Nutt gets paid.

Is this fun or what? Surely you jest, you might say. How can seeing the demise of a coach and the possibility of losing another be fun? I really can’t answer that. Unless you have spent the majority of your spare time on the World Wide Web since Friday, you probably wouldn’t understand. After the firing, pardon me, the resignation of MSU head coach Sylvester Croom and Houston Nutt playing a game of chicken with the Mississippi brass of the fascination with Auburn. Greg Byrne has the MSU faithful sitting on pins and needles and Pete Boone just secured Nutt after opening up the bank in Oxford. This wasn’t without tense moments for the UM family. So far during this chain of events, I have successfully logged on to both Ole Miss and Miss. St. message boards a record amount. I have exceeded my cellular plan for text messages. Yes, I am ashamed how many were sent and received. No need telling my wife, she is well aware. A text message plan for Christmas? I think so, maybe Houston Nutt could pay for it. He was awarded a raise in excess of $2.5 million.

As Nutt was slowly backing Ole Miss into the corner, the Rebels saw the writing on the wall. Teddy KGB, played to perfection by John Malkovich in the movie Rounders, said it best. “Pay the man, pay that man his money.” Mississippi president Robert Kayhat and Director of Athletics Pete Boone had no choice. They understood the ramifications of Nutt bolting for The Plains. A plan was in place to up his salary, along with the assistants. The plan included many specifics, concerning the football program as a whole we are not privy to. I can imagine, the word “control” was most prevalent in the conversations. Now, the Rebs can prepare for the trip to Dallas in the Cotton Bow against Texas Tech and the coveted extra practices that surround any bowl trip.

The names are all over the map, as they say. Close to the vest? MSU Director of Athletics Greg Byrne is a prime example. At press time, MSU has not made a call on its new football head coach since the firing of Sly Croom. The former coach made an appearance on AM 790 The Fan in Atlanta on Tuesday and told the sports world he had no plans of resigning. “I already conceded in not retaining (offensive coordinator) Woody (McCorvey) and had contacted (former Auburn offensive coordinator) Al Borges,” Croom said in the interview. As stated last we, he did not resign on his own accord. I have a belief, the longer the search drags on the more detrimental effect it will have on the program as a whole. The glaring detriment is recruiting. The currant recruits are in limbo, while the new regime is losing vital time until signing day in February. When the news finally comes in Starkville, it will come with the snap of a finger. For the State brethren, it needs to happen quickly.