The Paint is Dry

The celebration touched off in Oxford Friday night by a Rebel homerun in the bottom of the sixth, abruptly ended with a Miami grand slam in the seventh inning of the best of three rubber match last night. And, for the second year in a row, the Rebels end their season one win shy of a trip to the College World Series. There's great disappointment in the Rebel Nation this morning, but there shouldn't be. This was an improbably great season for a young team that lost a half dozen future big-leaguers from last year's squad. That they held my attention says a lot--I would rather watch paint dry than suffer through a tedious baseball game. Halfway through my second cup of joe this morning, I realized that I should hold my Rebel head high this morning and not flinch at the Miami Hurricane flag flying in front of my neighbor's house.

What I should really be worried about is whether the idiot Athletic Director at Ole Miss, Pete Boone, will let LSU steal Coach Mike Bianco. If that happens, watch for another attempt to change the Ole Miss mascot to deflect the passions of the Rebel faithful.

I have been very pleased with the improvements and most of the decision-making of the current chancellor at Ole Miss, Robert Khayat, save one--rehiring Pete Boone. This bone-head thinks that trashing traditions is a trivial matter. Worried about the politically correct sensitivities of a bunch of carpet-baggers, Boone has been trying to change the image of Ole Miss' icon, Colonel Reb, to a "less offensive, more athletic" one. Who's he worried about offending? I thought that part of the point of having a mascot was to get under the opponnents', and their fans', skin. Frankly, I'm offended by depictions of raging pachyderms and tiger eyes. But, I doubt seriously 'Bama and Auburn will ever entertain the thought of changing their mascots.

Speaking of those two very offensive schools, I am offended that they both have not one, but two mascots. A red wave and a prancing pachyderm? A tiger and a carrion picker? And, while I'm at it, what's with Georgia and Mississippi State sharing the same mascot? Or for that matter, Auburn and LSU sharing the same mascot? Is there a mascot shortage?

Somebody better let Pete Boone know.