Ole Miss: How we are perceived III

Part III of the series: How we are perceived. In this blog I will post comments from Ohio State, Minnesota & Penn State fans. Below each section there will be a link to the message board(s) to discuss further.

Ohio State

Ole Miss and Ohio State have never met on the football field. Oxford and Columbus are 665 miles apart. According to google maps it is a 10.5 hour drive.

(1) What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Ole Miss?

land of QB transfers (Tennessee, Texas)--DoubleE

I think of the movie Mississippi Buring and good ol' boys who aint takin to kind to dem colored folk (not that the Midwest is much better)--mattatech

The Mannings--24springs

Beautiful campus, beautiful women, cool town.--GOBUCKS07

Beautiful women with awesome southern belle accents and William Faulkner--DaveyBoy

Confederate battle flag--kodok

Archie Manning and his boy--GoBucks187TTUN

The Rebels nickname comes to mind most for me. For some reason it never had a racially negative connotation to me even though I think the Confederate flag does.--gleszekod

Michael Oher (Just read the book about his recruitment to Ole Miss).--ysubuck

The beautiful women, bar none they are top notch.--sm00r

What comes to mind about Mississippi is the brutality and hangings of blacks circa 30s/40s/50 etc.to me the whole south sucks canal water.--poecozynook

Eli Manning and the LB you had last year..he was the best LB in the country and deserved the Lombardi over our guy.--naplesbuckeye2002

Growing up in the north, watching college football on Saturday afternoon and being amazed at the cheerleaders and other beautiful ladies in Oxford!--Atlabuck

The Chucky Mullins tragedy - one of the few things I know.--mwcturf

(2) What are your feelings about Ole Miss?

below average football team--DoubleE

No feelings, other then I think their football teams needs to cheat more in order to receive proper SEC affiliation--mattatech

I presented research at a regional History Conference there in 2001. I enjoyed the campus very much, thought the people were hospitable, and I had a good experience there overall. (my Father-In-Law played basketball there in the 60's). --GOBUCKS07

I live in Alabama and have had the pleasure of going to visit Mississippi State for a ball game. The stadium was almost a mirror image of Indiana's. Not really a bad seat in the house. Small town atmosphere...refreshing for a change. MSU cheese is delicious...they are a AG school. I know alot more about the Bulldogs than I do Ole' Miss. I know the Egg Bowl is huge for you guys. I know you have a solid tradition. Archie and Eli Manning always come to mind. I have seen pictures of Oxford and the campus is awesome. I know Mississippi H.S. football plays Bama in an all-star game just like oHIO DOES WITH pa...YOU GUYS USUALLY HOLD YOUR OWN. Ole Miss is usually a team that is liked and respected and isn't considered villainous unless your a bulldog fan. --devildogbuckeye

I tend to like Ole Miss better than Mississippi State--24springs

Growing up in the north - only heard about racial issues.--mwcuturf

Having visited the state many times and always rooting for the underdogs, I like Ole Miss!--Atlabuck

I actually like them and hope they have a solid season from time to time.--OSUdawg10

very nice campus situated near but not in Memphis with good academics and a very "preppy" student body--DaveyBoy

Don't have any feelings about Ole Miss..Would like them to be competitive in the SEC...Hiring Coach O was a good step. Tough to keep kids in your state from Auburn, Alabama, LSU and other SEC schools.--naplesbuckeye2002

Ole Miss seems like a second tier team in the SEC in football. I usually root for them over the top dogs. --gleszekod

Small venue. Would like to see them more competative.--GoBucks187TTUN

have heard of the "Grove" and the tailgating first hand from an Ole Miss grad. (close friend) The women aren't to shabby either. I thought your program was headed in the right direction then you fire the coach as soon as Manning left. I liked David Cutcliff, appeared to be a class act and he has one losing season and they dump him.Cutcliff went 44-29 with a +60% winning percentage in that conference is a job well done in my opinion. Good luck with Big Ed O at the helm! I also am aware that Ole Miss has not won a conference championship since 1963 ... that's a lot of suffering. Good luck in '07. I miss Colonel Reb!--texbuck

took them about 140 years to realize they had lost the Civil War--kodok

I don't know that much about Ole Miss, but from what I can tell they seem to have a good fanbase and are usually around the middle of the SEC standings.--UAGoldenBuckeye

(3) Would you like to play us in football or basketball in the future?

