rewarded for it.”

Garrett went on to start for the Rebels as a senior and received the 2007 Chucky Mullins Courage Award, received annually by a standout defensive player in honor of the late Chucky Mullins, who was paralyzed during a game against Vanderbilt in 1989.

As for his future, Burdette already has his goals laid out.

“My first goal is to be a Freshman All-American. Everything else would take care of itself after that. I also want to be on the honor roll,” Burdette said. “I’m most looking forward to playing in the SEC and experiencing that feeling.”

 

By the numbers: how Mississippi stacks up

On the Fly (as published in The Democrat on August 28, 2012)

States such as Florida, Texas and California receive a great deal of fanfare for their high school football programs and are considered “hot beds” for colleges searching for new talent, but a look at the numbers shows that the talent pool here in the Magnolia state is nothing to sneeze in its own right.

Each year, Rivals.com, a website that focuses largely on college football recruiting, posts a look at the number of athletes by state who have signed scholarships with colleges to play high level football in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

By sheer numbers, it comes as no surprise that the top three states are Texas (371 signees), Florida (325) and California (228). Georgia and Ohio round out the top five with 165 and 159 signees, respectively.

At first glance, Mississippi, which had 42 signees in 2012, pales in comparison, but a look at the ratio between signees and the total number of high school football players statewide can tell a different story.

Mississippi’s 42 signees come from a total of 22,306 players throughout the state, which indicates that Mississippi has one player sign a scholarship to play FBS football for every 531 players. This ratio is good for 18th nationally.

Texas, which had the most signees at 371, only reports a ratio on 1:455 due to its staggering 168,680 high school football players. The same can be said for California, whose 228 signees factor into a 1:456 ratio due to 103,921 total players.

Florida, on the other hand, leads the nation with a ratio on 1:119 with 325 signees in 38,451 players. Florida has an advantage that many states such as Mississippi do not have. In the state of Florida there are seven FBS colleges: Florida, Florida State, Miami, Central Florida, South Florida, Florida International and Florida Atlantic. Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Southern Miss are the only three FBS schools in the Magnolia state.

Aside from Florida, Georgia (1:194), Louisiana (1:214) and Alabama (1:243) round out the top four.

Alabama is an interesting example because its 22,833 football players are comparable to Mississippi’s 22,306, but Alabama had 94 FBS signees while Mississippi had 42. Alabama has five FBS colleges: Alabama, Auburn, Alabama-Birmingham, South Alabama and Troy.

Mississippi finishes just behind Arkansas and just ahead of Tennessee. Other states in the Southeasten Conference region finishing behind Mississippi were Kentucky and Missouri.

I think that FBS signees serve as a good gauge to determine where the state stands, but it’s not a be-all and end-all. Of Mississippi’s revered NFL Hall of Famers, neither running back Walter Payton (Jackson State) nor Jerry Rice (Mississippi Valley State) signed with FBS schools. Quarterback Steve McNair (Alcorn State) could also receive future Hall of Fame consideration.

Mississippi also has a vibrant junior college football system that many other states do not have. Many of Mississippi’s community colleges are considered among the cream of the crop nationally and many Mississippi players sign to play at these schools as well, another reflection on the state’s talent level.

Quick hitters

• ·       One name for Mississippians, particularly Mississippians who love baseball, to keep an eye on is shortstop Billy Hamilton. Hamilton, a graduate of Taylorsville High School, is currently playing minor league baseball in the Cincinnati Reds’ system for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. Hamilton recently broke baseball’s single season stolen bases record of 145, which was set in 1983. He has 146 steals and counting now with 12 games left to play. For those keeping track, the Miami Marlins lead the majors in stolen bases as a team with 121, 25 less than Hamilton has accumulated alone. Interesting side note: the most bases ever stolen in a single National League game is co-held by a Philadelphia Phillies player on August 31, 1894. His name? Billy Hamilton.
• ·       An oversight in last week’s column is that Magnolia Heights’ baseball team won the 2012 Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Class AAA (D2) state championship as well. They are to be commended. Congratulations to those young men and thank you to the reader who brought this to my attention.
• ·       As far as The Democrat’s football contest is concerned: I’m taking Coldwater, Senatobia, Starkville Academy, NWCC, Clemson, Michigan State, Alabama and BYU.

