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High Steppin’... Tupelo native and true Freshman Chad Bumphis started off the scoring for the Bulldogs in the first quarter against Jackson State on a 15 yard pass from quarterback Chris Relf. State started the first half a little sluggish after a 30 minute weather delay but exploded in the second half by scoring 31 points in route to a 45-7 win over the Tigers. The game marked the first ever SEC/SWAC match-up in history. Photo by Greg Pevey, Mississippi Sports Magazine
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Acrobatic Touchdown... Austin Davis connected with Leroy Banks on an acrobatic 18 yard touchdown pass to give Southern Miss a 14-0 lead on Central Florida in the first quarter. The Eagles outgained UCF 418 -194 yards on offense in their 26 -19 C-USA opening victory. Photo by Tommy Young
Record Holder... Damion Fletcher had two rushing touchdowns against Virginia giving him four for the season and 40 for his career. Fletcher’s 40 career rushing touchdowns breaks the Southern Miss record for career rushing touchdowns, previously held by Sammy Winder (1978-81). It also puts him third all-time in Conference USA. Photo by Bobby McDuffie
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Dexter’s Big Day... Dexter McCluster runs away from the pack on this 64-yard screen pass for a touchdown in the third quarter against Arkansas. McCluster finished the game with career-highs in both rushing (123 yards) and receiving (137 yards). The Rebel offense came to life with over 500 yards of offense in the 30-17 victory over the Hawgs. Photo by Greg Pevey, Mississippi Sports Magazine
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Advantage, Mississippi The USTA Southern Mixed Doubles Championships were held in the Jackson area October 1618. More than 1,000 adult tennis players competed in the 2009 USTA Southern Mixed Doubles Section Championships. This was the first time Mississippi has hosted a sectional event. Over 100 teams battled for the right to represent USTA Southern in the national championships. Photo by Greg Pevey, Mississippi Sports Magazine
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MSM
FROM THE PUBLISHERS
Time flies when you are having fun
W
elcome to the 2009-2010 College Basketball issue. Can you believe we are already talking about basketball with football just over the half-way point of the season. That goes to show you how time can pass us by during this busy
time of the year. The hot summer afternoons are gone and we are now beginning to hear the shoes squeaking on the hard-wood courts around the state. There are some interesting story-lines among the
By GREG & Mendy PEVEY
“Big 3” schools this year which has many of the fans excited about the prospects of the coming
Publishers
Jarvis Varnado decided to return to MSU for his senior campaign with a shot at breaking the
season. NCAA all-time record for blocked shots and to also improve his stock for the NBA draft. There has also been some off-season drama at MSU as the Renaldo Sidney saga unfolded over the last few months. Some publications have the Dawgs ranked in the Top 10 this preseason with most of the hype centered around Sidney being on the floor for the Dawgs. Now it looks like Sidney may never play a second for Coach Stansbury. Andy Kennedy returns for year three in Oxford with hopes of finally making it to the NCAA Tourney. With the return of three potential All-SEC starters (who all ended the season early last year due to injuries) the Rebels have been picked to finish second in the SEC West behind Mississippi State. The emergence of Terrico White during last season has many NBA scouts feeling this may be his last season in Oxford. The Rebels will have all the talent to keep pace with State and I’m sure there will be some great games between the two teams this season. At Southern Miss, Larry Eustachy is bringing in nine new players to the “Green House” in Hattiesburg. Eagles fans hope one of these players will take over the role of leader for Jeremy Wise and keep the Eagles on stride and improve from last seasons 15-17 record. The Eagles have struggled at times the past few seasons and some feel Eustachy may be fighting for his job this year. With John Callipari leaving Memphis for Kentucky, Conference USA will be opening up for the Eagles and everyone else, to make a run for the conference title. Eustachy will also be pressured to put a competitive team on the court to help bring in fans to Reed-Green Coliseum. The support towards USM basketball has been nonexistent the past few seasons. We hope you enjoy reading the team previews in this issue and also the other feature stories we have as well. As always, our goal is to entertain and inform our readers about Mississippi’s great sports traditions and history. Enjoy! Greg & Mendy Pevey Publishers Philippians 4:13
Cover Photos courtesy Ole Miss Sports Information, MSU Sports Information, and Bobby McDuffie, Xtreme Photo, Ocean Springs, MS 10 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
Tell our advertisers you saw their ad in Mississippi Sports Magazine!
CONTENTS 12 Q&A James Covington talks with Orlando Magic star Dwight Howard
16 GODFREY’S TAKE Steven Godfrey - Rising Again, Going Nowhere
17 OUT OF BOUNDS Bo Bounds - ESPN levels the playing field, SEC could have big hoops season
18 YOU KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING? Chuck and Doug talk about what’s going on in Mississippi.
24 Mississippi veterans memorial stadium An in-depth look on the history and future of the venue
30 JOHN STROUD The next interview in our series of this years inductees to the MS Sports Hall of Fame
34 DSU’S MARGARET WADE Wade put DSU women’s basketball and the University on the national map
38 2009-10 COLLEGE
BASKETBALL PREVIEW
22 Randy Watkins Viking Classic Executive Director puts in the hours to keep the tournament a success Photo by Greg Pevey, Mississippi Sports Magazine
66 YOU CAN’T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN Clinton native Brian Cronin wins gold in Taipei with the U.S. Deaf Olympic Men’s Basketball team
70 BREWER vs. SHERRILL Paul Jones talks with former coaches Billy Brewer and Jackie Sherrill about the Egg Bowl and their own personal rivalry
74 THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF BILLY CANNON’S RUN A different angle on Philadelphia born Billy Cannon’s historic run against Ole Miss in 1959
80 TIME OUT WITH YOLANDA MOORE Just Do It! Mississippi Sports Magazine - 11
Q&A MSM
Q & A
Dwight Howard Orlando Magic, Olympic Gold Medalist, NBA All-Star The dominating force behind the Orlando Magic’s NBA Finals run last season recently took time to sit down with MSM’s James O. Covington after spending a week in Vicksburg at a local basketball camp. Interview by James O. Covington
James O. Covington: So “Super Man” (Howard’s nickname) what’s up? Dwight Howard: Man, just chilling in this gym, working on my game. JC: So is this the first time you’ve been to Mississippi? DH: I’ve been here a couple of times. I remember coming over from Atlanta when I was younger with my family to see my sister (TaShanda) when she was at college at Alcorn State. JC: Man, looking at your life so far. You’re 23 years Photo courtesy the old you already have Orlando Magic an Olympic Gold Medal, an NBA Finals appearance, a Slam Dunk Contest trophy, and a nickname everybody admires. You’re living the dream. DH: Yeah I thank God everyday for what he has blessed me with. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication. I remember when I was 10 I really started to concentrate more on basketball and my goals. Things just took off from there. JC: I heard when you were younger, like in seventh grade you wrote down seven goals you wanted to achieve in life? DH: Yeah. One of them was to win the state championship at least once, and I was able to do that. One was to be the first person taken in the NBA draft, and I did that too. Another was to be one of the greatest players and greatest people. Another one was to get the cross on the NBA logo. I had a dream about that one, and I always want my dreams to come true. It’s not just about the physical aspect of the cross being on there; it’s more about the spiritual aspect. Setting goals is something I still do. Every year, I set goals before the season starts. I use them to help me stay focused and stay in line. JC: What’s your thoughts, on your new teammate Vince Carter joining the Magic? DH: He’s a great player and person. I know he’s wanted to come here for the last three years. Every time we played him last year he lit us up. JC: I suspect It’s going to be some kind of Air Show in Orlando, with you two. You think the rim will be able to hold up? DH: (Laughs) Yeah I hope it will. I know I am looking forward to playing with Vince. I’m ready 12 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
to get started. JC: Growing up who was your favorite NBA player? DH: Kevin Garnett and Michael Jordan. I tried to pattern my game after KG. JC: At, 6-11, 265-pounds you’re a force. What are some of the things over the off-season you have worked on? DH: Adding some more bulk to my frame and working on my jump shot and overall game. I’ve been trying to add more inches to my vertical. It’s at 40” right now. JC:All I have to say is Wow. You might be more of a force this year than last? DH: I hope so. I hope our team can continue to win. As long as our team wins I’m happy. JC: You’re on the cover of EA Sports NBA LIVE 10. That’s quite an accomplishment. In your spare time do like playing video games. DH: Oh yeah. I like playing all the basketball games and the UFC and Fight Night games. I also like the Wolverine game it’s got some hard levels. JC: Speaking of covers, you’ve been on the cover of Sports Illustrated, ESPN Magazine, and SLAM. What’s the inspiration that drives you? DH: My inspiration is simple— just wanting to be the best and get to the top. Every time I push a weight up or do a sprint, I think about all the guys who are ahead of me and how they got there. That keeps me going. Also, the kids around the nation who believe in me, my friends, family and school, and all the people in Orlando really push me to become a better athlete and person. JC: You guys beat LaBron James and the Cavs last year four games to one in the Eastern Conference Finals but still it seems everyone is forgetting about the Magic this year and giving the East to the Cavs. DH: Hey let them doubt us. I’m sure the same ones doubted us last year too. That’s why they play the games. It’s a long season. JC: I have to admit you’re one of my favorite players and it’s been a pleasure interviewing you Dwight. DH: Thanks man, it was a cool interview. You’re a cool dude. - MSM
On the
Rise Mississippi State’s Offense
What a difference a year makes. Dan Mullen has sure made MSU football exciting again. Although the wins are still not as common, the offense at MSU has done a dramatic turnaround from years past. Anthony Dixon is running with a new energy not seen since his Freshman season. Against MTSU he surpassed Jerrious Norwood as MSU’s all-time leading rusher which is a feat in itself with the woeful o-line play he’s had to endure the past few years. Chad Bumphis has also been a surprise for the Dawg’s as a true freshman. By the end of the season he could be as big a threat as DeAndre Brown is at USM. If State can get a SEC quality quarterback who can get the receivers the ball on a consistent basis the offense will really help to continue the rise in season ticket sales.
On the
Slide Players commenting on their FaceBook® pages
After the performance by the Ole Miss offense in their games against South Carolina and Alabama, a few players thought they needed to post comments on their FaceBook® pages or do interviews with certain websites saying as much as “We don’t need the fans to tell us how bad we are playing” or “Now that we have that loss we have that monkey off our backs and we can get on to playing football.” These kids are playing in the SEC. This is big-time football here. If you cannot take the critiques from fans then you need to grow some thicker skin or stay off the message boards and quit reading the newspapers. There are posters on these boards who are just looking for something controversial to talk about. Also, the boards are a way that the fans can vent about their displeasure of the last game behind a screen-name. The players need to realize this and understand the fans do not hate these kids and wish ill-will towards them. They are just disgusted or happy (depending on the games outcome) and want to discuss the games. So guys, understand what you got yourself into when you singed that letter of intent and ignore what you read. Fans will be fans.
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NASCAR
David Gilliland to race for Farm Bureau Insurance Mississippi-based companies build momentum adding third driver to NASCAR team Mississippi Farm Bureau Casualty, Southern Farm Bureau Life and Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Companies, with their corporate offices located here in Jackson, add more excitement to their NASCAR team this season, with the addition of a third talented driver. David Gilliland will drive the No. 02 Farm Bureau Insurance Toyota in three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, starting October 17 in Charlotte, and continuing with the November 8 race at Texas Motor Speedway and the November 22 season finale at Homestead Speedway. Wally Brown, R & D/Test Team crew chief for Joe Gibbs Racing ( JGR), will serve as crew chief for each of the three races. Earlier this year, Farm Bureau Insurance announced that they would sponsor six races in 2009 with Joe Gibbs Racing. Two of those races have been run in the No. 11 Toyota, driven by Denny Hamlin, earlier this season in Darlington and Atlanta. Farm Bureau Insurance will also appear on the No. 20 Toyota driven by Joey Logano on October 25 in Martinsville, Va. “Thus far, it’s been an exhilarating partnership between Farm Bureau Insurance and Joe Gibbs Racing. We’re excited to welcome David Gilliland to our Farm Bureau Insurance family. David and crew chief Wally Brown are both talented and established NASCAR sportsmen, and I know both will represent our agents and customers flawlessly the remainder of 2009,” said Bubby Trosclair, Vice President of Agency for Farm Bureau Insurance. Gilliland is in his fourth year driving in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, having now accumulated over 100 starts in the sports premiere division. He has started 24 races this season, driving primarily for TRG Motorsports. Brown has been with JGR for three years, and currently serves as the crew chief for JGR’s R&D/Test team. He served as crew chief last year for the No. 02 Home Depot Toyota in Texas, the site of Joey Logano’s first start in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and has filled in as crew chief for JGR’s Nationwide Series program. “Farm Bureau Insurance is an outstanding partner with us and we think David and Wally will represent them well in these three races” said Joe Gibbs Racing President J.D. Gibbs. “Denny did a good job for them earlier this year and we’re confident Joey will give them a good run in Martinsville as well. We want to make sure we provide their agents, members and customers a program they can be proud of.” For more information and to stay up to date on all Farm Bureau Insurance Racing news, visit www. farmbureauinsuranceracing. com. - MSM
Volume 2, Issue 3 November/December 2009
Published by Pevey Publishing, LLC Publishers Greg & Mendy Pevey Columnists Bo Bounds, Doug Colson, Steven Godfrey, Yolanda Moore, Chuck Stinson Contributing Writers Terry Benigni, Cary Estes, Steven Godfrey, Paul Jones, Andy Ross, Chuck Stinson, Steven Watson, Elizabeth Zeremba Contributing Photographers Greg Pevey, Bobby McDuffie, Tommy Young, Sports Information offices at: Ole Miss, Mississippi State, LSU, MS Valley State, Jackson St., Alcorn State, Belhaven College, Mississippi College, Millsaps College Advertising Sales Greg Pevey, Jay Pevey, Mendy Pevey Mississippi Sports Magazine is published bi-monthly by Pevey Publishing, LLC to promote Mississippi’s sportsmen and women, colleges, universities, high schools, communities and citizens in an informative and positive manner. We welcome contributions of articles and photos; however, they will be subject to editing and availability of space and subject matter. Photographs, comments, questions, subscription requests and ad placement inquiries are invited! Return envelopes and postage must accompany all labeled materials submitted if a return is requested. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in Mississippi Sports Magazine are those of the authors or columnists and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, nor do they constitute an endorsement of products or services herein. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement. Pevey Publishing, LLC is not affiliated with any institution, college, university, or other academic or athletic organization. Subscriptions are $24 (1 year, 6 issues). Make checks payable to Pevey Publishing, LLC and mail to: 405 Knights Cove West, Brandon, MS 39047 or subscribe online at www.mssportsmagazine.com.
PUBLISHING
Pevey Publishing, LLC Mississippi Sports Magazine 405 Knights Cove West • Brandon, MS 39047 PUBLISHING Phone: 601-503-7205 • Fax: 601-992-2885 email: publisher@mssportsmagazine.com www.mssportsmagazine.com
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PUBLISHING
Mississippi Sports Magazine • 405 Knights Cove West Brandon, MS 39047 • Phone: 601-503-7205 email: publisher@mssportsmagazine.com Visit us online at: www.mssportsmagazine.com
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G O D F R E Y ’ S TA K E
Rising again, Going nowhere By Steven Godfrey Featured Columnist
A
powder blue sky housed the hum and buzz of football the way God intended, and long before Dexter McCluster’s all-everything skillset took apart the Razorback defense; the football coordinator’s equivalent of a Swiss army knife shot out of a cannon, I paused long enough to appreciate SEC football in its entirety. October 24 was the kind of Saturday afternoon that makes Ole Miss football fans beam with a sense of pride they gladly define as “tradition.” 60,000-plus gathered, cheered, and decadently “Groved” on a day that saw coach-come-revivalist Houston Nutt’s 14th win in under two seasons, a 30-17 victory over Arkansas. As an alumnus of Ole Miss and a denizen of Vaught-Hemingway stadium on that afternoon, I would’ve felt that all was reasonably well within the kingdom. Except that in a contrived rite of perceived “tradition,” five stupid words from a few thousand ignorant children made strides to steal the day’s glory. Despite the idiocy of the youths in question, the wagging fingers of morality is just as much to blame for what has become yet another black eye for Ole Miss. Led by Chancellor Dan Jones and the Associated Student Body, Ole Miss recently curtailed their “Pride of the South” marching band’s rendition of “From Dixie With Love” because fans in the student section of the football stadium have taken to loudly yelling “The South Will Rise Again” in the final bars of the song. “From Dixie With Love” is a game day tradition in Oxford. An amalgamation of both “Dixie” and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” the song is meant to recognize the sometimes deafening history of Mississippi at a university dripping with Antebellum imagery, all in as neutral a manner as possible. I’ll pause here for full disclosure in this, the 2009 of partisan cable news networks and an epidemic of media distrust. (Journalists hate doing this, but luckily for all of us, I’m not a journalist. I just like to make jokes and write about sports.) I’m a self-admitted “conservative/moderate” white male who graduated from the university in question. When Tommy Tuberville requested that fans not bring Confederate battle flags to football games for recruiting 16 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
purposes, I initially hesitated but soon understood the potential positive impact of putting better talent on the field, where we fans lived and died. When the Rebel mascot was removed from sidelines, I cried foul as a student reporter for The Daily Mississippian, but for reasons I’ll get into later. To this day, I, like many thousands of like minded people, fear that one day the words “Ole Miss” and “Rebels” will cease to be, and that a campaign of revisionist history will have a backhoe toppling the statutes of the Confederate soldiers adorning the Ole Miss Circle and Oxford Square. I’m no Civil War buff, but for better or worse, it’s undeniably our history. But unlike most who share my concerns, I can admit that there are times I sit with the writings of a Curtis Wilkie or Willie Morris, men privy to the history we question, who were and are far more intelligent than myself, and wonder if my opinions are worth realizing. Now - I’ve assured the reader that I’m no liberal executor of a great media “agenda.” Hear me loud and clear: chanting “The South Will Rise Again” is not, nor ever has been, a tradition at Ole Miss during football games. I’ve been attending and reporting on almost every home game for the Rebels in the last decade. It’s been going on no more than four years. Don’t argue with me. Up until the week of October 24, the problem with a select group of fans chanting “The South Will Rise Again” was nothing more than local chatter and fodder for Rebel-centric Internet message boards. Stupid, surely, but not worth the ire of ink-stained wretches. That is until Ole Miss stunningly shot itself in the public relations foot yet again. The condemnation of the chant and subsequent abbreviation of the fight song became national news in a matter of minutes. More than any prejudiced drunk, what offends me is not the intent of the university, but their absolutely ignorant execution. How can an institution charged with the intellectual betterment of young people made up of some of the smartest minds in the South be so clueless to the student mentality? A dime store thesis in post-adolescent behavioral psychology compounded by mob mentalities could tell you that if you order an assembled group of drunken kids not to do something, they’ll not only do the direct opposite, but do it with flair, excess and repeti-
tion. Write the word “no” on any inanimate object in the whole of Lafayette County and within hours 50 former high school honor roll students will attempt to destroy it, imbibe it, deface it, copulate with it or at the very least drunkenly ask it for a ride to Chevron. Did Dan Jones really think a reprimand and the removal of a few notes from the marching band would actually work? It surely didn’t – on that idyllic October afternoon, the first day of the “new” rendition of “From Dixie,” a stupid group of drunk kids were practically dared by a group of adults not to say something, and returned fire louder than ever. From my seats on the east side of the stadium, far from the students, I heard “The South Will Rise Again” louder than I ever had, albeit still not clear or decisive enough to be understood if you just happened to be a visiting fan or journalist. But since the mandate from above, the entire situation became national news, and now every visitor knows exactly what the sophomore pinheads in navy blazers are hollering. The Associated Press had a full report that made Sports Illustrated, ESPN and countless media outlets the week of the Arkansas game. Ole Miss’ plan yielded zero results – some could say negative – and garnered another round of negative publicity. Attention was stirred up, a distraction from the football team was created, and the end product was simply a more brazen brand of idiot in the student section. I have three years experience as a publicist in worldwide entertainment media, and short of a dead prostitute on the team bus or kiddie porn on the jumbotron, this couldn’t have been a more ill-advised and bungled operation. What’s most painful is that it’s all happened before. The last incident took place in 2003, when in the midst of Eli Manning’s senior year and Rebel football’s best season in decades, university officials abruptly removed the Colonel Rebel mascot from the sidelines. Their foolproof plan was to introduce two horrifically conceived variations of the “Disney-esque mascot” for fans to vote in as a replacement. When that bit of genius backfired, the administration announced it would then hold a new mascot contest, soliciting ideas from fans. After that yielded nothing, Ole Miss simply canceled the effort altogether. Six years later, Ole Miss’ “mascot” is basically a Godfrey’s Take - Continued on Page 68
OUT OF BOUNDS
MSM
ESPN levels the playing field, SEC could have big hoops season
By BO BOUNDS Host of Out of Bounds, 105.9FM ESPN Radio - Jackson
F
rom the Sports Think Tank – How did that happen? No college football fan should ever say that again. Yes, we’ve talked scholarship limitations for years, and that’s all well and good, but Gary Danielson, with CBS, was right. ESPN has leveled the playing field. Players want to play on TV, and they can play on TV at just about every FBS program in the country. With the population boom in the country post-WWII, it took a generation or so, but we have more kids playing football. Better athletes. Better coaching. Better strength and conditioning programs from the Jr. and Sr. high school level and up. From the six BCS conferences to some non-BCS schools sprinkled in – you’ll see big-time athletes on any given night. 7-on-7 has changed the game Today more kids are playing pitch and catch, with the football than ever before. For years four players touched the ball on offense: QB, RB, center, and that one WR. Now, 1012 different offensive players will touch the ball during the course of a college football game. If you don’t think that keeps more kids interested at the Jr. and Sr. high school level, you’re missing the boat. The spread, 7-on-7, population boom, and the much improved strength and conditioning programs on the high school level, give us major depth throughout the college football world. Florida, USC, Alabama and Texas can’t sign all of them. So the question becomes is your football staff running the roads, and can they evaluate the right athletes for their system? One of the biggest assets a coaching staff can have today is: Putting the athletes on the right side of the ball, and in the right position.
Quarterbacks are everywhere If you’re team is in the FBS, and your staff can’t find an above average quarterback that can run and throw, they don’t need to be wearing a headset. More and more kids are heading to QB camps, and more athletes can not only run the ball, but throw it at the QB position. For example, MSU and Ole Miss should always have an Omarr Conner type player on their roster. Granted, Conner was wasted by a staff that didn’t have a clue what to do with an athlete at QB. Coaches like Houston Nutt and Dan Mullen know what to do with a Conner-type player at QB. Austin Davis is the perfect QB for Larry Fedora, and when he gets back, and healthy next year, Davis will continue his pursuit in shattering records at USM. I’m not sure the state of Mississippi has ever had three coaches as talented on the offensive side of the football as: Nutt, Fedora and Mullen. No dominant team in college football this year There’s not one. Florida or USC could turn it on, but I don’t see dominance from either team. USC could dominate a Big 10 team in the Rose bowl, but does that really count? Alabama is a recruiting class away from being a dominant team, if it’s possible. Texas is another really good team, but the Longhorns haven’t showed they can dominate the Big 12 in a down year. The coaching is better Long gone is the “country bumpkin” head coach. Look at some of the schools and backgrounds these coaches are coming from. Coaches now have MBAs and management experience. Coaches are thinkers, cerebral and more often than not, a good football coach understands the role of a CEO. Today it’s imperative, head coaches at the college and bigger high school programs understand how to delegate, manage and raise funds. The Beechnut Bob days are over in the majority of programs. In Mississippi, we are slowly building depth in the high school ranks. In the Jackson metro area, Madison Central, Jackson Prep, Jackson Academy, Northwest Rankin, Lanier, Callaway, Clinton and Ridgeland should all have coaches who understand professional development and have a CEO mentality. Some of those
programs do, some don’t. Mississippi high school football has some serious work to do out in the rural areas. That shouldn’t me an excuse, though. Coaches can take business and management classes at any of the state’s universities. Plus, with the internet there’s too much information out there to ignore. A coach should be constantly devouring information. If they’re not, they’re cheating their school and players. Bobby Hall, head football coach at Madison Central, is from the “old-guard” generation, but he’s not one. Coach Hall understands he’s the CEO of the athletic department and football program at Madison Central. Outside of football, another outstanding young coach is Chuck Box (head baseball coach at Jackson Prep). Coach Box has visited the Texas Longhorn and Cal State Fullerton programs in recent years as part of his professional development. Y’all vs. Us is a hit Kudos to Cellular South on the Y’all vs. Us high school football series. How cool is it to watch good high school football on Friday night? The production level is off the charts. Mississippi owned and operated, Cellular South continues to positively impact economic development, education and community relations throughout the state of Mississippi. Hopefully, the series will continue in 2010. Hoops time baby! Wow, can you believe it? By the time, you read this, the college basketball will be off and running. In Starkville, the defending SEC tournament champs have high expectation. Rick Stansbury has a talented, veteran team returning after last year’s NCAA appearance. Stansbury has had to carry the load for the better part of 9 years with the disappointing football teams at Mississippi State. By the time MState fans get to December, they’re frustrated, and demand more from the only consistent winner on campus the last decade. Stansbury has done an outstanding job winning with little help from the past administration. With the new indoor practice facility and a supportive athletic director, MSU basketball has an opportunity to go on a nice run. Out of Bounds - Continued on Page 69 Mississippi Sports Magazine - 17
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Y O U K N O W W H AT I ’ M S AY I N G ?
SWAC football, where have you gone?
A By Chuck Stinson Co-Host of Mississippi Sports this Morning, 620AM Jackson
18 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
s I am writing this I am looking over the attendance figures from the Jackson State-Texas Southern game at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in mid-October. Just over 7,000 fans showed up to watch the Tigers lose to an inferior team. What has happened to the proud tradition of the Southwestern Athletic Conference where games were must attend events? Bands playing, people partying, football worth the effort and dollars to go see. Why is it no longer the happening it used to be? Saturdays past would rival the major conferences with tales of the on the field doings of a Walter Payton, Jerry Rice, Willie Totten and Steve McNair on the following Monday morning at work. And that was just in Mississippi. The league as a whole has produced some of the greatest athletes the game has ever known. Stack up a list of NFL Hall of Famers from the SWAC against the big boy leagues and you will see just how great the SWAC once was. So what has happened to the SWAC? It’s a multi tiered problem that doesn’t seem to have a quick solution to making the league great again. First off the attraction of playing at a SWAC school has lost its luster. True the names of Grambling, Southern and Jackson State carry a lot of weight with those from a few generations back but kids nowadays want bigger and better than what the league has to offer which is mainly tradition. African American athletes have more opportunities now and opportunities at places with better facilities and more exposure. Tradition doesn’t mean much to a kid when he looks at a shiny new weight room or a schedule where a minimum 8 of the 12 games will be played on television with a chance to play in a bowl game. Any bowl game. In the past it would be easy for a kid from Louisiana to pick Grambling or Southern over a Louisiana Lafayette or a Louisiana Monroe. That’s not the no brainer it used to be. Those Sun Belt Conference teams offer an opportunity to play at a place with better facilities and play a division one schedule with some interesting non conference games in front of many thousands of fans. If you don’t think that is the case, look at the dwindling numbers of draft picks that have come out of the SWAC in recent years. Secondly, most of the schools lag behind in fan support both in the stands and in the pocket book. A lot of those big and impressive new toys at the bigger schools and even those just above and around the SWAC come from booster bucks. With the exception of maybe Southern, the league’s teams seem to lack in the financial support they would need to keep up with the Jones so to speak. Fans are not stepping up to keep their teams strong with infrastructure that helps attract the better talent that keeps winning teams on the field that in turn keeps fans in the stands and so on and so on. Lastly, the SWAC problem is the SWAC itself. While some will argue that taking the league out of playoff contention was not that big of a deal since the league had never won a postseason game, I disagree. What do kids have to play for now? A SWAC title? While in years past that might have carried some prestige with it, it no longer means much of anything. The SWAC never won a playoff game but in some instances the best team from the conference wasn’t in the postseason because Southern and Grambling were tied to the Bayou Classic and could not participate in the postseason. The money that game generates now with the TV contract is huge for those teams and the league but in the long run is it good for the conference as a whole to keep that game on Thanksgiving weekend? It just seems like the league said, “Okay, we can’t play with the rest of them on a competitive level so we won’t even try.” Therefore the rest of the league is held hostage by two teams. That line of thinking brought about ill fated Heritage Bowl matchup with the MEAC which was a disaster. Once that faded away the league has basically been placed on an island all to itself. There is talk of a return to that bowl game which ended in 1999 but the MEAC would do itself a favor to look at what is happening to its sister league. Technically the SWAC is in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly 1AA) but the SWAC is really its own division with league teams playing schools from D1 all the way down to NAIA. The SWAC has lost it identity which is sad because it was once a league that was identified with great football, great fans, great games and a great experience. Let’s hope someday it finds itself again. - MSM
Y O U K N O W W H AT I ’ M S AY I N G ?
