| Thursday, July 22, 2021 |
| Mississippi State apparel sales boom since College World Series run | |
 | Mississippi State University-themed apparel stores in Starkville have seen booming sales since the Diamond Dawgs won the College World Series on June 30. Because of the national championship win, many MSU fans are grabbing their merchandise to represent their winning team. In order to sell MSU products, companies and retailers must first gain a license through the university and the licensing company it uses, Collegiate Licensing Company in Atlanta. MSU Senior Legal Administrator and Director of Licensing Duski Hale said there has been an increase in retailers wanting to gain a license since the championship win, especially the separate national championship license the university has. Aside from the typical cowbells and apparel, Hale said she has seen customers wanting to sell many unique national championship baseball-specific products, including a coozie that also turns into a baseball glove. "I had someone today who wanted to take a baseball field base and frame it and have some signatures and things on it, so there have been a handful of new random products that have popped up over the past few weeks," Hale said. The MSU Trademark and Licensing Office prepared for an influx of licensing requests since before the university's regional games. Hale said initial preparation helped retailers and the MSU athletic department develop the appropriate products in a timely manner. |
| Darrell Sparks named interim State Chemist, director of Mississippi State Chemical Laboratory | |
 | Leaders with Mississippi State University announced Darrell Sparks has been named interim State Chemist and director of the Mississippi State Chemical Laboratory, pending confirmation from the Mississippi Senate. According to MSU, Sparks has served as associate State Chemist since 2017 and also is an associate professor in MSU's Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology. He succeeds Ashli Brown, who recently was named associate vice president of MSU's Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine. Officials said the Mississippi State Chemical Laboratory works in cooperation with the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce (MDAC) to develop regulations for and conduct analysis of animal feeds, fertilizers, pesticides, agricultural limes and petroleum products sold in the state. |
| Mississippi State offers new minor in music and culture | |
| On Wednesday, leaders announced Mississippi State's College of Education is establishing a new minor for students interested in music. The Department of Music's minor in music and culture begins this fall at the Starkville campus. The minor is intended for those with an interest in non-Western music. The program offers students from any major the opportunity to study how human cultural diversity is represented through music. "This new minor enables students to engage critically with music and diverse cultures of the world and prepares them for graduate study, work abroad or careers in the global market," Professor of Music Robert Damm said. "This curriculum is wonderful for all students who enjoy music or want to learn more about it." Damm developed the curriculum and four new courses, including Music of Africa, Music of Latin America, African American Music and Native American Music. Students also may choose up to two Western music and culture electives, along with other requirements to complete the required 18 or 19 hours. |
| Labrador retriever mix, Buddy, continues to recover from horrific burns | |
 | It's been 87 days that the Mississippi State University Veterinary school has housed one of their most well-known, and loved patients, Buddy the yellow Labrador Retriever. Veterinarians said he was one of the most burned patients they've ever seen. A person with similar injuries would have been kept in a medically induced coma probably for the first couple of weeks to deal just with the pain," explained Buddy's doctor, Elizabeth Swanson. He suffered from third- and fourth-degree burns on his forehead and ears. The remainder of his face was engulfed in second-degree burns. Swanson is the head of Buddy's recovery team. She's seen him through his worst, but now, she gets to enjoy seeing the ambitious fighter improve. She explained Buddy will need extensive care for the rest of his life, but believes that extra care will be well worth it to a family looking to give Buddy his new home. "He's a young dog. He's got a long life ahead of him." Swanson said Buddy is 90% healed. |
| Age restrictions, scope highlight discussion of Starkville scooter ordinance | |
| A public hearing on electric scooter use regulations in the city limits Tuesday evening turned into a back-and-forth discussion focused primarily on age requirements and how broadly the rules should apply. The board of aldermen held its first of two public hearings Tuesday on an ordinance to regulate electric scooters. The ordinance is separate from an agreement with Bird, an electric scooter ride-sharing service, that the board approved at its July 6 meeting to work in the city within particular parameters the company must follow. This ordinance comes after several complaints from Starkville residents about the misuse of the devices, such as riding them down highways and sidewalks and users operating them under the influence. The aldermen banned Bird scooters a second time June 25 after overturning Mayor Lynn Spruill's veto of the original ban, but after citizen complaints on both sides of the issue, they are looking into different alternatives to keep these electric scooters in town. While the agreement applies strictly to Bird, the ordinance would apply to all electric scooter use in the city limits, specifying a list of requirements, such as where to ride, how fast to ride, mandating only one person per scooter and no driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. |
| Commodore Bob's Yacht Club officially open at its new location | |
| After closing shop for a little more than two months, Commodore Bob's Yacht Club officially opened at its new location. The upscale restaurant that first opened eight years ago at 102 Ru Du Grand Fromage has reopened at 517 University Drive. Owner Brady Hindman said the new space is nearly triple the size and can accommodate double the seating as its previous location. Hindman said he's excited to see customers enjoy the new space, as well as the updated and improved brunch and dinner menus with new cocktail and wine menus to boot. "I would like to say thank you to our community and surrounding area for supporting us the past eight years and counting," he said. "It really has been an amazing experience growing our business here in Starkville and (we) look forward to serving the community for years to come." Check out Commodore Bob's new space Tuesday through Saturday 4:30-9:30 p.m. and Sundays for brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. |
| 2022 Frontier line exclusive to Nissan's Canton facility | |
 | Local dignitaries were on hand along with hundreds of Nissan employees and executives to watch the first 2022 Frontier pickup truck developed and produced at the Canton facility roll off the assembly line last week. Tim Fallon, vice president of manufacturing at the Canton plant, said the rollout would likely bring "incremental jobs" during the event last Thursday. Inclusion of new technology in the trucks, Fallon said, would likely necessitate future job openings though he was not sure how many new jobs would be or at what pace they would become available. Gov. Tate Reeves spoke at the event congratulating the workers. He said he was proud of the state and its relationship with Nissan. Reeves said Nissan decided to locate a plant in Canton 18 years ago because it was in their best interest. He noted that it was in their best interest because of the roughly 5,000 employees "that work under this roof every single day." Reeves said the plant represents technology and manufacturing jobs that will be in the state for the next 50 years and beyond. Since they have broken ground, Nissan has invested roughly $3.5 billion into the state, Reeves said. |
| Hernando DeSoto's legacy in Mississippi still being felt nearly 500 years later | |
