Sneak Peek Of Baseball Tix

It's just 17 days until the first pitch of Ole Miss Baseball 2012, and if you have not secured your tickets, go to OleMissBSB.com as fast as you can! Coach Bianco has some key returnees and a top-five recruiting class gearing up for what expects to be an exciting season. Tickets are set to be mailed out later this week, and here is what this year's stubs look like (H/T to Dan Pellegrino with our creative team).


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Spring Football Schedule (Updated 2/22)

The following is a tentative spring practice schedule (times TBA). Friday and Saturday workouts will be open to the public, so make your plans to see the Rebels in action in four practices prior to the BancorpSouth Grove Bowl, including the first two full team drills of the Hugh Freeze era. Once again this year, we will have daily practice reports and updates on times and locations for open practices on OleMissSports.com. Add to your spring schedule the events of Grove Bowl Week, including the second annual Rebels' Choice Awards on April 16 and the Chucky Mullins Courage Award Banquet on April 19. Also get ready for big news surrounding Grove Bowl Week in the coming days.

March 23 - Practice 1 - OPEN
March 24 - Practice 2 - OPEN
March 25 - Practice 3 - Closed
March 27 - Practice 4 - Closed
March 29 - Practice 5 - Closed
March 31 - Practice 6 - OPEN
April 2 - Practice 7 - Closed
April 3 - Practice 8 - Closed
April 5 - Practice 9 - Closed
April 10 - Practice 10 - Closed
April 12 - Practice 11 - Closed
April 14 - Practice 12 - OPEN
April 17 - Practice 13 - Closed
April 19 - Practice 14 - Closed
April 21 - BancorpSouth Grove Bowl (1 p.m. CT)


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NFL Rebels In Articles

Our finale in today's NFL Rebels series shares some quality articles on our guys. I tweeted a few of these out during the season, so forgive me if they are old news for you. However, some are worth another read.

Green-Ellis: Wall Street Journal: Thou Shalt Never Fumble

J. Jerry: Miami Herald: Miami Dolphins’ John Jerry getting a jump on 2012 starting spot

Lewis: AP: Chiefs safety Lewis becomes QB of secondary

Manning: ESPN.com: No debating it Eli Manning is elite

Oher: London Times: Ghetto child in search of the perfect sequel to his story (article for subscribers only, so email me at kyle@olemiss.edu for a copy)

Wallace: Warren Tribune Chronicle: Wallace has something to prove every week‎

Willis: San Jose Mercury News: 49ers' Willis took a hard road to NFL supremacy


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NFL Rebels In Highlights

The next post on our former Ole Miss players in the pros provides some video highlights from this season. NFL is none too kind with embedding their footage, so most are just links. But they are well worth the click.

Green-Ellis: The Law Firm struck paydirt 11 times in the regular season, but his seven-yard jaunt yesterday was his most important of the year: nfl.com

Lewis: Kendrick has intercepted three passes in each of his first two NFL seasons, and this year he got his first pick-six: nfl.com

Manning: Take your pick with the kind of year Eli had, but I particularly enjoyed his hailmary in the playoff upset of the Packers:


McCluster: Dexter was also involved in a hailmary, but it was his 21-yard TD run against the Broncos that brought back memories of #22 slicing through the Vols in 2009: nfl.com

Mitchell: After five seasons as a reserve, Jayme moved into the starting lineup in 2011 and had this forced fumble against the Dolphins, although the announcers fail to give him credit for it: clevelandbrowns.com

Sanford: Wins were tough to come by for the Vikings this year, but Jamarca secured one over the Cardinals with this late pick: nfl.com

Vaughn: Cassius has scored a TD in each of his first two NFL seasons. It was a 97-yard kickoff return a year ago and this 55-yard interception return back in October: nfl.com

Wallace: If ever there was a doubt that Mike isn't the biggest home run threat in the league, here is video evidence:




Willis: The most dramatic video with Patrick this year was the E60 piece we shared last week. However, if you are more interested in seeing him bring the pain, it has been brought:


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NFL Rebels In SEC Ranks

As we look at the spectacular 2011-12 for our NFL Rebels, the first of our three blogposts looks at where our number of current pros compares to the rest of the SEC. Since we will be competing against them soon enough, I went ahead and included future conference rivals Mizzou and Texas A&M. The totals are taken from ESPN.com's database, and here is our latest list, which ranks seventh. However it should be noted that the Worldwide Leader has failed to include Darryl Harris, whom the Chiefs added to the active roster at the end of the season, but I have him in our total.

LSU - 41
Georgia - 40
Florida - 35
Tennessee - 33
Auburn - 31
Alabama - 26
Ole Miss - 25
South Carolina - 23
Arkansas - 17
Mississippi State - 16
Texas A&M - 16
Missouri - 15
Kentucky - 10
Vanderbilt - 9

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Willis on E60

If you hadn't noticed, a few former Rebels are still playing football. The Super Bowl is just a game away for one of four ex-Ole Miss stars whose current team has advanced to the conference championship round. Among those is 49ers stud linebacker Patrick Willis. Most of Rebel Nation is familiar with Patrick's hard journey to stardom -- a story that is Blind Side compelling -- but ESPN recently took a trip to Bruceton for a deeper look into his childhood. If you missed this E60 piece from October, you'll be happy we shared it now. Also check out olemisssports.com and olemisssportsblog.com next week for a detailed look at the spectacular season by our NFL Rebels.




