Jackson Free Press

The Mississippi House again debated a bill aimed at rolling back the powers of the state attorney general. And again, it passed.

The turn this mayoral campaign has taken is extremely frustrating, especially between the Harvey Johnson and Jonathan Lee campaigns. And from where we sit, trying to get out as much accurate information as possible, we see it all. It is one thing to get good, solid public information from a candidate, supporter or anyone as we did last week when we received an envelope of real information about Lee's business issues—which, in turn, a led to a very revealing interview with the candidate, in which we learned that he actually never has been a business owner. The public has the right to know about all of this, and then decide what they think.

But this week, both campaigns have frustrated us. First, the Lee campaign put out a press release (see below) listing several accusations of the Johnson campaign. When our reporter called them to get backup materials, they refused to give us any. I guess we're all supposed to believe it without proof. (See: lesson in that envelope of documents we got last week.)

We're also frustrated with the Johnson campaign over the same press release, though. They put out a press release in response (also quoted in below story) that referred to our story about Lee's business woes and used the fact that Lee is facing those troubles as a response to the allegations?

Huh?

That is not a response. A response would be actual information about the incidents referred to—on which both campaigns failed epicly. It's as if it is a push-and-shove game on a playground. "Oh, yeah?" "Oh, yeah!"

What the public needs is information: documents, links, sources, people will go on the records. It's what we're in the business of doing: gathering and disseminating facts. We cannot legally put out garbage on people and public officials, and the campaigns should not, either. Granted, the Johnson campaign was responding to Lee based on a factual story about his business problems, but a much better response would be information that refuted and/or gave context to the allegations in the email.

Not to mention how many half-baked accusations are flying around; Lee supporters have been especially fond of floating theories to us about the Johnson administration—which none of them bothered to pitch us over the last four years—but then not being able or willing to back them up with documents or people to talk to.

One case in point: a story someone mentioned to me last Sunday; he told us who to call to get details, which we did Monday; he wouldn't talk unless we knew exactly which questions to ask, which we didn't because it's their story tip; the original source then said he'd provide those Wednesday; we didn't hear from him; texted him last night; he texted back this morning with a 90-minute window we could talk to him in; we were on daily deadline and couldn't; now says he's too busy to talk. I told him to call me when he can so we …

The Campaign for Southern Equality just sent this verbatim press statement:

Gay Couple Records Legal Marriage License in Mississippi Creating First Known Public Record of Same-Sex Marriage in State

(March 24, 2014) - On March 24, Anna Guillot and Chrissy Kelly, a same-sex couple, paid $12 to record their legal marriage license at the Rankin County Chancery Clerk’s Office - the first known time that a gay couple has created a public record of their marriage in Mississippi. The couple, who live in Rankin County, were married in New York on July 13, 2012. Their marriage is recognized by the federal government and a growing number of states. However, Mississippi law refuses to recognize same-sex marriage; as a result married couples like Ms. Guillot and Ms. Kelly are regarded as legal strangers in their home state.

“We’re just like anybody else. We love each other and we want to be treated the same as everyone else,” said Ms. Guillot. “We want people to know they are not alone. There are gay couples here in Rankin County,” added Ms. Kelly.

Beginning in 2011, same-sex couples have recorded their legal marriage licenses in North Carolina and Alabama, as part of the Campaign for Southern Equality’s WE DO Campaign, a growing campaign that calls for full equality for LGBT people. “Couples like Anna and Chrissy are doing everything in their power to have their marriage recognized - including creating a public record of their marriage. Now no one can deny the reality of their marriage, their love or their commitment. We are calling for Mississippi to treat LGBT people equally under the law,” says Rev. Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, Executive Director of the Campaign for Southern Equality.

The WE DO Campaign will continue tomorrow morning. At approximately 10 a.m. on March 25th same-sex couples will request marriage licenses at the Hinds County Courthouse. This action will continue weeks of intense focus on LGBT issues in Mississippi, following successful efforts by LGBT rights advocates, including CSE, to strip a proposed legislation (SB 2681) of language that would license discrimination against LGBT individuals.