 | Spanish conquistador Hernando DeSoto passed through his namesake county nearly 500 years ago on his way to discovering the Mississippi River. But aside from a few objects left behind by his expedition, historians have very little archaeological evidence to pinpoint his exact route. A new discovery of metal objects in northeast Mississippi though is shedding some new light on the Spaniard's contact with the area's original inhabitants. Archaeologists with the Florida Museum of Natural History recently announced that they have unearthed dozens of metal objects from DeSoto's expedition. The objects were discovered at the Stark Farm site, a Native American village occupied by the descendants of the Chickasaw Indians. Using metal detectors, historians located more than 80 items including cutting tools and jewelry that match the style and type of items that DeSoto's expedition had with them. "It is very cool," said Robert Long, curator of the DeSoto County Museum. "It just shows you the lasting impact that DeSoto has. Before the Spaniards, the Native Americans did not have metal. They didn't have horses. And his feral hogs are the progenitors of our wild boars. So he continues to have a lasting impact." |
| OCH to provide walk-in back-to-school COVID vaccine clinic | |
| OCH Regional Medical Center will host a walk-in COVID vaccine clinic from 8 a.m.-noon Friday in the OCH Community Room to help students return to school safely next month. Students ages 12 and older are encouraged to receive the vaccination, and minors must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. "There are many safe and effective vaccines for children that protect them from diseases like whooping cough, measles and meningitis," said OCH Interim Chief Nursing Officer Savannah Brown, who is certified in infection control. "Providing vaccines for COVID-19 is another way to protect our children, and we're happy to offer this layer of protection to our local schools and families." As of Tuesday, five COVID patients were hospitalized at OCH -- the most the hospital has had at one time since February. Although none were children, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports pediatric patients make up a larger share of the new virus cases across the U.S. as more adults get vaccinated. OCH offers a walk-in COVID vaccine clinic every Friday, 8 a.m.-noon, in the OCH Community Room. |
| Delta variant sweeps through states that dialed back health powers | |
 | The Delta strain of the coronavirus is racing across the country, driving a surge of new cases and hospitalizations. But local and state officials this time have fewer options to slow the spread. Many conservative lawmakers spent the first half of the year restricting public health powers such as mask requirements or indoor capacity limits -- measures that blunted Covid's impact when it emerged in the U.S. but quickly became the scorn of the right. That's left an increasingly fractured response, with some cities defying state bans and certain wary businesses stipulating that returning workers provide proof of vaccination. Meanwhile, the bans threaten longstanding public health practices that extend beyond the pandemic, from shutting down restaurants that have foodborne illnesses to vaccinating children against diseases that took decades to bring under control. Mississippi, where more than a dozen hospitals have run out of ICU beds, now advises unvaccinated people to avoid indoor gatherings. "The era of statewide mask mandates is over for the majority of the United States and certainly for us, but there are other common sense steps you can take," said Mississippi state health officer Thomas Dobbs. |
| Pearl River Resort casino temporarily reinstates mask mandate | |
| All guests and employees of Pearl River Resort and Bok Homa Casino are temporarily required to wear face coverings, Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians officials said. Pearl River Resort properties and Bok Homa Casino are temporarily reinstating a mandatory mask policy for all guests, effective immediately, the tribe said in a press statement issued Wednesday night. Associates are also required to wear face coverings. Cyrus Ben, chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, has issued Executive Order 2020-060-B, reinstating face-covering requirements on Tribal land, the press statement said, adding spike in COVID-19 delta variant cases throughout the state has prompted the action. "Health agencies recommend wearing masks to reduce the risk of infection from this highly contagious variant of COVID," the press release states. |
| Rare 'breakthrough' COVID cases are causing alarm, confusion | |
 | Reports of athletes, lawmakers and others getting the coronavirus despite vaccination may sound alarming but top health experts point to overwhelming evidence that the shots are doing exactly what they are supposed to: dramatically reducing severe illness and death. The best indicator: U.S. hospitalizations and deaths are nearly all among the unvaccinated, and real-world data from Britain and Israel support that protection against the worst cases remains strong. What scientists call "breakthrough" infections in people who are fully vaccinated make up a small fraction of cases. Health authorities have warned that even though the COVID-19 vaccines are incredibly effective -- the Pfizer and Moderna ones about 95% against symptomatic infection in studies -- they're not perfect. No vaccine is. But it wasn't until delta variant began spreading that the risk of breakthroughs started getting much public attention. The barrage of headlines is disconcerting for vaccinated people wondering how to balance getting back to normal with more exposure to unvaccinated strangers -- especially if they have vulnerable family members, such as children too young to qualify for the shots. One critical question about breakthrough cases is whether the person actually had symptoms, Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, told The Associated Press. "Or is this somebody just being sampled out of an abundance of caution because they had to go into some place like the Congress?" he added. |
| Why Covid-19 Vaccines Work Well Against Delta Variant | |
 | Covid-19 vaccines, designed to target the earliest version of the coronavirus, are holding up well against the Delta variant because it isn't so different from the original strain that it can evade the shots, researchers said. Yet the Delta variant is different enough, the researchers said, that studies indicate people will need both doses of the messenger RNA shots or a booster for the one-dose vaccines to get the kind of immune response necessary to provide full protection. The Delta variant is the most contagious version of the virus to be identified. In a matter of weeks, it has become the most common strain in the U.S., now accounting for 83% of analyzed infections. Research is ongoing but suggests that authorized Covid-19 vaccines, though somewhat diminished in efficacy against Delta, can still protect people from severe cases. "You might test positive, but the vast majority of people who are fully vaccinated are not going to get very sick from it or sick from it at all," said Dr. Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at the University of Saskatchewan. The shots' powers, against a version of the virus that wasn't around when researchers were developing Covid-19 vaccines last year, reflect their design targeting large segments of the coronavirus spike protein. The spike protein, which juts from the surface of the coronavirus, is a distinguishing feature of the pathogen and the object of vaccine developers seeking to mobilize immune-system defenses. |
| Lead lawmaker hopes for special session on medical marijuana in mid-August | |
 | The top two lawmakers crafting a medical marijuana program are in the final stages of completing drafts to present to Mississippi legislative leaders next week. State Sen. Kevin Blackwell, R-Southaven, is the lead architect in the Senate and state Rep. Lee Yancey, R-Brandon, is the lead negotiator in the House. Blackwell and Yancey both said that their bill drafts are similar to Initiative 65, the voter-initiated medical marijuana program that was tossed out by the state Supreme Court earlier this year. "We'll allow the free market to determine which businesses succeed and what businesses fail," Yancey said. "We're giving everybody a fighting chance. We're also trying to make sure that only the people who are suffering with debilitating medical conditions are the ones who get the benefits." Speaking after a Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee hearing, Blackwell said that his draft is also similar to a bill that the Senate proposed during the last legislative session. "I hope to have a special session by mid-August," Blackwell said. "But, you know, I don't call that. That's the governor." |
| Mississippi to file arguments in landmark abortion case | |
