Guys We Should Pay Heed to Kellenberger's Advice

[ArcherSPS]

Just kidding 17 you Hugh and your ****** Superbad era Jonah Hill dopalganger looking ***. So you don't have to give them anymore clicks here's a C/P:

Have we all just lost our minds?

Never has the Ole Miss and Mississippi State rivalry been more toxic. It’s become mean-spirited, short-sighted and to the detriment of the state as a whole.
Have you felt the change? It’s happened quickly, within the past five years. TSUN is tame compared to some of the things routinely said by fans of both sides online every single day.
Rivalries can be good. If sports are an opportunity for us to check out of the day-to-day responsibilities and drudgery of life, then rivalries can provide an outlet the same way. If you want to “hate” something relatively meaningless in the grand scheme of the world, maybe that keeps you from feeling those emotions towards your fellow man.
But it does not have to be like this, and I’m concerned for what’s going to happen next.
It’s delighting in Robert Nkemdiche jumping out of a hotel room window or Dak Prescott’s arrest on DUI charges. It’s responding to any mention of the NCAA’s investigation into Ole Miss with a retort about the one-game suspension for Jeffery Simmons. It’s a demented game of, “anything you can do, I can do better.” Instead, it’s “anything we did, I can find something you did worse.”

​

Look on Twitter any day of the week, even now in the dead time of the college sports calendar, and it’s an absolute cesspool. I do not go looking for it, but occasionally will get tagged in fights that last for hours, and the level of vitriol is truly stunning from these keyboard warriors. Most of it is not safe for an all-ages publication, but trust that Twitter’s quality filter is working overdrive on Egg Bowl Twitter these days.
These are not the stereotypical bloggers in their mother’s basement, either (in one case, it’s the governor’s communications director). These are people with fully grown lives, neglecting some part of it in order to get the last word edgewise or come up with the perfect meme. But for what purpose?
It’s been determined that every member of the Mississippi sporting media has a preconceived agenda, the inevitable byproduct of a media group that has become increasingly fractured over the years because of the rise of fan sites and the credentialing of those who feel like they’re a part of the team instead of someone paid to cover it. We’re not alone in this — political coverage has many of the same problems, with too many choosing to get their news from someone that will disseminate it through their mutual world view — but it’s still a problem.
To be sure, there are media members out there with agendas. But there are far more in this state that do not subject their readers or listeners to the vitriol, and those are the ones that you should trust. (This is where I, again, remind readers that I’m from North Carolina and really not a fan of any college and certainly not the one I covered for 3 ½ years prior to becoming sports columnist. And if I fail to promote an upcoming radio appearance, it’s not because of the content but instead because I’ve mostly stopped doing that unless it’s for a friend’s show.)

My personal theory for what has changed: both programs got good. Really good. And instead of delighting in the respective rises of Mississippi State and Ole Miss football, there’s a worry that there’s only room for one at the inn and your program’s survival depends on the other’s demise. It’s the crab mentality — the moment one rises to the top of the barrel, the others will do everything they can to pull him down.
Auburn and Alabama went through this stage last decade. They also have, it seems, gotten over it. The rivalry still is there, but also an unspoken understanding that both can accomplish their larger goals without rooting for the other to fall flat on their face. If Alabama is going to another College Football Playoff, who cares if Auburn goes 11-1 or 1-11?
Ole Miss and Mississippi State can do the same. The Egg Bowl can remain the Egg Bowl without all that other crap the preceding 364 days. We’d be better for it, but I fear we're already too far around the bend and there's no coming back

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[TBone.sixpack]

Ditto. 17 you Hugh. You have contributed to this feeling. Go choke on a bear claw you lazy fat 17.

 

[missouridawg]

His laziness is the key problem in all of this. MSU fans wouldn't be going ballistic on a daily basis if the story was being covered appropriately.

 

[57stratdawg]

If they'd stop buying players so frequently, it would go a long way in improving the relationship.

 

[KeyserSoze1999]

Kellenberger is wrong, it is not a new toxic binary relationship between MSU and Ole Miss---it has always been mean-spirited and ugly. It is just more visible now with Social Media and the Internet giving people a more public forum.

Ole Miss opposed MSU even being founded, they didn't see the need for another University. The first Football game that MSU ever won was against Ole Miss, 17-0, and after the game the MSU student paper accused Ole Miss of throwing cheap shots---while the Ole Miss paper said MSU players only reference for violent physicality was "milking a stubborn cow". Ole Miss Governor Ross Barnett tried to keep MSU from playing in the NCAA Basketball Tournament in 1963. Ole Miss students have actually "dognapped" and accidentally killed our mascot Bully in the past. Ole Miss run newspaper, The Clarion Ledger, thanked Ole Miss for MSU's SEC Baseball Championship this year (I know, I know, it was Nashville 17ing with us...Yeah Right!).

So in perspective, the snippy little comments on Social Media that Kellenberger sees today is just a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of what has been done in years past of the MSU vs. Ole Miss rivalry.

 

[RightOfCenter]

He should have the paper from the day after MSU won the baseball championship shoved up his *** so he'll have a clue.

