Jackson Free Press

I correctly picked 16 of 19 games last week but I also had my first missed picked involving a Mississippi team. That brings my season record to 32-5 so far this young season, which isn't too bad if I say so myself.

So, I had Millsaps beating Mary Hardin-Baylor and go undefeated. That picked looked good when the game was tied 7-7 late in the first quarter. Then Mary Hardin-Baylor dropped 36 unanswered points on the Majors and pick was done. Millsaps faced one of the toughest teams in Division III and losing is not something to be ashamed of and the team can still have a strong season.

I picked Stanford to win over USC but then the Cardinal did everything they could possibly do to lose the game. Stanford punted deep in Trojan territory several times instead of rolling the dice and going for it. If the Cardinal wasn't punting when knocking on the USC door, they had penalties that killed drives and took scores off the board.

The strangest thing was USC Athletic Director Pat Haden coming down to the field help argue a call because head coach Steve Sarkisian asked him to come help him. No coach should ever call his AD down to the field over calls and someone as respected as Haden never should have come down.

It just looks bad for everyone involved. I don't think it will have any baring on Haden being on the playoff selection committee because he would have to recuse if USC was in the discussion. It was smart of the committee to set up the recusal system before the season before this incident happened.

My last incorrect pick was Michigan State over Oregon. That picked looked good in the third quarter then it looked like the roles sudden reversed. The Ducks had the relentless hard charging defense and the Spartans looked lost and slow on defense.

Oregon scored 28 unanswered points to win the game and they did pretty much what every they wanted on offense and defense while taking control of the game. Michigan State tackled poorly on defense and compounded their poor tackling with even poor coverage.

Stanford plays a similar style to Michigan State and had beaten the Ducks in their last few meetings. Oregon beating the Spartans might mean they have figured out how to go toe to toe with other more physical teams.

This week, Delta State is off and it would be a shame not to mention the Statesmen going on the road and demolishing Fort Valley State University. Delta State routed FVSU for a 56-13 win to get the season off on a nice foot. Now the Statesmen have two week to prepare for Valdosta State.

Be for getting to this weeks picks, here is something to keep an eye on for the rest of the season. Could BYU crash the playoff party. The Cougars are 3-0 after getting past Houston …

It was a bloodbath for my picks in week one. I scratched and clawed my way to ten correct picks. TEN! That is good enough to get in the playoffs most seasons but instead I felt like the 2013 Arizona Cardinals after the week was over.

I was just one game above .500 to start the season. That puts me in a hole early.

Here is what I missed:

I picked the Saints over the Falcons but how was I supposed to know that the New Orleans 2012 defense would show up against Matt Ryan and the Falcons. Either Atlanta is really going to bounce back this season or the Saints are really going to struggle. Saints fans hope last Sunday was an aberration.

It was a toss up between the Rams and Vikings. Matt Cassel versus Shun Hill quarterback battle didn't inspire confidence in either choice. Cassel and the Vikings pounded the Rams as Hill went out with an injury and former Southern Miss quarterback Austin Davis didn't have any better luck.

So the Bills outlasted the Bears and I took Chicago. Buffalo is forced three turnovers making me wonder if the Bears are going to be a contender with Jay Cutler at quarterback. Chicago should be a better team than Buffalo. Maybe the Bills will be the surprise team of 2014.

I thought Washington would be a better team this season than Houston. Sure, there is a quarterback controversy building in Washington but Robert Griffin III should be a much better choice than Ryan Fitzpatrick. The Texans defense dominated the game and Fitzpatrick managed the game and made plays when he had to make them. If RG3 play doesn't improve quickly it, he could be on the bench in favor of Kirk Cousins.

Jake Locker out-dueled Alex Smith making my pick of the Chiefs over the Titans. Smith was Kansas City's leading rusher against Tennessee which is a bad sign. The Chiefs looked like they were ready to turn the corner and be a contender but maybe they were just a product of a weak schedule last season. If Locker can stay healthy it looks like the Titans might have some hope in the AFC South.

I totally blew the Patriots over the Dolphins. New England's offensive line was dreadful against the Miami. Brady had little to no time each time he dropped back to pass and there was zero running game. I don't think I have ever seen an offensive line play that badly after the team traded away a guard. Is the Patriots run finally coming to end? Is Miami, New York or Buffalo ready to take over the AFC East?

The first week is always tough to make picks. Week two isn't a cakewalk as teams that lost in week one know they need to bounce back quickly. Teams know going 0-2 means they need to throw the kitchen sink at their opponents the next two weeks. …

The Saints stayed perfect on the preseason with a 23-17 win over the Colts. New Orleans dominated the first half as Drew Brees saw action for the first time in the preseason.

