Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Make Up Your Mind

The dumbest thing I have read over the past week or so was the rumor that Jim Wells was going to be the new pitching coach at Ole Miss now that Kyle Bunn has gone to Clemson. Where people come up with these incredibly stupid rumors is beyond me.

Wells is not the first coach to do this type of thing. When he first made the announcement he was leaving, I was a little confused. He is probably the most succesful baseball coach ever at Bama and he was going to retire at his age? It did not add up to me. But at any rate he is back in T-Town.

(Al.com)TUSCALOOSA - Reversing his decision from last week, Jim Wells has decided to return as the University of Alabama's baseball coach, UA Athletics Director Mal Moore announced this afternoon.
Wells, who is the program's winningest coach, said last Thursday that he planned to resign to spend time with his family. Earlier today, the 52-year-old's request to return was granted. "We had a very long discussion this morning and it became obvious to me that Jim has had a change of heart regarding this situation," Moore said in a written statement. "It also was obvious to me that Jim is totally committed to achieving excellence in every phase of the baseball program." Wells said he had second thoughts about his decision during the past few days. "It made me realize that I haven't lost my passion for this job," Wells said in a written statement.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Good News For Former Roundball Rebels

(UMAA)
HOUSTON, Texas – The NBA’s Houston Rockets will now have an Ole Miss touch, as the team recently traded for Justin Reed and hired Elston Turner as an assistant coach.

The Rockets acquired Reed, a former four-time All-SEC Rebel (2001-04), and point guard Mike James from the Minnesota Timberwolves for power forward Juwan Howard.

Entering his fourth NBA campaign, Reed spent the past 1 1/2 seasons in Minnesota and appeared in 41 games with the Timberwolves in 2006-07. The 6-foot-9, 238-pound forward averaged 2.6 points in 7.8 minutes last season but turned in outings of 19 points and 17 points in his final five games in a T-wolves uniform.

A Jackson, Miss., native, Reed began his career with the Boston Celtics, who selected him with the 40th overall pick of the 2004 NBA Draft and made him the first SEC player drafted.

Turner is reunited with new Houston head coach Rick Adelman, whom Turner served as an assistant under for six seasons in Sacramento. He became Adelman's lead assistant with the Kings and will be in that same capacity with the Rockets. Before that, Turner held assistant coaching positions with the Portland Trailblazers and the CBA.

A two-time All-SEC forward and four-year letterwiner at Ole Miss (1978-81), Turner’s career in professional basketball has spanned more than two decades. The Knoxville, Tenn., native was selected by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the 1981 NBA Draft and played eight seasons in all -- three with Dallas, three with Denver and two in Chicago.

Add More to the List

(C-L)OXFORD — The commitment count for Ole Miss football is up to four - for today.
Chris Wilkes, a quarterback from Dr. Phillips (Fla.) High, and Demareo Marr, a cornerback from Northwest Community College, are the latest two tomake non-binding oral commitments to the Rebels and coach Ed Orgeron.The join Mississippi high school defensive linemen Josh Tillman and Willie Parker, who made public commitments this morning. It also followed a busy Monday in which South Panola High's Darius Barksdale, Bud Barksdale and Quin Sanford committed to the Rebels."I just wanted to find a place I knew I wanted to go," said Wilkes, who hasn't visited Ole Miss, yet. "I think it's a school that fits me."The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Wilkes is rated as a two-star prospect by Rivals.com, a recruiting Web site that rates prospects on a 1-5 scale. Wilkes, who is Ole Miss' first quarterback commitment for 2008, said he chose the Rebels over Georgia Tech, Miami, Colorado and Arizona State. He is planning to visit Ole Miss' campus in July.Marr, who committed to Ole Miss after visiting Thursday, hasn't been rated by Rivals.com. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound cornerback is from Olive Branch, but played his senior season at DeSoto Central High in Memphis.The 6-foot-2, 260-pound Packer and the 6-foot-4, 250-pound Tillman are rated as three-star prospects by Rivals.com. Packer is a three-star prospect according to Scout.com and is a member of the recruiting service's top 300 athletes. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound Tillman, whose cousin, Marcus, is a defensive end at Ole Miss, is rated as a one-star prospect by Scout.com.