MSM
We’re all winners!
M
emories are defined as somebody’s stock of retained knowledge and experiences. Throughout our lives we all have experiences collectively and individually that cause our brains to time stamp where we were and what we are doing when we experience important events, so when I heard that Mississippi State was to resume the football rivalry with
Southern Miss on September 23, 2009 it became crystallized in my mind. I was driving to work when I got the call and almost had to pull over. You may be asking yourself why the news of this rivalry being renewed created such an impact for me personally. I have co-hosted “Mississippi Sports This Morning” for the past 12 years and from day one I have heard every so called excuse why Mississippi State and Ole Miss should not play Southern Miss. I along with my partner have been held captive by this perplexing issue. The debate has grown in scope and size
By Doug Colson Co-Host of Mississippi Sports this Morning, 620AM Jackson
since the last time these programs have gotten together on the football field. The world of college football has evolved. Sports fandom has gone interactive. Sports radio, blogs, websites and message boards run by fans have only egged on the debate. When I first started at the Score, the debate was spirited and the arguments so fresh they always produced a lively show. But as the years rolled on, the issue that had stoked so much passion became an easy way to survive a slow show. The last few years has seen everyone grow tired of all the reasons and excuses. We have been left with a boring stale joke of a topic. Twenty years ago the argument made by MSU and Ole Miss about the growing USM’s program held some merit. Now that argument is flimsy at best. The college football landscape has changed drastically. After co-national champions in both 1990 and 1991, the Bowl Coalition was born. That was followed by the Bowl Alliance in the mid-nineties which eventually was replaced by our current system The Bowl Championship Series. The Golden Eagles in the meantime joined Conference USA. When C-USA was pillaged and plundered by the Big East Conference earlier this decade and USM was not the desired booty, the Golden Eagles lot was cast under the glass ceiling as a have not. The threat is over. The SEC now boasts two television contracts totaling over three billion dollars. The old argument about not wanting to fill up “The Rock” just seems petty and cheap. Another major factor in renewing this rivalry is the increasingly difficult task MSU and Ole Miss are having scheduling non conference opponents. As the cost of bringing in non conference foes skyrockets, the Bulldogs and Rebels are struggling to fill-out their schedules with attractive games that finicky, fickle and frugal college football fan wants to see. Budgets for the average college football fan are tight. Games against UAB, ULM and MTSU (sorry Chuck) do nothing to loosen up fans purse strings. Much credit has to be given to the new blood at Mississippi State. First year MSU president Mark Keenum got the ball rolling by asking the simple question why these teams were not playing. MSU athletic director Greg Byrne examined the situation and contacted USM athletic director Richard Giannini. They hashed out the details of the two game home and home series. The road team will receive a $200,000 guarantee, and the home team will keep the rest of the gate. The regrettable part of this deal is that we all have to wait five years as the hype and excitement builds for the game until they meet August 30, 2014 at Scott Field. Maybe Ole Miss will be motivated or feel pressure to broker a similar deal with Southern Miss. By the time MSU and USM play in 2014, thirty years would have passed since Ole Miss and Southern Miss last played. Thirty years without last second wins and losses. Thirty years without the shared memories brought on by rivalry. I sure hope the Mayan’s are wrong about their calendar because if we make it to 2014, we’re in for one heck of a tailgate party. - MSM
Mississippi Sports Magazine - 19
MSM
JUCO REPORT
Hinds CC Inducts Five into Sports Hall of Fame
Blaylock
Fowler
T
he 2009 Hinds Community College Sports Hall of Fame honored these distinguished former Eagle athletes and coaches with an induction dinner October 8, at the Raymond Campus Wellness Center. Inductees are Pruitt Blalock of Brandon, Doug Fowler of Clinton, Carl Harris of Pulaski, Dr. Cleon McKnight of Jackson and Deborah Nichols of Raymond. Pruitt Blalock Football, baseball, 1956-1958 When Pruitt Blalock (1958) played halfback and fullback with the Eagles football team, he gave it his all, according to his fellow alumni members of the undefeated 1957 Eagles. Team alumni still count on Blalock as their “contact man,” the one who makes it his mission to see team members are recognized for their 1957 season. In addition to his service on the Hinds football team, Blalock also played baseball both years. While serving in the Army during the Korean War, Blalock played on the Army European Championship football team. Blalock was the Hinds Athletic Alumni Chapter’s charter vice president in 2002 and became president of the chapter in 2005.
Doug Fowler Track and Field Head Coach, 1979-1984 Assistant Football Coach, 1979-1984 Doug Fowler, who served Hinds as both coach and administrator, restructured and rebuilt Eagles track and field to create a formidable program. Fowler’s teams won State Junior College championships from 1980 through 1982, South State championships from 1980 to 1983 and a then-Region 7 championship in 1982 that qualified them to compete in the National Junior College Championship. During his first year of coaching at Hinds he was named Mississippi Association of Community and Junior College’s (MACJC) Track Coach of the Year in 1979. While 20 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
Harris
McKnight
coaching track, Fowler also served as assistant Eagles football coach. In 1981 and 1983, he was named Junior College All-Star Football Coach. Fowler is a graduate of Grenada High school. He studied pre-engineering at Holmes Junior College after serving in the U.S. Navy, and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in physical education with a minor in mathematics in 1966 from Delta State University. He holds his master’s degree in physical education and athletic administration from the University of Southern Mississippi and a master’s certification in school administration from Mississippi College. Carl Harris Basketball, 1956-1958 Carl Harris’ (1958) basketball success started early, when as an eighth-grader he played on the only undefeated basketball team in the history of Pineville School. Harris was recruited to Hinds by coach Troy Ricks, where he averaged 14.7 points per game. He continued his education at Mississippi College and lettered in basketball for two years. Harris holds his master’s degree in education from Jackson State University. He started his coaching career in 1960 with boys and girls basketball at Sand Hill High School. From 1965 to 1973, Harris coached boys’ basketball at Morton High School and finished with a record of 201-65. While at Morton, he led two teams to win South Mississippi tournaments, with one losing in the state finals. In 1966, Harris was Little Dixie Conference Coach of the Year; and in 1970, he coached the South All-Star Team. During his 13 years of coaching, Harris’ teams produced 54 tournament championships. Winning 70 percent of his games, Harris’ overall coaching record is 312-95. Dr. Cleon McKnight Tennis Coach, 1984-1999 Chemistry Instructor 1970-2002
Nichols
Dr. Cleon McKnight served Hinds not only as a chemistry instructor for 32 years, but also as a landmark tennis coach who took Hinds tennis into the national spotlight. When he discovered the game of tennis at age 30, McKnight was teaching chemistry and coaching women’s basketball at the Utica Campus and first began coaching tennis there. The Bogue Chitto native transferred to the Raymond Campus in 1985 and soon began to re-establish Hinds tennis for serious competition. During the next 15 years of coaching, his teams won 90 percent of their matches, finishing with an overall record of 430-47. In 1995, McKnight became the first black American to be inducted into the Mississippi Tennis Association Hall of Fame. In 1999, he was the first black American to be inducted into two national tennis halls of fame, the NJCAA Women’s Tennis Hall of Fame and the NJCAA Men’s Tennis Hall of Fame. During his Hinds career, his men’s teams, whose record stands at 249-37, won nine state and eight NJCAA Region 23 championship titles (1986-1988, 1991-1995 and 1999) and had five undefeated seasons. McKnight’s women’s teams enjoyed a 181-12 record and captured eight state and eight NJCAA Region 23 championships (1989-1992, 1994-1995 and 1997-1998). They had four undefeated seasons. McKnight’s honors also include being named men’s and/or women’s Tennis Coach of the Year 14 out of the 15 years by MACJC, MAC and NJCAA Region 23; Coach of the Year by the Mississippi Tennis Association (MTA) in 1992 and 1999; and MTA Tennis Hall of Fame in 2003. Deborah Nichols Tennis, Volleyball Player, Basketball Manager, 1967-1969 Physical Education Instructor 1973-2004 Softball Coach 1977-1997 Health and Physical Education Depart-
ment Chair 1997-2004 Deborah Nichols (1969) came to Hinds from Central High School in Jackson. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Delta State College (now Delta State University) and took her first position teaching for physical education for two years at Long Beach Junior High School. She began teaching physical education in the Raymond Campus athletic department in 1973, a role she filled for 31 years. Nichols’ longest-running “side job,” and the one for which she received many honors, was serving as softball coach from 1977 to 1997. Her team alumni honored her coaching
career with a reunion in July 1997. She retired in 2004 as chair of the Health and Physical Recreation Department. Nichols’ softball teams produced six state championships, four Region 23 championships and four National Junior and Community College Athletic Association (NJCAA) appearances. The Lady Eagles were named 1995 NJCAA Academic Team of the Year in Slow Pitch Softball. She had 10 players selected All-American and four selected Academic All-American. The Mississippi Association of Coaches (MAC) named her Mississippi Junior College Coach of the Year four times. - MSM
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Thanks MSM from Q-WEST Base Complex, Iraq Dear MSM Publisher, Greetings from Q-WEST Base Complex, Iraq, where we have just been gifted with several recent issues of your outstanding magazine. Congratulations on a wonderful product! The 155th Brigade Combat Team has been in theater since the first part of July and is spread throughout the Northern half of Iraq. We have thousands of Soldiers here, with home towns from the Gulf Coast to just south of Memphis. Mine is in Hattiesburg. Among us are big Mississippi sports fans. We try not to miss big events from back home. Labor Day weekend, a group of us gathered at 10:30 on Sunday night to watch the Ole Miss - Memphis game live. We had plenty of hot dogs, chips, and “near beer” (courtesy of our no-drinking policy). I do not know if you would have any interest in covering the next such gathering, but it strikes me as an opportunity to recognize some Soldiers and spread the good word about MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE to a number of Mississippi sports fans. Our thanks to Judge Virginia Carlton and the North Jackson Rotary Club for these magazines! Regards, Brian A. Montague COL, JA 155 HBCT
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MS GOLF
Randy Watkins To learn a little bit about how Viking Classic Tournament Director Randy Watkins ticks you need to know just two things. He is a stickler for being on time and he has to be nearly forced into taking time off. By CHUCK STINSON Special to Mississippi Sports Magazine
22 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
S
peaking of family vacations, “I used to drive down for a couple of hours before coming back. Now it’s a minimum two night stay”, laughs Watkins whose wife of 24 years, Carol, hides his beloved Sports Illustrated the week before a vacation at the beach to give him something to do when he gets there. “I just think that’s the way I’m wired. I don’t know any other way,” says Watkins who admits that he is sure to work in plenty of family time with Carol, daughter Carley, and son Thomas around his many ventures which include his fifth season as the Tournament Director of Mississippi’s PGA Tour event. He also detests being late. “I have great fear of being late for anything and I don’t like people being late for anything. Being late for school, being late for a meeting, being late for a tee time or
a ballgame. I just can’t stand it.” Both are part of his genetic makeup that keep him moving and working most of his waking hours. A golfer all his life Watkins lives by a scorecard. He relishes the challenge of being judged by what he accomplishes. And what the Jackson native has done for in golf and for golf in Mississippi is a scorecard filled with lots of birdies and eagles. Golf and life are two things that Watkins works very hard at. A graduate of Manhattan Academy, Watkins fell in love with the game at first sight and at first play. “I hit it pretty well the first time and liked it. Going out with my father and grandfather to play was a big plus too. The beauty of a golf course also appealed to me immediately.” “I was very fortunate growing up at the Country Club of Jackson that they had an extra nine holes where we could go play. One day I played the same nine hole course seven times. 63 holes. Greatest day ever”, said Watkins. His experience as a junior golfer fuels his passion for junior golf programs. He is also quite loyal to those who helped in the
the culmination of something I had wanted since the age of 10. I had aimed at that one thing. It was the one single thing I wanted and I did it right then. “ He also calls that the toughest time of his life when he lost his card after just two years on the tour. “That was the greatest time of my life and the worst at the same time. Because I lived a dream and lost a dream all in the same deal. I’m thankful for that because it did teach me a lot of lessons but I’m perfectly content with the fact that very few people get to live their dream and I did.” He returned to Mississippi with full intentions of getting back on the tour but a few more trips to the final rounds of tour school never did pay off for him. Meanwhile he was building a family and a reputation in the Jackson area. Partly because of his work as a pro at Castlewoods in Brandon and a videotape he had sent to WLBT-TV after deciding he wanted to keep his name in the public. “I was watching TV one day, watching a golf tournament and I had just been teaching all day and somebody gave a tip during a telecast and I thought it was terrible. I said I
we had to offer. It was passed unanimously. “ Watkins accepted immediately with one exception, that Morgan stay close by. “I wanted his wisdom and his guidance. Access to his wisdom has been very handy to me. I have a lot of reverence for him and always will. He was good to me when I was playing. I played in that tournament a lot of times even after I was finished playing.” Jim Gallagher, Jr., who came up through the junior and SEC ranks with Watkins and remains one of his closest friends, knew how tough of a job following Morgan would be, “It’s kind of like following Bear Bryant at Alabama. Robert Morgan is the reason this tournament is what it is. Randy was the perfect fit to take over and continue that tradition, being from Mississippi and understanding the traditions of the tournament and running it with a player’s mentality. “ Watkins fondest memory of this tournament developed when he was a young golfer and he would travel to Hattiesburg to watch it and because it is Mississippi born and raised just like he is. “I dreamed my whole childhood of playing in it. I just couldn’t wait. It was
“I was very fortunate growing up at the Country Club of Jackson that they had an extra nine holes where we could go play. One day I played the same nine hole course seven times. 63 holes. Greatest day ever”, said Watkins. development of his game. To this day he drinks a soda brand that sponsored a junior camp during his formative years. He also implemented the first junior pro-am at a PGA Event when he took over as tournament director. “Thirty-six Mississippi kids get to live a dream (of playing in a tournament setting with a PGA pro) and sometimes give birth to a dream to be involved in golf in some form or fashion for the rest of their life because of this tournament.” His own obsession and love of the game would lead to winning a national junior championship at the age of 15. He then went on to Ole Miss where he was an AllAmerican his junior year and won the SEC Championship. Watkins decision to stay in state and play at Ole Miss may have been the biggest and best decision of his professional life. “At no time has the relationship with Ole Miss not benefited my life. I originally signed with Georgia then backed out of it. Not knowing then how good that was at the time and it’s been the best thing ever for me.” A decision that would help time and time again in his future. His work ethic paid off in December of 1983 when he qualified for the PGA Tour. He calls that his greatest moment in golf. “It was
can do better than that and I did a tape.” The tape, described by Watkins as,” done in the backyard and awful”, was good enough to catch the attention of WLBT sports director Michael Rubenstein and his staff. It spawned a golf segment, “Tee to Green” that ran for 23 years. And like his association with Ole Miss was a good decision for his future his “Tee to Green” segment was also good for business. “I didn’t want my name to go away just because I quit playing on tour and it did accomplish that.” Watkins soon padded his resume by being a part of building two golf courses Whisper Lake and Patrick Farms, owning a golf cart business and running two state owned golf courses. Then the Southern Farm Bureau Classic came calling. Robert Morgan, who had started the tournament as the Magnolia Classic in Hattiesburg some 40 years earlier announced that he was planning on retiring and said the selection of Watkins to his position as tournament director was an easy one to make. “No question in my mind or any of the other directors minds that he was certainly capable of doing the job. He’s been in golf all his life. It was really a natural fit. There was not a lot of decision to be made if Randy was in fact interested in the job and the package
opposite the Masters but I could drive to Hattiesburg with my dad and watch it”. That fondness continued when he became a pro, “Some of my finest professional memories of competing were in Hattiesburg. That was my favorite tournament because it was home. I could play in Milwaukee and there would be two people watching but in Hattiesburg there were people there to watch me play, genuinely pulling for me. That feels good. That’s never been replaced. “ Watkins now fills his competitive void through his son Thomas, who is following in his dad’s footsteps and is playing golf as a freshman at Ole Miss. “Golf was never a recreation for me and it’s not today. It was something I worked hard on every day. I practiced really, really hard to play in this tournament and to do well. I really miss that now.” I take greater pleasure now just riding with him while he plays than with me playing with him. That way my competitive urges don’t come out”, Watkins said with a smile. So for a guy who lives his life by a scorecard what is important on his final scorecard? “I wanted people to be proud of me. My mom, dad and brothers. My wife and kids. The members of my clubs. I want people to say I’m proud of that guy. That guy did good. That still drives me today. That matters.” - MSM Mississippi Sports Magazine - 23
MSM
SPECIAL REPORT
A History of Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium The stadium has been the site of many historical games and events, but now it’s use and appeal is slowly fading away By ANDY ROSS Special to Mississippi Sports Magazine
I
t is a Saturday afternoon in early October and some 11,000 football fans are sitting in the stands of Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium under a dark, hovering sky. On the field below, the Jackson State Tigers are in the midst of a conference battle with the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff and have just secured a 7-3 halftime lead. For JSU supporters still reeling from 1-3 start on the season, a win is desperately needed. As the crowd begins to bounce and sway to a thundering beat from the Sonic Boom marching band, a misty breeze billows over the concrete wall at the top of the stadium. Gazing over the panoramic vistas of Jackson from this perch, then back into the expanse of the stadium itself, one can’t help but feel the weight of the past, the presence of the countless others who have stood in the same spot watching the legends of Mississippi Sports history in their prime. From Archie Manning and Walter Petyon to Steve “Air” McNair, Brett Favre and the “Satellite Express” of Willie Totten and Jerry Rice, the stadium has seen them all. It was here where Mississippi State and Ole Miss pulled off some of the greatest upsets in their school’s history, where the state’s first NFL exhibition was played in 1969, where 18 consecutive Egg Bowls, and over a dozen SEC doubleheaders took place. As most any Jackson native knows, however, the past two decades have not been so kind to Memorial Stadium. Excluding the occasional concert, high school state championships and the Saturday’s when JSU is on their home field, most days of the year find an eerie silence echoing through the stands of the state-owned facility’s 62,512 seats. Such a fact is certainly not lost on politicians and Jackson’s business community and has resulted in an ongoing, multi-faceted debate over the stadium’s future. Only time will tell what that future holds, yet for the time being, Jackson’s 24 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
largest sports venue continues to look down upon the same spot of land it has for almost sixty years. n n n n n The momentum towards construction of what is now known as Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium first began in 1945. The dark years of WWII had finally passed and Americans around the nation were commemorating those who had paid the ultimate sacrifice defeating Hitler and the Axis Powers. Here in Mississippi, in addition to support for honoring the state’s fallen soldiers with a new monument, there was also a growing desire for “big time football” games to be played in state. Until that point, it was tradition for cities such as Memphis, New Orleans and Memphis to host the biggest games played each season by Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Mississippi Southern (now USM). If Mississippi’s capital city could only be equipped with a proper stadium, so the argument went, major college football games and their lucrative economic benefits would follow. A grand football stadium built in honor of veterans seemed a perfect fit. With such motivations in mind – and plenty of encouragement from veterans groups and the Jackson Touchdown Club – the legislature successfully passed a bill in 1946 to donate 29 acres of state-owned land to Hind’s County for the sole purpose of constructing of a stadium. The designated parcel, located north of Woodrow Wilson Drive between North State and West Street, had previously been part of the “insane hospital” property, as newspaper accounts of the day termed it. The new facility was to be called War Veterans Memorial Stadium and in addition to 35,000 seats, original plans called for 82 sections, one for every county in the state, and each bearing a plaque with
the name of that county’s fallen soldiers. Despite its seemingly lofty goals, it did not take long for the proposed stadium to spark controversy. Battle lines were drawn between those who believed the effort a valuable long term economic investment and those who saw it as wasteful, irresponsible spending. The Jackson Daily News adamantly championed the latter position, regularly publishing editorials lambasting the idea of funding a sports venue instead of new schools, roads, and other infrastructure projects. The Clarion Ledger, by contrast, took much more receptive stance towards the idea. By late 1947, as Hinds County prepared to vote on a $700,000 bond issue to fund the facility’s construction, opposition had reached an impassioned pitch. “Jackson needs a 35,000 seating capacity stadium just about as badly as a centipede needs more legs,” crooned one Daily News editorial. “Building a structure where fanatics can yell and scream to their heart’s content is a damned poor way to honor war veterans,” said another. Not afraid of inciting a bit of religious guilt over the issue, a Nov. 12, 1947 editorial entitled “Don’t Strangle Our Needful Things,” pronounced that “if you want to find the men and women who have made Jackson what it is today you can easily locate them right here at home during weekends, looking after their own affairs, attending church on Sunday, and not gallivanting all over the country to witness football games.” Regardless of the voices sounding off against the stadium, the bond issue passed on November 14, 1947 and construction began early the following year. Work progressed slowly in the midst of weather impediments and rising construction costs and by the time a seating capacity of 21,000 had been reached, the money was gone. In Dec. 1949, Hinds County voters were asked to return to the polls yet again, this
Mississippi Sports Magazine - 25
time to approve an additional $800,000 bond issue necessary to bring the stadium to its originally planned level. Voters said no the second time around and Jackson had to settle for a partially finished facility. Although not the capacity initially envisioned, the stadium was still functional and on Dec. 9, 1950, hosted its first game between Holmes Junior College and the Kilgore College Rangers of Kilgore, Texas. A crowd of 18,000 showed up to watch Holmes fall 32-12. Almost two years later on November 11, 1952, the first Division I-A game took place when Mississippi Southern defeated Louisville 55-26. Ole Miss first entered the grounds on Sept. 19, 1953, defeating Chattanooga 396, and on Halloween day of that same year, Mississippi State made their inaugural appearance with a 20-27 loss to Texas Tech. By this point, temporary seating had been added, bringing capacity to 25,000, a level where the stadium – now going under the name Hinds County War Memorial Stadium – would remain for the rest of the decade. While Mississippi’s two SEC teams and Mississippi Southern did occasionally play in the stadium through the 1950’s, the venue was primarily used for smaller games such as Millsaps College and the annual High School All-Star matchup. The turning point for expansion proponents, according to stadium commission files from later years, came after a 1958 sellout between Mississippi State and LSU. At this juncture efforts were also well underway to bring the facility under state ownership. In 1960 the legislature did in fact take over the stadium. A bill funding expansion to 46,000 seats was passed, along with a name change to Mississippi Memorial Stadium and the formation of a stadium commission consisting of the Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General and ten others responsible for overseeing operations. Construction was completed in 1961, just in time for a Sept. 23 televised game which saw John Vaught’s Ole Miss Rebels topple Arkansas 16-0 before a crowd of 45,508. Although 20 years later the stadium would be expanded yet again to its present size, for a time after 1961 it was able to claim status as the third largest football facility in the Southeastern Conference. The big time football games once envisioned by the stadium’s founders were about to come to Jackson. n n n n n Between the SEC and Mississippi Southern games, and the Southwestern Athletic Conference battles which began in 1967 after Jackson State adopted the facility as its home field, most of the next two and half decades would find Memorial Stadium a hotbed of college football. During some seasons, when upwards of 15 games would take place, some involving nationally ranked teams, the city of Jackson 26 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
could even lay a legitimate claim on being the football capital of the South. Attempting to summarize the most monumental of these bouts, and what the facility itself means to those who experienced the electric atmosphere of its peak years, will no doubt leave regrettable omissions. As Michael Rubenstein, current executive director of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and veteran sports director at WLBT-TV recently said, “they don’t print enough paper to put enough pages in enough books to get all the memories I have down from Memorial Stadium.” One vivid memory that Rubenstein does not have any problem recalling is that of the SEC doubleheaders in Jackson. Beginning in 1964 with a back to back matchup of Mississippi State vs. LSU and Ole Miss vs. Kentucky, the double header Saturday would become a trademark feature of the stadium. “The doubleheader was unheard of then and its quadrupely unheard of now,” says Rubenstein. “For one town to have two SEC game in the same day, you know, that’s just unbelievable. Even with artificial turf you couldn’t do that anymore. The ones I really remember were when Ole Miss would play LSU in the afternoon and State would play Alabama at night. Of course if you were working the games it just wore you out. That’s a lot to do.” Going back in time even further than Rubenstein and the doubleheaders to a Saturday night in Sept. 1962, Memorial Stadium would not only find itself hosting a major SEC game between Kentucky and the soon to be national champions Ole Miss, but also serving as a staging ground for one of the darkest
chapters in Mississippi’s history. In his book, “Dixie, A personal Odyssey Through Events That Shaped the Modern South,” author and journalist Curtis Wilkie recalls attending the Ole Miss-Kentucky game the night before riots broke out in Oxford because a black man named James Meredith tried to enroll in Ole Miss. Standing in the Jackson stadium amidst thousands of confederate-flag waving fans, Wilkie watched with a mixture of awe and horror as then Gov. Ross Barnett led the crowd in the “Never No Never” song whose words had been printed on leaflets passed through the stands. “As the thousands howled, Barnett lifted his arms in triumph,” Wilkie writes. “It was an incredible instant. Even as a dubious spectator, I could feel flesh curdling on my arms. I did not wave a flag and I did not cheer. But I would not have traded my seat for a million dollars. I knew I was witnessing the final convulsions of the Civil War. All the crowd lacked were pitchforks and rifles. That would come the next night.” The Meredith riots and other acts of racially motivated violence through the early 60’s would leave Mississippi’s national reputation in shambles. By the final years of the decade, however, the state’s attitude on civil rights issues was ever so slowly beginning to turn. Just one of the social dynamics which helped encourage outsiders to take a renewed look at Mississippi, according to former Governor William Winter, was the big time football games coming to Mississippi Memorial Stadium. An avid football fan himself who says he never missed an SEC game in Jackson, Winter especially remembers the gutsy performances
of Archie Manning and the press coverage the acclaimed quarterback attracted. “That is really when Manning began to emerge as the sensational player that he was,” Winter said. “I thought it brought a lot of good notice to Jackson. The state of Mississippi was still coming out from under the cloud of the civil rights furor and all the confrontations that had taken place, and those games were some of the events that helped bring in the national press and allow a different opinion of Mississippi to be formed. It was particularly those exciting teams we had in the late 1960’s. Ole Miss, State and Southern all played major games here during that period of time.” When it came to the art of winning big time football games, there was no arguing that Manning was at his best in Jackson. His first appearance at Memorial Stadium came in the 1967 High School All-Star game where he led the North to victory, throwing for over 200 yards. Over the course of his college career the Drew, Mississippi native would play in Jackson eight more times, taking on Houston, LSU, Tennessee, Georgia and Kentucky and Alabama twice each. The 38-0 romping delivered to the third ranked Volunteers in 1969 – a response to the insults thrown upon the Rebels the year before by Tennessee linebacker Steve Kiner – is considered by some as the biggest victory in Ole Miss history. The 26-23 comefrom-behind thriller over a then undefeated LSU team that same season also ranks at the top of Ole Miss’ greatest wins. The Rebels single loss at Memorial stadium during Manning’s tenure came in the Oct. 26, 1968 Houston game. Even today, the former quarterback does not hesitate when asked to recall his near
