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A Musical Interlude

Dr. S was on hand Thursday night at Hal & Mal's for the first JFP/H&M Southern Fried Holiday Karaoke Night. Or whateve they called it. Thankfully, alcohol and anarchy prevailed and the event became less organized as time went on. A good time was had by all. Dr. S (who declined to perform upon learning that "I Touch Myself" isn't in the H&M karaoke machine) thought that a couple of the performers were grossly overqualified to perform at a karaoke night. Other wannabes kept turning in requests to sing, but when they got on stage were satisfied to just dance with a microphone in their hand. (If you decide to booty dance during karaoke night, does that qualify as a karaoke performance?) JFP publisher Todd Stauffer graciously bailed out many of them with excellent backing vocals. JFP editor Donna Ladd kept things rolling with snappy banter between numbers (although she never did finish her "Get Out of Dodge" story) and generously loaned her boa to many performers, including Todd. Although Todd sometimes looked like Boy George, he always sounded like at least as good as George Michael. Dr. S believes that Todd doesn't want to be the next William Randolph Hearst. Todd wants to be the next Andy Williams. Or the next Sammy Davis Jr. Or the next Billy Ray Cyrus. Or maybe all three.

Heisman Hangover

Dr. S should have put this up on Friday, but he was in the official Dr. S spider hole, chilling and trying to remember where he left those doggone WMDs. ... Anyway, Slate's Allen Barra rails against the outrage of the Heisman Trophy while correctly predicting that Oklahoma's Jason White would win. Barra says there was another quarterback who was far more deserving than White. And, no, his name is not Eli Manning.

Sick Of The Knicks

Quitman native and NBA superstar Antonio McDyess is in a love/hate relationship. He loves making millions playing basketball, but he already hates playing for the godawful New York Knicks. McDyess has come up with a novel theory: The Knicks don't suck, they just don't care. Dr. S thinks Dice is a helluva player, but he's wrong. The Knicks DO suck and they DON'T care. McDyess has been to the playoffs just once since entering the NBA in 1985. Unless the Knicks figure out a way to work a deal for Kobe (work-release program, anybody?), McDyess won't get a sniff of the postseason anytime soon.

Jackal Bites Back

Former Mississippi State football coach Jackie Sherrill returned fire Tuesday, accusing the NCAA of distorting facts about alleged recruiting violations. Dr. S asks: Did you ever notice how State, Ole Miss and USM usually get in trouble over athletes they didn't sign?

MSU Slapped with NCAA Charges

First Croom, then the bad news ... The press release from State just in: Mississippi State University has received a letter and notice of allegations from the National Collegiate Athletics Association regarding the football program. The notice contains allegations of rules violations from 1998 to 2002. Mississippi State has been cooperating fully with the NCAA and has assisted in the investigation of these matters over the past two and a half years. The allegations address improper offers and inducements to prospective student-athletes. There is no allegation of academic misconduct and no allegation of lack of institutional control or failure to monitor. At this time, these are only allegations.

A Football Feast

Mississippi's greatest football weekend is upon us: The MHSAA championships on Friday and Saturday at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium. This year, Mississippi ETV is going to broadcast all five games. But Dr. S says you owe it to yourself to see at least one game in person.

Sly Reaction

The Washington Post's Michael Wilbon weighed in with a very cranky column on the hiring of Mississippi State football coach Sylvester Crooms. Wilbon makes a couple of good points, but they're undercut by his lack of knowledge on the 1963 Mississippi State basketball team. (The school didn't try to stop the basketball team from going to the NCAA Tournament, as Wilbon writes while taking a particularly cheap shot at MSU. Indeed, MSU officials defied state officials and state law by allowing the Bulldogs to make that historic trip to the NCAAs.) ... SI.com's Geoffrey Norman says everybody in America should be pulling for Sylvester Croom. Dr S says, he's right. ... The (Memphis) Commercial Appeal's Geoff Calkins writes about how Croom's faith, dreams and drive helped him make history.

Conerly Trophy Giveaway

The Conerly Trophy is going to be given out on Thursday night in Biloxi. The finalists: USM linebacker Rod Davis, the 2002 winner; Eli Manning, the 2001 winner; and Scott Eyester, Delta State's record-setting quarterback. Who's going to win? Dr. S predicts a young man is going to walk away as the Conerly's first two-time winner. And that man won't be Rod Davis.

Sly Is MSU's Guy

Mississippi State made it official on Tuesday, introducing Sylvester Croom as the Bulldogs' new head football coach at a raucous news conference attended by hundreds of State fans. State's pioneering hiring of Croom has created untold good will for the university and for Mississippi. Not to mention publicity: ESPN News aired Croom's news conference live and he was interviewed by both CNN and ESPN, to name a few. ESPN.com had lots of good things to say. Ivan Maisel says Croom is the right man at the right time. And recruiting analyst Tom Lemming writes, "Mississippi State is a sleeping giant in the college football world, and the hiring of Sylvester Croom could be just the wakeup call it needed."

MSU, Croom Make History

Mississippi State has become the first SEC school to hire an African-American head football coach. Sylvester Croom, a former Alabama player and coach who's been an NFL assistant for the last 17 seasons. the last three with the Green Bay Packers, will be officially introduced at a news conference on Tuesday at 1 p.m. in Starkville. Dr. S applauds MSU for being a pioneer, although a black coach isn't a cure-all for what ails the Bulldog program. But after what's gone on at State the last three seasons, particularly this season, it was definitely time for a new man in the top job. Regardless of race, a coach with Croom's qualifications is a good choice and State is lucky to get him.

Waiting For Sly

Mississippi State gave prospective football coach Sylvester Croom a tour of the campus on Sunday. Now the Bulldogs are waiting on his answer. It could come as soon as Monday.

Sly Croom Update, Part 2

OK, Mississippi State didn't hire a new football coach on Saturday. But Dr. S urges you to keep Monday and Tuesday clear. The (Biloxi) Sun Herald and ESPN.com both report that Paclers assistant Sylvester Croom has been offered the job. Now he is spending the weekend deciding whether he wants to move to Starkville. Dr. S predicts he will say yes. Who can pass on a chance to make history?

Sly Update, Part 1

A Green Bay newspaper reports that Mississippi State has offered its head football coach's job to Sylvester Croom and now he's trying to decide what to do.

The Kid's Alright

Is there anything more meaningless than your average NBA regular-season game? (Yes, your average NHL regular-season game.) But there is one player this season who's always worth watching: rookie sensation LeBron James. Add Slate's Charles P. Pierce to the Cleveland Cavaliers man-child's legion of admirers.

MSU About To Make History?

Mississippi State is expected to make history (no later than Saturday) when Sylvester Croom is named the Bulldogs head football coach. MSU AD Larry Templeton has been tight-lipped about the search for a replacement to the retiring Jackie Sherrill. LSU offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher visited Starkville, so most had expected he would get the job. But Fisher "withdrew" from the search on Thursday (translation: MSU didn't want him). Croom, a former Alabama player and assistant who's been an NFL assistant for the last 17 years, was one of the finalists for the Alabama job last summer. If State hires him, he will become the first black head football coach hired by an SEC school. And likely will become the first black head football coach to be fired by an SEC school. Croom, who's now the Green Bay Packers running back coach, had to work on Thursday, but he's expected to fly into StarkVegas on Friday. State fans are looking for any shred of good news after that debacle on Thursday night. 31-0 and it wasn't that close.

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