Cotton Bowl is the Gift that Keeps on Giving

This is an article special to the Sports Zone by Jacob Threadgill, Contributing Writer for Inside the Grove.

The Ole Miss football team fulfilled its primary goal of the season once it secured the first bowl trip for the 14 seniors, but the benefits of the Rebels’ Cotton Bowl experience will be seen after those seniors have graduated.

Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt spent the first few weeks of the extra December bowl practice providing younger players additional repetitions, which will pay off come spring practice.

The national exposure the No. 20 Rebels will gain from playing No. 7 Texas Tech will also pay off for recruiting come February for national signing day.
The transition from an 0-8 SEC record a season ago to a January bowl has been quite dramatic for Ole Miss wide receiver/running back Dexter McCluster.

“Around this time last year we were at home with our parents, with our friends just hanging out wishing that we were in this situation,” McCluster said. “Now that we’re in it, we get the feeling of what it is like to be in a situation like it. It is fun, and it is going to help us build next year. We know how to win, we know the feeling of winning and will try to do that all the time.”

For the first time in four seasons an entire freshman class of Ole Miss players will never have experienced any other feeling than one of wining while in Oxford. McCluster said the extra practice time would help the team moving forward into next season.

“I can see a lot of improvement (from the younger players),” McCluster said. “Just us practicing still, it gets us pumped up. After this bowl game spring is right around the corner. We just want to keep playing football, it is so much fun out there. The younger guys are growing and maturing in their game as well, and looking up to us and giving us great looks on the scout team.”

With the graduation of senior Mike Wallace, Ole Miss quarterback Jevan Snead said he has seen the greatest improvement from sophomore receivers Markeith Summers and Lionel Breaux.
“(Summers and Breaux) have done a really great job of stepping up the past few weeks of practice,” Snead said. “I believe it really has helped them and get them rolling for spring practice.”

After Friday’s game against Texas Tech, Nutt and staff will be working to fill the final few spots of their second recruiting class at Ole Miss.

The play of McCluster in the Wild Rebel set as been a major selling point for potential recruits, and the sales pitch has seemed to work with the commitments of all-purpose backs Rodney Scott (Scout’s Inc grade 80) and Korvic Neat (Scout’s Inc. grade 79) within the last month.

McCluster said he was always eager to talk to his potential replacements in the Wild Rebel set.
“I talk to recruits and they ask me how do I like the Wild Rebel, and that it looks fun,” McCluster said. “They wish they could run it. I told them they can run it as long as you have the ball handling skills and the athleticism to do it, you can do it.”

When it comes to hosting recruits on official visits or talking to them in general, McCluster said he takes a simple approach.
“First I will tell them that coach Nutt is the real deal,” McCluster said. “What he says is exactly what it means, and it is going to happen no matter what. Second, the town of Oxford and the love of the game with the fans, there is a lot of support out here. There is a lot of family out here, and I think that is enough to get them to come.”

McCluster signed with the Rebels in 2006 out of Largo high school in Florida, and if he has his way, Ole Miss might be adding another former Packer to the roster.

McCluster said he stays in close contact with his former high school teammate, 2009 linebacker recruit Mike Marry.
“He is a big time player,” McCluster said about the 6-foot-3 210 pound Marry. “He has speed and size. I try to call him every chance I can. He is paying more attention to Ole Miss than he ever has. He calls me and talks to me after games.”

Marry has been given a 77 grade by Scout’s Inc., and is considering Ole Miss along with Michigan, North Carolina, South Florida, and West Virginia.

McCluster said Marry’s notice in the Rebels is indicative of recruits all across Florida.
“He has told me he can see a lot of change, and he is asking me what the difference is from the last few years, and this year. I just told him we’re playing as a team and as a family. We have great coaches around us that we believe in that they can get us there.”

Get Your POPCORN Ready !!!

The playoff picture is almost clear but it is still a little blurry. After Sunday night, it will be completely clear and developed. The two big games tomorrow are the Cowboys vs. Eagles and the Broncos vs. Chargers.

These two games are significant is many ways:

1. They are both rivals and division foes.

2. They hate each other and their fans do as well.

3. In the case of the Broncos, they stole the first meeting on a horrible incomplete pass call.

4. In the case of the Cowboys, Owens and his history with the Eagles.

5. Jay Cutler and Philip Rivers are not really the best of friends.

6. The Eagles might not even have a chance to make the playoffs when the game starts but they would love to keep the Cowboys from going as well.