Indianapolis couldn't get much going on offense and the Saints defense played pretty well the whole game. The Colts played their starters into the third quarter but New Orleans had pulled most their starters by halftime.

As always, the score doesn't matter in the preseason, so here are my quick thoughts:

Brees looks rusty but good

Drew Brees only played one quarter and completed 9 of 15 passes for 128 yards with two touchdowns. Yes, Brees was impressive but he also had some under throws, he almost threw an interception and had a few throws he would like to have back.

Still even a rusty Brees is better than half the starting quarterbacks in the league. And that is way Brees will be wearing a gold jacket when his career has been over for five years.

Rushing attack

New Orleans had a strong rushing attack tonight. The team rushed for 125 yards at halftime but 35 of those yards came from three rushes by backup quarter Luke McCown and Brees add another 10 yards on one rush.

Mark Ingram, Khiry Robinson and Pierre Thomas combined to rush for 80 yards on 19 carries. The rushing attack allowed Brees to take advantage of play action passes. Thomas was also the leading receiver on the night with 66 yards on four catches.

The Saints finished with 160 yards rushing but the offense struggled in the second half. Not a bad night on the ground as it looks like New Orleans is going to commit to the run a little more this season.

Great defense

New Orleans played pretty tough defense most of the night. The Saints either forced a field goal or punt most of the night.

Indianapolis scored their first touchdown because of sloppy play by the Saints defenders by miss tackles and committing penalties to keep the Colts drive alive. New Orleans busted coverage to lead a wide open receiver to tie the game at 7-7.

After that score the Saints defense shut down the Colts until the early fourth quarter. Indianapolis used a big run and a big pass to score their second touchdown of the night.

New Orleans had two goal line stands. The Saints forced a field goal during one goal line stand and stuffed the Colts offense on four down on their other goal line stand.

The Saints even forced a turnover after third string quarterback Ryan Griffin threw an interception. Brian Dixon returned the favor back using tight coverage to get his own interception.

If I was giving the New Orleans defense a grade, I would have to say they were a B+ tonight overall.

Penalties, penalties and more penalties

It was another game filled with penalties for the …

When you’re the defending national champions, everyone expects you to defend your title. Even the conference media.

As SEC Football Media Days came to an end today, the media predicted the University of Alabama to not only win the SEC West but reign as conference champions once again. Last year’s playoff winners were picked by a wide margin to win both the West and conference.

The Crimson Tide received 2,220 total votes to win the West, with 246 first-place votes. The Tide received 223 points to finish as conference champion.

Schools were awarded points on a seven to one scale.

The University of Tennessee is picked to win the SEC East with 2,167 total points and 225 first-place votes, but with 29 points, the Volunteers were picked third to finish as SEC champion. Louisiana State University is picked to finish behind Alabama to win the West with 1,984 total points and 76 first-place votes, and as SEC Champions with 59 points.

Defending SEC East champion University of Florida is picked to finish second in the East with 1,891 total points and 57 first-place votes. The Gators were picked fifth with five points to finish as SEC champions.

The University of Georgia is picked to finish third in the east with 1,860 total points and 45 first-place votes. In a strange twist, the Bulldogs were picked fourth with seven points to be SEC champions.

Rounding out the East is the University of Kentucky for fourth place with 933 total points but no first-place votes; Vanderbilt University for fifth place with 810 total points and two first-place votes; University of Missouri for sixth place with 807 total points and no first-place votes; and South Carolina University in last with 800 total points and two first-place votes.

Behind Alabama and LSU in the West is the University of Mississippi, picked to finish third with 1,479 total points and five first place votes; Texas A&M University, picked to finish fourth with 1,130 total points and three first-place votes; University of Arkansas, picked to finish fifth with 1,047 total points and one first-place vote; Auburn University, picked to finish sixth with 890 total points and no first-place votes; and Mississippi State University, picked to finish last with 510 total votes and no first-place votes.

Finishing out the picks for SEC champions is UM with four points and Texas A&M, South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Arkansas with one point. Mississippi State, Auburn, Kentucky and Missouri received no votes to win the SEC championship.

There is a ray of sunshine for fans who don’t like how the media predicted this season. Only five times—Florida in 1994, 1995 and 2008, LSU in 2007, and Alabama in 2014—in the last 24 years has the media correctly picked the SEC champion.

A record 331 media members in attendance took part in the vote. The preseason All-SEC will be released on Friday.