perfect record. “I was 8-1 in that stadium and those were all big, big games. I remember we absolutely ruined LSU’s season in ‘69’.” As Manning discusses his Jackson memories, it doesn’t take long for the topic to turn to the doubleheaders. “You didn’t see that very often,” Manning said. “That was just a great Saturday in Mississippi when you had two big time SEC games in one day. I still have great memories when I pass by the stadium today.” It wasn’t long after Manning’s days that the stadium bore witness to the spectacle of Walter Peyton. During his tenure at Jackson State, the future Chicago Bears star and NFL Hall of Famer would leave an indelible mark as perhaps the greatest running back to ever come out of Mississippi, finishing his college career rushing for 3,563 yards and scoring a total of 464 points between 1971 and 1974. One of those who witnessed many of Peyton’s performances was a young Calloway student named Tyrone Keys who himself would later earn a spot in the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. Keys says he particularly remembers the 1972 JSU-Lane College game where Peyton scored seven touchdowns and a pair of two point conversions, setting the yet to be broken single game scoring record for JSU. Outside of watching Walter Peyton, another vivid memory for Keys is that of the numerous Mississippi State-Florida matchups which took place in Jackson during the 1970’s. Marveling at the spectacle of the SEC games in his hometown, little did Keys know he would soon be taking the same field as linebacker for Mississippi State. It is even more unlikely he imagined the heroic role he would play in a Nov. 1, 1980 game in Jackson against the defending national champion Alabama Crimson Tide. With only seconds remaining and MSU desperately clinging to a 6-3 lead as Alabama drove hard towards the goal line, Keys caused the fumble that preserved a Bulldog victory. Bear Bryant and his number 1 ranked Crimson Tide had won 28 straight games until that day’s visit to Jackson. “I remember that play like it was yesterday,” Keys remembers. “I remember saying that we had come too far to loose and that somebody has got to make a play. I just exploded out of my stance and they couldn’t believe I was there. I wasn’t looking to knock the ball out but I definitely was looking to make a big play. To be a part of history and make that play was a beautiful thing, and then to be able to walk home from the game –I didn’t live far from the stadium –I was just thinking to myself that this is like a dream.” The above are but a few of most notable moments seen inside Memorial Stadium during its peak years of usage. A few others which also must be mentioned; The 20-13 Ole Miss upset of Notre Dame
on Sept. 17, 1977: Backup quarterback Tim Ellis becomes a hero after leading the Rebels on a game-winning, fourth-quarter drive that’s sets off wild jubilation from fans. The Fighting Irish were ranked third in the country that year and would go on to win a national championship. The 1981 USM-MSU matchup: Southern clinches a narrow 7-6 victory before a crowd reported at 64,112 – a figure some claim set the stadium’s all-time attendance record. The game would be the first in a series of eight consecutive meetings between the two schools in Jackson. The 1983 Egg Bowl: With second remaining in the game and down by a point, Mississippi State kicker Artie Cosby puts up a 27-yard field goal attempt that by all appearances is good. The Bulldogs begin to celebrate a victory just as a mysterious gust of wind throws the ball back to the earth. Ole Miss hangs on for a 2423 win and Independence Bowl berth. The 1984 Mississippi Valley – Alcorn State game: At that point in the season both teams were undefeated. The Totten-Rice combination, along with heavy media coverage surrounding the game, results in a capacity crowd at the stadium above 64,000. (Discrepancies in the attendance figures exist, but many claim the crowd was larger than that of the ‘81’ USM-MSU game). The era of JSU football between 1985-1988: Led by legendary Head Coach W.C. Gordon, the Tigers win four consecutive SWAC Championships. Three of those years Memorial Stadium leads the nation in NCAA Division I AA average attendance. The 1990 Egg Bowl: Owl Miss prevails 21-9 in what would be the last meeting between the two rivals in Jackson. The 1996 Ole Miss-Virginia Military Institute game: The 31-7 Rebel win is the last Division I-A football game to take place in Memorial Stadium. n n n n n By the mid 1970’s, as more and more football stadiums around the South surpassed Memorial Stadium in size, talk had once again turned towards expansion. In 1979, with the ‘77’ Ole Miss-Notre Dame and other near capacity crowd games fresh on their minds, the legislature approve a bill for $3 million in state-backed bonds to enclose the north end of the stadium with roughly 16,000 new seats. The upgrade was completed in 1980, bringing the facility to its horseshoe shape and present capacity of 62,512. Although there was some degree of opposition to the expansion at the time, the move was for the most part supported by politicians and the general public. Mississippi’s “big three” universities also lobbied hard for the growth, pledging to continue bringing their games to Jackson. Few could have seen that Mississippi Sports Magazine - 27
just a few short years later the same schools would be backing out of Jackson, leaving the expansion re-considered as a mistake. In order to generate funds to pay for the project, for example, the legislature authorized the stadium commission to implement a new rental fee charging MSU, Ole Miss and Southern, 10 percent of the pre-tax value of each ticket sold, plus 50 cents per ticket (Jackson State was exempt from the same rental charges). It didn’t take long for resentment towards the fees and other polices implemented by the stadium commission to begin mounting within the big three’s athletic departments. Simultaneously, attendance figures at Memorial Stadium were steadily declining, and at best inconsistent. As revenues from ticket sales dwindled, the stadium’s operating funds normally budgeted for salaries and other maintenance projects began being funneled towards making the annual $300,000 bond payments. Hinds County, who had put up $1million on top of the state’s $3 million, was also demanding repayment. While some blamed the poor attendance on losing seasons which plagued Ole Miss and State through the early 1980’s, a depressing turnout of 35,000 for the 1986 Ole Miss vs. Tennessee game – this when the Rebels were 6-2-1 and aiming for their first potential SEC championship since 1963 – forced many to face the ugly truth that Jackson’s SEC glory days might be over. Efforts to generate income through concerts and other non-sporting events were also attempted, but generally fell flat. In 1987, after a Legislative watchdog committee appointed to investigate the stadium found numerous flaws with the management operations, the stadium commission was re-organized in hopes of turning the place around. Instead of a large committee consisting of politicians and random businessmen, the new committee was cut to five members who would be appointed and hopefully more in-tune with the dynamics of putting on sporting events. (It was at this time the name of stadium changed once again, this time to Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium). Unfortunately, the reorganization had little lasting impact and by 1988 the future of major college football games in Jackson appeared bleaker than ever. Of the ten games which took place in the stadium that fall, only four involved Division 1-A schools, the fewest number in 20 years. “Mississippians have millions invested in the stadium,” pronounced a Clarion Ledger Editorial, “and unless things improve, that money will have been wasted.” Things did not approve. USM left Memorial Stadium for good after the 1988 game against MSU. The Bulldogs last appearance came two years later in the 1990 Egg Bowl. Ole Miss continued to play at least one game in Jackson through 1993, but by the following season had scheduled all their home games for Oxford. During a 1993 House Ap28 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
propriations Committee meeting where legislators were seeking answers for the stadium’s funding problems, then Ole Miss Athletic Director Warner Alford stated his case bluntly. “We have a 42,000 seat stadium in Oxford, Alford said.“I have constituents to answer to. They don’t understand why I play games in Jackson when we can draw the same crowd in Oxford.” After Ole Miss’ final appearance three years later against Virginia Military Institute, Jackson State for the most part, left as the sole college football team taking the field of Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium during fall Saturdays. The situation remains the same today. n n n n n For anyone who has attended a game at Oxford’s Vaught-Hemingway or Starkville’s Davis Wade Stadium in recent years, just one look at the modern seating, jumbotrons and luxury suites is all it takes to realize the comparative standing of Jackson’s stadium. The scoreboard here is not much bigger than that seen over high school fields. The square, metal frame press box with rust stains and a prehistoric looking elevator is, too put it kindly, outdated. (Its not as if money hasn’t not been spent on the place – more than $15 million in fact over the past decade on new locker rooms, offices behind the south end zone and other smaller projects). Outdated or not, the fact remains Memorial stadium continues to light up with JSU gridiron action each fall. And although the Tiger’s home attendance in recent years has substantially dropped from stretches in the late 1980’s and 1990’s – a time when some years saw an average crowd size of 38,000 – some games such as the Southern University rivalry and Alcorn State classic can draw enough to fill more than three quarters of the stadium. For long-time Tiger fans such as Jackie Fortson, a 1973 JSU graduate who has purchased season every year since she finished school, such games inside Memorial Stadium hold a special place. Among the many memories she recalls are the years when the Soul Bowl between JSU and Alcorn (now called the Capital City Classic) took place in Jackson on Thanksgiving Day. “We used to get up in the morning and my mom and I would do all the cooking. We would come to the game and then go home and eat with family and all the alumni who were in town. That was a big deal and we always looked forward to that.” Not all of the Tiger’s fans, administration and alumni are thrilled with their home venue, however. The fact JSU is the only Division I program in the state without an on-campus stadium is not looked on kindly in some circles and has caused substantial lobbying to tear down Memorial and build a new, smaller venue at JSU. Further complicating the issue is the fact the
stadium happens to sit on some of Jackson’s most prime real estate. With the University of Mississippi Medical Center directly across State Street, it is no secret the hospital has been eyeing the stadium’s land for a new research center. If those considerations aren’t enough to create a political cesspool surrounding the issue, just factor in a few of the recent blunders by previous stadium management. A seemingly endless traffic jam and crowd control nightmare that occurred during the 2006 Saints-Colts exhibition game was a major blunder. Then, the following year, $200,000 in concession and ticket sales from a JSU game was stolen in a still-unsolved robbery. Following the two incidents, the legislature in 2008 made a decision to dissolve the stadium commission and re-align the facility under the Department of Finance and Administration. According to Mike Marsh who took over the reins as new stadium manager after DFA’s takeover, the stadium is, for the time being, a self sustaining facility, generating just enough revenue to keep its budget of approximately $1.1 million dollars balanced. Although at present time the JSU games provide a relatively small chunk of the stadium’s revenue – by statute, the facility receives a seven percent amusement tax on all tickets sold – Veterans Memorial continues to support itself by other means. The primary source of income is parking fees paid by the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Rental fees paid by the restaurants and businesses that have located on the 25 acres surrounding the stadium are another important funding source. In 2010 Marsh expects to be pushing hard for more off-season events and concerts – he has been in talks with top acts including Willie Nelson and The Eagles – and stresses the huge financial impact just one successful big name show could have. In terms of a long-term vision, however, the manager does admit it can be difficult. “Right now we are basically at a break even situation,” Marsh said. “We are just taking it a year at a time and trying to keep the ship riding in the water. Once we get a feel for what the legislature wants to do and the kind of financial commitment they want to make to the stadium, we can go forward with more of a game plan.” Regardless of the financial realities facing the stadium he runs, Marsh says he never looses sight of the historical currents which surround the place, nor the fact so many Jacksonians consider it an enduring symbol of their city. “It’s a grand place,” says Marsh. “It is in an elite group of stadiums in this country that were built and named after the people who defended our right to even go to football games. They were built at a time when our country honored our veterans and I think that fact alone is very important to our history in Mississippi.” - MSM
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2009 MS SPORTS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
John Stroud Born with basketball in his blood, the Union County native has gone from Ole Miss and the NBA to coaching and the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame By ELIZABETH ZAREMBA Special to Mississippi Sports Magazine
The Journey Down Highway 30 With so much interest generating around the 1A star, Stroud narrowed his college choices down to Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Memphis, Alabama and Vanderbilt, but a desire to stay close to home took him a short drive down Highway 30 to Oxford to play for the Rebels, where he became a starter only five games into his freshman season. “Coaches will find out about you, and just being 6’7 in high school, I had a talent to score. I ended up averaging more points in college than I did in high school, but I had a good career, and we had some good teams.” Stroud gradually became a force for the Rebels, as by his junior year in 1979, he was leading the SEC in scoring (26.3 ppg) while being selected first team All-SEC, as well as the NABC All-District first team. In his senior season, Stroud led the Rebels to their first postseason appearance since the 1930s, as Ole Miss defeated Grambling State 7674 in the first round of the NIT, their first postseason win. The Rebs would lose to Minnesota in the second round, ending Stroud’s collegiate career. “The NIT back in the late 1970’s early 1980’s was a lot bigger than what it is now because there wasn’t 64 schools that were in the NCAA Tournament, there were only 32,” Stroud explained. “That was my only 30 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
Photo Courtesy the University of Mississippi
T
he career of one of the most prolific basketball players in Mississippi history starts and ends on the country roads of Union County. Born into a family that made a name for themselves in the game, John Stroud had basketball in his blood and was destined to follow in his family’s footsteps. Stroud’s parents, Johnny and Francis, both played in their high school days at Macedonia High School (now West Union), with his father being one of only three to be named All-State every year of his high school career, while his sister, Diane Tate, has her jersey retired on the walls of West Union, along with her brother. “I had this basketball gene in my body, and playing at a school like West Union that has nothing but basketball and you’re 6’5 in the seventh grade and 6’7 in the ninth grade, you’re pretty much given a ball and told to play,” Stroud said. “I had that heredity to play, so I used my talent and got better at it and kept improving and working and getting better.” Stroud’s father passed away when he was only 12, but his mother continued to nurture his game, traveling long distances to take him to camps, leading to around 200 scholarship offers from colleges. “Back in the 70’s, you didn’t have the internet or Direct TV, all this stuff to be exposed to basketball like you have now, so she exposed me to all the basketball that she could. Being from a small 1A school with 30 students in my senior class, it was kind of remarkable experience.”
winning season at Ole Miss, and we were 17-13. My first three years at Ole Miss we were competitive, but we couldn’t get over the hump of winning the big game, and we were in a lot of close games.” In that 1980 season, Stroud would pick up SEC Player of the Year Honors, as well as a AP third team All-America selection. His 2,328 points is still tops at Ole Miss, as well as third on the SEC all-time scoring list. “I tell people that all the good players go pro early now, so the record’s pretty safe,” Stroud laughed. “Also, that was without a shot clock, and that was without a three-point shot, so it probably would have been a lot more points because we would have had to play a faster pace. Back then, everyone played Ole Miss in a 2-3 zone, packing in real tight and guarding me, so it was pretty hard. A lot of times I would only shoot 13 or 14 times in a game, but I had a real good high percentage shots, and we worked the clock and held the ball a long time, so I could get an easy shot.” From Mississippi to the NBA Thanks to a successful collegiate career, Stroud found himself leaving the friendly confines of Mississippi and heading to the NBA, as he was a first round draft pick by the Houston Rockets in 1980 and was a part of the 1981 squad that was defeated by the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals. Difficult adjustments caused him to have a short NBA career, as Stroud was moved to guard, a position he was not used to playing. “It was a real quick pro career. I have my evidence of playing,” Stroud said pulling out a single photo. “The NBA is like a business, so if you can do it, they’ll keep you, and if you can’t, they’ll cut you and get someone else. It’s just an adjustment going from playing under the goal in college to being a guard. Moses Malone was the MVP of the
“It was like a mid-life crisis change in my 40’s, but I made the change, came back to New Albany,” Stroud said.”
Photo by Elizabeth Zaremba
A Brief Hiatus It only took one year before Stroud was approached about returning to New Albany High, this time as the head coach of the girl’s team. “Working with the girls, I had coached in college and worked with the boys and played in college and the pros, it was an avenue I had not gone down, and I wanted to coach at another level, so that’s why I went over to high school girls,” Stroud said. “They listen to you and obey you, and they run the drill to a ‘T.’ Boys will break a play down, throw a couple passes, then go one-on-one and try to dunk the ball, but the girls will try to do it like you tell them, and I just enjoy this level.” Stroud also coached the boy’s team for two seasons, but balancing both squads plus his insurance agency became too much. “It’s too much of a job. It’s like I had three jobs, my insurance job, then both boys and girls, and each need the same amount of time.” Stroud uses his abundant knowledge of the game as a tool when coaching, as he has experienced every level of the game. “I’ve seen it at all levels, so I try to show it to them here at New Albany what all of these other teams do, so they’re exposed to a lot of basketball.”
Stroud with daughter Caroline.
NBA during those times, and he was our center at 7’0, so the coach would always say ‘Get out of Moses’ way.’ It was tough handling the ball and shooting three’s. That’s something I had never done before, so they waved me over to Spain, and I played there for a year.” Averaging around 30 points a game, Stroud felt his talents could be used elsewhere and in a different field, so he decided to make the change to coaching in 1983. “It was just the living conditions and the language, along with being the only American on the team. I could have played about 10 years over there, but I went over there with the hopes of going back to the NBA. No one picked me up, so I decided to do something else.” The Move to Coaching Starting as a graduate assistant at the University of Alabama, Stroud got his feet wet in the coaching field then decided to return to his hometown to take a head position at W.P. Daniel High School (now New Albany High). In his first two seasons as a head coach, Stroud led the Bulldogs to back-to-back state championships, unprecedented considering his age and coaching experience. “It was unheard of for a person to win two state championships in their first two years of coaching. At 27 and 28, I was two-for-two, so I should have just retired then,” Stroud laughed. Moving to bigger ranks, Stroud took a position at East Mississippi Community College, leading the Lions to their first ever state tournament appearance before moving to Millsaps College in 1991. Coaching the girl’s team one season, Stroud mostly worked with the men’s team, leading them to the Division III “Sweet 16” in 1996. “We had some good years there, but that was a hard job. It was an easy job coaching, but it was a hard job recruiting with no scholarships. It’s also a high academic and expensive school, so that burned me out of recruiting and traveling.” Stroud coached at Millsaps until 2003, deciding then to return back to New Albany, where he purchased an insurance agency, which he runs to this day. Burned out from the game, Stroud thought it best to take a break.
Like Father, Like Daughter Building a love for the game from his family, Stroud now passes on that tradition to his daughters, Caroline and Anna Francis. Caroline is a junior at NAHS, while the youngest is starting to play middle school ball. “It’s harder, because I watch them, then I watch my daughters, particularly my oldest one, and I see what she should be doing, so it’s hard. Sometimes I ride them harder than the others, but thankfully she’s not in the starting five, because I think I would be harder on her, but she contributes and plays a good bit. It’s a challenge, but when she’s on the court, I treat her like any other girl out there. I don’t give her extra playing time because she’s my daughter, or anything like that. It’s all about winning, and that sort of thing.” Even if his daughters chose a different route, Stroud knows his calling is to be with the Lady Bulldogs, a team destined for a state championship. “We have zero seniors on our team, and we have nine juniors, so these next two years will be good years at New Albany, whether we win state or what we do, we’ll have a lot of success,” Stroud said. “Of course Jazmine Spears is only a ninth grader, so possibly the next four years, we’ll have some good things happening at New Albany.” The Hall of Fame calls In 2008, the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame announced Stroud as an inductee for their class of 2009, a year after other Ole Miss greats Coolidge Ball and Jennifer Gillom were inducted. Stroud was inducted along with five others in July and is the 63rd Rebel in the Hall of Fame. “That’s the biggest honor of all in the state because you’re mentioned with all of the great athletes. I’m not sure exactly how many there are, but basketball has such few athletes, maybe 15 or 20 at the most, so being among those basketball players is an honor, and again, coming all the way from a small school to the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame is a great honor. I’m happy to be a part of it with the Jerry Rice’s and Archie Manning’s and Walter Payton’s and all of those guys, I’m excited about it.” Now 51, Stroud is showing no signs of slowing down and is excited about the future ahead of him. “Well, I’m hoping this isn’t over with yet. It’s funny how everything goes around and comes back around, but you never know what will happen next. That’s just the way things work out.” - MSM - Elizabeth Zaremba is the Sports Editor for the New Albany Gazette. You can contact her at sports@newalbanygazette.com. Mississippi Sports Magazine - 31
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DSU Coaching Legend Margaret Wade Photo courtesy Delta State Athletics
Wade’s success in women’s basketball put DSU on the national map By Donell Maxie Special to Mississippi Sports Magazine
W
hen most women’s basketball enthusiast talks about the sport, one name that’s constant is Lily Margaret Wade. It is nearly impossible to hold women’s basketball up without finding a pedestal to place Wade right next to it. Born in 1912 in McCool, Wade lived a life that leads many to believe she was created for the purpose of taking the game to another dimension. Simply put, if her life was a book between each line there would be basketball. Her love and passion for basketball began at an early age, but was put on display when she enrolled at Delta State College. Wade was a forward on the Lady Statesmen basketball team in 1929. In 1932, DSU disbanded the program ending what was a great career for Wade. Quoting a statement released by DSU officials in 1932, “Intercollegiate basketball could not be defended on sound grounds.” Wade said, “We really didn’t have a choice, and it was especially tough on me since I had another year remaining.” She added, “The administration thought the game was too tough for young ladies, so we burned our uniforms.” Despite the immediate heart break for Wade and the other players, she persevered and went on to graduate from Delta State. She continued her basketball career playing semi-pro with the Tupelo Red Wings where she served as team captain and ultimately led the team to the Southern Championship. An unfortunate knee injury ended her playing career after only two seasons. Wade’s coaching career began at Cleveland High School as the girl’s basketball coach where she remained for 25 seasons with a
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453-89-6 record. Her teams won the Bolivar County Championships and entered the North Mississippi tournament fourteen out of her last fifteen years, and came in second in the state championships three consecutive years. She coached high school basketball from 1933 to 1954 after which she went into a five year retirement. It was at Cleveland High where former Delta State baseball coach and Bolivar County native Dave “Boo” Ferris first became acquainted with Wade. “I knew her from her days with Cleveland
High. Growing up in Shaw and officiating some of her games I got to see her up close,” said Ferris, who played baseball for the Boston Red Sox. Ferris said it was in 1959 when he and Wade both came to Delta State to work. Ferris would become the head coach of the baseball team in 1960 while Wade returned to Delta State College as Director of Women’s Physical Education. In 1973 the women’s basketball program was reinstated at Delta State and Wade was appointed head coach by President Aubrey Lucas.
Photo courtesy Delta State Athletics
current head coach Sandra Rushing; it is easy to see the connection to Wade and how Delta State has made a commitment to continue excellence is women’s basketball. A LOOK BACK (Courtesy of Delta State University media guide). This is a look at Delta State’s three year reign as A.I.A.W National Champions from 1974-77 under Margaret Wade. 1974-1975 Record: 28-0 • A.I.A.W National Champions The second year of the Margaret Wade regime would pave the way for over 30 years of success on the hardwood, as coach Wade guided the Lady Statesmen to an undefeated 28-0 record and the program’s first national championship. The Lady Statesmen walked through the A.I.A.W. Mississippi State Tournament with victories over Ole Miss (76-52) and Mississippi College (89-87). In the A.I.A.W. National Tournament, the Lady Statesmen reeled off four straight wins to claim the title in Harrisburg, Penn. DSU defeated Federal City (77- 75, OT), Tennessee Tech (88-66), Southern Connecticut (71-68), and Immaculata (90-81) en route to the title. 1975-1976
Under the direction and leadership of Coach Wade, along with a starting line up that included the likes of Lucia Harris-Stewart (MS Sports Hall of Fame), Debbie Brock, Ramona Von Boeckman, Wanda Hairston and Cornelia Ward, the Lady Statesmen won three consecutive AIAW National Championships breaking the previous record set by DSU’s ultimate rival Immaculata. “She was ideal for the job,” said Ferris. She was the perfect coach. They gave her the job and the rest is history. Margaret did more for Delta State athletics then anyone before her or since. She put us on the national map. She was an extraordinary person and I will always be thankful for what she did for Delta State,” Ferris added. During those seasons as head coach of the Lady Statesmen, the team put together a 51-game winning streak. She also coached a future Basketball Hall of Fame inductee in Harris-Stewart. Delta State University stuck with Wade until her retirement in 1979. Wade’s legacy has left a permanent mark on women’s basketball and can be readily seen each year as the Margaret Wade Trophy is given in her honor to top women’s college basketball players each year. In addition Wade was the first woman
enshrined in Mississippi Sport Hall of Fame, the Delta State University Hall of Fame, and she is also enshrined in the Mississippi Coaches Hall of Fame. Wade died on February 16, 1995 at age 83 but had been honored with having Cleveland High School’s Margaret Wade Gymnasium, on the campus of Margaret Green Junior High School, named in her honor in 1977. A Mississippi Historical Marker honoring Margaret Wade was unveiled on the front lawn of Cleveland High School on October 11, 2008. Looking at the obvious advancements women’s athletics have gone through, particularly women’s basketball it’s safe to connect the dots and say that Wades role in the process has been phenomenal. What Wade was able to do for the sport in the 1970’s can be liken to male coaches like Bear Bryant in college football and John Wooden in men’s college basketball. The fact that to this day Delta State women’s basketball is considered one of the most storied programs in the nation is simply because of what Wade was able to do in the early year’s of the program. From the success of Lloyd Clark and his three national championships as well as his overall 494-98 (.836) record to the acheviments of
Record: 33-1 • A.I.A.W National Champions The Lady Statesmen became the first major college women’s basketball team to claim back-to-back A.I.A.W. championships with a 33-1 record. Led by the “Fab Five” and consensus All-American Lusia Harris, the Lady Statesmen proved to be better than advertised. Delta State shook off a 64-53 loss to Immaculata on Feb, 23, 1976 to refocus and begin an improbable march to history. Coach Wade wasted little time with four straight wins at the A.I.A.W Mississippi State Tournament to advance to nationals. Once again faced with hostile road crowds, DSU reeled off seven straight wins, including a 6964 victory over Immaculate for the crown. 1976-1977 Record: 32-3 • A.I.A.W National Champions Dynasty is a word too often used to describe one school’s dominance in a sport. With Margaret Wade and the Lady Statesmen, it’s understood. The Lady Statesmen erased any doubt of a potential let-down after two straight national championships by rolling to their third straight and a 32-3 overall record. Lusia Harris and the “Fab Five” etched their names in the annals of sport with wins over Minnesota (87-43), Southern Connecticut (75-49), Tennessee (62-58) and Louisiana State (68-55) to claim the nation’s first women’s collegiate basketball three-peat. DSU went 14-0 at home that year and all five starters were named “All-Americans.” MSM
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IT’S ALMOST TIP-OFF TIME HE END OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON IS DRAWING CLOSER AND FANS ACROSS MISSISSIPPI ARE TURNING THEIR ATTENTION TOWARDS BASKETBALL SEASON. AT MSU, JARVAS VARNADO DECIDED TO FORGO THE NBA DRAFT FOR ANOTHER SEASON IN STARKVILLE. ANDY KENNEDY AT OLE MISS RETURNS THREE STARTERS BACK FROM THE MASH UNIT IN HOPES TO MAKE THE NCAA TOURNAMENT. LARRY EUSTACHY NEEDS TO IMPROVE HIS GOLDEN EAGLE TEAM IN DRAMATIC FASHION OR THE EAGLE FANS MAY BE CALLING FOR A CHANGE IN HATTIESBURG. READ INSIDE TO SEE WHAT’S IN STORE FOR YOUR FAVORITE TEAM THIS SEASON.