I'd like Ohio State to play Ole Miss in football--ysubuck

yes in a 2 for 1 deal (2 in Cbus)--DoubleE

Yes, I would love a good home and home with you guys.--GOBUCKS07

Sure. I wouldn't mind any SEC team in a home and home series. No offense, but you your conference(minus Tennessee) seems afraid to travel outside the South.--OSUdawg10

If i was AD at tOSU i would play you, and I would hope we get to visit Oxford too.--mattatech

Not really - would rather play about 8 other SEC teams first.--DA-Bucks

I would welcome a football series with Ole Miss. I wouldn't want the Rebels to replace a Texas or USC, but I'd favor them over playing yet another team from Ohio. I wish we'd only play one Ohio team a year --24springs

I would love playing Ole Miss. They are a really sucky team yet you get credit for beating a team from the SEC powerhouse conference.Ole Miss has lost seven or more games for each of the past three seasons....including two losses to Wyoming.A great situation for some team like WVU to schedule a sucky team and than beat their chest about playing and beating an SEC team. --Roady

Indifferent about football, but would like to see a game vs. Andy Kennedy and the basketball team.--sm00r

I would like to play as many SEC teams as we could as our record agains the SEC is lackluster...Would like to get South Carolina and Florida 1st to finish business.--naplesbuckeye2002

I liked when we played NC St. a few years back. I can't see them being the marquee OOC game, but I would certainly like to play Ole Miss more than BG. --gleszekod

I don't really see the point. Ole Miss isn't really on par with a program like Ohio State. I would enjoy a possible trip to Oxford. I have family in Biloxi.--GoBucks187TTUN

football = yes....but only in Columbus as Vaught-Hemingway is just too small--DaveyBoy

Why not? Easy wins against BCS teams are more respectable than easy wins over Div II teams.--kodok

I think it would be an interesting match up and would enjoy it!--Atlabuck

I think it may be good, but highly unlikely. I do remember we played in Basketball a few years back at that Holiday Shootout in Puerto Rico. --UAGoldenBuckeye

(4)What do you think about the SEC in general?

vastly overrated--DoubleE

Good football conference. Usually competative with the rest. Kentucky basketball has a big following in the Dayton area.--GoBucks187TTUN

The SEC is the strongest conference in college football, but I question a lot of their recruiting strategies (see the Michael Oher recruitment above).--ysubuck

I'm temporarily stuck in psuedo-SEC country (Lexington, KY), so what was once a degree of respect, has quickly turned into a source of contention between my friends and I. It's mostly friendly banter, but I can't help believe in the "overated" label. That, in my opinion, however, makes college ball so great!--GoBucks07

IF the SEC lost the championship game this year (2007) then the media would not be sucking the knob off the conference. The SEC is the most dedicated, as evidence by their cheating, but hardly better then any other top conference. I have plenty of data if you can to argue it.--mattatech

I like the SEC but to say that it is so far better than other conferences is a stretch. They have had some good years with Auburn and LSU getting back into the limelight and with Florida and the occasional Georgia run here and there. Everything is cyclical..the balance will swing to the Big Tweleve or Big Ten again at some point. Historically this has happened and we can not deny the past.--naplesbuckeye2002

In general, football is religion in the south and a Saturday place of worship. As far as teams go I follow Tennessee--sm00r

think they're a solid conference with a ton of tradition. I get tired of the inflated reputation from ESPN and their fans. If they actually travelled north or west for a quality game I'd have more respect for them.--OSUdawg10

Love the rabid fan bases, and the talent is top notch--24springs

the SEC is an outstanding conference athletically....but very mediocre academically....outstanding fan support....demographic swings have been on the side of for 30 years as the Southeast has been exploding--DaveyBoy

Great football conference. Though not as great as SEC fans think. But I don't really respect the academic prowess of graduates of most of the SEC schools.--kodok

The SEC is a great football conference. Tend to think a little highly of themselves but I love their passion for college football. Can't look around a lot of the scandels though.--UAGoldenBuckeye

The SEC is strong, but gets talked about too much. Not much is made when the conference doesn't have a good year (06), but when they do have a good year, it is made out to be like it happens every year.--gleszekod

