Mascot not athletic, Ole Miss says ;Colonel Reb not exactly a longtime tradition

The Clarion Ledger ^ | June 19, 2003 | By Rick Cleveland , Gary Pettus

[WKB]

To some, remaking the University of Mississippi's mascot is no more, or less, important than losing your own hair. To others, it's no more, or less, important, than losing your own head.

No matter what you think about it, though, it appears that the head of Colonel Rebel is going to roll, to be replaced by a more modern head-to-be-named, according to Ole Miss athletic director Pete Boone.

[WKB]

Bumping

[Lazamataz]

I, personally, am offended by Colonel Rebel.

It should be General Rebel.

[WKB]

But, get this: The model for the original Colonel Rebel emblem was a black man, Blind Jim Ivy, a campus fixture for years until he died in 1955.

I wonder if he was still black would it help.
Most people don't know "Ole Miss" is what old black men called their wives.
Guess that'll be next.

[Lazamataz]

But, get this: The model for the original Colonel Rebel emblem was a black man, Blind Jim Ivy, a campus fixture for years until he died in 1955.

He sounds like a character!

Most people don't know "Ole Miss" is what old black men called their wives.

I did not know that.

I guess the rap term of endearment, "Yo, ho b*tch" was not quite as popular?

[WKB]

But, get this: The model for the original Colonel Rebel emblem was a black man, Blind Jim Ivy, a campus fixture for years until he died in 1955.

The original Colonel Reb!!

[WKB]

Check out the original Colonel Reb

[shuckmaster]

Aw, Shucks!

[oyez]

U R right, after all these years he should be promoted not fired.

The botton line is the college can't market him. They want something more commercial. In other words its a sell out. Indeed, its as a sad, damn day.

[WKB]

ping

[HELLRAISER II]

Yeah, yeah we know the South Sucks and we're all racist rebel flag wavers. My suggestion to all who dislike the South is for ya'll to stay ya'lls ass out of Dixie, we'll be happy and ya'll be happy.

[WKB]

Yeah, yeah we know the South Sucks and we're all racist rebel flag wavers. My suggestion to all who dislike the South is for ya'll to stay ya'lls ass out of Dixie, we'll be happy and ya'll be happy.

Amen!

[oyez]

You know what they say about poor old Blind Jim. Uncle Tom.

[WKB]

You know what they say about poor old Blind Jim. Uncle Tom.

Yas sur boss!

[WKB]

[Vigilantcitizen]

The following column was written by Lewis Grizzard right before klintoon took office.


"Look Away, Look Away... And Mind What You Say"


I certainly agree with all those who protested the playing of "Dixie" at a football game in the new Georgia Dome.
Although slavery isn't mentioned in the song, it still makes people think of the Old South, where every white person owned African-American slaves.

"Dixie" is definitely a politically incorrect piece of music. Even the word is offensive to some, and I apologize to those who are offended by my use of it.

But I'm proud to say my alma mater, the University of Georgia, whose current football team has come down with a major case of fumbleitis, years ago rid itself of any connection with the song or the word you-know- what (see, I didn't use the word that time, as I despise offending people).

The Georgia band used to play the song at football games. But not anymore. The only place they still play the song is at the University of Mississippi.

They also wave Confederate flags and they allow prayer before a football game.

I'm not certain how long it will be before members of the Speech Police move in and shut down such reprehensible behavior, but it could be any day now, or at least a couple of days after President Clinton's inauguration.

Georgia not only stopped playing the song, it even changed the name of the band, formerly known as the Dixie Redcoat Band. It became simply the Redcoat Band.

That prompted my stepbrother, Ludlow Porch, the famous radio talk show personality, to fire off a letter to the editor suggesting the following:

"I applaud the dropping of `Dixie' from the name of the University of Georgia band, but let us not stop there.

"How can we allow the word `red,' which stands for communism? And the word `redcoat' itself is an affront to the memory of all those Americans who fought againt the redcoats of England in the Revolutionary War.

"And `band.' Poncho Villa had a `band' of desperadoes and we had to send brave young soldiers into Mexico after him. So `band' should go, too, and that just leaves `The,' which is a dumb name for a large number of musicians, so I guess they're just out of a name altogether."

I believe if we really try we can wipe away all symbols of the Old South forever.

There's a company in Savannah that makes Dixie Crystal Sugar. Sorry, it's just Crystal Sugar from now on, and don't give me any grief about it.

And there's even a Dixie Highway in the South. It should be referred to from now on only as Highway. As in, "Well, you take Highway, then go down three blocks and . . . "

There are even some people named Dixie, believe it or not. They will have to get new first names, or go by their middle names. And if anybody named Dixie lives on Dixie Highway, the Speech Police will likely demand they be shot.

And if the song and word "Dixie" are symbolic of the Old South, I guess we ought to stop using "Old South" as well.

Instead of saying "Old South" perhaps we can refer to it as "Back Then," and we can roll our eyes when we use it so everybody will know we aren't talking about when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, but when slaveholders used to go around singing songs like "Dixie" and "Eating Goober Peas."

But wait. "Eating Goober Peas" is a song from Back Then, too, so don't anybody dare play that at a football game.

Rap songs about killing innocent people, incidentally, are just fine.


Lewis Grizzard

[Yudan]

If memory serves, Belhaven's original mascot was - get this - The Klansmen.

At Millsaps, it's (still) The Majors. Major Reuben Webster Millsaps, who endowed the college originally, was a Confederate officer.

[WKB]

I miss Lewis Grizzard. Saw him in person in Jackson and laughed the whole time.

[Howlin]

"Paternalism's Demise: Blind Jim Ivy and Ole Miss, 1896-1955" by Anthony James explores the role one African American, Jim Ivy, played for an all-white student body and alumni, and how his symbol can reveal much about race relations.

[wardaddy]

Geez Yudan.

It was Clansmen as in Scottish Clans.

Belhaven is a Scots word...in fact there is a Scots Ale named Belhaven.

This mascot crap is just another white guilt indulgence to make a certain group feel better even as much of their culture erodes into the abyss.

It accomplishes nothing but further establishes the holy alliance of black victimhood and white guilt.....just another nail in the coffin of demonizing any remnant of "white culture".

My homestate which I love dearly and have almost 200 year old roots is largely going down the tubes with my hometown leading the charge.

Does anyone really care to think what Jackson will be like in say 50 -100 years...think Beirut in the 80s or Freetown Sierra Leone today.

What in the hell difference does some frigging mascot that pays homage to some old drawling Southern gent have to do with the type of cataclysm facing that state and that city (and they are not alone)?

It's a damn joke...and to hell with Ole Miss anyhow....bunch of Izod/Polo kahki pants loafer wearing little preppies anyhow...they are weak as putty.

The women and the beauty of the campus is all that's worth saving. They won't get spit from me. I've already been mad at those PC wusssies since 83.

(Rant Off)