Ole Miss fell to No. 8 Missouri and out of the Associated Press top 25 on Saturday night. Mississippi State defeated Arkansas in overtime earlier in the day, raising the stakes for Thursday night's Egg Bowl in Starkville. There's not much more to say, but I will anyway. Here are my 10 thoughts from the weekend that was:
1. I love fans. I make a living off fans. Thank God for fans. On this Thanksgiving, I'm most thankful for the health of my beautiful children. The presence of ardent fans is not far down that list.
But _ and it's a big but _ some Ole Miss fans need to dose up on some Paxil or Valium or Prozac. As the kids say _ at least I think they still say it _ take a chill pill.
Saturday night's 24-10 loss at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium wasn't complicated to figure out. Missouri, a team that is one screwed up fourth down away from being 11-0 and very much in the national title picture, was just better than Ole Miss. In fact, I would argue the Tigers were the second-best team Ole Miss faced all year, trailing only Alabama.
James Franklin is a rich man's Nick Marshall, meaning he's dangerous with his feet and his arm. Had he played that night in Columbia, Mo., against South Carolina, the Tigers would be 11-0 today. Missouri is solid on both lines of scrimmage ? damn strong, in fact. Their receiver corps is legitimate. The running back duo of Henry Josey and Marcus Murphy is strong. Frankly, the Tigers are underrated. I suspect they'll whip Texas A&M Saturday in Columbia and they'll have a respectable showing in two weeks in a loss to Alabama in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game.
But back to Ole Miss. Playing the role of the voice of reason isn't really in my DNA. I'm much better suited to antagonize and instigate. However, it's the hand I've been dealt recently, so here goes:
Ole Miss is just two short years removed from the bottom of the barrel. Barry Brunetti was asked about his memories of the Rebels' last trip to Starkville two years ago. His eyes caught fire. Do you remember that night? Brunetti was one of the few Rebels to show up to accept an inevitable beating from the Bulldogs. It was ugly. Dan Mullen showed mercy (or maybe boredom) late in the third quarter of a 31-3 win.
Two short years later, Ole Miss appears on the cusp of taking total command of the rivalry, but more on that in a bit.
On Saturday night, against a championship-caliber team, Ole Miss' weaknesses got exposed. I'm not sure what my reputation is, but I'm a firm believer that college athletes shouldn't be called out by media for what happens on the field. Further, if I were to be specific, I'd have to criticize some young men I've grown to truly like over the past few years. So I'll try to do this as vaguely as possible.
Ole Miss is playing big-boy SEC football with some non-SEC-caliber athletes in critical spots. Much was made late Saturday and Sunday about Ole Miss' struggles in the red zone Saturday night. Fans want power football there, and frankly, I agree. However, the interior of Ole Miss' offensive front was overmatched Saturday and no amount of coaching, scheming or pure testosterone was going to overcome it. Recruiting is the only medicine for that ailment.
Rod Taylor was in the stadium Saturday night, but he still has high school games to play. Things appear to be moving in a good direction for Avery Gennesy. Aaron Morris will be back next season. I won't be surprised if the Rebels toy with some position moves in the spring that could impact the offensive line. For now, though, Ole Miss is what it is up front.
Things appear to be moving in a positive direction for D.J. Pettway and Jarran Reed. I expect Ole Miss will sign Garrald McDowell. Fadol Brown looks like a monster who will help tremendously next season when he becomes eligible. Robert Nkemdiche is going to be an All-American in the next couple of seasons. C.J. Johnson's return will be a tremendous benefit. For now, however, Ole Miss is precariously thin on the defensive line, counting on a freshman, a sophomore, an overachieving senior, a 238-pound defensive tackle and a handful of role players.
I won't be surprised if Ole Miss signs both C.J. Hampton and Jamal Adams. I won't be surprised if they miss on one or both, either, but the point remains this: The Rebels are recruiting the type of safeties that possess the size/speed ratio this league requires while squeezing every drop out of some remarkably hard-working players currently at the position. Tony Conner and Derrick Jones look like future NFL players in the Rebels' secondary. They're freshmen. The bet here is Hugh Freeze and Co. will add more players like them in February and again in February 2015. Until then, however, Ole Miss is lining up in some games undermanned.
Upset fans cited a lack of effort and intensity Saturday night. No offense intended to those critics, but they couldn't be more wrong. Vaught-Hemingway was electric Saturday. The Rebels were pumped up and intense. Missouri was playing for something special, too, and on Saturday night, the Tigers were simply better.
2. Leftover thoughts from Missouri 24, Ole Miss 10:
A. Donte Moncrief had six catches for 115 yards, but a dropped touchdown pass in the second half sticks out. Moncrief, according to sources, is considering leaving Ole Miss early for the NFL. I have to believe, however, that people close to him would advise him to return and refine his game. The tools to be a good receiver on Sundays are there, but they need to be sharpened.
B. Laquon Treadwell had five catches for 42 yards, but something tells me he'd like to have a first-half crossing pattern back. Bo Wallace's throw was high and a hair behind, but it's a catch Treadwell makes nine out of 10 times. If he catches it Saturday, it's a touchdown and a 7-7 game. Still, Treadwell is a beast. A year in a college weight program is going to make him an All-American candidate as a sophomore.
C. Ole Miss misses Evan Engram in the passing game. Nick Parker is giving the Rebels a yeoman's effort at tight end, but the lack of a pass-catching threat at that position was conspicuous Saturday night.
D. Pierce Burton had a critical false start penalty Saturday, but all in all, I thought he did a solid job on Michael Sam. The Missouri star had just three tackles and only one behind the line of scrimmage against Ole Miss. Laremy Tunsil was equally effective against Kony Ealy, holding the athletic Missouri defensive end to three tackles. Bo Wallace was sacked just one time. The Rebels just couldn't establish the running game against Missouri. Through 11 games, no one has.
E. Kudos to D.T. Shackelford. On Saturday, he had eight tackles, a sack and 1 ½ tackles for loss.
F. Again, Missouri is damn good. The Tigers were focused. They walked into a hornet's nest and never lost their composure.
3. Within minutes of Saturday's game going final, Freeze turned the Rebels' focus to Mississippi State. The Bulldogs kept their Liberty Bowl or BBVA Compass Bowl hopes alive with an overtime win over Arkansas. Freshman quarterback Damian Williams was the hero with a 25-yard touchdown run on the first play of overtime. Williams might get his first start Thursday against Ole Miss. Dak Prescott is out for the rest of the regular season (the strong rumor is Prescott has nerve damage) and Tyler Russell was driven to the ground late in the fourth quarter and did not return Saturday.
Williams, a freshman, played in a mop-up role against Alabama earlier this month. It appears the Bulldogs are much more run-oriented with him under center. Mississippi State has a plethora of running backs, though LaDarius Perkins suffered a rib injury in the second quarter Saturday and did not return. Sophomore Josh Robinson was the Bulldogs' rushing hero Saturday, picking up 101 yards on 17 carries, all in the second half.
