Welcome to Ole Miss:Big Ten fans

This blog is in response to the series : How we are perceived. In that series I asked all 11 Big Ten universities' fans their thoughts on Ole Miss. I thank the fans who took the time to answer a few questions. I was surprised at how open Big Ten fans were to talking about Ole Miss sports. This blog is a short glimpse of the Ole Miss today.

Dear Big Ten fans:

I enjoyed reading your thoughts on Ole Miss. Many of you were knowledgeable and informed on Ole Miss and our traditions. I was a bit disappointed in some of the comments, in particular the rebel flag and racist comments. I asked for your thoughts and it seems you were honest. I hope to shed a new light on Ole Miss for you. This blog is just a short glimpse of the Ole Miss today.

All universities have their scars and black eyes. Ole Miss is definitely among them. Ole Miss today is a much different place than it was even 20 years ago. I am amazed at how much it has changed even since I was there from 1992-1995. It seems many of you have old images stuck in your head regarding Ole Miss. I hope to enlighten you on changes that have accured over the last few decades.

First let me start off by saying that Ole Miss hasn't used the Rebel Flag in over 20 years and asked the fans not to bring the flags to football games 10 years ago. They issued a "stick ban" and now confiscate any type of flag in the stadium. Regardless, the majority of Ole Miss fans have happily agreed to the change.

Our previous mascot, Col Reb, has been retired. The University in 2003 retired the Col and is in the process of updating to a new and younger mascot. We've been waiting for 4 years now. Hopefully the University will let us have a mascot once again.

Where is the name "Ole Miss" from? The Ole Miss site states :" The University's nickname -- Ole Miss -- became part of University 100 years ago, in 1896, when it was selected in a contest held to identify a new student publication, the yearbook. It was suggested by the late Miss Elma Meek of Oxford. Each succeeding issue of the annual has been given this copyrighted identity."

Is there still racism in Mississippi? Yes. However, my personal opinion is that there is no more or no less racism present than in any other place. I live in Ohio now and I can see no difference between here and Oxford. Mississippi is 36% African American, compared to 15% in IL, 11.4% in OH, 8.3% in IN, 9.9% in PA and 5.6% in WI. IOPAA Simply put, Mississippi is two times more diverse than any state where a Big 10 university is located.

Here are some facts that I found on the University of Mississippi's website:

• Total enrollment on The University of Mississippi’s three campuses and The University of Mississippi Medical Center is almost 17,300. Sixty-five percent of all students are from Mississippi, and 18 percent are minorities. International students come from 68 nations. (Northwestern only has a black student population of less than 6 percent, Michigan 8.1 percent.)--The journal of blacks in higher education


• UM produced its 24th Rhodes Scholar in 1998. Since then, it has produced five Truman Scholars, seven Goldwater Scholars, a Marshall Scholar and five Fulbright Scholars. UM was named one of three 2004 Truman Foundation Honor Institutions in the nation.


• 1,286 students have participated in the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College since it opened in 1997 and the Barksdale Honors Scholarship has provided more than $1.3 million. Reader's Digest calls the Honors College one of the nation's three finest.


• The Lombardi Program on Measuring University Performance ranks UM among the nation's Top 50 public research universities.


• External funding for research, service and education projects on the Oxford and Jackson campuses topped $100 million each of the past six years. UM is home to more than 30 research centers.


• The American Academy of Forensic Scientists ranks the UM degree in forensic chemistry among the top five in the country.


• The University's endowment stands at $421.4 million, placing it among the nation's best endowed public institutions per capita.


• The School of Business Administration's insurance risk management program is ranked among the top five in the country.


• Sports Illustrated rates tailgating in the Grove as one of America's premier college events, placing it No. 3 on a list of 100 things to do before graduating.


• UM is home to the world's largest blues archive, Living Blues magazine (the country's longest-running magazine dedicated to blues music) and "Highway 61," a blues radio show produced weekly for Mississippi Public Broadcasting.


• University of Mississippi Medical Center surgeons performed the world's first lung transplant in man and transplanted the heart of a chimpanzee - man's closest genetic relation - into the chest of a dying man.


• One of the South's first universities to admit women, and the first to hire a female faculty member.

