Talkin’ about this and that on a Thursday …

Mississippi will have a team in the College World Series in Omaha later this month. That was assured Monday evening when the University of Southern Mississippi won a thriller over LSU to earn a spot as the host team in an NCAA Super Regional this week, while at the same time Ole Miss was clobbering Arizona 22-6 to secure a trip to Hattiesburg to face the Golden Eagles.

The atmosphere should be absolutely electric for the best two-out-of-three series. The Rebels of Ole Miss are an amazing story, as they were one of the last teams to make the NCAA Tournament field, and the way USM battled back to beat LSU twice to advance was incredible as well.

Pete Taylor Park should be rocking this weekend for sure. Mississippi State won the NCAA baseball national championship last season, and either USM or Ole Miss will get a chance this year.

15 YEARS? 

I clearly remember the poorly attended press conference when Buddy Stephens was announced as the new head coach at East Mississippi Community College in the spring of 2008. I was half of the media in attendance at the event, which was highlighted by Stephens, who had never been a head coach on the college level, essentially guaranteeing that EMCC would become a national contender.

It was difficult not to doubt him. But at this point, 14 seasons later, you can mark me down as a believer.

The Lions will be entering their 15th season under Stephens when the 2022 season kicks off for EMCC on Sept. 1, when Copiah-Lincoln Community College makes the trip to Scooba. In 14 seasons at EMCC, Stephens has an overall record of 125-18 for an .874 winning percentage and has led the Lions to FIVE national championships. That’s beyond impressive, it’s simply amazing.

OKC MAGIC

Grams and Pops (my wife, Barbara, and I) survived our two-day stay at the Women’s College World Series with our 9-year-old granddaughter and 6-year-old grandson in tow.

Our granddaughter, Harper, took in the sights and sounds of six fast-pitch softball games in two days like the sports sponge she is. I offered to leave early on both Thursday and Friday night, but Harper wasn’t hearing any of that, as we were pushing midnight getting back to the hotel both days.

If you haven’t had a chance to venture out to OKC for the WCWS, it’s definitely worth the trip. Even Easton enjoyed the first of his two games on Thursday night before sleeping through most of the nightcap. But even after a 12-hour trip over to Oklahoma City on Wednesday and a nearly matching return trip on Saturday, both are ready to go back.

And Grams and Pops will definitely make that happen … after we rest a little.

GOLF ANYONE?

Pro golf is about to undergo a massive change, as the PGA is facing its first legitimate challenge in the form of the Saudi-based LIV Tour. 

The PGA said it would not allow any of the players on its tour to play in any of the new tour’s events if there is a competing event the same weekend on the PGA Tour. Several Tour veterans are challenging that mandate, which will eventually lead to a showdown.

I’ve seen this story written in several sports over the 63 years of my life. Whether this new “high-money” tour makes it or not, history tells us that eventually it will change the way the sport will be run professionally.

CAN THEY REPEAT?

As I write this column on Monday night, the Atlanta Braves are 8.5 games behind the New York Mets in the NL East standings 55 games into the 162-game season.

Many of the Braves stars have struggled early in the season, but over the past week, they have caught fire, and heading into Monday’s action were on a five-game winning streak.

The Mets, at 37-19, appear to be solid and are staying hot themselves as the Braves begin to challenge. Is it possible the Braves can once again put together a late-season rally, win the NL East and then go on to repeat as World Series champs? 

Sure, it could happen, but the Braves bats would have to stay hot, some of the slumping stars will need to turn their seasons around and the Mets would need to once again collapse. It seems unlikely, but then again, who thought it would happen last season? We shall see.

Austin Bishop, AKA The Old Sports Dude, has been covering high school, college, amateur, and professional sports since 1975. He is currently pastor of Great Commission Assembly of God in Philadelphia. He may be contacted by email at starsportsboss@yahoo.com or by phone at 601-938-2471.