Monday, June 25, 2007

Rebs Get Early Commits

Take it for what it is worth, but Ole Miss has received three commitments from South Panola soon to be seniors. We all know that a commitment is not set in stone, but this seems to be a good addition to the 2008 signing class for now, and this could continue the South Panola-Ole Miss tradition. However, this all means nothing until the kids sign the dotted line. I would be willing to bet at least one of these guys changes his mind by next February and decides to go somewhere else.

(CL)OXFORD — The Ole Miss football program picked up a trio of oral commitments from a very familiar place today.Darius Barksdale, Bud Barksdale(Top 100 player in nation) and Quin Sanford, all from South Panola High School, made commitments after making unpaid visits to Ole Miss' campus. The three give the Rebels 15 oral commitments for 2008 and continue what has been a pipeline of South Panola players to Ole Miss."They welcome us to come over there," Bud Barksdale said.Ole Miss strong safety Jamarca Sanford, defensive lineman Peria Jerry and offensive lineman John Jerry are all South Panola graduates.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Update on Baseball Expansion

Here is an update from the UMAA website on the baseball expansion:

Q: What were the objectives of Wednesday’s meeting?

A: We were trying to identify opportunities to save money that did not negatively reflect on the seating capacity or the overall image or look of the project. I would say that the architects did an excellent job of identifying those. We came up with over 30 discussion points on cost savings, ranging from $3,000 to $1 million. I was to review each of these points and to see which ones we felt were appropriate and could do in keeping with our mission of seat capacity and perception as well as long term maintenance of the buildings. We had a great discussion.

Q: What were some of the changes from the original plans?

A: Probably the major part would be the timing issue, because now we aren’t trying to pack this into a seven month or eight month time frame. We feel like there could be $1 million in savings from the labor standpoint. The other thing is changing materials. For example, instead of using pre-cast concrete, we are looking at pouring slab on grade construction. Certain retaining walls, asphalt driveways, etc., could amount up to $150,000 saved. Using different material on the outside of the building that still gives us the same look but is more cost effective could be $400,000 saved. Those are the things.

Q: Are we able to establish a time frame at this point?

A: We discussed time frames, but we are still having to look at the revenue side of it. In the next two or three weeks, we hope to have that nailed down so it will be as fast as possible. But we have to do it right to get all the pieces in place as best we know them right now. Because once it is decided how it’s going to be done, we want to have a natural flow to it and get off the ground quickly.

Q: How have the figures changed in the budget?

A: That is not completely nailed down, but we are trying to get the construction cost under $16 million. Previously the bids were $18.8 million.

Q: What is the next step in the process?

A: The next step is to solidify our plan on the private seat licenses. We are working on that everyday with regard to documents and forms and trying to put a financing package together. We are trying to decide how to do that. It will probably take us two to three weeks to solidify a plan on that. Once that’s done then we’ll go out to the public, being those folks that have already committed to seats, and give them the option if they want to do this. If so, here is the plan and sell those seat licenses.

Our goal is to get this project done. Whether it fits a perfect time frame or not, it’s not going to deter us from getting the project done.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Powe Saga Returns

Well I guess we should go ahead and return to the Powe debacle that we last visited in the fall. But as we approach two a days within the next couple of months, I assume it is time to bring up Jerrell Powe and his annual show to get into Ole Miss. This time it has hit ESPN early as Bruce Feldmen wrote about it today in his column. This time an ultimatum has been put on the Ole Miss administration. Accept Jerrell or else.

