Very real congratulations go out to Jamarca Sanford, the 2008 Chucky Mullins Courage Award Winner. Jamarca will represent Chucky well by not wearing the #38 jersey. At least this year's award winner will actually start games.
But, in thinking about the Chucky Mullins Award, we here at RSC wanted to show our appreciation for other members of the football team and hand out a few awards of our own.
First, it cannot be easy riding the bench for years, especially when you've played during one of the worst four-year stretches in Ole Miss history. But to do so with abundant knowledge that you are virtually assured never to jump ahead in the depth chart past a JUCO transfer who doesn't even have deceptive speed and football's version Dave Chappell (seriously what happened to that guy?), that takes some real fortitude and patience. For waking up at 5:00 a.m. for workouts and taking hits from large, scary men for four years without even a snowball's chance of seeing the field (unless something terrible goes wrong) The Jared Lorenzen Hope to See You on the Bench Award goes to ... Billy Tapp!
Next, we honor a Rebel who has already received wide acclaim from various news sources and the like. This son of a former letterman has, perhaps, the strangest dual assignment in all of college football - DE/WR. Of course, he has not seen any starting time at either position under the Houston Nutt era, which has some Rebel fans worried about his future. From All-American to backing up Kentrell Lockett, the recipient of the Justin Vincent Won the 2004 Sugar Bowl MVP; What Have You Done for Me Lately Award goes to ... Greg Hardy!
Next, we'd like to recognize a player who has electrified North Mississippi better than the Tennessee Valley Authority. Darting about between positions, anchoring the "Wild Rebel" (the absolutely must have a more original name), and, all the while, doing so from his booster seat, one Rebel seems a little too good to be true. Reggie Bush, huh? Percy Harvin, then? Let's try making it all the way through one game, then we'll talk. Perhaps, I'm a cynic, but there really is only one person who could lay claim to the Jim Kelly Don't Invest Too Much Emotionally Because You Will Get Really Disappointed at the Most Inopportune Time Award ... Dexter McCluster.
And, finally, RSC wishes to honor a player that has left us wondering whether we should be excited or not. We know that it'll be nice having Jevan Snead around. We know that Chris Strong is as portly as we are unimpressed. We know that Jerrell Powe won't be playing anything other than X-Box this fall. But, when it comes to our starting running back, many Ole Miss fans are still in the dark. Will he be as pedestrian as he was during his few carries last fall? Will Houston Nutt make him a star? Will his performance in the Grove Bowl remind us later of Eli Manning or Michael Spurlock? A well-deserving recipient of the Bill Clinton circa 1993 - The Jury's Still Out Award ... Cordera Eason!
But, in thinking about the Chucky Mullins Award, we here at RSC wanted to show our appreciation for other members of the football team and hand out a few awards of our own.
First, it cannot be easy riding the bench for years, especially when you've played during one of the worst four-year stretches in Ole Miss history. But to do so with abundant knowledge that you are virtually assured never to jump ahead in the depth chart past a JUCO transfer who doesn't even have deceptive speed and football's version Dave Chappell (seriously what happened to that guy?), that takes some real fortitude and patience. For waking up at 5:00 a.m. for workouts and taking hits from large, scary men for four years without even a snowball's chance of seeing the field (unless something terrible goes wrong) The Jared Lorenzen Hope to See You on the Bench Award goes to ... Billy Tapp!
Next, we honor a Rebel who has already received wide acclaim from various news sources and the like. This son of a former letterman has, perhaps, the strangest dual assignment in all of college football - DE/WR. Of course, he has not seen any starting time at either position under the Houston Nutt era, which has some Rebel fans worried about his future. From All-American to backing up Kentrell Lockett, the recipient of the Justin Vincent Won the 2004 Sugar Bowl MVP; What Have You Done for Me Lately Award goes to ... Greg Hardy!
Next, we'd like to recognize a player who has electrified North Mississippi better than the Tennessee Valley Authority. Darting about between positions, anchoring the "Wild Rebel" (the absolutely must have a more original name), and, all the while, doing so from his booster seat, one Rebel seems a little too good to be true. Reggie Bush, huh? Percy Harvin, then? Let's try making it all the way through one game, then we'll talk. Perhaps, I'm a cynic, but there really is only one person who could lay claim to the Jim Kelly Don't Invest Too Much Emotionally Because You Will Get Really Disappointed at the Most Inopportune Time Award ... Dexter McCluster.
And, finally, RSC wishes to honor a player that has left us wondering whether we should be excited or not. We know that it'll be nice having Jevan Snead around. We know that Chris Strong is as portly as we are unimpressed. We know that Jerrell Powe won't be playing anything other than X-Box this fall. But, when it comes to our starting running back, many Ole Miss fans are still in the dark. Will he be as pedestrian as he was during his few carries last fall? Will Houston Nutt make him a star? Will his performance in the Grove Bowl remind us later of Eli Manning or Michael Spurlock? A well-deserving recipient of the Bill Clinton circa 1993 - The Jury's Still Out Award ... Cordera Eason!