(5) Have you ever visited Oxford on game day? If yes, what was your experience? If no, what have you heard about our gameday experience?

no, havnt herd a thing about gameday in oxford--DoubleE

have never went to Oxford but would love to. I heard about the a portion of gameday that the football team walks through and it resembles a miny parade.--mattatech

Never been, though I hear the scenery is something else.....--24springs

yes....beautiful Saturday experience...I still could never bring myself to wear a blazer and a tie to a football game--DaveyBoy

I have not been to an Ole Miss game but I have heard The Grove is a fantastic tailgate spot. Families have been going to the same spot on gameday for generations, sounds like a very neat tradition. --UAGoldenBuckeye

I have never been to Oxford. I have heard nothing about their gameday experience.--GoBucks187TTUN

I recently heard the gameday experience in Oxford is outstanding.--gleszekod

No I haven't. Sorry to say, I haven't talked to anyone that's been to Oxford.--OSUdawg10

I witnessed Spring Practice once while I was there. I was impressed with the enthusiasm, and maintain a good level of respect for Ole Miss program. (Most folks there were absolutely crazy about Deuce McAllister at the time... good stuff). --GOBUCKS07

No, but I would want to see the women. Did I mentione they were beautiful?--sm00r

No but I dated a girl that went there. She told me about the Grove and the walk the players do to the stadium. I think every school has some type of walk. I know about the Fraternities dressing up and kissing the girls when they score. Kinda cool.--naplesbuckeye2002

I've been to Oxford, but not on gameday but have friends that went there and have told me about it. Yours is a trowback to the 50s & 60s and would greatly enjoy experiencing a game day there!--Atlabuck

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Penn State

Penn State and Ole Miss haven't played in basketball or football recently. Oxford is 1,008 miles from State College, PA. According to google maps it is a 16 hour drive between the two universities.

(1) What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Ole Miss?

Love the unis. Hot cheerleaders.--mhentz

Southern Belles and Faulkner--SgtCarter

Racism--GuavaLion & 70sixers

Hot coeds, tailgating at the Grove--VaNtyLion

Racism, Archie Manning, Hot Babes--WoodPeker

The Mannings. The Grove. James Meredith. --NitneLiun

The Grove, hot cheerleaders, the Rebel flag--NewEnglandLion

That rebel mascot and Archie Manning/Eli as well--Nashville Lion

Red, White and Blue Uni's. Manning Southern Football--nittanyjoe

With the confederate flag waving all over the place, it's hard not to think of the hundreds of years of racism and predudice. --JoeHomsey

Eli Manning (I'm a Giants fan)--Viennalion

Colonel Reb, the red, white, and blue uniforms that I really like, Coach O's Hummer commercial.--michnittlion

Rebel Flag, Archie Manning, blonde southern belles with bouffant hairdos--psuro

Fine looking women, then William Faulkner, and then fine looking women.--Cosmos

Billy Brewer (didn't think you'd hear that on a PSU board, didja?)--Tulane

The Grove and Southern Bells--Brian LB-U

(2) What are your feelings about Ole Miss?

I wonder why they've never been able to build a successful football program. You'd think they could put together a winning season at least once in a while--mhentz

Tradition. Didn't they have the Stars&Bars on their helmet years ago? Arche Manning may have been their greatest player ever.--SgtCarter

I have no idea why black kids would go there.--70sixers

Pretty much indifferent...don't dislike or really like. I would much rather see them win than most of the rest of the SEC especially against Auburn, Florida, TN--Nashville Lion

They seem to be living in another century. The fans especially seem stuck in the antebellum South. It looks pretty at first, but as soon as you begin to know what it all represents, it creates a strong resentment.--JoeHomsey

Really don't have a lot of feelings one way or the other except I pull for 'em every time they play Mississippi State.--Brian LB-U

Nuetral as far as SEC schools go (and that's good).--Cosmos

Generally think of them as a bottom tier SEC school who might pull off an upset from time to time, but never seems to be in the hunt for a championship (basketball or football).--Viennalion

I love the rebel flag, colors, mascot. I wish they had more success.--LineMountain

Ole Miss -- great campus, great coeds, great alumni, average academics.--Tulane

None. Except get rid of the Rebel Flag.--psuro

Once upon a time a dominant program in the SEC but still have the ability to contend every couple of years. Still don't understand why Cutcliffe was let go. I have nothing against their desire to display the Confederate flag.--NewEnglandLion