Mississippi State will likely try to run the ball, eat clock and keep Ole Miss' defense off the field Thursday night. People always say you can throw out the record books in rivalry games. I don't buy it. I've covered lots of rivalry games. Nine times out of 10, the best team wins. Ole Miss is the better team. If the Rebels play a solid game, limit turnovers and match the Bulldogs' emotion, they'll win on Thanksgiving night.
4. Aaron Murray's Georgia career ended Saturday night when he suffered a torn ACL in the Bulldogs' win over Kentucky. Murray will undergo reconstructive surgery on Tuesday. Hutson Mason will start Georgia's regular-season finale against Georgia Tech and the Bulldogs' bowl game. Murray had started all 59 games of his college career.
Murray's Georgia career ended with him becoming the third quarterback in NCAA history to pass for 3,000 yards in each of his four college seasons. His all-time SEC records now stand at: completions (921), passing yards (13,166), touchdown passes (121) and total offense (13,562). Murray moved to No. 2 on the SEC all-time list for pass attempts with 1,478 (Jared Lorenzen of Kentucky, 1,514). In addition, he tied David Greene with the most starts for a non-kicker in school history with 52, which is the most for any active NCAA player (the school record is 53 by Blair Walsh).
I'm a huge fan of Murray's. He deserved a better fate, but my bet is he recovers fully and has a long NFL career. If I'm the New Orleans Saints, I take a long look at Murray. There are a lot of similarities between the Georgia great and the guy currently under center in the Crescent City.
Other thoughts from the weekend that was in the SEC:
A. Sources told the Orlando Sentinel Sunday that Will Muschamp will not be fired at Florida, despite the Gators' loss to Georgia Southern Saturday, one that clinched a losing season. Muschamp will, however, make significant coaching changes, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. Offensive coordinator Brent Pease is almost certainly destined to be a casualty. "You've got to change the scoreboard offensively," Muschamp said Saturday. "You've got to be able to change the scoreboard, and we just struggled scoring points offensively. It's been a week-in, week-out occurrence."
B. For the first time in 24 games played with 2012 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel under center, the Texas A&M offense failed to gain more than 300 total yards Saturday at LSU in a 34-10 Tigers win. "We got punched in the mouth today, and it wasn't fun," Manziel told the Baton Rouge Advocate. "It wasn't fun to get beat like that, so we'll see how we handle adversity." Texas A&M finished with 299 total yards against an LSU defense that has struggled at times this season and were shut out in the second half after getting a late first-half touchdown that cut an 18-point deficit to 21-10 at halftime.
C. The loss very possibly cost Manziel a chance at a second Heisman. It's conceivable, perhaps, that Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron will have his chance to impress voters on Saturday at Auburn when the Tide and Tigers meet for the SEC West title. With Oregon losing for the second time Saturday and Baylor getting thumped at Oklahoma State, there's no longer a clear-cut favorite for the award. All McCarron has done is win, win and win some more, but he probably needs a flashy performance on the big stage to have any chance at the trophy. Regardless, McCarron had a highlight he'll remember the rest of his life during Alabama's 49-0 win over Chattanooga Saturday. McCarron completed a pass to his younger brother, Corey, for the first time in his Alabama career on what turned out to be his final possession at Bryant-Denny Stadium. On first-and-10 at Chattanooga's 49-yard line early in Saturday's third quarter, McCarron threw a quick screen to Corey, a walk-on H-back, for a 3-yard gain. He patted his little brother on the head as he ran off the field following the first catch of his Crimson Tide career. Three plays later, McCarron hit Amari Cooper for a 38-yard touchdown pass to put Alabama ahead, 35-0. Blake Sims took over for McCarron the following possession. Corey transferred to Alabama in January 2012 following a one-year stint at South Alabama. He sat out the 2012 season and has seen the field sparsely this year. "I missed playing with AJ," Corey told AL.com. "That's something I always wanted to do. The two years I played with him I loved it. Deep down, I wanted to play with AJ. You only live once. I want to play with him before my playing days are over."
D. Vanderbilt saved its best for last with a 12-play, 92-yard drive in the waning minutes to beat Tennessee 14-10 Saturday night in Knoxville. Backup quarterback Patton Robinette scored on a 5-yard run after faking a jump pass with 16 seconds left. The touchdown followed an overturned call on the field that saw Vanderbilt starting quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels' fourth-down sneak spotted at the UT 34. "No comment on the officials today," Tennessee coach Butch Jones said during a post-game press conference. "That pretty much summarizes it." Replay confirmed that he advanced the ball to the 33, and Vanderbilt was given new life with 46 seconds remaining. "We thought that we had the first down," Vanderbilt coach James Franklin said. "After that, it's out of our hands. You'd like to get to the point where you don't put yourself in that position, that you clearly make it obvious that you got the first down without having to go to the review. But I know our coaches were really confident in the booth and the players were really confident that they'd got the first down."
E. Vanderbilt wide receiver Jordan Matthews finished with a career-high 13 catches for 133 yards to become the SEC's all-time receptions leader, passing ex-Commodore Earl Bennett.
F. Bret Bielema's horrific fake punt call Saturday in the second quarter against Mississippi State let the Bulldogs back into a game the Hogs led, 10-3. After giving up a 24-yard field goal, Arkansas took possession and ran into a fourth-and-three at the Hogs' 44-yard line with 2:42 to play before halftime. Instead of punting with a 13-mile per hour wind at Sam Irwin-Hill's back, Arkansas called for a fake punt, and it ended up being the turning point of the first half. When it was not blocked properly, Irwin-Hill was thrown for a four-yard loss and Mississippi State took over at the Arkansas 40 with plenty of time to score. The Bulldogs did just that, driving to tie the game at 10-10. "Mississippi State runs punt-safe quite a bit. We thought that we had a very, very good look. That was the look that we wanted," Bielema said. "We gave it a green light go. Obviously missed a critical block. If I had it to do over again, obviously I wouldn't do it, but thought that the look was there. Thought we could get anywhere from 5-10 on that even if they reacted properly." Teams don't go 0-8 in this league by accident.
5. The SEC's bowl picture remains as cloudy today as it was prior to the weekend. Here's my weekly stab:
BCS National Championship Game --- Alabama (13-0)
Allstate Sugar Bowl --- Auburn (10-2)
Capital One Bowl --- Missouri (11-2)
Outback Bowl --- South Carolina (9-3)
AT&T Cotton Bowl --- LSU (9-3)
Chick-Fil-A Bowl --- Texas A&M (8-4)
Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl --- Ole Miss (8-4)
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl --- Georgia (8-4)
Autozone Liberty Bowl --- Vanderbilt (8-4)
BBVA Compass Bowl --- No SEC team qualifies
Advocare V100 Bowl --- No SEC team qualifies
6. Demarco Cox scored a career-high 15 points and grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds in Ole Miss' 111-82 win over Mississippi Valley Friday night at Tad Smith Coliseum. For those of us who have covered Cox since he was a high school star in Yazoo City, Miss., it was kind of heartwarming to see him have such a big night.
