We asked you to go to the Ole Miss Mascot Selection Committee meetings...

Our voices in favor of keeping Colonel Reb must be heard by the administration.  That is why the Colonel Reb Foundation asked you to attend one of the meetings held across the state of Mississippi to discuss a new mascot.  Here is our report.

The University says that everyone at Ole Miss - students, fans, alumni, and donors - all want a new mascot at Ole Miss.  That everyone hates Colonel Reb and the fans will rally around a new mascot once presented to them in August 2010.

There were multiple meetings Tuesday thru Friday -- in Memphis, Oxford, Jackson and Biloxi.  The Colonel Reb Foundation had friendlies in several of the meetings, and here is the report from them.

Arthur Randallson attended a meeting in Memphis, and you can e-mail howie@netdoor.com to receive his extensive recap.

Also, Grenada Star newspaper publisher Joe Lee III writes about

attending one of the Memphis meetings in his latest column: www.grenadastar.com/v2/content.aspx?module=ContentItem&ID=175843&MemberID=1218.  

We had a friend at the morning Biloxi meeting and he reports that this event started with two questions from the University's mascot consultant, Eric Rickabaugh:   "How many of you were upset when Colonel Reb was removed from the sidelines?" (Over half of the 18 attendees raised their hand), and "Do you think these changes could also mean one day replacing 'Ole Miss' and/or 'Rebels'?  (All 18 attendees raised their hand).  

 This meeting had passionate folks speaking out on behalf of the Colonel, and the consultant reiterated that if the Ole Miss family would not vastly support a new mascot, they should not try and get one as it will be a failed experiment.

Greg Stewart ('86) attended the 2 p.m. Friday meeting in Biloxi.   That meeting started with the same two questions from the consultant, with more than half of the 10 or so attendees upset about the Colonel's removal, and all voiced that these changes could help lead to the end of "Ole Miss Rebels."  

Thanks to Mr. Stewart's legal background, he and others held the consultant to the fire, and this session did not even go into the lengthy audio/visual presentation that had been a mainstay at the statewide meetings.   Stewart told the consultant that the

University must either stop this tradition-elimination, or they need to erase all symbols and tradition of Ole Miss (including "Ole Miss Rebels").

If you have a report that you would like to send to us please send an e-mail to colonel@saveolemiss.com.