Ole Miss picked a mascot...

[BigSammyK 171]

Students at the University of Mississippi have picked the Rebel Black Bear as their new mascot.

The bear will replace Colonel Reb, the goateed Southern gentleman banished from the sidelines nearly seven years ago as part of the school's effort to distance itself from symbols of the old South.

In 1997, Ole Miss ended the waving of Confederate flags at sporting events. Last year, the band stopped playing a fight song to discourage the fan chant, "The South will rise again."

The announcement came Thursday after a campuswide vote in February and months of polling. The bear beat out two other finalists, the Rebel Land Shark and something called the "Hotty Toddy," an attempt to personify the school cheer.

AJC

[AUJarhead 70]

Another Link...Commercial Appeal

The Rebel Black Bear was the first choice by 62 percent of University of Mississippi stakeholders – students, alumni, faculty, administrators and season-ticket holders – who voted in an online election that ended on Tuesday.

The Rebel Land Shark received 56 percent of the vote, and a proposed Hotty Toddy character drew 42 percent of the 13,300 votes cast.

That's some mighty fine math.

[AUBURNJAC 53]

This is by far the STUPIDEST thing I've ever seen. Who gives a damn if there is a Southern Gentleman on the sidelines as their mascot????? THEY ARE IN THE DEEPEST PART OF THE SOUTH! Sorry, but that's the way it is! I would be thoroughly pissed if I were an Ole Miss Student or Alumni. That is NOT racism, and whoever pitched a fit about this in the first place should be smacked.

Then I heard them making fun of the new mascot on the radio. Caller and Radio host were laughing b/c there are no black bears in Mississippi. Then a wildlife scientest called and said there are actually about 65 that they track in the state. Ok, but my point is how many tigers are there in Alabama or Louisiana? How many Elephants in Alabama? How many Commadores in Nashville? Give them a break!

[aKaBeasTTT 0]

This is by far the STUPIDEST thing I've ever seen. Who gives a damn if there is a Southern Gentleman on the sidelines as their mascot????? THEY ARE IN THE DEEPEST PART OF THE SOUTH! Sorry, but that's the way it is! I would be thoroughly pissed if I were an Ole Miss Student or Alumni. That is NOT racism, and whoever pitched a fit about this in the first place should be smacked.

Then I heard them making fun of the new mascot on the radio. Caller and Radio host were laughing b/c there are no black bears in Mississippi. Then a wildlife scientest called and said there are actually about 65 that they track in the state. Ok, but my point is how many tigers are there in Alabama or Louisiana? How many Elephants in Alabama? How many Commadores in Nashville? Give them a break!

I'm from MS about an hour north of Oxford and I can tell you first hand their students we're pretty PO'd about this change....I can understand the chant part (the south will rise again) but the mascot just looks like the dude from KFC....Close minded people have to ruin it for everyone haha. But I have been dying laughing ever since they were going to change it to General Ackbar

[AUBURNJAC 53]

This is by far the STUPIDEST thing I've ever seen. Who gives a damn if there is a Southern Gentleman on the sidelines as their mascot????? THEY ARE IN THE DEEPEST PART OF THE SOUTH! Sorry, but that's the way it is! I would be thoroughly pissed if I were an Ole Miss Student or Alumni. That is NOT racism, and whoever pitched a fit about this in the first place should be smacked.

Then I heard them making fun of the new mascot on the radio. Caller and Radio host were laughing b/c there are no black bears in Mississippi. Then a wildlife scientest called and said there are actually about 65 that they track in the state. Ok, but my point is how many tigers are there in Alabama or Louisiana? How many Elephants in Alabama? How many Commadores in Nashville? Give them a break!

I'm from MS about an hour north of Oxford and I can tell you first hand their students we're pretty PO'd about this change....I can understand the chant part (the south will rise again) but the mascot just looks like the dude from KFC....Close minded people have to ruin it for everyone haha. But I have been dying laughing ever since they were going to change it to General Ackbar

No doubt! If they would of voted on General Ackbar I would of not felt sorry for them at all! Sorry Star Wars fans, but that would of been the single dorkiest thing in NCAA history! HANDS DOWN!

[OldNewby 27]

The irony of the entire situation is hilarious. They change their mascot to distance themselves from from symbols of the old South and pick the Rebel Black Bear. Nuts!

[tiger88 934]

Maybe it's the black bear from the furry woodland creature sketces on south park. That is the only thing that wuld make this even funnier than it is.

[mcgufcm 4,096]

Two things. First, it's Admiral Ackbar. Second, as an Auburn fan, I love Colonel Rebel. The plantation owner had a negative impact on recruiting. You may not like or believe that, but it's true. So in that regard, I'm sad to see him go. As for Ole Miss, they survived the loss of: Confederate flags and the song Dixie. They'll get over this pretty quickly.

[WJF0004 0]

Ah Admiral Ackbar. Imagine kickoffs, IIIIIITTTTTT'SSSSSS A TRAP!

[Strychnine 1,802]

Ah Admiral Ackbar. Imagine kickoffs, IIIIIITTTTTT'SSSSSS A TRAP!

Could their cruisers repel firepower of this magnitude?

[quietfan 233]

Another Link...Commercial Appeal

The Rebel Black Bear was the first choice by 62 percent of University of Mississippi stakeholders – students, alumni, faculty, administrators and season-ticket holders – who voted in an online election that ended on Tuesday.

The Rebel Land Shark received 56 percent of the vote, and a proposed Hotty Toddy character drew 42 percent of the 13,300 votes cast.

That's some mighty fine math.

...gotta say, though: If Houston Nutt can get 17+ players on the field tomorrow (160% of eleven), I like his chances against the Tide!

[zulooh 0]

Two things. First, it's Admiral Ackbar. Second, as an Auburn fan, I love Colonel Rebel. The plantation owner had a negative impact on recruiting. You may not like or believe that, but it's true. So in that regard, I'm sad to see him go. As for Ole Miss, they survived the loss of: Confederate flags and the song Dixie. They'll get over this pretty quickly.

The Ole Miss Band still plays "Dixie". It was the "From Dixie with Love" song that came under fire with the south will rise again chant.

Starts at 8:10.

They rearranged the song this year to take out the chant, but it's not near as good.

Starts at 5:38.

(The unofficial Colonel Reb makes an appearance at 1:25!)

[Shire5k 19]

Colonel Reb is cryin.