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Hometown Hero: Kristin Bridges

Kristin Bridges is one of the premier athletes on the Ole Miss track and field team.

She ranks among the top five Rebel athletes ever in the 100 and 400 meters.

The senior from Taylorsville, Miss., also stands out in the classroom and is among 10 Ole Miss student-athletes selected to the 2011-12 Who’s Who Among students In American Universities and Colleges.

Her hometown newspaper, the Laurel Leader-Call, recently featured her accomplishments in the following article:

WJ grad among top student-athletes at Ole Miss

The Road To The Super Bowl ...

Last weekend's playoff games continued what has been an amazing year for our many former Rebels in the NFL, and we'll have a detailed look at it next week on the official site. Among the headlines will be three Pro Bowlers -- Eli Manning, Mike Wallace and Patrick Willis -- and a player on each of the AFC and NFC championship game participants -- BenJarvus Green-Ellis (Patriots), Manning (Giants), Michael Oher (Ravens) and Willis (49ers). With a Rebel guaranteed a Super Bowl ring, it is sure to be an exciting few weeks on tap for Rebel Nation. Here are some more nuggets, and keep an eye out for the in-depth feature next week.

• Ole Miss is one of only seven schools in the nation -- and two in the SEC -- with three or more alumni to be selected to the Pro Bowl (others are Miami 5, Pitt 4, Cal 3, Georgia 3, Michigan 3, USC 3).
• Ole Miss is one of only six schools in the nation -- and two in the SEC -- with a former player on each of the four teams in the AFC/NFC championship games (others are Miami, Notre Dame, Oregon, Pitt and Tennessee).
• Barring injury, Ole Miss is assured of its 24th and 25th Super Bowl participants and its 14th champion (full list).

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Brittney Reese In Sports Illustrated

Brittney Reese (the 2011 Mississippi Sports Person of the Year) is one of the top athletes in the world as the 3-time reigning long jump world champion. She is the favorite to win a gold medal in the event at the 2012 London Olympics. The former Ole Miss All-American has a great story, too, highlighted here by Sports Illustrated:

'The Beast' is hunting Olympic gold
Brittney Reese Q&A

Ole Miss Track Athlete Among NCAA's Best

Folks on the Ole Miss campus know him as one of the top recent graduates in the biology department and a future physician.

People in the Oxford area might recognize him as a community leader always involved in serving areas of need.

The U.S. track world instantly identifies the tall, lanky runner as one of the top American hurdlers and a two-time NCAA All-American.

His name is Lee Ellis Moore. And he is quite an impressive young man.

That's why tomorrow (Friday) he will be receive the NCAA Top VIII Award, a prestigious honor that goes to eight student-athletes who completed their athletics eligibility during the 2010-11 academic year and recognizes their success on the fields and courts, in the classroom and in the community. Award recipients will be recognized at the Honors Celebration during the current NCAA Convention in Indianapolis.

Only one other Ole Miss student-athlete has ever received this award since its inception in 1973 - Eli Manning in 2004.

Below is a clip of this year's eight amazing student-athletes (Moore starts at the 1:29 mark) talking about their academic pursuits.

Carter Advances At European Tour Qualifier

It may be her first time to travel to Europe, but former Ole Miss All-American Dori Carter seemed right at home in the first stage of the Ladies European Tour School qualifying event at La Manga Golf Course in Murcia, Spain.

Carter shot a 76-73-70-78—297 to tie for 22nd place and secure a spot in the final stage of the LET qualifying event.

If she can finish in the top-35 in the final stage at La Manga next week, Carter will gain full status on the European Tour.

Already a member of the LPGA Tour in the United States, the Valdosta, Ga., native is hoping to supplement her schedule in the States with events across the Atlantic.

For Carter, playing in Europe also brings out a special sense of pride in representing her country.

“Another thing about playing in Europe is that I no longer reside/represent Valdosta, Georgia,” Carter said. “I am announced as Dori Carter from the United States.”

It hasn’t been all business in Europe for the former Rebel, though. Carter has taken time to do some sight-seeing in Spain when she is not on the golf course.

“I have had a great time in Spain so far,” said Carter. “On my way to Murcia, I was able to spend an afternoon in Madrid. What an amazing city! I made my way to Puerta del Sol (downtown) and wandered around. I ate lunch at the Mercado de San Miguel, which is an indoor market with fresh everything.”

Rebels In Coaching Ranks

Today's announcement of new Rebel receivers coach Grant Heard means Ole Miss has two of our own former players on the coaching staff, including offensive line coach Matt Luke. Rebels have become quite common on college coaching staffs of late. Here is a list of those currently coaching at major universities and junior colleges. I'm sure there are more that we missed, so if you know of any, please comment below.

Kent Austin, Cornell
Jeff Carter, Northeast Mississippi C.C.
Charles Clark, San Jose State
Clifton Collins, East Mississippi C.C.
Jon Fabris, Northwest Mississippi C.C.
Lanier Goethie, North Greenville (UPDATE 1/13: Delta State)
Grant Heard, Ole Miss
Kenny Jackson, Hinds C.C.
Derek Jones, Duke
Matt Luke, Ole Miss
Stevon Moore, Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C.
Marcus Woodson, Charleston Southern

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