How to be a fan of the defending national champion Ole Miss Rebels

OXFORD, Miss. — We’ve all heard the old adage, “Act like you’ve been there before.”

The problem for us Rebel fans as we prepare for the 2023 Ole Miss baseball season to root on the defending national champions is that, alas, we have not been here before. So how do we act? It is a difficult question to answer, but oh so glorious to contemplate. 

Trust me, I’ve given this a lot of thought in the months since I drove back from Omaha — which I now consider to be the greatest place on earth outside of Mississippi. It remains one of the saved locations on the weather app on my phone and I will never remove it. (It’s partly cloudy and 47 degrees there as I write this in case you were wondering.)

Upon my return, I informed my wife Janna that for every gift-giving holiday for the rest of my life I wanted some new national championship gear. I wasn’t joking. She knew I wasn’t joking. And she has happily complied with my request. I now proudly own a framed cover of the Oxford Eagle’s special edition, two caps and two t-shirts. Who knows what my collection will include by 2040? Weathervane? Toothpaste dispenser? Life-size Mike Bianco bobblehead? I want it all.

But I digress.

There’s no one-size-fits-all guide to how to be a fan of Ole Miss baseball in 2023 and beyond. I can only tell you how I plan to approach it. 

It’s not quite the same, but I feel like I have a little experience in dealing with something similar. When the Boston Red Sox won the 2004 World Series, that changed things dramatically for me as a professional baseball fan. Bitter defeats haven’t carried the same sting they did for so many years. I had my championship. The three since have all been extremely enjoyable but none will ever compare to the first. 

I’ve had high expectations for Ole Miss baseball entering just about every season since Coach Bianco took over the helm. That certainly won’t change this year. But I intend to enjoy it from start to finish more than I ever have—the highs and the lows. 

I also plan to do all the motions along with “Love is Gone” like a wild banshee henceforth. 

If Peyton Chatagnier strikes out with men in scoring position—no worries. His relentless enthusiasm and positivity helped carry the team to a national championship.

If Hunter Elliott gives up a 420-foot home run to squander a lead—big deal. That cat stood on the biggest stage as a freshman and was nails.

If T.J. McCants misplays a fly ball—I’ll be the loudest one yelling for him to keep his head up. He delivered two of the biggest hits in Ole Miss baseball history. 

I could go on and on. Jack Dougherty. Calvin Harris. Jacob Gonzalez. Kemp Alderman. Mason Nichols. Garrett Wood. Etc. Etc. They’ll all go through slumps in 2023. But they’re also always going to be legends. I personally plan to never let them forget it. 

So, as you make your way to Swayze Field in 2023 (It’s easy to find. It’s the big ballpark that has “2022 National Champions” etched above the main entrance), come prepared to grab a hotdog and popcorn along with your beverage of choice and just relax while watching your Rebels play the great game of baseball. It’s no longer life or death. 

Anyway, that is my plan as I prepare to attend opening day. I hope they’ll have some national championship gear for sale. I’ll probably need a parka. That is Valentine’s week after all.  

(Feature image credit: Doug Thompson)