Crooked Letter Sports

The boys welcome family friend, Mississippi native and Sports Illustrated national college football writer Ross Dellinger to the pod to discuss the ever-changing landscape of the NCAA, conference realignment and every coach from Billy Napier to Deion Sanders. Plus, Ross breaks down the differences between Lane Kiffin and Mike Leach, and explains why they aren't so different after all.

he Super Bowl followed suit with an amazing string of down-to-the-wire NFL playoff games, giving pro football fans one final treat. Mississippians Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson, Jr. helped the Los Angeles Rams outlast the Cincinnati Bengals. Even the halftime show gets the Cleveland stamp of approval. The Clevelands also talk about the opening of the college baseball season, the high school bask...

Prime Shrimp, a New Orleans company, joins as the podcast's sponsor on a busy week in Mississippi sports. The Cleveland boys discuss the upcoming Super Bowl, Joe Burrow's Magnolia State roots, a new head coach for the New Orleans Saints, Arch Manning, a busy time in Mississippi high school sports. Oxford native Davis McCool joins to talk about Prime Shrimp (and Ole Miss baseball).

The Cleveland boys discuss the departure of Saints coach Sean Payton, his legacy as a coach and what's next for the franchise. Plus, NFC and AFC Championship talk — including Joe Burrow's ties to Amory, Miss — and Ole Miss scores big in the transfer portal.

Rick Cleveland began writing for his hometown newspaper at the age of 13. Now, he is in his 57th year of covering Mississippi sports. On this episode, Tyler Cleveland asks his dad about some of the greatest athletes, greatest coaches, most memorable games and a lot more about a nearly six-decade career of writing about the games Mississippians play.

Mickey Spagnola, veteran NFL writer and former Jackson Daily News sports writer, joins the Cleveland boys to discuss the Dallas Cowboys and their devastating Sunday defeat in the NFL playoffs. Spagnola, who has covered America's Team for 38 years, talks extensively about Dak Prescott, how the Cowboys lost, and about a series of Dallas playoff debacles over the last few years.

It was like a who's who of Mississippi football personalities in Monday night's National Championship, where Georgia finally got over the hump against Bama. Plus, Tyler gripes about the Saints' playoff woes and Rick gives us his big takeaway from Ole Miss' win over Mississippi State on the hardwood.

The Cleveland boys catch up from the Holiday break with thoughts on Ole Miss and Mississippi State's losses in their bowl games, bid farewell to several notable players who have opted for the draft and look ahead at the future of both programs. Rick and Tyler also give predictions for the national championship.

Rick and Tyler welcome Rick's brother and Tyler's uncle, Bobby Cleveland, for a special holiday edition of Crooked Letter. For years, Bobby Cleveland produced an award winning Sunday sports section for The Clarion Ledger and also won awards for his unique writing about hunting and fishing in Mississippi. 

The Saints, surprise shutout winners on the road against the Tampa Bay Bucs and Tom Brady leadoff today's podcast. The Cleveland boys also discuss South Carolina State's destruction of Jackson State in the Celebration Bowl, and look ahead to Mississippi State in the Liberty Bowl,Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl and the college football championship playoffs.

What this world does not need are any more obscure college football bowls. We've already got Tony the Tiger, the Cheezit, and two bowls scheduled for Frisco, Texas. The Cleveland boys also discuss recruiting, the Mississippi-Alabama all-star game and the Celebration Bowl.

Rick and Tyler recount their weekend trip to Hattiesburg for the MHSAA Championships and welcome Madison Central's state champion coach Toby Collums to the studio. Plus, Jackson State is the SWAC Champion and the Rebels and Bulldogs are going bowling.

The Cleveland boys discuss the high school state championship matchups, the SWAC Championship matchup, the Egg Bowl that was, the C Spire Conerly Trophy and the silly season of so many coaching changes in college football.

Brandon High School coach and former Mississippi State receiver Sam Williams joins the Cleveland boys to talk about his Bulldogs' bruising run in the MHSAA Playoffs and what it's like to prepare to play in an Egg Bowl.  

Yes, we need to protect the quarterbacks, but this is getting ridiculous, isn't it? In a busy podcast, we discuss the roughing (or bumping) the passer call against the Saints, huge victories for Mississippi State and Ole Miss, a near-miss from Southern Miss, the Alcorn-Jackson State showdown, and the high school football playoffs.

Baseball is over (except for Atlanta Braves fans still celebrating), but high school football playoffs, college football's crunch time, the yo-yo New Orleans Saints all have our attention. What's more, the college basketball regular season tips off in the Magnolia State this week. There's something for everyone, including ESPN GameDay coming to Oxford, Jackson State at 8-1 and Ole Miss, State and...

Rick and Tyler discuss all the latest developments in Mississippi's high school and college football scene, as well as the Braves in the MLB World Series and the New Orleans Saints' huge win over Tom Brady and the Bucs.

Rick and Tyler welcome Southern Miss Athletic Director Jeremy McClain to the pod to explain the jump to the Sun Belt Conference and what it means for Golden Eagle athletics.

Deuce McAllister, one of the busiest guys around, joins the Cleveland boys to discuss the football weekend that was and what is coming up this weekend.

The Cleveland boys discuss a huge college football Saturday, the yoyo Saints and the Greenwood Christian dilemma.

Recalling the true story of a football play that went the wrong way and then went viral before viral was a thing. This was 1988. David Lee Herbert, the coach at tiny Tishomingo High School in northeast Mississippi Hill Country, called a play that gained international renown. Here's the rest of the story.

Golf professional and Mississippi Sports Hall of Famer Randy Watkins joins the Cleveland boys to discuss the Ryder Cup and the Sanderson Farms Invitational, which is played this week at the Country Club. As it happens, all-time Ryder Cup match winner Sergio Garcia will defend his title, coming off the American's record-setting victory over the Europeans at Whistling Straits. Watkins, an Ole Miss m...

  Rick Cleveland was present for Greenville Christian's thrilling 48-41 victory over powerhouse Oak Grove and says it was no fluke. Plus, the Cleveland boys discuss the weekend in Mississippi college football – the Ole Miss run-away and the Mississippi State take-away – and what's coming up next.

The college football season enters its third week with some really interesting non-conference, regional matchups, including Mississippi State-Memphis, Ole Miss-Tulane, Troy-Southern Miss and Jackson State-Louisiana Monroes. Plus, we take a look at the super-surprising New Orleans Saints and intriguing Oak Grove-Greenwood Christian high school matchup.

The 2021 season is off and running. Rick and Tyler discuss the opening weekend of college football and highlight some of the surprise teams making moves at the high school level. Plus two great teams scheduled a surprise high school game that has everyone excited.