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Photo courtesy Mississippi State Athletics 38 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
MSM’S PRE-SEASON PICKS FOR THE BAILEY HOWELL AND PEGGIE GILLOM TROPHIES. JARVIS VARNADO - MISSISSIPPI STATE 2009 BAILEY HOWELL AWARD WINNER 6’9” • CENTER • SR. • BROWNSVILLE, TN
TERRICO WHITE - OLE MISS 6’2” • GUARD • SOPH. • MEMPHIS, TN
CHRIS WARREN - OLE MISS 5’10” • GUARD • JR. • ORLANDO, FL
BARRY STEWART - MISSISSIPPI STATE 6’2” • GUARD • SR. • SHELBYVILLE, TN
ALEXIS RACK - MISSISSIPPI STATE 2009 PEGGIE GILLOM AWARD WINNER 5’7” • GUARD • SR. • FRANKLIN, LA
BIANCA THOMAS - OLE MISS 5’10” • GUARD • SR. • HENDERSON, TN
PAULINE LOVE - SOUTHERN MISS 6’0” • FORWARD • SR. • LUXORA, AR
VERONICA WALKER - DELTA STATE 6’1” • CENTER • SOPH. • INDONALA, MS
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MISS. STATE BULLDOGS IS THIS THE YEAR DAWG’S RETURN TO FINAL 4?
DEE BOST
The return of five starters has Starkville excited about hoops By PAUL JONES Contributing Writer
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his time a year ago, Rick Stansbury was staring at a starting lineup that had many question marks. After all, only two starters were back - center Jarvis Varnado and guard Barry Stewart - and the rest were unproven players in key roles. But Stansbury and his staff will not face that problem this season. Along with Varnado and Stewart, the Bulldogs return four other players that earned starting roles last year. Sophomore point guard Dee Bost, wing players Phil Turner and Ravern Johnson and forward Kodi Augustus got their share of starting nods last season. “This year, at least, we have a better understanding of our team,” said Stansbury. “Last year we had no understanding about them because we only had two guys that had started - Jarvis and Barry. That was basically it. No one else we knew what to expect under certain situations. Now, most of these guys have been through some things and we understand what they are capable of doing a little bit more than this time last year.” Despite that inexperience last spring, the Bulldogs finished 23-13 and captured the 2009 SEC Tournament crown en route to the NCAA Tournament. Of course, with all five starters back for 2009-10, the expectations have also risen. In many preseason publications, the Bulldogs are ranked in the Top 20 and considered the favorite to capture the SEC’s Western Division. However, something that is similar to last year’s team is the mindset of expectations, said Stansbury. “We don’t perceive it any different than how we always perceive,” said Stansbury, entering his 11th season at the MSU helm. “If 40 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
Photo courtesy Mississippi State Athletics
we perform based on perception then you are on a roller coaster. We don’t perform like that and we perform on what we can control. The only thing we can control is what happens between the lines. “For instance, if we perform on perception on last year, we’re not supposed to be very good. We weren’t supposed to win a championship because we were young and new. This year, there is a perception we’re supposed to win. But again, you can’t get caught up in those either way. We are not in control of what they say - good or bad.” And other than Varnado, no other Bulldog is expected to receive much preseason hype. But playing as a team with that all-tooimportant chemistry is what will again spell success for Mississippi State. “Our best ability or capability is as a team,” said Stansbury. “I don’t know if we have a totally dominant player anywhere. Now we do have a lot of good players at different
positions. Our ability to play as a team will always our key to winning championships. Everyone has good individual players. You look at the individual stars and McDonald All-Americans that Kentucky, Florida and Tennessee have. Well, we don’t have that but I don’t get into that. “We have very good players and we always build this program on being a team.” BACKCOURT With Bost and Stewart back in the fold, the Bulldogs have the potential to have one of the best backcourts in the SEC. As a rookie in 2008-09, Bost averaged 10.9 points and had a team-high 156 assists with 102 turnovers. Now ten pounds heavier and a year old, Bost believes his play should be even better this season. After playing only shooting guard in high school and prep school, last season was Bost’s first experience running the squad.
Photo courtesy Mississippi State Athletics
JARVIS VArnado
“I am a lot more comfortable this year,” said Bost. “Especially after getting more weight on me. I feel a lot stronger and I feel more comfortable on the court as far as being a leader.” Entering his senior year, Stewart has 1,178 career points, which is the 21st-best total in school history. And with just 57 more threepointers made, Stewart will bypass former great Daryl Wilson in career three-pointers made. Having also added some ten pounds in
the offseason, Stewart ranked second on the squad last year with 12.4 points a game. “That (record) never crossed my mind when I first got here,” Stewart said. “I just wanted to work hard and show everyone I have good work ethic. But it will definitely be a different focus with my last go-around this season. You now have to play every game like it’s your last game. I go out there and always give my best effort. I expect nothing less for myself and this team.” The Bulldogs also have other proven back
court players in juniors Phil Turner and Ravern Johnson. Due to State’s lack of bodies last year, Turner started 27 games at the power forward spot. But the 6-foot-4 Turner held his own and averaged 8.5 points and 5.5 boards. With Kodi Augustus’ emergence last year at the four spot, Turner should be able to return to one of the wing spots this season. Also loaded with experience and offensive skills is Johnson, who started all 36 games a year ago. The 6-foot-7 Johnson averaged 12.1 points as s sophomore and led MSU with 83 treys. “I said from Day 1 that Ro was going to be a terrific player in time,” Stansbury said. “Because he’s got a good attitude and work ethic. He has to work on his skills and work on his shooting. Those kinds of things he’s worked on hard in the offseason. It is obvious he will be more prepared and able to help us at that position this year. “Last year he did come off the bench and help us at the three spot and was good for us down the stretch. No question, he will be better at that position this year and will continue to get better as he works on his skills.” Sophomore Romero Osby played in all 36 games last year, as well, but mainly at the four spot. But Osby has made the transition to the wing in the offseason. “I said from Day 1 that Ro was going to be a terrific player in time,” Stansbury said. “Because he’s got a good attitude and work ethic. He has to work on his skills and work on his shooting. Those kinds of things he’s worked on hard in the offseason. It is obvious he will be more prepared and able to help us at that position this year. “Last year he did come off the bench and help us at the three spot and was good for us down the stretch. No question, he will be better at that position this year and will continue to get better as he works on his skills.” The Bulldogs also have experience at guard in junior Riley Benock and signed all-state performer Shaun Smith of Noxubee County. “I also think we have some versatility with this team, guys we can move around in different spots,” said Stansbury. “It is very obvious with our injury list right now, that’s going to have to happen. We’ve got some guys we were depending on that we’re not going to have. I do think we are fortunate to have some guys that can play multiple positions. “Now, what those positions are yet and who can play them, that is up in the air.” The Bulldogs’ backcourt also needs to avoid any more injuries. Backup point guard Twany Beckham (hip surgery) is already lost for the season and Benock suffered a foot injury that will hamper him early in the year. “We do have some interchangeable parts and can move some guys around,” said Mississippi Sports Magazine - 41
Stansbury. “But now we can’t have any more injuries or we will really be walking a thin line.” FRONTCOURT For much of the 2008-09 slate, the Bulldogs went to a four-guard lineup due to the lack of bodies inside. The Bulldogs do return Varnado and Augustus in the front court and should not have to start four guards this time around. However, injuries and other issues do present a lack of depth in State’s front court. Junior forward Elgin Bailey is still recovering from last year’s broken ankle. And 2009 signee John Reik, a 7-foot-2 center, must sit out the first nine games of the season due to NCAA amateur rules. And of course, the Bulldogs enter the season with highly-touted recruit Renardo Sidney in NCAA limbo. Along with Reik, MSU signed another post player in Wendell Lewis from the Alabama high school ranks. Despite being recruited as a forward, Lewis may have to back up Varnado in the early going. “At this point it’s thin, especially without Sidney and not knowing what the Sidney situation is,” said Stansbury. “We know we don’t have John early, and for the first nine games already. We basically have Jarvis and we are right now without Elgin. The post is very thin. Wendell was not recruited here to be a center. Is his that his best position? No. But we may need him to play that before we get reinforcements in. Those are decisions we have to make in practice. But because Wendell does have a body, it comes into playing a little more.” However, Varnado and company should receive some instant help in the 10th game of the season. That is when Reik and his long wingspan enters the picture. Reik is a year removed from knee surgery but has shown little signs of being hampered on the court. “We feel good about where he’s at and we felt good about his knee when we signed him,” said Stansbury. “You never know until you put them under your workouts and schedule. But so far, he’s been fine and basically had no problems. The biggest thing with John is getting stronger. He’s never lifted weights in his life at all. So his lower body has to get stronger. He’s got pretty nice upper body strength.” Regardless of the newcomers, it is without question of the leader in MSU’s front court. For the past two seasons, Varnado has led the nation in blocked shots and also improved his offensive skills last year, averaging a team-best 12.9 points. Varnado has received national pub in the offseason and made the roster for Team USA in the World University Games. Varnado has already been nominated for 42 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
RAVERN JOHNSON
Photo courtesy Mississippi State Athletics
the Wooden Award for this season and is expected to receive numerous all-conference and All-American mentions. But the extra hype hasn’t gone to the head of the humble and quiet Varnado. “We don’t try to get caught up in that,” said Varnado. “The only thing we can control is ourselves, how hard we play and how well we have to defend to win games. All the rest will take care itself if we all do our jobs.” While Varnado is the centerpiece of the team, Augustus could be the key factor. After starting nine games early in the year, Augustus rode the bench for most of the SEC slate due to inconsistent play. But Augustus got out of the doghouse late in the year and was an integral part to MSU’s late-season run. “I think Kodi’s emergence is what we anticipating him doing way before that,” said Stansbury. “We just went the long route in getting there. What you hope now is that now he’s been there and had some success that he don’t ever go back. And I don’t see any signs of him going back. Everything has been straight-on and straight-forward and he has gone straight up that hill since last year. “He’s had a great summer and watching him in conditioning, you see how much better he is.” OVERVIEW Enter this past offseason, the Bulldog coaches and players knew one area had to change. While Stansbury always speaks of toughness, rebounding and defense, he knew his squad had to get stronger. And for the most part, his players did just that. “That was the focus of what we needed to do because we were probably the lightest team in America last year,” said Stansbury. “I don’t know if there were five starters in the country lighter than we were - at any level. There probably weren’t any Division III
teams that were as light as we were last year. We had one guy over 200 pounds (Varnado) and everyone else was 180 pounds or below. So it was obvious we had to get stronger. Are we as strong as we’d like to be? No. But we’ve made some progress there. Those guys are not going to get bulky overnight but we have made some progress.” Before MSU tackles the SEC slate, the Bulldogs will be tested early and often in the pre-conference schedule. The likes of UCLA, Missouri, Houston, Richmond, Western Kentucky and DePaul dot the 200910 schedule, a major step up from last year’s non-conference schedule. “We have much tougher games on the road than we have at home,” Stansbury said. “I wish that was flip-flopped. But teams that win championships have to win on the road. There is no question this schedule will help prepare us for the Southeastern Conference. Of course, we have solid teams at home, too, with Wright State and Rider both picked to win their league.” As Stansbury noted, though, it should only provide good experience for a team full of expectations. And with last year’s experience of March Madness, the Bulldogs are hoping that lateseason momentum carries over for the entire 2009-10 season. “It’s not the best players that win the games,” Stansbury added. “It’s the best team and the toughest team. And that is an area we’ve got to get better at this year - being tougher, defending and rebounding. But like I always say, there is also no substitute for experience. “When you gain experience and win at the same time, it’s even better and that’s what we got last year. A lot of guys gained experience and with that experience came a lot of confidence and winning a championship. Hopefully we keep building on that.” - MSM
ROSTER NO NAME 2 Ravern Johnson 3 Dee Bost 4 Twany Beckham 5 Romero Osby 10 Shaunessy Smith 12 Charles Parker 15 Riley Benock 20 Taylor Luczak 21 Baxter Price 22 Barry Stewart 24 Kodi Augustus 25 Phil Turner 30 Wendell Lewis 32 Jarvis Varnado 33 Brandon Bolen 45 Elgin Bailey 50 John Riek
POS HT/WT YR G 6-7/175 Jr. G 6-2 /170 So. G 6-5/190 So. F 6-8/230 So. G 6-6 /195 Fr. HS G 5-10/154 Fr. HS G 6-4/180 Jr. F 6-8/220 So. G 5-9/145 Fr. HS G 6-3/170 Sr. F 6-8/220 Jr. G 6-3/170 Jr. C 6-8/240 Fr. HS F 6-9 /230 Sr. G 6-3/195 Jr. F 6-8/265 Jr. F 7-1/242 Fr. HS
HOMETOWN (LAST SCHOOL) Lyon, MS (Coahoma County HS) Concord, NC (Hargrave Military Academy) Louisville, KY (New Hampton [NH] School) Meridian, MS (Northeast Lauderdale HS) Macon, MS (Noxubee County HS) McKinney, TX (McKinney HS) Battletown, KY (Meade County HS) Glen Falls, NY (Glen Falls HS) Brandon, MS (Northwest Rankin HS) Shelbyville, TN (Shelbyville Central HS) Baton Rouge, LA (Maine Central Institute) Grenada, MS (Grenada HS) Selma, AL (Selma HS) Brownsville, TN (Haywood HS) Madison, MS (Madison-Ridgeland Academy) New Orleans, LA (Belaire HS) Khartoum, Sudan (IMG Academy [FL])
FAST FACTS CONFERENCE: SEC (Western Division) COACH: Rick Stansbury 2008-09 Record: 23-13, 9-7 Conf. arena: Humphery Coliseum Coliseum; 11,000 Capacity
SCHEDULE Oct. 31 Oklahoma City (Exh) Nov. 7 Georgetown, KY (Exh) Nov. 13 Rider Nov. 19 SE Louisiana Nov. 21 Bethune Cookman Nov. 24 Texas Pan-America South Padre Island Invitational Nov. 27 Richmond Nov. 28 Old Dominion/Missouri Dec. 5 St. Bonaventure Dec. 10 DePaul (SEC/Big East Challenge) Dec. 12 @ UCLA Dec. 16 Wright State Dec. 19 @ Houston Dec. 22 Centenary (Jackson) Dec. 28 Miss. Valley State Dec. 31 @ San Diego Jan. 4 @ Western Kentucky Jan. 9 @ Ole Miss Jan. 14 Arkansas Jan. 16 Georgia Jan. 23 @ Alabama Jan. 28 @ Arkansas Jan. 30 LSU Feb. 3 @ Vanderbilt Feb. 6 @ Florida Feb. 11 Ole Miss Feb. 13 Auburn Feb. 16 Kentucky Feb. 20 @ LSU Feb. 24 Alabama Feb. 27 @ South Carlina Mar. 3 @ Auburn Mar. 6 Tennessee Mar. 11-14 - SEC Tournament Nashville, TN
‘08-’09 STATS MSU FG-FGA 890-2058 FG% 43.2 3FG-3FGA 269-819 3PT% 36.1 FT-FTA 601-847 FT% 71 REB/G 38.5 AST/G 12.4 PTS/G 74.4
OPP 903-2296 39.3 236-701 33.7 437-672 65 39.4 10.8 68.9
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OLE MISS REBELS REBS LOOK TO BREAK INTO NCAA TOURNEY With the return of key players, Kennedy has eyes on his first trip to the “Big Dance” as Rebel Head Coach By STEVEN GODFREY Contributing Writer
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ollege basketball teams are no strangers to having bad nights, but December 18 could rank as one of the worst 24-hour spans in the history of Ole Miss basketball. In the waning moments of a nationally televised 77-68 loss to powerhouse Louisville, sophomore point guard and squad lynchpin Chris Warren tore his ACL. That season-ending injury was the third such knee ligament tear to a Rebel guard in the then-young 2008-’09 campaign. Compounding matters was the arrest of head coach Andy Kennedy in the early hours of that Thursday morning stemming from an altercation with a Cincinnati cab driver. Ole Miss had travelled to the Queen City for an ESPN showdown as part of the Big East / SEC Challenge. A game that was meant to be a coming out party for a squad primed for postseason play in Kennedy’s anticipated third season turned into a disaster. The Rebels finished a mediocre 16-15 (7-9 SEC) and were eliminated by Kentucky in the first round of the SEC Tournament. Since his debut in the fall of 2006, Kennedy had an instant impact on the once woeful Rebels, posting two turnaround seasons of 24-11 (7-9 SEC) in 2006-’07 and 21-13 (8-8 SEC) in ’07’08, largely with personnel recruited during former coach Rod Barnes’ era of low scoring, plodding defensive basketball. But despite an undisputed revival of fan interest and excitement, Kennedy had failed to bring Ole Miss back to the NCAA Tournament, and last season was expected to be AK’s
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Chris Warren Photo courtesy Ole Miss Athletics
breakthrough. The silver lining of last year’s rash of injuries is that Ole Miss will return a trio of talented guards to a roster that played an entire conference schedule without them, creating one of the deepest lineups in the SEC with only one senior on the entire team. “There’s no question this team knows what it takes to win. We had an opportunity last seasons to watch a lot of these young guys develop. Guys have been able to garner game experience. Guys have been through the battles. We’ve all been through the battles,” Kennedy said. A year removed from the peak of excitement during his run in Oxford, Kennedy will attempt to a second shot at a NCAA Tournament run with what looks to be a team that can finally match its talent with experience. BACKCOURT How loaded are the Rebels’ at guard play?
Even Kennedy will admit this is his most talented – and deepest – lineup since coming to Oxford. “When you look at the fact we’ve brought back so many players, combined with the guys who saw so much significant time during the various injuries, you look up and you’ve got about seven guys with real game experience,” he said. Junior guard David Huertas (18.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG) left a season early for pro ball in his home country of Puerto Rico, a decision that came undoubtedly due in part to the amount of talent Ole Miss returns at guard. Former starters Chris Warren and Eniel Polynice both look to return to form after season ending knee injuries – Polynice in the opening game and Warren in Cincinnati - that robbed Ole Miss of a combined 26.5 points a game in 2007-’08 before conference play even began. Polynice and Warren both averaged over
Despite the abundance of experienced talent, Kennedy said that his team’s fundamental offensive game plan won’t change even though his offensive is predicated on fast-paced play and sharp-shooting guards. While AK’s scheme has always adjusted for personnel, four of the top five scorers each of the last two seasons have come from the backcourt. “We won’t change anything, it’s really about having more options. It gives more options to play in a way that showcases our depth versatility, and our ball skills,” he said.
TERRICO WHITE
Photo courtesy Ole Miss Athletics
29 minutes a game, and in their absence came the ascension of SEC Freshman of the Year Terrico White. The highly touted recruit took center stage, starting 21 games and spending the majority of that time at point guard, averaging 13.7 points and 3.4 boards. White spent his summer continuing to garner national attention as part of the gold medal winning United State FIBA Under 19 team that competed at the World Championships in New Zealand. “Terrico was forced to grow up quickly, and thankfully he did. He’s the kind of kid that, physically, if he ever learns to push himself consistently then obviously his potential is unlimited, and he’s starting to get that. He’s becoming competitive more so than just with the ball in his hand, and that, to me, is the next step in his maturation,” Kennedy said. Warren will return his former starting role at the point, with an absolute bevy of options at the wings in White, Polynice, junior Zach Graham and sophomore Trevor Gaskins, who went down with – you guessed it – a torn ACL in preseason practice.
The silver lining of last season’s injuries is that Kennedy’s bench saw significant time, and the ’09-’10 squad will be stacked with experience. Sophomore Will Bogan (2.3 PPG, 1.4 RPG) started seven times last year and saw action in all 31 games. Combined with the fact that Polynice has played point in specific situations, Ole Miss will be four-deep at the position, but the focus is on Warren to return to the level of play that elevated this team during his freshman year. “I think that [returning from the injury] Chris is even better. He’s a soldier in the truest sense of the word. He says he’s maybe not quite as strong on his vertical leap, but you don’t see Chris Warren crashing the boards too often. He’s making sharp cuts and he’s been shooting the ball better than he ever has,” Kennedy said. Ju-Co transfer – and nephew of head football coach Houston Nutt - Logan Nutt (Missouri State West Plains) and sophomore Michael Halford round out the backcourt, while Indiana transfer Nick Williams will be ineligible for the season.
FRONTCOURT Kennedy has dealt with lopsided rosters in past years at Ole Miss, and this season won’t be much better. His debut Rebel team in ’06 was laden with senior guards; the following year it was all about experienced big men Dwayne Curtis and Jeremy Parnell with question marks in the backcourt. This season’s uncertainties come at forward, but things aren’t as questionable as in years past. Malcom White was the anchor last season with 27 starts, 24.7 minutes, 7.2 points and 5.7 rebounds a game, but he’s gone to rival LSU. Six foot, seven inch sophomore guard Murphy Holloway is expected to step in right away to fill the gap, having played in every game last season and leading the Rebels in rebounds per game at 6.6 and steals (36). He’ll be spelled by senior forward DeAundre Cranston, who started 10 games last season, so Ole Miss won’t be completely void of experienced big men. Had White not transferred out, the trio would’ve been primed to replicate the past presence of Curtis, Parnell and Kenny Williams. But the strength of this unit and possibly the season now hinges on a frontcourt freshman. Reginald Buckner will enter a situation eerily similar to Terrico White’s – the highly touted Memphis area freshman (Manassas High School) will be forced to cash in his recruiting hype and step up immediately due to little depth. Rivals.com rated Buckner the No. 5 prep small forward in the country, and he set the Tennessee state record for career blocked shots on the way to a state title his senior season. With the logjam of potential scoring in the guard play, the Rebel big men will be depended on primarily for defensive support and rebounding, something the shot-stuffing Buckner should comfortably adapt to. “Without question [Buckner] will make an immediate impact. Physically he’s got all the tools, and it’s just a matter of how quickly he matriculates to all the things that come with college,” Kennedy said. Adding depth will be Ju-Co transfer DeAngelo Riley (Southwest Tennessee) and sophomore Terrence Henry, two 6-9 big men that will give the Rebels much needed size in the low post.
Mississippi Sports Magazine - 45
OVERVIEW Kennedy will continue to push the Rebels in non-conference play in an attempt to boost their potential tournament resume. A November trip to the O’Reilly Auto Parts Tip Off Classic in Puerto Rico will match Ole Miss against Indiana, and potential games against tournament participants Villanova, Georgia Tech and Dayton. After a one point loss to his former mentor Bob Huggins’ West Virginia squad, Kennedy will take Ole Miss to Morgantown for a ESPN2 game on December 23 after hosting C-USA upstart UTEP in Southaven on December 16 – a game that will put the Rebels on display in the greater Memphis area as Kennedy continues to heavily recruit that area for blue chip talent. “Our non-league schedule should hold enough challenges for this team. I think we’ve got a pretty good mix of teams in the early season. Going in to Puerto Rico, those teams are at the top of their respective leagues. We expect UTEP to be a very tough squad that challenges Memphis for their conference title,” Kennedy said. League play will start with a bang, as the Rebels host in-state rival and projected SEC Western Division winner Mississippi State on January 9. The showdown with the highly touted Dogs comes before Ole Miss plays four of their next five conference games on the road. For a team that’s historically underperformed after the new year under AK, the emphasis on beating MSU increases even more, making the 2010 conference season one of the state’s best for college hoops in recent years. “There’s a lot of excitement in this state right now. My first year here Ole Miss and MSU tied for the division championship. I think this year it’s not only about us and the Bulldogs, but the entire league. Out of our 12 members I think almost everyone has greatly improved,” he said. Under Kennedy the Rebels have never won more than nine SEC games in a single season. Of the meager three SEC schools that made it to the dance last year, the two at-large bids (Tennessee and LSU) both had 10-6 conference records and were seeded 8th and 9th in their regions, respectively. If last year results in a conference that was young on the whole and lacking in national respect - the SEC’s RPI was sixth – is an indicator, Ole Miss will have to post a 10-11 SEC win season plus post a few good looking non-conference wins before the holidays. But Kennedy maintains that the Rebels, predicted to finish second in the Western Division, could be among as many as six conference teams qualifying for March Madness. “I feel great about where this league is headed right now. I think we have the pieces in place, God willing we don’t have to experience anything like we did last year. The pieces are in place to do it. Now it’s just our job to do it.” MSM 46 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
MURPHY HOLLOWAY
Photo courtesy Ole Miss Athletics
Photo courtesy Ole Miss Athletics
ENIEL POLYNICE
FAST FACTS CONFERENCE: SEC (Western Division) COACH: Andy Kennedy 2008-09 Record: 16-15, 7-9 Conf. arena: C.M. Tad Smith Coliseum; 9,061 Capacity
SCHEDULE
ROSTER NO NAME POS HT/WT. YR HOMETOWN (LAST SCHOOL) 1 Henry, Terrance F 6-9/202 So. Monroe, La. (Carroll HS) 2 Buckner, Reginald F 6-8/233 Fr. Memphis, Tenn. (Manassas HS) 3 Bogan, Will G 6-1/172 So. Caldwell, Idaho (Vallivue HS) 5 Halford, Michael G 6-3/196 So. Ridgeland, Miss. (St. Andrew’s Episcopal) 12 Warren, Chris G 5-10/168 Jr. Orlando, Fla. (Dr. Phillips HS) 14 Polynice, Eniel G 6-5/222 Jr. Sarasota, Fla. (Booker HS) 20 Williams, Nick G 6-4/225 So. Mobile, Ala. (Indiana) (LeFlore Prep Academy) 22 Nutt, Logan G 5-11/180 Jr. Jonesboro, Ark. (Missouri St.-West Plains) (Jonesboro HS) 23 Gaskins, Trevor G 6-2 /210 So. Alpharetta, Ga. (Chattahoochee HS) 24 White, Terrico G 6-5/213 So. Memphis, Tenn. (Craigmont HS) 31 Holloway, Murphy F 6-7/230 So. Irmo, S.C. (Dutch Fork HS) 32 Graham, Zach G 6-6/218 Jr. Suwanee, Ga. (Peachtree Ridge HS) 34 Cantinol, Kevin F 6-10/255 So. Guadeloupe, French West Indies (Calvary Christian HS (Fla.) 44 Riley, DeAngelo F 6-9245 Jr. Memphis, Tenn. (Southwest Tennessee CC) (Kirby HS) 52 Cranston, DeAundre F 6-9260 Sr. Orlando, Fla. (Daytona Beach CC) (Evans HS)
Nov. 6 Auburn-Montgomery (Exh.) Nov. 13 UALR Nov. 16 Alabama State O’Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off Nov. 19 vs. Indiana Nov. 20 vs. TBD Nov. 21 vs. TBD Nov. 29 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Dec. 2 @ Arkansas State Dec. 5 Southern Miss Dec. 12 McNeese State Dec. 16 UTEP @ Southaven Dec. 19 Centenary Dec. 23 @ West Virginia Dec. 29 Jacksonville State Jan. 5 Central Florida Jan. 9 Mississippi State Jan. 13 @ Georgia Jan. 16 @ Tennessee Jan. 20 South Carolina Jan. 23 @ LSU Jan. 28 @ Auburn Jan. 30 Arkansas Feb. 2 @ Kentucky Feb. 6 Alabama Feb. 11 @ Mississippi State Feb. 18 Vanderbilt Feb. 20 Florida Feb. 24 Auburn Feb. 27 @ Alabama Mar. 4 LSU Mar. 6 @ Arkansas Mar. 11-14 - SEC Tournament Nashville, TN
‘08-’09 STATS UM FG-FGA 792-1830 FG% 43.3 3FG-3FGA 215-633 3PT% 34 FT-FTA 455-625 FT% 72.8 REB/G 37.1 AST/G 11.7 PTS/G 72.7
OPP 789-1829 43.1 208-639 32 455-675 67.4 36.3 14.4 72.3
Mississippi Sports Magazine - 47
SOUTHERN MISS GOLDEN EAGLES NEW FACES, AND ONE IMPORTANT NEW PLACE
R.L. HORTON
An upgraded facility and a host of newcomers has Eustachy feeling good about USM’s chances By CARY ESTES Contributing Writer
T
he Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles will enter the upcoming basketball season with a whopping nine new players on their team. But head coach Larry Eustachy said the program’s most important addition cannot be found on the roster. For nearly three years, the USM basketball program operated out of what Eustachy called “a used, broken-down trailer” while Reed Green Coliseum underwent an extensive $12-million renovation. During that time, the trailer housed the coaches’ offices, the players’ locker room and the team meeting room. That was what Eustachy was forced to show to potential recruits for three years, and he said it had a negative effect on the program. After all, saying, “Come to Southern Miss and spend your time in a doublewide,” is not an effective recruiting pitch. “It was very, very difficult to recruit anybody who had other options,” Eustachy said. That changed in the past year, as the renovation was finally completed. Reed Green Coliseum, which originally opened in 1965, now includes new locker rooms, coaches’ offices, meeting rooms, a training room and a weight room. “The biggest thing that has happened here is our facility has been upgraded. That’s really helped,” Eustachy said. “We’ve gotten guys in the past year who Kentucky wanted, who Oklahoma State wanted. I don’t think that would have happened if the old trailer was still here.” As a result, Eustachy does not seem overly concerned that he lost three starters from last 48 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
Photo courtesy Bobby McDuffie
season’s 15-17 team – Jeremy Wise, Courtney Beasley and Craig Craft – who accounted for 64 percent of USM’s scoring and 48 percent of the rebounding. “I don’t mean to put anybody down, but we’ve definitely done more than just replace those guys,” Eustachy said. “Those guys we lost tried real hard, but they never had the luxury of what I think we have here now, and that’s 11 or 12 guys who can really play. I really like this group of guys. “I think it’s a group that when they lose, it will really bother them. We have guys who have come from winning programs. There’s a lot of competition. It’s very competitive at all the spots. That’s good. We didn’t have that last year.
