| Wednesday, June 27, 2018 |
| Mississippi State professor nets $1.8M grant from National Institutes of Health | |
 | Mississippi State University faculty member has received a prestigious $1.8-million, five-year grant to study the impact of bacterial proteins attaching to surfaces has on public health. Nick Fitzkee, an associate professor in the MSU Department of Chemistry, received the National Institutes of Health RO1 grant June1, and has already begun research. The RO1 grant is the oldest grant mechanism awarded by NIH, and provides support for a specified, circumscribed project for research and development in the health field. Fitzkee's project is titled "The Structure, Orientation and Competitive Reactions of S. epidermidis biofilm proteins on surfaces." The project investigates how the proteins interact with and attach to plastic and glass surfaces. "Over the past five years or so, we've been trying to understand how proteins interact with nanoparticle surfaces, so we've developed some new techniques and new methods for characterizing how proteins interact with surfaces, and how in particular, how proteins in mixtures will compete for nanoparticle surfaces, interacting with surfaces," he said. |
| MSU crews to close part of Barr Avenue Wednesday | |
 | Crews will close a portion of Barr Avenue due to work on the scoreboard at Davis Wade Stadium at Mississippi State University. The closure will be Wednesday, June 27 from 7:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. This is at the north end zone of the stadium. The road closure will affect the portion of Barr Avenue between B.S. Hood Drive and the entrance to the Memorial Hall parking lot. Once work is complete, the road will be re-opened. |
| State of children in Mississippi is improving, experts say | |
 | For the first time in almost 30 years, Mississippi ranks 48 out of 50, according to an annual progress report called KIDS COUNT. Compiled by the Annie E Casey Foundation, the report shows the state is making slight improvements in areas such as health, education and the economic well being of kids. Heather Hanna is a research professor at Mississippi State University. "We did see gains in education over above the rest of the nation. And, I think we can credit our department of education in getting more children proficient in fourth-grade reading and graduating on time," said Hanna. Hanna says more Mississippi parents have adequate employment and there are fewer households with high housing cost burdens. |
| Stepping up: Mississippi off the bottom in annual Kids Count report | |
 | Mississippi children still have a long way to go, but the state has climbed another rung off the bottom of national rankings. Propelled by improving high school graduation rates and a rising economic tide, Mississippi ranked 48th in overall child well-being in the annual Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count report. It's the first time in 25 years that the state hasn't been 49th or 50th in the annual report on child well-being. Mississippi finished ahead of Louisiana and New Mexico in this year's report. "I do think it points to momentum in Mississippi," said Heather Hanna, an assistant research professor at Mississippi State University's Social Science Research Center, which houses Mississippi Kids Count. For this year's report, Mississippi showed improvement in 13 of the 16 measures. |
| At 48th for child well-being, Mississippi ranks higher than it has in decades | |
 | Since ranking dead last for child well-being in 2017 -- and every year but one dating back to 1991 -- Mississippi has ranked 48th in the latest Annie E. Casey Foundation KIDS COUNT report. The state saw the greatest improvement in economic well-being for families, with 34 percent of parents lacking secure employment, down from 39 percent in 2010. Fewer children also lived in households with a high housing cost burden. Still, 211,000 children, or 30 percent, live in poverty, making Mississippi one of the worst states for youth poverty. This is down from over one-third of children, 224,000, living in poverty in the 2017 report. Mississippi KIDS COUNT Co-Director Linda Southward said the state still needs to prioritize policies to help raise families out of poverty to ensure continued improvement. |
| Suspected Mid-South dicamba drift cases picking up | |
 | It is late June and, once again, dicamba drift is showing up in many Mid-South fields. "We saw a little bit of dicamba damage back in May," says Jason Bond, Mississippi State University weed specialist. "For us, the situation then blew up two or three weekends ago. For the last two weeks, calls about dicamba are about all I've gotten." What advice is Bond giving affected growers? "It's tough to say what to do. There are three things you have to consider. One is the growth stage the beans are in when they're hit. Two is the rate that hits the crop. Three is what the weather does for the remainder of the growing season. Out of those three, two we have no idea about. Therefore, I can't say what will happen with the damaged beans." |
| U. of Mississippi Medical Center, OCH partner for affiliation | |