Eastern Division (first place votes in parentheses)

School Points

The New Orleans Saints are trying to fix a defense that was terrible last season. It was one of the worst in the history of the NFL, but this preseason was a chance to improve the unit.

The defense wasn’t completely horrible in the first preseason game against the New England Patriots, but four turnovers by the offense put it in bad spots. In all, the defense gave up 18 of the Patriots’ 34 points, but New England’s two touchdown drives needed just seven plays total.

Big plays hurt the defense, including a 44-yard run and a 56-yard pass in the loss. New Orleans failed to force a turnover and only had two sacks that night.

As New Orleans tries to rebuild the defense, some bad luck hit the unit on Monday, Aug. 15. During goal-line drills, first-round pick and 12th pick overall Sheldon Rankins went down with a broken fibula.

The injury will cause the potential star defensive tackle to miss six to eight weeks. Rankins had surgery to repair the injury on Tuesday, Aug. 16, and could return before the midpoint of the regular season.

Drafted out of the University of Louisville, Rankins had already shown the athleticism that made him a top-15 pick. He even intercepted Tom Brady during joint practices with the Patriots.

He was working with the first-team defense and had shown the normal growth of a rookie with good days and plays and bad days and plays during the early portion of training camp. Rankins was expected to play a big part in the rebirth of the Saints defense this season.

Now, New Orleans will need to get even better play from free agent pickup Nick Fairley. So far in camp, Fairley has been a bright spot and was expected to rotate behind Rankins.

The defensive tackle isn’t the only injury to the Saints defense this preseason. Second-year pass rusher Hau’oli Kikaha suffered a knee injury earlier this summer that could keep him off the field all season.

Linebacker Stephone Anthony injured his leg last week but is expected to return for week one of the regular season. The secondary has banged up players such as Keenan Lewis, who has a hip injury.

The worst part of Rankins’ injury is that he will miss valuable practice time to develop as a rookie. He can watch film and practice, but there is nothing like learning during practice, drills and preseason games.

New Orleans isn’t the only club to have its first-round pick lose time this preseason. So far, 10 of the 32 first-round picks have missed time dealing with some sort of injury.

Four of the top five picks have been hit with the injury bug at some point, and so has former University of Mississippi defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche.

Injuries are a part of football, and everyone else on the Saints defense will have to step up …

This week could end up being extremely fruitful for the New Orleans Saints. If there was ever a week to catch up in the NFC South and the playoff race, it is this week.

At 5-6, New Orleans sits two wins behind the 7-4 Atlanta Falcons, who lead the NFC South, and a game behind the 6-5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Atlanta hosts the 8-3 Kansas Chiefs out of the AFC West, and Tampa Bay travels to face the San Diego Chargers, also out of the AFC West.

The Chiefs are solidly in the playoff picture and battling with the Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos for the division title. San Diego is still alive in the AFC playoff picture but can’t afford to lose many more games.

If both the Falcons and the Buccaneers lose this weekend, New Orleans would move into a tie with Tampa Bay and end up just a game behind Atlanta. The Saints need to beat the Detroit Lions at home this Sunday, Dec. 4.

New Orleans must gain ground this week on Atlanta. The Falcons, after playing the Chiefs, face the 4-7 Los Angeles Rams, the 1-10 San Francisco 49ers, the 4-7 Carolina Panthers and the Saints to end the season.

Atlanta has a chance to win every game and the division, but if New Orleans can win out and get a little help from another team, the Saints could win the division. There is little room for error, but the Saints could be peaking right now.

New Orleans has played vastly better on defense over the past two months and is getting healthier by the day. The Saints’ offense has been its normal explosive self but needs to cut down on turnovers.

Catching Tampa Bay will be easier for New Orleans. The Buccaneers, after playing the Chargers, face the Saints, the 10-1 Dallas Cowboys, Saints (again) and Carolina.

If New Orleans can sweep the Buccaneers and get some help from, say, the Cowboys, then the Saints would easily pass Tampa Bay. The Saints would need help to get in the wildcard picture, with the New York Giants, the Washington Redskins, the Buccaneers and the Minnesota Vikings ahead of the team.

Dallas could really help New Orleans out with games against the Vikings, Giants, Redskins and Buccaneers, but New Orleans needs to keep winning, as well.

New Orleans just has to win its remaining six games, and the playoffs should be in reach. One loss might not hurt but more than one could end any postseason hopes.

The Saints will have something else to play for this weekend, too. Head coach Sean Payton is tied with Jim Mora for most wins in franchise history. Both coaches have 93 wins, and a victory over the Lions will mean that Payton has the most wins of any head coach in Saints history.