I have heard 100 different stories and tales about what is holding Powe back from being admitted to Ole Miss. This time though every story I hear points to the administration as to what is holding him back from being admitted by the university. While we have all heard stories about the administration telling Orgeron he can not recruit certain athletes due to their academic standards, Powe is the poster child for this group in the administration.

Here is my thought. If the kid has passed all the required courses, admit him to the University and let the NCAA decide his eligibility. What does it hurt to admit the kid and then have the NCAA tell him he can not play. All in all, I do not see this turning out to be good for Ole Miss. I have witnessed the administration drop the ball on numerous events and I see this being another example. This time around it does not appear to be those in the athletic building, it is those on the academic end that will drop the ball. For once I plea for the administration to prove me wrong, or there will be even more irate alumni.

(ESPN) Get ready for the next wave of twists and turns in the Jerrell Powe saga.
Powe, the mammoth 6-foot-3, 345-pound blue-chip defensive tackle whose bid to become eligible last fall made headlines all across the nation after he was denied by the NCAA, might actually be playing football this season, but it could be against the Ole Miss Rebels, not for them.
Powe, through his advisor Joe Barnett, is now being represented by Don Jackson, an Alabama attorney who has taken the NCAA to court repeatedly over the last few years, including on the behalf of former Mississippi State hoops star Mario Austin and other high-profile basketball players. Jackson said Wednesday night he wants to work with Ole Miss to help get Powe certified, but cautioned that time is tight since two-a-days for football are only about six weeks away. Jackson wants to give Ole Miss seven to 10 more days to formally commit to supporting Powe.
"This can be a cooperative effort getting him cleared," Jackson said, adding that he's asking Ole Miss to "have faith" that Powe has taken all the proper steps to address the NCAA issues with his academic profile in the year since he was denied.
"The difficulty I have is that I'm trying to work around the fear of retaliation."
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=feldman_bruce&id=2912089

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Bunn Looking at Clemson

I pretty much see this as a lateral move for Bunn. Maybe he wants to get back closer to home in South Carolina. Or is it he wants to be more apart of the decision process. It has been well known that Mike Bianco and has had the last word when it comes to pitchers in the Ole Miss program. Should be interesting to see how this develops.

(Clarion Ledger)OXFORD — Ole Miss pitching coach Kyle Bunn interviewed for a position on Clemson’s baseball coaching staff earlier today.
Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco said Bunn was in South Carolina where he spoke with Clemson coach Jack Leggett about the position. The Tigers are looking for a new pitching coach after Florida named Kevin O’Sullivan its new head coach last week.“It’s a similar position to the position that he holds,” Bianco said. “There’s a couple differences: One, he’s from South Carolina and the chance to be closer to home is intriguing. Two, it would be a chance to coach the pitchers entirely on his own. That’s intriguing as well.”Bunn — who shares pitching coach duties with Bianco — has been part of Ole Miss’ baseball program since 2002, when he joined the staff as a volunteer coach. His volunteer status didn’t change until last summer, when he was promoted to a full-time position after assistant Dan McDonnell was named Louisville’s head coach.This season, Bunn coached a staff that finished second in the Southeastern Conference in earned run average (3.58).Bianco said Bunn hasn’t been offered the Clemson position. To his knowledge, the Tigers plan to interview other candidates before making a decision.“It’s a good program,” Bianco said. “It’s a program that has had a lot of success, historically. “It’s something he wanted to find out more about.”

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Cogs to Play in All Star Game

I received an email about Chris this afternoon and looked a little more into this. After reading this, I began to think about what former Ole Miss players that are in the minor league's now will actual make it in pro ball. By making it in pro ball, I mean more than a year stint in the league. I would guess Steven Head or Mark Holliman has the best chance of making it. However, I do not keep up that much with the minor league players. Who do you think will make it(if any)?


OXFORD, Miss. – Former Rebel third baseman Chris Coghlan will draw the start on Tuesday, June 19, in the South Atlantic League All-Star Game in Rome, Ga., in a game to be televised by Comcast Sports Southeast. Coghlan will be starting at second base in the 48th annual event at 6:30 p.m. CST.

