SEC football — how great it is! Alabama deserved to win last Saturday against Mississippi State because of its balanced offense and defense. But, hey, not better by much. The same was true when the Crimson Tide beat Ole Miss 30-24 Oct. 16. Not by much.

What I’m saying is that State and Ole Miss are both pretty stout this season. Not the best, probably, but not nearly the worst. I’ll take ’em most of the time.

In fact, I just have that feeling that the Bulldogs will upset the favored Arkansas Razorbacks, their recent muscle-flexing notwithstanding. And I thought I would be able to pick Ole Miss to upset Georgia, but I see that the Rebels are favored. Thrice-beaten Georgia? But look to Tennessee, Florida and Auburn! Oh, well.

So what — I’m guessing State a 17-13 winner over potentially powerful Arkansas (see Arkansas 28-Tennessee 24, Nov. 13), and Ole Miss to nip Georgia 30-27. You have to admit that the Southeastern Conference is rugged.

Give USM credit as well. The Golden Eagles are pretty golden. Louisville won’t play dead, but might be after USM wins 17-13. That’s my guess this week.

J. O. &uot;OBIE&uot; BROWN was for 28 years a school administrator in the Natchez-Adams public schools. i betcha, though, that very few of his students knew back then that their Principal, then Assistant Principal and Assistant Superintendent was previously an outstanding athlete and coach.

First off, the man I respectfully call &uot;Coach&uot; was inducted into the Mississippi Coaches Hall of Fame in 1978. And this year on Oct. 28 he was inducted into the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Athletic Hall of Fame during ceremonies on the Perkinston Junior College campus.

An eight-varsity 1931-32 letterman, coach Brown was, in fact, selected Perkinston’s best all-around athlete. Here’s the best explanation why:

The rangy all-around athlete started and lettered two years at end for Perk in football. Likewise at forward in basketball, first base and occasionally in right field in baseball, and as a high jump, high hurdles, broad and long jump star in track. First-team All-Jr. College in basketball, he and his Perkinston baseball teammates won a state title as well.

Prior to launching his successful coaching career, coach Brown had received his BS Degree in Mathematics in 1934 from the University of Southern Mississippi, following that USM degree with his MA from there in 1950 in School Administration.

He had meantime coached several high school football and basketball championship teams at Big Eight Meridian High. He coached the late great Thomas &uot;Shorty&uot; McWilliams in both. Coach Brown’s Choctaw Conference experience included coaching both sports as well as Louisville and Mendenhell from 1948-51. In all his multi-sports coaching experience, he had two break-even seasons, but never a losing one.

While serving the Big Eight Coaches Association as Vice-President, Obie had the privilege of coaching Meridian High in Montgomery, Alabama’s prestigious 1943 Blue-Gray game against Atlanta’s Boys High — the only year high school teams played in that event. He was later Choctaw Conference Vice-President.

And, much like his dear friend the late Coach A. I. Rexinger did in Natchez, Brown organized and directed Meridian’s first city-wide summer recreation program.

So Obie Brown the outstanding athlete followed an All-Star athlete with notable coaching and school administration tenures.

And I say finally today to the 86-year old Natchezian of many athletic and school administration hats that his hometown salutes him. Congratulations, Coach.