Ole Miss whipped Troy, 51-21, Saturday to improve to 7-3, move back into the Associated Press Top 25 and set up a showdown in six days against a Missouri team that controls its own destiny in its quest to earn a spot in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game. That dominates this week's version of 10 Weekend Thoughts.
1. My friend and colleague, Chase Parham, called me Saturday night.
I suspect he wanted to see how I was handling the bourbon recommendation he and RebelGrove.com videographer Jeffrey Wright had made earlier in the day during the 37-hour Ole Miss win over Troy.
The Four Roses single barrel was very good, by the way, but that's not what Chase and I ended up discussing.
"This Missouri game is the biggest game in Oxford since when?" Chase asked.
"Since LSU 2009," I answered immediately. "In fact, it's sort of the same game."
Ole Miss beat LSU on that raucous Saturday afternoon in Oxford in a game remembered more for Les Miles' wacky clock management than anything else. The Rebels should have won by more, if I recall, but they let the Tigers hang around and very nearly steal one in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. The win over LSU put Ole Miss in position to go to the Capital One Bowl in Orlando, Fla., but the Rebels were inexplicably flat a week later in a loss at Mississippi State, one that I maintain was the beginning of the end for Houston Nutt, more so even than the season-opening loss to Jacksonville State the next September.
This game Saturday night between No. 8 Missouri and No. 24 Ole Miss reminds me of that LSU-Ole Miss game four years ago. The Rebels can kill Missouri's SEC East title hopes, garner national attention and credibility and dramatically improve its bowl positioning (assuming, of course, it follows up with a win in Starkville on Thanksgiving night; more on that in a bit).
Ole Miss players won't say it, but they've known the enormity of Saturday's opportunity since beating LSU in Oxford on Oct. 26. Since then, they've whipped Idaho, enjoyed an open date, beaten Arkansas and popped Troy. Four weeks after knocking off the Tigers, they get another shot at home against another top-10 breed of cat. If Ole Miss wins, the Rebels' profile going forward changes. Trust me when I tell you Saturday night's game will impact Ole Miss' starting point in the polls next August.
For whatever reason, Ole Miss has stayed under the radar since its three-game losing streak. Voters seem to ignore those losses include a defeat at No. 1 Alabama and then one-possession losses at Auburn and to Texas A&M. A win over Missouri would make the Rebels impossible to ignore. Top targets for 2014, 2015 and 2016 will be in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium Saturday. The atmosphere should be wild. The Grove will be packed. Ole Miss has already taken a huge step in its rebuild this season. A win Saturday would, at least in my opinion, allow Hugh Freeze and Co. to expedite the reclamation project.
2. No matter what happens Saturday night against Missouri, Freeze has a huge challenge facing him in the post-game locker room. He must, win or lose, convince his team to turn the page post-haste. Regardless of what happens on Saturday night, the Mississippi State game looms larger.
If Ole Miss beats Missouri, a loss in Starkville would take every bit of the shine off of the victory over another top-10 team of Tigers. If Ole Miss loses to Mizzou, a loss in Starkville would compound it 10-fold. Freeze knows this (the fact that Nutt couldn't figure it out four years ago remains confounding), and I suspect he already has a plan in mind and likely in place for either eventuality. Still, it's the biggest challenge facing him this week. The Missouri game means everything --- until it's over, when it must immediately mean nothing.
Similarly, Dan Mullen has quite a task in front of him in Starkville this week. The Bulldogs, now 4-6, must beat both Arkansas in Little Rock Saturday and then Ole Miss on Turkey Day to gain bowl eligibility. Unless Mullen has conceded, he must get his team completely focused on the Razorbacks and not allow them to look ahead to Ole Miss. If the Bulldogs win, he shouldn't have a tough time firing them up for the Rebels. If they lose at War Memorial, however, getting them to hit the give-a-damn button five days later could prove to be a challenge.
Coaches get paid millions for weeks like these. We'll learn a lot about both Freeze and Mullen in the next 11 days or so.
3. Leftover thoughts from Ole Miss 51, Troy 21:
A. Barry Brunetti's improved passing _ he was 3-for-4 for 97 yards and a touchdown Saturday _ has made Ole Miss' offense even more dangerous. Right now, the Rebels are clicking on every possible cylinder offensively.
B. Offensive coordinator Dan Werner told me freshman wide receiver Laquon Treadwell reminds him of a young Michael Irvin. Werner coached Irvin at Miami, so it's high praise. Treadwell is special. What he might be in 2014 and 2015 is remarkable to consider. I suspect Ole Miss will look back in a few years at the 2013 signing class as the one that turned Ole Miss into a contender, if not a power.
C. Troy quarterback Corey Robinson has one heck of a live arm. He was 24 for 36 for 258 yards Saturday. He's short, but Robinson has real skills. He'd start for a handful of SEC teams.
D. Jaylen Walton has turned into a receiving threat out of the backfield. Freeze has a real knack for making the most out of guys with his talent and speed, even though his lack of size should be a detriment.
E. Bo Wallace talked last week about Vince Sanders coming on as he recovered from a broken collarbone. Sanders had three catches for 71 yards Saturday and is re-emerging as a viable threat downfield. That's allowed Ole Miss to use Donte Moncrief as a glorified tight end in some packages. At the risk of being repetitive, Ole Miss' passing attack is more dangerous now than it's been in a long time.
F. Defensive coordinator Dave Wommack was raving about cornerback Derrick Jones after Saturday's game. Wommack said the freshman is doing special things and is going to have a spectacular career. Jones is a tall, rangy, athletic cornerback. Everyone in the country is scouring high schools looking for them. Ole Miss knew it had a special player in Jones, but even the Rebels admit they didn't know Jones would have the immediate, program-changing impact he's had. Cornerback was a huge position of need a few months ago. Thanks to his emergence, that need is not as desperate today.
G. Tony Conner is really good at football. Really, really, really good.
H. Ole Miss' offensive line has to get these false start penalties worked out. The Rebels can't afford them against Missouri Saturday. That will likely be a point of emphasis for Freeze and Matt Luke this week.
I. Maybe I'm biased because I really like the kid, but I think Ole Miss got a steal in Mark Dodson Jr. Dodson rushed 10 times for 46 yards and a touchdown against Troy. I just like his running style and his grit. He, Walton, I'Tavius Mathers, Jordan Wilkins, Kailo Moore plus the signing of a couple of backs in February should give Ole Miss some flexibility (and maybe some ability to experiment with a position change or two) moving forward.
4. The Miracle at Jordan-Hare highlighted the weekend that was in the SEC. My leftover thoughts:
A. Oh, Georgia. Georgia, Georgia, Georgia. Knock it down. Just knock it down. Aaron Murray deserved a better fate.
B. Auburn is living a charmed existence. People write about destiny and about special things happening and almost infer some sort of divine intervention. In my opinion, what happened on Saturday evening on the Plains was just pure luck.
