well, if there was any doubt,

[john_avery_fast]

it is gone now. Don't expect to see the Rebs on anyone's polls next week as at best we will go 1-3 this week (game 3 of the bama series has not happened as I write this). And rightfully so. This team has consistently played worse since the #2 ranking of early in the season. I haven't jumped off the horse, and never will where my Rebels are concerned. I have cheered through 0-8 SEC football seasons, I can cheer through what is looking to be a crappy baseball season as well.
What perplexes me is how this has happened? Where is the talent that was lauded during the fall practices. Where are the long balls, the clutch hits, the bloops that were talked about, that were coming off what was lauded to be the deepest and most effective pitching staff in the history of college baseball (sarcasm). And what has happened to Coach Bianco? Where is the fire that the 5'9 ex-catcher used to exhibit on a daily/nightly basis? Where is the crazy line-up changes that we have seen over the last 7 seasons when things started to slow down? Who knows, but we need to find the answers to these questions soon, because even though baseball may be a marathon, rather then a sprint, we are dangerously close to the 13 mile mark, and seem to be running out of breath.
Go Rebs, Go Coach Bianco. Lets fix this thing and have an outstanding April, May, June, and July!

[oxfordrebel]

I don't think this team was ever overrated based on what polls had to rate them on. Looking at paper this team should beat any team in the nation. Leads the league in hits and is in the top 2 or 3 in every other offensive statistical category. Why are they losing?

You're right. Season is getting on. If they don't turn it around very soon it will be entirely too late.

BTW, it's now tied 1-1 in the 5th in the 3rd and final game at Bama. Rebs are in danger of being swept completely this week...

[Heath]

Well, for those who have followed OM baseball since the Bianco era began, we all know that men LOB has been a problem. However, this year it seems to be magnified to the 5th degree.

In the WIN over Bama, we had 10 hits, 10 LOB, and 2 FREAKIN' RUNS!!! That is pathetic. It was a great win and Cody pitched a great game, but we should have beaten Bama 8-1. Hopefully they will get it together this week. I did notice he made lots of changes in his line-up.

[john_avery_fast]

as expected, dropped out of baseball america poll. expect to see the same in the others, as BA was are most ardent supporter through this slump.

[oxfordrebel]

Well, for those who have followed OM baseball since the Bianco era began, we all know that men LOB has been a problem. However, this year it seems to be magnified to the 5th degree.

In the WIN over Bama, we had 10 hits, 10 LOB, and 2 FREAKIN' RUNS!!! That is pathetic. It was a great win and Cody pitched a great game, but we should have beaten Bama 8-1. Hopefully they will get it together this week. I did notice he made lots of changes in his line-up.

Yep. It's always been an issue. But we're more of a long ball team and it's going to be an issue. The trick is to maintain a consistent approach at the plate. Work the pitcher deep in the count and get the hit regardless of number of runners on base and how many outs.

I wish we used more small ball, but that's just me.

[RichmondVAReb]

so maybe that will be the start of a new push back up the ladder. We need to support the team no matter what------that's what the Va Tech fans did the other night even though they were clearly losing their last game of the season and have no history whatsoever in college basketball.

[john_avery_fast]

I meant in no way to imply that I was not supporting the team. I hope this is the beginning of a push back into the high end of the rankings. I was just stating that the problems that have been evident over the last 15 games or so need to get fixed fast, or it will be too late.

[RichmondVAReb]

and saw no problem whatsoever with your post. In fact, if a team underperforms, then human nature says that it has to be prepared to face the consequences for that from the fans. I felt the same way you did after seeing such a disappointing season hit us like this, and yet at times I fuss at myself too for getting too negative when Ole Miss loses.

However, I was just observing how great it was to see the Va. Tech fans remaining loyal despite things not going their way. There is something good about that, and several other people have commented on that too on the various Ole Miss boards. It is good to see that. I remember the South Carolina fans filling their 80K plus stadium even when their football team was losing. That is a good thing to see too.

My post was just saying that it would be good if we as fans could support the team even when they aren't doing as well as predicted. Maybe that support could help rejuvenate our teams in all sports when they see the fans remain loyal. That is not intended though to discourage fans from putting pressure on the players and coaches to do their best at all times. express disappointment too, but we still need to support Ole Miss too.

I don't know if this post even makes sense, but I just feel we can apply pressure while at the same time remaining loyal to Ole Miss. Constructive criticism is good; destructive criticism can be harmful. I just want to see us inspire our teams but remain loyal to Ole Miss no matter what happens. I am talking to me as much if not more than anyone else. We are just a frustrated fan base right now, but things are beginning to change now I believe.

[oxfordrebel]

So...who's headed to the park this weekend? Big series against Vandy. Usually the team starts out strong against non-conf opponents then slows down to start SEC play, then gets strong in the middle of the conference season, then slows down right before SEC Tourney. Then they make a strong run to the end. Kinda like waves. That's how it's been the past few years. I wonder if they're getting the early and late conference season lulls out of the way and will finish the season strong.

Again, the basketball team is a perfect example of why opponents (and fans even) can't turn their back on a Rebel team. It's not over till it's over and that comes in June.

[john_avery_fast]

Richmond, I completely agree with. If there is one gripe I have with our fan base as a whole, it is the fair-weatherness that is exhibited by about 65% of it. They only make the effort of coming to cheer when we are winning, but once a lull hits (see: Basketball) where we aren't playing quite as well, attendance goes from 95% to 50% almost overnight. and this is not right nor fair.