 | OCH Regional Medical Center in Starkville is partnering with the University of Mississippi Medical Center, the hospital announced on Tuesday. OCH, a 96 bed, county-owned facility, concluded the consideration of three hospital systems for affiliation on Tuesday with the announcement. In addition to the Jackson-based UMMC, OCH also considered affiliating with Baptist Memorial Health Services, of Memphis, and the Tupelo-based North Mississippi Health Services. UMMC Health Systems CEO Kevin Cook said that expanded access should allow more Oktibbeha County residents to get treatment locally, rather than having to leave the area. "Our vision for the affiliation is to ensure OCH is the center of a vibrant and viable medical community for many years to come," he said. |
| SoS Delbert Hosemann: Educated workforce vital for state's future | |
| Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann sees an educated workforce as the key to a strong economic future for the state. Hosemann, speaking to the Starkville Rotary Club on Monday, said that doesn't necessarily mean a four-year college degree for everyone. He said emphasizing job paths available through career tech centers is also going to be a very important part of bolstering Mississippi's workforce for the future. Hosemann said the way toward improving Mississippi's workforce must include exposing students to different career paths earlier in their educations. That will play a key role, he said, in helping to expand Mississippi's workforce. The state's unemployment rate is low, he said, but Mississippi still has room to grow for improving overall workforce participation. |
| Mississippi casino revenue rises in May, coast casinos post strong gains | |
 | Casino revenue rose strongly in Mississippi in May, driven by the second big month in a row at Gulf Coast casinos. State Revenue Department figures released last week show gamblers lost $181 million statewide in May, up 7 percent from May 2017's $169 million. Receipts rose to $107 million at the 12 coastal casinos, up 11 percent from $96 million last year. Revenues have risen there in eight months of the past 12. |
| Possible special session in works for sports betting | |
 | Sports betting and online taxes could require a special session to be called for Mississippi Congressman to handle the specifics. "Yeah, I would be in favor of a special session being called. Again, as long as we just don't sit there for days upon days and waste taxpayer money," Senator Joey Fillingane said. Sports betting and online sales tax revenue are coming to Mississippi following a recent supreme court ruling. Fillingane, who represents Covington, Forrest, Jefferson Davis, Lamar and Smith Counties, said Governor Phil Bryant will determine if a special session is necessary to hammer out the specific details. "So what will actually happen, in practice, is currently those dollars would simply go into the general fund," Fillingane said. "Because there is no law in place that says they would be diverted to infrastructure or education or wherever. It just goes into the states general revenue fund." A special session could be coming within days. Fillingane said if that is the case, normally a 48-hour notice is given. |
| Interns get crash course in government, politics | |
| They were the very words he wanted to hear. "I had that mentality that I wanted to get out of this state, but my mentality has changed," said Allie Randle, a 20-year old Mississippi State University student from Fulton. Randle is among four Northeast Mississippi students who completed a two-week internship program in early June with state Sen. Chad McMahan. McMahan, a first-term Republican lawmaker from Guntown, touts the internship as an investment into a new generation of Mississippi leaders. He emphasized that combating "brain drain" and keeping college graduates in the state requires intentional effort. |
| GOP Runoff Victors Are Likely New Members of Congress | |
 | With victories in primary runoffs in Mississippi and South Carolina on Tuesday night, a pair of Republicans are likely heading to Congress next year. Michael Guest has won the Republican primary runoff in Mississippi's open 3rd District, which GOP incumbent Gregg Harper is retiring after five terms. With 42 percent of precincts reporting, Guest, the district attorney for Madison and Rankin counties, led former health care executive Whit Hughes, 70 percent to 30 percent when The Associated Press called the race. Guest ran with backing from Harper, and after the runoff, he picked up the endorsement of Gov. Phil Bryant. Hughes, a former Mississippi State University basketball star, ran with the support of the Tea Party Express. |
| Michael Guest defeats Whit Hughes in GOP House primary runoff | |
| District attorney Michael Guest won Tuesday's GOP primary runoff for the U.S. House 3rd District, and is odds-on favorite to win the seat in the heavily Republican district in November's general election. The Associated Press declared Guest the winner a little over an hour after the polls closed with 35 percent of precincts reporting. At the time, in unofficial results from a low-turnout runoff, Guest had a 3 to 1 lead over first-time political candidate and businessman Whit Hughes. "We're extremely excited," Guest said Tuesday night. "We are very excited that the message that we've been talking about on the campaign trail, that it resonated with the voters. Anytime you're running a race in which you've got 24 counties, often it's difficult to judge how your message is being received throughout the district." |