I invite y'all to take a trip to Oxford. Oxford is one of the most unique places you will ever visit. Here is a bit about Oxford from oxfordms.com: (I also suggest taking the time to watch the video of oxford found on this website.)

• Oxford has earned the distinction as a Designated Retirement Community by the state of Mississippi’s Hometown Retirement program and was named one of Money magazine’s top six retirement communities in July 2001. Oxford has also been highlighted by Where To Retire, Fortune, Travel 50 And Beyond, Men’s Journal, Modern Maturity, Time magazine and many other national and regional publications as being an ideal retirement destination. The Oxford-Lafayette County Economic Development Foundation’s Retiree Attraction Program offers information and tours for interested retirees who want to learn more about the town. Visit www.retire.oxfordms.com to contact the Retiree Attraction Program Director or for additional information on retirement in Oxford.

The most well known sports related event at Ole Miss is tailgating in the Grove. The Grove has been named in numerous sports list as one of, if not, the best tailgating in college football. Take the time to read a few articles on the Grove experience. Then come on down, you will love it. :

• At Ole Miss, the Tailgaters Never Lose--New York Times


• Road Trip: University of Mississippi--Sports Illustrated


• CNN Video from 2003 on the Grove


• The Grove Part I & Part II

I hope this information has been helpful. I do hope that you take the time to visit Ole Miss and Oxford. Better yet, ask your athletic directors to schedule us in a future game.

Sincerely,

The Hotty Toddy Blog

Ole Miss: How we are perceived.

I often wonder how Ole Miss is perceived by others who don't have much contact with the University. Perception is powerful . Often times perception is reality, despite truth. I think it is important for us Rebel fans to understand how we are perceived in the sports world even if the perceptions are false.

I wanted to start in a region where we have little contact. I picked the Big 10. I asked a series of questions to fans using message boards from each of the Big 10 universities.

This article is not intended to state that everyone or even the majority of fans from these universities feel a certain way. I will not comment on their answers. I will let them speak for themselves. I've posted a link to the message threads under each team's responses. Feel free to visit the message boards and discuss this with their fans. This is good time to confront some of the negative perceptions in a positive way.

I'm going to post two schools for each blog. The first two are Illinois and Indiana.

Illinois
We haven't had much contact with Illinois in Men's basketball or football. We were looking for a coach in football at the same time and Ron Zook was mentioned at both universities. Zook of course took the Illinois job. We played Illinois in basketball twice in the late 80's and lost both. The main campus is located in Urbana-Champaign. The two universities are 488 miles apart and according to google maps a 7.5 hour drive.

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

decent football history, bad record--Packers731

Eli Manning--untouchableillini

when i hear about ole miss im immediately focused on ed orgeron. He is attempting to do the same thing at ole miss ron zook is doing at illinois. The goal is to recruit enough athletes to replace years of poor performance. I also think of Cutcliffe who was the man the manning brothers turned to for guidance and was fired in my opinion far too early. But I think its a program with potentional and far better off than the boys at mississippi state cuz sly croom cant recruit. That being said, lets bring them to C-U, we can take them do cuz ed O aint not ZOOKER--IlliniThugg

1. Eli Manning 2.The 7 Overtime thriller against Arkansas back in 2001--Classof2010Illini

Two things: Eli Manning...and the feel of the "Old Confederacy" probably due to the mascot and the calling of it "Ole Miss". Call me a Yankee...but it does leave an impression.--jersey73
I've heard that Oxford has the hottest chicks in the SEC and they like to dress up for gamedays.--tmasta346

Hmmm...not much, have a hard time distinguishing them from Miss St.--Noreastr

Eli Manning, similar to Ill they are doing well in recruiting lately, could be up and coming.--LakeCamelot

ARCHIE Manning......showing my age here but I remember watching highlights of Archie on This Week in Football and I started liking Ole Miss then.--DrIllini

Coach O--JayD35

Rebel Flags--LLoydCarrIsSmegma

I have a former coach that I believe is still part of the football program. I have a buddy whos brother went to Ole Miss, I like their mascot, and I've heard they have a bar called the Library.Truthfully that's about it, oh yes I've heard the women are way hot, but as for the on the field and on the court aspect, my answer is simply blah. Not that I'd expect you to feel anything better or worse about Illinois, but blah is the first thing that comes to mind for me.--IlliniSchmitty

(2) What are your feelings about Ole Miss?

