Rick Cleveland - Mississippi Today

Fifty years ago, in 1971, Archie Manning was the second pick of the first round of the NFL Draft. He almost missed it.

Fifty years ago, Archie Manning, the 2nd pick, almost forgot NFL Draft

By Rick Cleveland - Mississippi Today, 665 Reads
Mon, 05/03/2021 - 12:18 PM

The NFL Draft has become such a monstrosity of a production. We’ve had mock drafts coming out for weeks, if not months. Talking heads have been talking about it, and writing fingers have been typing about it — ad nauseam. The event is nationally televised over three days before a packed house of seemingly crazy people.

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They could’ve picked Elijah Moore, but Saints drafted Payton Turner. Time will tell…

By Rick Cleveland - Mississippi Today, 2,028 Reads
Fri, 04/30/2021 - 01:42 PM

So when it finally came time for the New Orleans Saints to pick in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft Thursday night, many folks, including this one, thought they might opt for Ole Miss wide receiver Elijah Moore, the best college player in Mississippi this past season.

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Mike Kinnison’s No. 15 jersey will be retired at Delta State Saturday. Kinnison, a former DSU All American, won 75.6 percent of his games as the school’s head coach. He won a national championship in 2004 and six NCAA Regional titles as head coach.

Delta State retires Kinnison’s jersey; they’ll never retire his remarkable story

By Rick Cleveland - Mississippi Today, 3,921 Reads
Mon, 04/26/2021 - 10:32 AM

Author’s note: Delta State University will retire former head baseball coach Mike Kinnison No. 15 jersey in a ceremony Saturday at Harvey Stadium-Ferriss Field prior to the 2 p.m. doubleheader against the University of Alabama-Huntsville.

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Don Kessinger batted .400 for his Ole Miss career, but he was even better known for his fielding ability. (Ole Miss athletics)

Was Don Kessinger the best Ole Miss athlete ever? So glad you asked.

By Rick Cleveland - Mississippi Today, 1,012 Reads
Thu, 04/22/2021 - 10:57 AM

Greatest athlete in Ole Miss history? My guess in 99% of Rebels would blurt “Archie Manning” before the question is completed.

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Tanner Allen celebrates his bases-clearing triple that gave State the lead for good in Sunday’s 7-5 victory over Ole Miss. (MSU Athletics)

‘Dogs back in ‘catbird’s seat’ with thrilling 7-5 Sunday win

By Rick Cleveland - Mississippi Today, 758 Reads
Mon, 04/19/2021 - 10:22 AM

Fewer than 24 hours after being drubbed 9-0 by arch-rival Ole Miss, Mississippi State Sunday climbed back into what Mississippi native and broadcasting legend Red Barber famously called “the catbird’s seat.”

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Ole Miss pitcher Doug Nikhazy shouts toward his teammates in the dugout after an eighth inning strikeout. (MSU athletics)

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What a difference a day makes — that and a pitcher named Doug Nikhazy

By Rick Cleveland - Mississippi Today, 567 Reads
Mon, 04/19/2021 - 10:18 AM

On a sunny spring Saturday from jam-packed Dudy Noble Field after an 9-0 Ole Miss whitewash of Mississippi State, why write 700 words when just two will do?

Doug Nikhazy.

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Kamren James’ fourth inning home run to left field was a no-doubter, as his reaction shows. (MSU athletics)

Make that 15 of 17; Bulldogs’ dominance of Rebels continues

By Rick Cleveland - Mississippi Today, 375 Reads
Mon, 04/19/2021 - 10:12 AM

The Ole Miss Rebels didn’t have Jake Mangum to kick them around Friday night. But Mississippi State’s deep, talented pitching did the job anyway in the Bulldogs’ 5-2 victory before an announced crowd of 10,291 fans that might well have been even larger.

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Jake Mangum kisses the Governor’s Cup after Mississippi State defeated Ole Miss in 2019. Mangum helped State dominate Ole Miss in recent seasons with the Bulldogs winning 14 of the last 16. But Mangum has moved on and perhaps the most anticipated Rebel-Bulldog games in the series’ 128-year history are this weekend in Starkville.

Biggest Ole Miss-State series in history? There’s a lot of history.

By Rick Cleveland - Mississippi Today, 1,151 Reads
Fri, 04/16/2021 - 09:58 AM

Ole Miss and Mississippi State have played baseball for 128 years. That’s a lot of history. And yet, there probably has never been a more anticipated Rebel-Bulldog baseball series than the one scheduled for this weekend in Starkville.

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In a season of baseball excellence, we should recall the ‘Willie Ball’

By Rick Cleveland - Mississippi Today, 2,306 Reads
Fri, 04/09/2021 - 10:33 AM

Ole Miss and Mississippi State baseball teams will enter the weekend ranked in the top five in the nation in various polls. Southern Miss is in the top 25 of RPI ratings. Jackson State is undefeated in the SWAC. Delta State remains a Division II power.

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Does college hoops get any better? How could it? Ben Howland, Kermit Davis agree.

By Rick Cleveland - Mississippi Today, 10,285 Reads
Mon, 04/05/2021 - 03:24 PM

It’s Monday morning, more than 36 hours after the finish of Gonzaga’s remarkable NCAA Tournament victory over UCLA, and I still can’t quit thinking about it — about the absolute beauty of it. I am talking about the level of play, the competitiveness, the drama — all of it.

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April 29, 2021 1