| The Mississippi attorney general's office is expected to file briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday to outline the state's arguments in a case that could upend nearly 50 years of court rulings on abortion rights nationwide. A 6-3 conservative majority, with three justices appointed by former President Donald Trump, said in May that the court would consider arguments over a Mississippi law that would ban abortion at 15 weeks. Justices are likely to hear the case this fall and could rule on it in the spring. The case challenges rulings that have prohibited states from restricting abortion before a fetus can survive outside the womb. Abortion rights supporters have said that if justices uphold the Mississippi law, that could clear the way for states to enact more restrictions on the procedure, including bans on abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, as early as six weeks. The Mississippi 15-week law was enacted in 2018, but was blocked after a federal court challenge. The state's only abortion clinic, Jackson Women's Health Organization, remains open and offers abortions up to 16 weeks of pregnancy. Clinic director Shannon Brewer has said about 10% of its abortions there are done after the 15th week. |
| Congressman Bennie Thompson withdraws from Trump lawsuit, but lawsuit still in play | |
| Congressman Bennie Thompson has announced he is leaving the lawsuit he filed, in partnership with the NAACP, against former-President Donald Trump regarding the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. In early July, Thompson was selected by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as Chair of the Select Committee to investigate the attack. Thompson stated, "In an effort to avoid even the appearance of a conflict, I have dismissed my claim in the lawsuit that I brought to address the events of January 6, 2021. And, I will refrain from sharing information that I acquire as Chair of the Select Committee that is not already available to the public or to members of Congress." The lawsuit was filed in February in Federal District Court in Washington, D.C. by the NAACP and civil rights law firm Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll. The federal lawsuit was filed against against former President Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, the Proud Boys, and Oath Keepers for inciting violence. According to the NAACP, the suit accuses Trump, Giuliani, and the two groups of conspiring to incite a violent riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, with the goal of preventing Congress from certifying the 2020 presidential election. The lawsuit alleges that, by preventing Congress from carrying out its official duties, Trump, Giuliani, and the named groups directly violated the 1871 Ku Klux Klan Act. |
| Bipartisan House probe of Jan. 6 insurrection falls apart after Speaker Nancy Pelosi blocks two GOP members | |
 | Plans for a bipartisan committee to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection fell apart Wednesday after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) moved to block two controversial Republicans appointed by Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from sitting on the panel -- paving the way for two separate and largely partisan investigations of the violent attack on the Capitol. Pelosi called on McCarthy to name two new Republicans to the committee after refusing to appoint conservative Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Jim Banks (R-Ind.), a privilege she has as speaker. As staunch backers of former president Donald Trump, both members voted against his impeachment and pushed to overturn the election results certifying Joe Biden as president. "With respect for the integrity of the investigation, with an insistence on the truth and with concern about statements made and actions taken by these Members, I must reject the recommendations of Representatives Banks and Jordan to the Select Committee," Pelosi said in a statement. "The unprecedented nature of January 6th demands this unprecedented decision." McCarthy instead vowed to go his own way, pulling all five Republicans he had named off the committee and saying the GOP would launch its "own investigation of the facts," without providing specifics on what such an inquiry would entail. Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, a sharp Trump critic chosen by Pelosi, is the only Republican remaining on the panel. |
| Feds: Mississippi man attacked police with rod at US Capitol | |
| A Mississippi man has been charged with assaulting an officer and other crimes during the January U.S. Capitol insurrection, federal prosecutors said Wednesday. Michael Leon Brock, 54, of Walls, used a 4-foot (122-centimer) rod to hit and push at least two police officers trying to protect the Capitol about two hours after protestors first broke in the building on Jan. 6, according to a sworn statement from a FBI agent. Agents began investigating Brock after getting an anonymous tip after releasing a picture of the man with the rod taken from police body camera footage, court records said. Brock is at least the third person from Mississippi charged during the Jan. 6 unrest. Two other people face curfew violations. Brock is charged with assaulting, resisting or impeding officers, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings and obstruction of a law enforcement officer during civil disorder. |
| Mississippi man charged with assaulting Capitol police during Jan. 6 riot | |
| A Mississippi man has been arrested and charged with assaulting a Capitol police officer during the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. Michael Leon Brock, a 54-year-old resident of Walls, is the first Mississippian to be charged in connection to the events of Jan 6. Over the past six months, more than 535 people have been arrested across all 50 states for crimes committed during the deadly pro-Trump riot. Footage from a Capitol police officer's body camera, and a video posted to the far-right social media platform Parler, show Brock beating multiple law enforcement officers with a four-foot-long metal rod. Two confidential witnesses identified Brock as the man in the footage to investigators, one who had known him for two decades. In addition to the video footage, federal investigators obtained phone records for Brock, which showed his phone connecting to a cell tower that provided service to the interior of the Capitol Building during the riot. Brock made his initial appearance in the Northern District of Mississippi on Wednesday. |
| Earmarks snag could threaten Senate appropriations markups | |
 | The return of earmarks in the Senate is on shaky ground with just days to go before the panel is expected to begin its markup process. Senate Appropriations Chairman Patrick J. Leahy declined to say Wednesday if he'd evenly split earmarks in upcoming spending bills with Republicans, an issue that could derail tentative markup plans for early August. The panel's top Republican, Richard C. Shelby said last week that without a 50-50 split on earmarks, "the deal will probably collapse and there won't be any earmarks period." "I assume we're going to get 50 percent, that was the agreement," Shelby, R-Ala., said. But Leahy, D-Vt., didn't go that far Wednesday, saying that "if they've got legitimate earmarks in there I want to support them," though he didn't say that would be a down-the-middle split. "I mean, that'd be up to them. If they want 50 percent of the earmarks they're going to have to at least ask for them," Leahy said. That could be difficult given only 16 Senate Republicans have requested earmarks from the spending panel thus far. Among the Democratic caucus, just two senators out of 50 haven't submitted any earmark requests: New Hampshire's Maggie Hassan, who faces a potentially tough swing-state reelection bid, and Montana's Jon Tester, who's up in 2024 in a red-leaning state. |
| Critical race theory becomes focus of midterms | |
 | Critical race theory increasingly looks like it will play a major role in the 2022 midterm elections as Republicans ramp up efforts on culture issues in their pursuit of winning back control of both the House and Senate. Arguments about critical race theory (CRT), a decades-old academic theory that puts the nation's history of institutional racism at the center of teaching history, are regularly featured on conservative media and are increasingly being seen in school debates around the country. Black lawmakers in Congress are expressing disappointment with the emerging battle lines, arguing it is a sign of the pushback to progress on issues of racial justice. Many Republicans, however, see an issue that could drive conservatives to the polls in a midterm election cycle, when turnout is generally lower. Democrats are defending narrow majorities in both the House and Senate. Historically, the president's party has lost seats in his initial midterm election. "This is an issue that can really help Republicans win back those suburbs that they might have lost in the 2020 election," Republican strategist Ford O'Connell told The Hill. The theory was established in the '70s and '80s but isn't widely taught outside of college and universities, but rhetoric used by conservatives in Congress and in state legislatures -- that people's children are being "indoctrinated" by CRT -- has been effective in catalyzing a groundswell of indignation. |