 

[patdog]

His laziness is the key problem in all of this.

You're giving him a huge break on this. He may be lazy, but the way his paper has covered this whole investigation goes way beyond laziness. Fan or not a fan, and I believe him when he says he's not a fan in the traditional sense, he and his paper have made a conscious decision to try to whitewash every piece of news that someone else breaks on this.

 

[the dog is on the loose]

He even says the alabama rivalry with auburn has gotten better so to speak which is only because auburn hasn't been relevant lately. Let auburn start doing good and see if that rivalry does not get worse than ours. The only reason the rivalry between us and ole miss has gotten worse is because of all the cheat'n going on at oxfart.

 

[DawgatAuburn]

He is an idiot. This strikes me as just typing out words to fill a space. He has no understanding of the history between the two nor in Alabama with that ridiculous comparison. I can't decide if he thought he might actually be writing some transformational column, which in itself is hilarious considering he is a no-talent hack, or if he looked up and had a hole in the paper that he needed to fill and started banging away at his keyboard. He'd do well to depart from the preachiness and focus on his strengths, whatever they might be.

 

[missouridawg]

You're giving him a huge break on this. He may be lazy, but the way his paper has covered this whole investigation goes way beyond laziness. Fan or not a fan, and I believe him when he says he's not a fan in the traditional sense, he and his paper have made a conscious decision to try to whitewash every piece of news that someone else breaks on this.

I agree with this

 

[dawgstudent]

Kudos for the Clay Chandler callout though

 

[Dawgzilla]

I was wondering about this. I don't live in Mississippi, so I don't have daily contact with fans of either school. Is the public discourse any worse than it used to be? I assumed it was really just social media that was bad....and I don't think even the online community is any more mean spirited than the old Eggbowl board from over 15 years ago.

 

[xxxWalkTheDawg]

I see ole Bleu Cheeseburger wasn't around in the late 90's. We haven't had a booster porking an investigator yet

 

[121Josey]

So, he was blind to the rivalry until he became a "sports columnist"? In a strange way, I take him at his word.

 

[GOOD_DAWG2.0]

Kellenberger:
/points out that MSU-OM rivalry isn't civil
/profits off incivility of MSU-OM rivalry

 

[GOOD_DAWG2.0]

Does anyone honestly think that ANYONE at AL.com wishes that the iron bowl rivalry was less heated? Heck no. They profit out the wazoo because Alabama HATES auburn and Auburn HATES Bama.

 

[OldFatDog]

I'm still too upset about Arkansas beating us in football this year to read this post.

 

[121Josey]

Real Rivals?**

 

[DerHntr]

It's idiotic for him to think he knows what the rivalry was like in the past from the standpoint of how both fanbases spoke to or about one another.

For example: prior to 2000 (rough estimate here) there were only a few ways for a typical, every day fan to publicly proclaim their views on the rivalry. They could call in to a radio show, be interviewed by a newspaper or TV station directly after a game, or write a letter to the editor. After those things occur, the radio station, tv station, and newspaper could edit it out. In today's world we have fan websites, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, periscope, comment sections in probably every single newspaper in the state online, etc. Almost none of this is edited.

The rivalry isn't more heated dubmass. You just don't have to interview the fans at all times of the day on every rivalry issue to find the same information.

 

[121Josey]

Stay Tuned: SEC Media Days - "Why the Entire SEC Hates Us".

 

[tatedog]

If he thinks the rivalry is the most toxic now, it just shows his stupidity. Mullen and Freeze are like Balky and Cousin Larry compared to Brewer and Sherrill. Maybe there is more interest now, but I'd say the toxicity is par for the course, just more noticeable because of social media.

 

[KeyserSoze1999]

Ah Cousin Larry and Balky from Mypos! I haven't thought about that show in years.

View attachment 4346

 

[HammerOfTheDogs]

The CL is hiding this the same way the Mississippi media hid Civil Rights....

...in the 1960's. The Clarion Ledger was a HUGE supporter of the anti-Civil rights people in the 1960's, never covering the lynchings, church bombings, or attacks on Civil Rights workers. WLBT would regularly block coverage if the Nightly News reported on Mississippi.

Much like these pro-segregationist, anti-freedom Mississippi media members in the 1950's and 1960's, they now protect that Peculiar Institution known as Ole Miss. While the national Media and brave alternative journalists shine light on the corruption going on up in Oxford, the local media is trying to cover up yet another scandal.

 

[RivaDawg]

I'm probably in the minority, but I do think the rivalry had gotten more "friendly". Remember UM telling Dr. Lee(?) not to come to the game because they couldn't guarantee his safety....

Things seemed to have calmed some and then Mullen escalated things with TSUN and we will never lose to this team again!

Personally, I liked the rivalry when it was just a game.

Probably an unpopular opinion on here.

 

[TBone.sixpack]

As long as I can remember it has been way more than just a game between the 2 fanbases.

It's interesting seeing the evolution of the State fan from lovable losers to a fanbase with a chip on their shoulder. That chip is what it takes to get passed the past.

