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Blog

Guy gets seniors nod; 3 more deserve Pro HoF

Posted on: September 01,2013

Several of our Mississippi Sports Hall of Famers also belong in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In this week’s column, syndicated to newspapers around the state through the Mississippi Press Assocication, I wrote about four of them, including Ray Guy who will be a seniors committee finalist for the the Class of 2014. Hopefully, […]

Instant classic reminds me of one in 1969

Posted on: August 30,2013

We love college football for many reasons, including the emotions the sport evokes from  players, coaches and fans. Those emotions leave us with lasting memories, just as Thursday night’s Ole Miss-Vanderbilt instant classic will. The Rebels’ exhausting 39-35 victory over Vandy left me thinking back to 1969 when Ole Miss was on the other end […]

It starts tonight: Big games galore

Posted on: August 29,2013

Where Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Southern Miss are concerned, I cannot remember a time when football openers were more important than what the three face on opening week, 2013. All three games are important for so many different reasons. Ole Miss opens at Vandy tonight. It’s important, No. 1, because it is a conference […]

Kimbrel: Are we watching the next Rivera?

Posted on: August 28,2013

While my son and I were sharing some quality time — watching former Mississippi Brave Craig Kimbrel  finish off the Cleveland Indians Wednesday night, my son said, “Dad you know we are watching the next Mariano Rivera.” My first reaction: Whoa! Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. After further review, Tyler may be onto […]

Who you got? Here's one fool's selections

Posted on: August 27,2013

Another season, another chance to make a fool out of myself. Here we go: Ole Miss 27, Vanderbilt 26 — Ole Miss is favored by 3, which is remarkable when you think about it. If that scores sounds familiar, that’s what Vandy beat Ole Miss by last season en route to winning its last seven […]

Win Ellington remembers his splendid coach

Posted on: August 25,2013

Bill Raphael, the beloved coach and teacher at St. Joseph High for 41 years, died Friday of pancreatic cancer. Here, Win Ellington (St. Joe Class of ’90) remembers his mentor and the lessons learned. When the St. Joe Alumni Facebook Page posted a status that Coach Raphael had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer  I knew […]

Steve Shirley recalls 'My Coach' Bill Raphael

Posted on: August 25,2013

  Bill Raphael, a beloved coach and teacher at St. Joseph High School died Friday of pancreatic cancer. He was 87. Steve Shirley (St. Joe Class of 1976), who played and learned under Raphael, shares this remarkable tribute. Bill Raphael was a legendary math teacher. Through his decades at St. Joseph High School, thousands of […]

'Boys, I have found us a game we can play…'

Posted on: August 25,2013

What follows is this week’s column syndicated through the Mississippi Press Association. An alert reader caught one slight error. The Poole brothers grew up in Homochitto, not Gloster . . . Homochitto is out from Gloster… As another Mississippi high school football season begins, this question looms as pertinent as ever: What is it about […]