| Rising Violent Crime Is Likely To Present A Political Challenge For Democrats In 2022 | |
 | Violent crime is on the rise in urban areas across the country. Many small cities that typically have relatively few murders are seeing significant increases over last year. Killings in Albuquerque, N.M., Austin, Texas, and Pittsburgh, for example, have about doubled so far in 2021, while Portland, Ore., has had five times as many murders compared to last year, according to data compiled by Jeff Asher, a crime data analyst and co-founder of AH Datalytics. Most cities in the United States, including each of those named above, have a Democratic mayor. After protests last year over police violence against Black Americans -- notably the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis -- there has been a push from the left to "defund" police departments. As a result, several cities, including Austin and New York, have reduced or reallocated police budgets -- though some cities have looked to restore funding in recent months. That debate over funding, coupled with the rise in crime, has given Republicans what they believe is an opening in key swing districts that could decide control of the U.S. House next year. The GOP needs to pick up just a net of five seats to do so. Republicans are already going after Democrats with a three-pronged strategy that includes attacks on crime; the economy, particularly rising inflation and labor shortages; and border security. |
| At 98 and facing cancer, Bob Dole reckons with legacy of Trump and ponders future of GOP | |
 | Bob Dole turns 98 years old Thursday and is battling lung cancer, but he is still outspoken about what's going on in the Washington he once helped lead -- from the Keystone Pipeline to the need to protect the Senate filibuster. "Both sides use it," the former Senate majority leader noted of the parliamentary rule, then praised "the guy from West Virginia" who is defending it. That would be Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin. Dole decided on the spot that he'd like to meet Manchin -- to invite him over for a chat, no big agenda, across party lines. Like the old days. "I keep fairly busy," Dole said during a 45-minute interview in his apartment in the Watergate complex, and he has more things he wants to do. He hopes to regain enough strength to make "one more trip home," to Kansas, to visit the Veterans Affairs medical center in Topeka and meet with students at the University of Kansas' Dole Institute of Politics in Lawrence. He was one of the few elders of the traditional Republican establishment to endorse Donald Trump in 2016 and the only former presidential nominee to attend the convention that nominated Trump. In a split with the 45th president, Dole said there's no question that Trump lost his reelection race in 2020 -- narrowly perhaps but fair and square. "I'm a Trumper," Dole said at one point during the conversation. But he added at another, "I'm sort of Trumped out, though." |
| UMMC program focused on narrowing racial disparity gap among physicians | |
 | Lillian Lewis held a clamp-like tool grasping a suture thread in her right hand and forceps in the other. Hands steady and focus unwavering, she laid her first stitch. Then another. For 17-year-old Lillian, it was first her go at suturing, albeit on a lacerated banana. "I like a good challenge," she said from behind her blue and white polka-dotted mask. The handful of Mississippi high school students, gathered around suturing kits and scalpel-sliced bananas in a University of Mississippi Medical Center classroom during summer break, are familiar with the feeling. The room was full of students who crave a challenge. It's what brought them to UMMC's Insight Summer Enrichment Program. The three-week program intends to teach the ins and outs of medical school: clinical practice, patient interaction, lectures from UMMC physicians, mock interviews, and workshopping resumes and curriculum vitae. But at the crux of the program is something deeper. From 1978 to 2019, Black men admitted to the nation's medical schools dropped from 3.1% to 2.9%. Native American students make up only 1% of U.S. medical students. Insight is working to narrow those racial and ethnic disparity gaps. |
| UMMC receives grant to continue opioid abuse research | |
| A federal grant will fund research at the University of Mississippi Medical Center to combat the ongoing opioid epidemic in America. Awarded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the $663,080 grant will allow UMMC to continue their work researching deterrents to prescription opioid abuse. "Opioid addiction, which too often starts with legitimate physician prescriptions, affects individuals and our overall society. The rise in fatal drug overdoses in Mississippi and across the United States tells us that deterrence research at UMMC should continue," Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith said announcing the funds. Overdoses rose throughout the pandemic as new CDC data shows a 30% increase in drug overdose deaths in the United States last year. The CDC National Center for Health Statistics report also showed a nearly 35% increase in such fatalities in Mississippi from December 2019 to December 2020. Hyde-Smith, who serves on the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (Labor-HHS) Appropriations Subcommittee, said that the data underscores the need for the UMMC research. |
| USM ready to be back in black and gold | |
 | The University of Southern Mississippi is ready for a new school year. "We are back in black and gold is our theme for the fall," said Dee Dee Anderson, vice president for Student Affairs. Anderson said the university is planning to get back to normal. "Our classes will be fully engaged and the classes that are normally taught in-person will be in-person for fall," Anderson said. "Faculty, labs, experiments, and all the things that are experiential learning, we will continue to do for the fall." It won't be all about learning, Anderson said the university has reinvigorated campus traditions. "And some of the things that we are known for at Southern Miss. And so, attending football games at The Rock, painting of the Eagle Walk, all those things that students and alumni know about at Southern Miss," Anderson said. Anderson said the university knows COVID-19 is still a concern. She said USM will follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations. The school will encourage students to stay home when they don't feel well. Testing at the Moffitt Center will still be available. "We're recommending that if you are not vaccinated that you wear a mask, but we are really stressing to our students that being vaccinated is what will keep them the safest on our campus," Anderson said. "So, we are encouraging students to do that, but it is not mandatory." |
| USM's Gulf Blue initiative looks to improve blue economy in South Mississippi | |
 | Gulf Blue, an initiative through the University of Southern Mississippi, is expected to capitalize on the coast's geography and maritime resources, further positioning the Mississippi Gulf Coast to lead the development of world-changing innovation. According to a statement put out by USM, Gulf Blue has accumulated the knowledge of research scientists, federal agencies, industry partners and entrepreneurs to further develop the region as a world leader in marine and maritime technology. "The University of Southern Mississippi is one of a few universities in the country that is intentionally aligning economic development strategy with our research and academic expertise," said Dr. Shannon Campbell, USM Senior Associate Vice President for Coastal Operations. "And now, with Gulf Blue, we are taking ownership of an attractive innovation economy and helping to grow and advance the Gulf Coast region." Senator Roger Wicker applauded the initiative, saying it is just one more example of the great work being done to promote the blue economy on the Mississippi Coast. |
| East Central Community College Day at the Fair set for Monday | |