I have seen two Ole Miss games live ... the inauguaral Motor City Bowl back at the Silverdome vs. Marshall and one in Oxford vs Memphis in 2002. Not a good impression. Waving the confederate flag and actually celebrating that made your fans seem to be stuck in the 19th Century. For all the talk about states rights and fighting Yankee opression, the old CSA sought to protect a dehuamnizing racist culture and people are right for being resentful at its celebration.--michnittlion

Tell your admin to bring back Colonel Reb --Dog of Sam

(3) Would you like to play us in football or basketball in the future?

nope. Nothing personal, mind you.--mhentz

Best conference top to bottom, but not because of "southern speed". Most years, the best 3 or 4 teams in the SEC are no better than most other conferences, and the bowl results prove it.--VaNtyLion

Need to play in football. Start pressuring your AD.--Cosmos

Sure, why not...would be fun to do a one (home) and one (away) with Ole Miss--Nashville Lion

Absolutely. I'm sure Ole Miss fans would love tailgating at PSU and PSU fans would love tailgating at Ole Miss. I guess hoops would be fine too. Wouldn't really be a headliner though.--NewEnglandLion

Hoops-psuro

Football -- would love it--Tulane

Football sure. BB-Ole Miss is better but would still play them.--SgtCarter

Sure, no offense, but if we play an SEC team home-and-home, I'd prefer a strong opponent. Not that Ole Miss couldn't become one, but they aren't there now. On a side note, it's very tough for Ole Miss to rise to the very top tier of the SEC, but Cutliffe really had them close. Firing him one year after Ole Miss was 1 play (against LSU) away from going 8-0(!!!) in the SEC is arguably the dumbest fire a school has made in recent history.--michnittlion

Would like to play you guys in football. The SEC fans and media hype talk a lot about SEC superiority, BUT as far as I can see, Ole Miss is at the bottom of a two tier conference.--JoeHomsey

FB: Yes, but it won't happen. You guys will never come north to play a ranked opponent. I'm surprised you even went as far north as Mizzou last year. BB: Sure, why not?--NitneLiun

Sure always enjoy playing teams we have never played or don't play regularly, especially from areas we don't have much exposure--Viennalion

(4)What do you think about the SEC in general?

No doubt it's a tough league to play in but it's nowhere near as dominating as SEC fans like to believe. Great fanbases and gameday atmospheres, BTW. It's a shame how it's almost impossible to get SEC teams to play outside the southeast region. We play Alabama from time to time and they'll be back on PSU's schedule in a few years, but nobody else in the SEC will even return our calls. We've had series's with Tenn and Kentucky but those were ages ago. We'd love to play Tennessee again, Fla, LSU, Auburn, UGA, etc. It'd be great for college football if the SEC ventured to play north of the Mason Dixon line from time to time.--mhentz

Great conference, but get tired of hearing about southern speed. SEC schools won't get my full respect until they start traveling north for out of conference games.--NitneLiun

Like it and respect the conference from an athletic standpoint.--Brian LB-U

The top conference more often than not but their hype machine would have us think they have the best conference every year without exception which is untrue.--SgtCarter

SEC - very good conference, but as another poster said, SEC fans are a little overconfident--Tulane

The SEC represents everything that's wrong with college football.--Cosmos

Tough conference year in and year out in football and have some of the best gameday venues in the nation.--NewEnglandLion

Loved our series with Bama. SEC fans are rabid - After the Florida route of OSU, I think everyone is going to forget that we beat Tennessee and Wisky beat Auburn in bowl games. --nittanyjoe

Cheat. And can't tackle PSU running backs.--psuro

See (2). Grove and the player walk are great traditions. Dressing up for a football game seems bizarre. Mississippi as a whole: just a completely different world from what I've known growing up and living in the North, and one I'm not very comfortable with.--michnittlion

Very strong sports teams, but question whether everything recruiting-wise (and otherwise) is above the table. Although priorities seem to be out of whack all over college sports, the SEC seems to be the poster child for this epidemic.--Viennalion

The SEC, in football, is overated. That comes about because of a firm belief of their own fans, and a propaganda oriented media network that has infiltrated the national sports media. The fact are this. SEC teams refuse to go outside their geographic area in OCC games. Troy St, Southern Mississippi and the Sun Belt teams should not even count toward the win/loss record. When SEC teams begin playing OSU, Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin, Southern Cal in OCC games and do so on a regular basis, then the SEC fans can talk. --JoeHomsey

I think the Big Ten and SEC are the two strongest football conferences. I get a little tired of the elitist attitude from SEC fans...the whole thought that they think they have so much more tradition than other conferences. I also get tired of the whole "we have more speed in the south" crap.--Nashville Lion

(5) Have you ever visited Oxford on game day? If yes, what was your experience? If no, what have you heard about our gameday experience?

