While all is quiet on the Mississippi State front, for now, there's been a frenzy of activity around the SEC the past few days. _*Billy Gillispie*_ is out at Kentucky after two tumultuous seasons, and Memphis coach _*John Calipari*_ is on the Wildcats' radar. Then there's Alabama, which hired _*Anthony Grant*_ yesterday as the replacement for _*Mark Gottfried*_, who was fired midseason. For the record, I thought _*Phillip Pearson*_ did a fine job on an interim basis.

Kentucky's fans and administration showed remarkable impatience, not that Gillispie did much to aid his cause. Those folks will settle for nothing less than a huge name, like Calipari, and they will settle for nothing less than SEC championships and deep NCAA tournament runs. Alabama, which made a little history by making Grant the school's first black head basketball coach, will just be happy with anything better than this past season.

So what's this mean for MSU? Big picture, who knows. But it does remind us that the State program has a quality many programs don't have these days: Stability. Sure, players leave early – we should find out this week if _*Jarvis Varnado*_ is going to try the NBA – but coach _*Rick Stansbury*_ has been putting a winning product on the floor no matter what tools he's been handed. He's had only one losing season at MSU, and that was way back in 1999-2000, his second year. He's made the postseason nine times in 11 years, including six NCAA berths. And we saw what he did with this year's young, lightweight team.

So, if I were a State fan, I'd sit back and smile as Alabama and Kentucky adjust to regime changes and try to recapture their winning ways.

Speaking of hoops, the Howell and Gillom trophies will be awarded tonight. Varnado is up for the Howell, and Lady Bulldog _*Alexis Rack*_ is a finalist for the Gillom.

In baseball, MSU salvaged a win at Arkansas in yesterday's series finale, 12-4. State is now 15-12 overall, 3-6 in SEC play.