| East Central Community College invites all alumni, students and friends to attend EC Day at the Fair Monday, July 26 during the annual Neshoba County Fair. The annual event kicks off at 1 p.m. at the Pavilion with a performance by the Collegians rock-n-roll band, a Fair tradition for more than 25 years. Also making an appearance will be the Warrior cheerleaders and the Centralettes dance line. East Central Community College President Dr. Brent Gregory, who just completed his first year leading his alma mater, will be in attendance and provide brief remarks. Representatives from the college's student services, alumni and athletics offices will also be on hand to provide free popsicles, athletics schedules, promotional items and door prizes. |
| Tougaloo uses CARES Act funds to help students pay debt, fees | |
| Students at Tougaloo College are getting some much-needed help paying down debt. The school is using Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to assist with outstanding balances. The money is for students enrolled during the 2021 spring and summer semesters, Tougaloo says. "Our goal is to remove financial barriers especially during this time," said Carmen J. Walters, Ph.D., president of Tougaloo College. The school recently made Forbes' top ten list of colleges that improved its financial GPA. |
| COVID-19 Update: U. of Florida hits highest positivity rate since April, Shands hospitalizations increase by 400% | |
| Unvaccinated people are playing Russian roulette with COVID-19 variants loaded into the chamber, UF Health Shands CEO Ed Jimenez said. UF Health Shands Hospital saw a 400% increase of COVID-19 patients over the past 16 days -- 90% of whom Jimenez said are unvaccinated. The number soared from 14 to 70 patients, and over 10% of the patients are on ventilators, he said. "This is now becoming a pandemic of the unvaccinated," Jimenez said. "The data, at least at the Shands hospital, would lend some confirmatory data to that." Despite the common belief that the virus is more impactful among the elderly population, Jimenez said the recent COVID-19 patients coming into Shands are younger. He is urging the community to get vaccinated amid a spike in cases across Florida, which accounts for one in five new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. "It's not a surprise that people are younger because the younger folks are the ones who were not vaccinated," Jimenez said. UF reached its highest positivity rates since April, with 40 reported positive cases out of 865 tests from July 12 to July 18. The number of people in quarantine or isolation almost tripled from the second to third week of July, going from 95 to 254 people. Of the total, 84 are students, 99 are employees and 71 are UF affiliates. |
| U. of Missouri researchers confirm racial disparities in police traffic stops | |
 | In a police beat where Black people make up an estimated 3% of the population, a recent University of Missouri study found that Black drivers account for over a quarter of the traffic stops downtown. The study, released Monday, was commissioned by Columbia Police Chief Geoff Jones and used data collected from 2017 to 2019. A collection of five researchers from four MU academic areas examined the racial disparity in traffic stops across all of the established Columbia Police Department beats. The study also found that Black drivers are more often stopped than white drivers across Columbia, although the number of stops varies widely from beat to beat. Patrol areas that include East Campus and parts of downtown with overwhelming white populations showed the highest disparities. The report also found stops with Black drivers were more likely to result in an arrest or search. Illegal items were found at a similar frequency among all drivers, although the report found Black drivers are about twice as likely to have their vehicle searched based on the officer smelling alcohol or suspecting drug use. |
| Man scouted Ohio college in mass shooting plot to 'slaughter' women, feds say | |
| A 21-year-old is facing charges after allegedly plotting a mass shooting to "slaughter" women at an Ohio university. Tres Genco, of Hillsboro, Ohio, was charged Wednesday by a federal grand jury, according to WXIX, for attempting to commit a hate crime and one count of illegally possessing a machine gun, according to Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Vipal J. Patel. The 21-year-old searched online for sororities and a university in Ohio, Patel said. Genco allegedly conducted surveillance at an Ohio college on Jan. 15, 2020, as he made his plans. During the investigation, Genco's manifesto was found. He wrote the manifesto on the same day he searched for Ohio sororities. The writings claimed he would kill the women "out of hatred, jealousy and revenge." Genco is a self-identified "incel or involuntary celibate," Patel said. An incel, explained by Patel, is an online community comprising of men who harbor anger towards women they think "unjustly deny them sexual or romantic attention." Genco thought his "extremely empowering action," as he called it, compared to that of incel Elliot Rodger. In 2014, Rodger killed six people and injured 14 more at a California sorority house, according to Patel. |
| The College Program Attracting -- and Retaining -- Black Male Teachers | |
| When Alphonso Richard Jr. walked into his first teacher education course at Clemson University, he experienced a shock. "Being in a class where you're the only male, I didn't know where to sit," he says. "Girls were looking like, 'Oh my goodness, is that a guy in here?'" Compounding the confusion: Most women in the room were white, and Richard is Black. The dissonance was enough to send a shiver of doubt through the aspiring educator's mind. "It was a scared, hesitant feeling at first," Richard says. "Am I meant to be here? Is this for me?" It takes courage to enter a space where you're not sure you belong. That's the kind of threshold that Black men training to become educators have to cross many times. They make up only 2 percent of U.S. public school teachers (men overall compose 24 percent). They're also underrepresented in college teacher-preparation programs, as education is "one of the least diverse major fields in higher education," according to a 2019 report from the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. Yet Richard didn't have to overcome his uncertainty alone. Outside of class, he belonged to a brotherhood of fellow teachers-in-training, all of them members of a longstanding leadership development program known as Call Me MISTER. |
| These Are the Books That Colleges Think Every Freshman Should Read | |
 | Many students heading off to college for the first time this fall already have a college-level assignment to complete: Read a book over the summer, and come to campus prepared to discuss it. But those students won't be reading just any book. It will be a "common reading," a book selected by their institution to create a shared experience and be the subject of group discussions among freshmen. Some of the books are intended to help raise awareness of social issues, and are the subject of lectures, performances, or author visits. The tradition goes by many names. It's "One Book, One Campus" at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania and Pierce College. It's called "The Big Read" at Purdue University and at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith. At Sussex County Community College, it's called "Campus Novel." And Washburn University's common-reading program is dubbed "iRead." As varied as the names of the programs is what students read. The Chronicle analyzed four academic years' worth of common reads -- more than 1,064 titles at more than 700 institutions -- to learn more about the books students are asked to read and the topics explored. Among the findings: Students don't always read books. Individual essays, poems, short stories, a podcast, TedTalks, films, and even a Netflix series (BoJack Horseman, if you're wondering) all made an appearance. |
| NASFAA Creates Toolkit to Reduce Implicit Bias in Financial Aid Policies | |
