Ron Higgins: Ole Miss players put team first

[rebeljim]

The “me me me” syndrome which has trickled down from pro athletes to every level below is something that coaches in almost every sport fight daily.

So when a coach goes out of his way to praise a player previously perceived with that type of ’tude, there’s usually something more to it.

Like Ole Miss football coach Hugh Freeze, still a bit in shock after last Thursday’s 39-35 victory over Vanderbilt, gushing over Rebels’ running back Jeff Scott’s miraculous game-winning 75-yard touchdown run with 23 seconds left.

“I’m so happy for Jeff,” Freeze said. “He’s become one of my favorite guys.”

Huh?

And then there was this from Scott: “This is my senior year. I want to go out and ball.”

What?

Rewind to last season when after Scott was suspended for parts of two games for ignoring team rules he and Freeze had a heart-to-heart.

Scott felt he could do things his way as he did under the previous coaching staff of Houston Nutt, but Freeze didn’t have time for that.

“Jeff said to me, ‘I kind of realize you’re not going to give in,’ ” Freeze said.

“I said, ‘No, I’m not and you won’t make it.’ He started changing, but he really changed last spring. He made better than a 3.0 grade point average, worked harder and made much better choices.”

There were two other under-the-radar story lines in the dramatic opening win over Vandy that confirmed to Freeze why he loves coaching.

The first was the return of senior linebacker D.T. Shackleford, who missed the last two seasons following surgeries to heal a torn ACL knee ligament he suffered in the last week of spring practice in 2011.

The pain, the agony and disappointment Shackleford went through to return to the field would have taken out lesser men.

“Plenty of times I went to the doctor and I didn’t like the news I heard,” Shackelford said. “But there was never ever a time that I thought I wouldn’t be back playing.”

Freeze admitted he had doubts while watching Shackelford toil through his rehab.

“There were times I thought he’d never make it back,” Freeze said. “But he put all those negative thoughts behind him.”

So when Shackleford stood at the dressing room door last Thursday, ready to finally play in the bright lights again, he had just one thought:

“I’m FINALLY here.”

On the final two plays of the first quarter, he made tackles. It “was wonderful,” he said, “to again be in a pile of sweaty arms, legs and rear ends.”

Someone else who couldn’t stop smiling after the win was Rebels’ wide receiver Jordan Holder, son of former Ole Miss receiver and two-time team captain Jamie Holder.

On the Rebs’ first offensive snap vs. the Commodores, Holder, a fifth-year senior who never had caught a ball in a college game, had the first reception of his career. He finished the night with three catches for 20 yards, including an 11-yard third down catch that kept alive a Rebels’ TD drive in the third quarter.

But beyond Holder’s stats, here’s the most remarkable thing. He’s a walk-on who was finally awarded a scholarship by Freeze just before the start of the season. But he told Freeze to give it to fellow senior walk-on tight end Justin Bigham, who had used Pell Grants and loans to get him through school.

“It was an honor to earn it and to help Bigham, because he deserved it as much as I did,” Holder said. “I have one class left toward a degree, and it costs hardly anything. He had a full load and I just wanted to help him out.”

What Scott, Shackelford and Holder demonstrated is belief in “we we we.” Find enough guys like that, and it’s how you win championships.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/20 ... artner=RSS

[Chucky_38]

What a great read. Now THIS is a thread that should go on and on.

[cajunrebel]

Sounds like we hired the right coach. Build boys into quality men and win games.

[lewindha]

What a great read. Now THIS is a thread that should go on and on.

Nah. There's nothing to argue about here

[JustBlues]

What a great read. Now THIS is a thread that should go on and on.

Nah. There's nothing to argue about here

since when has that stopped people from arguing on the internet?

[Rebchuck18]

What a great read. Now THIS is a thread that should go on and on.

Nah. There's nothing to argue about here

since when has that stopped people from arguing on the internet?

Or in the history of life... It is called discussion, advocation and debate. It is only one of the cornerstones of our nation

[JustBlues]

Nah. There's nothing to argue about here

since when has that stopped people from arguing on the internet?

Or in the history of life... It is called discussion, advocation and debate. It is only one of the cornerstones of our nation

most internet arguments can hardly be called discussion or debate. It does happen on occasion, however. Usually, rather than discuss the merits of different points of view, it becomes a name-calling fest. Respect for disenting opinions has eroded considerably, particularly on the internet. And if you disagree with that, well you're just an idiot then.

[Rebchuck18]

since when has that stopped people from arguing on the internet?
most internet arguments can hardly be called discussion or debate. It does happen on occasion, however. Usually, rather than discuss the merits of different points of view, it becomes a name-calling fest. Respect for disenting opinions has eroded considerably, particularly on the internet. And if you disagree with that, well you're just an idiot then.

I respect your right to that conclusion. And you would not be alone in that conclusion. Just remember that one man's idiot is another man's genius

[A10Rebel]

nice read.