There must be something in the water

On the Fly (as published in The Democrat on August 21, 2012)

I always love seeing our local athletes succeed and lately Tate County has had no shortage of good news.

It’s even better for me to see that each of the schools in the county has had its share of success recently.

·       For Strayhorn High School, Greg Caston won the first state championship in school history in any sport when he finished best in the state for the 2A classification in the shot put competition.

·       For Coldwater High School, alum sprinter Trell Kimmons represented the school, county, state and country in London as part of the 2012 Olympics. The boys’ basketball team won the 1A state championship and the girls’ basketball team came within one game themselves.

·       For Senatobia High School, alum Quintavius Burdette is likely looking at playing time as a freshman on the Ole Miss Rebel defense, having consistently received high praise from coaches for his work ethic and dedication to film study.

·       For Independence High School, alum Quentin Saulsberry is currently preseason football in the National Football League for the Minnesota Vikings following a career on the offensive line at Mississippi State.

·       The same can be said for Magnolia Heights School, as alum Addison Lawrence is playing NFL preseason football for the Baltimore Ravens following his time at Mississippi State. His younger brother Cameron Lawrence is now entering his senior season as a linebacker for Mississippi State and is expected by many to be the leader of the Bulldogs’ defensive unit after leading the team in tackles as a junior.

·       Northwest Community College recently received big news of its own, as former Ranger defensive lineman Cortez Kennedy was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Kennedy, who played for the Rangers under coach Bobby Franklin in 1986-1987 before finishing his collegiate career at the University of Miami, played 11 seasons for the Seattle Seahawks, amassing 58 sacks. He was voted into the NFL Pro Bowl game eight times.

While it’s great to hear of these athletes’ successes in their respective sports, what I am even more appreciative of is the examples that they have set for the youth in our county.

I’ve had the privilege of personally knowing many of these athletes and they’re equally as impressive off the field of play as they are while they’re on it.

It’s great for young athletes to have role models such as these to model themselves after, but it’s even greater that they have examples such as the ones these athletes have set to follow outside of the sport.

Quick hitters

• ·       It’s impressive that LSU took the stand it did in kicking Heisman trophy contending defensive back Tyrann Mathieu from the team following a violation of team policy. It’s interesting, however, that quarterback Jordan Jefferson remained on the team last year despite his involvement in the beating of an off-duty police officer.
• ·       While there’s no doubt the Los Angeles Lakers will benefit from a trade acquiring elite Center Dwight Howard from the Orlando Magic, it’s still premature to write the Lakers into the NBA Finals. The Lakers as a team are growing old and Howard has been injury-prone throughout his career. I still think the Thunder are the conference’s safest bet, but don’t sleep on the Memphis Grizzlies.
• ·       High school football kicked off August 17. Others sports were already in progress. Please come out and support your local student athletes. They work hard for it.

Spoilers, spoilers everywhere

On the Fly (as published in The Democrat on August 7, 2012)

I have a love and hate relationship with the Olympics. Don’t get me wrong; I love it, I truly do. There’s no other sporting event like it and to see the triumphs and heartbreaks each year is everything that a sports fan could ask for.

But this year, I also have a big problem with it: The spoilers.

The 2012 Olympics will go down in history as the first Olympiad to play out in the social media era.

Social media sites such as Twitter bring users news to-the-minute, but can pose difficulties for fans of the games. That’s where the spoilers come into play.

With the Olympics playing out in London, six hours ahead of Mississippi’s central time zone, the quality primetime television programming is all shown on tape delay, and we watch as the Olympic athletes in London sleep.

