Soccer Star Rising

With the college baseball season winding down and the football teams looking toward fall, I thought I would take a moment to reflect on a high school athlete who should be the best girls high school soccer player in the state of Tennessee next fall. Certainly, this may be off the beaten path of the Ole Miss Rebels and Rebel Yell but with all the hype that comes around in the Fall with the Heisman, I wanted to get the ball rolling on the Soccer Player of the Year but this is no hype. This is fact. 2009-10 Senior Forward Caroline Webb of Hutchison is  the best soccer player in the state.I have had the opportunity to see her play since the 8th grade and not only has she improved each year, she has become unstoppable. With unmatched speed and quickness combined with an innate ability to score against the best defenses, Caroline has no peers for next year. Unbiased I am not, but for the pure joy of watching a great soccer player I have found the answer. I pondered possible nicknames...Smoke... C-Webb.... Artist..... The Answer..... but none were complete enough...so simply think of her as THE STANDARD. A standard for which all soccer players may be measured. If you don't believe yet, you will just wait until the Fall.

Bulldogs Lay Egg in Eggbowl

The statistics are staggering. The Rebels beat the Bulldogs like red-headed stepchildren and as much as I like Sly Croom, he never stood a chance. My daughter and I attended the Egg Bowl and enjoyed a scoring rampage. Let's look at some stats. MSU crossed midfield 1 time the entire game. They had -51 rushing yards and 88 passing yards. That is 27 yards of offense for 60 minutes. Now. let us look at the Rebels....461 yards of offense, Mike Wallace had 4 grabs for 105 yards. Ashlee Palmer had a phenomenal interception in the first half and BIG Jerrell Powe had a pick himself. The defense was as good as the offense on Friday. Peria Jerry (can anyone say 1st team all-american?), Kentrell Lockett, Greg Hardy, Dustin Mouzon, and Jamarca Sanford had outstanding games. Aside from the game where the seniors including Memphians Michael Oher and Rob Park played their last game in Vaught-Hemingway, let me reflect on the behavior of the fans. The Bulldogs fans were gracious in defeat but there is an acute difference between a Rebel fan and a Bulldog fan....cleanliness. The young man (a Bulldog fan) who sat next to my daughter not only needs to realize that dipping Skoal causes lip cancer, but when you spit it goes everywhere. Not only that, when you take that crap out, watch where you throw it. If I had not been so busy watching the Rebels score, I would have probably moved. There were plenty of seats with the early exit of Bulldog fans. Thanks to the seniors for a great home season and now it is on to the Cotton Bowl. Perhaps the kind people at Memphis Sport will give me the chance to go on the sidelines for some photos? Yes, I am openly asking for a sideline pass if I can get one. My daughter will be attending but can sit with her aunt if I can get on the sidelines. Now since this is the last game of the season, I need to thank seniors Lindsey Zepponi and Laura Beth Wilson for making my season a great one. These remarkable young women were so gracious to my daughter and me the whole season, I will be indebted to them forever. Thanks ladies and Happy Holidays from Rebel Yell and Santa's Helpers 

Houston Nutt....Coach of the Year

         

 

                                                                                                                                                                            Here is some fodder for all those Rebel haters out there. I believe Coach Houston Nutt should be the SEC Coach of the Year. Sure Vandy became bowl eligible finally and Alabama is undefeated and ranked #1 but let's take a moment to look at Ole Miss. In 2007, the Rebels were 3-9 and to most fans had no chance of winning any game. There was no confidence that Ole Miss could compete with most teams. Now, let's jump to 2008, there are more than a   few people who believe Ole Miss can beat LSU (me included). The Rebels had a chance to beat Wake Forest, Alabama, South Carolina, and Vanderbilt (all ranked teams at one time this year). Now what is different? Coach Houston Nutt. He instills confidence, not only in his players but the fans. What Coach has made a bigger or better impact on the SEC this year than Coach Nutt. His team beat Florida...who else can say that? If you believe differently, please speak up!!!

Let's Go Bowling

Well, the Rebels are bowl eligible. Go Rebels!!!

