Medlen's mastery and more. . . .

 

Scattershooting on a Sunday morning, wishing I could watch Kris Medlen pitch every day (and so does Fredi Gonzalez wish that) . . .

Seriously, Medlen has become a Greg Maddux clone. He is 8-0 with a 0.76 earned run average in 10 starts this season. The Braves have won the last 21 games Medlen has started, and if they win the next one, he will equal Whitey Ford's 22 straight winning starts of 60 years ago. Those are crazy numbers. Not surprisingly, the Braves have arranged their pitching rotation so that Medlen would pitch the one-game wild-card playoff. And, with apologies to Tim Hudson, that's a no-brainer. . . . Medlen-Maddux similarities? Both field their position like shortstops, both look like accountants in baseball uniforms, both throw the ball with pinpoint control and both have just the right amount of cockiness. . . .

You have to like the way Ole Miss took care of business in New Orleans after the thrashing at the hands of Texas: crisp, business-like, effective. . . . Didn't get to see State's romp over South Alabama, but the score was predictable. Bulldogs still on schedule to be 7-0 going into Alabama. They should be favored in the next three . . . .

I've been watching Southern Miss football for more than half a century and, no, I did not see this coming. I knew there would be some rough spots, with the loss of four-year starter Austin Davis at quarterback and the coaching staff change. But 0-3 and losing by 25 to Western Kentucky? Looks like a snowball going the wrong way, unless something happens fast. . . . Louisville, Boise State and then UCF coming up next three weeks. Yikes....

Florida State is, in a word, back . . . .

LSU looked mighty, mighty ordinary last night. Presently, I'd make Alabama a 10 point pick over the Tigers — and, for that matter, at least a 10-point pick over anybody. . . .

Add Missouri's new football uniforms to the growing list of togs that would be better off burned and forgotten. . . . Oregon started this, and it has gotten out of hand. . . .

Congrats to Deuce McAllister, the newest Saints Hall of Famer. Great that it happens with so many Ole Miss fans still in New Orleans from the Tulane game.. . .

Time for the Saints to win one, right? Let's see. . .