No feelings about Ole Miss. My perception of them is a mid to low level team in the SEC.--untouchableillini

I'm rather indifferent--Classof2010illini

Lower tier SEC program.--Noreastr

Actually have an Ole Miss hat within arm's reach away! Got that when one of my employees was a Miss. St fan (she came from Hattiesburg).....so, the answer is I like the school.--DrIllini

Pretty neutral feelings overall. I feel they are going to need some help to get to the upper-echelon of the SEC, but a team I'd like to cheer for more than some of those top schools in the conference.--JayD35

They have many hot woman, over dress for a tailgate, and have had some pretty good QB's in the past--LloydCarrIsSmegma

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

I don't care. I wouldn't necessarily be opposed to it though.--untouchableillini

Would love to see us have a go in football. Not sure if it is beneficial in basketball.--Jersey73 Sure, why not?--Noreastr

I think they would be a fairly good opponent in either sport. --LakeCamelot

Yes to football.....would probably be a good fit for Illinois at this stage of their resurgence.--DrIllini

I really have no idea how good you are in basketball, but I do not think I would be opposed to a matchup in either sport. Football especially could be interesting as Zook and Orgeron are known as recruiters first and are trying to build programs that are not typically a part of the best teams in the conference.--JayD35

A football home and home would be nice. You don't see many in season Big10-SEC matchups--LloydCarrIsSmegma
(4)What do you think about the SEC in general?

Very strong football conference, solid basketball. I love the capital one bowl and any other games pitting big ten and sec teams head to head.--untouchableillini

It's the best conference in college football--Classof2010illini

I think it is a very good football conference and a pretty decent basketball conference. However, many of the fans (granted I now live in Florida so I am mostly referring to Gators fans) are very ignorant and arrogant about teams outside the SEC.--Jersey73

Great football conference - best league year in, year out in the country. Top heavy hoops league.--Noreastr

Best football conference, very good basketball conference, most rabid football fans in the country. Except for a few schools seem pretty uninterested in the basketball. Remember I said except a few schools.--LakeCamelot

Excellent conference in sports.....think of football being better than basketball, even with Florida's run.--DrIllini

I think it's the best football conference in the country, though I have some questions (mostly from hear-say) about how clean some of the recruiting is.--JayD35
I think they are a bit nuts when it comes to college and high school football. I think Mike Slive has taught them how to cheat better and not get caught.--LloydCarrIsSmegma

(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, haven't heard anything regarding you guys, but I understand the SEC to be much like the big ten in terms of great tailgating and atmospheres. We played down at Southern Miss in 02, and they seemed to have a nice fan base.--untouchableillini

I've heard Oxford can be pretty wild as well as the other Deep South states where there is no professional football. The people truly embrace the college football experience. I've never been there...but some day!--Jersey73

Nope, but my impression is that the SEC loves their football so I'm sure it would be a great time.--Noreastr

Never been there, but I'm sure they have a great game day experience.--LakeCamelot

No, have not been there but have heard it is a great scene with those Southern belles all dressed up.--DrIllini

No. I have never heard anything about it. I just figure it's pretty good, as most SEC schools would be.--JayD35

No, I heard it is one of the top experiences iin all of college football. Tailgating in the Grove, everyone dressed to the T's. Iwould definitely like to go there if Illinois ever played there.....but that ain't happenin'. --LloydCarrIsmegma

To join in the discussion visit:
Illinois Scout

Indiana
Even though we haven't played Indiana in Men's Basketball or football we still have had a bit of contact recently with Todd Abernethy's father and Green-Ellis's transfer.
Indiana's main campus is located in Bloomington. Oxford and Bloomington are 531 miles apart. According to google maps it is a 8.5 hour drive.