6-4 after a 59-0 dismantling of the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks. Not to say the Rebels are unstoppable but on Saturday they were. My wife and I braved the cold, the wind, and even some sleet to watch the Rebels roll up 38 points by halftime. It was nice to see Cordera Eason rush for over 100 yards and Mike Wallacerack up 111 yards in receiving but the 88 yard TD catch was a remarkable thing of beauty and talent. Greg Hardy proved he was a difference maker no matter how little he plays with a sack and an int but my man of the game was Cassius Vaughn. His interception in the 4th quarter sealed the shut out. Rebel Yell Game Balls to Cassius and Mike Wallace. And I would be remiss, if I did not give Rebel Yell Game Balls to all the Cheerleaders and Rebelettes. They had to freeze all day long even with warm ups on. With LSU struggling against Troy, the Rebels look good next weekend.

Go Home Tommy!!!

The Victory over the Auburn Tigers on Saturday brought a lot of thoughts to mind but it is more than just the victory which need to be celebrated. Yes, the victory was sweet. As my friend who sits behind me every game said "Bye, Bye Tommy. You didn't like "Oxfurd" and we are glad you are gone. Just go on home." Adios Tommy!!! Maybe next time we see you, you and Phil Fulmer will be looking for new jobs. Don't get me wrong. I like Phil Fulmer but when you have the fan base and recruiting power of Tennessee. You should be a lot better than you are. And that leads me to my next rumination.

Thank you Houston Nutt. No matter who the Rebels play, with you on the sideline, there is always that innate thought that we can win. When Coach O was in Oxford, there was not that feeling. Certainly, as a fan, I tire of the Wild Rebel at times and wish Jevon Snead was a little more on target with his passes, but all I need to do is look on the sideline to know victory is never out of our grasp. The question which forever haunts any fan of an inept team is how can we loose this game but Coach you make us say how will we win this game.

I do not remember when Coach Vaught was at Ole Miss as the football coach but do remember seeing him around campus from time to time. The Rebels honored him on Saturday with a statue in front of the Athletic Complex. There has never been a more deserving coach and we will always be in your debt for the honor and prestige you brought to Ole Miss football.

Some honors were bestowed this week on many of the Spirit Squad members and I would be remiss if I left them out. First, Memphis Sport's very own "Bring It On" girl is Memphian and Ole Miss Cheerleader Perren Young. Check her out on page 8 of the latest issue. Rebelette Stephanie Chappars (right) of Germantown was named the Sports Illustrated Cheerleader of the Week this week. Lastly, Spirit Squad Coordinator Amanda Hoppert and senior cheerleaders Lindsey Zepponi and Laura Beth Wilson (below) were commended by the United States Congress for their community service. Thank you ladies for your dedication to your sport, your fans, and your community.


Now, more about the game. Not that I have much authority on the matter but if I were availed of the opportunity to name a player of the game and pass out a "Rebel Yell" game ball, it would go to Linebacker Ashlee Palmer. What a game, if he wasn't knocking heads, he was covering a wide receiver in the slot with the acumen of a defensive back. A Big "Rebel Yell" to Ashlee Palmer. Thanks for a great game.

Tide rolls early, slows late

The Rebels fell to Alabama 24-20 last Saturday. A loss is a loss and next year it will be an L in the record book and that is all that will be remembered but Ole Miss proved it could hang with the best. Houston Nutt's halftime sermon must have been inspirational to say the least. The Rebels started slow but rallied in the second half to give the Blue and Red faithful hope in yet another upset. The commentators said the Rebels could be 6-0 before the game and we could have been 7-0 but we aren't and that is football. Optimism is a great thing and I will continue to see the cup as half full. Go Rebels!!!! Beat the Hogs!!!!

Ole Miss Falls to Darth Visor

Yes the Rebels lost to South Carolina 24-31. Even though the Rebels lost it was a good game. I am not here to say it was a fluke that the Gamecocks won because they won fair and square. Certainly it would have helped if Dexter McCluster would not have fumbled and Jevan Snead didn't throw an interception late in the  game but those are the breaks. My hat is off to Coach Spurrier and his team. There is always a silver lining when I watch the Rebels however. The silver lining this week comes in the form of three tandems. Offensive Tackles Michael Oher #74 and John Jerry #77 are such a delight to watch. These huge men push around defenses with ease and though Jerry may not get the recognition of Oher, he holds his own against the best. Thanks Michael and John for the effort. Another tandem comes at the safety spot. Jamarca Sanford #13 and Kendrick Lewis #1 dole out some punishment on defense. They seem to be everywhere. Thanks men for keeping the ooooo's and ahhhhh's alive in Vaught-Hemingway with your big hits. Finally, Lindsey Zepponi and Laura Beth Wilson. These spirit leaders go rather unnoticed but they  provide entertainment even on the hottest of days and even in the dullest of times. Especially when the timeout guy stands on the field and makes us all wait for an eternity for the next play.Don't forget to vote for Lindsey on Athlon Sports and look for a Rebel as the "Bring It On" girl in Memphis Sport soon. Oh yeah, it was Homecoming as well.

