Jackson Free Press

Anytime there is a new ESPN “30 for 30” documentary, it is normally worth taking time to watch. But the latest entry, a five-part, almost-eight-hour-long series called “O.J.: Made In America” from director Ezra Edelman, might be the best documentary the network has done. If you haven’t watched “O.J.: Made In America,” don’t read any further, as this post contains spoilers.

Even 22 years after the murders of Nicole Brown-Simpson and Ron Goldman, this case still lives in infamy. The O.J. Simpson murder trial also brought up issues that we continue to struggle with as a society today, such as race and domestic violence.

Race and racism are where Edelman begins in parts one and two. He does a great job of showing the treatment of black people in Los Angeles as Simpson began his journey to fame on the gridiron and the Rodney King beating and trial spurred riots on the streets.

This look back at the rise and fall of Simpson provides some interesting tidbits in all five parts.

Simpson’s friend Joe Bell says the now infamous football player’s father was gay and tells how Simpson stole best friend Al Cowlings’ girlfriend, Marguerite Whitley. Simpson later married Whitley at age 19, and as the two stayed friends, Cowlings later drove the white bronco in the famous slow-speed chase.

Most of us at a certain age remember Simpson as the bumbling Nordberg from “The Naked Gun” film series, but in parts one and two of the documentary, you see the moves on the football field that made Simpson a Heisman Trophy winner and NFL Hall of Fame player.

One of the most interesting things in part one is that Simpson wanted nothing to do with the Civil Rights Movement. At one point, he told activist Harry Edwards, when approached about boycotting the 1968 Olympics, “I’m not black; I’m O.J.”

The documentary’s first episode touches on Simpson’s early struggles in Buffalo, as well as his first meeting with an 18-year-old Nicole, who was working at private L.A. nightclub The Daisy, and telling a friend that he would marry her.

The former NFL running back began dating Nicole while still married to Whitley.

Part two devotes some time to Simpson’s cheating on the golf course and his daughter drowning, but mainly, the focus is on his treatment of women. The documentary shows him as a womanizer and delves into how he mentally abused a pregnant Nicole by telling her his affairs were a result of her getting “fat.”

Domestic violence plays a major part in the second episode, as Simpson gets away with abuse because of his charm and celebrity. Even ESPN had a hand in the way the public viewed him.

In an ESPN show called “Sports Look,”host Roy Firestone makes excuses for Simpson’s 1988 attack on Nicole, who needed medical treatment as a result. Firestone was just one of the many people who made excuses for Simpson’s domestic violence. After one …

U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves dismissed the ACLU's lawsuit that tried to dismantle House Bill 1523 before it becomes law next week. In his order, Reeves wrote that the ACLU's complaint did not satisfy the criteria for him to issue a preliminary injunction to block HB1523 from becoming law. Reeves wrote that the plaintiffs needed to prove that injury was "imminent" in order for a preliminary injunction to be considered. The plaintiffs, Nykolas Alford and Stephen Thomas are engaged to be married but do not plan to do so for a few years. Reeves said for a threat to be imminent, it "threatens to occur immediately."

"Alford and Thomas’s injury, if one exists, would arise when they apply for a marriage license. But they declare that they will apply for their license sometime within the next three years," Reeves wrote. "That is not imminent. The ACLU has the same problem. If a member of the ACLU intends to enter into a same-sex marriage in 2017, any injury is at least six months away."

Human Rights Campaign state director Rob Hill reiterated that HB1523 is dangerous and hateful legislation, in response to the order.

“H.B. 1523 represents the worst of Mississippi. If allowed to go into effect next week, it will lead to widespread discrimination against LGBTQ Mississippians at work, school and in family life. The business community -- including local and national companies and organizations such as Nissan, General Electric, the Mississippi Economic Council, the Mississippi Manufacturing Association and more -- has roundly condemned this dangerous bill," Hill said in a statement. "It will do harm to our community, our families and our economy and we must not allow it to stand. In the coming weeks, HRC will continue our ongoing efforts to ensure this bill is ultimately struck down or repealed.”

Judge Reeves will hold hearings for the two other lawsuits filed against House Bill 1523 together on Thursday this week. HB1523 will go into effect on July 1 if Reeves does not issue a preliminary injunction blocking it from becoming law.

