Archives for February 2018

#98: Cannizaro, Kennedy are out – 02/22/18

February 22, 2018 by Brad Locke Leave a Comment

Coaching news has dominated the headlines in Oxford and Starkville of late.

On this episode, Logan examines the abrupt resignation of MSU baseball coach Andy Cannizaro (1:23), who had just started his second season leading the program. Off-the-field issues derailed a promising young career, and now the Bulldogs turn to veteran coach Gary Henderson for the remainder of the season (8:58).

Then there is Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy, who announced he would resign at season’s end but then stepped down after two more losses (16:10). He made the NCAA tournament just twice in 12 seasons, but Kennedy will likely be employed again soon, either as a coach or TV analyst. Parrish says one big problem with the Rebels this year was a lack of chemistry between Kennedy and the players.

MSU’s men are playing better (14:41), although it might be too little, too late in regards to the NCAA tournament. The women, meanwhile, keep rolling along, having recently captured their first SEC regular-season title (12:30).

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#97: Kennedy resigning; MSU’s bubble bursts – 02/15/18

February 15, 2018 by Brad Locke Leave a Comment

Andy Kennedy’s 12th season as Ole Miss basketball coach will be his last.

On this episode, Parrish examines Kennedy’s decision to step down after this season (1:43) – although had he waited a bit longer, the decision would have been made for him. Athletics director Ross Bjork has clearly stated what he expects of the program, and for the last three years the goals haven’t been met. Who will replace Kennedy? Parrish tosses out a few names (18:26), including a couple with Mississippi State connections: Rick Stansbury and Kermit Davis Jr.

Speaking of MSU, its men’s basketball team saw its NCAA bubble burst with a pair of tough losses this past week (12:10). First game an overtime loss at Missouri, followed by a last-second defeat at Vanderbilt. Still, Logan says the Bulldogs are headed in the right direction under coach Ben Howland.

The Rebels and Bulldogs will meet on Saturday in Starkville (17:37).

And let’s not forget that baseball starts this weekend. MSU and Southern Miss square off in a big series (22:58), and the Bulldogs have their pitching rotation set. Ole Miss will start the season versus Winthrop (26:42), with lefty ace Ryan Rolison drawing the opening day start.

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#96: Signing day rather quiet; MSU women keep winning – 02/08/18

February 8, 2018 by Brad Locke Leave a Comment

National Signing Day was Wednesday, but it was a lot quieter than it used to be. With an early signing period now in effect, both Ole Miss and Mississippi State already had their 2018 classes largely in place.

But there were still some important signings Wednesday. Parrish looks at the Rebels’ class (7:55), which was solid, all things considered. A late addition to the mix was Pearl’s Tylan Knight, a small but dynamic playmaker. Coach Matt Luke called him a “steal.”

For MSU, new coach Joe Moorhead wound up signing 15 players from Mississippi’s high school and junior college ranks, including the top six players in the state (11:53). That included a talented duo from Olive Branch.

The guys also discuss plenty of basketball. MSU’s women drew the largest crowd in Humphrey Coliseum history on Monday for a big win over South Carolina (16:26). The trick for the undefeated Bulldogs now is to maintain their focus against lesser opponents.

The MSU men are playing well, too, having won four in a row (23:22). Logan says freshmen Abdul Ado and Nick Weatherspoon have matured as players.

Not much good can be said about Ole Miss hoops (20:20), as the men have lost seven of their last eight and the women continue to struggle. Could both programs see changes at head coach after the season?

Plus, the guys look at House Bill 1083 concerning concealed carry of a weapon in places like sports venues (2:13). SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey has expressed concern at the possible new law, saying it could affect scheduling for Ole Miss and MSU.

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#95: Bulldogs finally get road win; Rebels still seeking one – 02/01/18

February 1, 2018 by Brad Locke Leave a Comment

The Mississippi State men finally picked up an SEC road win on Wednesday, defeating South Carolina in a hard-fought battle (1:45). Logan discusses that game, in which the Bulldogs had trouble closing it out until Aric Holman sealed it. MSU now has back-to-back SEC wins and a little momentum heading into a meeting with Georgia.

Ole Miss, meanwhile, lost at home to Auburn (5:57). There remain RPI opportunities for the Rebels, but Parrish says there is nothing he’s seen to indicate they can actually make anything of those opportunities.

On the women’s side, No. 2 MSU has a big rematch with No. 7 South Carolina coming Monday (11:10), but first up is a trip tonight to No. 15 Missouri. The Bulldogs had a blowout win last week at Ole Miss, although coach Vic Schaefer wasn’t happy with his team’s mental toughness after building an early lead.

Ole Miss continues to struggle at 1-7 in the SEC and faces another struggling team, Vanderbilt, tonight (20:20).

The guys also hit on baseball. MSU will open the season soon at Southern Miss (22:09), which it eliminated from the NCAA tournament last year. Ole Miss will open against Winthrop (26:01), and Parrish is interested to see if the offense can take a step forward this season.

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