 

[hatfieldms]

IMO this is what has ramped it up more than anything

State fans actually firing back

 

[HD6]

Exactly. We're not in the middle of an 18 year winless streak. We decided to fight back, and they can't handle that.

 

[CochiseCowbell]

Exactly. We're not in the middle of an 18 year winless streak. We decided to fight back, and they can't handle that.

^^This.

Plus K...burger basically wrote this piece after listening to your B&B show this week covering the topic.

 

[dotcomdawg]

I found the opening line interesting: Have we all just lost our minds?"

Who is this "we" he is talking about?

Just kidding 17 you Hugh and your ****** Superbad era Jonah Hill dopalganger looking ***. So you don't have to give them anymore clicks here's a C/P:
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[maroonwhitedawg3ddd]

17 the Clarion Liar and Ole Missy!!

 

[gymdawg.sixpack]

I have seen this very sentiment from tsun fans recently.
Simply put, they want people (mostly msu fans) to stop talking about the ncaa stuff so it leaves the spotlight and they re hoping itll kinda go away or at least not hamper them any further beyond what it already naturally will with coming penalties.

 

[maroonmadman]

I think a lot of ole missus animosity towards us began with Jackie Sherrill. He started us toward winning on a consistent basis. So much so that one of their alumnae had to bed down an NCAA investigator and get trumped up charges to get Jackie to "retire". Then came Croom and everything kinda went back to normal for them anyway. Now with Mullen having us in 6 consecutive bowl games and a brief appearance at No. 1 they 17ing can't stand it again. I love it when they hate us.

 

[patdog]

Simply put, they want people (mostly msu fans) to stop talking about the ncaa stuff

That's exactly what this is about.

 

[messageboardsuperhero]

Funny how you don't see any of this "we all need to get along" nonsense when we're the ones in trouble. I certainly don't remember any attempts to unify the state from the CL in 2012 when we were under investigation- or in 2004 when UM boosters were hiring PIs and banging NCAA investigators... They stir all the dirty **** they can on us whenever given the opportunity- then play the victim when it's their *** under investigation.

17 the CL and 17 UM.

 

[drt7891]

The CL ran Will Redmond on the front page every damn day. And I remember a **** ton of OM fans over here reminding us daily that we took illegal measures to get him. At the end of the day, I also remember plenty of state fans pissed off that we allowed that to happen.

But also, the fact is Mirando was fired weeks before camps and before ANYONE knew what was going on. Mullen took care of it, Redmond did his time, the wrongdoing was addressed and life moved on.

Now, let's look at what's going on in Oxford. Instead of the CL running daily hit pieces like they've done to us time and time again, they are trying to white wash wrongdoing by asking 4 unrelated players if they got paid, running articles saying the NCAA did not meet Miller at McDonald's and instead at Wendy's, and pleading for state and ole miss fans to just "get along." What a crock of ****. OM has made their bed and every MSU fan I know wants to make sure they are called out on the carpet to answer for their wrongdoing (which is not a rogue coach or booster... It's corruption across 3 different sports).

Speaking of 3 different sports, it's funny how quickly staffs were let go in 2 of those 3, yet in the big one, the AD and coach are crusading on TV and Twitter asking us to just get along. After all, only a few "mistakes" were made, right? Do they really fail to see the hypocrisy in all this?

 

[amcdan2000]

Thought LSU real rival

what does this have to do with us?

 

[BiscuitEater]

Kellenberger is a tool. Hugh has not been here in Mississippi long enough to even pretend to understand this rivalry. AND .. he has ONLY seen it from ONE SIDE of the issue.

He is 'pretending' to be a sports editor at the CL .. while sticking his head in the sand when ANYTHING negative at OM happens.

The CL Sports page is a complete JOKE. They have NEVER broken anything .. period .. on the NCAA investigation that has gone on for 3+ years and will continue.

 

[Drebin]

My father in law is a rebel and absolutely hates State. He says the rivalry is worse than ever now - and it's all Mullen's fault. His comments about not losing to Ole Miss aGAIN and all the billboards that went up is what caused it. He said everything was fine before Mullen got there.

Of course, he used to curse audibly every time he saw Jackie Sherrill, so that ought to tell you everything you need to know. When we are competing and pushing back, the rivalry becomes more toxic in their eyes. When we are getting smoked and knowing our "role," the rivalry is civil.

I think the points you guys have been making on BSR are spot on, and I would love to have one of the Rebel apologists here respond to them just to hear what they have to say. The points themselves can't even be debated:

- Mississippi State never hired private investigators to follow a coach around and get dirt on him for the NCAA
- Mississippi State didn't have a coach camp out at a recruit's house to attempt to block an Ole Miss coach from visiting
- Mississippi State didn't have one of their alums elected to public office calling Ole Miss players racially derogatory names
- Mississippi State didn't have one of their own, as communications director for the governor, spewing hatred about Ole Miss
- Mississippi State fans aren't sending death threats to a recruiting reporter for reporting factually accurate information
- Mississippi State fans aren't preventing Ole Miss fans from working due to stuff they've posted on a message board

The "toxicity" is coming from one place (and it always has), and it's not up for debate.