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

Gorgeous coeds that dress up for the football games--upperarlington

The fact that the school is in Mississippi which is the poorest state in the U.S.--D.J.Rules

Southern aristocracy, as in southern mothers who send their charming, well-mannered southern daughters off to Ole Miss to "marry a fine young southern boy." (That's not always a compliment.) Eventually, I think of Percy Walker and Shelby Foote, but that has more to do with Oxford. I also will think of Ben-Jarvus Green-Ellis, and wonder why he likes Ole Miss better than IU. "Big time" sports don't leap to mind. You guys are like us, struggling to get/stay in the middle of league for shot at the top every decade or so.--MyTeam...eFloor

Well I am jealous because I have been to Ole Miss, The Grove etc and I think Ole Miss rocks. I went to the Ole Miss - LSU game back in 98 or 99 and Ole Miss Won. What a great campus and the girls are hotties.--WestLA

The first thing I think of is the Confederate Flag.--Mr. Mike

The single thought I have for both you and Mississippi State is that you need to stop being afraid of the team in Hattiesburg and put Southern Miss on your schedule.--Double Standard

You don't want to know what I think about Ole Miss or the state in general. Until the Deep South can get over themselves and learn to accept other races, religions and cultures, I won't waste my time visiting (minus Myrtle Beach, SC).However, from an athletic standpoint, I think Ole Miss is football dominant, but I've always been curious as to why both MS schools don't draw the crowds of the other SEC schools. My guess is they might be a little smaller then 'Bama, Tenn., UGA, etc., but it has always surprised me.--mjvcaj
(2) What are your feelings about Ole Miss?

Great southern school with alot of winning traditions from the early days of the SEC. Death threats sent to Peyton Manning when he signed with Tennessee.--upperarlington
When I think of Mississippi and Ole Miss, I think of poverty and prejudice. The continued use of the Stars and Bars hurts you guys.Population wise, Mississippi and Mississippi State have an uphill battle to compete in the SEC. Southern Mississippi is in a little different situation, and has done pretty well. Mississippi has fielded some good football teams over the years, nonetheless. Nothing personal, and I wish Ole Miss well. --Townsend

I don't have anything against Ole Miss and I respect them but they are in the lower tier of the SEC. The same can be said for IU in the Big Ten though.--D.J.Rules

See no. 1. I guess - fair or unfair - the history of race issues sorta overshadows everything. It doesn't help that my dad - as recently as the mid 1990's - visited Oxford and was told that he should visit the memorial to folks who fought "in the waruh of nawthun aggression" - and they weren't kidding.--MyTeam...efloor

My feelings are related to #1, and my experiences in Mississippi, which aren't positive. I got resentment because I'm not from there or the south. As soon as many people knew where I was from, I got immediate resentment, and nothing else mattered. I'm more like many of them than they knew, but that was irrelevant. I was from "up north," so I was to be dismissed as such.--Mr. Mike
(3) Would you like to play us in football or basketball in the future?

Don't want to play you in football this year, we need to beat up on some B-10 opponents first.--upperarlington

I think for football Ole Miss is a team from a BCS conference that we could compete with for a non-conference game. For basketball it would be a good series just to replace a cupcake game on the schedule.--D.J.Rules

Yes. I like it when IU plays the SEC. It helps me guage both leagues.--MyTeam...eFloor

I'd have no problem playing Ole Miss in either sport. I think it'd be a good guage for each team to see where they stand and prepare for conference play.--Mr. Mike

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

Love watching SEC football, nothing better than Saturday night games on ESPN in Baton Rouge, Gainesville, Fayetteville, Athens--upperarlington

A lot of the schools seem shady. The fans are crazy about football.--D.J.Rules

The SEC in general has a sad reputation for cheating in recruiting and using "basket weaving" classes to keep players eligible. Their athletes are leite - no doubt. But not enough are "students' in the college sense. (You guys want to let Ohio State in? I'll be GLAD to discuss it with them.)--MyTeam...eFloor

The SEC in general has a rep for questionable recruiting and academics. Don't know how true it all is, but there's been more than one case where it's been justified, as far as I know.--Mr. Mike
(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?

Haven't visited Oxford, but is on my list some day.--upperarlington

Never been. I've heard Oxford is a pretty boring town. Haven't heard anything special about the gamedays.--D.J.Rules

No. But I have heard that Oxford is a great place for football tailgating. (Bourbon on hot days has never been my favorite, but it does make for enjoyable social intercourse, at least up to that point where some take it a license to fight anything that moves. Too much of a good thing is a bad thing. Especially hard, brown likker.)--MyTeam...eFloor

Never been to Oxford for gameday (I'm usually in Bloomington), but I've heard it's a great, exciting gameday atmosphere with really pumped-up fans, and there's no reason not to believe that.--Mr. Mike

To join in the discussion visit:
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