The city of Cleveland had endured 52 years of sport agony. Sports defeats so gut-punching that they were given names, so most sports fans could recognize the moment of disappointment.

Red Right 88 was the play call that ended the Cleveland Browns' 1980-'81 season with an interception from the Oakland Raiders. The Drive was the Denver Broncos' 98-yard march to a win over the Browns in the 1986 AFC Championship Game.

The Fumble was the costly turnover from Browns running back Earnest Byner as the Broncos won the 1987 AFC Championship Game. But it wasn’t just football that broke Cleveland hearts.

Baseball moments include The Catch by Willie Mays in game one of the 1954 World Series between the New York Giants and the Cleveland Indians and Off Nagy’s Glove, a blown save from Indians closer Charles Nagy that gave the Atlanta Braves their only World Series win of the 1990s.

Basketball in Cleveland saw The Shot by Michael Jordan, beating the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the 1989 Eastern Conference Playoffs. The Shot ushered in the era of Jordan, as he victimized the Cavaliers including the 1993 Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Cleveland sports also suffered through The Move that saw the Browns move the Baltimore, Md. by owner Art Modell. The former Browns would become the Ravens and win two Super Bowls as the last Browns' title came in 1964 in the NFL Championship before the invention of the Super Bowl.

Of course there was also The Decision, when native son LeBron James left Cleveland for the Miami Heat. James won two titles with the Heat, as the Cavaliers became the worst franchise in the NBA after he left.

There were other moments in Cleveland history that didn’t earn names but left a mark—events like the 1994 MLB strike that ended one of the best Indians seasons in team history.

Even the NBA Finals last season saw the Cavaliers lose stars Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving before and during the finals. The Golden State Warriors ended up winning the NBA Championship.

Cleveland fans had to think that this finals would be just another moment of "almost," as the Cavaliers fell behind the Warriors 3-1 in the series. The Cavaliers got back in the series with Draymond Green being suspended in game five and a bit of a Warriors meltdown at the end of game six, as reigning MVP Steph Curry was ejected for the first time in his career.

Wins in game five and six allowed Cleveland to tie the series and force a game seven. Everything seemed in place for another sports moment that would rip the hearts out of Cleveland fans.

With the game tied 89-89 in the fourth quarter, every Cavaliers fan had to be thinking, "How would the sports gods gut-punch Cleveland?" But this time things were different, as what looked to be sure layup from Andre Iguodala turned into a game-changing block …

On Flag Day at its annual meeting, the Southern Baptist Convention passed a resolution that calls on all Southern Baptist churches and 'brothers and sisters in Christ' to not display the Confederate battle flag.

The convention passed a resolution that said, "we call our brothers and sisters in Christ to discontinue the display of the Confederate battle flag as a sign of solidarity of the whole Body of Christ, including our African-American brothers and sisters."

"We recognize that the Confederate battle flag is used by some and perceived by many as a symbol of hatred, bigotry, and racism, offending millions of people..." the resolution says. "We recognize that, while the removal of the Confederate battle flag from public display is not going to solve the most severe racial tensions that plague our nation and churches, those professing Christ are called to extend grace and put the consciences of others ahead of their own interests and actions."

Russell Moore, president of the convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and a native Mississippian, has spoken out against Mississippi's state flag previously and reiterated his stance in a blog post this week.

"As I’ve said before, the Cross and the Confederate flag cannot co-exist without one setting the other on fire," Moore wrote. "Today, messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention, including many white Anglo southerners, decided the cross was more important than the flag. They decided our African-American brothers and sisters are more important than family heritage. We decided that we are defined not by a Lost Cause but by amazing grace. Let’s pray for wisdom, work for justice, love our neighbors.

And let’s take down that flag."

The Human Rights Campaign just released this verbatim statement:

JACKSON, Miss. -- Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Mississippi hailed the Jackson, Mississippi City Council for voting to advance city-wide non-discrimination protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, public accommodations and employment. Passed by a 7-0 vote, the measure also expands the city’s hate crimes statute to include tougher penalties for perpetrators who commit crimes motivated by the victim's real or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity or expression.