While delayed programming of Olympic events has never posed much of an inconvenience in the past, Olympics fans who also use Twitter have been on the receiving ends of multiple headaches caused by spoilers on their news feeds.

Readers who don’t know anything about Twitter should ask their children, grandchildren, or neighbor’ children what Twitter is. Answers shouldn’t be hard to come by as its use has become quite common. Millions use Twitter each day.

I am a user. Because of this, I have not been able to watch primetime Olympics without already knowing the results of what is coming on television. That takes a lot of the fun out of the games.

What good is it to watch Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte go head-to-head in the pool when you’d known the results for hours? While it’s still enjoyable to watch, it loses its intrigue. It’s like watching a movie that you’ve seen before. I watch Forrest Gump every time I see it on television and I enjoy it, but it’s not as interesting when you know what’s going to happen next.

While that is a down side to the 2012 Olympics, the positive is that the 2012 Olympics offers better access to the games than ever before.

Each event can be viewed live online at www.nbcolympics.com, and, at any given time, users may choose which event they’d like to watch. For a noted sports junkie like myself, this is an invaluable addition to the coverage of the games.

It’s also of great benefit to the athletes. Not every event is shown on television, even on delay. There are events, such as Judo, which never make it to the small screen, because they lack the popularity of larger events.

If Coldwater’s Trell Kimmons participated in Judo, the people of Tate County may never be able to watch their hometown hero’s Olympic journey unfold, until now, thanks to the online video content.

Not everyone has daily access to this content, but luckily for Tate County residents, the men’s 4x100-meter relay Kimmons will be running in, is one of the most anticipated events of the second week of the Olympics.

Kimmons’ 4x100 relay is expected to begin Friday, Aug. 10, with the qualifying heats at 1:45 p.m. CST. The final round of the event is scheduled to begin Saturday, Aug. 11, at 3:00 p.m. CST.

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USA Basketball: A dream matchup 1992 vs. 2012

On the Fly (as published in The Democrat July 31, 2012)

There’s been hot discussion in recent weeks regarding the current United States men’s basketball team’s place in basketball history, stemming from 2012 team member and future hall of fame guard Kobe Bryant’s comment that his squad would beat the 1992 USA team.

The comment may not have inspired much debate if the 1992 team, known affectionately as “The Dream Team” wasn’t considered by many to be the greatest basketball team ever assembled.

Formed for the 1992 Olympic Games, the first in which professional basketball players were deemed eligible for Olympic competition, the Dream Team ran roughshod through the competition en route to a gold medal, defeating opponents by an astounding average margin of 43.75 points.

Despite my initial inclination to laugh at Bryant’s claims, Michael Jordan reportedly did laugh, I’ve decided that Bryant may have a valid point.

So I decided to have a more in-depth look at the two teams to see how Bryant’s 2012 well team would really fare.

PG Russell Westbrook (2012) vs. PG Magic Johnson (1992) – I’m using Westbrook here because at an extremely athletic 6’3, he would present the biggest matchup threat to Johnson. Westbrook, at only 23 years old, is known as one of the game’s most athletic players and can really score the ball. Johnson, at 33 years old, is on the downside of his career and trying to prove that he still belongs with the game’s elite. While there is no doubt that Westbrook’s speed would be difficult for Johnson to defend, Johnson’s six inch height advantage and game experience would prove to be the difference maker, as Westbrook has been known to struggle maintaining composure. Advantage: 1992.

SG Kobe Bryant (2012) vs. SG Michael Jordan (1992) – The matchup NBA fans will always dream of features two of the game’s greatest players of all-time. The two have combined for 11 NBA championships. One is in the basketball hall of fame, while the other is a lock for the hall post-retirment.  Unfortunately for Bryant, Jordan is 29 years old and reaching the pinnacle of his professional career. Bryant is 33 and nearing the twilight of his career.  Advantage: 1992.

