Ole Miss Football: Grove Grinder, Way Too Much Negativity

While things could be much better the Ole Miss football program is not in shambles as some Ole Miss fans would have you believe.

Without a doubt there have been some rough times for Ole Miss football. However, when you consider all the Ole Miss football program has been thru and where we are right now then you realize things could be much worse. True, the entire NCAA fiasco and subsequent events left a black eye over the University of Mississippi and the Ole Miss football program but it is over and done and the damage has been done. Now is the time to move on.

I’ve noticed a lot of negativity from Rebel Nation over the past month and a half and there really is no excuse for it. Sure, things could be better but as a part of the Ole Miss family we should dust away the past and look towards a brighter future. Oh, I have seen some of the things which have been said over social media, some of which was directed towards myself, and I find it hard to believe there are as many negative Ole Miss Rebels fans.

The Witch Hunt

Ole Miss Rebels

It hasn’t been easy being a Ole Miss football fan over the past few years. There has been a lot of negativity which has been created by the opposing media and the so-called ‘journalist’ from TSBU. While the backlash has definitely set back the Ole Miss football program there has been very little of what was predicted for Ole Miss and the football program.

The entire situation was clearly a smear campaign by ‘the school below us’ which resulted in the NCAA witch hunt during which high-level Ole Miss donors were targeted by both Miss State and the NCAA investigators who were associated with the case.

Of course, there were current MSU football players who were cited in the investigation as accepting incentives from Ole Miss yet they signed with Miss State instead. Pot meet kettle yet nothing has been done to the MSU players or Miss State.

None Of Us Asked For This

Plain and simple, none of us asked for any of this to happen. As of now there is nobody associated with the University of Mississippi who were involved in this witch hunt other than to become a target by both Miss State and the NCAA. However, there were others who were highly involved in the NCAA investigation who have direct ties to Starkville and Miss State.

For example, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, whose daughter attended Miss State, was pivotal in the investigation because of his chair on the NCAA Committee On Infractions. While Sankey did recuse himself from the Ole Miss investigation as part of the COI, he failed as SEC Commissioner for taking the stance he did against Ole Miss. Greg Sankey’s fingerprints are all over the Ole Miss/NCAA case.

Somewhat Justifiable

Sadly, I spend way more time on social media than I probably should. Over the years I have seen my fair share of Ole Miss groups which I’m still happy to be a part of. Over the years I have made some great Ole Miss friends who I truly appreciate. All this while I have also seen the ups and downs which come from being a Ole Miss Rebels fan. Sometimes it was my own negativity and disappointment which shone thru and other times like now it has been others.

Trust me I get it. Am I disappointed in the Ole Miss football program? Of course I am and we all are to a certain degree. Certain situations could have clearly been handled better than they have. The Ole Miss administration did nothing to impact the negative media towards the football program and basically gave Miss State a free ride to do as they chose.

It could have been handled in a much better way and possibly could have lessened the impact. If nothing else the admin could have been much more forthcoming and transparent and at least garnered more respect from Rebel Nation. Had the Ole Miss admin made the Ole Miss fan-base aware of what they knew was coming there might not be the divide among Rebels fans at this point.

The way you or I feel after what we’ve been thru as Ole Miss football fans is genuine and somewhat justifiable. There is a large portion of Rebel Nation which is very discontent. It doesn’t just apply to football either. Currently, the football program has questions which remain to be answered and of that there is no dispute. However, the Ole Miss football fan-base has been inundated with change over the years and it hasn’t all been good. Period.

It’s Not About The Kool-Aid

For myself and many other Ole Miss football fans I’ve adopted a new positive attitude towards Ole Miss football, the program and the direction in which it is headed. Nobody ever said being a Ole Miss fan would be easy and my dad knew it. While he watched the Rebels under Johnny Vaught he also saw the ups and downs of being a Ole Miss Rebels fan. As Doc once told me, “You’ll always be happy as a Ole Miss Rebel as long as you can also appreciate the disappointment.”

There is a degree of disappointment which has come from being a Ole Miss Rebels fan. Some of us have certainly seen more than others from Doc’s own comments. Thankfully he isn’t alive to see what we’ve had to endure as Rebels fans in the last five years. Doc would be terribly disappointed in the changes which we’ve seen. However, Doc would have embraced it as something better to come but I know it wouldn’t be easy for him as it won’t be for many of us.

So Take Your Medicine

When you are down there is only one way to go and that is up! So we are down right now. There is always next season and this could be a great year for Ole Miss football. As bad as 2018 may have seemed there were improvements being made the day after the Egg Bowl. While some of may disagree on the direction of Ole Miss football we still have to weigh our allegiances. Are you a Rebel or not? Now might be the time you need to go to weighs and measures.

So as we welcome 2019 into our own lives and we hope and pray for a better Ole Miss football team, keep this in mind. Things really aren’t that bad considering. Could they be better? Well of course, but we have to know things will get better. In a day and age where positivity is so strong there is a weak link among Ole Miss football fans. Regardless of where we are and where we want to be there is a major disconnect among Rebels everywhere. We should all take our medicine and decide something better is coming in 2019. In 2019 please be more positive. Hotty Toddy!