“Of our top 10, nine of them are new. I’d say (returning junior guard) Sai’Quon Stone is probably our 11th man right now, and he’s a pretty good player. From top to bottom, we really have some good players in here.” BACKCOURT As is usually the case with a Eustachycoached team, the Golden Eagles are guardheavy and undersized. Of the 15 players on the roster, nine are guards and only three of those guards are taller than 6-foot-4. “Our guard play is big. It all starts with that,” Eustachy said. “Our guards have to play well.” One guard unexpectedly missing from the lineup is Wise, who led the team in scoring
upper-echelon guard in this league.” Eustachy also is hoping for an improved season out of Stone, a 6-6 junior who played only eight games last season before breaking a bone in his foot. Eustachy said the loss of Stone was one of the reasons the Golden Eagles lost 10 of their final 11 games to finish with a losing record. “If Sai’Quon didn’t go down, we would have been better than .500,” Eustachy said. “He is a real versatile guy, and it really hurt us when he went down. He brings a lot of intangibles.” Among the newcomers in the backcourt, Eustachy is especially impressed with Angelo Johnson, a sophomore transfer from USC. “He is a huge candidate to start at the point,” Eustachy said. “He’s the fastest guard I’ve ever coached. He’s definitely going to help us.” Another transfer is Buchi Awaji, who graduated from Kansas State but still has a year of playing eligibility remaining. A native of Los Angeles and a former California junior-college player of the year, Awaji made 42.4 percent of his three-point attempts last season. “He’s what we needed with the surprise leaving of Jeremy Wise,” Eustachy said. “He’s probably the best pure shooter we’ve had since I’ve been here.”
Photo courtesy Southern Miss Athletics
SAI’QUON STONE last year as a junior with an average of 16.7 points per game. Wise started all 96 games in his three years at USM and is sixth on the team’s all-time scoring list with 1,691 points. But Wise surprised Eustachy by signing with an agent and entering the NBA draft, and then he wasn’t drafted. “We didn’t anticipate Jeremy Wise leaving. That was unfortunate,” Eustachy said. But Eustachy said Wise’s absence might turn out to be the best thing that could have happened to junior guard R.L. Horton, the team’s leading returning scoring. The 6-foot product of Jackson’s Lanier High School averaged 12.7 points per game last season, but rarely received as much attention or recognition as Wise did. “R.L. Horton always seemed to be in a little bit of a shadow of Jeremy Wise, and I never
really understood it, because I think he had every bit as much of an impact on winning as Jeremy,” Eustachy said. “And that’s saying something, because Jeremy is a heck of a player. “With Jeremy leaving, you’re going to see more of (Horton). He had a great summer, the best summer he’s ever had. He’s not vocal by nature, but he’s really trying to lead the team. I just think he’s come out of Jeremy’s shadow and you’re going to see him have a monster year. “He’s a very good talent, and he’s a real winner. He’ll be playing with the best players he’s been with since he’s been here. He’s had to wear a lot of hats for us, and we won’t have to do that this year, because he’s going to have a lot of help. I know he’s excited with the new teammates. He’s going to prove that he’s an
FRONTCOURT The Golden Eagles have only five frontcourt players on their roster, and one of those is senior center Gustavo Lino who – despite being 7-foot-1 – has never developed into a consistent player. Lino averaged only 10 minutes of playing time per game last season, contributing 1.7 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. Eustachy is more optimistic about the potential contribution of his five forwards, four of whom are transfers. “Our front line is as good as I’ve had, just in terms of depth and talent,” Eustachy said. The most heralded of these newcomers are Torye Pelham (6-6, 225 pounds) and Gary Flowers (6-8, 214), who as teammates last season helped lead Chipola Junior College to a 32-2 record. They are joined by Jackson native Maurice Bolden, a 6-foot-10 sophomore who spent last season at Marion Military Institute. “All three of those guys are big and long and extremely good,” Eustachy said. But Eustachy said the surprise of the frontcourt might be junior Josimar Ayarza, a 6-foot-9, 235-pound native of Panama who played at Cuesta Junior College last season. “He may be better than all of them,” Eustachy said. “He has the most strength and can also shoot it. I think we really stole one there. He may be our best overall player.” USM’s lone returning forward is senior Andre Stephens. Even though Stephens started 31 games last season, he averaged only 6.2 points per game (and 4.8 rebounds), and Eustachy made it clear that Stephens will have to improve to maintain his starting job this Mississippi Sports Magazine - 49
season. “Andre Stephens has underachieved since he’s been here,” Eustachy said. “I think these new guys are going to get him to reach his potential.” OVERVIEW With so many new players, it is perhaps beneficial that the Golden Eagles have a nonconference schedule that will enable them to ease into the season. Southern Miss has only one lengthy road trip during November and December (to Bozeman, Mont., to play Montana State), and the non-conference home slate includes games against such lightweights as William Carey, Spring Hill and Dillard. Sprinked throughout the non-conference portion of the schedule are road games against Louisiana-Lafayette, Ole Miss, South Alabama and Vanderbilt, all of which are relatively short trips. Eustachy said it is difficult for the Golden Eagles to attract quality non-conference teams to play in Hattiesburg, and finances prevent the team from traveling across the country in search of bigger games. “Like a lot of places these days, we have a financial issue here,” Eustachy said. “We’re playing non-Division I schools just so we can have home games. But that’s OK. We’ll really be tested with our five road games, and if we do (lose), we should be able to bounce back with some lighter teams at home.” Once the Conference USA schedule begins, however, the Golden Eagles will take to the road early and often. Six of their first nine C-USA games are on the road, and one of the three early home games will be against perennial national power Memphis. USM will then have four consecutive home games between Feb. 13 and Feb. 24. “I’ve never heard of a (conference) schedule like that, and I couldn’t get an explanation from anybody (within the league),” Eustachy said. Still, even with the scheduling issues, Eustachy said he is optimistic about the Golden Eagles’ chances this year. “One magazine picked us to finish ninth (in the 12-team C-USA). We’re not going to finish ninth, I can promise you that,” Eustachy said. “It might take us a while to get the team right because of all the new guys, but we’re going to have the best team that Southern Miss has had in a long time. We’re going to have the best talent we’ve had. “I think this program is really, really ripe. Recruiting is going great. We’re in on some players at a higher level, guys who we haven’t been able to get involved with in the past. It really goes back a lot to facilities. I’m disappointed that it’s taken this long, but I think this program is finally going to start doing what I thought it could do all along.” MSM 50 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
ANJELO JOHNSON
Photo courtesy Bobby McDuffie
ANDRE STEPHENS
FAST FACTS CONFERENCE: CUSA (Eastern Division) COACH: Larry Eustachy 2008-09 Record: 15-17, 4-12 Conf. arena: Reed Green Coliseum Coliseum; 8,095 Capacity
SCHEDULE
ROSTER NO 2 25 3 1 10 11 4 15 23 20 13 5 24 32 14
NAME HT/WT POS Daryl Arnold 6-5/200 G Buchi Awaji 6-3/185 G Josimar Ayarza 6-9/235 F Maurice Bolden 6-10/200 G Bryson Brewer 6-3/180 G Jerome Clyburn 6-1/180 G Gary Flowers 6-8/214 F R.L. Horton 6-0/180 G Angelo Johnson 6-0/180 G Gustavo Lino 7-1/240 C Kenneth Ortiz 5-11/180 G Torye Pelham 6-6/225 F LaVanne Pennington 6-4/175 G Andre Stephens 6-8/235 F Sai’Quon Stone 6-6/225 G
YR RS SO GS RS JR RS SO SR RS FR JR JR RS SO RS SR FR JR SO SR RS JR
HOMETOWN (LAST SCHOOL) Jackson, Miss. (Southeastern Louisiana) Los Angeles, Calif. (Kansas State) Panama City, Panama (Cuesta College) Jackson, Miss. (Marion Military Institute) Waynesboro, Miss. (Wayne County HS) Orange Park, Fla. (Orange Park HS) Dallas, Texas (Chipola College) Jackson, Miss. (Lanier HS) Minneapolis, Minn. (USC) Sao Paulo, Brazil (Universidade Anhmebi Morumbi) Newark, N.J. (Science Park HS) Nashville, Tenn. (Chipola College) San Bernardino, Calif. (Genesis One Prep) Heidelberg, Miss. (Heidelberg HS) Brooklyn, N.Y. (Laurinburg Prep)
Nov. 14 @ LA-Lafayette Nov. 17 Loyola (N.O.) Nov. 21 @ Montana State Nov. 24 William Carey Nov. 28 Spring Hill Dec. 5 @ Ole Miss (FSN) Dec. 12 @ South Alabama Dec 15 LA-Lafayette Dec. 21 UNO - Gulfport Dec. 22 Canisius - Gulfport Dec. 23 North Florida - Gulfport Dec. 30 Dillard Jan. 2 @ Vanderbilt (FSS) Jan. 5 @ Marshall Jan. 9 Memphis Jan. 12 Cal-State Baskerfield Jan. 16 @ UTEP Jan. 20 @ UAB Jan. 23 East Carolina Jan. 30 @ Tulane Feb. 2 SMU Feb. 6 @ Houston Feb. 10 @ Tulsa Feb. 13 Rice Feb. 17 UAB Feb. 20 Central Florida Feb. 24 UTEP Feb. 27 @ Memphis Mar. 2 Tulane Mar. 6 @ East Carilna Mar. 10-13 CUSA Tourney, Tulsa, OK
‘08-’09 STATS USM FG-FGA 763-1761 FG% 43.3 3FG-3FGA 109-358 3PT% 30.4 FT-FTA 501-689 FT% 72.7 REB/G 34 AST/G 13.5 PTS/G 66.8
OPP 731-1667 43.9 215-591 36.4 456-68 70.4 32.6 11.8 66.7
Mississippi Sports Magazine - 51
JACKSON STATE TIGERS TIGERS LOOK TO MAKE COMEBACK IN 2009-10
Photo courtesy JSU Athletics
JSU uses tough out-ofconference schedule to prepare for the rugged SWAC By WESLEY PETERSON Jackson State Sports Information
T
he Jackson State men’s basketball team finished the 2008-09 season with a 65-58 loss in the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game to the Alabama State Hornets. The Tigers opened the season with a tough pre-SWAC schedule and finished by winning 15 of its last 18 games. JSU struggled early in the season, falling to LSU, Texas A&M, Arizona State and Kansas. The Tigers lost their first conference game falling 66-60 to Alabama State. JSU then went on to win four straight. J-State’s longest winning streak of the season was eight games. In the eighth game the Tigers claimed an 84-80 overtime victory over Grambling State. Heading into the 2009-10 season the Tigers will lose two of their top scorers and rebounders in Griffin and Caldwell. Griffin was the second leading scorer on the team, averaging 14.8 points. Caldwell led the team in rebounding, pulling down 6.7 per game. He also averaged 11. 7 points for the Tigers. Tiger fans are not alone in their excitement for the possibilities of the upcoming season. JSU head coach Tevester Anderson also expects great things for the team. “I see this team the same way I saw the 2006-07 team that won the SWAC championship,” said Anderson. “We have a great group of returning players coming back and we have some exciting newcomers this season.” In 2008-09 JSU played arguably the toughest non-conference schedule in the SWAC, facing the likes of LSU, Texas A&M, Illinois, Arizona State, Kansas and Baylor. Last season JSU finished with an 18-15 52 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
ROD MELVIN overall record and a 15-3 conference mark. “I believe that playing a good, tough nonconference schedule can only strengthen your team if you can make it through it,” Anderson said. “But in order to do that every year, you have to go out and get more players who can play at that level. And we did just that.” This season JSU returns three starters including All-American Grant Maxey and last season’s SWAC Freshman of the Year Rod Melvin. Also returning for the Tigers are seniors Garrison Johnson and Cason Burke. In addition to the veterans, JSU also had one of the best recruiting classes in recent history. Anderson and his staff brought in size and skill at all positions. Gertavian Blake and Raymond Gregory will roam the paint for the Tigers. Tyrone Hanson, Jazzmon Major and Christian Williams will help stabilize the backcourt.
As the Tigers prepare for the upcoming season, Anderson expects his team to be quick and athletic and JSU will play an uptempo style of basketball. “We are going to play the type of basketball that I have wanted to play since coming to Jackson State. We have the athletes who can get up and down the court,” said Anderson. “We have very good guards, wing players and big men who can defend the basket, get rebounds and get out on the fast break.” BACKCOURT Point guard Rod Melvin will lead the Tigers backcourt during his sophomore season. Melvin, a highly sought after Jackson area product had an outstanding freshman campaign. He averaged 5.1 points and 3.4 assists per game and was named the SWAC Freshman of the Year. Melvin was seventh in the SWAC in assists and fifth in the
conference in assist to turnover ratio. He led the Tigers with 111 assists. He was also third on the team in steals with 37. “Rod is an outstanding guard,” said Anderson. “I think that he will really excel in our new style of play. He was a prolific scorer and distributor in high school and I think he will be one of the better players in the conference.” Guard Garrison Johnson returns for his senior season with the Tigers, following an outstanding junior campaign. A year ago, the Atlanta, Georgia native averaged 10.7 points and 2.9 rebounds. He has improved his play each season with the Tigers. Garrison, who can slash and drive to the basket, has also earned the reputation for being a tough defender with the ability to knock down big jump shots. He was fifth on the team in steals with 18 and sixth in assists with 29. “Garrison has improved from year-toyear. He has become a very good player for us. Over the last three seasons he has emerged as a team leader.” Junior guard Cason Burk made a big impression on JSU fans last season. The 6-5, 200 pound Jackson native played the two, three and four positions for Anderson. Burk is a tough, hard-nosed player who made big hustle plays for the Tigers. Last season when JSU needed a big shot, rebound, steal or blocked shot Burk was in the mix. He averaged 1.9 points and 2.8 rebounds. His seven blocked shots was third on the team. “Cason became a crowd favorite, because of his unselfish play. He just about played every position on the court for us. He did a lot of good things that did not show up in the stat sheet.” Junior guard De’Suan Dixon was in the regular rotation for the Tigers. The Leland, Mississippi averaged 3.1 points and 2.2 rebounds. He also finished with six blocks and 12 steals last season. Sophomore guard Phillip Williams is coming off a solid freshman season, when he averaged 1.8 points and 1.0 rebounds. The 6-1 Chicago, Illinois native played in 32 games and started four as a true freshman. “We have really good back court players returning,” Anderson said. “We will play a style that all of our guards can benefit from.” FRONTCOURT All-American forward Grant Maxey returns for his final collegiate season with the Jackson State Tigers. Last season he led the Tigers in scoring with 16.4 points per game. He was also the team’s co-leading rebounder averaging 6.7 per game. The 6-7 Toledo, Ohio native earned All-SWAC first team honors last season. Maxey finished the season as the second leading scorer in the SWAC. He was also sixth in the conference in rebounds, sixth in field goal percentage
(.455), 14th in assists (2.3 per game), third in free throw percentage (.780), eighth in steals (1.6 per game) and fifth in blocked shots (0.9 per game). Last season he joined JSU’s 1,000 point club and is poised to finish his career at Jackson State as one of the most prolific scorers in school history. “Grant is an outstanding player for us,” said Anderson. “He has added to his game each season, which is what all really good players do. He has improved his outside shot, rebounding, free throw shooting and oncourt leadership.” Maxey is a leading contender for the Southwestern Athletic Conference 2009-10 Pre-Season Player of the Year honors. Sophomore Oliver Jefferson will look to add depth in the paint for JSU. The 6-9, Terry, Mississippi native played in only four games for the Tigers. He averaged 0.5 points and 0.5 rebounds. Red-shirt freshman Davon Jones will look to get his first collegiate experience in 2009-10. The 6-8 Detroit, Michigan native was the seventh ranked small forward in Michigan during his high school senior year. The Tigers will welcome five players to the team for the 2009-10 season. The class is comprised of two juniors and three freshmen. The upperclassmen are junior college standouts and the underclassmen are highly touted recruits. Junior center/forward Gertavian Blake was a force in the paint for Southern Union State Community College. The Jacksonville, Florida native averaged 3.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.6 blocked shots last season. He had a season high 15 points and 19 rebounds against Meridian Community College. Blake is expected to fill the void left by former All-SWAC performer Jeremy Caldwell. Junior forward Tyron Hanson is projected to be another scorer for the Tigers and fill in the role left vacant by Darrion Griffin – an All-SWAC performer. The Brooklyn, New York native was a top recruit coming out of St. Mary’s High School, before attending the University of Arkansas Fort Smith. Hanson played in 22 games and averaged 12.4 points and 5.4 rebounds last season at Arkansas Fort Smith. THE SCHEDULE The Tigers will play another tough nonconference schedule this season. JSU will open the season on the road on Nov. 13, when the Tigers face the Memphis Tigers in Memphis, Tennessee. The Tigers will play three home games during the non-conference portion of the schedule. JSU will host Stephen F. Austin (Dec. 2), Southeastern Louisiana (Dec. 5) and Spring Hill College (Dec. 30) at the Lee E. Williams Athletics and Assembly Center. The SWAC tournament will be held in Birmingham, Alabama from Mar. 10-13. MSM
FAST FACTS CONFERENCE: SWAC COACH: Tevester Anderson 2008-09 Record: 18-15, 15-3 Conf. arena: Williams Athletics and Assembly Center; 8,000 Capacity
SCHEDULE Nov. 5 Millsaps (Exh.) Nov. 10 Miles (Exh.) Nov. 13 @ Memphis Nov. 17 @ Alabama Nov. 21 @ Stephen F. Austin Nov. 24 @ North Texas Dec. 2 Stephen F. Austin Dec. 5 SE Louisiana Dec. 15 @ Baylor Dec. 17 @ Tulsa Dec. 19 @ Nebraska Dec. 22-23 @ Las Vegas Invitational Dec. 30 Spring Hill Jan. 4 Alabama A&M Jan. 6 Alabama State Jan. 9 @ Alcorn State Jan. 11 @ Southern Jan. 16 Prairie View Jan. 18 Texas Southern Jan. 23 Grambling State Jan. 30 @ MS Valley St. Feb. 1 @ Arkansas-Pine Bluff Feb. 6 Alcorn State Feb. 8 Southern University Feb. 13 @ Paririe View Feb. 15 @ Texas Southern Feb. 20 @ Grambling State Feb. 27 MS Valley St. Mar. 1 Arkansas-Pine Bluff Mar. 4 @ Alabama A&M Mar. 6 @ Alabama State Mar. 10-13 SWAC Tournament
‘08-’09 STATS JSU FG-FGA 806-1851 FG% 43 3FG-3FGA 135-503 3PT% 26 FT-FTA 560-795 FT% 70 REB/G 36.5 AST/G 13.7 PTS/G 69.9
OPP 823-1845 44 190-551 34 492-740 66 34 13.5 70.5
Mississippi Sports Magazine - 53
ALCORN STATE BRAVES BRAVES CAN ONLY GO UP AFTER LAST YEARS WOES
Photo courtesy ASU Athletics
Braves will play a murderous out-ofconference schedule with 12 of first 13 games on the road By LaTOYA SHIELDS Alcorn Sports Information
W
ith a year of experience as the Braves’ head coach, Larry Smith is poised to lead Alcorn State back to its rightful place in SWAC Basketball Supremacy. Assisted by fellow Alcornites, Dwight Alexander and Brian Adams this trio knows what it means to cut down the nets as a member of the Braves basketball squad. The coaches have loaded up on talent during the recruiting period to get them on the winning side of things. Last year’s schedule proved to be a tough road for Alcorn State, as they claimed six victories out of thirty-one contests. However, the schedule did not dictate the talent that was on the court for the team. Collectively, the team was ranked second in SWAC play in free-throw percentage (.684) and three point percentage (.327). The Braves were third in scoring offense (69.5 points per game) and steals (8.3) steals per game in conference play. Troy Jackson, the team and conference leading scorer, will not return for his final season with the team. Alcorn State’s front court will feature veteran JaMarkus Holt. Holt averaged 6.3 points per game and 4.3 rebounds per game during his first year as a Brave. Assisting him with duties in the front court will be Ian Francis, Michael Martin and Michael Starks. Francis, Martin and Starks are expected to clock heavy minutes this season as true freshmen. The back court will be built around Jonathan Boyd. Boyd averaged 9.3 points a game last season. He was also ranked third in the
54 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
BRANDON ROGERS SWAC in three-point shooting, with an average of 40.3%. Other veterans that will contribute in the back court are Alex Savannah, Lawrence Cage, Brandon Rogers and Derrick Blackwell. Newcomers that are considered a potential threat in this area are Tony Eackles, Shaunvanta Ingram and Keith Searcy. In order to reclaim their SWAC glory days, the Braves must travel far beyond the gates of Alcorn State University to do so. Alcorn State will face three teams that were part of the 2009 NCAA Tournament (Ohio State, Kansas, and Robert Morris). Second year head coach, Larry Smith stated “We will be competitive and our games will be very fun to watch.” Alcorn State will take the road for exhibition matches between Tougaloo College (October 23rd) and Mississippi College (November 2nd). The Braves will face Ohio State in one of the opening games of the 2009 2K Sports Classic benefitting Coaches vs. Cancer. The
game against the Buckeyes will be televised on the Big Ten Network. This will mark the second time that the Braves will make an appearance in Coaches vs. Cancer event, the last time being in 2006. The travel trek will lead Alcorn State to Fayetteville, Arkansas where they will take on the Razorbacks of Arkansas. Monroe, Louisiana will serve as the next stop on the team’s schedule as they prepare for the Warhawks of Louisiana-Monroe. The Braves will make a trip to Albany, New York as they participate in the Albany Subregional Round of the Coaches vs. Cancer games. Alcorn State will face Albany, Robert Morris and Detroit during a three-day span. The team will travel from New York back to Mobile, Alabama to participate in the Second Annual South Alabama Thanksgiving Tournament. Alcorn State will round out the month of November with a trip to Kansas to face Wichita State.
Photo courtesy ASU Athletics
FAST FACTS JONATHAN BOYD
CONFERENCE: SWAC COACH: Larry Smith 2008-09 Record: 6-25, 4-14 Conf. arena: Davey L. Whitney Complex; 7,500 Capacity
SCHEDULE
In the month of December, Alcorn State will square off against Kansas (Dec. 2), Texas-El Paso (Dec. 19) and New Mexico State (Dec. 21) before coming back home to take on the Chippewas of Central Michigan on December 30th. The Braves will try to avenge losses to conference foes, Prairie View, Texas Southern, Jackson State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff as the team suffered losses on the road and at home against those teams. Alcorn State will begin their SWAC schedule on the road against Texas Southern (Jan. 4) and Prairie View (Jan. 6). The team will kick-off its home conference slate with arch-rival, Jackson State (Jan. 9). Alcorn State’s travel trek will include road games against Mississippi Valley (Jan. 16) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Jan. 18). The team will
return home to take on Alabama State (Jan. 23) and the Bulldogs of Alabama A&M (Jan. 25). Alcorn State will close out the month of January with a trip to F.G Clark Activity Center to face the Jaguars of Southern University, (Jan. 30). February will start off with the Braves facing Jackson State (Feb. 6) on the road. The following Monday, Grambling State will host Alcorn State (Feb. 8). The next games will be played from the Davey L. Whitney Complex, Mississippi Valley (Feb. 13) and ArkansasPine Bluff (Feb. 15). In the Braves’ final road swing of the season, Alcorn State faces Alabama State (Feb. 20) and Alabama A&M (Feb. 22). The team will face Southern University (Feb. 27), Texas Southern (Mar. 4) and Prairie View (Mar. 6).