C. Following his team's loss at South Carolina Saturday, Florida coach Will Muschamp said fans need to "get a grip." Good luck with that, Will. While I agree with his sentiments, I'm not sure frustrated shots at fans are a great idea right now, even in the wake of a very public vote of confidence from athletics director Jeremy Foley.
D. Steve Spurrier just needs some help from Ole Miss or Texas A&M against Missouri to get to the SEC Championship Game. Spurrier has said he likes Freeze, noting that the Ole Miss coach wears a visor, likes to call plays and is a scratch golfer. He'll like him even more if he can lead the Rebels to an upset on Saturday night in Oxford.
E. Vanderbilt beat Kentucky Saturday in Nashville, but that wasn't the story. Instead, the lack of bodies in the seats at Vanderbilt Stadium was. Vanderbilt announced 33,000-plus Saturday on a day when the Commodores clinched their third straight bowl game. James Franklin had practically begged for a full house. He didn't get it. He's got a legitimate chance at eight regular season wins, and he's bound to be attractive to other schools.
F. Alabama is mortal. The Tide was finally flat. I was beginning to wonder if it would happen at all this season. Still, I never had a moment Saturday when I felt the outcome of the game was in doubt.
G. Longtime Clarion-Ledger columnist Rick Cleveland, now running the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, tweeted sources told him they were not optimistic about Dak Prescott's return. If Prescott can't return in the next two weeks, it's difficult to imagine the Bulldogs winning again. Tyler Russell appeared to injure his shoulder Saturday and had to sit while freshman Damian Williams finished the game. The official word on Prescott is day-to-day, by the way.
5. It's time for SEC bowl tie-in predictions. Keep in mind these predictions include my predictions for the rest of the season. If you've kept up with Neal's Picks…
BCS National Championship Game --- Alabama (13-0)
Allstate Sugar Bowl --- Auburn (10-2)
Capital One Bowl --- Texas A&M (9-3)
Outback Bowl --- Missouri (9-3)
AT&T Cotton Bowl --- Ole Miss (9-3)
Chick-fil-A Bowl --- South Carolina (9-4)
Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl --- LSU (9-3)
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl --- Georgia (8-4)
Autozone Liberty Bowl --- Tennessee (6-6)
BBVA Compass Bowl --- Vanderbilt (7-5)
Advocare V100 Bowl --- No SEC team qualifies
6. A week after knocking Oregon out of the championship mix, Ed Orgeron and USC killed Stanford's hopes. Does the Trojans' success under Orgeron mean the former Ole Miss coach should get the permanent gig at USC?
"Obviously, there's going to be a decision made here after we play against UCLA," Orgeron said late Saturday. "We have two more games left. That's totally out of my hands. All I can do is, every day, work with them on a daily basis, give it all I've got to these young men and the Trojan family.
"I will say this: I think everything happens for a reason. I think there's a plan out there. What that plan is I don't know but we'll work together on a daily basis to get there."
Here are my other thoughts from the weekend that was in college football:
A. Oklahoma State pounded Texas. I thought the Cowboys would win, but Mike Gundy's team rolled the 'Horns in a way that I think will re-start the Mack Brown-is-in-trouble talk.
B. Baylor is for real. The Bears simply couldn't be stopped by Texas Tech, and frankly, I think they have a legitimate beef if they're left out of the national title game. It'd be fun to see that offense get a crack at Alabama.
C. Central Florida barely beat Temple, which lost to Idaho earlier in the season. The Knights seemed destined for the Sugar Bowl, which is a joke. Death to the BCS, indeed.
D. The Associated Press reported Sunday that USC has already interviewed alum/Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio. There is fervent speculation that the Trojans are also interested in Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin and former NFL coach Jon Gruden. I know there is sentiment in Orgeron's corner right now, but if you're Pat Haden, you have to feel really confident in Orgeron to turn down far more proven, far safer choices just because of a few weeks' worth of momentum.
E. Good for David Cutcliffe and Duke, which whipped Miami and earned a No. 25 ranking. The Blue Devils could earn a shot at Florida State in the ACC Championship Game, a monumental accomplishment given the program's history (or lack thereof).
F. Jim Mora Jr. and UCLA keep winning, setting up what should be a fun Battle of Los Angeles in a couple of weeks. The Bruins are 8-2, and recruits are noticing. Again, there's pressure on USC athletics director Pat Haden to get it right, pressure that is exacerbated by UCLA's newfound winning ways.
7. Here's the Associated Press account of Ole Miss' 72-70 win at Coastal Carolina Saturday night. I watched most of it on my computer. My thoughts will follow.
From the AP:
Anthony Perez hit a pair of free throws with 4.4 seconds remaining to push Ole Miss past Coastal Carolina 72-70 Saturday night.
Marshall Henderson had 19 points, including 14 in the second half as the Rebels overcame a halftime deficit.
The Rebels (2-0) led just 60-58 with 4:03 to go when Henderson buried a 3-pointer. Then after the Rebels missed a shot on the next possession, he stole a pass in the backcourt and dunked it to put Ole Miss up 65-58 with just over three minutes to go.
But the game wasn't over yet. Henderson's teammates would miss five of their next eight free throws and Henderson got the ball stolen from him as he tried to dribble around several players with Ole Miss up 66-61 with 1:24 left.
Coastal Carolina (1-2) had a chance to tie with nine seconds left, but Josh Cameron's 3-point attempt rattled in and out. Perez then hit two free throws, making Cameron's 3 at the buzzer meaningless.
Henderson's 19 points led all scorers. He was 6-of-16 from the field and 4-of-8 on 3-pointers. He had four steals, three turnovers and no assists.
Cameron scored 16 for Coastal Carolina, making three of his seven 3-pointers. Warren Gillis also had 16 points before fouling out late.
Jarvis Summers scored 14 points and Derrick Millinghaus added 12 points for Ole Miss.
The Rebels shot just 60 percent (24-of-40) from the foul line, but shot 16 more free throws and made 11 more foul shots than the Chanticleers.
Henderson was rusty to start, missing his next six shots and going just 1-of-7 from the field in the first half. He made five of his nine shots in the second half, including three of five 3s.
My thoughts: Ole Miss is obviously a different team with Henderson. He gives the Rebels a scoring dimension they don't otherwise have, and he gives them a swagger I'm not sure they'd possess without him. Still, this team needs serious work. Aaron Jones, Demarco Cox and Sebastian Saiz combined for 14 points, and Jones had 11 of those. Jarvis Summers was terrific again, getting 14 points and five assists in 20 minutes. Anthony Perez' 10 points in 20 minutes was a real bright spot. Ladarius White's two points in 13 minutes is troubling. The Rebels made 24 of 40 free throws, a stat that will kill them against good teams if they don't improve it. There's still time and it's way too early to judge, but again, there's a lot of work to be done for this team to even think about contending in the SEC, and the SEC _ outside of Kentucky _ is awful.