It would seem fitting to reach the …

While we wait to hear about a possible deal between the New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots for cornerback Malcolm Butler, the Saints still are working on fixing their defense, which was one of the worst in the league. It has gotten linebacker help with the poaching of former Carolina Panthers linebacker A.J. Klein.

New Orleans signed former San Diego Chargers linebacker Manti Te’o to a two-year deal. No financial details have been released, but it seems like a good bet that the Saints got a good deal.

Te’o missed 13 games last season after tearing his Achilles tendon in week three of the season in a game against the Indianapolis Colts. The 26-year-old has spent a good deal of time on the injury list, as he has missed 26 games in his four-year career.

He is an impact player on defense and started 34 out of 38 games, when healthy, for the Chargers. After San Diego drafted him in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft, the linebacker amassed 221 tackles, 2 interceptions and 1.5 sacks. Te’o was named co-captain of the Chargers for the 2016-2017 season.

New Orleans is starting to get a logjam at linebacker with Te’o, Klein and returning starter Craig Robinson, who all play inside linebacker. The Saints could try to move one player to outside linebacker, but will Te’o have the speed after the Achilles injury?

The Saints, barring another trade, still have two first-round draft picks to use in late April. New Orleans is making an effort to improve its defensive unit.

Te’o was a star at the University of Notre Dame and led his team during his senior season of 2012 to the national championship game. He finished second for the Heisman Trophy that season.

Casual fans might remember the linebacker being misled in one of the more public versions of “catfishing” (when someone pretends to be someone else on the Internet and enters in online relationships with others. MTV produces a show on the subject.)

The linebacker thought he was having an online relationship with a woman, but in truth the woman wasn’t real, and he was being deceived. Things got worse. He told people that his girlfriend, who wasn’t real, had died. In real life, his grandmother had died around the same time.

It was one of the more bizarre sports stories in the last few years. Many believed the linebacker was in on the hoax until it was proven that he had been tricked.

Since entering the league, Te’o hasn’t be involved in any strange stories. The only time he makes the news is for playing or being hurt.

New Orleans doesn’t have to worry about him bring bad press because he has been drama free since joining the league four years ago. But the hoax of a fake-dead girlfriend might be what the public eventually remembers about the linebacker.

If you are not busy this Saturday with holiday shopping or events, it will be a great day to watch the first bowl games of the season. And don’t worry—all of them are worthy background noise if you are partying or decorating.

The day begins with the Celebration Bowl at 11 a.m. between SWAC champion Grambling State University and MEAC champion North Carolina Central University on ABC. At 1 p.m., switch to ESPN for the New Mexico Bowl between the University of New Mexico and the University of Texas, San Antonio.

If the New Mexico Bowl can’t keep your attention, flip back to ABC at 2:30 p.m. for the Las Vegas Bowl, which features the University of Houston against San Diego State University. Two games are at 4:30 p.m. with the Camellia Bowl between Appalachian State University and the University of Toledo on ESPN and the Cure Bowl between the University of Central Florida and Arkansas State University on the CBS Sports Network.

But you will want to be in front of the TV for the bowl nightcap between the University of Southern Mississippi and the University of Louisiana-Lafayette in the New Orleans Bowl at 9 p.m. on ESPN. With both teams being fairly close to the city, this should have one of the best atmospheres of the early bowls.

Louisiana-Lafayette is in its fifth New Orleans Bowl (the only bowl the program has ever been played in team history) and is 4-0 in this game. The Ragin’ Cajuns have won those four games with a combined 27 points, so expect this game to be close.

Southern Miss is making its fifth appearance in this bowl but first since a 42-32 loss to Middle Tennessee State University there in 2009, the Golden Eagles haven’t had their heads in the bowl game. USM is 3-1 in the New Orleans Bowl and has won by an average of 12 points in its three victories.

Both these teams enter this game with 6-6 records and were up and down throughout the season. The winner will be the team that feels it has the most motivation, but a winning season should propel that team in the recruiting and for the next season.

Louisiana-Lafayette began the season at 2-1 before five of its next seven games but rallied to win its last two, which made the team become bowl eligible. USM started 4-1 on the season but lost five of its next six games before defeating Louisiana Tech University and becoming bowl eligible.

Don’t look for defense to be on display in this game. USM is giving up an average of 30.3 points per game for a 81st national ranking, and ULL allows 25.1 points per game for 59th.

