Not Meant to Be

Some things are just not meant to be.  No matter how much we want them to be. 

For example, the Colonel would have preferred to have exceeded his physical stature limit by three or four inches.

Not meant to be.

The Colonel would have liked to have maintained the fine crop of hair that once, long ago in the halcyon days of his youth, covered his now quite bald pate.

Not meant to be.

The Ole Miss Rebels would have liked to have won an SEC football game last season.

Not meant to be.

The Rebels would like to win an SEC football game this season.

Not meant to be.

Sometimes nature rules.  Sometimes nurture rules.

With regard to the Colonel's lack of height and hair, clearly nature is in charge.

Nurture is clearly the over-riding factor with regard to the Colonel's beloved Rebels' gridiron grief.

Oh, new Head Coach Hugh Freeze is doing a fine job of reviving a spirit of competitiveness in a team which at its nadir last year was clearly afraid to hit or be hit, even in games against perennial featherweights like Vandy and Mississippi State. 

And, new Athletic Director Ross Bjork has brought an infectious, youthful enthusiasm to a job once held by a colorless purveyor of incompetent cronyism.

But, there is no passion in the stands.  

Passionate fans nurture a college football team.

But, passionate fans need a reason to leave the comfort and cheer of a well-appointed, well-supplied tailgate to fill an uncomfortable stadium and nurture their team with cheers.

At Ole Miss, we once had a reason.

Tradition.

But, step by step, every vestige of tradition has been stripped away in the name of political correctness.  Flags, songs, and a mascot have been deemed inappropriate by a minority of elitist (little s) socialists who would impose their hyper-sensitive, narrow-minded, racist, bigoted views on the majority, in the name of their perverted definition of racism and bigotry. 

The result is that a fan base that once filled a stadium and revelled in traditions unique to Ole Miss, regardless the outcome of the game, now trudges half-heartedly into and half-fills a stadium with an atmosphere devoid of anything that distinguishes it from any other college game-day experience.

Bland is an overstatement.

There is a cynically concerted effort to replace the true Ole Miss traditions with new ones.  As if new traditions can be manufactured and instituted like so many political slogans.

The problem is there will always be a small minority who will take offense at ANY tradition.

Some day that small minority, which derives its sense of self-worth from its hyper-sensitivity and elitist narcissism, will decide that the new mascot, Rebel Black Bear, which they themselves foisted upon the unwilling majority, is in fact insensitive or bigoted or in some way politically incorrect.

Some day that small minority, which derives its happiness from the unhappiness of others, will determine that the new concept of "Locking the Vaught" (as yet to find traction among Rebel Nation) is in fact insensitive or not inclusive. 

Even the century-old Hotty Toddy cheer is in the cross-hairs.

Following the end of Saturday's game against new SEC member Texas A & M, the pitiful few Ole Miss faithful who braved the chilling wind and rain watched silently as the Aggies came from behind to win.  

We also enviously watched as a passionate A & M fan base celebrate the win with traditional songs and cheers. 

Here's hoping the Aggies can keep the tradition-killing socialists at bay.

At Ole Miss (and, it won't be long before even that nick-name is deemed inappropriate), it isn't meant to be.