Coghlan, in his second season of professional ball, has been playing second base for the Sally League’s second place Greensboro Grasshoppers. Coghlan is the top hitter on the team with a .332 batting average on the year with eight home runs and 57 RBI. He also leads the team in doubles (22) and triples (4) this season.

Former Reb Notes in the Pros

I read this yesterday while I was in the airport in Memphis about the former Greenwood resident and Jackson Prep graduate.

ASHBURN, Va. -- Joe Gibbs did not call Todd Wade on Jan. 1 just to convey best wishes for the new year. Instead, the Washington Redskins coach wanted the tallest player on his team to switch jobs.
Wade's response?
"I told him: 'Coach, I'm 6-8. I'm not a guard.'"
But Gibbs is nothing if not persistent. He called the former Ole Miss standout about once a week, knowing that he would need a new left guard if Derrick Dockery left as a free agent. When Dockery did just that -- signing an eye-popping, seven-year, $49 million contract with the Buffalo Bills in March -- Wade began to feel that Gibbs could be right: It might be better to move from tackle to guard rather than start over with another team.
"The biggest deal is coach Gibbs kept on me all of offseason, which is odd for me," Wade said. "It was very personal. ... When Derrick became a free agent, that opened up a whole new ballgame."
So, while Jason Campbell's pinpoint throws and new linebacker London Fletcher's leadership on defense might have been the most noticeable sights Saturday at minicamp, a very important experiment was taking part in the trenches. There was Wade, who has made a career of playing at the edge of the offensive line, squeezing his very tall body in between center Casey Rabach and left tackle Chris Samuels.
"I think I could do it -- but it would definitely take some work," Samuels said. "Todd's finding that out. He's a natural tackle guy, played tackle at college and in the pros, now they're sticking him in a different position. I think it's a little bit hard on him because he's so tall as well, but he's been progressing every day."
To the fan sitting in the top room of a huge stadium, there may not seem many differences among the five players who make up the line, but each requires a different set of skills and muscle memory.
On pass plays, the tackles live on an island, facing powerful but quick defensive ends in open space, while the guards have to contend with bigger defensive tackles in more confined quarters. Wade is finding that, at guard, he has less time to react -- while keeping his tall body low to maintain leverage.
"Something I originally thought would be easier is pass protection," Wade said. "The guy's so close to you. You have to take smaller steps."
Wade started 85 games over six seasons with Miami and Houston before tearing a knee ligament during the 2005 season. The Redskins signed him last year as a backup tackle, and he started one game late in the season when right tackle Jon Jansen was injured.
Wade gave in to Gibbs and re-signed with the Redskins on March 20, so he's had three months to study the intricacies of the guard position. It's been a long slog. For one thing, players aren't allowed to practice in pads until training camp begins in late July, so Wade can't actually hit the defensive players he's supposed to be blocking.
Also, Wade admitted that it wasn't until Friday that he finally understood a point that offensive line coach Joe Bugel had been trying to make regarding a certain technique used in pass protection.
"Sometimes you're not really understanding what the coach wants," Wade said. "Finally it kind of clicked, and I'm moving forward."

(Copy and paste)
http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/
football/article/0,1426,MCA_478_5590100,00.html

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Bianco Gets Extension

(UMAA) OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss athletics director Pete Boone and head baseball coach Mike Bianco have agreed to a contract extension running through the 2011 season, Boone announced on Thursday.