| Michael Guest a clear favorite after convincing win in GOP runoff; Whit Hughes proud of effort | |
 | Michael Guest, who has served as the district attorney for Rankin and Madison counties since 2008, has emerged from a crowded field as the Republican nominee and front-runner in the November election for the District 3 U.S. House seat. Guest, 48, convincingly defeated Whit Hughes, 43, of Madison, a long-time Republican Party operative and former hospital foundation executive, in Tuesday's runoff election. Guest had a comfortable and commanding lead of about 30 percentage points late Tuesday night. Guest celebrated the victory, which made him the clear front-runner in the November general election at a Brandon restaurant. He will face Democrat Michael Evans of Preston, located in east Mississippi. Hundreds ate food and listened to country music before Guest was introduced "as the next U.S. congressman from Rankin County." District 3 consists of 24 counties stretching from Wilkinson County in extreme southwest Mississippi to Oktibbeha County, including Starkville and Mississippi State University, in northeastern Mississippi. |
| Mississippi Dems pick party stalwart David Baria in Senate runoff | |
| Mississippi Democrats in Tuesday's runoff gave their U.S. Senate nomination to state Rep. David Baria, lining up behind a party stalwart to challenge incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker. Baria told supporters he has the experience to make the uphill campaign against Wicker and be a productive senator. He said he was a known and trusted quantity, pointing to his record as a state legislator. Baria said he would continue his advocacy of education, health care and transportation in Congress, and voiced opposition to President Donald Trump's immigration policies. "This is a change election," Baria told The Associated Press on Tuesday night. "Democrats are excited and exuberant. Folks are ready to make some change in Washington." |
| Howard Sherman: 'Mississippi is not ready for change' | |
 | Howard Sherman, the Democratic contender for U.S. Senate seat, lost the primary runoff election to David Baria Tuesday night. With 89 percent of precincts reporting, Baria had 59 percent of the vote, or 39,697 votes, to Sherman's 27,229. Sherman, an entrepreneur from California, won the Lauderdale County vote, but lost in the statewide election to Baria, a state house representative from Bay St. Louis. Sherman and his wife, Meridian actress Sela Ward, live in Lauderdale County and won the support of their home county. "A statement was made and Mississippi is not ready for change," Sherman said. "They voted for the conventional, not out-of-the-box." |
| David Baria scores Democratic runoff win; Howard Sherman declines to endorse | |
| David Baria, a state representative and attorney from Bay St. Louis, won the Democratic runoff for U.S. Senate Tuesday night, helping Democrats avoid an embarrassing loss to a candidate major party officials declined to support. Baria's win also avoids putting party leaders in the thorny position of having to line up behind a candidate they attempted to paint as a Republican, which became a major rallying point during as the campaign drew to a close. Baria defeated Howard Sherman, a venture capitalist from California and the husband of Mississippi actress Sela Ward. Baria's friends and family crowded Tuesday into Murky Waters BBQ restaurant in Gulfport, hovering around the tables of patrons who had results pulled up on their computers, checking for updates between bites of pulled pork. |
| U.S. Senator Roger Wicker Introduces Bill to Advance American Aquaculture | |
 | U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., on Tuesday introduced the "Advancing the Quality and Understanding of American Aquaculture (AQUAA) Act." The legislation would streamline the permitting process for aquaculture farms in federal waters, and fund research and development to advance the aquaculture industry. "Aquaculture is the fastest-growing sector of the agriculture industry," Wicker said. "This bill would give farmers a clear, simplified regulatory path to start new businesses in our coastal communities. The AQUAA Act would also fund needed research to continue the growth and success of this important industry." The legislation would also maintain environmental standards and fund research and extension services to support the growth of aquaculture in the United States. |
| Corker Adds Wrinkle to Farm Bill as He Pushes Back on Trump's Tariffs | |
| The Senate could begin action Wednesday on dozens of farm bill amendments, including Sen. Bob Corker's proposal for congressional approval of import tariffs and Sen. John Kennedy's effort to extend the expiring National Flood Insurance Program. Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts and ranking member Debbie Stabenow said Tuesday they were starting to sort through amendments to the House-passed farm bill to determine how to address them. The Senate voted to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to the farm bill Monday night. The House bill is intended to be the legislative vehicle for the Senate version, expected to be offered by Roberts as a substitute amendment Wednesday. Corker's proposal is relevant to agriculture because it "has been the No. 1 target when the administration imposes a tariff, why there is retaliation," Roberts said. "Agriculture is the target, and you lose markets." |