“As the LGBTQ community grapples with the horrific massacre in Orlando, it is truly encouraging to see the Jackson City Council taking decisive action to protect and affirm the rights of all their citizens,” said HRC Mississippi State Director Rob Hill. “Discrimination and hate have no place in Jackson, and everyone, regardless of who they are, should have the legal right to feel safe in their community. We thank Councilman Tyrone Hendrix for his continued leadership on issues of equality, and are confident that the Council’s actions will serve as an example to communities across the country.”

Today’s vote comes just days after a tragic shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, claimed the lives of 49 people and injured more than 50 others. While that crime has not yet been labeled a hate crime, according to the most recent FBI statistics available, more than 20 percent of hate crimes reported nationally in 2014 targeted people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. As a recent investigation by the Associated Press uncovered, this reporting dramatically undercounts LGBTQ data, as it is based on local, non-mandatory reporting. Strong, fully-inclusive hate crimes legislation at the local level plays an important role in improving data collection and ultimately saving lives.

Mississippi is one of 20 states that do not have hate crimes laws explicitly protecting sexual orientation and gender identity, and one of 32 without fully-inclusive LGBTQ non-discrimination protections.

Jackson his been leading on the issue of LGBTQ equality. Earlier this year, the Jackson Public School District’s Board of Trustees unanimously voted to extend fully-inclusive sexual orientation and gender identity workplace protections to their employees. With almost 30,000 students, the district is the second largest in the state and one of the first in the Mississippi Public School system o grant employment protections to LGBTQ staff members.

In 2014, HRC launched Project One America, an initiative geared towards advancing social, institutional and legal equality in Mississippi, Alabama and Arkansas. HRC Mississippi continues to work to advance equality for LGBT Mississippians who have no state level protections in housing, workplace, or public accommodations. Through HRC Mississippi, we are working toward a future of fairness every day—changing hearts, minds and laws toward achieving full equality.

The Campaign for Southern Equality and Mississippi-native Rev. Susan Hrostowski filed a lawsuit against several state officials, saying that House Bill 1523 is unconstitutional, late last week.

The lawsuit states that House Bill 1523 violates the first and fourteenth amendments of the U.S. Constitution and asks the U.S. District Court to enjoin the bill from becoming law on July 1. New York-based attorney Roberta Kaplan, who won same-sex couples the right to marry and adopt in this state, will represent the plaintiffs.

The lawsuit names the governor, attorney general, the executive director of MDHS, and the state registrar for vital records as defendants. Several floor debate comments from the 2016 legislative session about the bill are used in the initial complaint. The complaint draws the distinction between Mississippi's Religious Freedom Restoration Act and The Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act.

"Critically, the Mississippi RFRA does not single out any particular religious belief or creed and privilege it above all others..." the complaint says. "HB 1523, however, starkly departs from this tradition and practice by providing additional rights and benefits and by extending well beyond those available under RFRA, but only to individuals or entities that espouse one of three specific beliefs: (a) that '[m]arriage is or should be recognized as union of one man and one woman,' (b) that '[s]exual relations are properly reserved to' a marriage between one man and one woman, or (c) male and female 'refer to an individual's immutable biological sex as objectively determined by anatomy and genetics at the time of birth.'"

The ACLU and the Mississippi Center for Justice have both filed lawsuits, asking the courts to rule House Bill 1523 unconstitutional, and Kaplan filed a motion to re-open the case that legalized same-sex marriage in Mississippi, due to HB1523's passage. The Campaign for Southern Equality's lawsuit is the third lawsuit filed against House Bill 1523 and the fourth legal challenge.

Members of the JFP's editorial and design staff have won numerous honors in the 66th Annual Green Eyeshade award, including our first ever "Best in Division" award, receiving the top honor among all non-daily print publications in the contest.

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 …

A big man is suing NBC’s hit reality weight-loss show, "Biggest Loser." Former New Orleans Saints and Cleveland Brown player LeCharles Bentley is taking the show to court over alleged trademark infringement.

TMZ was the first to report on the lawsuit. Bentley alleges that the new logo for the Biggest Loser, which was adopted earlier this year, closely resembles the logo for his O-Line Performance Facility.