Oct. 23 Nov. 2 Nov. 9 Nov. 13 Nov. 15 Nov. 20 Nov. 21 Nov. 22 Nov. 25 Nov. 30 Dec. 2 Dec. 19 Dec. 21 Dec. 30 Jan. 4 Jan. 6 Jan. 9 Jan. 11 Jan. 16 Jan. 18 Jan. 23 Jan. 25 Jan. 30 Feb. 6 Feb. 8 Feb. 13 Feb. 15 Feb. 20 Feb. 22 Feb. 27 Mar. 4 Mar. 6 Mar. 10-13
@ Tougaloo @ Mississippi College @ Ohio State @ Arkansas @ Louisiana-Monroe @ Albany (NY) Robert Morris (@ Albany, NY) @ Detroit-Mercy @ South Alabama @ Wichita State @ Kansas @ Texas-ElPaso @ New Mexico State Central Michigan @ Texas Southern @ Prairie View Jackson State Grambling @ MS Valley @ Arkansas-Pine Bluff Alabama State Alabama A&M @ Southern Univ. @ Jackson State @ Grambling MS Valley Arkansas-Pine Bluff @ Alabama State @ Alabama A&M Southern Univ. Texas Southern Prairie View SWAC Tournament
‘08-’09 STATS ASU FG-FGA 742-1601 FG% 39 3FG-3FGA 187-571 3PT% 32 FT-FTA 485-709 FT% 68 REB/G 32 AST/G 10 PTS/G 69.5
OPP 942-1968 47 211-619 34 493-736 67 42 15.7 83.5
Mississippi Sports Magazine - 55
MS VALLEY DELTA DEVILS COACH SEAN WOODS
NEW COACH, NEW ATTITUDE IN ITTA BENA
Photo courtesy MVSU Athletics
Redemption and rebuilding are the keys to Valley’s success By WILLIAM BRIGHT MVSU Sports Information
H
ardwork. No Excuses. Finish. Three terms that dig deep into the heart of a basketball player that wishes to be known as one of the best. When it comes to head coach Sean Woods and the MVSU men’s basketball program, those three words lay the foundation of the team’s thinking, approach and spirit entering the 2009-2010 season. Entering a season in which redemption and rebuilding are key, the MVSU Delta Devils return a group of battle-tested players looking to make their impact in the history of the Green and White. Joining them will be a talented group of players who will also look to make their mark. The Delta Devils staff worked hard during the off-season – and their efforts paid off as they recruited nine players who will look to become immediate and productive members of the team. Their recruiting efforts earned them a top 50 ranking according to HoopScoopOnline.com. “We have had a good run during the recruiting and signing period,” said MVSU head coach Sean Woods. “Coach (Dylan) Howard and Coach (Chico) Potts both worked hard evaluating players and we believe that we have the players here to be successful during the upcoming season. Both Coach Howard and Coach Potts should be commended for the efforts and results off the court. Now we must translate this to success on the court.” The 2009-10 version of the MVSU Delta Devils looks to embody the spirit of their coaching staff: a group of players who are aggressive, quick and willing to put it all on the line each time they touch the court. With six returning players and nine new faces, expect the Devils to be explosive and assertive from 56 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
the opening tip to the final buzzer. BACKCOURT The Devils’ backcourt will be important this season as the team will continue its uptempo style of basketball. Expect great contributions from the guards at both positions – the point and the off-guard. With athleticism and collegiate experience, this group could be one of the better units in the conference this season. The Delta Devils will have three capable persons who will all vie for time on the floor at the point. Kevin Burwell is the returnee at this position. Last season, he saw action in 24 games finishing with 16 assists and three steals while shooting 30 percent from the field. However, he will be challenged as two talented newcomers look to step in and make an impact. D’Angelo Jackson was all-state and all-area at Pius XI High School in Mil-
waukee while Joshua Mack was named 200607 Big South Freshman of the Year in the Big South Conference. Off Guards With two returners and two newcomers at this position, the battle for time at the shooting/off guard position will be heated from preseason practice until the final game. Julius Cheeks, the team’s second-leading returning scorer will look to make his senior season a good one. He averaged 9.6 points and 2.2 rebounds in 27 games last season. Tashan Newsome, who finished fifth in scoring last season with 6.9 points and 21 steals, will also provide some stability and experience at the position. Two junior college transfers who were good outside shooters will also look to bring some offensive productivity. Michael Mayo connected on 134 three-pointers while leading Cochise College in free-throw shooting.
Photo courtesy MVSU Athletics
FAST FACTS CONFERENCE: SWAC COACH: Charles Lackey 2008-09 Record: 3-19, 3-6 Conf. arena: R.W. Harrison Complex; 5,000 Capacity
SCHEDULE
AMOS STUDIVANT FRONTCOURT In basketball, the additive the size is important still holds true in today’s game. Although the speed of the game has changed, with quality big men in the frontcourt, a team can control the boards and the paint. MVSU is looking to its front-court players to be effective in doing just that – control the rebounding game giving them multiple opportunities and limit the chances of the opponents. With the players returning and a good group of new faces, look for the Delta Devil big men to be a force to be reckoned with. The team’s leading returning scorer from last season, Shannon Behling brings experience and size on the wing. He averaged 10.4 points and 5.3 rebounds in 2008-09. He will be a key player for the Devils. Coming into the program are combo players who will also bring size and speed to the outside. Mark Holmes, a multiple-time honor roll student, was named all-conference and Guerin College Prep School’s most valuable player. Ricky Lamb was ranked one of the top 50 players in the state of Florida while also being a standout in track and field. Orlando Smith saw action in the post for MVSU last season shooting 29 percent from the field. The Columbus, Miss. Native finished with nine steals and a block last year. He will be joined by East Mississippi Com-
munity College standout Darian Donald and Chris Hamblin from Western Nebraska Junior College. Donald was productive from all areas of the court, scoring inside and outside. Hamblin shot 59 percent from the field while stabilize the post averaging 6.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per outing. Centers In the post for MVSU will be two players who bring versatility and size to the position. Studivant saw action in 32 games last season averaging 2.8 points and 2.6 rebounds last season. Jason Holmes was named academic most valuable player while averaging 8.2 points and 5.6 rebounds last season for Conchise College. The latest signee to the MVSU Class of 2009, Jacob Blakenship brings a strong inside presence the team. He brings good touch and good shooting on the wings and from mid-range. OVERVIEW Games to keep an eye on during SWAC action include home games with Southern (1/18), Alabama A&M (2/8) and Prairie View A&M (2/22). Important road games include Alabama State (1/9), Texas Southern (1/23), Alcorn State (2/13), Jackson State (2/27) and the season-finale at Arkansas-Pine Bluff (3 / 4). The conference tournament is set for March 10-13. - MSM
Nov. 3 Wesley College (Exh.) Nov. 9 Stillman College (Exh.) Nov. 13 @ Washington State Nov. 14 @ Gonzaga Nov. 19 Champions Baptist 2009 Chicago Invitational Nov. 22 Iowa State Nov. 24 Saint Louis Chicago Invitational Nov. 27 Liberty Nov. 28 Kennesaw St/TN St. Dec. 5 @ Arkansas Dec. 12 @ Chattanooga Dec. 16 @ Oregon Dec. 19 @ Oregon St. Dec. 22 Arkansas St. - Greenville Dec. 28 @ Mississippi St. Jan. 4 Arkansas-Pine Bluff Jan. 9 @ Alabama St. Jan. 11 @ Alabama A&M Jan. 16 Alcorn St. Jan. 18 Southern Univ. Jan. 23 @ Texas Southern Jan. 25 @ Prairie View Jan. 30 Jackson St. Feb. 1 Grambling St. Feb. 6 Alabama St. Feb. 8 Alabama A&M Feb. 13 @ Alcorn St. Feb. 15 @ Southern Univ. Feb. 20 Texas Southern Feb. 22 Prairie View Feb. 27 @ Jackson St. Mar. 1 @ Grambling St. Mar. 4 @ Arkansas-Pine Bluff Mar. 10-13 SWAC Tournament
‘08-’09 STATS FG-FGA FG% 3FG-3FGA 3PT% FT-FTA FT% REB/G AST/G PTS/G
MVSU 710-150 38 197-609 32 412-607 67 33.6 11.2 63.4
OPP 806-1651 48 196-556 35 580-862 67 36.8 13.7 74.6
Mississippi Sports Magazine - 57
DELTA STATE FIGHTIN’ OKRA DSU LOOKS TO RETURN TO TOURNEY IN ‘09-’10
Photo courtesy the Bolivar Commerical
HEAD COACH JASON CONNER
Coach Jason Conner believes tournament experience will benefit team this season. By DONELL MAXIE Contributing Writer
T
he 2008 Hoops season for the Delta State University Statesmen was one of highs and lows. Head coach Jason Conner experienced his most successful stint in his four seasons as head man posting a 21-9 record. In addition the Statesmen making it to the semifinals in the Gulf South Conference Tournament, they also received a South Region Tournament bid. Delta State suffered a 63-54 loss to Christian Brothers in the South Region Tourney. “Despite losing in the first round of the South Region I think the experience was good for the program. For these guys to fight through and make it as far as they did was great. We lost two of the best players in the Southeast last year and these guys stuck together and played great basketball,” said Conner. Toward the end of last season Joe McCray and Alton Robinson were suspended indefinitely for violating team rules and they were the team’s leading scorers. Robinson was also the team’s leading rebounder. Heading into the 2009 season Conner is excited about his team and is looking forward to having a great deal of fun with a group he considers to be deep and talented. “This will be a fun group to watch and I will be disappointed if we don’t compete for a conference championship. Of course we want to go further but first things first,” Conner explained. Conner is not the only one who thinks highly of his squad and the team’s potential. Recently Delta State was one of two Gulf South Conference squads named to the NCAA Division II Preseason Top 25 by the 58 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
Division II Bulletin. The No. 21-ranked Statesmen have poised themselves to make a deep run with a strong group of returning players and a solid recruiting class that is highlighted by some solid Division 1 transfers. ‘We are encouraged about the ranking. I certainly hope the kids look at it as something to challenge themselves,” said Conner. The Statesmen will look to build on a 2008 season that saw the team finished with the top scoring offense in the conference at 80.6 points per game. Delta State also finished third in three-point field goal percentage at .354. Defensively Conner will work to improve a team scoring defense that in 2008 finished 11th in the conference giving up 71.0 points per game. The Statesmen also struggled on the defensive glass allowing their opponents
to pull down 34.9 boards a contest; good for eighth in the conference. The Statesmen can celebrate finishing second in steals with 250 in 30 games (8.33 per game). BACKCOURT Delta State is led by senior point guard Chad Akins, who was named to the All-GSC West Division and DakTronics All-South Region first teams last season. The 6-foot2-inch point guard averaged 7.8 points and 6.8 assists per game. Akins led the GSC in assists, and finished fifth in the nation in that category. The Statesmen led the GSC with 542 assists which translated into 18.07 assists per game. “Chad is the straw that stirs our drink,” said Conner. He has a chance to pass Scott Nagy
who is Delta’s all time assist leader. I think he can pass Scott and become All-Region and earn All-American honors. He’s never concerned about personal accolades, he’s more concerned about the team,” Conner added. Conner said he belives this will be one of the best seasons for Chad who came to DSU as a true freshman out of Madison Central High School. This season Akins will be joined in the backcourt by senior guard Joe McCray, who averaged 12.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per contest, Earnesto Green who is back from season ending surgery from a year ago, Jeremy Davis, Roderick Ollie and Eric Spencer. McCray returns to the team after being suspended toward the end of last season. Conner said he has been truly impressed with McCray’s work ethic and dedication to the Statesmen Basketball team. “Joe has worked extremely hard to get back to this team. He has made some tremendous personal sacrifices including paying his own way. He is currently suffering from a hair-line fracture in his hand but it’s not slowing him down. I am cheering for him and praying for the best. Hopefully he will have a chance to help us this season,” said Conner. The Statesmen will also have the services of Green this season who received a medical redshirt last season after injuring his shoulder and missing the entire 2008 season. Green’s last season on the floor was the 2007-08 year and he earned All-GSC Second team honors, led the team in points, averaging 12.7 and third in assists (37) and led the team in scoring eight times that year. “We are excited about having Earnesto back. He adds a scoring punch to our team and with his experience and all the scorers we have already we will be asking him to do some other things as well. There are going to be times when he has to run the team,” Conner said. Conner is also high on shooting guard Jeremie Davis, Eric Spencer and Roderick Ollie. Davis is a transfer from the University of New Orleans and is a native of Arcadia, La. The 6’6”, 197-pound Junior averaged 10 points per game for the Privateers as a sophomore during the 2005-06 season. Spencer (6’5”) is another returner from last year’s squad. Spencer was the Statesmen’s energy bug off the bench last year averaging 12.1 points per game, which ranked third on the team. Spencer led the team in three point percentage, knocking down 40 percent (42of-104) on the year. Ollie is a delta native who played his high school ball at Indianola Gentry and returns to the delta after a brief stint at AlabamaBirmingham. The 6’6” guard/forward saw action in 17 games during his freshman and sophomore seasons with the Blazers, averaging
2.4 points per game and 1.5 rebounds per game. FRONTCOURT Arguably the most inconsistent aspects of a Jason Conner basketball team during his reign as head coach has been the lack of a strong interior presence. This season Conner believes he has found a couple players to go along with some players from last season to form a formidable rotation of big for this season. Returning from last year’s squad will be Dmitry Pirshin (6’7”, 242) and David Clark (6’7”, 220). “David is one of the most athletic big men in the conference. He does a great job for us and we’re expecting a lot out of him. Dmitry worked very hard this summer and is looking good. He is string on the boards but has really worked to refine his scoring around the basket. Last season Clark averaged 5.9 points per game 3.3 rebounds. Pirshin averaged 4.2 points per contest and 2.6 rebounds. He blocked 13 shots during the season which tied him with Clark for returning players Joining Clark and Pirshin in the frontcourt will be Dino Hair from Picayune and Marqueys Brown from Memphis, Tenn. Hair is a Middle Tennessee State transfer and at 6’10” Conner believes he’s a very skilled big man. “He is a joy to coach and watch play. He comes from two very good programs with knowledgeable coaches. He really understands how to play the game,” said Conner. Hair averaged 2.6 points and 1.4 rebounds per game in three seasons as a Blue Raider. He had his most productive season as a sophomore, averaging 3.8 points per contest in 32 games, which included six starts. Hair blocked 13 shots apiece during his sophomore and junior season and his 13 blocked shots during the 2008-09 season tied for the team lead. Brown was a two year starter at Crichton College where he averaged 15 points and seven rebounds per contest. Brown (6’9”) provides great energy to the Statesmen in the post and on the break and according to Conner, that’s something that does not come around often. “Marqueys is a very athletic player. He really knows how to compete and in fact I have never been around a player that competes the way he does,” Conner said. Overall Conner believes that this team is special. “We might be as deep as we’ve ever been. I certainly think that’s important and if we can lean how to put team first we will be hard to beat,” Conner explained. The Statesmen open the 2009 season Tuesday, Nov. 3 when they travel to Tallahassee, Fla. for an exhibition game against Florida State. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST. MSM
FAST FACTS CONFERENCE: Gulf South Conference COACH: Jason Connor 2008-09 Record: 21-9, 10-4 Conf. arena: Walter Sillers Coliseum; 4,000 Capacity
SCHEDULE Nov. 7 Nov. 18 Nov. 19 Nov. 23 Nov. 28 Nov. 30 Dec. 3 Dec. 13 Dec. 15 Dec. 18 Dec. 19 Dec. 21 Dec. 22 Jan. 5 Jan. 9 Jan. 14 Jan. 16 Jan. 21 Jan. 23 Jan. 28 Jan. 30 Feb. 4 Feb. 11 Feb. 13 Feb. 18 Feb. 20 Feb. 25 Feb. 27 Mar. 3-7
@ Nicholls St. @ Xavier (New Orleans) @ Loyola (New Orleans) West Alabama Alabama-Huntsville North Alabama @ West Georgia @ West Florida @ Valdosta Shepard College Loyola (New Orleans) Eckard College (Tampa Classic) Univ. of Tampa (Tampa Classic) @ Concordia College @ Ouachita Baptist @ Arkansas-Monticello Christian Brothers Southern Arkansas @ Arkansas Tech Harding Univ. @ Henderson St. Ouachita Baptist Arkansas-Monticello @ Christian Brothers @ Southern Arkansas Arkansas Tech @ Harding Univ. Henderson State GSC Tournament
‘08-’09 STATS DSU FG-FGA 863-1847 FG% 46 3FG-3FGA 190-537 3PT% 35 FT-FTA 502-712 FT% 70 REB/G 39.5 AST/G 18.1 PTS/G 80.6
OPP 732-1745 41 214-661 32 452-691 65 34.9 12.1 71
Mississippi Sports Magazine - 59
MISS. COLLEGE CHOCTAWS M.C. LOOKS TO REPEAT AS ASC CHAMPS
Photo courtesy MC Athletics
Chocs will be playing the underdog role this season as coaches overlook them in preseason polls By CHRIS BROOKS Miss. College Sports Information
W
ith six NCAA appearances and six American Southwest Conference championships in the last ten years, there are very few firsts for the Mississippi College men’s basketball program. But a first in program history did happen before this season every got underway, the Choctaws were not picked to win the American Southwest Conference East Division in a preseason poll of league coaches and media. The Choctaws have been the preseason favorite in the ASC East Division every year since the ASC split into divisions in 2000, and usually that has translated into championships. But if the 2009-10 Choctaw team is to be a championship team, it will have to play the role of underdog. All five starters are gone from a team that reached the ASC Championship game and posted a 20-7 overall record. The biggest loss is 6’7” forward Bryan Johnson, last year’s ASC East Division Player of the Year after averaging 20 points per game. Johnson was arguably the best post presence in the ASC a year ago and his reliable scoring will be missed. All-ASC guards Mike Penson and Clarence Jeffery are also big losses with 22 points per game gone. FRONTCOURT In order to replace Johnson’s presence in the post the Choctaws will need an infusion of talent with only one player returning. Andre Thomas (6-5, 210) earned valuable experience in a reserve role and contributed. The Vicksburg, MS native averaged two points and two rebounds per contest and is another solid athlete on the floor and should see his
60 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
CHAZZ HAWKINS numbers improve. Help should be on the way in the form of a talented group of transfers. Ken Black (6-5, 210), a former Clarion Ledger Dandy Dozen selection, should contribute immediately after a solid career at Holmes Community College. Black is a terrific athlete who should be a consistent low-post scoring threat. Austin Holloway (6 8, 240) is another impact transfer who posted solid numbers at Southwest Mississippi Community College. Holloway is a great shot blocker who will provide a defensive presence and should develop offensively. He turned down Division I offers to join the Choctaws, an indicator of the talent he possesses. Paul Lubin (6 9, 210) is a developing shot blocker with plenty of athleticism. Lubin was a contributor at William Carey a year ago averaging 5.6 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. He should find immediate playing time
with the Choctaws. BACKCOURT Two guards return from last season with experience in the ASC led by former sixth man Chazz Hawkins (6-0, 180). The 6-0 shooting guard is an excellent outside shooter and provides solid perimeter defense. Hawkins averaged 7.5 points a year ago and should see those numbers improve with extra time on the court. Cordero Bowen (6-3, 195)also returns after seeing limited action on the wing. Bowen is one of the better athletes on the team and should be ready to step into more playing time. One familiar face making a return to the program is E. C. Williams (6-5, 185). Williams earned ASC All-Freshman honors two years ago but sat out last season due to injury. Williams is an offensive threat and arguably
FAST FACTS
Photo courtesy MC Athletics
CONFERENCE: ASC COACH: Don Lofton 2008-09 Record: 20-7, 14-6 Conf. arena: A.E. Wood Coliseum; 3,800 Capacity
SCHEDULE Nov. 2
Alcorn St. (Exh.)
Nov. 20-21 NCC/Holiday Inn Classic
CORDERO BOWEN the best shooter on the team. His three-point shooting ability is a big addition to a team that doesn’t have a lot of shooters. Luther Suggs (6 5, 190) is another big addition to the program after spending a year at the University of Sioux Falls. Suggs is a talented athlete and offensive player and should be one of the better newcomers to join the ASC this year. Donnie Haywood (6 3, 200) is another transfer ready to impact the program. Haywood spent a year at Lambuth but should be ready for a spot in the rotation. He is a very good defender and hard-worker. Terrence Hall (6 4, 185 ) transfers into the program from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. Hall helped Gulf Coast to the Region 23 Championship and scored over 20 points in both of their national tournament games. Cederick Hilliard (6 0, 165) is a shooter from Northwest Mississippi Community College who could see action. Phillip Brown (6 1, 180), also from Southwest, is a penetrator who can create offense off the dribble.
The leading point guard candidate is returner Josh Harvey (5-9, 185). The former Hinds Community College standout saw limited action in his first year but did post 26 assists with just 15 turnovers. He is a scoring threat at the point guard position and could be ready to man the position. He will have plenty of competition with transfers Kelvin Lester and Devin Chambers. Lester (6 1, 175) is a scoring threat but defers to running the team first. The Jackson State Community College transfer is talented and could be a solid point guard. Chambers (6 2, 170) spent last season at William Carey. He is an athletic guard and good in transition. OVERVIEW Fans might not recognize the lineup early in the season but there should be plenty of talent to make another run at an NCAA Tournament Berth. With six ASC Titles in the last eleven years, expectations are always high for the men’s basketball program, but with a talented crop of newcomers another ASC title is certainly attainable. - MSM
Nov. 28
Hardin-Simmons
Nov. 30
McMurry
Dec. 5
@ Schreiner
Dec. 7
@ Texas Lutheran
Dec. 12
Wesley
Dec. 19
Sul Ross St.
Dec. 21
Howard Payne
Jan. 4
@ Belahven
Jan. 7
@ Concordia Texas
Jan. 9
@ Mary-Hardin Baylor
Jan. 12
Louisiana College
Jan. 16
U. of Texas-Tyler
Jan. 21
@ LeTourneau
Jan. 23
@ East Texas Baptist
Jan. 28
@ Ozarks
Jan. 30
@ Texas-Dallas
Feb. 4
Ozarks
Feb. 6
Texas-Dallas
Feb. 11
LeTourneau
Feb. 13
East Texas Baptist
Feb. 16
@ Louisiana College
Feb. 20
@ U. of Texas-Tyler
‘08-’09 STATS MC FG-FGA 813-1597 FG% 50 3FG-3FGA 152-443 3PT% 34 FT-FTA 372-551 FT% 67 REB/G 36 AST/G 16.3 PTS/G 79.6
OPP 697-1552 44 187-545 34 429-614 69 32.6 12.7 74.4
Mississippi Sports Magazine - 61
BELHAVEN BLAZERS Photo courtesy Belhaven Athletics
BLAZERS READY TO TAKE NEXT STEP IN 2009-10 Improvement still needed in all aspects to continue recent success By KIRK McDONELL Belhaven Sports Information
T
he 2008-09 season for the Belhaven men’s basketball team was one of the programs best over the last few years. The Blazers finished the season with an overall record of 18-13 and 9-9 in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference tournament. Belhaven finished the season sixth in the GCAC and made a strong conference tournament run eventually falling to LSU-Shreveport in the semifinals. The Blazers have a great foundation to build on they look forward to the upcoming 2009-10 season. Belhaven had three players who averaged double figures in scoring throughout the course of the 2008-09 campaign. Korey Whiting, a native of Stafford, VA, averaged 14.2 points per game and grabbed an average of 7.8 rebounds per night during the 20082009 campaign. Whiting also recorded nine double doubles and scored at least 10 points in 27 of 31 games played. Whiting also led the GCAC in rebounds per game at 7.84 and was second in the league in steals with 2.29 per contest. Whiting was also near the top of the conference in field goal percentage at 51 percent second only to Dexter Middleton of William Carey. FRONTCOURT Nathaniel Roche’, a native of New Orleans, LA, averaged 14.1 points per game and also paced the team in rebounding pulling down an average of 8.6 boards per night. Roche’ recorded six double doubles since joining the team at the beginning of January and has reached double figures in scoring in 16 out of 18 games played. Roche’ will be one of the key returners for Belhaven as they look forward 62 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
KRAYLEON WINSTON to the 2009-2010 season. Iman Walcott, a senior from Atlanta, GA, was a consistent force all season long for the Blazers checking in with a season average of 12.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per night. Walcott set a new career high for points scored in a game with 25 at William Carey on January 31st. As a team last year, Belhaven averaged 68.4 points per game while surrendering just 64.6 points to their opponents. The Blazers defense was third in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference in points allowed behind only Xavier and the University of Mobile. Belhaven was strong on the boards in 2008-09 as they grabbed an average of 37.3 rebounds per game as a team. The Blazers were third in the GCAC in defensive rebounding, second in offensive rebounding, and second in rebounding margin at 31.6, 13.1, and 5.7 respectively. “We will have to replace key four year
players Iman Walcott and Korey Whiting,” says Belhaven Head Coach Tom Kelsey. “Walcott and Whiting both played key roles on both ends of the floor for us last season. Whiting was a two time all-conference player during his career as a Blazer.” The Blazers will have a number of solid players returning next year including Roche’, Detrick Johnson, Krayleon Winston, and Chase Hudson who all gained valuable experience this past season. “Our key returnees include seniors Krayleon Winston, AJ Taylor, Larel Bailey and from the Junior Class All Conference Player Nate Roche, and Detrick Johnson look to add on their previous valuable experience. We will also look to sophomores Allen McClain and Chase Hudson to step up and play key roles,” says Coach Kelsey. Bailey will return for his senior season after averaging 13 points per game two years ago as
Photo courtesy Belhaven Athletics
FAST FACTS CONFERENCE: Gulf South Conference COACH: Tom Kelsey 2008-09 Record: 18-13, 9-9 Conf. arena: Heidelburg Gymnasium;
NATE ROCHE’
a junior. Belhaven went to the junior college ranks and signed four impact players for the 2009-10 season. Rob Wallace a 6’0 junior transfer from Co-Lin Community College averaged 19 points, three assists and three steals per game last year. Josh Luckette from East Central Community College averaged 16 points and seven rebounds per game during the 200809 campaign. Luckette will be a junior as he begins his first season in a Blazer uniform. Woody Howard is also another solid scorer and rebounder that Belhaven signed for the upcoming season. Howard, a junior transfer from East Mississippi Community College, tossed in 12 points per night and hauled in eight rebounds a year ago. Tensely Cowan is the fourth major junior college transfer for the Blazers. Cowan comes to Belhaven after spending his first two years at Coahoma Community College. Cowan averaged 15 points and eight rebounds per game last season and will be a junior this year for Belhaven. Along with Roche, Krayleon Winston is back for his senior year and will be called upon to run the offense at the point guard position. Junior Detrick Johnson will also be in the back court with Winston to help distribute the ball to the many scorers that Belhaven will have this season. “We were fortunate to sign a solid class of junior college players and transfers that will give added help on the front line and in the back court,” adds Kelsey. “In addition to the upper classmen coming there is a freshman group of players coming in that will battle for playing time and give us added height and depth along the front line.” With the new faces and returning players to
this year’s team it should be another exciting one for Belhaven basketball. OVERVIEW Belhaven will open the season on the road at Wesley College on October, 31st and will travel to Blue Mountain College November 1st prior to their first home contest of the year on November 7th versus Pensacola Christian. Other non-conference opponents include cross town rival Millsaps College, Union University (TN), Mississippi College, Rust College, and Trevecca Nazarene University. The Blazers will battle Trevecca in the Coaches versus Cancer Classic on December 18th and 19th. Belhaven will open their final season in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference beginning with a January 7th matchup at Dillard University. The Blazers will play two games each with Dillard, William Carey University, University of Mobile, Spring Hill College, Southern University at New Orleans, Xavier University of Louisiana, Tougaloo College, LSU-Shreveport, and Loyola University of New Orleans. “One big advantage for us is playing in the tough Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC),” says Kelsey. In addition to a strong non-conference schedule the conference schedule allows us to get a true test of our team’s ability.” Belhaven was picked to finish 6th in the GCAC Pre-Season poll as voted on by the league’s coaches. Tougaloo took the top spot with 69 points and four first place votes followed by LSU-Shreveport with 69 points and one first place vote. Loyola was chosen third with 64 points.