| Who will be President Trump's first judicial appointment for Mississippi? | |
| U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker says he has discussed with President Trump's administration a replacement for retired 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Grady Jolly, who left the bench almost nine months ago. "I have discussed the vacancy with President Trump and other members of the administration," Wicker said in a statement. "The president is listening, asking the right questions, and is giving this nomination thoughtful consideration. I hope he will announce a decision soon." Jolly announced in March 2017 he was taking senior status (retiring), effective Oct. 3, 2017 when he celebrated his 80trh birthday. Seats on the federal appellate court that covers Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas are not legally bound to particular states, but it has been the longstanding practice to replace a judge with someone from the same state. |
| Tuesday night shocker: Next generation of Dems pushing party leaders aside | |
 | Progressives have been warning party leaders that a new generation of Democrats -- more liberal, less white and younger -- was materializing in America. On Tuesday, it became true. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 28, scored a stunning congressional primary upset, defeating 56-year-old Rep. Joe Crowley, the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus and a politician who hasn't faced a serious primary challenge for years. It marks the biggest congressional primary upset against a party leader since Republican Eric Cantor's loss in Virginia in 2014. And it's a win that will reverberate across the political landscape as Democrats race to respond to voter demands for more progressive candidates. The race had received national attention in recent weeks, as a test of whether a candidate such as Ocasio-Cortez -- a Hispanic socialist with no institutional party support -- could topple a longtime incumbent. But few expected that Crowley, seen potentially as a future House speaker, could actually lose. |
| Federal judge enjoins separation of migrant children, orders family reunification | |
 | A federal judge in San Diego on Tuesday barred the separation of migrant children from their parents and required immigration officials to reunify within 30 days families that have been divided as a result of a zero-tolerance policy enforced by the Trump administration. Judge Dana M. Sabraw of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California granted a preliminary injunction sought by the American Civil Liberties Union. He said all children must be reunited with their families within 30 days, allowing just 14 days for the return of children under 5 to their parents. He also ordered that parents be allowed to speak by phone with their children within 10 days. The ruling is the latest complication in a controversy that has already proven politically perilous for President Trump. |
| Supreme Court Deals Blow to Public-Sector Unions | |
 | The Supreme Court has barred public-employee contracts requiring workers to pay union dues, dealing a severe blow to perhaps the strongest remaining redoubt of the American labor movement. The 5-4 vote, along conservative-liberal lines, overruled a 1977 precedent that had fueled the growth of public-sector unionization even as representation has withered in private industry. More than one-third of public employees are unionized, compared with just 6.5% of those in the private sector, according to a January report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The impact of the ruling, written by Justice Samuel Alito, is likely to stretch far beyond the workplace, sapping resources from unions like the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the National Education Association that have provided funds, resources and activists largely in support of Democratic candidates. |
| Farmers in America are killing themselves in staggering numbers | |
 | "Think about trying to live today on the income you had 15 years ago." That's how agriculture expert Chris Hurt describes the plight facing U.S. farmers today. The unequal economy that's emerged over the past decade, combined with patchy access to health care in rural areas, have had a severe impact on the people growing America's food. Recent data shows just how much. Farmers are dying by suicide at a higher rate than any other occupational group, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The suicide rate in the field of farming, fishing and forestry is 84.5 per 100,000 people---more than five times that of the population as a whole. That's even as the nation overall has seen an increase in suicide rates over the last 30 years. The CDC study comes with a few caveats. |
| UM to start accepting the Common Application | |