Bentley sent NBC and the show’s producers a cease-and-desist letter, which allegedly the show has ignored. Now, the former NFL offensive guard and center wants the show's logo to be changed and to get a slice of the revenue it made while using the new logo.

A spokesperson for NBC Universal told Pro Football Talk in an email that the company had no comment on the lawsuit.

The Saints drafted Bentley in the second round with the 44th overall pick of the 2002 NFL Draft out of Ohio State University. He played in New Orleans for four seasons and earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2002 and 2005.

While at Ohio State, Bentley earned First-Team All-Big Ten honors in 2000 and 2001. He also was named winner of the Rimington Trophy, which the nation’s best interior offensive lineman receives.

After his rookie season of 2002, Bentley was named Sports Illustrated’s Offensive Rookie of the Year and to Pro Football Weekly’s All-Rookie Team. He started 14 games as a rookie at guard and 13 at guard his second season. Bentley was moved to center for his final two seasons in New Orleans after starting a total of 30 games.

He signed with the Cleveland Browns during the 2006 offseason. Bentley injured his knee in training camp and ended up with a staph infection. His knee required four surgeries, with two needed to remove the staph infection.

Bentley spent the 2007 season on the Physically Unable to Perform list. He requested and received his release from the Browns in June 2008.

The injury ended Bentley’s career in the NFL. He spent the entire 2008 season out of football, and after that year, he retired. He later reached a settlement agreement with the Browns.

Bentley did some work in the media after his career ended. He started his O-Line Performance Facility in 2008 in a Cleveland, Ohio suburb and moved it Scottsdale, Ariz. in late 2013, after his work in media was over. His performance center has been recognized for its work in various sports media, including ESPN, Sports Illustrated and others.

If you didn’t know, the Copa América Centenario started last week. Here is a brief history of the tournament and some background on why this Copa América is so special.

This is the first time in the history of the Copa América that it has taken place outside of South America. Normally, the tournament takes place on that continent and crowns a champion in CONMEBOL, which is the governing body of South American soccer.

The first Copa América was held in 1916, making this the oldest international continental soccer tournament. CONMEBOL has 10 members and has invited only two teams outside of it to take part in the competition since 1993.

The 10 CONMEBOL members are: Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Most of the time, CONMEBOL invites teams from CONCACAF, the governing body of which the United States is a member, but has invited Japan to play in the tournament. The US has played in the 1993, 1997 and 2007 Copa América.

Eight of the 10 CONMEBOL countries have won the tournament, with Ecuador and Venezuela being the only countries yet to win. Uruguay has the most titles with 15, but Chile is the reigning champion.

Since this is the 100th year of the tournament, this installment is a mega event with 16 teams instead of the normal 12 teams. The US is hosting the event for the first time, and five other CONCACAF teams—Mexico, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Haiti and Panama—have joined in.

The USA is in Group A with Colombia, Costa Rica and Paraguay. This might be the toughest group of the tournament with all four teams having strong squads.

Colombia, already the favorite to win the group, confirmed that thought after the team’s 2-0 win over USA. That leaves the US, Costa Rica and Paraguay fighting for the second spot to advance. Costa Rica and Paraguay played to a 0-0 draw in their first group game.

In the first game of the tournament, Colombia made a spectacular goal off a corner kick. The US keeper had no chance of making the save. The second Colombian goal was off a penalty kick for a USA player’s handball in the box. The call was iffy at best and didn’t look like the American athlete made the action deliberately, but it is a subjective call.

Even before the opening loss, many didn't expect much from USA after the team struggled in matches at the Gold Cup and in World Cup qualifying.

The best player in Group A is Colombia's James Rodriguez, who was the breakout star of the last World Cup. Rodriguez made the penalty but left the game with a shoulder injury, which could affect the group if he is going to be out of action.

Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones and 12 other 2014 World Cup players on this squad will need to show leadership after the loss. It seems almost …

In a segment highlighting how easy it is to buy up old medical debt and learn about the patients who have it, John Oliver on his show "Last Week Tonight" put together a shell company to do just that.

Three teams from our state made regionals in the NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament. Two of those teams, Mississippi State University and University of Mississippi, hosted regionals, and the University of Southern Mississippi traveled to the Tallahassee Regional.