| When Michael Birchett first started reading Satisfactory Academic Progress appeals as a financial aid administrator, he came across one student who was unable to attend class for an extended period due to a flat tire. As someone who grew up in a middle-class family, he thought the reasoning was "silly" at first. But, after noticing cars in neighborhoods with flat tires not moving for months, Birchett, the director of financial aid counseling and outreach at the University of Kentucky, realized not everyone has money on hand to fix those issues immediately. This is just one example of implicit bias that can exist at the institutional level, said Birchett. "If you don't have very diverse groups of folks from different backgrounds or socioeconomic levels looking at things and being able to actually empathize with students, you are not really making very good appeal decisions for those students," he said. To mitigate the negative impact of implicit bias, specifically in college financial aid offices, the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) published the "Implicit Bias Toolkit." The toolkit offers best practices to financial aid administrators to address biases in policies related to institutional forms, communication, cost of attendance, scholarships, student worker programs, verification and professional judgment. |
| Senator Elizabeth Warren standoff could delay Department of Education actions | |
 | Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, is continuing to hold up a vote on the confirmation of a key higher education official at the Department of Education, as Congress's August recess approaches and big decisions for the department are on the horizon. In April, James Kvaal testified at his noncontroversial confirmation hearing to be the under secretary of education at the department, and he was reported out favorably by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee a few days later. But the full Senate still has yet to vote on his nomination. A person familiar with the situation said Warren is waiting for further clarity from the department about how the student loan program will continue to be administered. She has raised concerns about the department's oversight of for-profit colleges and how it plans to assist student borrowers in the COVID-19 economic recovery. She has also questioned management of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program -- in which only 2 percent of applicants have been approved -- and the role that loan servicers play in the student loan system. It's unclear whether Kvaal holds positions on student loan administration that Warren opposes. It's actually fairly common for senators to hold up nominations, said Terry Hartle, senior vice president for government relations and public affairs at the American Council on Education. "All senators have the authority to hold up nominees," Hartle said. "It's unusual for it to come from a senator in the president's own party, but it does happen." |
| Watch the First Trailer for Netflix's New Fictional Show About Higher Ed | |
| In a forthcoming Netflix series, the actress Sandra Oh plays a starring role likely to appeal to the professoriate: a new department chair taking the reins in a time of crisis. On Wednesday, the streaming service released a trailer for The Chair, which premieres on Friday, August 20. In the show, Oh plays Ji-Yoon Kim, who has just been named chair of the English department at the fictional Pembroke University. In the series, Kim is not only the first woman to chair the English department, but also one of the few faculty members of color at Pembroke. Take a first look at the trailer here. |
SPORTS
| SEC media days: Competition, experience have Mississippi State feeling like 'the sky's the limit' | |
| Aaron Brule didn't hear as many cowbells at Davis Wade Stadium in 2020 as he's used to. The Mississippi State linebacker couldn't help but notice the effects of COVID-19 attendance restrictions during last year's football season. Behind limited crowds all fall, the Bulldogs struggled to a 3-7 regular-season record before beating Tulsa in the Armed Forces Bowl. But Brule and his teammates hope the cowbells -- and the momentum Mississippi State picked up toward the end of the year -- return in full force to Starkville in tandem in 2021. "I think there's a lot of potential," wide receiver Austin Williams told reporters Wednesday prior to his session at 2021 Southeastern Conference media days at The Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Alabama. "Going into camp, I know we're really excited. I think the sky's the limit, and I certainly can't wait to see when we get on the field." The Bulldogs enter their second season under coach Mike Leach, who said Wednesday his team's experience -- or lack thereof -- caught up with them in a season featuring separate losing streaks of three and four games. But there was promise in the start and in the finish. Mississippi State opened up the season by shocking defending national champion LSU in Baton Rouge and closed the year by beating Missouri and taking down a ranked Tulsa squad in the bowl game. "We got better as the year went on," Leach said. |
| 'Maybe the most important piece': Mike Leach aims to build program culture | |
| Mike Leach stepped up to the lectern -- that dreaded maroon tie around his neck making him want to strangle its creator -- where four hours before Nick Saban preached what Leach now tries to instill in Starkville. In front of a sea of reporters at Wednesday's installment of SEC Media Days, Alabama's Saban was asked what it takes to secure longevity as a head coach in the nation's premier football conference. "I think that's simple," Saban started. "You've got to win." A quiet laugh spread through the reporters, expecting Saban to end it there with another classic one-liner. But Saban continued, going on to discuss the pillars that build a winning program. "You have to have culture in your organization," Saban said, "which comes from the mindset of the people in your organization to have goals and aspirations for what they want to accomplish and what they want to do." Leach is no stranger to this. With a full, somewhat normal offseason heading into his second season with the Bulldogs, Leach expects more signs of his program's progress to surface. "It takes a period of time," Leach said. |
| Mississippi State coach Mike Leach says more experienced Air Raid offense should be improved | |
 | Mississippi State coach Mike Leach made his first live SEC media day appearance Wednesday and he didn't disappoint. The eccentric, outspoken, and often humorous, creator of the Air Raid offense, Leach forsook an opening address, inviting more time for questions. His answers ranged from thoughtful to progressive to humorous. Leach's potent and influential passing offense made an even bigger debut in last year's abbreviated season, leaving LSU's Tiger Stadium in smoking ruins. His graduate transfer quarterback KJ Costello threw for an SEC-record 623 yards in a 44-34 Mississippi State victory. After Baton Rouge, the Air Raid fell out of the sky. The Bulldogs lost their next four games, scoring three offensive touchdowns combined on the way to a 4-7 season, which included a bowl victory against Tulsa. Leach didn't have a "smoking gun" answer as to why it happened that way, although LSU's defensive shortcomings clearly played a large role. But he hinted Year 2 might provide a better accounting of his signature offense with their first spring practice. "We had a short window and were a very young team," Leach said. "I think that there's a reason that the NFL's adopting so many Air Raid concepts and that the last probably 10 Super Bowls there's been a super number of Air Raid concepts in all of them. It's an efficient way to move the football because you utilize personnel and the space provided. One way to improve is get older, rather than be one of the youngest teams in the BCS, I think the youngest. But I was very proud of the way they competed and improved as the season went on." |
| Mike Leach: $150K for graduation plan could prevent NIL bidding wars, fix transfer portal | |
| NIL deals could cause a massive shift in college recruiting, and Mississippi State football coach Mike Leach believes there could be a problem one day. His solution: Throw more money into the equation. But there's a catch. The second-year coach unveiled a proposal to help prevent potential "bidding wars" over athletes signing lucrative NIL deals and increasing numbers in the transfer portal at SEC Media Days on Wednesday. "What if, when you sign a guy, on graduation they receive, say, $100,000 or $150,000 on graduation," Leach said. "You only get it if you graduate. You have to graduate. If you graduate, after you graduate from that school, you get $150,000. Now, if you transfer, you don't get the $150,000, but if you stay at that school, you graduate from that school, you get $150,000." The amount of money doesn't matter, Leach added. However, players choosing schools based off NIL deals would alter the game in Leach's eyes. "I just don't want a bidding war," Leach said. "I think if we end up with bidding wars that will definitely hurt football. ... I think what we've got to keep an eye on is encouraging people to graduate and not making it so enticing to transfer." Leach believes there are too many players in the transfer portal caused by the temptation to "cut and run" without persevering and pushing through adversity, as he put it. Many players won't end up with a school to transfer to and would be better off where they started, Leach said. |