Cox suffered through foot injuries last season and could only watch last season while his teammates reached the NCAA tournament. He's battled his weight throughout his college career, gaining a good bit while he recovered last season. This year, he's in the best shape of his life and is moving as well as he has since arriving in Oxford.
I'm always bewildered by the fascination of some fans with the idea of Cox playing football. He was a bit of a football project at Yazoo City, but basketball is his first love and Cox chased it. Personally, I think he should be commended for having the courage to do what he wants to do and not what the masses think he should do. It's his life. I respect the fact that he's chasing his dreams. There's something powerful to be said for someone who can look in the mirror and say, "I did what I wanted to do," whether it works out or not.
There are no victims in Cox's decision to play basketball and not football. I'm envious. There will come a day in his life, in all likelihood, where he has to make choices with others in mind. If Cox ever wants to give football another try, someone will give him a chance just based on his physical stature. Until then, fans should cheer a guy who willing to pursue his dream.
Other leftover thoughts from the Rebels' blowout of Mississippi Valley:
A. Marshall Henderson scored 15 points on 4-for-11 shooting and dished out four assists. Henderson's ability to pass off the dribble and facilitate offense is very underrated. Henderson was more low-key than I've seen him in a while, a bit of a surprise considering it was his home opener. "With Marshall, we've told him that we want him to do things that are in the best interest of the team," Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy said. "And really, the first two games he's done that. (Friday), I thought he a little docile for my liking defensively, but I thought he let the game come to him offensively, which is good."
B. Derrick Millinghaus was terrific Friday, hitting eight of 14 shots and scoring 21 points and dishing out three assists. "He was really good," Kennedy said. "He gave us great push. When he's in the game, we can get up and down the floor offensively and make things happen in the open court. Defensively, because of his size, he's got to be more tenacious on the ball. I thought in the second half he came up with some loose balls that were beneficial to us and allowed us to get out on the break."
C. Anthony Perez played the power forward slot some Friday and did pretty well. Perez scored 14 points and grabbed three rebounds in 18 minutes. "He's got to play bigger for us defensively, but I thought offensively, he played over the top of smaller people which is what he needs to do," Kennedy said.
D. Ladarius White seemed to break out of his slump a bit Friday. White scored 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting, adding two assists and a steal in 19 minutes.
E. Ole Miss plays North Carolina A&T Tuesday at 3 p.m. in Oxford before heading to New York Wednesday. The Rebels face Georgia Tech Friday at 3:30 p.m. CST at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. They'll face Penn State or St. John's in the same arena on Saturday.
7. Tony Romo, Dez Bryant and the Dallas Cowboys beat the New York Giants, 24-21, ending the Giants' hopes of a miracle comeback in the NFC East. Dallas, meanwhile, is very much alive as it chases the Philadelphia Eagles. My other thoughts from the weekend that was in the NFL:
A. The Carolina Panthers escaped Miami Sunday. The Dolphins had the Panthers on the ropes all day, but give Carolina credit. Cam Newton and Co. engineered a win. Steve Smith made big catches when they mattered. Former Ole Miss star Mike Wallace had a Miami win on his fingertips in the final 10 seconds but he let it get away. Carolina and New Orleans seemed destined for an NFC South showdown on Dec. 8 in the Mercedes Superdome.
B. The NFC North continued to slog along Sunday. Detroit and Chicago lost while Green Bay had to settle for a 26-26 tie with Minnesota. It's as if no one in the division is good enough to win it.
C. Kansas City is crashing to earth. A week after losing at Denver, the Chiefs fell to San Diego, 41-38. If the Chiefs' defense is going to play that poorly, it won't make noise in January.
D. Arizona improved to 7-4 with a blowout win over Indianapolis. Kudos to Carson Palmer and the Cardinals. Quietly, they've become a bit of a dangerous team in the hunt for one of the NFC's wildcards.
E. Peyton Manning and Tom Brady squared off yet again in their Hall of Fame careers Sunday night in Foxboro, Mass. Manning built a 24-0 lead. Brady erased it in a third-quarter flurry, before the two teams went to overtime tied at 31-31. Brady and the Patriots won in overtime after Denver's Tony Carter accidentally ran into a punt, setting up Stephen Gostowski's game-winning field goal. It was an anticlimactic ending to what should have been a classic between two of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. Oh, well.
8. Injuries were the story of the weekend in the NBA. Bulls guard Derrick Rose sustained an injury to his right knee against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night. Subsequent examinations and an MRI confirmed a medial meniscus tear to his right knee, which will require surgery. Rose is out indefinitely and will undergo surgery this week.
Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol has a left knee sprain that won't require surgery, but the reigning NBA defensive player of the year will be out indefinitely. The team announced the sprain of his MCL after an MRI on Saturday. Gasol suffered the injury early in the second quarter of Friday night's loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Replays indicated there was little if any contact before Gasol grabbed his knee under the Spurs' basket. He went to the Memphis locker room and did not return. Gasol was second on the Grizzlies in points, rebounding and assists entering the game. Kosta Koufos, obtained from the Denver Nuggets in an offseason trade, started the second half in Gasol's place. He's expected to fill in for the 7-foot-1 center.
Andre Iguodala, Golden State's all-purpose guard who has taken over point guard responsibilities in Stephen Curry's absence, suffered a strained left hamstring and did not return to the Warriors' game against the Lakers. Iguodala said after the game he felt a pop in his hamstring, telling reporters, "That's when I knew it was serious ... I can't even walk right now," per Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle. Iguodala is scoring 13.5 points per game on a career-best 56 percent shooting from the floor while knocking down three-pointers at a nearly 48 percent clip. He's also dishing out 6.3 assists and collecting over four rebounds. He was brought in to Golden State as a free agent this summer and has played a major role in the Warriors' hot start to the season. There's no word yet on how long his hamstring will keep him sidelined.
Other thoughts from the NBA:
A. Gasol won't be on the floor Monday when Memphis entertains Houston. Rockets guard James Harden might not be, either. The nagging foot injury that has kept Harden out of two games this season might keep him out a little while longer, the guard said at the Rockets practice on Sunday.Harden, who missed Saturday night's game against Minnesota, told the Houston Chronicle the team's doctors will "just have to reevaluate it (Monday) and see where I am. We will see how I am doing and go from there." The sore foot, which started bothering Harden nearly three weeks ago, has been an ongoing issue. Every time he thinks it is feeling better, it flares up again. On Sunday, he said the pain had subsided quite a bit. Continued treatment and rest is playing a big role in his recovery. "They've done lasers, massages, creams the whole repertoire," Harden told the Chronicle. "The trainers here are amazing and they are doing everything they can. It's getting better ? the swelling went down a lot and we will take it day by day but hopefully soon I can get back to it." It's worth watching, for if Harden can't create and score at a high level, Houston might not have enough scoring to truly contend in the loaded Western Conference.
