5-at-10: Friday mailbag

Alabama head coach Nick Saban applauds on the sidelines.

Hope you have big plans on this All Hallow's Eve, which also is the birthday for Vanilla Ice, Christopher Columbus, Nick Saban and personal favorite John Candy among other noteworthy celebs.

With that, let's move to the mailbag, and remember, feel free to chime in you'd like.

From Bill H.

I started reading the 5-at-10 after listening to you and David on the radio. Your show is quite entertaining.

I know you are big into "Rushmore" lists, so here's one that could be seasonal.

What's your Rushmore of scary movies this Halloween season?

Thanks, and keep up the great work.

Bill H. -

Thanks for listening - and now reading the 5-at-10 - and for the kind words.

Rushmore of scary movies is a great, Great, GREAT Rushmore, and we are pretty sure we have had one similar on Press Row. (Side note: We are debating about trying to run with a Rushmore of scary movie villains on today's Press Row. Thoughts and/or nominations?)

As for our personal Rushmore of scary movies, and there are few Rushmores that are more person-specific, since something like Scream may be a comedy to some and terrifying to others. It's strange and cool and perfect the wide range of things that scare us, but they do.

Here's the 5-at-10's Rushmore of scariest movies (and remember, we're more of the old-school genre, and since the Mrs. deplores scary movies, we have missed the entire last generation of scare-fests):

Jaws - and the one that still affects us the most today

Exorcist - This is the face of all the devil-related terror movies. No thanks, and this includes Rosemary's Bad, The Omen and the rest of Salem's Lot.

Poltergeist - and it was as much about that stupid clown in the kid's room as anything. Stupid clowns. Stupid cole slaw.

Alien - The first Halloween got some consideration - as did the first Freddie Krueger movie - but in the end those were more campy fun. Alien, however, dude.

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From Press Row Fan

Dude, I was listening Thursday and you guys were doing a Rushmore of Halloween Candy. I tried to call but then I got home, and well, you know.

Did anyone mention those little Nestle Crunches? Man those were great.

What ended up making the Rushmore?

Thanks and love your show.

Press Row Fan -

Thanks for listening, and always feel free to ask questions here if you missed something on the radio.

No one mentioned the Nestle Crunch, although it's a fine choice. (Although we seem to remember the Crunch more as the big bar and the Krackle as the mini, but what do we know? Well, a lot actually since we were a large child - big-boned, right, Stewwie. Big-boned.)

The Rushmore was finalized with Reese's, M&Ms, Skittles and Blow Pops as the best Halloween candy.

We also announced that if you are the one in your neighborhood that has dozens of popcorn balls left over at the end of Halloween, well, that's on you. And it's not a coincidence.

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LeBron James

From Jordan Rules

Wow, how about that return to Cleveland for your BFF LeBron? Man, he's so overrated.

I'm interested to see how you spin that, but I have another question for you: Where does Halloween rank on trumped up commercialized holidays?

Thanks, and have fun following the Cavs to a fourth-place finish in the East.

Jordan Rules -

We wondered if we would hear from you.

The two biggest takeaways from LeBron's debacle Thursday night: 1) about midway through the third quarter, and after having clicked between that game, the FSU-Louisville game and Georgia Southern (who crushed Troy and moved the 5-at-10's against the spread picks to 10-0-1 since Oct.18), we looked over at the Mrs. and said, "Have we seen LeBron take a shot?" and 2) not moments after that, he was biting his fingernails on the wing as the ball was being shot.

Dude looked legitimately distracted like we can't recall - maybe that wretched Game 7 in Boston several years - and it showed.

That said, we'd be more than willing to stake some entertainment on the Cavs finishing better than fourth in the East.

As for the commercialization of Halloween, well, it certainly has happened, but we don't have a problem with it as much as others. (And judging by your tenor and tone, we can certainly see you giving out popcorn balls or worse, maybe even erasers and those mini comics with the life lesson in there. Loads of fun, right?)

We think Valentines is the Michael Jordan of the commercialized holiday. Egad.

We are not a fan of the spinning message of Easter. Here's a hint kids, it's not about a bunny and finding some eggs.

We think Christmas has been commercialized more than Halloween, to tell you the truth, but maybe that's a personal choice and maybe we're a little sensitive.

But as always, great questions, and aren't we all happy to have some NBA back in the mix.

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From Buschleaguer

Mailbag: How good would Mike Shanahan look on the sideline in the ATL next year?

Buschleaguer -

We think the Falcons need a change, and while Shanahan has some offensive chops, we think that you need a defensive ace in there.

Now if Shanahan brings a stud defensive coordinator like Rex Ryan along then OK.

That said, Shanahan truly needs a stud running back to make his offense sing.

Great question for the group. Of the names that could be out there, if the Falcons make a change, who would you want?