The one-year rollover extension extends Bianco’s current contract to four years. The four-year contract is the maximum allowed by the Board of Trustees, State Institutions of Higher Learning, and the extension recommendation from Boone is pending the approval of the Board

The contract extension comes on the heels of a 40-25 season in 2007 as Bianco led the Rebels to a third-consecutive Super Regional appearance and three-straight 40-win seasons for the first time in school history. Ole Miss is one of only four schools to have advanced to baseball’s round of 16 each of the last three years. The Rebels also hosted an NCAA Regional for the fourth-consecutive year, making Ole Miss one of only two schools in the country to host an NCAA Regional each of the last four seasons.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Oher Gaining More Attention

DALLAS - Ole Miss' Michael Oher was among 41 offensive lineman from around the country named to the 2007 Outland Trophy Watch List, as announced Tuesday by the Football Writers Association of America.A junior from Memphis, Oher has also been named a preseason first team All-America and selected as the nation' No. 3 offensive tackle and the SEC's Best Run Blocker by Lindy's. He has started 22 consecutive games over the last two seasons and helped Rebel tailback BenJarvus Green-Ellis become a 1,000-yard runner a year ago.The Outland Trophy has been awarded to the best interior lineman in college football since 1946. The winner is selected by the FWAA's All-America Committee, which selects the association's 25-man All-America team and picks the three Outland Trophy finalists and the winner.

ASU Coach Comments

I was forwarded this today. I can't say I really like this guy:

"Let me say something about Mississippi -- three years in a row to a super regional. This guy's [Bianco] done a great job. I don't know that I like him, but that's stupid coaching stuff. He's done a hell of a job." ......ASU Coach Pat Murphy

Monday, June 11, 2007

Rebel Wins National Championship

SACREMENTO, Calif. – In a dominating performance Ole Miss sophomore Barnabas Kirui pulled away from the rest of the field to win the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Kirui ran in a pack of three runners for most of the early race before pulling away from the field to finish in a time of 8:20.36. His next closest competitor was Andrew Lemoncello, of Florida State, who finished in a time of 8:27.29. Kirui’s time breaks his own school record of 8:33.59 and is 12th fastest time in the world this year.

“Barnabas excited the plan to perfection,” said Ole Miss head coach Joe Walker. “We had planned for him to make a move with about three laps to go and see if anybody would follow. He made his kick and nobody was able to respond. Coach (Doug) Blackwell and Coach (Ng’anga’) Ngata have done such a great job coaching him.”

Kirui, a four-time SEC champion, is the sixth Rebel to win a national title and his victory is the tenth national championship in school history. He earned 10 team points for the Ole Miss men with his victory.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Rebs End Season

There is not much else to say that has not been said in the comments from yesterday's game. I was not able to watch the Saturday night game, but from what I hear from everyone it was a huge disappointment and one that was really not too surprising of a finish for the way this team has played all year. After talking to those that were either in attendance or had the chance to to watch the game, it appeared to have taken the life out of this team. It was obvious, after watching the team today, that they were really effected by last night's game. From the very beginning, it did not appear this team had a chance to win the game. The only real thing I was surprised about was the way Lance Lynn pitched. Lynn has thrown well the past few weeks, if not all season, but tonight he was rocked for a few innings.

All in all, I am not too surprised. This AZ State team knows how to win especially at home. As many have put it, it is probably a good thing the season is over. It has caused most of us to probably lose three years of our life's with how frustrating the season has been. Without a doubt the most frustrating Ole Miss season of any sport I have ever followed. I will wrap up the season later this week.

In close, I would like to give credit to Sterling and several other readers of this board for showing their support of the Rebels by making the trip to Tempe. Sorry it did not work out for yall.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Ole Miss saw its season end Sunday, as Arizona State swept the Rebels out of their NCAA Baseball Super Regional with a 7-1 win.
The third-ranked Sun Devils plated two runs in third inning and took the game in hand with a four-run fourth. The Rebels picked up their lone run in the ninth, when Zack Cozart singled and scored on a Fuller Smith sacrifice flyout.
Lance Lynn suffered the loss, relinquishing six runs over seven innings, while ASU hurler Josh Satow kept the Rebels off the board over 7.2 frames.