B. Speaking of, look out for the Portland Trailblazers. Behind LaMarcus Aldridge's 30 points and 21 rebounds Saturday night, Portland beat Golden State to notch its 10th straight win. The Blazers (12-2) are getting huge contributions from second-year guard Damian Lillard, reserve guard Wesley Mathews, center Robin Lopez and a host of others.
C. With injuries becoming such a huge part of the NBA landscape, the Oklahoma City Thunder gave point guard Russell Westbrook the night off Sunday. The Thunder beat the lowly Utah Jazz, 95-73, with Reggie Jackson running the point. Westbrook, who is coming off two offseason knee surgeries to repair a torn lateral meniscus, returned to the Thunder lineup earlier than expected on Nov. 3. Westbrook's knee is healed, but the team saw an opportunity to get its All-Star point guard five straight days of rest. The Thunder last played on Thursday, a win over the Los Angeles Clippers, and by sitting out Sunday, Westbrook will have five days off before Oklahoma City hosts San Antonio on Wednesday.
D. Indiana and San Antonio continue to be the best of the NBA so far. Each team is 12-1 and neither has shown anything resembling weakness so far. Both teams are diversified on offense, stingy on defense and possess deep benches. Two-time defending champion Miami is 10-3 and Atlanta is 8-6. The rest of the Eastern Conference is sub-.500. In the West, meanwhile, nine teams _ San Antonio, Portland, Oklahoma City, the Clippers, Dallas, Houston, Golden State, Memphis and Minnesota _ have winning records. Three others _ Phoenix, New Orleans and Denver _ are .500 early on.
E. I'll spot you three of the league's top five scorers so far this season. Kevin Love leads the NBA in scoring with 24.9 points per game. LeBron James is third so far, while Kevin Durant is fifth. No surprises there. However, few would have bet on Dallas' Monta Ellis or Philadelphia's Evan Turner being second and fourth in scoring, respectively, through the first month of the season. Ellis has been terrific, giving Dirk Nowitzki some help in Dallas. Turner gives the Sixers some trade bait, perhaps, for later in the season as they look to rebuild the struggling franchise.
9. Fifty years ago this month after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, then-NFL commissioner was forced to make a quick decision: Play that Sunday or postpone the league's schedule. Rozelle ultimately made a decision he later said was his biggest regret. The NFL played that Sunday, kicking off less than two hours after Jack Ruby shot Lee Harvey Oswald in the basement of the Dallas City Jail and while President Kennedy's body lay in state in the Capitol.
Fifteen days after Kennedy's death, the annual Army-Navy game was held, with Navy winning 21-15. The late Sen. Edward "Ted" Kennedy (D-Mass.) said his brother John, a former Navy PT boat commander who had planned to attend the '63 Army-Navy game, would have enjoyed the outcome.
"There weren't pep rallies. Or there wasn't all the stuff that goes on before the game. But there were emotions that were really kept inside that came out in the game," Navy quarterback Roger Staubach, who went on to a Pro Football Hall of Fame career with the Dallas Cowboys, told USA TODAY Sports. "I think it really was very positive. We still think about the horrific tragedy 50 years later, but at least at that time, that game, I think, had a lot to with trying to understand how important he was to us and how important he was to the country. ... People at that game really let their emotions get out and transferred the sorrow to the football field in a way that I think was very positive."
Michael H. Gavin, author of the 2012 book Sports in the Aftermath of Tragedy: From Kennedy to Katrina, noted the significance of that Army-Navy game.
"Not only because of Kennedy's relationship to the armed services but because he attended that game a lot in his presidency," Gavin said. "In the Cold War era and in an era when your commander-in-chief has just been assassinated, a lot of the stories about that game were about national strength and vigor being reasserted as a result of these two teams that were full of hope, strong individuals playing a game.
"A lot of people sort of condemned that (NFL) decision to continue with the games ... as being insensitive at the very least and sometimes, they said, shaming the entire nation."
The great Red Smith wrote a column in the New York Herald Tribune after the Giants' game at Yankee Stadium that Sunday that began, "In the civilized world, it was a day of mourning. In the National Football League, it was the 11th Sunday of the business year, a quarter-million day in Yankee Stadium."
Rozelle later said he "brooded" about the decision on that Sunday before attending the Giants game.
"We had a moment of silence. I could not concentrate on the game," said Rozelle later. "I had lost someone whom I respected as the leader of our country, but I was also a close friend of the Kennedy family."
The Army-Navy game was originally set for Nov. 30. President Kennedy planned to attend. His plan was to sit on the Army side for the first half and the Navy side for the second half. Two days before his assassination, Kennedy telegrammed Navy Coach Wayne Hardin: "I hope to be on the winning side when the game ends."
"He liked football, but he loved the Army-Navy game," Staubach told USA Today Sports. "He was, I would say, a little partial to Navy because he was a Navy guy. But he still was commander-in-chief of both sides. He was all set to come to the game it's a shame, the whole thing."
Staubach, in a Navy football game pose, was the intended cover of LIFE for the Nov. 29, 1963, edition that was scheduled to go to go out Nov. 22. "Navy's Staubach: The Greatest College Quarterback" was the cover headline.
Instead, very last-minute, LIFE switched to a profile pose of Kennedy and a memorial edition, with the Staubach article still included in the magazine. But several copies of the Staubach cover were kept. Staubach himself asked for one. Copies show up on ebay from time to time, going for anywhere from $150 to $1,000.
Some college games, including Nebraska versus Oklahoma, were played the day after Kennedy's death. Pittsburgh, however, postponed its home game against Penn State. Army-Navy was postponed until Dec. 7, already a day of remembrance because of the 1941 attack on Pearl Habor.
Navy won 21-15 despite a comeback led by Army quarterback Rollie Stichweh. Time expired with Army at the Navy 2-yard line and unable to get off a play before a crowd of more than 100,000 at Municipal Stadium (renamed John F. Kennedy Stadium the next year). The game clinched a berth for No. 2-ranked Navy in the Cotton Bowl against No. 1 Texas, which won 28-6.
The 2009 book, The President's Team: The 1963 Army-Navy Game and the Assassination of JFK, by Michael Connelly, recounts that game. It includes a foreward by Ted Kennedy.
"I remember the 1963 game being on (TV) in the background," Kennedy wrote. "It was a difficult time, and we really couldn't give the game our full attention. Navy won that year. My brother would have liked that."
10. If you're looking for a college basketball coach who gets it, look no further than Chris Mack.
Mack not only directs the Xavier Musketeers but he also serves as the head coach for the third-grade girls at Blessed Sacrament School in Burlington, Ky. CBSSports.com's Gregg Doyel spent some time with Mack recently, and the story is one that should warm your heart. I've linked it here.
