re: OM mascot renderings

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yeah i would definitely go with black bears then. Im basically from Mississippi and have never seen a black bear..but then again i guess you wouldnt find one in memphis.

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Watch out for those elephants and tigers in Alabama

And there is one, it might not be the perfect represenative of MS, but neither is OM.

Thanks for the explanation,and sorry if I hit a nerve, but then if you have to go into detail that much, maybe the connection isn't obvious to anyone other than a few Ole Miss fans, because none I have talked to have had any real idea why the bear was in the mix either. Besides, Teddy hunted black bear in Louisiana also; nothing particularly unique there. There is a historical marker on US Highway 65 north of Tallulah memorializing the hunt. And his hunts weren't connected to Ole Miss as such.

But among the choices, perhaps the bear is the least objectionable, but frankly, it seems to have no particular connection to Ole Miss, other than perhaps the Faulkner stories, which is ok, but seems to be disconnected with the Rebels. Good luck with selection process, but expect flack from Ole Miss fans and other fans as well. Maybe the bear will grow on folks.

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Thanks for the explanation,and sorry if I hit a nerve, but then if you have to go into detail that much, maybe the connection isn't obvious to anyone other than a few Ole Miss fans, because none I have talked to have had any real idea why the bear was in the mix either. Besides, Teddy hunted black bear in Louisiana also; nothing particularly unique there. There is a historical marker on US Highway 65 north of Tallulah memorializing the hunt. And his hunts weren't connected to Ole Miss as such.

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Yeah, it's frustrating because no one wants this, yet we the fans are the ones taking the grief. Also id expect the connection to be publicized every game by the broadcasters when they show the bear, so after a season everyone should be more aware. The bear connection is stronger than most other schools mascots, while Bengal tigers and war eagle are just as "racist" as colonel Reb so there's a lot of frustration with the mocking

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Yeah, it's frustrating because no one wants this, yet we the fans are the ones taking the grief. Also id expect the connection to be publicized every game by the broadcasters when they show the bear, so after a season everyone should be more aware. The bear connection is stronger than most other schools mascots

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I guess the problem is one sort of like Auburn has, the mascot isn't clearly connected to the team's nickname (and yes, I know about "war eagle,", but it is still confusing). An eagle represents Tigers and a bear represents Rebels. It just seems that Ole Miss' administration is sort of desperate because there aren't a lot of good options as long as the teams still are call Rebels.

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but needless to say i think black bear would be a good mascot honestly. just dont put a headband on him.

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I'm definatly voting for the bear because of the chance of a live bear. I doubt we would have a live bear right away, but there will be so much bitching just because it's not col. Reb that eventually it would be a possibility, and no one would have a problem with a live bear on the field.

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I guess the problem is one sort of like Auburn has, the mascot isn't clearly connected to the team's nickname (and yes, I know about "war eagle,", but it is still confusing). An eagle represents Tigers and a bear represents Rebels. It just seems that Ole Miss' administration is sort of desperate because there aren't a lot of good options as long as the teams still are call Rebels.

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Well the bear or shark would be named rebel to try and connect the nickname with the mascot

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Good luck with PETA. They tried (without much success)to raise a ruckus with LSU about Mike the Tiger, who couldn't live in the wild anyway and who is not allowed to breed because he is a cross between two subspecies of tigers that would never mate in the wild.

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I think it would be cool if we did get a live bear and OM and LSU allowed each other to bring their mascot to each others stadium. Both on the field at the same time would be badass

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I like the shirt and tie on the bear. Hotty toddy blows my mind. I don't think an ashy black guy is gonna solve yall's mascot troubles.

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I do too. I'd rather that be the mascot all the time. Bearfratku

Black Bears are the runts of the bear family.