SCHEDULE Oct. 24 Alumni (Exh.) Oct. 31 @ Wesley College Nov. 5 @ Blue Mountain Nov. 7 Pensacola Christian Nov. 10 Wesley College Nov. 17 @ Millsaps College Nov. 21 Blue Mountain Nov. 24 Union Univ. (TN) Dec. 1 Rust College Dec. 5 @ Union Univ. (TN) Coaches vs. Cancer Classic Dec. 18 Blue Mountain Dec. 19 Trevecca Nazarene Univ. Jan. 4 Mississippi College Jan. 7 @ Dillard Univ. Jan. 9 William Carey Jan. 14 LSU-Shreveport Jan. 16 Univ. of Mobile Jan. 21 Loyola (New Orleans) Jan. 23 @ Southern Univ. at New Orleans Jan. 25 Spring Hill College Jan. 28 @ Xavier Univ. of New Orleans Jan. 30 @ Tougaloo Feb. 4 @ LSU-Shreveport Feb. 6 Dillard Univ. Feb. 8 @ William Carey Feb. 11 Xavier Univ. of Louisiana Feb. 13 Southern Univ. of New Orleans Feb. 18 @ Spring Hill College Feb. 20 @ Loyola Univ. (N. Orleans) Feb. 25 @ Univ. of Mobile Feb. 27 Tougaloo Mar. 2-9 GCAC Tournament
‘08-’09 STATS BEL FG-FGA 863-1847 FG% 46 3FG-3FGA 190-537 3PT% 35 FT-FTA 502-712 FT% 70 REB/G 39.5 AST/G 18.1 PTS/G 80.6
OPP 732-1745 41 214-661 32 452-691 65 34.9 12.1 71
Mississippi Sports Magazine - 63
MILSAPS MAJORS SENIORS WILL PLAY BIG ROLE IN MAJORS SUCCESS
BLAKE MARTINEZ
Experience will be the key to get Millsaps back on top in 2009-10 By KEVIN MALONEY Millsaps Sports Information
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espite playing its best basketball of the season the final three weeks and winning four of their last six Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference games, Millsaps College finished the 2008-09 season 9-16 overall and narrowly missed out on the conference tournament because of a tie-breaker with Hendrix College. Two years removed from a 28-4 record and Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament, Millsaps will have to rally around the leadership of its three upperclassmen to get back to the conference tournament after missing out for the first time in the tournament’s seven-year existence. Fortunately for the Majors, this year’s SCAC tournament will be held on their home court for the first time ever. Millsaps has done a nice job protecting the basketball the past two seasons, leading the conference in turnover margin in 2007-08 (+6.94) and ranking second last year with a +2.56 margin. Three-point shooting has also been the Majors’ strength, shooting at just under 36 percent the last three years and owning the third longest streak in Division III with a make in 456 straight games. Those trends will have to continue in order for the Majors to get back over the .500 mark this year. Millsaps’ roster is very young, but talented, with SCAC experience. The Majors welcome back six lettermen, which includes three starters from a year ago, and add 16 freshmen and a junior college transfer. Last season, eight of Millsaps’ 16 losses were by four points or less, including three by two points on the final possession of the game. This 64 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
Photo by Frank Ezelle
year’s schedule won’t be any easier, but will see nine of the Majors’ 16 league games in The Hangar Dome where they’ve gone 22-6 the last two seasons. Tim Wise holds a career mark of 83-77 (.519) in six seasons as head coach. His past successes include five trips to the SCAC Tournament and a trip to the NCAA Tournament (Elite Eight) in 2007-08. Wise also made the NCAA Tournament as an assistant coach during the 2000-01 season. BACKCOURT The loss of three-year starters Chad Songy and Chris Sanders to graduation delivered a huge blow to the Majors’ backcourt, where they’ll be without a true point guard returning for the first time this decade. Songy was a 41 percent 3-point shooter for his career and third all-time in assists, whereas Sanders averaged a career-best 12.6 ppg and 7.0 rpg his
senior campaign and finished fifth all-time in steals. Add the loss of 6-foot-6 senior forward Russell Booth who appeared in 102 career games, and Millsaps has just three players left from its SCAC Championship team two years ago. Senior guards Blake Martinez and Cameron Varnado and junior forward Chris Ingle are all that is left from the Majors’ national championship run and will have to do a bulk of the scoring to keep the Majors in the top of the pack. The trio combined for almost half of the Majors’ 67.3 ppg last year (8th in the SCAC), with all three averaging career numbers in both the scoring and rebounding column. Martinez had a breakout junior campaign, earning the start in all 25 games and averaging a career-best 15.2 ppg (7th in the SCAC). With at least one 3-pointer in 44 of his last 48 games played, there’s no secret where his game shines. Not only did Martinez tie a single season record
FAST FACTS Cameron Varnado
CONFERENCE: SCAC COACH: Tim Wise 2008-09 Record: 9-16, 6-9 Conf. arena: The Hangar Dome; 1,500 Capacity
SCHEDULE Nov. 17
Belhaven
Nov. 20
Pensacola Christian
Nov. 24
@ Univ. of Dallas
Nov. 28
@ SE Louisiana
Dec. 4
@ Colorado College
Dec. 5
@ Austin College
Dec. 15
@ Rust College
Dec. 17
@ Hendrix College
Millsaps Holiday Tournament
Photo by Frank Ezelle
with 82 made 3-pointers, but 137 of his 177 career field goals made have come from beyond the arc at 38.1 percent. From an athleticism standpoint, Varnado is one of the most talented players on the Majors’ roster. He came on as a scorer late in the year starting 16 games, and will use his intensity defensively in shutting down the opposing team’s top perimeter player. The addition of junior college transfer LeeVarn “LV” Sumler from Hinds CC will fill the void at the point guard position, where Millsaps will rely heavily on his talent and athleticism. Also returning from last year’s team are sophomore guards Brian Merkel and Jeff Brown who played in a combined 24 games off the bench. FRONTCOURT Millsaps will be more of a high-low type of team this year with the addition of some great size in the post, not a perimeter team like they’ve been in the past. Although undersized in the post, Ingle has found a way to score by using his quickness, averaging a career-high 9.4 ppg and shooting a team-high 51 percent from the floor a year ago. With the loss of the Majors’ top rebounder in Sanders, Ingle will have to contribute more on the boards where Millsaps was 11th in the league in 2008-09. The Majors, however, did add a pair of 6-foot-7 forwards in Andrew Shelton and Taylor Perepeluk and a talented
6-foot-8 forward in Brandon Center who will all undoubtedly help on the boards and hopefully provide strong defense. Sophomore Ben Cooper who stands at 6-foot-5, 280 pounds and played in 23 games provides a solid threat from beyond the arc despite his size, connecting on 9 of 21 (42.9 percent) from downtown. He can also provide scoring in the post if needed. OVERVIEW Millsaps will play 14 of its scheduled 25 regular season games in the friendly confines of The Hangar Dome, including the season’s first two games against Belhaven College on Nov. 17 and Pensacola Christian on Nov. 20. The Majors will then hit the road for their next six games across six states, highlighted by a matchup with Division I Southeastern Louisiana on Nov. 28. A holiday tournament scheduled for Jan. 2 and 3 in Jackson opens a 7-game homestand – the longest since 1997-98 – in which the Majors will play three non-conference and four conference games, including a showdown with No. 23 Centre College on Jan. 15. A Texas road swing on Feb. 5 and 7 at Southwestern and Trinity University will provide a huge road test before the Majors return to Jackson Feb. 13 in playing three of their final four games at home. Millsaps will also host the 2009-10 SCAC Tournament which will be held Feb. 26-28. MSM
Jan. 2
Huntingdon College
Jan. 3
TBD
Jan. 8
Southwestern Univ.
Jan. 9
Trinity Univ.
Jan. 11
Univ. of Dallas
Jan. 15
Centre College
Jan. 17
DePauw Univ.
Jan. 22
@ Rhodes College
Jan. 24
@ Birmingham–Southern
Jan. 29
Sewanee Univ.
Jan. 31
Oglethorpe Univ.
Feb. 5
@ Southwestern Univ.
Feb. 7
@ Trinity Univ.
Feb. 13
Hendrix College
Feb. 16
@ Wesley College
Feb. 19
Colorado College
Feb. 21
Austin College
Feb. 26-27 SCAC Tournament
‘08-’09 STATS MIL FG-FGA 572-1352 FG% 42 3FG-3FGA 216-617 3PT% 35 FT-FTA 322-446 FT% 72 REB/G 30.6 AST/G 13.2 PTS/G 67.3
OPP 589-1293 45 188-529 35 351-503 69 33.2 14.7 68.7
Mississippi Sports Magazine - 65
MSM
MISSISSIPPIANS
You can’t keep a good man down
Brian Cronin overcame his disability with hard work and persistence. All that paid off in August when he won the Gold Medal in Taipei with the U.S. Deaf Olympic basketball team By STEVEN WATSON Special to Mississippi Sports Magazine
66 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
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s hundreds cheered and his teammates celebrated around him all Brian Cronin heard was silence as officials draped a gold medal around his neck. The former Mississippi high school basketball star was one of 12 other deaf athletes on the U.S. Men’s Basketball Team at the 2009 Deaflympics in Taipei this September – a world-wide Olympic competition held every four years for elite deaf athletes. When the U.S. team defeated Lithuania for their 14th-straight gold medal in basketball, it wasn’t the first time the Mississippi native had experienced a championship celebration, but it was the first time all of his teammates experienced it in the same way he was. Brian Cronin, a Clinton native, was born completely or “profoundly deaf.” It’s a condition that can’t help but shape the former MadisonRidgeland Academy basketball star’s life, but it’s something he has never let define his many accomplishments. Without the ability to hear at all, doctors told his parents that Cronin would never be able to talk, but through determination and countless hours of speech therapy they were proven wrong. Setting himself apart even more, Cronin took a liking to the sport of basketball at an early age, spending countless hours practicing and honing his skills as a youth. His cousin Nicholas Coughlin said he can remember as kids that when everyone else was off riding 4-wheelers or playing Cronin would always be on the basketball court. “I can vividly remember going over and while everyone else wanted to go play and do something else he would want to play basketball,”
MISSISSIPPIANS
Coughlin said. “He would stay out there all day long an into the night. He always wanted to be a basketball player.” He eventually became a star point guard for Madison-Ridgeland Academy, leading them to the 1999 AAAA State Championship and the MPSA Overall Championship where he was named Most Valuable Player. Following his high school career Cronin went on to play college ball at Mississippi College and at Holmes Community College. Later he took an assistant coaching position under his former MRA head coach Richard Duease. Now, Cronin is getting ready for his first season as the head basketball coach at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Ridgeland. During his time as an assistant at MRA Cronin heard about the Deaflympics and eventually decided to try out for the squad. It was a chance of a lifetime for Cronin, who said he had never even heard of the olympic-style competition previously. “I had never even heard of the Deaflympics until my brother told me about it and suggested I try out before I got too old,” Cronin said. He had missed the first two tryouts, but through his persistent nature Cronin sent email after email and even highlight videos until he was allowed a chance to make the team at the third and final tryout in Washington D.C. Cronin made the cut, then said it was all about working out and getting in shape for the team’s upcoming trip to Taipei. “They told me I had one year to get into shape,” he said. “I had to be in top shape by the time I got to L.A. to meet the team.” After traveling from the U.S. to Taipei the team spent two and a half weeks practicing and getting ready for a week and a half of play. Commenting on the beauty of the country and its people, he said traveling to Taipei was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “The Americans were literally treated like celebrities over there,” Cronin said. “Wherever we went we had police escorts and we were
MSM
treated like the real Olympic team. “It was a fascinating experience,” he added. The quality of athletes were superb as well. Cronin said these were the most gifted athletes he had ever competed with or against. “You have to realize these are the 12 best players out of 30 million deaf people in the United States,” Cronin said of his teammates. “We had a few guys who made NBA teams, but were cut. I think their lack of communication hurt them a lot because they were physically gifted enough to play at a very high level. I was just honored to be there and really didn’t expect to be there.” Cronin is glad he got to experience the Deaflympics. It’s something he said he will never forget, but proudly holding his gold medal Cronin said his days of personally competing on the basketball court are over now. Now he hopes to put his focus into his new job as the new head coach of the St. Andrew’s Saints. He said he’s excited about the possibilities and that he’s ready for the new stage in his career, this time calling the plays from the sidelines. MSM Mississippi Sports Magazine - 67
Godfrey’s Take - Continued from Page 16 logo of its namesake done in cursive lettering. How very Stanford of us. I covered the mascot train wreck, heard the off-the-record grumblings from coaches and players about a manufactured controversy and witnessed fan revolts from the pro and anti-Colonel fans alike. As a young columnist I registered my disgust not so much with removing one idiot in a foam outfit, but the downright idiocy with which Ole Miss operated. Six years later, I now fully expect a sequel that’s just as preposterous. Much like the ’03 mascot mess, the core of this controversy is the stuff of great comedy. It’s my personal opinion that, if such a measurement exists, chanting “The South Will Rise Again” during SEC football games is just too ironic to be racist. Certainly it’s stupid and embarrassing for Ole Miss, but the idea of the 19-year-old children of Jackson lawyers, Biloxi doctors and Delta cotton actually threatening political insurrection in between spring break at Destin and duck season is something National Lampoon couldn’t even craft. If anything, I feel sympathy for a group of kids completely unaware that they’re the butt of a joke they might never get. Affluent white children taking a coda from a day centered entirely around drinking themselves blind and obsessively supporting an almost all-black
football team to “show them Yankee liberals what for.” Jesus in heaven, this state truly does need more money for education, because that’s some awfully lukewarm political science, my young Rebels. The solution to this mess is a plan of action that should’ve been taken immediately following last football season, but now should be postponed until the end of the 2010 Spring semester, well after the end of basketball season. Simply put, find sympathetic figures to impose a campaign imbued with personal accountability. Take notes: 1 - Assemble a closed-door meeting with the following: A select group of University officials, including Chancellor Jones, Dean of Students Sparky Reardon as well as professors and administrators popular with students. Leaders of campus student organizations, including whomever is running that perpetually useless ASB, as well as the president of every fraternity and sorority. Coaches Houston Nutt and Andy Kennedy, arguably the two single biggest names on campus. Both oversee two major revenue programs made up almost entirely of black student athletes. Both have hired staffs that are prominently African American. Prominent African American ex-Rebel athletes. I’d certainly include former fullback Jason Cook if he was willing.
2 – Let Nutt and Kennedy give their thoughts and how chants such as these factor into recruiting and team morale. 3 – Have Nutt and Kennedy ask the leaders of the respective student organizations to simply police their own. Rather than a faceless administration attack the student body as a whole, have the two most popular “grown ups” on campus influence the power organizations (cough GREEKS cough) to start setting a new example. Given the tumultuous world of SEC football, I’ve come to appreciate every moment of an October conference win, much less one against a division rival on a day of great weather with friends and family in tow. That’s why I choose to ignore this nonsense as much as I could. However, Ole Miss fans can expect more of these famously picturesque Saturdays sullied by the ill-informed. Rather than condemn our young, if the whole of the University of Mississippi is truly a familial structure, education and alternatives presented by behavioral examples must be the order of things. Unless we’re not absolutely sick and tired of those black eyes of “tradition” all over our glorious gamedays. MSM Steven Godfrey is a freelance writer currently based in Nashville, Tennesse. He can be contacted at thegodfreyshow@gmail.com. Visit him online at www.thegodfreyshow.com.
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68 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
NOV/DEC 2009
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Out of Bounds - Continued from Page 17
TV audience, while taking their program to another level?
Jarvis Varnado and Dee Bost lead this talented squad. Varnado has proven he’s one of the best shot blockers in the history of college basketball. The Bulldogs run in March will come down to Bost, and whether or not he’s good or great down the stretch. With guys like Barry Stewart, Kodi Augustus and Phil Turner returning, MState is the favorite in the SEC West. If Renardo Sydney is eligible at some point, Bulldog fans will be hoping for a 1996 type March. Basketball fans in Oxford are cautiously optimistic this year’s team could make some noise in March. Andy Kennedy is coming off his most challenging year on and off the court. With multiple knee injuries to starters or key bench players, and an arrest in Cincinnati that made national news behind him, Kennedy is hoping the 1-2 punch of Terrico White and Chris Warren can lead the Rebels to his first NCAA appearance as a head coach. AK’s team is setup to make a run in March with the talent at guard; we’ll see how this backcourt evolves this winter. Calipari is in the house, and my how the SEC changed overnight. The league didn’t have a heartbeat last year, and the minute UK hired Cal, there’s a buzz for the first time in a few years. With Cal at Kentucky and all the young talent coming back in the league, the SEC should have a big year. And don’t forget about the new television contract. Commissioner Slive did a great job leveraging football on basketball’s behalf in his negotiations last year. All the SEC games will be on TV this year. We know Cal will be successful at Kentucky. The question is what other coaches in the league will take advantage of a larger
Some other questions surrounding SEC hoops: n Will John Pelphrey get Arkansas turned around this year? n What direction is Billy Donavan’s program going? n Can Trent Johnson recruit the same talent as John Brady and Butch Pierre did while at LSU? n Will Auburn ever make it back to the NCAA tournament? n How far can Bruce Pearl take his tan? n What else can Kevin Stallings accomplish at Vanderbilt? n Will Anthony Grant lead Alabama to the NCAA tournament in his 1st year?
ne x t issue Here’s a peek at what to look for in the January/February 2010 Issue...
SEC Hoops predictions SEC West 1) MSU 2) Ole Miss 3) LSU 4) Arkansas 5) Alabama 6) Auburn SEC East 1) Kentucky 2) Tennessee 3) Florida 4) South Carolina 5) Vanderbilt 6) Georgia -MSM
2009-10
BASEBALL PREVIEW Can USM return to Omaha with new coach?
OLE MISS: Rebs sign several power hitters in 2009 class. Will this help get them over the top? MISS. STATE: Will there be progress for the Dawg’s in Cohen’s second season? Fans sure hope so.
Bo Bounds is the host of The Out of Bounds show on ESPN 105.9 The Zone in Jackson, MS.
Be a fan of Mississippi Sports Magazine on Facebook® and get the latest news, photos, and updates about what’s going on in Mississippi and with MSM.
MAN CAVES “Hanging out with the guys” at home has taken on new meaning. Man Caves are all the rage now days and we will show you where in Jackson to go to get your Man Cave set up in style. Mississippi Sports Magazine - 69
MSM
THE EGG BOWL
BREWER vs. SHERRILL
Photo courtesy Ole Miss Sports Information
Photo courtesy Mississippi State Sports Information
FORMER COACHES TALK ABOUT THE EGG BOWL AND THEIR RIVALRY By PAUL JONES Special to Mississippi Sports Magazine
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or more than 100 years, Ole Miss and Mississippi State have met on the gridiron in late November. But the Egg Bowl is discussed year-round in the Magnolia State, regardless if it is Egg Bowl game week or not. “It is intense because it’s the last game in the state,” said former MSU head coach Jackie Sherrill. “The winner gets to have the biggest cup of coffee for the next 365 days of the year. And you get to keep that coffee cup full for the next 365 days of the year.” Sure, the Bulldogs and Rebels have other crucial SEC games on their schedule. MSU and Alabama are separated by a mere 75 miles while Rebel fans love to cause displeasure to LSU fans in any sport.
70 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
But when push comes to shove, it is easy to see what school considers their biggest rival. “Each team has their own rival and some other rivals, too,” said former Ole Miss head coach Billy Brewer. “At Ole Miss, the LSU game is a big, big game and so are other SEC games. But make no mistake our top rival was always Mississippi State and Mississippi State’s top rival was Ole Miss.” The Egg Bowl has been played at numerous venues over the past century. For much of the series, which Ole Miss leads 60-39-6, the Egg Bowl has been played in Starkville and Oxford. The capital city of Jackson has also played host to the annual meeting
of Dogs and Rebels with stretches from 1905 to 1911, 1922 to 1925 and its longest run from 1973 to 1990. And in 1991 when the Egg Bowl returned to the respective campuses, a new level of intensity was brought to the rivalry. “Back then, we played in Jackson at the start of my coaching career at Ole Miss,” said Brewer. “No one had a stadium as big as the one in Jackson. But as stadiums grew at both places, the series was moved to home and home. For us, it was big to our staff and players to play Mississippi State at home and I’m sure it meant the same for them. Playing the Egg Bowl at home meant a lot more to the fans and players and coaches.” Yet while the fans always hyped the Egg Bowl from January to December, coaches were cautious when Egg Bowl week arrived. “The one thing we tried not to do was overtax the players that week,” said Sherrill. “With all the media hype, getting tickets for cousins and aunts wanting to see you play, all of a sudden it can become a distraction. You wanted your players to get a feel for the gameweek atmosphere but you didn’t want to add any more pressure on top of what was already there.”
it right into the teeth of the wind. I thought they would have moved the ball to the right hashmark. But those are the afterthoughts and they, fortunately, kicked it right into the wind.” During his 13-year tenure in Starkville, Sherrill also had his share of success in the Egg Bowl. Sherrill helped the Bulldogs capture seven encounters with the rival Rebels, including a memorable 28-6 victory in Oxford to cap off State’s run to the 1998 SEC Western Division Championship. “That was a big deal because of the hype of the game,” said Sherrill. “Mississippi State had a chance to do something that hadn’t been done on either side of the field. The way things fell, it was the opportunity to play for
Alabama-Auburn conflict. Later as a coach, Sherrill was also part of rivalries with Pittsburgh-Penn State and Texas-Texas A&M. But he noted that the MSU-Ole Miss rivalry is as intense as any he’s been associated with in the past. “It is very, very intense,” said Sherrill. “And you have to understand, with the population in the state, is what makes it so intense. So it is very big to those people in the state, much like the Alabama-Auburn game. “You look at Texas-Texas A&M, some people could care less about that rivalry. That is because the state is so big and there are so many other Division 1 programs in the state. But even with Southern Mississippi in the state, it is so intense with Mississippi State and
Photo courtesy Mississippi State Sports Information
FAVORITE MOMENTS Brewer spent 11 seasons in Oxford and compiled a 67-56-3 mark, making Brewer the second winningest coach in school history. He was tabbed SEC Coach of the Year in 1986 and led the Rebels to six winning seasons. But strangely enough, the former Ole Miss coach and player almost played college football at Mississippi State. “For me growing up in Columbus, I probably saw Mississippi State play more than anybody,” said Brewer. “And I almost went to Mississippi State, too. Back then their coach Wade Walker was recruiting me.” Just as important as his bowl appearances with Ole Miss, Brewer won eight Egg Bowl meetings and his most memorable was his first Egg Bowl coaching experience in 1983. Ole Miss edged MSU 24-23 in one of the weirdest endings to any college football game. “Well, my first year was pretty memorable,” said Brewer. “That was the year they had the field goal blown back by the wind. One side of the stadium got up and cheered when it was kicked and then the other side stood up and cheered when it blew backwards. That was also a game we were down something like 23-7 right before halftime.” Of course, that wind-blown field goal also remains on the minds of the fans - Bulldogs and Rebels alike - for different reasons. And Brewer often thinks back to that game, as do MSU fans, and wonder how it could have changed in the blink of an eye. “The thing was that Mississippi State had a great kicker, too,” said Brewer. “And he did nail that kick. But with the wind, he nailed
a championship. And winning that game on your rival’s field was a big, big deal.” And during the 90’s decade, it wasn’t just Bulldog and Rebel fans watching the game. For numerous years in the 90’s, the Egg Bowl was played on Thanksgiving night in front of an ESPN national audience. “Anytime you go into that last game, plus you are playing for a Western Division championship, it is always a big deal,” said Sherrill. “Then you throw in the fact it was always on ESPN and the only game on television that night. Now, you have a game not just watched by everyone in the state but also watched by millions of folks across the nation.”
INTENSE RIVALRY In his long tenure in coaching, Sherrill was involved in many intense rivalries, and during his playing days at Alabama. As a player, Sherrill was involved in the
Mississippi.” More so in the past, the outcome of the Egg Bowl was crucial to recruiting. It still holds a major selling point with some in-state prospects. “But with the state split into three schools, it sometimes can go under the radar, too,” said Sherrill. “But the state of Mississippi has so many good athletes that have not developed yet. So even with three schools in the state, a lot of kids go unnoticed. I kicked myself a lot with some recruits we passed on that went to Jackson State or Mississippi Valley State. Some of those guys developed later in their careers and went on to be high draft choices in the NFL. “In states like Texas and California, some kids develop as much as they are going to in high school. They have all the tools, facilities and weight programs they need. But that is not the case in Mississippi at most schools.” Back when Sherrill and Brewer were on Mississippi Sports Magazine - 71
Photo courtesy Ole Miss Sports Information
“All you have to do is look at the last two Egg Bowls,” said Brewer. “That alone tells you how much it means. Two years ago, Ole Miss fired its coach after losing the Egg Bowl. Then last year Mississippi State did the same thing. So that’s two straight years with a loss on both sides and two coaches losing their jobs over it.” opposite sidelines, the rivalry was probably as intense as ever. One major factor had to due with the success at both programs. More often than not, Brewer and Sherrill met with a bowl game on the line. And when both programs were successful at the same time only adds fuel to the fire. “It probably is still more intense for fans,” said Brewer. “Because when I coached, most of the players knew each other pretty well. But some of the intensity does seem to be passing with time. But it can get turned around when both programs become consistent winners and the tide always turns in this rivalry. “You get it back to that point and you will see it get more intense, like it was a decade or so ago. It was all you heard whether it be talk in church or talk at work. But with the facilities they have now and the support, it won’t take much to get both back winning every year. Plus, the enrollments are going up and up at both schools. And you can see the intensity 72 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
getting pretty high again in this game.” And that has been obvious in the last two meetings between the Bulldogs and Rebels. “All you have to do is look at the last two Egg Bowls,” said Brewer. “That alone tells you how much it means. Two years ago, Ole Miss fired its coach after losing the Egg Bowl. Then last year Mississippi State did the same thing. So that’s two straight years with a loss on both sides and two coaches losing their jobs over it.”