8. Gary Kubiak returned to the sidelines Sunday, coaching very much like a man who knows his job is in dire jeopardy. The Houston Texans lost at home to Oakland, 28-23, and Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson exchanged shouts afterwards. The bet here is change is imminent in Houston. Here are my other thoughts from the weekend that was in the NFL, keeping in mind New England and Carolina play Monday night in Charlotte in a game that has ramifications in both conferences.
A. The New York Giants did it again, winning for the fourth straight game to improve to 4-6 and remain very much in the mix in the NFC East. The Giants entertain Dallas next Sunday. A win would truly legitimize the Giants as a contender in what is easily the league's weakest division.
B. Chicago survived the weather and the Ravens to get a big overtime win at Soldier Field. The conditions of the turf at the stadium just off the shores of Lake Michigan are inexcusable. The stadium is owned by the city, which has done a terrible job of maintaining the field. At some point, the NFL has to step in and demand better.
C. The noise in the Mercedes Superdome is simply incredible. It played a huge role in the Saints' win over San Francisco Sunday, as did a roughing the passer penalty against the 49'ers that negated a Drew Brees fumble. Speaking of Brees, the Saints' quarterback became just the sixth man in NFL history to surpass 49,000 passing yards Sunday. Not bad for a guy who was too short to draw any in-state interest out of high school.
D. Washington offensive lineman Trent Williams accused officials of talking trash to him during the Redskins' 24-16 loss to Philadelphia Sunday. Williams said an NFL official called him "fat (expletive) garbabe" during the game. Time will tell if the accusations are accurate, as the Redskins' interior linemen were wearing microphones Sunday. If Williams' accusations are proven accurate, it's yet another black eye for a league that's had plenty lately.
E. Pittsburgh's 37-27 win over Detroit showed that the Lions simply can't be trusted. The NFC might be up for grabs with New Orleans, Seattle and possibly Carolina playing high-level football, but it's hard to see the Lions as a team consistent enough to make noise in January.
F. Tampa Bay whipped Atlanta, 41-28. The Falcons' slide this season is inexplicable. Changes are coming, almost certainly, but I know no one who saw this coming. Tony Gonzalez deserved a better finish to his stellar career.
9. Kobe Bryant returned to practice Saturday for the Los Angeles Lakers, the latest step in his return from a torn Achilles suffered late last season. Bryant looked great, teammate Pau Gasol said. However, I'm wondering if the Lakers, a team with zero chance at winning a title this season, might finally view Bryant and Gasol as trade chips in a season where tanking might not be the worst idea. The Lakers are 4-7, only have Steve Nash's contract on the books for next season, and couldn't be blamed for thinking about getting a high pick in a draft year that should include Kansas' Andrew Wiggins, Duke's Jabari Parker and a handful of other franchise-level prospects available. My other thoughts following the week that was in the NBA:
A. Indiana finally lost, falling to 9-1, but the Pacers remain the class of the Eastern Conference early. Lance Stephenson is emerging as an elite star, joining Paul George in that category. The Miami Heat have to be keeping an eye on the Pacers, wondering if they can hold them off yet another year.
B. Speaking of class teams, the San Antonio Spurs are 9-1. I love Kawhi Leonard's game, and there's no better coach in the league than Gregg Popovich. San Antonio still has its big three _ Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili _ but its bench is deeper than ever now. The West is loaded, but the Spurs are the favorite until someone can prove otherwise.
C. Two teams that want to do just that, Oklahoma City and Golden State, squared off in a classic Thursday night in Oakland. Russell Westbrook hit a 3-pointer with 2.3 seconds left to give the Thunder a one-point lead, but Andre Iguodala lost Thabo Sefolosha on an inbounds play and knocked down a fall-away jumper at the buzzer to send the fans at Oracle Arena home happy. The Thunder count on Sefolosha to play lock-down defense. If he can't give them that, look for Sam Presti to step up his efforts to use Sefolosha's expiring contract as bait in an effort to acquire a better shooter to complement Westbrook, Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka.
D. Houston is 7-4, but backup center Omar Asik wants out. His unhappiness is causing some waves in the locker room, as evidenced by public comments over the weekend from Chandler Parsons. There was a rumor Saturday Asik could go to Oklahoma City for Kendrick Perkins and rookie forward Andre Roberson. I find that one tough to believe, but I do think the Rockets will move Asik sooner rather than later.
E. The New York Knicks are wanting to acquire Rajon Rondo from Boston, but the Celtics are reportedly disinterested. Boston is 4-7 early, and as crazy as this sounds, that record is a bit too good for the Celtics' interest. Brad Stevens is going to be a very good NBA coach.
F. Memphis is 4-5 early, and there is concern among followers of the Grizzlies that something is fundamentally wrong. It's too early to panic, but the West is so good and so deep (right now the Grizzlies are tied with Denver for 10th) that no team can afford to dig a deep hole.
10. Kristi Dosh, the founder of the website BusinessofCollegeSports.com and now a contributor to ESPN The Magazine, had a pretty interesting story last week, one that Ole Miss officials should study as they prepare to build a new basketball arena to replace The Spaceship better known as Tad Smith Coliseum.
Dosh points out that for fiscal year 2012, Louisville basketball was 22nd in revenue generated amongst all FBS-level football and basketball programs. The top 21 revenue generators, you probably guessed, were football powers. Texas football was No. 1 with $103.813 million in revenue. Michigan, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Florida, LSU, Notre Dame, Arkansas and Ohio State football rounded out the top 10. Louisville basketball produced some $43.435 million in revenue, some $3 million more than Clemson football, which ranked No. 23.
As Dosh pointed out, in fiscal year 2012, Louisville hoops raked in more money than all but five Pac-12, ACC and Big 12 football programs. How did Louisville pull it off, you're likely wondering? It wasn't due to concessions, even though one buy a tall cold one at a Cardinals game. No, Louisville has a deal with KFC Yum! Center which allows the school to keep up with the top football programs by allowing it to profit off 71 luxury suites and numerous other premium seating areas. The suites lease for a whopping $85,000 ? $92,000 annually, depending on size, location and the length of the lease. Just 12 percent of that lease fee goes to KFC Yum! Center, with the athletic department banking the rest.
With the exception of seven student sections and four sections with no donation requirement, the other seats in the arena command a donation anywhere from $250 ? $2,500 to the Cardinal Athletic Fund.