| The University of Mississippi announced on Tuesday that it will begin accepting the Common Application from prospective undergraduate students on Aug. 1. Each year, over 1 million college applicants use the platform to apply to more than 800 universities worldwide. The admissions office aims to increase the number of applications it receives by making the process more efficient for high school and transfer students. "The user-friendly interface of the Common Application will allow more prospective students to learn about the University of Mississippi," said Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Brandi Hephner LaBanc. "We hope to broaden our reach in order to recruit students who may not have been aware of the outstanding academic programs, dedicated faculty and staff." In May, Mississippi State announced that it will start accepting the common application on Sept. 1. |
| MGCCC Bryant Center Nursing School dedicated at Tradition | |
 | The ribbon was cut Tuesday on MGCCC's new Bryant Center Nursing School, three years after the ground was broken at the site. "It's taken a lot of patience. I will say that. We had wonderful architects, we had a great construction company and it's taken a lot of work from our employees, but we opened the doors in January and the students are just flocking in," said Dr. Mary Graham, president of the community college. The 50,000 square foot, $12 million facility was just another step in Governor Phil Bryant's vision of creating a medical corridor like one he saw in Florida. "I dreamed of recreating that as a gulf medical city. So here we are at Traditions on the Gulf Coast opening the new nursing school. We can double the number of students that go to the nursing school at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College," said Bryant. The students loved the new campus. |
| Kentucky's public universities face a tough financial future, credit agency warns | |
 | Kentucky's nine public universities face a tough future because of worsening state budget cuts, growing pension obligations and a shrinking number of high school graduates who will struggle to afford the fast-rising tuition, according to a new report. "Competition for enrollment will continue to heighten with a lagging pool of high school graduates in Kentucky and adjacent states," national credit ratings agency Moody's warned in a report released Monday. "Softened demand and limited pricing flexibility are also hindered by Kentucky's weak socioeconomic profile," analysts for Moody's wrote. Rising tuition could be unaffordable for many families because "the state has posted persistently lower wealth levels, and a large percentage of its population is below the poverty rate compared to national averages." |
| Travel ban won't stop global recruitment, Arkansas higher ed officials say | |
| Higher education officials in Arkansas on Tuesday expressed support for international students. The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville enrolled 54 graduate students and two undergraduate students this past fall from Iran, which is on the list of countries with strong travel restrictions to the United States. The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld what's commonly referred to as the travel ban, with the most recent ban coming about via a proclamation in September by President Donald Trump. The ban has been revised amid legal scrutiny since an initial Trump executive order in January 2017. UA-Fayetteville also enrolled six students from Libya and a student from Syria in fall 2017, with both of those countries on the travel ban list. |
| UGA scientists talk new methods for crop production at annual tour | |
 | About two dozen people stood beside rows of tall green corn stalks Tuesday morning as University of Georgia agriculture researcher Nick Hill talked about new methods of growing corn that helps the environment and farmers. These folks were part of one tour group observing current agriculture research conducted at UGA's J. Phil Campbell Sr. Research and Education Center in Oconee County. Another free tour takes place 6-8 p.m. Thursday at the Durham Horticulture Farm at 1221 Hog Mountain Road, Watkinsville. In case of inclement weather, the tour moves to Friday. This tour will highlight new organic growing methods at the 90-acre farm, which also contains the honey bee facility. Farmers always keep an eye on the weather and UGA agricultural climatologist Pam Knox monitors weather conditions every day in numerous ways. Knox is currently interim head of the UGA Weather Network, which has 85 weather stations across the state. |
| UT Knoxville administrators consider outside job opportunities | |
 | The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, may lose Robert Nobles II, the associate vice chancellor for research and research integrity, as the University of Arkansas considers him as one of two finalists for its vice provost for research and innovation. The University of Arkansas, located in Fayetteville, Ark., originally also was eyeing Lynne Parker, UT Knoxville's interim dean and associate dean for faculty affairs and engagement at the Tickle College of Engineering. Parker, a third finalist, withdrew her application after accepting another position, according to Amy Schlesing, director of strategic communications for the University of Arkansas. The specifics of Parker's new job are unclear. She declined to comment. |
| In Upholding Trump's Travel Ban, Supreme Court Ratifies Worldview That Worries Colleges | |
