The threads on the Arrogance of Ole MIss fans were humorous and entertaining but ignorant.

Most of you said that since the sixties that Ole Miss has not accomplished much in sports. Some even said Ole MIss is lower if not bottom tier in the athletic arena.

This tells me just how much you do not know. I have not posted on this venue for very long, and besides it not being monitored to eradicate tasteless vulgar comments, the ignorance is alive and well.

Pride in our athletic accomplishments is not arrogance. It is not wishful thinking that Ole Miss has made great strides in the last five years, but let's examine those 'glory" years for a moment. I lived in Oxford as a child when both Miss Mississippis , Ole MIss girls, were crowned MIss America. That was remarkable stuff for a truly SMALL town like Oxford was then.
I Remember how excited my dad was about the undefeated season, national championship.
His example of love for his alma mater was contagious.

Ole Miss is NOT defined by how many national championships or MIss Americas it has had.it isn't defined by the beauty of the campus or even The Grove. It is defined by its winning attitude. It is defined by accepting disappointment with grace and accomplishments with gratitude.
Having been through many years of Ole Miss football seasons...probably more than most of you have lived....I can tell you that there have been MOMENTS in Ole MIss athletics that have left indelible marks on my heart. Enthusiasm is NOT arrogance. Pride is not arrogance.
Why shouldn't we hold our heads up, look you in the eye, and tell you how proud we are of our university and its athletics.

I wouldn't trade a national championship title for the huge change that followed the Chucky Mullens tragedy. It taught us how to persevere and come together to help a fallen brother. We'll call that a HUGE character lesson.

I wouldn't trade a NC for the windblown field goal in the Egg Bowl in Jackson. It was but one athletic event, but it is not forgotten.

I wouldn't trade a NC for the Archie years. The Manning family has always exemplified the humble but confident Rebel spirit. Archie Manning was great not only because of his athletic ability, but also because of his humbleness. He was a dream football player to watch. Eli followed and kept the tradition alive.

I wouldn't trade a NC for beating Alabama this year. It was gut check time, and the Ole Miss football team, coaches, and fans didn't disappoint. I still get goose bumps. A small temporal victory for sure, but it was a game that showed us what we could be!

This year's Egg Bowl was amazing for Ole Miss. By then we limped onto the field banged up but determined. After a devastating defeat at Arkansas, many fans felt we would lay down and let MSU run over us. Gutcheck time again....this time a soul searching by our kids.
They played BEYOND themselves. From the get/go That Ole Miss team decided it would NOT lose.

The Bowl game was awful but not tragic. We have a GREAT winning history in bowl games. The odds are you will lose one every once in a while.

I think a lot of you try to define yourselves by your own perceptions of Ole Miss people. Well, perception is between bullcrap and reality in the dictionary, and ALL our opponents revel in the bullcrap. You cannot be proud of your own accomplishments for trying to tear down Ole MIss people.

There aren't any banners for those moments we lived. There have been many seasons and coaches over the course of my Ole MIss experience. It's an attitude that makes you proud to support the Ole MIss Rebels. No one can take that away.
Trophies are dust catchers, banners are great decorations, but the Ole Miss spirit/ mindset/ character has and will endure long after the record books are closed.

Arrogant? Okay.....have it your way. You should be so lucky to understand!