Dosh compares Louisville's situation to Syracuse. "The Carrier Dome has 40 suites, which carry a donation requirement of $50,000 ? $83,900. In other words, they top out at an amount lower than Louisville's cheapest suite. Donations tied to other seats top out at $725, compared to Louisville's $2,500. Although Syracuse averaged almost 1,000 more fans per game than Louisville last season (and is already tracking 10% higher for season tickets sales this season compared to last), that amounted to just 64.08 percent of capacity at the Carrier Dome. Meanwhile, the Cardinals averaged 97.65 percent capacity. So, while Syracuse is able to capitalize on suite revenue, unlike many college basketball programs who lack suites, the sheer size of the Carrier Dome (approximately 13,000 seats more than KFC Yum! Center) impacts demand and, along with it, donation levels."
Dosh concludes that schools without basketball suites are losing out on millions, if not tens of millions, in revenue.
"While it takes success on the court to capitalize on those suites, you simply can't maximize the value of your program without them," Dosh said.
Even at Ole Miss, a school not exactly steeped in college basketball history, there is likely a lesson to be had. Ole Miss officials should keep the arena small enough for tickets to be at a premium, and they should make sure luxury suites are located throughout it. Even at Ole Miss, it's likely a recipe for producing a huge new revenue stream.
11. You're down 15 points in the fourth quarter and your offense scores a touchdown to pull within nine. Do you kick the PAT or go for two? Most coaches would tell you to kick and get within eight, saving the two-point conversion attempt for later. FootballPerspective.com would tell those coaches they're wrong.
From FootballPerspective.com: "Let's start with the obvious: your odds of winning when trailing by 15 in the 4th quarter are really, really low. From 1994, the first season the two-point attempt was introduced to the NFL, to 2011, 68 teams have entered the 4th quarter trailing by exactly 15 points. Only one of those teams won.
"Over that same period, there have been 81 times when a team scored a 4th-quarter touchdown when trailing by 15 points, cutting the lead to 9 (pending the extra point or two-point conversion). Only five of those teams went on to win the game, with the most recent occurrence happening last year when the Dolphins were Tebowed.
"So when trailing by 15 in the 4th quarter, even after scoring a touchdown, your odds of winning aren't very good. But of those 81 teams that scored a fourth-quarter touchdown to cut the lead to 9, only nine of them went for two after the touchdown. While the time remaining could play a part in the decision, the fact is most of the other 72 teams made a strategic error in kicking the extra point when trailing by 9 points.
"The counterargument goes something along the lines of 'just take the points, that way it is a one-score game.' Essentially, people are afraid of missing the two-point attempt and trailing by 9 points. But it's not a one-score game. Trailing by 8 isn't a one-score game if you are going to fail on your two-point try. And there's no reason to think your odds of converting a 2-point attempt are higher when trailing by 2 than by 9. Trailing by 8 is a 1.5-possiession game; half the time it is a 1-possession game, and half the time it is a 2-possesion game. To simply put your head in the sand and say 'I don't wanna know!!' may keep hope alive longer but it lowers your odds of winning.
"There are many hypothetical scenarios where it would really matter to know whether you are going to be successful on your two-point conversion. Say you're down 15 with 7 minutes to go and score a touchdown. You stop the other team, get the ball back, and drive to their 25. You're out of timeouts and there are 3 minutes to go. It's 4th and 10. At that point, wouldn't your decision to go for it change if you were down by 9 instead of 8? Down 8, teams go for it because they consider it a one-score game. But if you're going to miss the 2-point conversion, now you'd want to kick the field goal."
Basically, coaches ignore statistics in an attempt to keep hope alive for as long as possible instead of maximizing scoring opportunities and knowing what they'll need to come from behind and win. It's an interesting argument, one I've had with friends and colleagues dozens of times. I finally have an advocate for my side of the debate.
12. The people of San Francisco turned out in the thousands to greet leukemia survivor, Miles Scott, in the guise of Batkid. The city looked on as the 5-year-old realized his wish to be Batman for a day battling mock crimes across San Francisco.
Miles, who is now in remission after several years of treatment for Leukemia, was met with a surprise when he arrived in San Francisco to collect a costume of his favorite superhero. The Make-A-Wish foundation had organized a day of crime-fighting antics for the pint-sized superhero. Local media estimated that at least 7,000 people took to the street to cheer Batkid on as he embarked upon his crime-fighting mission in a black Lamborghini emblazoned with the Batman logo accompanied by the caped crusader himself.
Police officers on motorcycles escorted Batkid as he raced around the city, blocking traffic and closing off roads. Miles rescued a damsel in distress tied to a cable car track in San Fracisco's Russian Hill neighborhood. Enraptured fans cheered and applauded as he disabled a plastic replica bomb she was tied to.
Miles then sped off once again to thwart a bank robbery and capture his archenemy, the Joker, red-handed. The Batkid's final feat of the day saw him foil the kidnapping of Giants' mascot Lou Seal by the Penguin. Batkid's visit to San Francisco was accompanied by social media frenzy with thousands posting photos and messages egging on Miles Scott. President Barack Obama even recorded a short Vine thanking Batkid for "saving Gotham."
Miles was diagonosed with leukemia when he was 18 months old and finished treatment for the disease in June. His father thanked the Greater Bay Area Make-A-Wish Foundation and the thousands of people who turned out to offer their support for Miles.
"All the doctors, nurses and all the other parents that have to deal with the same thing we're going through. I hope they get a conclusion to their illnesses like we're getting," Nick Scott told KGO-TV.
Miles' mother also expressed her gratitude and said the day was a "celebration" of her son's completion of the treatment. "This wish has meant closure for our family and an end to over three years of putting toxic drugs in our son's body," she wrote in a statement on the foundation's website.
The story of a city rallying to make a boy's day so incredibly special was one of the coolest things I've ever seen. As the father of a 7-year-old boy who's never been anything but healthy, my heart was warmed to see so many take time out of their lives to make little Miles' dreams come true. Just when you think humanity is lost…
13. In July, young Marlins ace Jose Fernandez told the Miami Herald about the grandmother he left behind in Cuba when he defected at age 15, calling her "the love of his life." During Fernandez's sensational debut season, Olga Fernandez would climb to her roof with a radio to listen in as her grandson dominated National League hitters.
A week ago, just before Fernandez won the NL Rookie of the Year Award, Olga Fernandez arrived in Miami to surprise the grandson that she hadn't seen in six years. MLB Network caught it all on camera. The video is linked.
14. Some final thoughts, quick-hitter style:
A. Happy birthday to my brother, Ryan, who turns 41 on Friday.
B. I finally saw the movie, "Parkland," which detailed the minutes immediately following the assassination of president John F. Kennedy, who was killed 50 years ago Friday in Dallas. The movie is OK, but it broke no new ground. As a bit of a history buff who has read thousands upon thousands of pages about the Kennedy assassination, it was a bit disappointing.
C. "Parkland" was better than "White House Down," however. That movie, starring Jamie Foxx as the president, was so bad and so politically motivated that it was funny. It was downright comical.