Both teams’ offenses should provide plenty of fireworks. The Ragin’ Cajuns score 25.8 points per game for No. 92 in the country, and the Golden Eagles put up 33.8 …

Football returns on Sunday with the Hall of Fame game between the Arizona Cardinals and New Orleans Saints. The Saints finally get to play football after a tremulous offseason that included a prolonged contract dispute with quarterback Drew Brees and the bounty gate scandal.

This game will be the first game of head coach Sean Payton’s yearlong suspension due to bounty gate. The Hall of Fame game also marks the debut of Steve Spagnuolo's defense.

Before the game, here is a look at five things to watch during the game:

Saints offense on third down and goal line

This will be something to watch all preseason long. When the Saints offense reaches third down and/or the goal line, the effects of Payton’s suspension might hit New Orleans the hardest.

Payton’s play calling helped the Saint offense stay at its high-powered best -- but his best play calls came when the Saints reached third down or the goal line. Brees will be able to carry Payton’s thought process onto the field, but it will not be the same as having Payton on the sideline looking at the play sheet and having his unique feel for calling games.

Offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. will take over the play calling duties, as he did when Payton broke his leg last season. The Saints offense struggled at times in Payton’s absence, suffering two of their three losses last season after the injury.

How the Saints offense converts third downs and goal line situations in the preseason could be a key indicator to how the New Orleans offense will operate during the regular season. While Brees is directing the first team offense, play-calling in key situations is must watch.

Another effect of Payton’s suspension will be gamble plays -- like going for it on fourth down either for a score or a first down -- and gutsy calls like the on-side kick from the Super Bowl. It will not be until the regular season that New Orleans would feel the pain of not having their riverboat gambler head coach making big calls.

Saints’ defense

As discussed above, Steve Spagnuolo takes over the defensive coordinator job after Greg Williams moved on to St. Louis Rams for the same position (Williams was later suspended for the year for bounty gate). Spagnuolo is taking over the New Orleans defensive unit after he was fired as head coach of the Rams.

As defensive coordinator for the New York Giants, Spagnuolo became a head coaching candidate after his defense held the record-setting New England Patriots offense to just 14 points in Super Bowl XLII.

Much like former defensive coordinator Greg Williams, Spagnuolo uses a base 4-3 defense. Spagnuolo will blitz, but not as much as Williams did. He will also try to disguise his blitzes more than Williams did.

In the NFL, it can take a year to two years before a defense learns the ins and outs of a defensive scheme. Learning assignments and executing those …

This is one of my favorite weeks in sports with the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Four and WrestleMania held on the same weekend. Looking at the card for WrestleMania 33, it could be a dud, but the in-ring action may surpass expectations, depending on the angles that the company wants to go with post-show.

If you checked out The Slate in the Jackson Free Press this week, there is a tease about a future president taking part in a past WrestleMania. No, not The Rock, although he might one day run for the office, and he has the charisma and charm to win.

WrestleMania 23 took place at Ford Field in Detroit on April 1, 2007, and while it wasn’t the greatest “showcase of the immortals,” it wasn’t horrible and does have an interesting place the event’s history.

In the run-up to the event, WWE owner Vince McMahon entered into a feud with longtime friend Donald Trump. This feud started when Trump interrupted McMahon on “Monday Night Raw,” stealing the WWE chairman’s spotlight and laying the groundwork for their future match.

This wasn’t the first time Trump ended up as part of McMahon’s traveling show. Trump signed a deal to have Trump Plaza sponsor WrestleMania IV and WrestleMania V, even though the events took place at Atlantic City Convention Hall, now known as Boardwalk Hall.

In WrestleMania history, this is still the only time that the event took place in the same location in back-to-back years. Trump was in the crowd as a fan at WrestleMania VII and WrestleMania XX, making him a fixture at the event four times before the 23rd “show of shows.”

At WrestleMania 23, the Trump-McMahon match was billed as the “Battle of the Billionaires.” So what would these so-called billionaires battle over but hair-vs.-hair, with the loser having his head shaved? What else would the two battle over if not their locks?

Instead of fighting each other, the two men chose proxies to fight in their place, with Trump picking ECW champion Bobby Lashley and McMahon going with Intercontinental champion Umaga. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin came in as a special guest referee for the match to add more sizzle.

Interesting fact: McMahon wanted Hulk Hogan to be Trump’s pick for the match as a callback to WrestleMania III, but money issues between the two kept the Hulkster from taking part in the event.

As for the match, it isn’t a classic for its in-ring work, but Stone Cold handed out his signature move, the “stunner,” to McMahon’s son, Shane, after he entered the match when Umaga had “knocked out” Austin. That set the IC champ up for the finish with a stunner from Austin and a pin by Lashley.