7. If the Cowboys win, they're in.

8. If the Broncos win, they're in.

9. If the Chargers win, they're in.

10. Finally, this is the NFL and both of these games are going to be like playoff games.

It should be fun to watch so....... GET YOUR POPCORN READY!!!!!!!

Cowboys fans want to see if Tony Romo can when a big game in December.

Eagles fans want to see if Donovan McNabb is still their man.

Broncos fans want to see if Jay Cutler is the next Elway.

Chargers fans want to see if Philip Rivers can lead his team to the playoffs after a horrible start.

So the questions to answer Sunday are: Which quarterbacks will shine? and Which coaches will survive?

The Cowboys and Chargers have the most to play for because they were picked to represent their respective Conference in the Super Bowl. If neither team makes the playoffs, changes will be made by the owners. These two teams are full of talent and make way to much money to underachieve.

The Eagles and Broncos have a great deal to play for as well. With the ups and downs of the season for these two teams, it could leave a lot of questions at the end of the year.

The one thing the coaches for these four teams do have in common is job insecurity!!!!

Merry Christmas LAKERS

The Los Angeles Lakers had a lot to play for today against the the Boston Celtics, the defending NBA champions.

After the Celtics dominated the Lakers last year in the NBA Finals, this was not just a regular season game for the Lakers. The Celtics came into todays game with the NBA's best record and 19 straight victories. Not only did the Lakers need to win to get their confidence back, they also wanted to end the Celtics streak. The Lakers did just that in a 92-83 victory with great play from Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant.

The rematch of last years NBA Finals did not disappoint. The game was tied 82-82 with about 4 minutes to go and then Gasol took over scoring 7 of his 20 points in the last 4 minutes to put the game out of reach. Sure, this was only one game but for the mental state of the Lakers it was huge. Kobe finished the game with 27 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal. The Lakers bench also outscored the Celtics 22-13 and gave the Lakers important minutes. This will very likely be the two teams we will see in the Finals again this year. The Lakers and Celtics are the class of the NBA and a rematch would be very intriguing.

Kickin' it with Jevan Snead

This is an interview with ESPN blogger Chris Low

He's the best young quarterback in the SEC, and his strong right arm was a big reason Ole Miss ended the season with five straight wins and now heads to the AT&T Cotton Bowl to take on Texas Tech on Jan. 2.

Jevan Snead, after sitting out a year following his transfer from Texas, had a stellar debut season in the SEC. He ranks third in passing efficiency behind only Tim Tebow and Matthew Stafford and threw for 2,470 yards and 23 touchdowns.
The 6-foot-3, 215-pound sophomore had a stretch where he threw too many interceptions, but he closed the season with 13 touchdown passes and only two interceptions during the Rebels' five-game winning streak. Of his 12 interceptions, 10 came in the first seven games.
The Stephenville, Texas, product is pumped about going back home for Ole Miss' first bowl game since the 2003 season. I had a chance to catch up with Snead for a Q&A before the Rebels broke for Christmas.

What were the growing pains like for you in your first season in the SEC?

Jevan Snead: I started out all right, but I went through a spell where I was throwing too many picks. I wish I had a couple of those games back, but I feel like I grew throughout the season and did my best to learn as much as I could from each game. I think I took something from each of them.

How big a role did first-year offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Kent Austin play in your development this season?
JS: I'm extremely lucky to be coached by somebody like coach Austin. He did a great job of preparing me and teaching me the offense and making sure I really understood it. He's helped me a lot as far as my footwork and mechanics. When he showed up last spring, he talked to me about the things I needed to work on and we worked on them together. There's no doubt that he really improved my game.

Did you know much about Austin before he arrived?
JS: I really didn't. I'd heard what everybody else knew, that he'd played here, played in the CFL and won a Grey Cup there, as well as coached there and won one. I'd heard he was a great coach, which he is.

What part of your game needed polishing the most heading into this season?
JS: Probably my mechanics. At the first of the season, I wasn't getting my feet right or locking my knee or not transferring my weight like I should have been. And a big part of my turnovers earlier in the season was my decision-making, just knowing when the play's over and when to call it quits on a play.

One of your strengths is avoiding pressure and making throws while you're scrambling. Is there a fine line between not giving up on a play and being smart enough to throw it away?
JS: I got in trouble by trying to force a few balls. Those are the ones you've got to throw away. But I'm very comfortable on the move. I like throwing on the move and feel like I see the field well when I am on the move.