Double duty for Xavier's Mack
1. I love fans. I make a living off fans. Thank God for fans. On this Thanksgiving, I'm most thankful for the health of my beautiful children. The presence of ardent fans is not far down that list.
But _ and it's a big but _ some Ole Miss fans need to dose up on some Paxil or Valium or Prozac. As the kids say _ at least I think they still say it _ take a chill pill.
Saturday night's 24-10 loss at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium wasn't complicated to figure out. Missouri, a team that is one screwed up fourth down away from being 11-0 and very much in the national title picture, was just better than Ole Miss. In fact, I would argue the Tigers were the second-best team Ole Miss faced all year, trailing only Alabama.
James Franklin is a rich man's Nick Marshall, meaning he's dangerous with his feet and his arm. Had he played that night in Columbia, Mo., against South Carolina, the Tigers would be 11-0 today. Missouri is solid on both lines of scrimmage ? damn strong, in fact. Their receiver corps is legitimate. The running back duo of Henry Josey and Marcus Murphy is strong. Frankly, the Tigers are underrated. I suspect they'll whip Texas A&M Saturday in Columbia and they'll have a respectable showing in two weeks in a loss to Alabama in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game.
But back to Ole Miss. Playing the role of the voice of reason isn't really in my DNA. I'm much better suited to antagonize and instigate. However, it's the hand I've been dealt recently, so here goes:
Ole Miss is just two short years removed from the bottom of the barrel. Barry Brunetti was asked about his memories of the Rebels' last trip to Starkville two years ago. His eyes caught fire. Do you remember that night? Brunetti was one of the few Rebels to show up to accept an inevitable beating from the Bulldogs. It was ugly. Dan Mullen showed mercy (or maybe boredom) late in the third quarter of a 31-3 win.
Two short years later, Ole Miss appears on the cusp of taking total command of the rivalry, but more on that in a bit.
On Saturday night, against a championship-caliber team, Ole Miss' weaknesses got exposed. I'm not sure what my reputation is, but I'm a firm believer that college athletes shouldn't be called out by media for what happens on the field. Further, if I were to be specific, I'd have to criticize some young men I've grown to truly like over the past few years. So I'll try to do this as vaguely as possible.
Ole Miss is playing big-boy SEC football with some non-SEC-caliber athletes in critical spots. Much was made late Saturday and Sunday about Ole Miss' struggles in the red zone Saturday night. Fans want power football there, and frankly, I agree. However, the interior of Ole Miss' offensive front was overmatched Saturday and no amount of coaching, scheming or pure testosterone was going to overcome it. Recruiting is the only medicine for that ailment.
Rod Taylor was in the stadium Saturday night, but he still has high school games to play. Things appear to be moving in a good direction for Avery Gennesy. Aaron Morris will be back next season. I won't be surprised if the Rebels toy with some position moves in the spring that could impact the offensive line. For now, though, Ole Miss is what it is up front.
Things appear to be moving in a positive direction for D.J. Pettway and Jarran Reed. I expect Ole Miss will sign Garrald McDowell. Fadol Brown looks like a monster who will help tremendously next season when he becomes eligible. Robert Nkemdiche is going to be an All-American in the next couple of seasons. C.J. Johnson's return will be a tremendous benefit. For now, however, Ole Miss is precariously thin on the defensive line, counting on a freshman, a sophomore, an overachieving senior, a 238-pound defensive tackle and a handful of role players.
I won't be surprised if Ole Miss signs both C.J. Hampton and Jamal Adams. I won't be surprised if they miss on one or both, either, but the point remains this: The Rebels are recruiting the type of safeties that possess the size/speed ratio this league requires while squeezing every drop out of some remarkably hard-working players currently at the position. Tony Conner and Derrick Jones look like future NFL players in the Rebels' secondary. They're freshmen. The bet here is Hugh Freeze and Co. will add more players like them in February and again in February 2015. Until then, however, Ole Miss is lining up in some games undermanned.
Upset fans cited a lack of effort and intensity Saturday night. No offense intended to those critics, but they couldn't be more wrong. Vaught-Hemingway was electric Saturday. The Rebels were pumped up and intense. Missouri was playing for something special, too, and on Saturday night, the Tigers were simply better.
2. Leftover thoughts from Missouri 24, Ole Miss 10:
A. Donte Moncrief had six catches for 115 yards, but a dropped touchdown pass in the second half sticks out. Moncrief, according to sources, is considering leaving Ole Miss early for the NFL. I have to believe, however, that people close to him would advise him to return and refine his game. The tools to be a good receiver on Sundays are there, but they need to be sharpened.
B. Laquon Treadwell had five catches for 42 yards, but something tells me he'd like to have a first-half crossing pattern back. Bo Wallace's throw was high and a hair behind, but it's a catch Treadwell makes nine out of 10 times. If he catches it Saturday, it's a touchdown and a 7-7 game. Still, Treadwell is a beast. A year in a college weight program is going to make him an All-American candidate as a sophomore.
C. Ole Miss misses Evan Engram in the passing game. Nick Parker is giving the Rebels a yeoman's effort at tight end, but the lack of a pass-catching threat at that position was conspicuous Saturday night.
D. Pierce Burton had a critical false start penalty Saturday, but all in all, I thought he did a solid job on Michael Sam. The Missouri star had just three tackles and only one behind the line of scrimmage against Ole Miss. Laremy Tunsil was equally effective against Kony Ealy, holding the athletic Missouri defensive end to three tackles. Bo Wallace was sacked just one time. The Rebels just couldn't establish the running game against Missouri. Through 11 games, no one has.
E. Kudos to D.T. Shackelford. On Saturday, he had eight tackles, a sack and 1 ½ tackles for loss.
F. Again, Missouri is damn good. The Tigers were focused. They walked into a hornet's nest and never lost their composure.
3. Within minutes of Saturday's game going final, Freeze turned the Rebels' focus to Mississippi State. The Bulldogs kept their Liberty Bowl or BBVA Compass Bowl hopes alive with an overtime win over Arkansas. Freshman quarterback Damian Williams was the hero with a 25-yard touchdown run on the first play of overtime. Williams might get his first start Thursday against Ole Miss. Dak Prescott is out for the rest of the regular season (the strong rumor is Prescott has nerve damage) and Tyler Russell was driven to the ground late in the fourth quarter and did not return Saturday.
Williams, a freshman, played in a mop-up role against Alabama earlier this month. It appears the Bulldogs are much more run-oriented with him under center. Mississippi State has a plethora of running backs, though LaDarius Perkins suffered a rib injury in the second quarter Saturday and did not return. Sophomore Josh Robinson was the Bulldogs' rushing hero Saturday, picking up 101 yards on 17 carries, all in the second half.