Ole Miss vs Florida

Rebels 31, Florida 30. Enough Said.

WWE Raw: Sport? Maybe Not, but That's Not the Point

Even as a huge sports fan, I never thought I would find myself at the FedEx Forum last Monday night sporting a "Show Me Kofi" poster, booing wrestlers, and just generally screaming my head off along side die-hard fans. 

Yes, I was at WWE Raw.

I'm not going to lie, Raw was my first real experience with professional wrestling apart from memories of boys in sixth grade pretending to body slam each other on the playground.  And--that's kind of how I see it still.

While I know I am probably not alone in my possible misunderstanding of this organization, I also know that FedEx Forum was full of individuals that would likely challenge me to a cage match if they heard me say that WWE is nothing more than entertainment with athletic components--or would they?

Like me, many bash professional wrestling for its fake matches, bogus personalities, and contrived drama.  However, those of us who automatically shun WWE because we don't see it as a sport forget that others see it that way too.  One of the announcers called WWE "the largest traveling entertaining juggernaut" in American entertainment.

What I saw Monday night was more than entertainment, it was a culture.  Entire families were present, all walks of life, all ethnicities--it was amazing.

While I can't say that I am now a convert to professional wrestling, I can now take it for what it is--entertainment--and quit bashing it for not being something I think it should be.

Ole Miss Falls to Vandy

The Rebels fell to Vandy last Saturday 23-17. It was a close game but the Rebels could not hold onto the ball and Jevan Snead had a tendency to overthrow his receivers all night. Dexter McCluster had a great game and shows why he is one of the most feared mutli-purpose players in the SEC. Those Rebels are exciting to say the least but Florida is next. But I cannot expound on the virtues of the Rebels too much. Raleigh Bartlett and Roman commented that this was a Memphis Sport website and not Ole Miss so I guess I will stop here. I cannot say how well Michael Oher pass blocked for the Rebels...Oh wait...He is from Memphis. I cannot talk about the outstanding coverage of Rebel CB #24 Cassius Vaughn...Oh wait....He is from Memphis. I cannot talk about the outstanding play of Greg Hardy on the few downs he played after returning from injury....Oh wait.....He is Memphis. Nor can I mention Chris Marve  and #49 John Stokes who were all over the field from their linebacker spots for Vanderbilt.....Oh wait....you guessed it, They are from Memphis. Maybe I should write about U of M QB Arkelon Hall who is from Fresno, California. Anyway, it would be easy to meander down the path of pettiness but let us stand above the fray. Memphis is full of champions and athletes who excel so Roman and Raleigh Bartlett...pick up the pen and let us hear about the Tigers, Grizzlies, and Red Birds. We await your discourse. Go Rebels!!!!! and Go Lindsey Zepponi!!!!!! Before the game on Saturday, I was fortunate enough to meet Lindsey. She is a senior cheerleader for the Ole Miss Rebels and is competing in the Athlon Sports Sideline Spirit Contest. The voting started on September 20 and goes through sometime in October. What a wonderful young woman, she is epitomizes Southern  grace and charm and is quite an athlete to boot. You can vote for her 20 times a day until the deadline. I will be voting 20 times per day to show my Rebel Spirit and support one of my favorite cheerleaders. To find out how, visit Athlon Sports on the web and search for Spirit. And if anyone outvotes me, I will gladly pen a glowing report on any team they wish..be it the Vols, Bulldogs, or Tigers. I must thank Amanda Hoppert for pointing out Lindsey to me. It is because of the caring of coaches like Amanda college life and sports in the South continue a long standing tradition of excellence and excitement. Thanks Amanda, Thanks Lindsey, and Thanks Rebels....