Ole Miss Football: Yes Houston, We Have A Problem!
Ole Miss football fans, including myself, are absolutely tired of hearing about the NCAA. We are also tired of the relentless diatribe of rumors which exist on the internet. We are also tired of hearing nothing from Ole Miss. And then there is Nutt.
Somehow, and none of us are sure just how, Ole Miss football fans have found ourselves in the middle of a NCAA conundrum. A NCAA/media circus actually. Of course, everybody wants to be a ring-master, and then you have to hear this. The last person who should even be opening his mouth. Yeah, Houston D Nutt.
Just when we believed we couldn’t hear anything more stupid than the day before, this comes out. The SDS article on Nutt. Not the article itself, Michael Wayne Bratton did a great job on the article. It’s the part within where Nutt demands an apology. Smh. Of course, I’m sure Nutt has an axe to grind with the Ole Miss Athletic Department. However, I am fairly certain he played some part in this. He definitely shouldn’t be begging for an apology from the University of Mississippi or any Ole Miss Rebel fan.
The way I really see it. This is either partly his fault or all his fault. Plain and simple. Now, let’s just look at what is really going on here. This is a mess none of us really ever wanted. In fact, it may be the worst thing to ever happen to Ole Miss football. As sure as I am Nutt loves Ole Miss, I do believe it’s time coach Nutt stepped up and took his share of the blame here. Please allow me to explain.
Once Upon A Time
Ole Miss Rebels Football
There was once a used car salesman named Nutt who needed to get out of Arkansas rather quickly. He was hired by the University of Mississippi to coach football after the three-year yaw yaw era ended.
For a couple of seasons, the used car salesman, Nutt, did really well with Coach O’s recruits. With two 9 win seasons and 2 cotton bowl records he was widely applauded by Ole Miss fans. Even I had grown to accept Nutt. I mean he really was better than what we had been used to.
Then something happened, I remember it like it was just yesterday. It was called Jacksonville State 2010. Yes, a terrible overtime loss to a team we should have hammered in an easily decisive manner. Of course, that season ended in the same fashion with an embarrassing loss to a team we should have hammered. 2010 ended with a 4-8 record and 1 SEC win which was over a pathetic Kentucky team.
Nutt hung around another season. Although we expected more, Ole Miss football fans were once again sadly disappointed. The 2011 season was even worse than 2010. It began with a close home loss against BYU and ended with another embarrassing loss against TSBU. A 2-10 record with ZERO SEC wins was even more than Nutt could sell to Ole Miss admin. Then It was over. Wait a minute, it’s not over. He’s back wanting apologies, while Ole Miss football fans have questions.
It Does Raise Questions
How in the wide wide world of sports do you do what Nutt did? How do you win 18 games in your first two seasons and then 6 total in the next two seasons? It’s what happens when you become satisfied. It’s what happens when you become content. Or maybe it’s what happens when you just really don’t care. Who really knows?
For the life of me I can’t figure it out. Of course, I can’t figure out how we got to the point we are now. However, I do realize I was better off before I learned Ole Miss owes Houston D Nutt an apology. I mean really, come on man! Ole Miss only owes Ole Miss and maybe the NCAA.
Perhaps David Cutcliffe deserves an apology? If anyone does at all its him and certainly not Nutt. At least Cutcliffe finished his tenure at Ole Miss with a winning record 44-29 and .603 winning percentage. Sorry Houston, there is a problem. You tanked a football program to the SEC cellar and this whole NCAA investigation ordeal is all your fault.
Had you just figuratively ‘stayed in the game’ and kept winning. If you had only kept your job none of this would have ever happened. I mean with a crystal clean record like yours, I’m sure there would be nothing for Ole Miss fans to be worrying about. I mean right? Of course not! Right now, we would be celebrating another winning season and Cotton bowl win. Instead of worrying about getting hammered by the NCAA and extending apologies to former coaches, there would be a Nutt Way on campus by now.
In Closing
I have no idea if any of the allegations within the NOA have any ties to Houston Nutt and I really don’t care. Should he be wrongly accused for any of them? Absolutely not if he wasn’t involved. However, let’s not forget his former assistants David Saunders and Chris Vaughn. Now, why were they terminated again? Hmmm, more questions. Regardless of his participation or lack of therein, I do know he doesn’t deserve any sort of apology from Ole Miss.
Hey I have an idea. Maybe he should ask the University of Arkansas for an apology as well. I mean he sold them a used car also. Although I think they got a much better deal than Ole Miss. No Houston, you don’t deserve an apology. A thank you for two great seasons is all you get from Ole Miss football fans. After that you’re on your own. You certainly won’t get an apology from Ole Miss football fans for a 4-8 season or a 2-10 season. No Houston, if anything, you owe us an apology. Good luck on Nutt Way.