By early Sunday afternoon, just one team was left standing. MSU lives to play this weekend while USM and UM saw their seasons end. In case you missed it, here is a quick recap of Mississippi’s regional action.

The Rebels might have had the two toughest losses in regional play last weekend. In its first game against the University of Utah, UM held a 5-2 lead after five innings.

At the top of the sixth inning, Utah scored three runs to tie the game at 5-5 after six full innings played. The score stayed tied as the game headed into extra innings.

Utah added a run at the top of the 10th inning to take a 6-5 lead. The Rebels got a base runner in their half of the 10th but failed to bring the runner home, giving Utah the 6-5 win.

That defeat sent UM to the losers’ bracket of the Oxford Regional. The Rebels would have needed a win against Tulane University to stay alive.

Things looked good for the Rebels against the Green Wave as they were up 5-4 heading into the top of ninth inning. All UM had to do was get three outs to keep its season going.

The Rebels got the first batter in the ninth to grounded out for the first out of the inning. Tulane earned a walk with its next batter to put the tying run on base.

The next Green Wave batter hit a two-run home run to left field, giving Tulane a 6-5 lead after the Rebels got two more outs. UM came to bat in the bottom of the ninth but could only manage one base runner before a fielder’s choice ended the game.

The loss ended the season for the Rebels. Boston College ended up winning the regional and will meet the University of Miami from Florida in the Super Regional.

Things started off well for Southern Miss in the Tallahassee Regional. The Golden Eagles began play against the University of South Alabama.

USM jumped to a 3-0 lead before exploding for 11 runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 14-0 lead over the Jaguars. South Alabama scored two runs in the top of ninth, but the Golden Eagles won 14-2.

That set up a match against Florida State University in the winner's bracket. USM scored a 2-0 lead in the top of first inning, but FSU struck back with three runs in the bottom of the second inning.

The Seminoles tacked on four more runs to beat the Golden Eagles 7-2 and sent them to the loser’s bracket. USM would have needed to defeat South Alabama again to earn the right …

Legacy. It is a word that is thrown around a ton these days. But most of the time, it is thrown around too much and at the wrong times.

LeBron James’ legacy has been discussed a lot over the years. But at age 31, we are finally getting to the point where we can really discuss his legacy as a great player.

James is one of the greatest players in NBA history, no question. Depending on how each person ranks their own personal list, he in the top 10 players, top 15 at worst.

Anyone who questions how great he is has to remember that he is playing in his sixth straight NBA Finals. Last season, he dragged an injured and talent-depleted Cleveland Cavaliers team to the finals.

This year, he returns with a healthy team to face the Golden State Warriors for a second straight year. And this years' finals could begin to set his legacy in stone.

James currently has a 2-4 NBA Finals record. People judge him because he went into the league behind Michael Jordan, who went 6-0 in final appearances. Kobe Bryant was 5-2 in final appearances and took the torch as the best NBA player from Jordan.

James took the torch from Bryant but hasn’t had the success that either Jordan or Bryant had on the biggest stage in the NBA. It didn’t help that James lost two of those finals to a great San Antonio Spurs team.

You can make the case that James, when he was with the Miami Heat, shouldn’t have lost to the Dallas Mavericks. On the other hand, you have to remember that he was lucky to win one of his titles against the Spurs after San Antonio fell apart in game six.

There are several reasons the public judges James harshly. His ESPN special, “The Decision,” which talks about him leaving Cleveland for Miami, hurt the public’s opinion of him.

It hasn’t helped that James has a habit of disappearing at times in the finals. He also has a bad habit of becoming a jump shooter, one of his weaknesses, during those times. People remember when he shrinks in the biggest moments.

No one remembers how great you were getting to the finals. They only remember how great you played on that stage.

Things have come around now that James is back in Cleveland. People have returned to the idea that they would like to see a native son bring back a title to city that is struggling and dreaming of one.

James winning for Cleveland would be like the Chicago Cubs winning a World Series. It would change the perception of his titles and his final appearances. Winning a title in Cleveland would mean more than winning a title, period.

