Link Gumbo 2/8/11

Lots of stuff here today, thats what happens when I miss a week.

When you are playing for a National Title, against Alabama of all teams, you get top billing. The 2011  Bassmaster College Classic, a  one-day, combined-weight tournament that is running as part of the 41st Bassmaster Classic in New Orleans will pit LSU v Bama in a winner-take-all championship event on our home turf of Lake Verret on Feb. 20th. Bama won last year's inaugural championship with a 24 pounds, 8 ounces weigh-in against Auburn. For those interested, the weigh-in will be at the New Orleans Arena on that Sunday just before the final pro weigh-in.

So maybe, when you're down by one with 7 seconds on the clock, you don't inbounds at mid-court to the guy who went 3-10 from beyond the arc. This game was intensely frustrating to watch in person. Every time it seemed like things were finally starting to click, we'd have a defensive brain fart, or go cold shooting, or start jacking up 3s again and MSU would take the lead right back. We are 2-6 in league play with 8 games remaining (next at Ole Miss on Wed. night) and the only game I see us having a decent shot at right now is the Auburn rematch. 

Mikie Mahtook got named to Baseball America's Preseason All-American 1st team. Here's this week's practice schedule for those interested, Note that Ott seems to be in good form in these early practices. And If you're looking for it, last season's regional host UCLA is getting good preseason coverage from their blog as well.

(Note: as most here know, I'm very much into college baseball. But it can be difficult sometimes to find good coverage of the smaller great teams, like the CSF's and UC-I's of the world. If you know of good places to find info on these teams, please drop me a line or share it with us in the comments)

Our opening day opponent, Wake Forest, will likely be without their HC Tom Walter, who is recovering well from surgery after donating one of his kidneys to his own FR OF Kevin Jordan, who was diagnosed 2 months after committing and spent the fall semester on dialysis while still attending class. You might recognize Tom Walter from his stint at UNO and his powerful offensive squads in 07 and 08. Our Wake Forest counterpart Blogger So Dear sat down with the coach and player to talk about their ordeal.

A Notice from The Mayor: The B1G are a bunch of commie pinkos for messing with the baseball start date. We concur. 

Fresh off another stellar class, Frank Wilson was named 2011 Recruiter of the Year by Rivals. Time will tell if it can stack up to 2004's insane group of lineman.

While we are on the matter, Poseur and Pittman's pieces on oversigning have drawn considerable feedback from one very upset Rangers fan and some varied opinions from around the net, including SB Nation's USF blog Voodoo Five and the NCAA's own Bylaw Blog. Glowing praise they ain't, but they do provide some good and differing viewpoints that help move the debate along. Meanwhile UF's president basically threw a shot over the wall at the SEC West the day before NSD, and it was observed that he's not exactly running a pristine program himself.

Yes Jordan Jefferson will have to watch out for his starting job this spring, but am I the only one with a nagging feeling that he'll still get the first snap against Oregon? Call me crazy, and I know the whole "Miles only plays seniors" bit was roundly disproven this season, but I'm thinking he's going to have to have a disastrous spring to lose that start, at least for the beginning of the season.

The Tiger Girls, The Golden Girls, and Mike all went to Hong Kong last week for Chinese New Year. Asst. AD Craig Pintens wrote a pretty interesting blog about the trip.

FALL SPORTS POSTER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP Y'ALL!

I don't entirely understand how GYM works, but after big win at home against BYU to improve to 2-5 on the season, they Lady Tigers have moved all the way up to 19th in the most recent poll.

LSU is sending 8 to the NFL combine, tied with UGA for the most in the SEC. your attendees are: CB Patrick Peterson, DT Drake Nevis. OT Joseph Barksdale, K Josh Jasper, DT Lazarius Levingston, RB Stevan Ridley, LB Kelvin Sheppard, and WR Terrence Toliver.

So Tennessee's Janzen Jackson, who is not exactly on the good list of anyone who followed LSU recruiting a few years ago, has left UT again to return to Lake Charles to deal with "personal issues." Per NCAA regs, he could take the whole semester off and still play next season. What in the world is going on, no one seems to have the slightest idea, but The Advoc's Randy Rosetta brought up an interesting fact. Janzen's father Lance Guidry, last seen giving Miami (OH) a pregame speech before the godaddy Bowl, was given the DC job at WKU just last week. I've got no idea if that has something to do with it, but it's something to be aware of anyway.

Mentioned before, but UNO is now officially headed to D-2, as soon as the Board of Sups approves the move in their March meeting.

The B1G, doing less with more (people)

The fellas at RBR (with their spiffy new logo) want to remind everyone that bidding on reservation spots for next year's title game in New Orleans is now open.

News from out West: Mitch Mustain was busted for selling fake adderall to the LAPD, DA COACH O is under investigation, and SB Nation's Bruins Nation will not put up with having a Pete Caroll assistant as their new DC.

Condolences to the Georgia family on the loss of UGA VIII.