Mississippi Today

Should penalty decide Super Bowl? In this case, there was no doubt

Published

2 years ago

February 13, 2023

Should penalty decide Super Bowl? In this case, there was no doubt

by Rick Cleveland, Mississippi Today
February 13, 2023

Perhaps the most Mississippi-centric Super Bowl is history, and your Mississippi Today sports columnist has some thoughts on Kansas City’s thrill-packed 38-35 victory.

First and foremost, our Mississippi lads did not let us down. We’ll get to that, but first let’s get to the play everyone wanted to talk about immediately after the game. Yes, I am referring to the holding call against Philadelphia cornerback James Bradbury with just under two minutes to play.

Patrick Mahomes – the fast-growing legend – threw an incomplete pass intended for Juju Smith-Schuster in the end zone on third down, seemingly setting up a chip-shot field goal that would give Kansas City a 3-point lead but also give the Eagles and their heroic quarterback Jalen Hurts plenty of time to either tie the game or perhaps win it.

But wait! An official flagged Bradbury for holding Smith-Schuster on the play, which he clearly did. Bradbury reached out and grabbed Smith-Schuster’s jersey, delaying him a split second on his route.

The Chiefs were awarded a first down and then were able to run the clock down, kick the winning field goal with just seconds to play for the victory. It was an anti-climactic finish to what was an otherwise entertaining game.

FOX network commentator Greg Olsen – who was terrific, by the way – immediately questioned whether the officials should make that call in that situation. Seemingly millions of fans did the same on social media. “You can’t make that call in that situation,” seemed to be the consensus opinion.

Here’s the deal: Smith-Schuster was the intended receiver on the play. He faked a pass pattern across the middle, then cut back to the outside. Fooled, Bradbury reached out and grabbed Smith-Schuster’s jersey. It was holding, plain and simple. In my opinion, you have to make that call regardless of how much time is left. I don’t subscribe to the “the officials shouldn’t decide the outcome” opinion. I look at it this way: A clear infraction of the rules should not decide the outcome.

It was the right call. And apparently Bradbury knew it. “It was holding,” he said, afterward. “I tugged the jersey.”

Case closed.

Mississippians – and there were nine on the two rosters – did not disappoint. A.J. Brown, the Eagles’s splendid receiver from Starkville and Ole Miss, caught six passes for 96 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown. Those are winning statistics in a losing effort. Brown clearly has become one of the best receivers in the sport.

For the winning Chiefs, defensive tackle Chris Jones of Houston and Mississippi State, anchored the defensive line, occupying two Eagles blockers for most of the night. Willie Gay, who weighs 240 and runs like a halfback, was in on eight tackles ranging from sideline to sideline from his middle linebacker position. Linebacker Darius Harris of Horn Lake and Middle Tennessee State was in on one tackle.

Eagles running back Kenneth Gainwell from Yazoo County and Memphis, accounted for 52 yards total, running for 21, catching four passes for 20 more and running back a kickoff 11 yards. He scored an apparent touchdown on the first possession of the game only to have it nullified by replay. Eagles and former Southern Miss wide receiver Quez Watkins caught one pass for six yards and narrowly missed a diving try for a much longer pass. It would have been a terrific catch and it’s a play he has made before both for the Golden Eagles and the NFL Eagles.

Also for the Eagles, cornerback Darius Slay, formerly of Mississippi State, made four tackles and big Fletcher Cox of Yazoo and Mississippi State made one tackle. Cox, as Jones, was often double-teamed by Chiefs blockers. Cox and Jones are perfect examples of how misleading the statistics of defensive linemen can be. Their tackle totals were meager, yet they consistently did their jobs, occupying two blockers.