 | When President Trump, days after taking office, issued an executive order barring travelers, including students, from a half-dozen predominantly Muslim countries, it was like a chain-link fence hastily erected along the border. High and barbed and menacing, yes, but thanks to immediate legal challenges, it had an aura of impermanence, as if it could be torn down as abruptly as it was raised. With the U.S. Supreme Court's 5-to-4 decision on Tuesday upholding the travel ban, that fence is now a wall, hulking and durable. In siding with the Trump administration, the court, in a decision written by Chief Justice John G. Roberts, ruled that the order fell within executive authority over immigration and national security, despite the president's sometimes incendiary and bigoted rhetoric about Muslims and foreigners. The ban strikes a blow at one of America's most valuable exports, the college degree. The United States enrolls more than twice as many international students as any other country, and Nafsa estimates that students from abroad contributed $2.4 billion to the American economy last year. |
| Supreme Court upholds Trump's travel ban in 5-4 ruling | |
 | The U.S. Supreme Court upheld President Trump's travel ban in a 5-to-4 decision released Tuesday, finding that the president did not overstep his authority in issuing broad entry restrictions to nationals of a group of mostly Muslim-majority countries and that his statements about excluding Muslims do not taint the ban as unconstitutional. Writing for the majority in the case Trump v. Hawaii, Chief Justice John G. Roberts found that a key provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act "exudes deference" to the president in entrusting him to "make decisions whether and when to suspend entry, whose entry to suspend, for how long, and on what conditions" -- and that the presidential proclamation outlining the travel restrictions "falls well within this comprehensive delegation." Higher education groups on Tuesday expressed disappointment about the Supreme Court ruling. |
| How do you promote prosperity in Mississippi? | |
| Brandon Cline and Claudia Williamson, associate professors in the College of Business at Mississippi State, write in The Clarion-Ledger: "Our students at Mississippi State University often wonder why this wonderful state consistently ranks as one of the poorest in the nation. Can anything be done to move Mississippi out of 'last place?' The answer is yes, if we pay attention to a much larger question: What creates prosperity? Mississippi is the poorest U.S. state with a 2016 per capita personal income of only $35,936 -- just 72.5 percent of the U.S. average of $49,571. This was not always the case. From 1986 to 2000, Mississippi's annual economic growth ranked 14th among states at 2.1 percent. Had we been able to sustain this, we would have surely climbed up the national income rankings. Unfortunately, state economic growth fell to 1.1 percent between 2001 and 2015. In the new book 'Promoting Prosperity in Mississippi,' the Institute for Market Studies at Mississippi State University identifies areas to improve economic conditions, providing a roadmap toward a better Mississippi." |
| Supreme Court finally brought tax law fairness to Main Street | |
| Syndicated columnist Sid Salter writes: "In a 5-4 decision that strangely crossed traditional judicial ideological lines, the Supreme Court last week brought online sales and use tax law fairness to mom-and-pop merchants on Main Street who had long been at a 7-percent price disadvantage in Mississippi in competition with out-of-state online retailers. Was this ruling a liberal versus conservative situation? Hardly. The new ruling was written by Justice Anthony Kennedy and overturned the 1992 Quill decision by the court that declared states could only collect sales taxes from companies that had a physical presence in their states. ...The Wayfair ruling is not a tax on the Internet. It's full collection of a sales/use tax that's been on the books in Mississippi since 1932. And it's not an activist court run amok, either. It's the judicial branch righting a wrong after decades of congressional sloth and inaction on the issue fueled by political self-preservation." |
SPORTS
| Chris Lemonis Introduced as New Head Baseball Coach at Mississippi State | |
 | After arriving in his new home on Monday, Mississippi State head baseball coach Chris Lemonis began a new era with an introductory press conference on Tuesday at the new Dudy Noble Field. The 18th head coach in MSU baseball history, Lemonis was joined by his family, MSU President Dr. Mark Keenum and Director of Athletics John Cohen at the morning press conference. "It's been a whirlwind for the last, probably, 48 hours for me and my family," Lemonis said. "I took notes -- I had to takes notes because my head has been going in different directions, calling recruits or players or everything else -- but I can't tell you how excited we are to be here." |
| Inside Mississippi State's John Cohen's decision to hire Chris Lemonis | |