This post was edited on 11/17 9:59 PM by Neal McCready
This post was edited on 11/18 9:42 AM by Neal McCready
Fernandez reunited with his grandmother
1. My friend and colleague, Chase Parham, called me Saturday night.
I suspect he wanted to see how I was handling the bourbon recommendation he and RebelGrove.com videographer Jeffrey Wright had made earlier in the day during the 37-hour Ole Miss win over Troy.
The Four Roses single barrel was very good, by the way, but that's not what Chase and I ended up discussing.
"This Missouri game is the biggest game in Oxford since when?" Chase asked.
"Since LSU 2009," I answered immediately. "In fact, it's sort of the same game."
Ole Miss beat LSU on that raucous Saturday afternoon in Oxford in a game remembered more for Les Miles' wacky clock management than anything else. The Rebels should have won by more, if I recall, but they let the Tigers hang around and very nearly steal one in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. The win over LSU put Ole Miss in position to go to the Capital One Bowl in Orlando, Fla., but the Rebels were inexplicably flat a week later in a loss at Mississippi State, one that I maintain was the beginning of the end for Houston Nutt, more so even than the season-opening loss to Jacksonville State the next September.
This game Saturday night between No. 8 Missouri and No. 24 Ole Miss reminds me of that LSU-Ole Miss game four years ago. The Rebels can kill Missouri's SEC East title hopes, garner national attention and credibility and dramatically improve its bowl positioning (assuming, of course, it follows up with a win in Starkville on Thanksgiving night; more on that in a bit).
Ole Miss players won't say it, but they've known the enormity of Saturday's opportunity since beating LSU in Oxford on Oct. 26. Since then, they've whipped Idaho, enjoyed an open date, beaten Arkansas and popped Troy. Four weeks after knocking off the Tigers, they get another shot at home against another top-10 breed of cat. If Ole Miss wins, the Rebels' profile going forward changes. Trust me when I tell you Saturday night's game will impact Ole Miss' starting point in the polls next August.
For whatever reason, Ole Miss has stayed under the radar since its three-game losing streak. Voters seem to ignore those losses include a defeat at No. 1 Alabama and then one-possession losses at Auburn and to Texas A&M. A win over Missouri would make the Rebels impossible to ignore. Top targets for 2014, 2015 and 2016 will be in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium Saturday. The atmosphere should be wild. The Grove will be packed. Ole Miss has already taken a huge step in its rebuild this season. A win Saturday would, at least in my opinion, allow Hugh Freeze and Co. to expedite the reclamation project.
2. No matter what happens Saturday night against Missouri, Freeze has a huge challenge facing him in the post-game locker room. He must, win or lose, convince his team to turn the page post-haste. Regardless of what happens on Saturday night, the Mississippi State game looms larger.
If Ole Miss beats Missouri, a loss in Starkville would take every bit of the shine off of the victory over another top-10 team of Tigers. If Ole Miss loses to Mizzou, a loss in Starkville would compound it 10-fold. Freeze knows this (the fact that Nutt couldn't figure it out four years ago remains confounding), and I suspect he already has a plan in mind and likely in place for either eventuality. Still, it's the biggest challenge facing him this week. The Missouri game means everything --- until it's over, when it must immediately mean nothing.
Similarly, Dan Mullen has quite a task in front of him in Starkville this week. The Bulldogs, now 4-6, must beat both Arkansas in Little Rock Saturday and then Ole Miss on Turkey Day to gain bowl eligibility. Unless Mullen has conceded, he must get his team completely focused on the Razorbacks and not allow them to look ahead to Ole Miss. If the Bulldogs win, he shouldn't have a tough time firing them up for the Rebels. If they lose at War Memorial, however, getting them to hit the give-a-damn button five days later could prove to be a challenge.
Coaches get paid millions for weeks like these. We'll learn a lot about both Freeze and Mullen in the next 11 days or so.
3. Leftover thoughts from Ole Miss 51, Troy 21:
A. Barry Brunetti's improved passing _ he was 3-for-4 for 97 yards and a touchdown Saturday _ has made Ole Miss' offense even more dangerous. Right now, the Rebels are clicking on every possible cylinder offensively.
B. Offensive coordinator Dan Werner told me freshman wide receiver Laquon Treadwell reminds him of a young Michael Irvin. Werner coached Irvin at Miami, so it's high praise. Treadwell is special. What he might be in 2014 and 2015 is remarkable to consider. I suspect Ole Miss will look back in a few years at the 2013 signing class as the one that turned Ole Miss into a contender, if not a power.
C. Troy quarterback Corey Robinson has one heck of a live arm. He was 24 for 36 for 258 yards Saturday. He's short, but Robinson has real skills. He'd start for a handful of SEC teams.
D. Jaylen Walton has turned into a receiving threat out of the backfield. Freeze has a real knack for making the most out of guys with his talent and speed, even though his lack of size should be a detriment.
E. Bo Wallace talked last week about Vince Sanders coming on as he recovered from a broken collarbone. Sanders had three catches for 71 yards Saturday and is re-emerging as a viable threat downfield. That's allowed Ole Miss to use Donte Moncrief as a glorified tight end in some packages. At the risk of being repetitive, Ole Miss' passing attack is more dangerous now than it's been in a long time.
F. Defensive coordinator Dave Wommack was raving about cornerback Derrick Jones after Saturday's game. Wommack said the freshman is doing special things and is going to have a spectacular career. Jones is a tall, rangy, athletic cornerback. Everyone in the country is scouring high schools looking for them. Ole Miss knew it had a special player in Jones, but even the Rebels admit they didn't know Jones would have the immediate, program-changing impact he's had. Cornerback was a huge position of need a few months ago. Thanks to his emergence, that need is not as desperate today.
G. Tony Conner is really good at football. Really, really, really good.
H. Ole Miss' offensive line has to get these false start penalties worked out. The Rebels can't afford them against Missouri Saturday. That will likely be a point of emphasis for Freeze and Matt Luke this week.
I. Maybe I'm biased because I really like the kid, but I think Ole Miss got a steal in Mark Dodson Jr. Dodson rushed 10 times for 46 yards and a touchdown against Troy. I just like his running style and his grit. He, Walton, I'Tavius Mathers, Jordan Wilkins, Kailo Moore plus the signing of a couple of backs in February should give Ole Miss some flexibility (and maybe some ability to experiment with a position change or two) moving forward.
4. The Miracle at Jordan-Hare highlighted the weekend that was in the SEC. My leftover thoughts:
A. Oh, Georgia. Georgia, Georgia, Georgia. Knock it down. Just knock it down. Aaron Murray deserved a better fate.
B. Auburn is living a charmed existence. People write about destiny and about special things happening and almost infer some sort of divine intervention. In my opinion, what happened on Saturday evening on the Plains was just pure luck.
