University of Mississippi Mascot/Nickname Question

butthurt ... trolling ... etcetera.

OK, with all the obligatory name-calling out of the way, I actually have a semi-serious question for the Rebels. (It may not be especially serious, but I am genuinely curious).

Y'all officially changed your mascot a few years ago from "Colonel Rebel" to "Rebel, the Brown Bear." (I still like Admiral Akbar as the alternate mascot. One of the best f.u. student responses to Administration nonsense that I have seen.)

As I understand it, the new mascot was selected in a campus-wide "election" that bore a close resemblance to what China is doing in Hong Kong ... "Sure, you get to vote, but only amongst OUR pre-selected options and without including anything that you actually LIKE on the list."

But you retained "Rebels" as your official nickname, correct?

So y'all have a mascot that seems to have no connection whatsoever to your team nickname.

To be clear, I am not slamming you for this. "Reveille" is our mascot, and she doesn't seem to have much in common with either agriculture or the military


So, how is the fanbase adjusting to the change? I know that it was very unpopular when it was done, but has that changed or is it changing?

Setting aside the physical mascot, the nickname "Rebels" still has the (perceived?) stigma associated with its origins in the Civil War. Has there been any move to change the nickname as well?