| The day Andy Cannizaro was no longer Mississippi State's baseball coach, athletic director John Cohen went to work to find his replacement. He logged on to Boydworld.com -- the well-known college baseball website that ranks all 298 baseball programs in Division 1 and updates it throughout the season -- and made a list of every single program and their head coach. He then began the process of whittling that list down, and he came up with a list of "21 or 22" candidates he would feel comfortable hiring. The man he introduced Tuesday at the new Dudy Noble Field, Chris Lemonis, was on that initial list. "He was on that initial list because when I thought about who the best recruiter in the country is, there was no doubt in my mind," Cohen said. |
| Chris Lemonis happy to call Starkville home again | |
| During his initial meeting with his team on Monday, Chris Lemonis asked the players why they picked Mississippi State. One player responded that he grew up as a fan. Others said because it was in the SEC and another because it had the best facilities. None of those were the answer the Bulldogs' new head baseball coach was searching for. But finally a player -- Lemonis is still learning names -- replied, "Because this is home." "Man, that hit me right between the eyes," Lemonis said Tuesday. "I was looking for 'national championship' but that's what it is here at Mississippi State, it's home. ... I just thought it was a huge statement from a kid that they take so much pride in playing for their fans. We'll do everything we can to play hard and make you proud. We'll get after it and put a great product on the field. My family is happy to call Starkville home." |
| Back where it all began: Chris Lemonis becomes Mississippi State head baseball coach | |
| Chris Lemonis said his family had a cowbell on the refrigerator when he was growing up. As the son of a Mississippi State graduate, it was a symbol of Lemonis' father's roots. On Tuesday at Dudy Noble Field, Lemonis was handed his own cowbell -- this one upon his hiring as the 18th head baseball coach in MSU history. He rang it proudly as he looked around the still-under-construction, $55-million stadium that he can now call his home. "All I can think about is does it get any better than this?" Lemonis said. Long before all that though, Lemonis' story started right where it came back to on Tuesday. He of course doesn't remember it, but Lemonis lived part of the first few months of his life in Starkville as his father, Thomas, completed an electrical engineering degree at MSU. Lemonis' parents lived in Mississippi State's married housing. Lemonis' journey has now come full circle. |
| Recruiting whiz Chris Lemonis introduced as State's 18th baseball coach | |
| Mississippi sports columnist Rick Cleveland writes: "When all is said and done, it came down to recruiting. That's why athletic director John Cohen chose Chris Lemonis over interim head coach Gary Henderson as Mississippi State's 18th head baseball coach. 'The most dynamic recruiter I've been around in my 25 years as a head baseball coach,' Cohen said of Lemonis, whom Cohen recruited against when Cohen was at Kentucky and Lemonis was at Louisville. 'He's a recruiting machine,' Cohen said. Cohen introduced Lemonis as 'the total package' at a Tuesday morning news conference, open to the public, down the right field line at still-under-construction Dudy Noble Field. The 48-year-old Lemonis, wearing a gray suit, was warmly welcomed by a couple hundred fans, who only last week were cheering for the Bulldogs in the College World Series -- an oddity not lost on Lemonis." |
| Mississippi State's Alex Wilcox had smile on face throughout fight with cancer | |
| When Mississippi State softball coach Vann Stuedeman sat down in January to preview her upcoming season, the interview ran the gauntlet of emotions. There was optimism about a team that would go on to make a NCAA tournament regional for the sixth time in seven seasons. There was sadness when discussing incoming freshman Alex Wilcox. Wilcox was diagnosed with ovarian cancer prior to her junior season at Brantley High School in Brantley, Alabama. She died Monday night at the age of 18 after one year as a student-athlete at Mississippi State. As her condition worsened, Wilcox remained in school and continued her dream of playing college softball. Her fight began a personal one. Yet, it became a national one. |
| SEC hires Texas A&M's David Batson for compliance post | |
 | The Southeastern Conference has hired Texas A&M's David Batson as its assistant commissioner for compliance, league commissioner Greg Sankey said Tuesday. Batson has been at A&M for 25 years, the last 19 as a senior athletics compliance official. He's been with compliance at A&M since 1992, except from 1998-99 when he worked with the NCAA national office. Batson most recently served as A&M's senior associate athletics director for athletics compliance since March 2016. His duties included compliance and sport oversight for the soccer, men's tennis and men's and women's swimming and diving programs. He previously served as director of athletics compliance beginning in August 1999. |
| Ticket price-setting power for Alleva, raise for Breaux, extension for Fargas on LSU board agenda | |