As well as you guys finished the season, how frustrating is it for you knowing that this is a team that could easily be 10-2 right now had it not been for a few crippling turnovers?
JS: It's always nice to have momentum going into the bowl game and offseason. It's something that will carry on. But you definitely look back and wish you had a few plays back. A couple of those ballgames, we were only a couple of plays from winning them. Those were tough losses. But you take what can from them and try to leave them behind.

How much did Texas Tech recruit you out of high school?
JS: They recruited me pretty hard for a while, and I looked at them when I was trying to get it down. But I ended up committing pretty early, my junior year, so a bunch of that stuff died down.

Have you thought much about the irony of two Texas-bred quarterbacks, you and Graham Harrell, going at it in the Cotton Bowl? There's a lot of Texas flavor there, right?
JS: I'm just excited to be going there and finally getting a chance to play close to home. (Stephenville is about 100 miles southwest of Dallas). It will be great for the whole team, but I'm especially excited to be able to have all of my family there and all of my friends. It's a big game for our program against a really good team. That's what is most important to me.

If Stafford and Tebow both come out and go pro, you'll be the top returning quarterback in the SEC next season. Are you ready to carry that banner?
JS: I'm not focused on that and have tried to never get too involved with what people think or say. I'll continue to work on my game and try to get better. In this league, you have no choice but to get better.

After it didn't work out for you at Texas, what was it like to sit out for a year?
JS: Sitting out that year was pretty tough, but I felt like it helped me learn more about the game. It gave me a chance to take a step back and take it all in. It was a big learning period for me, and I just tried to take advantage of it and work as hard as I could. I feel like it helped me out. Certainly, it's not the path I'd planned coming out of high school, but God has a plan for each one of us and it's worked out just fine.

Has this team played its best football, and how much better will you have to play to beat Texas Tech?
JS: I definitely think we have some better ball we can play. We've played some great games, but you can always play better. No one has played a perfect game of football yet. We'll need to play our best to win this game.

How much time had you spent in Mississippi before transferring there?
JS: I'm not even sure I'd driven through it before coming to school here, so I hadn't spent any time here. But the town here is a lot like my hometown as far as size and feel.
What do you like best about Ole Miss?
JS: Definitely the people. I love the atmosphere here, too. It's a beautiful community and beautiful campus, and I'm just thankful to be at such a great university.

by ESPN.com's Chris Low

Ole Miss assistant coaches speak out

This is an interview with http://www.insidethegrove.com/

From Inside The Grove staff reports

Owen Miller

Opening statement:
The most bizarre circumstances in my life that I’ve ever been a part of. The accusations against Andy Kennedy are incredibly outrageous. It is incredible what has transpired. There were four of us that were there - it has been documented - the four assistant coaches; me, Mike (White), Torrey (Ward) and Bill (Armstrong). When it all went down, they wouldn’t even take a statement from us. We were eyewitnesses to the account, and they never took a statement from us, didn’t want to take a statement from us.
Have the police to this moment taken a statement?
No, never talked to the police. Never. They won’t talk to any of us. We were a part of what happened. Not once did they ask a question. We asked if we could give our statement. They said they didn’t need it.
In reference to the police report stating that Bill Armstrong was intoxicated:
That is wrong too. He was begging to take a breathalyzer test, begging, and they wouldn’t do it. Begged them. ‘Please, give me a breathalyzer.’ The reason Bill was emotional obviously was because of what happened to Andy. He was very emotional, as we all were. So, it is just incredible all that has happened. It is hard to believe that can happen in this country. Really is, and my eyes have been opened. I’ll tell you what I’ve learned. Don’t ever put faith in man. You have to put all your faith in God. You have to.
Why do you think the police haven’t contacted you?
I have no idea. By no means am I a police officer, but you would think you would get all the people that were witness and get a report and a statement of what happened. Never happened, still hasn’t happened.
How did the meeting Friday with Pete Boone go?
It was great. He was great. He was fantastic. We got back, and our whole staff met. I think him and Andy met before. They brought the whole staff in, and we went through it. Pete was fantastic.

Torrey Ward

Is it true that racial slurs were hurled your way?
That is definitely true. All five of us were there, and that (the racial slurs) is what started the whole deal. In which we all had something to say to him. It is true.
What is it like to see something like that happen?
The whole deal is ridiculous. Just from what happened, to being a minute thing, to trying to get home, to blowing up and basically putting our head coach out there, our program out there in a bad light. It all went kind of fast, and it is a terrible situation that is being taken out of context. You can tell from the guy’s stories that they all don’t match. There are four different accounts, and they are all different.
It was the cab driver that said the racial slur?
Yes, it was the word that is being reported.
Were there words back at the driver?
Definitely, but he was the instigator. There were verbal confrontation from all of us, but it was nothing in a derogatory manner other than, ‘I can’t believe you just said that, we want to go home, we want to get out of the cab.’”

