Churn, I got to see AF play once when I lived over Denver way. I have always been impressed with the zoomies and after going to a game, I can see them moving up the food chain real soon.

FSU players are gaining confidence in the Jimbo system. I think the biggest thing that has helped them is the hiring of the new health and speed coach. He has them slimming down and keeping the muscle, thus gaining speed. I sure hated to see Bobby B go though, I've always been for old guys and underdogs, but it was the right decision.

Couldn't believe Texas winning and A&M losing. Never should have counted Mack Brown out.

Hey, PA, will you come to Cali for the Fresno game next year? Doesn't Ole Miss come out this way for some BBall this year?

The MSU game will be closer than you think, the bama game will be a blow out. On playing a SWAC school why not UM played JSU whats the difference. But what IF ... man would that be something that would put the Maine, JSU game really behind us. I have MSu winning 7 games and UM winning 1 more.

you people who roll over on the COL issue are pathetic. This university is so stale now, it has no soul and is as vanilla as any other in the country.

DosChiChis I see your picks of AF and FSU. Both those teams are improving each week and both have something in common, is that their only lose is to Okalahoma Sooners. The Nole's defense has greatly improved since the Sooner game. I think that will have a very good chance to beat the Gators this season. I agree, I think that Ark will beat Auburn.

Florida Gators should have no problem with Miss State. Ole Miss Rebels/Bears? I pick to beat Bama, but down deep in my heart I know that this is not going to happen. Miss U has a very tought schedule ahead and will be lucky to finish the season at .500.

My predictions:

Ohio St over Wis

Ark over Auburn

Neb over Texas

Fla over MSU

Georgia over Vandy

Boise St over San Jose

Lsu wins

Air Force wins

A&M over Mizz

The Lords team wins

FSU over BC

KENTUCK over SC

OLE MISS loses a close one in Bamer (hope I'm wrong)

As for me and the mascot thing, I really don't care who the mascot is or if we have one. I will always be a REBEL! As for the Bear not having anything to do with the Rebels it is not unusual in the SEC. Auburn are the Tigers, but they have an Eagle as their mascot. Tennessee are the Volunteers and they have a dog as their mascot. Ms St are the dogs but they have a COW bell, which has nothing to do with dogs.

Fins up! Go REBS!

Biker, Holloway's loss is huge. That was 10 rebounds a game, not to mention a fairly dependable third scorer and all the things he did to keep plays alive with his hustle.

I think Cox will be good, but any time you bring a new player into the program there's a period of acclimation no matter how good the kid was at the previous level. Defensive end Wayne Dorsey is the current example.

I think he'll play. They'll throw him a couple of quick, easy passes to see if he can break a tackle and make something happen, which he is very capable of doing. If it's a situation where they need a big play, they may throw it to him and hope for the best.

I'm always the optomist and that's no different this year as I look forward to Rebel basketball. I hated to see both Holloway & White (sort of ambibvilant about Polyneice) leave but think the loss of Holloway may be the most glaring. His energy & enthusiasm was infectious. Buckner comes back with experience, Henry with a bit more muscle and the big freshsman (Cox?) can take up a lot of space - I hear he's quite athletic also. There's a good mix experience and youth in the 1, 2, & 3 positions.

Come on November!!

Bears, Sharks, Toddy's, Elephants, Colonels --- never scored a point or made a stop. I think's that's all kid stuff.

On an Alabama topic - If Julio Jones plays, how effective do you think he can be? How taped up it is could hurt his catching and if he caught the ball and has to switch his grip to his bad hand then how well will he be able to keep the ball secure? Unless things change I think its highly likely for him to be out there - at the very least for a distraction.

Checking out, but I'll be checking the thread later on. Leave a question or comment.

Archaeo, the SWAC and OVC are the same level, but I don't think they're the same quality.

The scheduling philosophy is Pete's. They want seven home games, one decent non-conference matchup.

"No real benefit other than the fact that it decrease the chance that you lose ... really decreases it."

Until one of them comes in and pulls a Jacksonville State I guess. I heard from MSU fans that there was a "Whaaa?" moment when Alcorn State scored their second TD.

Speaking of scheduling - who finally came up with the idea of actually putting a little stiffer competition in there this and the next couple of years. Fresno State, Boise State and Texas? I think this is a good move if for nothing else than to see how we stack up to the ranked teams.

Mooch, no Enrique this week. I'm thinking Auburn before he's back, but we'll see.

At least the selection process for the mascot is over.

I think A bear with kids in the Grove will be a good thing. I think it can add some entertainment to the sidelines and the end zones with the other mascots.

I also think the whole thing could have been done with less of a production. You could have turned the whole thing over to a student government committee and could have a run a bear out there in the first game and said this is our mascot. Issue over.

Wire, I don't comment much on Finebaum, because I don't listen to the show.

Mentioning Barnhart. He and Ron Higgins are now parttime employees of the SEC. You can see their work on the SEC website. A wave of the future. The Big 12 has hired a full-time news writer.

Hey PA, on the mascot issue, count me in the bunch that is glad it is over(hopefully)! Let's move on!

RE: SWAC scheduling, I don't care if we play them or not, but we need to WIN those types of games every time.

On JP's comments, I agree totally with you. He guaranteed nothing just stated an opinion. Agree with or not, so what. What he did do was put himself out there, and maybe that will allow others to play more relaxed, who knows.

We have to find away to slow down the run and get consistent pressure on the QB. Not just for this game but every game.

Scary going over to play, we have made that trek numerous times and played as flat as a pancake. Hopefully that will not happen this year and with the aid of the week off, play hard, aggressive and fast! Would love to win an extra Homecoming. Let's see what happens.

BTW, E Davis will not play this week, right? Will he be back for the ARK game or more probable for Auburn?

No real benefit other than the fact that it decrease the chance that you lose ... really decreases it.

It's not like it's going to stoke an in-state rivalry.

It is something good that the school could do for other Mississippi students.

I don't know what State paid Alcorn, but you might be able to negotiate a deal for loss than some other buyout games, the SWAC team being closer to home, etc.

What benefit to playing a SWAC team other than keeping the money in state would there be though? We make fun of the 'Junior Colleges' on peoples schedules, but these SWAC teams in state are really just basically just over sized Junior Colleges. I hope UM never signs in for one of those games.

"Finebaum was baiting Ole Miss fans yeaterday about the bear but evidently there are not many OM fans that listen"

That is his schtick (sp) and it makes me wonder how he still has a show. He does nothing but bait callers. From reading message boards, large numbers of fans from all sec teams hate him. I don't see that from other sec regional guys like Tony Barnhardt, Chris Lowe...ect.

I wondered aloud in a previous chat if Ole Miss would ever play a Mississippi SWAC team in football. Pete Boone tells me there were talks in recent years to try and schedule Jackson State, but there was not an agreement. Pete says he is open to playing a SWAC team but I didn't get the feeling an announcement to that effect will come soon.