Mississippi State will likely try to run the ball, eat clock and keep Ole Miss' defense off the field Thursday night. People always say you can throw out the record books in rivalry games. I don't buy it. I've covered lots of rivalry games. Nine times out of 10, the best team wins. Ole Miss is the better team. If the Rebels play a solid game, limit turnovers and match the Bulldogs' emotion, they'll win on Thanksgiving night.
4. Aaron Murray's Georgia career ended Saturday night when he suffered a torn ACL in the Bulldogs' win over Kentucky. Murray will undergo reconstructive surgery on Tuesday. Hutson Mason will start Georgia's regular-season finale against Georgia Tech and the Bulldogs' bowl game. Murray had started all 59 games of his college career.
Murray's Georgia career ended with him becoming the third quarterback in NCAA history to pass for 3,000 yards in each of his four college seasons. His all-time SEC records now stand at: completions (921), passing yards (13,166), touchdown passes (121) and total offense (13,562). Murray moved to No. 2 on the SEC all-time list for pass attempts with 1,478 (Jared Lorenzen of Kentucky, 1,514). In addition, he tied David Greene with the most starts for a non-kicker in school history with 52, which is the most for any active NCAA player (the school record is 53 by Blair Walsh).
I'm a huge fan of Murray's. He deserved a better fate, but my bet is he recovers fully and has a long NFL career. If I'm the New Orleans Saints, I take a long look at Murray. There are a lot of similarities between the Georgia great and the guy currently under center in the Crescent City.
Other thoughts from the weekend that was in the SEC:
A. Sources told the Orlando Sentinel Sunday that Will Muschamp will not be fired at Florida, despite the Gators' loss to Georgia Southern Saturday, one that clinched a losing season. Muschamp will, however, make significant coaching changes, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. Offensive coordinator Brent Pease is almost certainly destined to be a casualty. "You've got to change the scoreboard offensively," Muschamp said Saturday. "You've got to be able to change the scoreboard, and we just struggled scoring points offensively. It's been a week-in, week-out occurrence."
B. For the first time in 24 games played with 2012 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel under center, the Texas A&M offense failed to gain more than 300 total yards Saturday at LSU in a 34-10 Tigers win. "We got punched in the mouth today, and it wasn't fun," Manziel told the Baton Rouge Advocate. "It wasn't fun to get beat like that, so we'll see how we handle adversity." Texas A&M finished with 299 total yards against an LSU defense that has struggled at times this season and were shut out in the second half after getting a late first-half touchdown that cut an 18-point deficit to 21-10 at halftime.
C. The loss very possibly cost Manziel a chance at a second Heisman. It's conceivable, perhaps, that Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron will have his chance to impress voters on Saturday at Auburn when the Tide and Tigers meet for the SEC West title. With Oregon losing for the second time Saturday and Baylor getting thumped at Oklahoma State, there's no longer a clear-cut favorite for the award. All McCarron has done is win, win and win some more, but he probably needs a flashy performance on the big stage to have any chance at the trophy. Regardless, McCarron had a highlight he'll remember the rest of his life during Alabama's 49-0 win over Chattanooga Saturday. McCarron completed a pass to his younger brother, Corey, for the first time in his Alabama career on what turned out to be his final possession at Bryant-Denny Stadium. On first-and-10 at Chattanooga's 49-yard line early in Saturday's third quarter, McCarron threw a quick screen to Corey, a walk-on H-back, for a 3-yard gain. He patted his little brother on the head as he ran off the field following the first catch of his Crimson Tide career. Three plays later, McCarron hit Amari Cooper for a 38-yard touchdown pass to put Alabama ahead, 35-0. Blake Sims took over for McCarron the following possession. Corey transferred to Alabama in January 2012 following a one-year stint at South Alabama. He sat out the 2012 season and has seen the field sparsely this year. "I missed playing with AJ," Corey told AL.com. "That's something I always wanted to do. The two years I played with him I loved it. Deep down, I wanted to play with AJ. You only live once. I want to play with him before my playing days are over."
D. Vanderbilt saved its best for last with a 12-play, 92-yard drive in the waning minutes to beat Tennessee 14-10 Saturday night in Knoxville. Backup quarterback Patton Robinette scored on a 5-yard run after faking a jump pass with 16 seconds left. The touchdown followed an overturned call on the field that saw Vanderbilt starting quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels' fourth-down sneak spotted at the UT 34. "No comment on the officials today," Tennessee coach Butch Jones said during a post-game press conference. "That pretty much summarizes it." Replay confirmed that he advanced the ball to the 33, and Vanderbilt was given new life with 46 seconds remaining. "We thought that we had the first down," Vanderbilt coach James Franklin said. "After that, it's out of our hands. You'd like to get to the point where you don't put yourself in that position, that you clearly make it obvious that you got the first down without having to go to the review. But I know our coaches were really confident in the booth and the players were really confident that they'd got the first down."
E. Vanderbilt wide receiver Jordan Matthews finished with a career-high 13 catches for 133 yards to become the SEC's all-time receptions leader, passing ex-Commodore Earl Bennett.
F. Bret Bielema's horrific fake punt call Saturday in the second quarter against Mississippi State let the Bulldogs back into a game the Hogs led, 10-3. After giving up a 24-yard field goal, Arkansas took possession and ran into a fourth-and-three at the Hogs' 44-yard line with 2:42 to play before halftime. Instead of punting with a 13-mile per hour wind at Sam Irwin-Hill's back, Arkansas called for a fake punt, and it ended up being the turning point of the first half. When it was not blocked properly, Irwin-Hill was thrown for a four-yard loss and Mississippi State took over at the Arkansas 40 with plenty of time to score. The Bulldogs did just that, driving to tie the game at 10-10. "Mississippi State runs punt-safe quite a bit. We thought that we had a very, very good look. That was the look that we wanted," Bielema said. "We gave it a green light go. Obviously missed a critical block. If I had it to do over again, obviously I wouldn't do it, but thought that the look was there. Thought we could get anywhere from 5-10 on that even if they reacted properly." Teams don't go 0-8 in this league by accident.
5. The SEC's bowl picture remains as cloudy today as it was prior to the weekend. Here's my weekly stab:
BCS National Championship Game --- Alabama (13-0)
Allstate Sugar Bowl --- Auburn (10-2)
Capital One Bowl --- Missouri (11-2)
Outback Bowl --- South Carolina (9-3)
AT&T Cotton Bowl --- LSU (9-3)
Chick-Fil-A Bowl --- Texas A&M (8-4)
Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl --- Ole Miss (8-4)
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl --- Georgia (8-4)
Autozone Liberty Bowl --- Vanderbilt (8-4)
BBVA Compass Bowl --- No SEC team qualifies
Advocare V100 Bowl --- No SEC team qualifies
6. Demarco Cox scored a career-high 15 points and grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds in Ole Miss' 111-82 win over Mississippi Valley Friday night at Tad Smith Coliseum. For those of us who have covered Cox since he was a high school star in Yazoo City, Miss., it was kind of heartwarming to see him have such a big night.