Michael White

Statement:
The allegations are ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous. Shocking what has gone down in the last 72 hours or so. It is really unfortunate for Andy and our university.
Does this change the way the coaches handle themselves in public?
It doesn’t change the way we behave in public, because I don’t think we behave inappropriately at all. Were we out late? Sure. Are we out normally to eat dinner late the night before games when we have film at 9:30? Yes. Are most staffs in the country (out late)? Probably, I don’t know that. Most staffs that I deal with on the road get late shoot-around times. Film work with their teams and eat dinner late. It is very common. As has been reported by the national media outlets.
What has this done to increase the bond between the coaches?
We’ve had each other’s back. We know that. We are sticking together, and that is all we can do. We all have AK’s back. We’ll make it through it. We have enough to continue to worry about with personnel and beating Florida A&M.

Goodbye Texas Stadium

The Cowboys had a very disappointing end to a great history at Texas Stadium. The 33-24 loss to the Ravens was in front of former greats such as: Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, Jay Novacek, Tony Dorsett, Leon Lett, Roger Staubach, Bob Lilly, Randy White, and the list goes on. Tony Romo talked, in his press conference, about how special it was to play with all the veterans back for a final homecoming. Texas Stadium will always be a great memory for Dallas fans. My parents are huge fans and cherish the 90's when "America's team" was at its prime.

Here are some great memories from Texas Stadium:

1. Dallas 35, Washington 34 (Dec. 16, 1979)

2. Dallas 24, Washington 23 (Nov. 28, 1974)

3. Miami 16, Dallas 14 (Nov. 25, 1993)

4. Dallas 42, Green Bay 31 (Nov. 25. )

5. Philadelphia 27, Dallas 0 (Nov. 23, 1989)

6. Dallas 38, Cincinnati 10 (Nov. 4, 1973)

7. Dallas 38, San Francisco 21 (Jan. 23, 1994)

8. San Francisco 41, Dallas 24 (Sept. 24, 2000) - George Teague knocked TO on his butt.

9. Dallas 44, New England 21 (Oct. 24, 1971)

10. Green Bay 20, Dallas 10 (Dec. 24, 1989)

The first Super Bowl I ever remember was Super Bowl XXX when the Cowboys beat the Steelers 27-17.

Dallas' Larry Brown became the first cornerback to be named Super Bowl MVP, recording two interceptions and returning them for a total of 77 yards.

During the Cowboys time at Texas Stadium, they won 5 Super Bowl Championships.

Goodbye Texas Stadium!!!

Andy Kennedy accused of assault on a Cabbie

The latest on the Andy Kennedy story is far from what was earlier reported.

As he left the Lodge Bar, a bar in downtown Cincinnati, he and the Ole Miss assistant coaches looked for a cab to take them to where the Rebels are staying. When Kennedy asked the cab driver to pick him and his friends up, the cab driver refused because he didn't have enough seat belts to carry all five of Kennedy's group. The reason the cab driver couldn't take all five is because cabs only have five total seat belts, including the driver's.Then, another cab driver pulled up and told Kennedy that he would take all of five them if they would get into his cab. Next, the two cab drivers started arguing over the laws in Ohio for transporting people without a seat belt. At this point, Kennedy and Bill Armstrong, Director of Operations for the basketball team, tried to get out of the cab. Finally, the cab driver locked the doors and drove off with Kennedy and Armstrong. Kennedy yelled for the driver to stop the cab multiple times and when he did not, Kennedy slapped the driver and made him stop.

This is the latest from a source very close to Kennedy and the Ole Miss program.

After Kennedy and Armstrong got out of the cab, they got into another cab and attempted to get back to where the basketball team was staying. The police pulled the cab over and arrested Kennedy and Armstrong.

It was reported that Bill Armstrong was thrown out of the bar, this is false information. He was not thrown out of the bar, he was arrested by the police after being pulled over. Armstrong also had been drinking.

This is an unfortunate situation and Kennedy is embarrassed and very sorry for what he has done. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle of Kennedy's story and the cab driver's story. As the investigation goes on, Ole Miss fans obviously hope that Kennedy will be cleared of all charges.

Check out http://www.insidethegrove.com/ for more information on this subject.