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Welcome to the Friday Chat.

If Alabama needed an extra advantage for tomorrow night's game at Ole Miss it got one Thursday when Brandon Bolden, A.J. Hawkins, Alex Washington and Philander Moore were dealt a one-game suspension by Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt.

Breaking team rules was the official reason given for the four suspensions. If you take away the substance abuse and the criminal possibilities, it doesn't leave much. Missing class or study hall, missing a team meeting.

The bottom line is there is a playing time connection for two of the four suspended players, possibly all four.

It's a distraction the Rebels don't need and sends them off to play the No. 2 team with less than their best. The biggest loss is obviously Bolden. The others can be absorbed. Evan Swindall had already been named to start for Hawkins at center, though it does put Swindall's start in a different light. If things go poorly against the nation's No. 1 run defense, there's no experience behind him.

Basketball practice starts today. The Rebels have a chance to be good in the frontcourt starting out, better in the backcourt as the season goes along. What do you think basketball at Ole Miss will be like in the post-Chris Warren Era?

Baseball will have a scrimmage Saturday at 1 prior to the football game. The bullpen club will have a yard sale of old Ole Miss apparel.

Other topics to of interest?

Leave them here. I'll be in and out and checking the thread throughout the day.