Cox suffered through foot injuries last season and could only watch last season while his teammates reached the NCAA tournament. He's battled his weight throughout his college career, gaining a good bit while he recovered last season. This year, he's in the best shape of his life and is moving as well as he has since arriving in Oxford.
I'm always bewildered by the fascination of some fans with the idea of Cox playing football. He was a bit of a football project at Yazoo City, but basketball is his first love and Cox chased it. Personally, I think he should be commended for having the courage to do what he wants to do and not what the masses think he should do. It's his life. I respect the fact that he's chasing his dreams. There's something powerful to be said for someone who can look in the mirror and say, "I did what I wanted to do," whether it works out or not.
There are no victims in Cox's decision to play basketball and not football. I'm envious. There will come a day in his life, in all likelihood, where he has to make choices with others in mind. If Cox ever wants to give football another try, someone will give him a chance just based on his physical stature. Until then, fans should cheer a guy who willing to pursue his dream.
Other leftover thoughts from the Rebels' blowout of Mississippi Valley:
A. Marshall Henderson scored 15 points on 4-for-11 shooting and dished out four assists. Henderson's ability to pass off the dribble and facilitate offense is very underrated. Henderson was more low-key than I've seen him in a while, a bit of a surprise considering it was his home opener. "With Marshall, we've told him that we want him to do things that are in the best interest of the team," Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy said. "And really, the first two games he's done that. (Friday), I thought he a little docile for my liking defensively, but I thought he let the game come to him offensively, which is good."
B. Derrick Millinghaus was terrific Friday, hitting eight of 14 shots and scoring 21 points and dishing out three assists. "He was really good," Kennedy said. "He gave us great push. When he's in the game, we can get up and down the floor offensively and make things happen in the open court. Defensively, because of his size, he's got to be more tenacious on the ball. I thought in the second half he came up with some loose balls that were beneficial to us and allowed us to get out on the break."
C. Anthony Perez played the power forward slot some Friday and did pretty well. Perez scored 14 points and grabbed three rebounds in 18 minutes. "He's got to play bigger for us defensively, but I thought offensively, he played over the top of smaller people which is what he needs to do," Kennedy said.
D. Ladarius White seemed to break out of his slump a bit Friday. White scored 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting, adding two assists and a steal in 19 minutes.
E. Ole Miss plays North Carolina A&T Tuesday at 3 p.m. in Oxford before heading to New York Wednesday. The Rebels face Georgia Tech Friday at 3:30 p.m. CST at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. They'll face Penn State or St. John's in the same arena on Saturday.
7. Tony Romo, Dez Bryant and the Dallas Cowboys beat the New York Giants, 24-21, ending the Giants' hopes of a miracle comeback in the NFC East. Dallas, meanwhile, is very much alive as it chases the Philadelphia Eagles. My other thoughts from the weekend that was in the NFL:
A. The Carolina Panthers escaped Miami Sunday. The Dolphins had the Panthers on the ropes all day, but give Carolina credit. Cam Newton and Co. engineered a win. Steve Smith made big catches when they mattered. Former Ole Miss star Mike Wallace had a Miami win on his fingertips in the final 10 seconds but he let it get away. Carolina and New Orleans seemed destined for an NFC South showdown on Dec. 8 in the Mercedes Superdome.
B. The NFC North continued to slog along Sunday. Detroit and Chicago lost while Green Bay had to settle for a 26-26 tie with Minnesota. It's as if no one in the division is good enough to win it.
C. Kansas City is crashing to earth. A week after losing at Denver, the Chiefs fell to San Diego, 41-38. If the Chiefs' defense is going to play that poorly, it won't make noise in January.
D. Arizona improved to 7-4 with a blowout win over Indianapolis. Kudos to Carson Palmer and the Cardinals. Quietly, they've become a bit of a dangerous team in the hunt for one of the NFC's wildcards.
E. Peyton Manning and Tom Brady squared off yet again in their Hall of Fame careers Sunday night in Foxboro, Mass. Manning built a 24-0 lead. Brady erased it in a third-quarter flurry, before the two teams went to overtime tied at 31-31. Brady and the Patriots won in overtime after Denver's Tony Carter accidentally ran into a punt, setting up Stephen Gostowski's game-winning field goal. It was an anticlimactic ending to what should have been a classic between two of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. Oh, well.
8. Injuries were the story of the weekend in the NBA. Bulls guard Derrick Rose sustained an injury to his right knee against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night. Subsequent examinations and an MRI confirmed a medial meniscus tear to his right knee, which will require surgery. Rose is out indefinitely and will undergo surgery this week.
Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol has a left knee sprain that won't require surgery, but the reigning NBA defensive player of the year will be out indefinitely. The team announced the sprain of his MCL after an MRI on Saturday. Gasol suffered the injury early in the second quarter of Friday night's loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Replays indicated there was little if any contact before Gasol grabbed his knee under the Spurs' basket. He went to the Memphis locker room and did not return. Gasol was second on the Grizzlies in points, rebounding and assists entering the game. Kosta Koufos, obtained from the Denver Nuggets in an offseason trade, started the second half in Gasol's place. He's expected to fill in for the 7-foot-1 center.
Andre Iguodala, Golden State's all-purpose guard who has taken over point guard responsibilities in Stephen Curry's absence, suffered a strained left hamstring and did not return to the Warriors' game against the Lakers. Iguodala said after the game he felt a pop in his hamstring, telling reporters, "That's when I knew it was serious ... I can't even walk right now," per Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle. Iguodala is scoring 13.5 points per game on a career-best 56 percent shooting from the floor while knocking down three-pointers at a nearly 48 percent clip. He's also dishing out 6.3 assists and collecting over four rebounds. He was brought in to Golden State as a free agent this summer and has played a major role in the Warriors' hot start to the season. There's no word yet on how long his hamstring will keep him sidelined.
Other thoughts from the NBA:
A. Gasol won't be on the floor Monday when Memphis entertains Houston. Rockets guard James Harden might not be, either. The nagging foot injury that has kept Harden out of two games this season might keep him out a little while longer, the guard said at the Rockets practice on Sunday.Harden, who missed Saturday night's game against Minnesota, told the Houston Chronicle the team's doctors will "just have to reevaluate it (Monday) and see where I am. We will see how I am doing and go from there." The sore foot, which started bothering Harden nearly three weeks ago, has been an ongoing issue. Every time he thinks it is feeling better, it flares up again. On Sunday, he said the pain had subsided quite a bit. Continued treatment and rest is playing a big role in his recovery. "They've done lasers, massages, creams the whole repertoire," Harden told the Chronicle. "The trainers here are amazing and they are doing everything they can. It's getting better ? the swelling went down a lot and we will take it day by day but hopefully soon I can get back to it." It's worth watching, for if Harden can't create and score at a high level, Houston might not have enough scoring to truly contend in the loaded Western Conference.