C. Following his team's loss at South Carolina Saturday, Florida coach Will Muschamp said fans need to "get a grip." Good luck with that, Will. While I agree with his sentiments, I'm not sure frustrated shots at fans are a great idea right now, even in the wake of a very public vote of confidence from athletics director Jeremy Foley.
D. Steve Spurrier just needs some help from Ole Miss or Texas A&M against Missouri to get to the SEC Championship Game. Spurrier has said he likes Freeze, noting that the Ole Miss coach wears a visor, likes to call plays and is a scratch golfer. He'll like him even more if he can lead the Rebels to an upset on Saturday night in Oxford.
E. Vanderbilt beat Kentucky Saturday in Nashville, but that wasn't the story. Instead, the lack of bodies in the seats at Vanderbilt Stadium was. Vanderbilt announced 33,000-plus Saturday on a day when the Commodores clinched their third straight bowl game. James Franklin had practically begged for a full house. He didn't get it. He's got a legitimate chance at eight regular season wins, and he's bound to be attractive to other schools.
F. Alabama is mortal. The Tide was finally flat. I was beginning to wonder if it would happen at all this season. Still, I never had a moment Saturday when I felt the outcome of the game was in doubt.
G. Longtime Clarion-Ledger columnist Rick Cleveland, now running the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, tweeted sources told him they were not optimistic about Dak Prescott's return. If Prescott can't return in the next two weeks, it's difficult to imagine the Bulldogs winning again. Tyler Russell appeared to injure his shoulder Saturday and had to sit while freshman Damian Williams finished the game. The official word on Prescott is day-to-day, by the way.
5. It's time for SEC bowl tie-in predictions. Keep in mind these predictions include my predictions for the rest of the season. If you've kept up with Neal's Picks…
BCS National Championship Game --- Alabama (13-0)
Allstate Sugar Bowl --- Auburn (10-2)
Capital One Bowl --- Texas A&M (9-3)
Outback Bowl --- Missouri (9-3)
AT&T Cotton Bowl --- Ole Miss (9-3)
Chick-fil-A Bowl --- South Carolina (9-4)
Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl --- LSU (9-3)
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl --- Georgia (8-4)
Autozone Liberty Bowl --- Tennessee (6-6)
BBVA Compass Bowl --- Vanderbilt (7-5)
Advocare V100 Bowl --- No SEC team qualifies
6. A week after knocking Oregon out of the championship mix, Ed Orgeron and USC killed Stanford's hopes. Does the Trojans' success under Orgeron mean the former Ole Miss coach should get the permanent gig at USC?
"Obviously, there's going to be a decision made here after we play against UCLA," Orgeron said late Saturday. "We have two more games left. That's totally out of my hands. All I can do is, every day, work with them on a daily basis, give it all I've got to these young men and the Trojan family.
"I will say this: I think everything happens for a reason. I think there's a plan out there. What that plan is I don't know but we'll work together on a daily basis to get there."
Here are my other thoughts from the weekend that was in college football:
A. Oklahoma State pounded Texas. I thought the Cowboys would win, but Mike Gundy's team rolled the 'Horns in a way that I think will re-start the Mack Brown-is-in-trouble talk.
B. Baylor is for real. The Bears simply couldn't be stopped by Texas Tech, and frankly, I think they have a legitimate beef if they're left out of the national title game. It'd be fun to see that offense get a crack at Alabama.
C. Central Florida barely beat Temple, which lost to Idaho earlier in the season. The Knights seemed destined for the Sugar Bowl, which is a joke. Death to the BCS, indeed.
D. The Associated Press reported Sunday that USC has already interviewed alum/Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio. There is fervent speculation that the Trojans are also interested in Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin and former NFL coach Jon Gruden. I know there is sentiment in Orgeron's corner right now, but if you're Pat Haden, you have to feel really confident in Orgeron to turn down far more proven, far safer choices just because of a few weeks' worth of momentum.
E. Good for David Cutcliffe and Duke, which whipped Miami and earned a No. 25 ranking. The Blue Devils could earn a shot at Florida State in the ACC Championship Game, a monumental accomplishment given the program's history (or lack thereof).
F. Jim Mora Jr. and UCLA keep winning, setting up what should be a fun Battle of Los Angeles in a couple of weeks. The Bruins are 8-2, and recruits are noticing. Again, there's pressure on USC athletics director Pat Haden to get it right, pressure that is exacerbated by UCLA's newfound winning ways.
7. Here's the Associated Press account of Ole Miss' 72-70 win at Coastal Carolina Saturday night. I watched most of it on my computer. My thoughts will follow.
From the AP:
Anthony Perez hit a pair of free throws with 4.4 seconds remaining to push Ole Miss past Coastal Carolina 72-70 Saturday night.
Marshall Henderson had 19 points, including 14 in the second half as the Rebels overcame a halftime deficit.
The Rebels (2-0) led just 60-58 with 4:03 to go when Henderson buried a 3-pointer. Then after the Rebels missed a shot on the next possession, he stole a pass in the backcourt and dunked it to put Ole Miss up 65-58 with just over three minutes to go.
But the game wasn't over yet. Henderson's teammates would miss five of their next eight free throws and Henderson got the ball stolen from him as he tried to dribble around several players with Ole Miss up 66-61 with 1:24 left.
Coastal Carolina (1-2) had a chance to tie with nine seconds left, but Josh Cameron's 3-point attempt rattled in and out. Perez then hit two free throws, making Cameron's 3 at the buzzer meaningless.
Henderson's 19 points led all scorers. He was 6-of-16 from the field and 4-of-8 on 3-pointers. He had four steals, three turnovers and no assists.
Cameron scored 16 for Coastal Carolina, making three of his seven 3-pointers. Warren Gillis also had 16 points before fouling out late.
Jarvis Summers scored 14 points and Derrick Millinghaus added 12 points for Ole Miss.
The Rebels shot just 60 percent (24-of-40) from the foul line, but shot 16 more free throws and made 11 more foul shots than the Chanticleers.
Henderson was rusty to start, missing his next six shots and going just 1-of-7 from the field in the first half. He made five of his nine shots in the second half, including three of five 3s.
My thoughts: Ole Miss is obviously a different team with Henderson. He gives the Rebels a scoring dimension they don't otherwise have, and he gives them a swagger I'm not sure they'd possess without him. Still, this team needs serious work. Aaron Jones, Demarco Cox and Sebastian Saiz combined for 14 points, and Jones had 11 of those. Jarvis Summers was terrific again, getting 14 points and five assists in 20 minutes. Anthony Perez' 10 points in 20 minutes was a real bright spot. Ladarius White's two points in 13 minutes is troubling. The Rebels made 24 of 40 free throws, a stat that will kill them against good teams if they don't improve it. There's still time and it's way too early to judge, but again, there's a lot of work to be done for this team to even think about contending in the SEC, and the SEC _ outside of Kentucky _ is awful.
