I grew up in Eupora, Mississippi. Instead of letting you Google where that is, I’ll tell you. It’s 20 minutes from Starkville. Yes, that Starkville.
I grew up spending Saturdays in Vaught-Hemmingway Stadium and random Sundays at Swayze Field. My dad brought me to games as a child, and I fell in love with names like Deuce, Romaro and Eli. I’ve been doing this for a while. I’ve been a fan of this school and this program for a long time. I remember fighting my first grade teacher over how good Eli Manning was. I was right. I sometimes liken it to being in a relationship with a crazy person. The bad times drive you up a wall, while the good times are some of the best of your life.
I’ve seen Ole Miss win SEC championships in basketball and baseball. I saw Ole Miss break the curse that seemed to plague them and advance to Omaha. I’ve seen the football team go from perennial doormat to nationally relevant in only four short years. I’ve seen the basketball program advance to two NCAA tournaments in the past three years. The good times couldn’t be better. There seem to be more of those, nowadays.
I’ve challenged the notion that grown men don’t cry, too. When I realized Laquon Treadwell had broken his leg last year, there were grown man tears. I’m not ashamed. I’ve seen Ole Miss sports break the hearts of grown men. I was there when Eli tripped and Ole Miss lost the SEC Western division title in 2003. I saw Ole Miss win six SEC games from 2004-2007. I was in the stadium when Ole Miss lost its third consecutive home super-regional against Virginia. I was in Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville when Ole Miss capped off its beautiful 2-10-football season in 2011.
I’ve seen it all and I haven’t gone to any sort of rehab, somehow.
To cap off this whirlwind of fandom, I also root for the Cubs. If I’m being honest, I disrupted class when Kyle Schwarber hit a home run on Tuesday to clinch the NLDS over the Cardinals. Sorry, Mrs. Harris. They play Saturday night in the NLCS. My friends will likely want to hang out. That request will not be granted.
It’s crazy, because I never realized the impact my Ole Miss fan-boy-ing would have on my life. I didn’t consider any majors or financial aid when the decision to attend Ole Miss was made. I attended Ole Miss for one reason: I was a huge Ole Miss sports fan. Four years later, I’m glad I made that decision.
This university has changed my life, from the friendships I’ve made to the lessons I’ve learned. It’s crazy to realize that without sports fandom, I likely wouldn’t be here.
I’m passionate about sports, probably to a fault. I think at its core, sports mold people into better human beings. I think sports can change people. I think the lessons learned on playing fields can change the course of people’s lives. I guess I could be passionate about something else.
I thank God I’m not.
I’m excited to join the Daily Mississippian staff as the new co-sports editor.