| Business-like Mike Leach approaches Media Days on his terms | |
| Parrish Alford writes for the Daily Journal: There was a sense of anticipation in the main ballroom at the Wynfrey on Wednesday afternoon. Mike Leach was about to step to the podium. It was not that a group of writers thought they were about to be enlightened on the state of college football. As the third coach on Day 3 at SEC Media Days it was more about "What's he going to say?" It was Leach's first visit to the SEC's signature summer event, which was a COVID casualty in 2020 prior to his first season as Mississippi State coach. Leach has made a name for himself in his chosen profession by winning football games. Along the way his willingness to venture off the path at a weekly news conference to talk about pirates or politics has gained him a certain reputation. He's described as "interesting" – and he is, because he refuses to limit his platform to football. There's more to Leach, and he's glad to share more with you. He'll remain interesting as long as he continues to win. "He's extremely smart. He talks about World War II and other history references," MSU wide receiver Austin Williams said. So smart is Leach that he likely sensed the anticipation for his appearance and chose not to perform on demand. He went straight to questions and gave thoughtful answers... |
| Mississippi State pitcher Houston Harding signs free-agent deal with Los Angeles Angels | |
| Houston Harding came up clutch time after time for Mississippi State during the 2021 season. On Wednesday, the Bulldogs left-hander parlayed that success into a professional contract. Harding tweeted Wednesday afternoon he had signed a free-agent deal with the Los Angeles Angels a week after going unselected in the 2021 MLB draft. "One tweet cannot convey how grateful I am to have been given an opportunity in Starkville," Harding said. "It has been the greatest honor being a part of this team and helping bring this city its first title!" The lefty finished with a 3.05 ERA in 62 innings across 21 appearances as Mississippi State claimed its first national championship. He made starts against Texas and Vanderbilt in the College World Series, pitching at least four innings in each appearance to anchor the Bulldogs' pitching staff. Mississippi State outfielder Tanner Allen signed his rookie contract with the Miami Marlins on Sunday, while signees James Wood and Maddux Bruns signed with the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers, respectively, on Tuesday. Outfielder Rowdey Jordan signed with the New York Mets on Wednesday. |
| On Senate floor, Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith praise Mississippi State baseball team | |
| On the Senate floor Tuesday, U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith, both Republicans from Mississippi, recognized the Mississippi State baseball team for winning the College World Series and the school's first national title in any sport. The Bulldogs defeated Vanderbilt on June 30 to win the 2021 College World Series. "Senator Hyde-Smith and I could not be more delighted to rise this afternoon and recognize Mississippi State University and their baseball team on their first national championship in school history in any sport," Wicker said. "We take great pride in the legacy and inspiring example of these young men and their coaches. Thank you for such a wonderful and historic season. Hail State!" Hyde-Smith said. The senators introduced a resolution last week in recognition of the team and its coaches. The Senate unanimously approved the resolution. |
| KLLM to unveil college football trucks at M-Braves game at Trustmark Park on Thursday | |
| KLLM Transport Services will host a college football trucks unveiling event Thursday night at the Mississippi Braves and Biloxi Shuckers game at Trustmark Park in Pearl. The event will showcase the custom football equipment tractor trailer trucks that KLLM provides each year to universities. The university-themed wrapped trucks will feature Jackson State, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Southern Miss. University-specific grab-and-go items will be handed out and fans will also have the opportunity to take pictures inside the trucks. In addition to trucks, KLLM donates fuel and drivers throughout the year. The truck service is based in Richland, and is one of largest temperature-controlled truckload carriers in the United States. Half of Thursday's ticket revenue will be donated to Friends of Children's Hospital benefitting Blair E. Baton Children's Hospital. |
| Alcorn State football focused on reclaiming SWAC title after not playing a game since 2019 | |
| All teams in the Southwestern Athletic Conference played football in the spring, except one: Two-time defending champion Alcorn State. In the summer of 2020, the conference decided to postpone the fall sports season because of COVID-19 concerns. The Braves elected not to participate in the spring for those same concerns. "It was pretty tough watching these teams compete each and every weekend because I love the game of football," Alcorn State senior quarterback Felix Harper said. "I know the coaches missed each and every weekend of just competing. I feel like we had to come together as a team. We all had to come together to make that decision." Not only is that a long time between games, it's especially a long time when the last time the team took the field, it came in a loss. The Braves fell to North Carolina A&T in the Celebration Bowl in Atlanta, which is unofficially known as the Black college national championship between the SWAC and MEAC champions, 64-44 on Dec. 21, 2019. Despite the extended layoff before the Braves' season opener Aug. 28 against North Carolina Central in that very same city, Alcorn State coach Fred McNair doesn't think rust will be a problem this year. |
| College coaches, admin urging players to vaccinate | |
| Over the summer, Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban urged his fellow Alabama residents to get vaccinated against the coronavirus in a public service announcement. The thinking was that one of the most popular people in Alabama might help since the state has one of the lowest percentages of vaccinated people in the nation. The video shows cheerleaders, the Big Al mascot and scenes from Bryant-Denny Stadium with the unmistakable message: Protection against covid-19 can help everyone get back to normal. It is also a point of emphasis for the defending national champion Crimson Tide and every other team hoping to minimize the risk of impacts from covid-19 this season after last year's disrupted effort that saw dozens of games postponed or canceled. It's a priority, and in some cases a challenge. Universities are struggling with whether they can legally require students to be vaccinated before returning to campuses, though Notre Dame, Michigan, UCLA, Washington and others have taken that step. Many others, certainly across the South, have not, leaving coaches like Saban to emphasize that vaccination decisions are a personal choice, but one that can impact the team. The issue is not cut-and-dried for every coach. Washington State coach Nick Rolovich said he will not participate on site at next week's Pac-12 media day in Los Angeles after choosing not to receive a covid-19 vaccine. |
| Nick Saban says Alabama close to 90% vaccination rate, similar to LSU, Georgia | |
| Alabama coach Nick Saban said Wednesday that the Crimson Tide football team is close to a 90% vaccination rate and is "hopeful" that more players make that decision. Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey revealed Monday that six of the league's 14 teams had surpassed 80% vaccination, a statistic he paired with a warning that teams might have to forfeit games if their schedules are disrupted by coronavirus outbreaks. The SEC has no mandate for people to get vaccinated, but Sankey's warning was yet another incentive for teams to improve their vaccination rates. The league has already placed a 75% threshold that, if met, no longer requires teams to test for COVID-19 regularly or wear masks inside their facilities. There's a clear disparity between the vaccination rates of the league's teams and the overall vaccination rates of the states in which they play. Mississippi (33.8%) has the second-lowest vaccination rate. Mississippi State coach Mike Leach was less open to talking about vaccines than Saban. A reporter asked Leach if he was vaccinated and his reasoning. "If I was or wasn't vaccinated," Leach said, "I wouldn't share it with you." Saban said Alabama brought in three medical doctors to give lectures to players about the pros and cons of the vaccine, and he said the discussion boils down to two decisions: a personal one and a competitive one. |