8. Gary Kubiak returned to the sidelines Sunday, coaching very much like a man who knows his job is in dire jeopardy. The Houston Texans lost at home to Oakland, 28-23, and Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson exchanged shouts afterwards. The bet here is change is imminent in Houston. Here are my other thoughts from the weekend that was in the NFL, keeping in mind New England and Carolina play Monday night in Charlotte in a game that has ramifications in both conferences.
A. The New York Giants did it again, winning for the fourth straight game to improve to 4-6 and remain very much in the mix in the NFC East. The Giants entertain Dallas next Sunday. A win would truly legitimize the Giants as a contender in what is easily the league's weakest division.
B. Chicago survived the weather and the Ravens to get a big overtime win at Soldier Field. The conditions of the turf at the stadium just off the shores of Lake Michigan are inexcusable. The stadium is owned by the city, which has done a terrible job of maintaining the field. At some point, the NFL has to step in and demand better.
C. The noise in the Mercedes Superdome is simply incredible. It played a huge role in the Saints' win over San Francisco Sunday, as did a roughing the passer penalty against the 49'ers that negated a Drew Brees fumble. Speaking of Brees, the Saints' quarterback became just the sixth man in NFL history to surpass 49,000 passing yards Sunday. Not bad for a guy who was too short to draw any in-state interest out of high school.
D. Washington offensive lineman Trent Williams accused officials of talking trash to him during the Redskins' 24-16 loss to Philadelphia Sunday. Williams said an NFL official called him "fat (expletive) garbabe" during the game. Time will tell if the accusations are accurate, as the Redskins' interior linemen were wearing microphones Sunday. If Williams' accusations are proven accurate, it's yet another black eye for a league that's had plenty lately.
E. Pittsburgh's 37-27 win over Detroit showed that the Lions simply can't be trusted. The NFC might be up for grabs with New Orleans, Seattle and possibly Carolina playing high-level football, but it's hard to see the Lions as a team consistent enough to make noise in January.
F. Tampa Bay whipped Atlanta, 41-28. The Falcons' slide this season is inexplicable. Changes are coming, almost certainly, but I know no one who saw this coming. Tony Gonzalez deserved a better finish to his stellar career.
9. Kobe Bryant returned to practice Saturday for the Los Angeles Lakers, the latest step in his return from a torn Achilles suffered late last season. Bryant looked great, teammate Pau Gasol said. However, I'm wondering if the Lakers, a team with zero chance at winning a title this season, might finally view Bryant and Gasol as trade chips in a season where tanking might not be the worst idea. The Lakers are 4-7, only have Steve Nash's contract on the books for next season, and couldn't be blamed for thinking about getting a high pick in a draft year that should include Kansas' Andrew Wiggins, Duke's Jabari Parker and a handful of other franchise-level prospects available. My other thoughts following the week that was in the NBA:
A. Indiana finally lost, falling to 9-1, but the Pacers remain the class of the Eastern Conference early. Lance Stephenson is emerging as an elite star, joining Paul George in that category. The Miami Heat have to be keeping an eye on the Pacers, wondering if they can hold them off yet another year.
B. Speaking of class teams, the San Antonio Spurs are 9-1. I love Kawhi Leonard's game, and there's no better coach in the league than Gregg Popovich. San Antonio still has its big three _ Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili _ but its bench is deeper than ever now. The West is loaded, but the Spurs are the favorite until someone can prove otherwise.
C. Two teams that want to do just that, Oklahoma City and Golden State, squared off in a classic Thursday night in Oakland. Russell Westbrook hit a 3-pointer with 2.3 seconds left to give the Thunder a one-point lead, but Andre Iguodala lost Thabo Sefolosha on an inbounds play and knocked down a fall-away jumper at the buzzer to send the fans at Oracle Arena home happy. The Thunder count on Sefolosha to play lock-down defense. If he can't give them that, look for Sam Presti to step up his efforts to use Sefolosha's expiring contract as bait in an effort to acquire a better shooter to complement Westbrook, Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka.
D. Houston is 7-4, but backup center Omar Asik wants out. His unhappiness is causing some waves in the locker room, as evidenced by public comments over the weekend from Chandler Parsons. There was a rumor Saturday Asik could go to Oklahoma City for Kendrick Perkins and rookie forward Andre Roberson. I find that one tough to believe, but I do think the Rockets will move Asik sooner rather than later.
E. The New York Knicks are wanting to acquire Rajon Rondo from Boston, but the Celtics are reportedly disinterested. Boston is 4-7 early, and as crazy as this sounds, that record is a bit too good for the Celtics' interest. Brad Stevens is going to be a very good NBA coach.
F. Memphis is 4-5 early, and there is concern among followers of the Grizzlies that something is fundamentally wrong. It's too early to panic, but the West is so good and so deep (right now the Grizzlies are tied with Denver for 10th) that no team can afford to dig a deep hole.
10. Kristi Dosh, the founder of the website BusinessofCollegeSports.com and now a contributor to ESPN The Magazine, had a pretty interesting story last week, one that Ole Miss officials should study as they prepare to build a new basketball arena to replace The Spaceship better known as Tad Smith Coliseum.
Dosh points out that for fiscal year 2012, Louisville basketball was 22nd in revenue generated amongst all FBS-level football and basketball programs. The top 21 revenue generators, you probably guessed, were football powers. Texas football was No. 1 with $103.813 million in revenue. Michigan, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Florida, LSU, Notre Dame, Arkansas and Ohio State football rounded out the top 10. Louisville basketball produced some $43.435 million in revenue, some $3 million more than Clemson football, which ranked No. 23.
As Dosh pointed out, in fiscal year 2012, Louisville hoops raked in more money than all but five Pac-12, ACC and Big 12 football programs. How did Louisville pull it off, you're likely wondering? It wasn't due to concessions, even though one buy a tall cold one at a Cardinals game. No, Louisville has a deal with KFC Yum! Center which allows the school to keep up with the top football programs by allowing it to profit off 71 luxury suites and numerous other premium seating areas. The suites lease for a whopping $85,000 ? $92,000 annually, depending on size, location and the length of the lease. Just 12 percent of that lease fee goes to KFC Yum! Center, with the athletic department banking the rest.
With the exception of seven student sections and four sections with no donation requirement, the other seats in the arena command a donation anywhere from $250 ? $2,500 to the Cardinal Athletic Fund.
Dosh compares Louisville's situation to Syracuse. "The Carrier Dome has 40 suites, which carry a donation requirement of $50,000 ? $83,900. In other words, they top out at an amount lower than Louisville's cheapest suite. Donations tied to other seats top out at $725, compared to Louisville's $2,500. Although Syracuse averaged almost 1,000 more fans per game than Louisville last season (and is already tracking 10% higher for season tickets sales this season compared to last), that amounted to just 64.08 percent of capacity at the Carrier Dome. Meanwhile, the Cardinals averaged 97.65 percent capacity. So, while Syracuse is able to capitalize on suite revenue, unlike many college basketball programs who lack suites, the sheer size of the Carrier Dome (approximately 13,000 seats more than KFC Yum! Center) impacts demand and, along with it, donation levels."
