The game will be on ESPNU. Cheers to those who will be staying up to watch it with me!

Is that tonight?

Yes. Tonight at 10pm CT. Ole Miss is on their way to Hawaii for the Diamond Head Classic.

I'll probably tune in. I usually pull for ya'll in BBall if you aren't playing State. 

Better not lose

I might watch during the 2nd half. Got the Grizzlies vs. Bucks at 8:30.

Ill be here

Kennedy should have this team at least in the NCAA's this year. If not I doubt he lasts another year in Oxford.

@dawgonedeb:



@EagleBear:
Give me Ole Miss by 10. The way Loyola Marymount is playing, I wouldn't count on it being the easy win we hoped it would be, but I have faith in our boys.

Hope we handle business. If I'm not out I'll be watching.

@WildBill
Same to you.

What's your opinion on Kennedy's future?

dawgonedeb wrote: @WildBill
Same to you.

What's your opinion on Kennedy's future?

Wildbill didn't think we should've gotten rid of Boone (at the time) so I'm sure he's ready to give Kennedy a 20 year contract.

 Just messing with you, Bill.  We still on for the Rodney Hood/first round pick in 2014 bet?

dawgonedeb wrote: 
What's your opinion on Kennedy's future?

I think he's been one of the most successful coaches that our basketball program has ever had. But in an earnest attempt to lay aside subjectivity...

My covert, underground sources have informed me that Bjork really likes Kennedy. I know there's a grassroots groundswell that boldly claims if Ole Miss notches another 20+ win season but misses out on the tourney again, that'll be it for Kennedy. They also said that before last season. And the season before that. Short of the team miserably imploding this year, I don't see Kennedy getting a pink slip from Bjork.

Barring injury, there's no reason not to make the tourney...

Not saying if he doesn't he should be fired, but this squad should make the tourney

SchruteFarmsReb wrote: 
Wildbill didn't think we should've gotten rid of Boone (at the time) so I'm sure he's ready to give Kennedy a 20 year contract.

 Just messing with you, Bill.  We still on for the Rodney Hood/first round pick in 2014 bet?

No, I didn't think we should have let Boone go. I stand by those sentiments that I had at the time, though Bjork has been a worthy replacement. He's much more likable, he's younger, and probably most importantly, he's much more involved with the fans. 

I'm still playing the waiting game with Bjork. I made the assertion when Boone announced his resignation that the success of sports programs begins first with the players, then with the coaches, then with the administrators; not the other way around. So then, since I believed that Boone was not to blame for the 2-10 embarrassment of last year, I cannot say that Bjork is responsible for the 6-6 season this year. And, in fact, he wasn't. He had absolutely nothing to do with the Freeze hire. And actually, the one hire he made for women's basketball (which was a good one) had to be canned because of improper recruiting tactics being perpetrated by his staff. 

When we look at athletics in their entirety, the women's soccer team "kind of" did better this year compared to last year. They ended the season with a better record, but absolutely imploded over their last three games, torching their chances at a safe NCAA berth. They limped into qualification for the SEC Tournament, got very lucky against LSU, and were finally put down by the Gators. The volleyball team? Horrendous.

In other words, things aren't much better for Ole Miss athletics than they were a year ago, save the football team. And again, Bjork had nothing to do with the Freeze hire. Luckily for him, the fans are swimming in the unexpectedness of a break-even football season. Don't get me wrong, he seems like a fantastic Director. I love his go get 'em attitude and his constant connection with the fan base. But for those that think the change of the guard at the top caused a total "transformation" of Ole Miss athletics... I believe they ignore the realities around them.

EDIT: And yes, absolutely we're still on. Rodney Hood will NOT be a first round pick. 

I don't know man. The volleyball team has a lot of young girls. The soccer team definitely has young talent with Rafa. The football team clearly has improved. But most importantly, attendance is booming everywhere and optimism is improving everywhere because Bjork and Michael Thompson are geniuses at how to improve the fan experience. Theyre bringing in tons of money at a faster rate, which is improving our facilities, which is attracting better players, which means more winning. Rome wasn't built in a day, but once it was a Rome it was Rome forever. He's doing a great job in my opinion. Plus I like him and he's my boss lol. How many people can say they really like their boss?

Boone was unqualified to run an athletic program. No other program would've hired him to be their athletic director. Boone hadn't been to places like UCLA, Mizzou, Western Kentucky, etc. before coming to Ole Miss and he didn't even have his Masters Degree. The reason he was hired is because he was an Ole Miss grad.

Yeah, he did some good things. The IPF, VHS Expansion, Basketball Indoor Practice facility, etc. However, he was a center of controversy constantly at Ole Miss. Whether it be publicly handling the mascot issue (both in 2003 and 2011), counting football players's burgers at the LSU road game, always portraying himself "above the fans," AD-Coach relationships, requesting to be solely responsible for structuring coaches' contracts, kicking Powe out of the IPF, and the list goes on and on and on. Those happen to be some of the most memorable.

It's not as much that Bjork has done at this point as the attitude has changed around the athletic department. You can't do great things unless your peers are all clicking and on the same page. I'm sure a guy like JSA who is around the marketing department can tell you how refreshing the department is. I know several members that worked in the athletic department post-Boone into the Bjork era and they speak about how much different the atmosphere is there.  How toxic it was before and how much better a leader/boss Bjork is.

Bill I will be watching with ya we can post updates here lol!!

JayEssAye wrote: I don't know man. The volleyball team has a lot of young girls. The soccer team definitely has young talent with Rafa. The football team clearly has improved. But most importantly, attendance is booming everywhere and optimism is improving everywhere because Bjork and Michael Thompson are geniuses at how to improve the fan experience. Theyre bringing in tons of money at a faster rate, which is improving our facilities, which is attracting better players, which means more winning. Rome wasn't built in a day, but once it was a Rome it was Rome forever. He's doing a great job in my opinion. Plus I like him and he's my boss lol. How many people can say they really like their boss?

Not doubting the future potential of both of those teams (especially soccer.) I'm just trying to illustrate that Bjork had nothing to do with the fact that volleyball was pretty awful this year, just like Boone didn't have anything to do with it last year. 

I give Bjork absolute and full credit on his ability to generate excitement and optimism with the fan base. And Thompson has always been the man.

I think Kennedy is a very good coach. But he needs to shake up his staff. He seems to struggle recruiting sometimes. If he can start getting better talent consistently he'll have Ole Miss competing. Always felt he was a better x's and o's coach than Stans was.