Amber Kirkendoll, a minister at the Safe Harbor United Church of Christ in Flowood, and her partner Jessica Kirkendoll, are one of the couples who will apply for a marriage license. “We'd like to know that when one of us has an emergency, there will be no questions about the other being by her side. We want to be confident that if ever one of us is unable to make decisions, no questions will arise about who else to turn to. And when asked if we are married, we pray for the day there will be no awkward hesitation, but a very firm and celebratory ‘Yes!’ to anyone who asks!,” says Amber. The Kirkendolls will be joined by other same-sex couples who seek to have their relationships recognized by Mississippi. Clergy, friends and family will stand in support of the couples as they take this action.

Last summer same-sex couples …

Mississippi State University saw its historic baseball season come to a close on Saturday night in a 6-5 loss to the University of Arizona in 11 innings. The Bulldogs won the SEC regular season championship and was named a national seed for the first time in school history.

MSU had little trouble in the four-team regional, which the Bulldogs hosted last weekend. The team was a perfect 3-0 as it cruised to the Super Regionals. Arizona had to battle through the loser's bracket in the Lafayette Regional just to reach this Super Regional.

The Wildcats' pitching was the story in game one of the Super Regional. MSU could only muster five hits in a sensational performance by Arizona pitcher Bobby Dalbec. Arizona got eight and 2/3 innings out of Dolbec, who needed just a run in the sixth inning to secure the win.

Game one saw a 37-minute delay due to a power outage all over the MSU campus. But the stoppage didn’t have any effect on Dolbec, who came out to pitch once power was restored.

The power outage seemed like an exact metaphor for the MSU bats, but maybe it was really just foreshadowing the end of the Bulldogs' season.

MSU had a chance in the ninth inning with two men on and two outs. The Bulldogs' superstar freshman Jake Mangum struck out on three straight pitches, giving the Wildcats a 1-0 win in game one.

In game two, both teams put up a run in the second inning after a scoreless first inning. MSU jumped out to a 2-1 lead in the third inning as the Bulldogs got a run off two errors.

The Bulldogs added to their lead in the top of the fourth when right fielder Brent Rooker hit a solo homerun, giving MSU a 3-1 lead. In the seventh inning, MSU was able to manufacture a run to up the lead to 4-1 over the Wildcats.

Rooker went deep once again in the top of the eighth inning, giving the Bulldogs a huge 5-1 lead and needing only six outs for the win. The bottom of the eighth inning is when things fell apart for MSU.

Arizona quickly got two men on first and second when first baseman Ryan Aguilar blasted a three-run home run, cutting the MSU lead to 5-4. The Bulldogs got out of the eight, but the damage was done, and the momentum had shifted to the Wildcats.

MSU went down in order at the top of the ninth inning. Arizona got a double by Cody Ramer to start off the inning. The Bulldogs got a strikeout by pitcher Reid Humphreys before Alfonso Rivas singled to score Ramer to tie the game at 5-5 to force extra innings.

Neither team was able to muster any offense in the 10th inning, as the score stayed 5-5 heading to the 11th inning. MSU went down in order at the top of the …

Professional wrestling hit one of its high points with the Monday Night Wars between WWE, then known as WWF, and WCW. The battle between the two wrestling federations began in the mid-1990s and ended in 2001, when WWE bought WCW.

This was one of the golden eras in pro wrestling and featured some of the biggest names in the sport, such as Hulk Hogan, the Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin. After WCW folded, the product hasn’t had the same must-see-each-week feel.

During the ratings war between the two companies, WWE started the popular television series “WWE SmackDown.” While one of the wrestling corporation’s other popular offerings, “Monday Night Raw,” premiers live, “SmackDown” has been mostly pre-recorded.

In order to add some new fuel to the WWE’s ratings, “SmackDown” is now shifting to a live format and moving from its traditional Thursday night slot to Tuesday nights on the USA Network. In previous years, “SmackDown” was taped on Tuesday before being shown on Thursday.

This isn’t the first time “SmackDown” has shown live, but it is the program’s first long-term move to the format. While pre-recording shows has been a staple of the wrestling industry for a long time, the Internet has just about put an end to the process.