SF Kevin Durant (2012) vs. SF Larry Bird (1992) – Few doubt that Bird is one of the most effective pure shooters in NBA history. Kevin Durant is one of the most dominant scorers in today’s NBA. In 1992, Bird is 36 years old, however, and on the verge of retirement following the Olympics due to chronic back issues. Durant’s athleticism and length would prove to be too tall a task for the aging Bird to handle. Advantage: 2012.

SF Lebron James (2012) vs. PF Charles Barkley (1992) – Lebron James may play the small forward position but he’d have no trouble holding his own at the power forward spot and, at 6’9, would hold a size advantage over Barkley, who was coming into his own and led the Dream Team in scoring. Barkley, a hall of famer, was a special player during his era, but James’ athleticism and size, as well as his multi-faceted game give him the advantage here. Advantage: 2012.

C Tyson Chandler (2012) vs. C Patrick Ewing (1992) – If we’re honest with ourselves, there’s not much to discuss here. Chandler is a great player, but he’s known for his defense and not much else. At 7’1 he is the largest player on the 2012 USA team, but there’s no doubt USA team misses Dwight Howard. Ewing, on the other hand, is one of the greatest NBA big men of all time, and his well-rounded game has to be respected. Advantage: 1992.

PG Chris Paul (2012) vs. PG John Stockton (1992) - While I understand that Westbrook won’t start for 2012 USA, the opportunity to match up possibly the two greatest floor generals in NBA history was too much to pass up, if you’ll pardon the pun. I’m taking Paul over Stockton because of his scoring advantage. Advantage: 2012.

SG James Harden (2012) vs. SG Clyde Drexler (1992) - I’m also going to take Drexler over Harden because although Harden is a devastating scorer, Drexler has a big edge in experience, and, in 1992 at age 30, was coming off a better statistical season than Harden. Advantage: 1992.

SF Carmelo Anthony (2012) vs. SF Chris Mullin (1992) – Both guys can score, but Anthony gets the nod over the hall of famer Mullin because of his combination of athleticism and physicality. I expect Anthony to have a big 2012 Olympics. Advantage: 2012.

PF Anthony Davis (2012) vs. PF Karl Malone (1992) – Karl Malone is a hall of famer. Anthony Davis has played in zero NBA games. Advantage: 1992.

PF/C Kevin Love (2012) vs. C David Robinson (1992) – I love Robinson. He would hold a big size advantage at 7’1. (Love is 6’10.) But Love negates the height differential with his weight (260). Robinson weighed 235. Robinson is a deserving hall of famer, but Love is able to space the floor better than any big man on either team, and has great range on his jumper. Advantage: 2012.

SG Andre Iguodala (2012) vs. SF Scottie Pippen (1992) – This is another great matchup because these are two guys who do all of the little things. While I was initially skeptical of the addition of Iguodala to the 2012 team, my skepticism has faded watching the 2012 teams exhibitions, as Iguodala has out hustled the competition and done everything right. Pippen, however, is a five-time NBA champion, and an NBA Hall of Famer known for doing the little things. If hustle is a wash, I’m going with the hall of famer. Advantage: 1992.

PG Deron Williams (2012) vs. PF Christian Laettner (1992) – That Williams is matched up with Laettner is almost as unfair as, well, the Dream Team’s run through the 1992 Olympics. Advantage: 2012.

My head-to-head evaluations came out even at six.

The 1992 team holds a distinct size advantage over the 2012 team, but the 2012 team makes up for that size advantage with superior quickness and athleticism.

It’s debatable whether or not Jordan and company would be give up shots in order to win a game taking advantage of the 1992 team’s size.

It’s debatable how superior the 2012 team’s speed and athleticism is in comparison to the 1992 team. How much of a difference would it really make?

What’s not debatable is that the 1992 team featured 11 hall of famers (of 12 team members, for those keeping track) and I’d never expect 11 hall of famers to lose in anything.

In summary, I think most people are right in saying that the 1992 team would win, but I don’t think those who are right, are as right as they think they are.