Nope.....Honestly? nothing.--mhentz

I'd love to visit Oxford for a football weekend, but haven't gotten the chance.--VaNtyLion

No, I've heard that it is a great gameday experience (The Grove, player walk, hot women everywhere)--Woodpecker

I haven't been there but know many who have. They have all said what a great experience it was, especially the Grove and hot, promiscuous women.--NitneLiun

Never been but would like to see it!--Cosmos

I have partied in the Grove more than 10 times (grew up in Jackson...only Penn Stater in a 500 mile radius, no doubt).--Tulane

Never have but based on what I've heard I would like to. I've heard the stories about the Grove, the Southern belles, I'm guessing it would be a very memorable experience. My first trip to a SEC stadium will be Bama when we play them in '10 but Ole Miss would be one of the next one's I'd like to visit.--NewEnglandLion

Never went there...and doubtful I ever will. Atlanta was bad(I lived there for 6 years). Oxford and Mississippi in general remind me of the worst of American History.--JoeHomsey

Never been to Mississippi.--Viennalion

Hell No. Too many stories of racism!--70sixers

No, but I hear the Grove is one of the great institutions in all of CFB.--Brian LB-U

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Minnesota

Recently we played Minnesota at Minnesota in baseball. Other than that we haven't had much contact. Oxford to Minneapolis is 912 miles. Google maps says it takes 14.5 hours to drive between the two.

(1) What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Ole Miss?

Eli Manning--101stGopher

The Grove--soneillumn

The Confederate flag/ Confederate general and negative stereotypes that come with it. It may be small of me, but it's a little hard for me to overlook. Take that from someone who has relatives from Mississippi( Clarksdale, etc.), and ones who have attended Ole Miss. Was that always your mascot, or did it come later? Just curious.--STPGopherfan

Isn't that where they red-shirt Ms. America's ? Hot co-eds.--norman dale

(2) What are your feelings about Ole Miss?

I really don't have any. Ole Miss is a bottom-rung SEC team. Sort of the SEC equivalent of Indiana... Every once in awhile they have a decent season, but they can't sustain anything...--101stGopher

Very similar to Minnesota--both have gone a long time without a conference championship. They've had good teams but have not gone to the next level.--soneillum

Neutral. I don't really get to watch Ole Miss much to form an opinion. I see much more of Southern Miss(thanks to ESPN).--STPGopherfan

A school steeped in tradition's of the Old South.--norman dale

Never been there. Wouldnt mind playing you. May make a nice late Oct. trip. Mississippi high school ball may well be as good as any from coast to coast.--bob-39

(3) Would you like to play us in football or basketball in the future?

Not really since a win doesn't mean a lot but the risk of losing is high enough that it is a lose/lose for us.--101stGopher

Yes, both. Looking forward to improving the N/C schedule.--sonellium

It would be interesting to play you in both.--STPGopherfan

Would love a home and home in football --norman dale

(4)What do you think about the SEC in general?

Great football conference--101stGopher

Surely Everyone's Cheating. Seriously, though, the best conference in the country--soneillum

Overall I think the SEC is a strong athletic conference. Most partial to Alabama though. I had a coach who played there that I liked and respected.--STPgopherfan

Great athletics. Average academics.--norman dale

(5) Have you ever visited Oxford on game day? If yes, what was your experience? If no, what have you heard about our gameday experience?

Never been. I did go to the egg-bowl one year on Thanksgiving but it was at MSU. I heard that gameday is crazy there--101stGopher

No, I've heard it is among the best (at least tailgating-wise).--soneillumn

No. Not much. I've heard much more about games in Tuscaloosa(sp?) Knoxville, Gainesville, Athens, and Fayetteville.--STPgopherfan

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