WWE is going to split their talent between “Raw” and “SmackDown” with a draft. This also isn’t the first time that the company has used a draft to move talent around.

The main problem with the draft is that few big names moved off the flagship show, “Raw.” One to four main-event talents were on “SmackDown,” but they normally showed up on “Raw” anyway.

If the WWE wants to make the now-live “SmackDown” a more successful show, the company will have to do a few things.

First, WWE will need to split the talent as level as possible. “Raw” can’t have all the big names with “SmackDown” getting the crumbs and having to build main-event stars.

Brock Lesnar is a good fit on “Raw” because it is the flagship show, and he has a limited number of appearance dates. John Cena, Randy Orton, AJ Styles or other recognizable names have to move to “SmackDown” to provide star power.

The WWE can and should break up the former members of The Shield. Current champion Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins can bring main-event status on either show. Once Roman Reign’s suspension is over, it might be best to leave him on “Raw.”

Another idea to help “SmackDown” out is to have that show, or as the WWE likes to say, “brand,” draft several NXT wrestlers. NXT is like the WWE minor-league system if you didn’t already know.

NXT performers such as Finn Balor, Samoa Joe and Shinsuke Nakamura would give “SmackDown” a must-see feel for fans who don’t have the WWE Network, which is currently the only way to watch “WWE NXT.”

Those are three of the biggest names …

Dallas Cowboys rookie quarterback Dak Prescott continues to impress people with his play. The former Mississippi State University star picked up another accolade on Monday, Dec. 20, when he was selected to play in the 2017 Pro Bowl.

Prescott replaced the injured Tony Romo and has led Dallas to an NFC-best 12-2 record. The Cowboys are tied with the New England Patriots for best record in the NFL.

Prescott has thrown for 3,418 yards while completing 292 passes out of 431 attempts with 20 touchdowns and four interceptions. He has rushed for 238 yards on 52 carries with six touchdowns and four lost fumbles.

While breaking records and playing the most scrutinized position for one of the most scrutinized teams, Prescott has completed 67.7 percent of his passes with a quarterback rating of 103.2 during his 14 starts.

Prescott has only lost to the New York Giants twice during his short time as the Cowboys starter. He struggled against the Giants in a 10-7 loss, which is when he had his first two-interception game of his career.

His rookie struggles led to talking heads debating whether Romo should start. The former Bulldog shut down talk of anyone replacing him when he threw for 279 yards on 32 of 36 passing with one rushing touchdown.

Prescott hit a rookie wall in early December but is now bursting through it in late December. Prescott’s and fellow rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott’s plays are a major reason for the Dallas turnaround, as the team went 4-12 last season.

Former MSU teammate Fletcher Cox will join Prescott on the NFC Pro Bowl roster. The Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle has been a solid star and budding superstar since he was drafted with the 12th overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.

This season Cox has totaled 37 total tackles, 23 solo tackles, 6.5 sacks, two passes defended and one forced fumble. He has started 14 games and is two away from starting 16 for the fourth straight season at the defensive line.

During his five-year career, Cox has amassed 249 total tackles, 182 solo tackles, 28.5 sacks, nine passes defended and six forced fumbles. The former MSU star is working on what could end up being a Hall of Fame career.

Three other former Bulldogs were named as alternates to the Pro Bowl. If an injury keeps a player out of the game or if players selected for the game end up in the Super Bowl, they don’t play in the game, Detroit Lions cornerback Darius Slay and Seattle Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright could end up on the NFC team, and Oakland Raiders offensive guard Gabe Jackson could end up on the AFC team

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is one of the biggest Pro Bowl snubs this year. Despite leading the league in passing yards and touchdowns, Brees isn’t on the roster or listed as an alternate. …

Even if you don’t follow sports, you’ve probably heard of the 1980 Olympics’ “Miracle on Ice” at some point. A group of young American hockey players took down one of the best hockey teams in the world in the USSR.

What you might not know is that the game against the USSR wasn’t even for the gold medal. The U.S. team still had to play Finland to win the gold, but the game against the USSR is so steeped in lore most just believe it was for the gold.