[RebelBond]

Richmond, I completely agree with. If there is one gripe I have with our fan base as a whole, it is the fair-weatherness that is exhibited by about 65% of it. They only make the effort of coming to cheer when we are winning, but once a lull hits (see: Basketball) where we aren't playing quite as well, attendance goes from 95% to 50% almost overnight. and this is not right nor fair.

It's called a core group of fans, every school has them and they show up even when the times are not so good. Ole Miss is a small school so our core group will be smaller than most schools. The more you win the core group will grow. I can remember years ago sitting in Vaught Hemmingway with about 25k on a regular basis. I would say now our core group is up to around 35 to 40k but let's win 3 to 4 games a year for the next few years and it will get back in the 25 to 30 k range pretty quick.
The only answer to steady attendance is to just win baby !

RebelBond

[oxfordrebel]

Richmond, I completely agree with. If there is one gripe I have with our fan base as a whole, it is the fair-weatherness that is exhibited by about 65% of it. They only make the effort of coming to cheer when we are winning, but once a lull hits (see: Basketball) where we aren't playing quite as well, attendance goes from 95% to 50% almost overnight. and this is not right nor fair.

It's called a core group of fans, every school has them and they show up even when the times are not so good. Ole Miss is a small school so our core group will be smaller than most schools. The more you win the core group will grow. I can remember years ago sitting in Vaught Hemmingway with about 25k on a regular basis. I would say now our core group is up to around 35 to 40k but let's win 3 to 4 games a year for the next few years and it will get back in the 25 to 30 k range pretty quick.
The only answer to steady attendance is to just win baby !

RebelBond

You can definitely see how the core group has grown for baseball over the past 4 or so years.

[oxpatchreb]

Richmond, I completely agree with. If there is one gripe I have with our fan base as a whole, it is the fair-weatherness that is exhibited by about 65% of it. They only make the effort of coming to cheer when we are winning, but once a lull hits (see: Basketball) where we aren't playing quite as well, attendance goes from 95% to 50% almost overnight. and this is not right nor fair.

It's called a core group of fans, every school has them and they show up even when the times are not so good. Ole Miss is a small school so our core group will be smaller than most schools. The more you win the core group will grow. I can remember years ago sitting in Vaught Hemmingway with about 25k on a regular basis. I would say now our core group is up to around 35 to 40k but let's win 3 to 4 games a year for the next few years and it will get back in the 25 to 30 k range pretty quick.
The only answer to steady attendance is to just win baby !

RebelBond

You can definitely see how the core group has grown for baseball over the past 4 or so years.

I absolutely agree with Rebelbond and OxfordReb on this. Accusing fans who get disallusioned easily of being traditional "fair weather" fans is not fair. I put myself in this group and would argue (as I have many times) that OM fans have a difficult job, maybe more difficult than any other SEC fans b/c of HOW completely psychotic our programs are. Football was in a very solid upswing in the early 2000's, one which SHOULD have translated to better recruits and coaches which would have translated to ever increasing success. Yet we went from 10 wins, a truly solid chance at playing in ATL, and a Cotton Bowl win, to a dreary 5 win season and immediate talk of coaching changes. Same thing with basketball. Late 90's were very good to us. SEC West titles, 20 or more wins a few times. This success should have bred more success. It didn't and we fell back to sub-par records in SEC play and no Dance invitations since. Baseball is the same, we have spent lots of money on the program, built up a great facility, got some great coaches and superior players, hosted regional and supers like it's our job, but we can't get over the hump to Omaha.

The frustration levels in our programs is excruciating. To the point of complete mental breakdown, and exhaustion. We have been close so many times (since '93 when I was a freshman, not to mention the decades prior) to turning the corner and then something happens to derail the train. You truly cannot expect our core fan base to sit through such misery with a positive mental attitude year after year. To prove my point is the fact that even a couple wins, 3 or 4 in basketball, 5 or 6 in baseball or a 3 game streak in football brings people out of the wood work in DROVES b/c they are so helplessly optimistic that we'll actually "make some noise" in the SEC this year that they want to be a part of it. And the same is true when we take a nose dive to the bottom of the W/L chart. People begin to anticipate the pain. They see the problem coming and decide to insulate themselves from the heartache of a 3 win season. To say that it's not right or fair for our fans to do this isn't fair to us either. Where's the fairness to us as fans? The pre-season hype, discussion, contemplation, recruiting, coaching changes, facility improvements and spending allocations are all pointing to a good/great season of performance on the field/court. We buy into that as fans and purchase more "stuff" and tickets and plan roadtrips and look for any excuse possible to make it to Oxford or a road game to support the team. Then the team tanks, or injuries happen, or they just play badly, or don't get it going........ now what are we supposed to do? If you're going to classify fans as "bad fans" for not showing up, you've got to do the same for the programs (and SPECIFICALLY those who run the programs) when the teams don't show up.

My philosophy is just to win. As fans, the only thing we can do (that amounts to any measure of influence to the people who make decsions anyway) is to pull or reduce the amount of money flowing into the programs. Now I understand that it's counter productive b/c putting money INTO a program helps it become successful, but we don't have another choice. Fans just want to win. A few big games here, a couple trips to the post season there, a win over the rivalry sometimes.

Ole Miss has had none of that (to the extent that it matters). Baseball has been the most successful program by far in the last 5 years, and you can see our core growing by leaps and bounds as OxReb and RebBond stated, but lose so dramatically when things should be at their zenith and people are going to "insulate themselves" from the disappointment. It's human nature, and more to the point, it's OM athletics signature.

But all that goes away, when we just go out there and win.

Sorry, didn't mean for this to be so long (steps off soapbox)