Thursday, June 07, 2007

Weekend Preview

The weekend has come and the SuperRegionals are finally here. For the third time in three years the Rebels will be playing in a SuperRegional. Starting Saturday, they will be two wins away from Omaha.

Unlike previous years, the Rebels will be on the road this weekend in Tempe,AZ to take on the Arizona State Sun Devils. AZ State is a very good team and one of the most successful in college baseball history. So needless to say the Rebs will face tough challenge in winning two games this weekend, in an opponents territory they are very unfamiliar with.

The Friday and Saturday starters for the Rebels will be the same as they have been all year. Brett Buckvich will get the nod on Saturday, looking to rebound from a terrible start in the SEC Tournament. As the week began, I had no clue who Bianco would start. He had a multiple of options on who is Sunday pitcher would be. He must have alot of faith in Bukvich should the Rebels get to game three.

It will be key for the Rebels to win the first game in the series as it always in when you are on the road in a three game series. Will Kline needs to have a performance like he had in the SEC Tournament against Mississippi State in order to stay on top of the Sun Devils. If Kline can do that the Rebs have a chance. If he can not it could be a long weekend for the Rebels and the faithful that traveled to Tempe.

If history has anything to do with it, the Rebels will need to win it in two games if they want to go to Omaha. As we all know Game 3's in SuperRegionals do not turn out well for Ole Miss. This is not the best team the Rebels have taken to the SuperRegionals over the past few years, but I will argue they are one of the most talented. They have answered when needed to alot of times this year, but tend to blow it in the ninth. Hopefully this late in the season this team has learned its lesson and has suffered enough.

Rebs Get Drafted

OXFORD, Miss. – A pair of Ole Miss players were drafted in the second round of Thursday’s Major League Baseball Draft.

Junior right-handed pitcher Will Kline was the first player selected in the second round. He was drafted No. 65 overall by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Kline, a Belden, Miss., is 7-2 on the season and ranks second all-time in Ole Miss history with 127 strikeouts.

Junior shortstop Zack Cozart was selected No. 79 overall by the Cincinnati Reds. Cozart a Collierville, Tenn. native, was a first-team All-SEC selection and is a Golden Spikes Award semifinalist.

Ole Miss had six players chosen in last season’s draft. Including today’s two selections, the Rebels have had 22 draftees over the last four years.

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Freshman Rebs Gain Honors

OXFORD, Miss. – A trio of freshman were the latest group of Rebels to pull in national honors as Nathan Baker, Jordan Henry and Zach Miller were all named to the Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America team by Collegiate Baseball newspaper, the publication announced on Wednesday.

It is the first time in program history that three players have earned Freshman All-America honors. The trio join the list of six others to have been named Freshman All-America selections along with current teammates Zack Cozart (2005) and Cody Satterwhite (2006). Also earning the distinction were Adam Yates (2001), Seth Smith (2002), Matt Tolbert (2002), Stephen Head (2003) and Alex Presley (2004).

“This is a tremendous honor for these three young men and one that they certainly deserve,” said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco. “You can look at the success we have had this season and all three have been a big part of getting us to our third-straight Super Regional and 40-win season. It says a lot about their level of play and our program to have three players selected to this honor.”

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

A Look Ahead

We will take a look at the Ole Miss game and their rotation later in the week. But if you had to pick right now, which SEC teams if any will make it to Omaha? Will it be Ole Miss, Mississippi State, or South Carolina.

USC will travel to North Carolina
Ole Miss will travel to Arizona State
Mississippi State will host Clemson.

USC probably has the toughest draw as they will be playing the third seed in North Carolina. Ole Miss has its hands tied with Arizona State, a team who has lost only three games at home this year. It will be very tough for the Rebs to beat the Sun Devils on their own. The easiest of the three seems to be MSU who will play host to Clemson. Both teams are pretty similar talent wise, but State should have the advantage since they are playing at home.