That USSR team was cloaked in an aura of invincibility. It was a team that reached mythic status even as they still played the game. The country had already beaten many teams before the U.S. stepped on the ice against them.

Why is a game hockey at the end of March so important with no Winter Olympics in sight? If you think about it, the “Miracle on Ice” and the Final Four game that the Mississippi State University women’s basketball team will play on Friday, March 31, are similar.

MSU will face the University of Connecticut, which compares well to that USSR team. The Russians were considered the best in the world and so are the Huskies.

The USSR dominated their sport, even beating the NHL All-Stars 6-0 a year before the Olympics. Connecticut has won 111 straight games and is making its 10th straight Final Four, but the Bulldogs are making their first appearance.

In the 1980 Olympics, the USSR crushed most of the other teams in the tournament in the run-up before facing the Americans. The team had close games against Canada and Finland, but the Russians still won easily.

In the Final Four, UConn is normally in the midst of a blowout before halftime of nearly every game it has played. The closest game the Huskies have played is a 15-point victory over the University of California, Los Angeles.

The Huskies beat many teams that step on the court before the opening tip because UConn possesses the same aura and mystique that the USSR displayed. It is easy to see why since the Huskies have won the past four straight national championships and six of the last eight.

Going into the 1980 Olympics, the USSR had won four straight Olympics, the World Championship and the World Cup. People considered the Russians, like UConn today, nearly unbeatable.

Before the Olympics, the U.S. and the USSR played each other in a game where the Russians won 10-3, as the opposition starstuck the Americans. MSU might not have been starstruck, but they were beaten 98-38 in the Sweet Sixteen last year.

U.S. hockey coach Herb Brooks knew he had to break that aura and mystique the Russians held over his players. He began to compare great USSR player Boris Mikhailov to comedy legend Stan Laurel of the comedy duo Laurel and Hardy.

MSU …

College football is less than 100 days from kickoff at the Division I level. As we head into June, it won’t be long before teams in the FBS and FCS begin practicing for season openers.

This year’s opening weekend doesn’t have quite the same jam-packed schedule as last season, but it isn’t terrible. There will be plenty of juicy matchups for fans to feast on.

Before looking at games from across the country, let’s look at those involving teams from our state on the first weekend of the season.

Jackson State University will hit the road to face a tough test in Texas Christian University. The Tigers will have to find away to slow down TCU’s high-powered offense. A JSU upset would be one of the biggest early-season stories.

Alcorn State University will have a much easier opening game against Miles College out of Division II. This game will start the Braves’ quest to play in a fourth straight SWAC Championship Game.

Mississippi Valley State University will go on the road to face one of the top teams at the FCS level, North Dakota State University. The Delta Devils will face a major test in week one, as the Bison have been racking up national titles lately.

The University of Mississippi Rebels will open the season knowing two things: They aren’t going to a bowl game, and their first foe has won at an SEC school before. The University of South Alabama pulled off a major upset against Mississippi State University last season. Things in Oxford would go from bad to worse in football if the Jaguars can trip up the Rebels.

Mississippi State opens the season against FCS foe Charleston Southern University. If the Bulldogs are going to prove that they are better than the 2016 team, they need to put this game away quickly.

One of the best opening-weekend games last season was the University of Kentucky hosting the University of Southern Mississippi. The Wildcats jumped out to a huge lead before the Golden Eagles stormed back for the victory. This year, the game is in Hattiesburg, and for neutral fans, a copy of the 2016 game would be a treat.

There are also some games that won’t involve teams from our state that should be enjoyable viewing. These games are in no particular order.

The University of Texas will host the University of Maryland in a Big 12-Big Ten matchup. This game means more to the Longhorns, who want to get back to being national-title contenders.

My opening-weekend bet for an FCS member to upset an FBS member is Eastern Washington University over Texas Tech University. If only this game were being played on the red field of Eastern Washington, all the black and red wore by both teams would murder the eyes.

Last year’s Heisman Trophy winner, Lamar Jackson, will begin his bid to become the second man to win the award twice …