After the match, Trump, Lashley and Austin helped shaved McMahon, and as it turned out, Vince, with no hair, has the tiniest head in the history of wrestling. Stone Cold did his normal post-match …

New Orleans just did a major solid for ESPN. Breaking news this morning, Tuesday, April 25, is that is the Saints are signing former Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson.

It just so happens that the Saints travel to Minnesota in week one of the 2017 NFL season. That game will also be the first in a double-header for Monday Night Football on ESPN. The “worldwide leader” network now can hype the hell out of Peterson facing his former team to get eyeballs on a game that starts at 6 p.m.

New Orleans ends up with a future Hall of Fame running back on a team-friendly two-year deal. Peterson disclosed the details of the deal, which will pay him just $3.5 million this season between a $1-million salary and $2.5 million signing bonus. The whole $3.5 million is guaranteed for this season at signing.

The second year of the contract is also for $3.5 million, but none of it is guaranteed for the 2018 season. If Peterson is with the Saints, he will make $2.4 million in a roster bonus that includes $750,000 guaranteed on the third day of free agency plus $1.65 million per game, $1.05 million in salary and a $50,000 workout bonus.

Before signing with the Saints, some media sources suggested that Peterson wanted $8 million a year, which the running back debunked, and other reports said the running back wanted $4 million to $6 million per year or $5 million to play this season.

New Orleans got the 32 year old for less than any of the reports that were out in March. Peterson is the 22nd-highest-paid running back behind 33-year-old Indianapolis Colt Frank Gore, who is making $4 million this season. Peterson is also making less than the Saints’ No. 1 running back, Mark Ingram.

Peterson went on the market after the Vikings decided not to pick up an $18-million team option on the running back. It took Peterson two months to find a new team, and with the upcoming draft featuring a strong class of running backs, it seemed like he might not find a new home until after the draft.

Peterson is second on the active list of running backs with 11,747 yards for 16th on the all-time rushing list, again behind Gore, who has amassed 13,065 yards and is 8th on the all-time rushing list.

Peterson missed most of last season with injuries, and in 2014, he missed time due to a suspension. However, he has proven his value on a few times in recent years. He rushed for 2,097 yards in 2012, earning the MVP Award for that season, and he rushed for 1,485 yards to lead the league during the 2015 season, as he has fought back Father Time.

This won’t be the first time Peterson has played with a Hall of Fame-worthy quarterback. While in Minnesota, he teamed with quarterback …

The old cliché that records are made to be broken just seems just perfect for sports. Nothing gets the fans attention more than when a seemingly untouchable record gets threatened or out and out broken.

Everyone pays more attention when an NFL team is undefeated near the end of the season to see if that squad can match the 1972 Miami Dolphins, when a hitter in Major League Baseball gets near Joe Dimaggio's 56-game hit streak, or when a horse wins the first two legs of the Triple Crown, like American Pharoah did last year.

Now that the NBA season is coming to a close, it is time for us sports fans to cast our attention to a potential record that could fall this season. The Golden State Warriors are now officially knocking down the door of matching or surpassing the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls.

Those Bulls did what seemed impossible, as they became the first team to win 70 games in a season. In fact, they won 72 games and lost just 10 games. That team is the standard to which every great team since in the NBA is judged.

The 1995-96 Chicago Bulls featured Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and the enigma Dennis Rodman, who all went on to enter the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. But the Bulls also had great role players in Toni Kukoc, Luc Longley, Ron Harper and Steve Kerr that season.

Interestingly enough, Kerr is the head coach for Golden State in its march toward the Bulls’ record. It seems fitting that a link to that great Chicago team would have ties to the Warriors squad that could steal the Bulls’ crown.

The Warriors have played 74 games this season and have eight games to go before they finish the full 82-game season. Golden State is one game ahead of where Chicago at this same point.

Through 74 games, the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls had a sensational 66-8 overall record. Golden State currently owns a 67-7 overall record as they enter play against the Utah Jazz tonight, March 30.

Chicago fell to the Charlotte Hornets by just a single point in game 75, making it the ninth loss of that fantastic season. If Golden State wins tonight, it would put the team two wins ahead of the Bulls’ pace.

The Warriors have yet to lose back-to-back games all season long, and the Bulls lost back-to-back games just once during their record setting season. Golden State jumped off to a 24-0 start to begin the season, which was better than Chicago’s 22-2 start in 1995.

If Golden State is going to get the record, the team will have earned it. In the Warriors’ final eight games, they will face just one team that is currently not in the playoffs and has a under .500 record —the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Warriors get the 37-37 Jazz on the road before returning home for five games. In that five …

Players’ dreams of taking the field in the NFL live on even if they don’t hear their names called in the NFL Draft. Those athletes still have a chance to make the roster of a professional team, but the road is harder.