Seemed a shame that one of the quarterbacks, Mahomes or Hurts, had to walk off the field a loser. Both played marvelously. Put it this way: Hurts threw for 304 yards and a touchdown, ran for 70 yards and three touchdowns, did not throw an interception – and lost. What Mahomes did, willing the Chiefs to victory on one good leg, is the stuff legends are made of – and he is one at age 27.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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Mississippi Today

UMMC holds free cancer screenings

Published

1 day ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @EricJShelton – 2025-04-30 12:00:00

by Eric J. Shelton, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Resident physician Claire Babin, right, performs an oral cancer screening on Ella Holmes during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Physicians prepare for oral, head and neck cancer screenings during a free screening event at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, screens Diane Carter for oral cancer as medical students Mason Nodurft, left, and Eva Kiparizoska observe during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Educational giveaways advocating against smoking are available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Sharon Terry, senior tobacco treatment specialist, waits for patients during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Skylar Robinson, medical office assistant, left, and Kiandria Bruce, registered nurse, review materials at the patient sign-in table during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Head and neck cancer literature is available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Dr. Alex Brooks and registered nurse Angela Noble talk during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Nina Brown, clinical manager, helps Ned Bostic with paperwork during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin performs an oral cancer screening on Ned Bostic at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Ned Bostic receives a neck cancer screening during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, and medical student Hanna Watson examine Ned Bostic during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.

The University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery hosted a free oral, head, and neck cancer screening Wednesday at the Jackson Medical Mall as part of Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week.

The event featured quick, noninvasive screenings aimed at catching cancer early — when treatment is most effective. Onyx Care provided free HPV vaccinations, while the ACT Center for Tobacco Treatment, Education, and Research offered resources on smoking cessation and free services.

“These screenings take about 10 minutes and can save lives,” said Dr. Gina Jefferson, head and neck surgical oncologist at UMMC. “The earlier a cancer is diagnosed, the better chance we have of curing it.”

Tobacco and alcohol use remain major risk factors for these cancers. However, physicians say an increasing number of cases are linked to HPV, especially among younger adults with no history of smoking or drinking. Dentists are often the first to spot early signs, which can include persistent sores, lumps in the neck, or difficulty swallowing.

Oral, head and neck cancers are among the most common globally. When found early, survival rates can exceed 80 percent.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post UMMC holds free cancer screenings appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article presents factual information about a free cancer screening event without showing a clear ideological stance. It primarily focuses on the health benefits of early cancer detection and the availability of free resources, such as HPV vaccinations and smoking cessation support. The language used is neutral and the content is centered around public health education rather than promoting a political viewpoint. The inclusion of factual statistics, such as survival rates and risk factors, adds to its informative and objective tone. There are no signs of bias or advocacy for a particular political agenda, making this a centrist piece.

Crooked Letter Sports Podcast

Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball?

Published

1 day ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @rick_cleveland – 2025-04-30 10:46:00

by Rick Cleveland and Tyler Cleveland, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi State didn’t even wait until the end of the season to fire Chris Lemonis, who brought the national championship to Starkville not quite four years ago. Where do the Bulldogs go from here. Robbie Faulk who covers the Bulldogs more closely than anyone else joins the podcast to discuss the situation.

Stream all episodes here.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball? appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Mississippi Today

Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you

Published

1 day ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @MSTODAYnews – 2025-04-30 10:21:00

by Mississippi Today, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi Today is looking to speak with current and former mobile sports betting users. We’d like to speak with people who spend considerable amounts of time and money betting on sports through online gambling sites.

We’re interested in hearing the experience of people who have suffered from gambling addiction or problems, or friends and family members of people who have. We also would like to talk with people who believe legalizing mobile sports betting would benefit Mississippi and its residents.

We want to hear from you. Please take the survey below or contact Political Reporter Michael Goldberg by email at mgoldberg@mississippitoday.org

TAKE THE SURVEY:

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This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article from Mississippi Today appears to present a neutral stance, focusing on gathering input from various groups of mobile sports betting users, including those who may have experienced addiction issues. The content does not advocate for or against the legalization of mobile sports betting but instead seeks to gather diverse perspectives, including those of individuals who may support or oppose it. The language used is objective and does not suggest a particular ideological perspective, allowing for a balanced exploration of the issue at hand.