All in all I think most of us will be tied to the tv to see how the whole tournament plays out this weekend.

In Case You Have Not Seen It Yet

OXFORD, Miss. -- This weekend's NCAA Baseball Super Regional between Ole Miss and Arizona State in Tempe will open Saturday at 8 p.m. CT and will be televised on ESPNU. First pitch on both Sunday and Monday, if necessary, is set for 6 p.m. on ESPN2.

Monday, June 04, 2007

The Rebels Opponent

Here is a look at a few stats about the Rebels opponent this weekend. Arizona State is a very good team and has only lost three games at home this season. It is going to be a tough series for the Rebels no matter how you look at it. Some are saying maybe it is a good thing for the Rebels to leave and play a super regional on the road, saying it takes some pressure off of them. Personally, I would rather play at home, but if this is the thought process of the baseball team than so be it. This is the third super regional in a row the Rebels have made it to, a stat few teams can boast about.

Record: 46-13 (19-5)
Batting average: .351
ERA: 4.15
Likely Starters:
Brian Flores LHP (10-1, 3.80)
Mike Leake RHP (13-1, 3.58)
Josh Satow LHP (12-3, 2.56)
HR: 72
Fielding percentage: .978

Sunday, June 03, 2007

Rebs Advance to Supers

It was another great regional performance by the Rebels as it took them three games to win the Oxford regional to advance in the NCAA Tournament. I was only able to catch a couple of the games on tv, so do not have specifics on the weekend.

Things I do know. Lance Lynn pitched a great game yesterday. Lynn struggled early but rebounded to pitch a good game. I really like seeing Alex Kliman in the lineup. Kliman had a very good weekend, and brings a good bat to the plate at times. While Kliman's arm is a little weaker than Basham's, he makes up for it at the plate. I prefer him in the lineup when we need an offensive push.

Now the Rebels will have to travel to Arizona State to take on the Sun Devils. The Sun Devils are a good team and have only lost three home games all year. We will take a deeper look at ASU and the rest of the super regionals throughout the week.


OXFORD, Miss. (AP) -- No. 9 batter Alex Kliman had four hits and drove in five runs - nearly half his season total of 12 RBIs - as Ole Miss beat Sam Houston 21-13 on Sunday to win the NCAA Oxford regional.
Kliman was one of nine Ole Miss hitters with at least one RBI and the Rebels set a season high for runs and hits (22). Ole Miss batted around in two innings against the Bearkats (40-24), who finally ran out of juice after two consecutive comeback victories in the regional.
The first nine Rebels (40-23) who batted in the fourth inning scored to put the game away and Ole Miss failed to score in just two innings.
Ole Miss advances to its third straight super regional. The Rebels were ousted by Miami and Texas the last two seasons. They have not been to the College World Series since 1972.
Ole Miss will play the winner of the Tempe regional championship between Arizona State-Nebraska. If Nebraska wins, Ole Miss will host the three-game series.

Friday, June 01, 2007

Regional Predictions

It is the time for regional predictions for the Oxford regional. Unfortunately due to prior scheduled events I will not be in Oxford this weekend and will be watching on tv and listening on the radio. However, I will be keeping up with every pitch this weekend. I do not think a regional or super regional has gone by in the past 4 years where I have not missed some part of it. This year it is all in your hands to pull the Rebs through.

When I first hear the draw for the Oxford regional, I was not comfortable. I think Southern Miss is a good team and they obviously have the talent to beat the Rebels, as they have already done so this season. Granted, it was a mid week game and neither team was playing their number 1 players across the board.

As far as the Oxford regional goes, I think the Rebs should come out of it the winners. Granted it might take till the final game on Monday to get this accomplished, but I feel like the Rebs should win it. It will not be easy for the Rebs to win this regional, but there should be plenty of fan support. I have heard rumors as of Thursday night there are people camping out to get a place in line to watch the Rebs play. It should be a fun June as always at Swayze. What do you think?