With a win, James would up his record to 3-4 in NBA Finals. The win for Cleveland would make it seem like he has an even …

It’s official. Former Mississippi State University quarterback Dak Prescott is now a Dallas Cowboy. Prescott signed his rookie deal on Tuesday, along with fellow fourth-rounder Charles Tapper.

That leaves the Cowboys with one unsigned draft pick.

Prescott received a $383,393 signing bonus as part of his four-year deal. His base salary from 2016-2019 will be $450,000, $540,000, $630,000 and $720,000.

Dallas spent plenty of time with Prescott before the draft. They met with the quarterback at the Senior Bowl, NFL Combine, during a private workout in Starkville and at the Cowboys Headquarters Valley Ranch before the draft.

Prescott, who owns 38 school records, is the first quarterback Dallas has drafted since 2009, when the club selected Stephen McGee. During Prescott's career at MSU, he accumulated 11,897 yards of total offense and had a 23-10 record as a starter.

The former MSU great will battle with Kellen Moore for the backup job to Tony Romo. In college, Prescott ran for 2,501 yards and 41 touchdowns, which could make him a factor near the goal line for the Cowboys.

As injuries and age begin to catch up with Romo, the thought is that Prescott can be groomed to become the next starting quarterback. He brings arm strength and mobility to help overcome his weakness of not knowing the offense as he battles Moore for the No. 2 job.

Speaking of signing bonuses, former University of Mississippi defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche did a little bit of shopping with his. The former Rebel received $4.45 million signing bonus after inking his deal with the Arizona Cardinals, who drafted him in the first round.

The first thing Nkemdiche bought was a way to get around town. The former Rebel selected a Cadillac Escalade for his new wheels.

After buying his Escalade, the defensive tackle went shopping at a thrift store to stock up on XXXXL and XXXXXL shirts. A thrift store isn’t where you normally hear about a first-round NFL pick spending his money, but Nkemdiche isn’t your typical first-round draft pick.

Next, the new Cardinal is planning on buying a new saxophone. The defensive tackle once played the instrument at actor Morgan Freeman’s Clarksdale club Ground Zero.

While Nkemdiche still hasn’t decided if he will buy a home, he didn’t buy the panther he said he would like before the draft. The Cardinals have to be happy that their first-round pick decided on the Escalade and not the panther.

But down the road, he still could get it.

Anyone who keeps close tabs on the NFL knows that on Friday afternoons it's worth paying attention to press releases. The league has become masterful at dropping news late on Friday afternoons when most people have turned their attention to the weekend.

The University of Mississippi used a similar approach last Friday. Before the holiday weekend, UM released its response to a NCAA notice of allegations, using Memorial Day weekend and the dumpster fire that is Baylor University football as cover to quietly put out its report. In that 154-page response, the university self-imposed 11 total scholarships in football over the next four years.

The school also asked for a delay on a scheduled hearing with the Committee on Infractions until it could fully investigate the Laremy Tunsil draft-night fallout. UM is scheduled to meet with the COI this summer.

Of the 13 allegations the NCAA has leveled against the school, nine came under the watch of current head coach Hugh Freeze. Four of those allegations are Level I violations (the most severe), two are Level II violations and three are Level III violations.

On Monday, Freeze began damage control as he defended his program. Freeze said he takes full responsibility for the violations and then said the violations were more about mistakes made than an effort to cheat.

The head coach zealously denied that he or anyone on his staff had knowingly violated rules. In an ESPN story, Freeze said, “There’s a big difference between making mistakes in recruiting and going out there with the intent to cheat."

Freeze knows, like any coach, that it is important to win the court of public opinion. He is also trying to repair his reputation. Freeze was quick to point out that several of the violations linked back to former coach Houston Nutt.

UM is hoping that suspending a couple of assistant coaches from recruiting for a month, the loss on scholarships and disassociation with boosters will keep the NCAA at bay. The organization could take all of the Rebels self-imposed punishments and call it a day.

It is highly unlikely that the NCAA won't add to the Rebels punishment. Also, it seems like Freeze and the university aren’t “owning” their violations by trying to point out Nutt's complicity at every chance.

Freeze and the Rebels still have to deal with the Tunsil draft-night fiasco, and the NCAA could reopen its investigation. This is not a simple as Freeze is trying to pin the worst parts on past coaching staff.

