Tuesday Question: One of Pedigree

was listed as an Indiana grad last I saw…and yeah it bothers me some. It would be nice to hear Ole Miss without being followed by the words “controversy” or “blows” once in a while.

Seems like it’s less important now than it was when that started.

Oher basically dispelled rumors I’ve heard with his response on twitter regarding wanting to impart hope in those Memphians he feels need it. (I’m paraphrasing, of course.)

While I would love to hear our players say Ole Miss, his reason was good enough for me. To my knowledge, he is the only one that has given a reason for not saying “Ole Miss.”

Despite the up and down (mostly down) status of our program the last several years, we have a lot of starters out there and at least one of them plays on Sunday or Monday night seemingly every week.

Everytime a former player says he came from “Ole Miss” or “The University of Mississippi”, it’s free publicity in a national, primtime broadcast to a very targeted audience.

So, when they decide to say “North Memphis”, “University of South Panola” or “Como Steakhouse Wait Staff”, it’s a missed marketing opportunity for the University and the football program.

Having said that, I don’t get upset or jump to silly conclusions whenever they decide to say their high school or whatever. I do wish they would stick to the school, though.

I would choose a different word to use, but I would certainly prefer it. I do find it odd that almost all of our former players do this.

I like hearing OLE MISS. But i know it doesnt have the same street cred as saying DA U or George Washington Carver Elementary Fightin’ Peanuts.

I would like to hear some Ole Miss pride though.

Until Dexter says anything besides “Ole Miss.”. Then, I’ll be absolutely devastated.

Not Such a Big Deal
Unless the TV Networks
Start doing it too.

While I think it is a bit annoying and childish that they don’t claim Ole Miss, it may, in some instances, work to our advantage. For example, I probably wouldn’t hire someone from Ole Miss if I realized that they had earned a degree doing the same amount of work as Powe.

On the other hand, it would not hurt our recruiting if high school athletes were constantly seeing Ole Miss mentioned in NFL pre-games.

I’m pretty sure players from Bama, LSU, Florida, or hell even Kentucky say their schools on their players profiles. The same reason why some people “don’t care” is the exact reason the players won’t say Ole Miss. It’s because we don’t demand it.

Might reach out to these guys and let them know we’re proud of them, and want to do what it takes to re-establish their connection to the Ole Miss family. Maybe Boone is doing that already, but somehow I doubt it.

Because yeah, it bothers me, too.

Wasnt that last year Oher pulled that N Memphis BS. If everybody on the team says their college, they should too. Maybe one time give a shot out to your homies, but not all the time. Guess they didnt like Ole Miss as much as I did. Like some others said, makes you wonder what kind of relationship our school keeps up with them.

is that they wouldn’t be where they’re at now without this university. It would be nice to show some appreciation to your alma mater. Also if you truly want to give back to your university how about claiming them once in a while. Just by our former, and now NFL, players stating they went to Ole Miss, would do a wonder for recruiting in my opinion.

I’d love to hear them say Ole Miss, but frankly, it’s their decision. If I had grown up in inner city New Orleans or North Memphis, I’d probably claim my high school or where I’m from. I don’t think Mike Wallace, Michael Oher, Patrick Willis and others owe it to Ole Miss to say where they went to college. It’s disingenuous to say that they don’t have pride or owe Ole Miss something (I don’t think college football players owe their university anything other than effort while they’re playing)…they’re just giving shout outs to their family and childhood friends. Hell, I would probably say my hometown if I were in the NFL.

Also, I really don’t know how much it impacts recruiting. If a kid can be swayed by the fact that Ole Miss has put a good number of players in the league, they are already aware of Oher, Wallace, McCluster, Jerry, Willis etc.

I’m not going to get up in arms about it though, there is so much else to be worried about.

:*(

The Ole Miss fan base absolutely LOVES these players. I mean hell, I have little nephews and cousins that tell me that Michael Oher, PWillie, and Dex are their heroes. How could they alienate us in such a way as to make us bring doubt about their loyalties? If not your loyalties to the university, at least say it for the loyalties of the fans that love you. Do it for the kids… and my pride.
/soapbox’d

They would have no problem saying Ole Miss. Other players who played in smaller schools, have pride because they played in a smaller setting, and probably had it made. Ole Miss has been consistently sub par for awhile now. If Ole Miss had the record of Alabama or even a school like Oregon, they would not have any problem saying Ole Miss. It’s all about wins and perception.