| SEC Media Days notebook: Aggies under 85% vaccinations | |
 | If Texas A&M head football coach Jimbo Fisher had his way, his team would be above 85% for COVID-19 vaccinations yesterday, he joked Wednesday at the Southeastern Conference Media Days. But he stood by the wishes of players who have not yet decided to receive one of the vaccine shots. "We're not at 85, but we're pushing that way and getting there and hopefully we'll get to that point," Fisher said. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said Monday that six of the league's 14 football teams had reached 80% vaccination levels. The conference's threshold is 85%, and Georgia, Alabama and LSU have said they are above the threshold. A&M athletics director Ross Bjork said Tuesday that the Aggies' vaccination process was a "work in progress." Defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal praised the work of A&M's medical personnel in properly informing the student-athletes about COVID-19. "I feel like our team has done a fantastic job of being able to stay safe with COVID," Leal said. "Our trainers have done a fantastic job to tell us about the vaccinations and just filling us in on the pros and cons of it, the side effects, and it's just been nice to have them around and let us know what it is that we need to do." |
| Impact of NIL remains mystery to SEC's best and brightest | |
 | Nick Saban is older than all but one FBS head coach -- North Carolina's Mack Brown, two months his elder -- and has six more seasons of tenure than any of his SEC counterparts. When the ground shifts beneath college football, Saban's words are sage wisdom. But not even the seven-time national championship coach has all the answers after the dawn of name, image and likeness marketing for players once again changed the landscape of the sport. "I almost feel that anything that I say will probably be wrong," Saban said Wednesday at SEC media days in Hoover, "Because there's no precedent for the consequences [of] some of the things that we are creating." And if college players are going to be paid like professional athletes, Mississippi State coach Mike Leach contended, they ought to be subject to the same consequences. "Guys get traded, guys get drafted, and guys get cut [in the NFL]," he said. "So does that become a piece down the road? I don't know." Leach proposed players receiving a $100,000 or $150,000 graduation bonus to encourage them to stay in school and also not chase other opportunities through the transfer portal. "The amount could be whatever," he said. "I just don't want a bidding war, and I think that, if we end up with bidding wars, that will definitely hurt football." |
| Former Texas A&M president explains SEC expansion process, why he's skeptical Texas joins | |
| As news broke that a Texas school was interested in joining the Southeastern Conference, there was one man best equipped to know what that entailed. R. Bowen Loftin guided Texas A&M out of the Big 12 into the SEC in 2012 in a process that took years to come to fruition. When I called Loftin, now the president emeritus, and asked him if it was ironic Texas was now interested in following Texas A&M's footsteps, Loftin laughed and said, "ironic is too mild a word." Knowing what Loftin does of the Texas political landscape and the mindset around Texas as realignment cranked up a decade ago, Loftin is skeptical Texas and Oklahoma joining the SEC come to fruition. "Short of a total realignment of the Power 5 into a new world of four conferences, I don't see this happening," Loftin said. "But maybe this is the start of something like that." The former Texas A&M president's phone quickly started blowing up with text messages after the Houston Chronicle first reported that Texas and Oklahoma had interest in joining the SEC. AL.com later reported Texas and Oklahoma had already taken steps to facilitate a move out of the Big 12 with the SEC the preferred destination. When Loftin asked some of his connected Texas friends about the report, he heard back, "We've been exploring options for a while." |
| Texas A&M AD Ross Bjork speaks out against report that Texas, Oklahoma want to join SEC | |
| Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork is standing up for his school after a Houston Chronicle report that Texas and Oklahoma have reached out to the SEC about joining the conference. The newspaper cited an unnamed college official and said an announcement could come within a couple of weeks. Both Texas and Oklahoma said they would not address the report. "Speculation always swirls around collegiate athletics," a Texas spokesman said in a statement. "We will not address rumors or speculation." Said Oklahoma in a statement: "The college athletics landscape is shifting constantly. We don't address every anonymous rumor." Even so, Bjork said he will be "diligent in our approach to protect Texas A&M." "We want to be the only SEC program in the state of Texas," Bjork said. "There's a reason why Texas A&M left the Big 12 -- to be standalone, to have our own identity." Bjork said he and fellow SEC athletic directors had not discussed bringing Texas and Oklahoma into the conference. According to the SEC bylaws regarding conference membership, "a vote of at least three-fourths of the members is required to extend an invitation for membership," or in this case, 11 of the 14 schools. |
| In Parkinson's disease battle, Mark Richt plans to 'keep living life' | |
 | Mark Richt saw the signs. So did some fans who crossed paths with the former Georgia and Miami coach in recent months at public events. "Is your back hurt? "Are you OK, coach? "Can I help you? Some people were more blunt: "What's going on?" Richt had a second hip surgery last year so he told them that's what it was, but there were symptoms he had seen going years back. Richt, 61, spoke Wednesday night in a room at the Westin Charlotte after a long day at the ACC Kickoff event he worked as an analyst for the ACC Network. It came three weeks after he went public with a tweet that he has Parkinson's disease, which the Mayo Clinic describes as a progressive nervous system disorder. His wife, Katharyn, urged him to tell people if they ask. He decided instead to blast it out on his personal Twitter account to his 392,000 followers "It was a little bit therapeutic to do it," Richt said. "You feel like you're not necessarily living a lie but you're sitting there telling people something other than the truth." Richt got his diagnosis on May 25. "The worst thing you can do is go in the tank," Richt said. "You've got to keep a positive attitude, you've got to keep stretching." Richt said he's in stage one of Parkinson's -- which he's doing his best to stay at -- when symptoms are considered mild and don't interfere with daily activities. |
| UNC Becomes The First School To Organize Group Endorsement Deals For Its Players | |
| The University of North Carolina has become the first college athletics program to organize group licensing deals for its current student athletes, in the latest development of the sea change transforming college athletics. Under the new policy, athletes at UNC -- including its powerhouse men's basketball team -- will be able to earn money for marketing their name, image, and likeness, also referred to as NIL, in groups of three or more, alongside UNC trademarks and logos like the Tar Heels logo and argyle uniforms. That means players can earn money when a UNC jersey bearing their name and number is sold, or for posing in uniforms for sponsorship deals. Students would be paid by third parties, not by UNC. The university did not release details about how revenue might be split between the school and its players. "I thought this was the logical next step. Let's take what we're doing institutionally, let's apply it to the students, let those students go to market, and also share in the revenue," said Bubba Cunningham, UNC's athletic director, in a video interview released by the school's athletic department. Group licensing deals, in theory, can result in moneymaking opportunities for lesser-known players who may not be capable of attracting their own individual deals. |
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