There have been rumblings about how Freeze and his coaches recruited since his highly regarded draft class of 2013. Freeze tried then to play off those rumblings as ranting from haters.

Now, it seems the haters were right, and Freeze is trying to hand at deflection. If even more comes out after the Tunsil draft night, it might be time for a coaching change in Oxford.

The NCAA would be wise to listen …

In May 2016, Donna Ladd sat down with JPD Chief of Police Lee Vance to discuss crime, youth violence, and creative solutions.

We may not have as many food trucks as states such as New York or Pennsylvania, but our food truck culture is growing.

The Daily Meal recently compiled a list of the best food truck in each state, and LurnyD's Grille in Jackson has taken the title for Mississippi.

The truck has been serving hungry Jacksonians since 2013 with burgers such as the sunrise burger, which has bacon, cheese and a fried egg, and the goober burger, which has peanut butter and bacon.

To see the complete list, visit http://ow.ly/xKVO300GifA

Rock 'n' roll superstar Meatloaf once sang, “Two out three ain’t bad.” That lyric could be used for college baseball teams from Mississippi in their respective tournaments.

As conference baseball tournaments drag toward the weekend, both the University of Mississippi and the University of Southern Mississippi are off today. The Rebels and the Eagles have reached the semifinals of the SEC and C-USA Tournaments.

More on those semifinals in a bit.

But first, let's spend a little time discussing Mississippi State University. The Bulldogs' 6-2 loss to Louisiana State University has put MSU in the loser's bracket of the SEC Tournament.

That means MSU has to beat No. 4 seed the University of Florida tonight at 6:30 p.m., in an elimination game that will be broadcasted on the SEC Network.

Beating the Gators is no small task, and that just gets the Bulldogs past the foothills of the mountain they now have to climb. And by losing to LSU, MSU is going to have to climb a mountain if it wants to win this tournament.

If MSU wins tonight, the team will have to beat LSU twice on Saturday. Advantage goes to the Tigers. If the Bulldogs do accomplish that feat, they will reach the championship game.

The question is what kind of shape the pitching staff be in after playing six games in five days. That is why today’s rest day is so important for both LSU and the Rebels.

The Tigers and Rebels began play on Tuesday when the tournament was single elimination. The fact that LSU and UM have had some of the hottest bats in the tournament has helped both teams.

LSU beat the University of Tennessee 5-4, Florida 5-3 and MSU 6-2, committing six errors along the way. While LSU has gotten away with errors, three from the Bulldogs cost them the game against the Tigers.

The Rebels, on the other hand, have been crushing teams. They beat the University of Georgia 5-1, University of South Carolina 10-4 and Vanderbilt University 12-9.

UM can reach the championship game if the team can beat the winner of the Vanderbilt and Texas A&M University game. Whoever faces the Rebels, the Commodores or Aggies will have to win twice to reach the title game.

The Rebels and Tigers are in great position to advance if they don’t get cold having the day off.

Speaking of days off, USM is also off today. The Golden Eagles have had some of the hottest bats in the C-USA Tournament.

USM has beaten Old Dominion University 17-5 and Marshall University 9-3. Southern Miss has hit a grand slam on each tournament game.

Now, the Golden Eagles await the winner of the Marshall and Florida International University game. Whatever team meets USM, it will have to beat the Golden Eagles twice to reach the championship game.

On the other side of the C-USA Tournament bracket, Rice University is off …

Below is a verbatim press release from Lt. Gov. Reeves supporting Gov. Phil Bryant's decision to join the lawsuit challenging Obama's transgender school bathrooms directive:

"Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves today commended Gov. Phil Bryant for joining a lawsuit challenging the federal directive to open bathrooms in Mississippi schools to both sexes.

“I appreciate Gov. Bryant representing Mississippi kids’ interest in this lawsuit fighting massive federal overreach into our communities,” Lt. Gov. Reeves said."

As the summer starts, so does the music festival circuit. That's the primetime for many bands and solo artists to release new music, giving them a little something extra to promote while on tour. Here's a look at some of the big releases—and a few smaller ones that I'm looking forward to—for the coming weeks.