(And remember, that's the biggest question Artie Blank and Co. have to ask: Who out there would be an improvement over Mike Smith that you could get. We believe there are a lot of options, but are they getable?)

Tailback Todd Gurley (3) must sit out two more weeks.

From Georgia Girl

I read where you said Gurley getting suspended was Gurley's fault.

Well, who's fault is it that FSU lets those cheaters play every week?

The rule is dumb and they have already said they are going to change it, so why does Georgia have to suffer even when they did everything with honor.

Thanks for taking my question... do you think this might make the paper?

Georgia Girl -

Excellent question and one that we do not want to rush to answer.

Let us think on this for a minute and check back after lunch.

Side note/excuse: This morning has been nuts getting goodie bags to school and a Crock Pot of chili to the TFP chili cook-off and a cake the Mrs. made to the cake auction for United Way. We're crunched for time and did not want to short change this one.

That said, Gurley's shortcomings rest with Gurley, plain and simple.

Will the autograph rule be changed? Almost certainly in the coming years - and possibly the coming months - that rule will be changed since the NCAA granted the Big 5 conferences autonomy. (Now whether that's a good or a bad thing is a different discussion, but still, we believe it will be changed.)

And Gurley certainly knew it was a rule and he broke it. That's on him, and the NCAA rulebook is actually clear on this matter about the violations and the punishment and Gurley did the time for the acts he committed.

As for Florida State, well, the Seminole program has mortgaged its soul on its chase for back-to-back titles. And that's on them.

Jameis Winston had roughly twice as many signed and authenticated pieces of memorabilia on various sites and in sequential order. The difference is no one else has come forward to say Winston took money and when asked about Winston - who has been involved in at least five off-the-field incidents that have ranged from a alleged felony to petty theft to stupid jokes in poor taste - said he was not paid.

Jimbo Fisher has embraced the ostrich defense and while his head in is the sand, he's completely content to have Winston - and Karlos Williams - out there winning games and keeping FSU in the mix.

The utilitarian reasoning makes sense - if they sit Winston, they have no chance to win it all; if they play him they do, and if the NCAA strips them of it, so be it - but it certainly comes with a price.

And apparently Fisher and Co. are willing to pay that price - although $38 in crab legs was a bit steep for some involved.

Mark Richt, however, was not going to pay that price and did the right thing from the start, placing blame on Gurley, who violated the rules.

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From chas9

I have questions for the 5@10 guru.

Question the first: When multiple compelling games come on at the same time, how many can you toggle between and still enjoy the experience? (For me, the limit is two.)

Question the second: Would most SEC fans have made the same decision I made Saturday, watching The Vols v. The Tide on one TV and LSU v. Ole Miss on the second TV?

Question the third: Does the fact that Kentucky got 504 yards on The Stark Dawgs suggest #1 is unlikely to finish 12-0?

Question the fourth: Did you notice that both UK and Auburn have played South Carolina and Mississippi State this month with remarkably similar outcomes, and does that mean The Cats and The Plainsmen are roughly equally good teams? Without the onside kick gimme, UK only loses to Stark U by one TD. (Yes, you have to throw out common opponent LSU to make this leap, but arguably Auburn got Miles' minions before they turned the corner and got really good.)

I understand the limitations of comparative scores, but we Kentucky fans are excited just to see UK and Auburn mentioned in the same sentence.

A Cats fan opined on Press Row Monday that Stoops' squad is just a couple of recruiting classes away from being "there." I say only one class. Or two players away (a stud running back and a stud linebacker).

Chas9 -

In order

SEC Southeastern Conference

No. 1 - At least four. And with the DVR working we can get to five if they are not all tooth-and-nail competitive. Or if Auburn is involved...

No. 2 - This SEC fan watched the first quarter of the Alabama-Tennessee game while the AU game was DVRing. We then flipped between LSU-Ole Miss, the World Series for just a few minutes and Bama-UT. But, then the second shootout of Auburn-South Carolina demanded all of our efforts.

No. 3 - Yes, in more ways than one. That said, Auburn of 2010 had no problem letting someone run up and down the field because it knew Cam and Gus were faster and had more bullets. (Think AU 67, Arkansas 41 that year.)

No. 4 - Uh, no. Auburn played its worst game under Malzahn at Starkville and UK played well to lose by similar scores. As for LSU, do we really think LSU turned the corner THAT MUCH in two weeks to go from a 41-7 loss at Auburn that could have been much worse to a 41-3 win over UK?

The Cats are much better than expected, and there's a very chance they could head to Louisville to end the season looking for win No. 8.

If you are looking for an Auburn comparison, think about Mean Gene Chizik's first year in 2009. That's a better example in our mind - and you're right, it only took one more recruiting class and a kid named Cam (and some say $180K) to go from improved to national champs.

Great job everyone and enjoy the weekend.