 | A 47-percent raise for gymnastics coach D-D Breaux and a new three-year contract for women's basketball coach Nikki Fargas highlight a package of seven head coaches' contracts going before the LSU Board of Supervisors for approval at Friday's June meeting. In addition, LSU is putting a list of football season ticket prices and TAF Tradition Fund donation levels before the board. LSU is proposing that Breaux, who just completed her 41st season at LSU, receive a one-year contract extension through June 30, 2020, and a raise in total compensation from $275,000 to $405,000. Breaux's Tigers pulled off a trifecta this spring, winning the Southeastern Conference regular-season and championship meet titles and reaching the NCAA Super Six for the second straight year. |
| College World Series: Razorbacks top Beavers, on brink of 1st national title | |
| The opportunistic Arkansas Razorbacks rode ace right-hander Blaine Knight, one big offensive inning and a couple of sterling defensive plays to the brink of their first College World Series championship on a record-breaking Tuesday night. Knight (14-0) became the Razorbacks' single-season leader for victories with six strong innings as the No. 5 Razorbacks downed No. 3 Oregon State 4-1 before a crowd of 25,321 at TD Ameritrade Park. Closer Matt Cronin picked up his 14th save, also a single-season school record by posting three consecutive outs with a runner at first in the ninth. The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville (48-19) will shoot for the national championship tonight at 6. Oregon State (53-12-1), which had been held to one run or less just twice this season, must win the next two games to claim its third championship. |
| AD Allen Greene: Exploring football-only facility part of Auburn being 'national powerhouse' | |
 | Auburn is already one of the most recognizable brands in college football. It plays in the SEC, won a national championship in 2010 and competed for another in 2013. The Tigers have produced 273 NFL Draft picks and three Heisman Trophy winners. But where the program has begun to lag behind its competition at the top of the college football food chain is in facilities. It's a fact Allen Greene has been keenly aware of since he was introduced as Auburn's athletics director in January. Plans for a football-only facility haven't yet come fruition on the Plains, but they continue to be on the mind of Greene and coach Gus Malzahn, who began having those discussions as soon as the former started at Auburn. "I think the importance is not necessarily a football facility, per se, but demonstrating that we're committed to being a national powerhouse in football. Part of that would be exploring a football-only facility," Greene said. |
| For Georgia Tech, Adidas partnership bringing more than new gear | |
| Yes, Georgia Tech coaches and athletes are excited to be wearing Adidas gear, a partnership that officially goes into effect on Sunday. However, for the athletic department, the excitement isn't due only to being outfitted in gear more fashionable and cool than Russell Athletic, Tech's apparel partner for years, and the recruiting gains that's expected to provide. It also has to do with the actual relationship that the three-stripe brand has forged with Tech. "I can't emphasize enough that Adidas has some of the best folks in the world working with us, so we really value what they bring to the table," said Simit Shah, Tech's assistant athletic director for brand and ideation. "This is not us handing them a bunch of our designs and saying, 'Go do this.' It's very much a collaboration." |
| Washington State football player had brain damage at suicide | |
| The family of the Washington State football player who died of suicide in January said the 21-year-old quarterback had extensive brain damage that's been linked to concussions from playing the sport. Tyler Hilinski was found dead in his apartment with a gunshot wound and a suicide note on Jan. 16. Mark and Kym Hilinski told NBC's "Today" show on Tuesday that the Mayo Clinic requested to do an autopsy of their son's brain. The interview comes alongside the debut of a new Sports Illustrated documentary about the family's search for answers. The family's other son also appeared in the documentary. Ryan Hilinski was noted as a star quarterback at his high school in California and is set to play at the University of South Carolina with the support of his parents. |
| Your Neighborhood Sports Bookie Isn't Going Anywhere | |
| Among the many people with a vested interest in the legalization of sports betting in the U.S. is a 35-year-old man living in the Washington, D.C., area. An internet marketer by day, he bets around $15,000 on a typical night through an offshore website called BetUS, which masks its identity on his credit card statements to avoid legal scrutiny. He receives his winnings through a reloadable MasterCard prepaid card. Yet as states create a legal sports gambling infrastructure following a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling in May, this man said he is likely to remain loyal to his preferred illegal sportsbook. "One thing the legit sites won't be able to compete with is avoiding taxes," he said. The ruling striking down a federal ban on sports betting has been viewed as a threat to the future of an underground market run by local bookmakers and offshore websites. But interviews with gamblers, a bookie and legal experts suggest that legal sports betting will not simply replace illegal sports betting. |
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