Ellington

The latest issue of The Magazine is chock full of Mississippians, starting with the cover story on Adalius Thomas (p. 48), the former Southern Miss star who's become a human Swiss Army knife for the Baltimore Ravens. Thomas plays eight positions for the Ravens defense. Now the NFL knows what USM fans knew (he was a two-time CUSA player of the year) before the Ravens drafted him in 2000.

Columnist Bill Simmons puts former Prentiss High star Al Jefferson among the Tantalizers. Simmons calls Jefferson, a budding star with the Boston Celtics, one of those prospects who "can't reach his (potential) because he keeps getting hurt."Ouch.

Former Lanier High stud turned-Golden State Warriors wunderkind Monta Ellis turns up on p. 112 as the "Golden Child." Ellis is thriving in his second season in the league, thanks to new Warriors coach Don Nelson's up-tempo system. "This is how I played in high school," Ellis insists, before admitting, "But then, all the plays ran through me."

Meanwhile, Stuart Scott tells people to lay off Giants quarterback Eli Manning, the Ole Miss alum on p. 16. OK, so Stu finally said something we can agree with.

A Brett Favre biopic is in the works (p. 36). The script has been written but the movie is on hold until Favre retires. Quit now, Brett, and this could be the summer blockbuster of 2009.