COACHES RIVALRY, TOO Another factor for an intense rivalry was, well, simply because of Sherrill and Brewer. During their coaching days, they were bitter rivals and there was no love lost. “I imagine we helped to sell a lot of tickets,” said Brewer with a laugh. “Mainly because of comments here and there. But it was just things that boiled over and both staffs were competitive, in recruiting and coaching and
everything. One thing led to another and it became highly competitive between the two head coaches.” Many fans recall the days of back-andforth comments between the two former head coaches. One time, Brewer accused Sherrill of being a “habitual liar”, to which Sherrill responded that Brewer “probably didn’t know what habitual meant”. But through it all, it was quite obvious the Egg Bowl was a “personal” ordeal to both coaches and everyone else involved. “Any game of that magnitude, you have to make it personal,” said Sherrill. “Winning that game meant a lot to the players, the coaches and the fans. So it had to be personal, which made everyone involved focused that much more and even more ready to get after it. It’s just like your job. If it is not personal to you, then you could care less and it’s just another day at the office. But with this game, it is personal to a lot of people for the entire year. “It was personal for me. It was personal for Billy and it was personal for all the players.” Of course, Sherrill would also get under the skin of Rebel fans, and not just because he won more Egg Bowls than he lost. Sherrill only refers to the Rebels as Mississippi. Not Ole Miss or the Rebels but always Mississippi. “That did get them upset,” said Sherrill. “But when you talk of Alabama-Auburn, you don’t say Crimson Tide and Tigers. Same thing with UCLA and USC and Texas and Texas A&M. You call the rivalries by their proper names and Mississippi is their proper name. So it is Mississippi State and Mississippi. But they sure didn’t like that and still don’t.” Brewer and Sherrill also knew each other well before they coached in the Magnolia State. Despite their war of words in the 90’s, there was mutual respect among Brewer and Sherrill. “I knew Jackie as a player and when I was coaching at Columbus,” said Brewer. “Jackie does walk to a different drumbeat but he was a good player and a good coach. And since that time, we’ve done some radio shows together and done a number of things together.” And more than likely, Brewer and Sherrill have shared a few good laughs about their past Egg Bowl memories. After all, in this business, people normally move on and usually end up crossing paths again down the road. “I remember one Civic Club deal we had where both of us were speaking,” said Brewer. “A lot of folks thought it was going to be a pistol shoot out and it very well could have been. But it was nothing like that and we were both professional in our speeches, even though we were coaching at rival schools.” “But we all learn you don’t harbor on those things all your life. We were both targets of things in the rivalry but we both had the knowledge to move on once it was over.” MSM
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Mississippi Sports Magazine - 73
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msm flashback
Ole Miss vs. LSU 1959: Fifty Years Later October 31, 1959; Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA #3 Ole Miss vs #1 LSU - The eventual SEC team of the Decade versus the 1958 National Champion. By TERRY BENIGNI Special to Mississippi Sports Magazine 74 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
Photo courtesy LSU Sports Information
A
t the time it was he biggest game in Southern football history. The nation’s biggest rivalry in the late 50’s and early 60’s. Billy Brewer explained, “During the Vaught years right up including my time as Ole Miss coach, we traditionally stayed at the same place in Baton Rouge. It was this great hotel on Airline Highway called The Bellemont. Inside was this huge mural depicting all of the great moments in LSU football history. As Ole Miss coach whenever we traveled to play in Baton Rouge I always took time to gather my players making their first road trip to LSU and take them to the mural and explain to
them the meaning and the importance of this game, this rivalry, the great traditions, how SEC titles and national championships hung in the balance. I wanted them to know and feel it like I did.” The first 49 minutes were a turnover filled slugfest on the wet turf of Tiger Stadium. The final 11 minutes became football folklore. A 23 yard field goal from Ole Miss kicker Robert Khayat gave Ole Miss a 3-0 first quarter lead. LSU’s two closest scoring opportunities were a missed 37 yard field goal by Wendell Harris and a failed 4th down attempt by LSU fullback Earl Gros just inside the Ole Miss 20. The Tigers had problems holding onto the football, losing three fumbles, all of them recovered by Ole Miss’s All-SEC safetyman Billy Brewer. While LSU struggled to hold on to the football, Ole Miss showed a total disdain for offense. Kicking to LSU on 2nd and 3rd down and entrusting its defense to preserve the precious 3-0 lead, Ole Miss’ Johnny Vaught watched his offense register but 94 yards of total offense as they lined up to punt the ball away with a bit more than 10 minutes remaining in the game. LSU had fared little better with 160 yards thru the first three periods plus. For years many questioned Johnny Vaught’s strategy of punting on second and third down so often in the contest. Ole Miss players admitted it was unexpected. Ole Miss had one of the highest scoring offenses in the nation heading into the game. “It was something we had not practiced, punting on early downs. It hadn’t been discussed beforehand as part of the gameplan” said Billy Brewer. But, LSU’s Paul Dietzel understood Vaught’s strategy immediately. “Coach Vaught was attempting to get the mismatch that he wanted. He wanted his best players on the field against players he felt he had the advantage over. He had a very good defense and by kicking to us he was trying to use them as much as possible.” The rules of the day permitted unlimited substitution only after a change of possession or timeout. Other than that, a team was limited to two players entering the game on any one play. A player could enter the game only twice each quarter. The Ole Miss substitution pattern was random, what with the great Rebel depth built by the Ole Miss redshirt program and a decade of building a recruiting base, Vaught could sub entire units or two players at a time with equal ease. LSU was structured differently. LSU’s Paul Dietzel provides the details. “Our system was to play the WHITE team at the start of every quarter. They would play both sides of the ball for the first half of each quarter. Then we would play the GO team on offense and “The Chinese Bandits” on defense. We
then could bring on the WHITE team once more per quarter if needed.” The Vaught strategy set the stage for a historic matchup between a defensive unit that would surrender the fewest points in modern college football history and the greatest football player of that time. The 1959 Ole Miss defense vs. All-American Billy Cannon and the defending national champion LSU Tigers. Billy Brewer described LSU’s Billy Cannon, “He was a freak, but not in any negative sense of that word. He was 6 foot 2, 220 pounds and the fastest man in the Southeastern Conference. He won the 100 yard dash and the shot put at the SEC track championships. He was something that just didn’t happen back then. He was the forerunner of the Herschel Walker-Bo Jackson running backs who came along much later”. Cannon gave much credit to the Baton Rouge neighborhood, Istrouhma, that he grew up in. The Cannon family had moved there during WWII from his birthplace in Philadelphia, Mississippi. Shortly afterwards, young Billy’s father lost a leg in an industrial accident. His mother became the family breadwinner. “Not having any finances was an advantage. It made me compete. I was fortunate to be in Istrouma. It was a working class town that aspired to be upwardly mobile. My parents wanted something better for their kids. Istrouhma High School had a strict rule that no one from Istrouma could be cut from any team as long as they obeyed the rules and went to practice. I joined the Istrouma High School Boxing Club when I was in the fourth grade. Obviously I wasn’t allowed to compete in matches, but every day I went in there and punched those bags and ran all the laps with the team. I wasn’t the only fourth grader in there either. I was always looking for a game. There were lots of days where I would just get on my bike and ride through Baton Rouge, looking for a game, whatever game was in season.” An excellent student at Istrouma High School, Cannon soon became a star halfback and a champion sprinter on the athletic fields. Another chance occurrence would soon benefit the young athlete. “Alvin Roy was the first strength coach in America and it all started in Istrouma. He convinced our coach Little Fuzzy Brown to have us lift weights. I can still remember the truck with the weights. It was an SAIA Freightline. It was packed with more weights than I had seen in my life. We spent the day unloading that truck at our high school. We began lifting the day after New Year’s Day and we lifted every day right up until the season kicked off.” “We went up to Little Rock Central, and they dressed out 100 players against us and we beat them. It was their first home loss in Mississippi Sports Magazine - 75
The mural in the old Bellemont Hotel in Baton Rouge displays the famous play. ten years. We beat Hume High of Memphis. We we went to Nederland, Texas and won there. They had a coach by the name of Bum Phillips. We went unbeaten and won the state championship. We played that entire season and no one had a serious injury.” While at LSU Cannon’s weight training, and those of another Alvin Roy disciple, former LSU star Jimmy Taylor of the Green Bay Packers, soon caught the eye of Tiger coach Paul Dietzel. After consulting with Alvin Roy, Dietzel made Roy the nation’s first strength coach. Said Dietzel, “I saw the power and the flexibility it gave Billy Cannon and Jimmy Taylor, so I had our entire team lift”. In 1958, along with the new weight program, Dietzel would soon debut his famed three team substitution system. The result was instant success. Eleven consecutive victories, a national title, national coach of the year award and five straight wins to open the 1959 season. On the eve of the LSU Homecoming, October 30, 1959 things were near perfect in Baton Rouge. * * * * * * * * A tourist guide once described The Bellemont Hotel in Baton Rouge as “an Antebellum, Colonial, plantation-style hotel and convention center built in 1946”. In 1957 Clark Gable and Yvonne DeCarlo stayed while filming “Band of Angels” based upon Robert Penn Warren’s classic. During the Spring of 1959 Paul Newman & Joanne Woodward and the cast of the motion picture 76 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
“The Long Hot Summer”, stayed there. The previous year, Director John Ford and actor John Wayne and cast headquartered there while filming “The Horse Soldiers” a film based upon Union General Benjamin Grierson’s Raid thru Mississippi to Baton Rouge during the Civil War. On the night of October 30th 1959 there were again stars present, and this time they were Rebels and they belonged to Johnny Vaught of Ole Miss. Of the players in the 1959 Ole Miss team photo, over one half were drafted to play professional football. Two complete lines, end to end, were drafted off of that squad. The talent at quarterback was so deep that Seniors Bobby Ray Franklin and Billy Brewer, Junior Jake Gibbs, and Sophomore Doug Elmore each made all SEC at quarterback or safety at some time in their collegiate career, and a fifth quarterback, the redshirting Glynn Griffing, would go on to become an All-American. Fullback Charlie Flowers would finish sixth in the 1959 Heisman voting, while Quarterback Jake Gibbs would be third a year later. Johnny Vaught later called it his greatest team. It would need to be all that and more. Up until that fateful 4th quarter the Ole Miss defense had surrendered but seven points all season. The Rebel seniors were completing their third consecutive season of allowing ten or fewer points per game and by the time the Rebel program’s streak had ended it would last ten years, from 1954-1963. Oklahoma and
Bud Wilkinson had accomplished the feat six straight seasons, good enough for second alltime. College football fans had waited for the battle since the previous season. Days before the game, the October 27th St. Petersburg Times made what would become a precient prediction, “LSU ran it’s record to 6-0 with a 9-0 shutout over Florida, but the Ole Miss showing versus Arkansas (28-0) brought the two teams so close that oddsmakers rate LSU only a one point favorite. LSU’s great defense has allowed only six points in six contests, and those on FG’s to Rice and Miami. Mississippi yielded a touchdown to Tulane in the only score against Ole Miss. But with Flowers leading the parade of a horde of Rebel runners, the Tigers will have to go all out to keep their goalline uncrossed.” The 3-0 Ole Miss lead had held up since the first quarter and it was now just the fourth quarter at the eleven minute mark and seconds were ticking away as Jake Gibbs entered the Ole Miss huddle to do the punting duty for Ole Miss. Off the field went Billy Brewer, he of the three LSU fumble recoveries. It would be the last time Brewer would walk on the Tiger Stadium turf as a player. With the Rebels in deep punt formation at their own 42, Jake Gibbs stood to receive the snap at the Ole Miss 28. Billy Cannon stood alone at the LSU 15. Cannon recalls, “I saw how much time remained and decided I was going to run it back if I had any chance to do so. The previous punt was one that I had returned for some decent yardage and had broken a few tackles. We were behind, time was running down, we weren’t moving the ball against their defense. I had to try to make a play.” From the Ole Miss sideline Billy Brewer saw the play evolve. “I had just been replaced by Jake(Gibbs). He had enjoyed a hot night punting. He got off a nice kick and it drove Cannon back from the 15. The ball smacked into the wet ground and took a high hop. Cannon moved forward and took it on the run. Butch Kepsinka and Larry Grantham then hit him simultaneously. Cannon appeared to be going down. Our Johnny Robinson was next and he slams into the pile and it looked like he knocked Kepsinka and Grantham off of Cannon.” Cannon offered his perspective. “I think if you see the film you’ll see Lynn LeBlanc #70 getting a piece of their Johnny Robinson. I don’t believe he got to Kepsinka or Grantham. On that hit you’ll see that I was able to get my hand down on the ground.” Several Rebels managed to get their arms around or hands on Cannon but none managed to slow him down as he moved towards the sideline and to midfield “I had one man to beat and that was Jake Gibbs. People will say I made a fake, but if I
did it was just a head fake.” On the LSU sideline, Tiger Coach Paul Dietzel recalled watching with alarm as Cannon fielded the punt deep in LSU territory. “I was yelling “NO BILLY NO”, because of how critical a fumble would be in that position of the field. But when he reached the sideline, NO BILLY NO became GO BILLY GO”. “If you watch the film of the last 50 yards of the run, you’ll see that the game officials are running with him. Remember, this is the fastest track man in the Southeastern Conference running as fast as he can, and the officials are running with him,” pointed out Brewer. Billy Cannon laughingly went one further, “If you take a close look you’ll see a photographer running down the sideline carrying what looks like a box camera and he was gaining on everyone”. The game had become an endurance contest. The LSU point after was successful to make it 7-3. Along the Ole Miss bench Johnny Vaught assessed the Ole Miss quarterback situation. Bobby Franklin was down again with a leg injury, Gibbs had been doing most of the quarterbacking, the majority of the Ole Miss punting and the punt coverage that required, and with Ole Miss having chosen to play defense most of the day, Brewer had seen more field time than either. Fresh legs were needed. Sophomore QB Doug Elmore was staring up into the screaming mob of LSU fans while Vaught yelled his name again and again. Finally, the young sophomore heard the words, “Damnit, Elmore, get in there”. On the LSU sideline Billy Cannon took oxygen while his fellow White Team members watched the Rebels take the field for what became the final drive. “Years later I asked Coach Vaught why he changed quarterbacks and he said, “To make a change”. I then asked him why he ran the same plays and Coach Vaught said,” They worked, didn’t they?” And work they did. With the fresh legs of Elmore lined up behind the first unit Ole Miss offensive line, Vaught now sent his Rebels at the famed Chinese Bandits. An LSU penalty moved the ball 5 yards. Junior Halfback James “Cowboy” Woodruff was stopped for a two yard gain. Second and three at the Ole Miss 39, and again Elmore handed to Woodruff, this time for the first down at the Ole Miss 44. On first down, Elmore again ran Woodruff, this time for three. On second and seven just short of midfield at the Ole Miss 47, Ole Miss ran wide, this time with halfback Bobby Crespino picking up five yards. On third and two Rebel Fullback Hoss Anderson slammed into the Bandit line to pick up the Ole Miss first down at the LSU 46.
LSU coach Paul Dietzel calmly surveyed the situation as the down markers were moved once again. In the two seasons since their inception, as the second team LSU defense, his Chinese Bandits had never failed him. Several times in the 1958 march to a national title they had created the momentum for LSU wins and their ability to incite the partisan LSU crowd was unparallelled. Dietzel recalled, “It was a very tenuous time with so much at stake. You had the #1 team in the country facing #3 and all that goes with it. In situations like that you have to play it by feel and by ear”. The LSU coach would stick with his Chinese Bandits. On the Tiger sideline, the White Team understood the situation. Billy Cannon recalled, “We had seen this once before, against Florida, the year before. They were driving on us and we all were on the sideline waiting to be sent in and then someone – not Coach – but someone yelled “WHITE TEAM IN” and we all went in. We stopped them cold.” This time there was no such voice. On first down Elmore called on his workhorse, Woodruff, once again, and Cowboy Woodruff rode for six yards. On second and four at the LSU forty the Ole Miss line surged in front of Hoss Anderson as he was sent against the Chinese Bandits for successive three and two yard gains. First and ten on the LSU thirty-five. Watching the Ole Miss ground assault the partisan LSU crowd implored the Chinese Bandits. Following the eight consecutive runs the Rebels now countered through the air with a completion from Elmore to the omnipresent Cowboy Woodruff for nine yards and a second and one at the LSU twenty-six. On the LSU sideline the White Team assembled. Behind the charging Rebel wall, Hoss Anderson ran for three yards and a first down on the LSU twenty-three. Less than four minutes remained. On the LSU sideline Coach Paul Dietzel made his final move. Off the field came the beloved but by now battered Chinese Bandits. On came the famed White Team. On first down Elmore handed to the reliable Cowboy Woodruff who moved the chains four yards to the nineteen, and on second down Elmore again called upon Woodruff for his sixth carry of the drive, but this time The Cowboy was stopped cold for no gain. It was third and six from the LSU nineteen on a part of the field that had not been churned much by the day’s action. Elmore now chose the play that Ole Miss had lived on in the Vaught years, the QB sprint-out, but the fresh defenders of the White Team ran him down quickly after a short gain of two yards. Fourth and four from the LSU seventeen. No one came in from the Ole Miss sideline. Once again, Elmore stood in the Ole Miss huddle
and ordered the sprint-out, this time to the left, and with the snap Elmore sped wide to the LSU seven. From the Ole Miss sideline Johnny Vaught sent in sprinter George Blair for Cowboy Woodruff, and on first down Blair carried to the five. On second and goal, Elmore kept for three yards to the two. On third and goal fullback Hoss Anderson was called and LSU swarmed him for no gain. Ole Miss timeout. Johnny Vaught would now make the play call for Ole Miss. In the Ole Miss huddle a manager wiped the brows of every Rebel while whispering the play call “35 SLIDE LEFT” Billy Cannon described that LSU huddle “It was quiet, all business. We knew what we needed to do. We had been there before”. Asked about the noise in the stadium, said Cannon, “Chaos is the best word to describe it.” Then came the fateful fourth down. The ball was snapped and Elmore began moving left. The outcome became part of the LSU mural at the Bellemont Hotel. “It shows Max Fugler, the LSU defensive lineman diving through and getting his arm on Doug Elmore’s leg, while Warren Rabb is beginning to wrap him up, and Billy Cannon coming over the top to finish it off at the two yard line”, Billy Brewer recalled. LSU was jubilant. Ole Miss was heartbroken. However, the two teams had not seen the last of each other. One week later LSU was upset by Tennessee 14-13, in a game where three different LSU runningbacks each outgained the entire Tennessee team. “Tennessee was very opportunistic and we just were not a good football team that day,” assessed Cannon. The game was marred by a controversial call denying a two-point conversion carry by Cannon that would have given LSU the win. “I want everyone to know that I did get in that endzone,” The very next week, Ole Miss slaughtered Tennessee in Crump Stadium 37-7. The Monday before Thanksgiving the national rankings read: 1 Syracuse, 2 Ole Miss, 3 LSU, 4 Texas, and 5 Wisconsin. Many fans clamored for an Ole Miss-LSU rematch. “Our team did not want to play in the Sugar Bowl that year. We had just played there the year before. Our team was from Louisiana. Our team wanted an invitation to the Orange Bowl or to the Cotton Bowl. The Sugar Bowl committee invited Ole Miss and then we were kind of backed in to the bowl,” said Dietzel. In a 2008 interview with the Concordia (La) Sentinel, LSU star Max Fugler stated why he voted against playing Ole Miss a second time, “When you beat someone 7-3 on a run like Cannon’s there has to be a little bit of luck Mississippi Sports Magazine - 77
The 1959 Ole Miss squad was named the “SEC Team of the Decade”. The team finished 10-1 and only gave up 21 points the entire season shutting out eight opponents. They also finished the season ranked #3 nationally. Photo courtesy Ole Miss Athletics
involved. Once you beat someone once like that, you better be happy about it”. In the Sugar Bowl, Vaught also adjusted the Rebel defense. “We went to a defense we called Man-Free”, said Brewer. “We hadn’t run it all year. In it our corners would play strict man to man and the free safety ordinarily was free to roam.” Vaught changed the free safety assignment for the return matchup with LSU. Brewer, his All-SEC safetyman, would move closer to the line of scrimmage and shadow Cannon’s movements, following the Heisman winner wherever he went. “I was told to play the outside, to play the seams, to cutoff Cannon’s chances to make a big play. Cannon had very few carries that day, eight or so, and not many more yards than that.” Ole Miss played with a vengance. LSU, battered by injuries to key players, played out the season, in an 21-0 Ole Miss win. “It was a different Ole Miss team that day. They were playing well, much better than they had in Baton Rouge. They brought their A-game. It was a dry field, unlike that night in Baton Rouge. “They were a very, very fast team. We were fast, to be sure, but they were a team built around speed. It was their day.” said Cannon in praise of Ole Miss. Following the game, Billy Cannon and Ole Miss fullback Charlie Flowers signed pro contracts beneath the Sugar Bowl goalposts. In retrospect, the Sugar Bowl had potentially more intriguing matchups... #1 Syracuse had three black athletes and the politics of that era prevented the Orangemen from playing in New Orleans. The Orangemen 78 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
instead went to Dallas to face #4 Texas. When asked of a hypothetical possibility of a matchup with unbeaten Syracuse, had LSU remained unbeaten, Dietzel observed, “Those were political decisions back then. Bowls did not have the same meaning then that they do nowadays. Years later when we did get an opportunity to play a bowl game (1962 Orange Bowl vs Colorado) against a team that was integrated, we had to receive permission from the LSU Board of Supervisors”. Recalling the racial climate of the time and not being allowed to compete against integrated teams. Cannon revealed, “It happened to me. In track and field. One year I was supposed to be heading up North to run a dash and throw the shot in a couple of big indoor meets. One was the Melrose Games. The other was in Boston Gardens, I believe. The two meets were so close together that the entire trip would have been eight days up there. Later on, (LSU Track) Coach Moore told me, “Billy, we can’t go. There are black athletes competing in those games”. He (Coach Moore) was as trapped by all of that as I was. Heck, I had been running races and riding bikes with black kids all the time I was growing up in Istrouma. The politicians back then controlled the system. The Governor was a powerful man.” “The strangest part of all of it is while this was happening, there was a fellow in Baton Rouge by the name of Billy Brown, who had competed on the ‘36 Olympic team with Jessie Owens. That was 1936, and here it was, the late 1950’s, more than twenty years later and I’m not being allowed to run.” When posed the same question Billy Brewer used measured words, “Because of
the political climate back then it would have been very difficult for that game to have taken place. However, had Ole Miss and Syracuse somehow, someway played in that bowl game, if the powers that be had somehow pushed it through, compromised and allowed it, alot of what happened in The South and at Ole Miss may have been very different, especially at Ole Miss. Football has always been a way for everyone to get together down here. The game would have been a starting point. It would have moved things along faster. I will tell you this – had that game have been played, he (Mississippi Governor Ross Barnett) would never have been able to make that speech that night at that ball game in Jackson. I was there at that game. I saw that. He would not have been able to have made that speech and there would NOT have been any riot when James Meredith was admitted to Ole Miss. “ If you drive down Airline Highway in Baton Rouge you’ll see the tree shaded outline of a old antebellum plantation type hotel now gone to the ruin that wind and rain and time inflict. Pass through the myriad of arched corridors, courtyards wrapped by wrought iron balconies, white columns encased in kudzu and wisteria and you will finally come to a crumbling wall of what was once a giant mural that was dedicated to the feats and triumphs of the LSU Tigers of Dietzel and McClendon and Moore and all the Purple and Gold ages, and it is all gone now, surrendered to the elements, except for one last span that has but one player, a number 20 in a white jersey, a gold helmet and he is running the ball forever. - MSM
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TIME OUT WITH YOLANDA MOORE
Just do it!
I
Yolanda Moore Columnist
have often been asked how I do it – raise four children, pursue a PhD full-time, and work a 9-to-5 job without losing my sanity. How do you continue to push when what you are facing is so difficult? My response to this is that I just do it. I love this slogan by Nike® because it is so simple yet so powerful. We make plans and set goals striving to attain that certain level of happiness that we have dreamed about since we could walk without falling every two steps. Our minds are clear, everything is going well, and then, BAM! – out of the blue life happens. How do you cope? How do you keep pressing forward? How do you stay in the game? I have had to overcome more obstacles in life in my short years of living than the average person will probably encounter in a lifetime. And each time I come face-to-face with life I make a conscious decision to not let it beat me. When things seem bleakest in my life, that is when I am my strongest. I refuse to let life get the best of me because I know that I am here for a greater purpose than just living for myself. I remind myself that if I quit right where I am, then I have no chance of seeing what great things the future holds for me. So, how do I do it? I have developed five principles that I put into play on a daily basis that help me to stay on course. The first thing is that I have a vision for my life and I have to see it come to pass. I remember when I first decided that I wanted to play in the WNBA. I saw a picture of Lisa Leslie in Jet Magazine holding up her new WNBA jersey after she had just signed as one of the founding players of the league. She was smiling and happy and so proud. I remember saying to myself, “I want that feeling. “I want to know what it’s like to play at the highest level in women’s basketball.” That was my vision and that is what I focused on. Now, I have a vision for my life. It is what keeps me moving each and every day. Next, I set goals for myself. When the WNBA announced in January 1997 that it would begin play in May 1997, I had just given birth to my second daughter. I had a third knee surgery at the end of my senior year in April 1996 and I became pregnant a month later so I had not even fully rehabbed my knee. Even though I had just had a baby and my knee wasn’t fully recovered, I set my sights on playing in that first WNBA season in May (which was only four months away). I came up with a plan for getting back in shape which came to about six hours a day of a combination of weight training, physical rehab, basketball training, and conditioning – all of this on top a full load of classes. Yes, people told me that I could not make it but I refused to listen. I had my vision, I set my goals, and
I made it. The same is true even today. I set goals for myself. That is how I stay motivated. Third, I know who I am. I once read a quote by Oprah Winfrey that said, “It takes courage to be who you really are. Don’t let anyone else tell you what that is.” The first time I read this, my mind immediately began to replay all of the things that had been spoken over my life by people who had a significant amount of influence on me. When I was in high school, I remember a friend of the family saying that I was going to end up like all of the other girls in my hometown – pregnant at a young age and on welfare. When I heard this, I got so angry. I was angry because this person, who was very close to our family, especially my mother and me, put me in a box without even knowing what dreams I had on the inside of me. I was hurt because this, to me, it meant that this person didn’t believe in me. Then, I got angry again because I was different. I was special and I was going to prove her wrong. I have told the story about how I was preparing for the Houston Comets’ local tryouts during the first WNBA season and how I got a phone call from one of the coaches telling me that they would help me find a coaching job because I had a snowball’s chance in hell of making the team (I still get fired up every time I think about this). I felt those same emotions. I was angry, then I was sad, and then I was angry. I knew who I was. I was a great basketball player who had worked hard and was prepared to go to the next level. More importantly, I had a vision and I had goals and I refused to let someone else’s perception of me determine my outcome. Finally, I persevere. No matter how tough things get, I will not quit. There was a research study conducted on achieving goals, and the study found that 87% of people who don’t reach their goals don’t reach them because they quit. What would have happened if Tyler Perry had decided enough is enough and quit writing and producing plays because his first attempts failed miserably or if President Obama had bowed out of politics altogether when he didn’t win his bid for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2000? I will tell you what would have happened – we would have missed the opportunity to witness two of the greatest stories of triumph and succeeding against the odds that our country has ever had the chance to witness. Tyler Perry went from being homeless and rose above abuse to become a billionaire media mogul, and, well Barack Obama became the first African-American President in the history of the United States. What enables the Tyler Perry’s, Barack Obama’s and Yolanda Moore’s of the world to be successful when their circumstances say otherwise – they just do it! - MSM
Yolanda Moore is a Port Gibson, Mississippi native, a two-time WNBA Champion, author, speaker, and former Ole Miss Lady Rebel. Contact her at timeoutwithyolanda@gmail.com. 80 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
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