Each year after the draft, teams scramble to sign the best available players who were not drafted. One major difference is that these players can choose their teams.

If two or more teams are after the services of a player, then he can decide which team to sign with as an undrafted free agent. An athlete who has teams bidding over his services also has the option of playing for whichever team is the better fit for his talents, gives him a better chance to make the team or offers him more money.

Undrafted free agents sometimes come into camp with a bit of a chip on their shoulders, looking to prove that teams should have drafted them. Players who mope about not being drafted are going to get shown the door rather quickly.

There have been several players who once were undrafted free agents and went on to have productive—and in 15 cases Hall of Fame-worthy—careers. The list includes Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates, former New Orleans Saints linebacker and Hall of Famer Sam Mills and possible future Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner.

An undrafted free agent can even make the biggest game-changing play in the Super Bowl. In 2015, Vicksburg native and University of West Alabama star Malcolm Butler sealed the New England Patriots’ Super Bowl victory over the Seattle Seahawks with an interception at the goal line.

Six former Mississippi State University have signed as undrafted free agents. The Cincinnati Bengals signed defensive lineman Ryan Brown, the New England Patriots signed wide receiver De’Runnya Wilson, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed guard Justin Malone, the Indianapolis Colts signed punt and kickoff returner Devon Bell, the Chicago Bears signed cornerback Taveze Calhoun, and the Green Bay Packers signed linebacker Beniquez Brown.

The University of Mississippi had five former players sign undrafted-free-agent contracts. The Patriots signed a pair of former UM players in defensive tackle Woodrow Hamilton and linebacker CJ Johnson, the Jacksonville Jaguars signed cornerback Mike Hilton, the New Orleans Saints signed cornerback Trae Elston, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed defensive lineman Channing Ward.

On a side note, the New England Patriots love players from Mississippi. Not only do they sign undrafted free agents from our state, but they have also drafted players from our universities, players with ties to Mississippi high-school football and athletes who played junior-college football in this state.

Two former University of Southern Mississippi players earned contracts as undrafted free agents so far this year. Jacksonville signed offensive tackle Rashod Hill, and the Oakland Raiders signed running back Jalen Richard.

A few undrafted free agents also come from Mississippi’s smaller universities. Former Alcorn State University star …

Malik Newman tested the NBA Draft waters and has decided that he didn’t like his current chances. The current Mississippi State University player and former Callaway High School star has decided to withdraw from the draft.

Newman still decided to drop out after working out for the New York Knicks yesterday. He also worked out for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Brooklyn Nets.

Today is the final day that players who haven’t signed with an agent can withdraw from the draft and return to school. Anyone who doesn’t withdraw forfeits their college eligibility and will remain in the draft.

Newman was one of the top players in the country coming out of high school. The popular thought was that he would showcase his skills for one college season before jumping to the NBA.

But things didn’t go as planned. He was hit with injuries and was inconsistent on the court. During his first season at MSU, Newman averaged 11.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. He also had 1.9 turnovers per game and shot just 39.1 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from the three-point line.

Still, even after an up-and-down freshman season, Newman was right to take advantage of the new rule that allows players to go to the NBA Combine.

Several blogs reported that Newman shot the ball well during shooting drills on day one of the event, but he didn’t stand out during the team drills. Mock drafts had Newman anywhere from being a late second-round pick to being undrafted.

Coming back to school isn’t the worst thing for Newman. He can use his time at college to better his game and still test the NBA waters after next season. Under the current rules, he can declare for the draft for three seasons (freshman, sophomore, junior) and go back to school if he doesn’t sign with an agent.

Where he will play next season might be the next question. ESPN, citing multiple sources, says Newman may transfer to another Division I school after being unhappy in his role under first-year coach Ben Howland.

If Newman does transfer to another Division I, he will have to sit out a year due to NCAA rules. That would likely mean he would have to wait two years before giving the NBA Draft another try.

MSU has another highly talented class—in most cases considered a top 10 class—coming in next season. Newman could also decide to stay with the Bulldogs and be part of a major turn around.

No matter where Newman ends up, he will have to put his NBA dreams on hold for at least one more year.

Can you believe that college football is less than three months away?

While there are still some great sporting events this summer, such as the Rio Olympics, it is never too early to begin your plan to consume the opening five days of college football.

Some great games will open the season, and all six major programs in our state could end up with some type of viewing availability. Opening weekend begins on Thursday, Sept. 1, and ends on Monday, Sept. 5, with a huge Labor Day showdown.