B. Speaking of, look out for the Portland Trailblazers. Behind LaMarcus Aldridge's 30 points and 21 rebounds Saturday night, Portland beat Golden State to notch its 10th straight win. The Blazers (12-2) are getting huge contributions from second-year guard Damian Lillard, reserve guard Wesley Mathews, center Robin Lopez and a host of others.
C. With injuries becoming such a huge part of the NBA landscape, the Oklahoma City Thunder gave point guard Russell Westbrook the night off Sunday. The Thunder beat the lowly Utah Jazz, 95-73, with Reggie Jackson running the point. Westbrook, who is coming off two offseason knee surgeries to repair a torn lateral meniscus, returned to the Thunder lineup earlier than expected on Nov. 3. Westbrook's knee is healed, but the team saw an opportunity to get its All-Star point guard five straight days of rest. The Thunder last played on Thursday, a win over the Los Angeles Clippers, and by sitting out Sunday, Westbrook will have five days off before Oklahoma City hosts San Antonio on Wednesday.
D. Indiana and San Antonio continue to be the best of the NBA so far. Each team is 12-1 and neither has shown anything resembling weakness so far. Both teams are diversified on offense, stingy on defense and possess deep benches. Two-time defending champion Miami is 10-3 and Atlanta is 8-6. The rest of the Eastern Conference is sub-.500. In the West, meanwhile, nine teams _ San Antonio, Portland, Oklahoma City, the Clippers, Dallas, Houston, Golden State, Memphis and Minnesota _ have winning records. Three others _ Phoenix, New Orleans and Denver _ are .500 early on.
E. I'll spot you three of the league's top five scorers so far this season. Kevin Love leads the NBA in scoring with 24.9 points per game. LeBron James is third so far, while Kevin Durant is fifth. No surprises there. However, few would have bet on Dallas' Monta Ellis or Philadelphia's Evan Turner being second and fourth in scoring, respectively, through the first month of the season. Ellis has been terrific, giving Dirk Nowitzki some help in Dallas. Turner gives the Sixers some trade bait, perhaps, for later in the season as they look to rebuild the struggling franchise.
9. Fifty years ago this month after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, then-NFL commissioner was forced to make a quick decision: Play that Sunday or postpone the league's schedule. Rozelle ultimately made a decision he later said was his biggest regret. The NFL played that Sunday, kicking off less than two hours after Jack Ruby shot Lee Harvey Oswald in the basement of the Dallas City Jail and while President Kennedy's body lay in state in the Capitol.
Fifteen days after Kennedy's death, the annual Army-Navy game was held, with Navy winning 21-15. The late Sen. Edward "Ted" Kennedy (D-Mass.) said his brother John, a former Navy PT boat commander who had planned to attend the '63 Army-Navy game, would have enjoyed the outcome.
"There weren't pep rallies. Or there wasn't all the stuff that goes on before the game. But there were emotions that were really kept inside that came out in the game," Navy quarterback Roger Staubach, who went on to a Pro Football Hall of Fame career with the Dallas Cowboys, told USA TODAY Sports. "I think it really was very positive. We still think about the horrific tragedy 50 years later, but at least at that time, that game, I think, had a lot to with trying to understand how important he was to us and how important he was to the country. ... People at that game really let their emotions get out and transferred the sorrow to the football field in a way that I think was very positive."
Michael H. Gavin, author of the 2012 book Sports in the Aftermath of Tragedy: From Kennedy to Katrina, noted the significance of that Army-Navy game.
"Not only because of Kennedy's relationship to the armed services but because he attended that game a lot in his presidency," Gavin said. "In the Cold War era and in an era when your commander-in-chief has just been assassinated, a lot of the stories about that game were about national strength and vigor being reasserted as a result of these two teams that were full of hope, strong individuals playing a game.
"A lot of people sort of condemned that (NFL) decision to continue with the games ... as being insensitive at the very least and sometimes, they said, shaming the entire nation."
The great Red Smith wrote a column in the New York Herald Tribune after the Giants' game at Yankee Stadium that Sunday that began, "In the civilized world, it was a day of mourning. In the National Football League, it was the 11th Sunday of the business year, a quarter-million day in Yankee Stadium."
Rozelle later said he "brooded" about the decision on that Sunday before attending the Giants game.
"We had a moment of silence. I could not concentrate on the game," said Rozelle later. "I had lost someone whom I respected as the leader of our country, but I was also a close friend of the Kennedy family."
The Army-Navy game was originally set for Nov. 30. President Kennedy planned to attend. His plan was to sit on the Army side for the first half and the Navy side for the second half. Two days before his assassination, Kennedy telegrammed Navy Coach Wayne Hardin: "I hope to be on the winning side when the game ends."
"He liked football, but he loved the Army-Navy game," Staubach told USA Today Sports. "He was, I would say, a little partial to Navy because he was a Navy guy. But he still was commander-in-chief of both sides. He was all set to come to the game it's a shame, the whole thing."
Staubach, in a Navy football game pose, was the intended cover of LIFE for the Nov. 29, 1963, edition that was scheduled to go to go out Nov. 22. "Navy's Staubach: The Greatest College Quarterback" was the cover headline.
Instead, very last-minute, LIFE switched to a profile pose of Kennedy and a memorial edition, with the Staubach article still included in the magazine. But several copies of the Staubach cover were kept. Staubach himself asked for one. Copies show up on ebay from time to time, going for anywhere from $150 to $1,000.
Some college games, including Nebraska versus Oklahoma, were played the day after Kennedy's death. Pittsburgh, however, postponed its home game against Penn State. Army-Navy was postponed until Dec. 7, already a day of remembrance because of the 1941 attack on Pearl Habor.
Navy won 21-15 despite a comeback led by Army quarterback Rollie Stichweh. Time expired with Army at the Navy 2-yard line and unable to get off a play before a crowd of more than 100,000 at Municipal Stadium (renamed John F. Kennedy Stadium the next year). The game clinched a berth for No. 2-ranked Navy in the Cotton Bowl against No. 1 Texas, which won 28-6.
The 2009 book, The President's Team: The 1963 Army-Navy Game and the Assassination of JFK, by Michael Connelly, recounts that game. It includes a foreward by Ted Kennedy.
"I remember the 1963 game being on (TV) in the background," Kennedy wrote. "It was a difficult time, and we really couldn't give the game our full attention. Navy won that year. My brother would have liked that."
10. If you're looking for a college basketball coach who gets it, look no further than Chris Mack.
Mack not only directs the Xavier Musketeers but he also serves as the head coach for the third-grade girls at Blessed Sacrament School in Burlington, Ky. CBSSports.com's Gregg Doyel spent some time with Mack recently, and the story is one that should warm your heart. I've linked it here.
Double duty for Xavier's Mack