Dosh concludes that schools without basketball suites are losing out on millions, if not tens of millions, in revenue.
"While it takes success on the court to capitalize on those suites, you simply can't maximize the value of your program without them," Dosh said.
Even at Ole Miss, a school not exactly steeped in college basketball history, there is likely a lesson to be had. Ole Miss officials should keep the arena small enough for tickets to be at a premium, and they should make sure luxury suites are located throughout it. Even at Ole Miss, it's likely a recipe for producing a huge new revenue stream.
11. You're down 15 points in the fourth quarter and your offense scores a touchdown to pull within nine. Do you kick the PAT or go for two? Most coaches would tell you to kick and get within eight, saving the two-point conversion attempt for later. FootballPerspective.com would tell those coaches they're wrong.
From FootballPerspective.com: "Let's start with the obvious: your odds of winning when trailing by 15 in the 4th quarter are really, really low. From 1994, the first season the two-point attempt was introduced to the NFL, to 2011, 68 teams have entered the 4th quarter trailing by exactly 15 points. Only one of those teams won.
"Over that same period, there have been 81 times when a team scored a 4th-quarter touchdown when trailing by 15 points, cutting the lead to 9 (pending the extra point or two-point conversion). Only five of those teams went on to win the game, with the most recent occurrence happening last year when the Dolphins were Tebowed.
"So when trailing by 15 in the 4th quarter, even after scoring a touchdown, your odds of winning aren't very good. But of those 81 teams that scored a fourth-quarter touchdown to cut the lead to 9, only nine of them went for two after the touchdown. While the time remaining could play a part in the decision, the fact is most of the other 72 teams made a strategic error in kicking the extra point when trailing by 9 points.
"The counterargument goes something along the lines of 'just take the points, that way it is a one-score game.' Essentially, people are afraid of missing the two-point attempt and trailing by 9 points. But it's not a one-score game. Trailing by 8 isn't a one-score game if you are going to fail on your two-point try. And there's no reason to think your odds of converting a 2-point attempt are higher when trailing by 2 than by 9. Trailing by 8 is a 1.5-possiession game; half the time it is a 1-possession game, and half the time it is a 2-possesion game. To simply put your head in the sand and say 'I don't wanna know!!' may keep hope alive longer but it lowers your odds of winning.
"There are many hypothetical scenarios where it would really matter to know whether you are going to be successful on your two-point conversion. Say you're down 15 with 7 minutes to go and score a touchdown. You stop the other team, get the ball back, and drive to their 25. You're out of timeouts and there are 3 minutes to go. It's 4th and 10. At that point, wouldn't your decision to go for it change if you were down by 9 instead of 8? Down 8, teams go for it because they consider it a one-score game. But if you're going to miss the 2-point conversion, now you'd want to kick the field goal."
Basically, coaches ignore statistics in an attempt to keep hope alive for as long as possible instead of maximizing scoring opportunities and knowing what they'll need to come from behind and win. It's an interesting argument, one I've had with friends and colleagues dozens of times. I finally have an advocate for my side of the debate.
12. The people of San Francisco turned out in the thousands to greet leukemia survivor, Miles Scott, in the guise of Batkid. The city looked on as the 5-year-old realized his wish to be Batman for a day battling mock crimes across San Francisco.
Miles, who is now in remission after several years of treatment for Leukemia, was met with a surprise when he arrived in San Francisco to collect a costume of his favorite superhero. The Make-A-Wish foundation had organized a day of crime-fighting antics for the pint-sized superhero. Local media estimated that at least 7,000 people took to the street to cheer Batkid on as he embarked upon his crime-fighting mission in a black Lamborghini emblazoned with the Batman logo accompanied by the caped crusader himself.
Police officers on motorcycles escorted Batkid as he raced around the city, blocking traffic and closing off roads. Miles rescued a damsel in distress tied to a cable car track in San Fracisco's Russian Hill neighborhood. Enraptured fans cheered and applauded as he disabled a plastic replica bomb she was tied to.
Miles then sped off once again to thwart a bank robbery and capture his archenemy, the Joker, red-handed. The Batkid's final feat of the day saw him foil the kidnapping of Giants' mascot Lou Seal by the Penguin. Batkid's visit to San Francisco was accompanied by social media frenzy with thousands posting photos and messages egging on Miles Scott. President Barack Obama even recorded a short Vine thanking Batkid for "saving Gotham."
Miles was diagonosed with leukemia when he was 18 months old and finished treatment for the disease in June. His father thanked the Greater Bay Area Make-A-Wish Foundation and the thousands of people who turned out to offer their support for Miles.
"All the doctors, nurses and all the other parents that have to deal with the same thing we're going through. I hope they get a conclusion to their illnesses like we're getting," Nick Scott told KGO-TV.
Miles' mother also expressed her gratitude and said the day was a "celebration" of her son's completion of the treatment. "This wish has meant closure for our family and an end to over three years of putting toxic drugs in our son's body," she wrote in a statement on the foundation's website.
The story of a city rallying to make a boy's day so incredibly special was one of the coolest things I've ever seen. As the father of a 7-year-old boy who's never been anything but healthy, my heart was warmed to see so many take time out of their lives to make little Miles' dreams come true. Just when you think humanity is lost…
13. In July, young Marlins ace Jose Fernandez told the Miami Herald about the grandmother he left behind in Cuba when he defected at age 15, calling her "the love of his life." During Fernandez's sensational debut season, Olga Fernandez would climb to her roof with a radio to listen in as her grandson dominated National League hitters.
A week ago, just before Fernandez won the NL Rookie of the Year Award, Olga Fernandez arrived in Miami to surprise the grandson that she hadn't seen in six years. MLB Network caught it all on camera. The video is linked.
14. Some final thoughts, quick-hitter style:
A. Happy birthday to my brother, Ryan, who turns 41 on Friday.
B. I finally saw the movie, "Parkland," which detailed the minutes immediately following the assassination of president John F. Kennedy, who was killed 50 years ago Friday in Dallas. The movie is OK, but it broke no new ground. As a bit of a history buff who has read thousands upon thousands of pages about the Kennedy assassination, it was a bit disappointing.
C. "Parkland" was better than "White House Down," however. That movie, starring Jamie Foxx as the president, was so bad and so politically motivated that it was funny. It was downright comical.
This post was edited on 11/17 9:59 PM by Neal McCready
This post was edited on 11/18 9:42 AM by Neal McCready
Fernandez reunited with his grandmother