Jackson State University will kickoff the season on Thursday on the road against the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The kickoff for that game hasn’t been set and neither has any type of TV channel. There is a good chance this game will be streamed by some source, like on the UNLV site.

The only other game to get really excited about on Thursday is the matchup between the University of South Carolina and Vanderbilt University at 6 p.m. on ESPN. If you want other options, other games, such as Indiana University Bloomington at Florida International University and Appalachian State University at the University of Tennessee, will be on TV.

SWACtion meets MACtion on Friday as Mississippi Valley State University travels to Eastern Michigan University. This game was moved from Saturday to Friday, and the kickoff has yet to be announced. It could end up streaming on ESPN3 or another source.

Other Friday games to sink your teeth into are Colorado State University at the University of Colorado Boulder on ESPN, Kansas State University at Stanford University on FS1 and the University of California at the University of Hawaii. Another game of note is Baylor University opening the season at home against Northwestern State University.

Mississippi State University opens the post-Dak Prescott era at home against the University of South Alabama at 11 a.m. on the SEC Network. The Jay Hopson era begins at the University of Southern Mississippi as the team faces the University of Kentucky at 6:30 p.m. on ESPNU.

Saturday will be a marathon of college football. The day starts at 6:30 a.m. with Georgia Institute of Technology battling Boston College in Dublin, Ireland on ESPN2. The day ends with Brigham Young University and the University of Arizona kicking off at 9:30 p.m. on FS1.

Games of interest throughout the day include the University of Oklahoma against the University of Houston at 11 a.m. on ABC, Texas A&M University hosting the University California Los Angeles at 2:30 p.m. on CBS, and University of Georgia against the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill at 4:30 p.m. on ESPN.

Saturday night features the University of Alabama against the University of Southern California at 7 p.m. on ABC and Auburn University against Clemson University at 8 p.m. on ESPN. Alabama and Clemson met for the college football title last season with the Crimson Tide coming out on top.

Alcorn State University begins …

The NFL is trying to settle a concussion lawsuit against it. A concussion lawsuit against the NHL is currently pending.

Now, 53 former wrestlers are suing the WWE over concussions. It really only seemed to be a matter of time before the biggest wrestling organization in America ended up in court.

Some of the lawsuits’ better known plaintiffs are Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka, Paul “Mr. Wonderful” Orndorff and Joseph “Road Warrior Animal” Laurinaitis. Some interesting facts: Snuka was just declared mentally incompetent to stand trial for the murder and manslaughter charges stemming from 1983, Laurinaitis’ brother John still works for the WWE, and Orndorff made an appearance at WrestleMania XXX and on Monday Night Raw in 2014.

James Harris, better known as Kamala, is a Mississippi native and is also named as a plaintiff in the lawsuit. Harris had both his legs amputated due to diabetes in 2014.

The lawsuit alleges that the WWE hid the risk of brain trauma from wrestlers and put profits over the welfare of performers’ health. Attorney Konstantine Kyros, whose name sounds like wrestling heel or bad guy, filed the lawsuit.

Kyros has tried to sue the WWE in the past and has already seen two class-action lawsuits against the Stamford, Conn.-based company dismissed. He also has two wrongful death lawsuits pending against the WWE.

One major obstacle to this lawsuit is if the wrestlers can prove the WWE knew the dangers of concussions and hid them from them. As ESPN’s legal expert Lester Munson points out, do the wrestlers and their lawyers have a “smoking gun” to prove that the WWE knowingly withheld concussion information?

Another hurdle for the wrestlers will be that they were, and still are, considered independent contractors. Unlike the NFL and other sports leagues, wrestlers don’t have a union to represent them.

The current lawsuit addresses the fact that the wrestlers are independent contractors and states that independent contractor is the wrong designation.

Even if the wrestlers get the lawsuit in front of a judge or jury, many of them worked for other organizations. In the days before the WWE became a national company, wrestlers worked for organizations that were territory based.

Several of the wrestlers in this lawsuit started out during the territorial days. In those days, the different territories were under gentleman's agreements, and the National Wrestling Alliance was the governing body.

Nearly all of the wrestlers in the lawsuit wrestled for organizations such as World Championship Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling, Extreme Championship Wrestling, Total NonStop Action and others.

In fact, some wrestlers in the lawsuit spent more time with other organizations than they did with the WWE. The fact that the WWE bought both WCW and ECW might play a part in the lawsuit.

Any wrestler who spent time in ECW might have a hard time proving any health problems they had were suffered in the WWE. The former