Neyland Statue Unveiled and Assorted Pre-Ole Miss Talking Points

Big Friday.  Hoops tips off for the first game that actually counts (we'll just forget about the Indianapolis mess, thank you very much), Neyland gets unveiled, and we're a day away from starting this (we hope) three-game push to bowl eligibility. Your links:

• The AP notes that, since his first throw pick against South Carolina, Tyler Bray is 28-47 for 484 yards and 7 TDs without an interception. Sayeth Dooley: "I still don't know if he knows what coverage the other team plays. It drives coach (Darin) Hinshaw crazy, but it doesn't bother me at all. He just sees an open guy or a covered guy and knows where to place the ball. I'm good with that."
• While we seem to have settled on a QB, no one's quite sure who will be starting for Ole Miss, as Jeremiah Masoli is dealing with a concussion. But Prentiss Waggner says, if Masoli gets the go, we'll be in man and looking to contain the zone read.
• TE Luke Stocker has some traumatic brain injury issues of his own, to go along with a staph infection (Dooley's proper shower technique seems not to have taken). Sophomore back-up Mychal Rivera is ready to fill in.
• Zach Fulton and Marsalis Teague are looking unlikely to play. No one's really sure what's going on with Art Evans, but his "unspecified personal issues" may keep him out as well. Hope all's well, Art.
• The LA Times pretty much clears that whole Cam Newton mess right up with this headline: "Lane Kiffin says Cam Newton didn't ask for money while he was coaching at Tennessee." Actually not paying Cam / Cecil may be the one thing we have to thank Lane for.
• The 9-foot, 1500-pound statue of Brig. Gen. Neyland, complete with the Game Maxims, is in place and will be unveiled this afternoon. We're kind of hoping they took a page from Silvio Berlusconi's book and it's just a marble statue of Superman with Neyland's face. Or not. Wes Rucker takes to Twitter to remind us that Neyland had 9 undefeated seasons and 1 home loss in 21 years. He also led the 1939 team that did not give up a point in the regular season (before being shutout in the Rose Bowl by Southern Cal, in case you needed historical grudges to bear against that particular program). And there's this quote from Bear, who failed to beat Neyland in seven tries: "People think I'm the greatest damn coach in the world, but Neyland taught me everything I know."