The easiest job in the world

It must be nice to get paid for writing articles about why Ole Miss and Mississippi State should play Southern Miss in Football. You can churn out 300-400 words without even thinking and come up with hyperbolic headlines like "No downside to MSU-USM football game."

Credit Patrick Magee of the Hattiesburg American for taking the idiocy to a new level though. Typically the argument revolves around the Rebel or Bulldog fan mentioning a lack of desire to subsidize the Golden Eagle football program with the USM fan responding with a witty retort such as "Naw, you're skeered to play at the Rawk!" But not according to Magee:

Some fans make the argument that there would be an explosion of bad behavior by fans if USM played the two SEC schools on the football field. I’m not exactly sure where this idea comes from. While I realize it’s a different sport, I was courtside for the Ole Miss-USM basketball game last year in Biloxi and there were no punches thrown or even moderate bickering between the two groups.

Seriously? That's why you think that Boone and Templeton/Byrne have avoided playing USM... bickering amongst fans? And then this closing sentence...

A simple look at the situation reveals there is no downside of the schools meeting in football. It will only generate even more excitement surrounding the sport in an already football-crazy state.

... shows how disconnected from reality Magee really is. From a Southern Miss standpoint, I'm sure that's enough to get the hair standing up on their arms. If he could step outside of his black and gold for a minute, he'd find out that this fantasy land that USM fans and media have created - the series is what both fan bases want - is just that... a fantasy. There are very few Ole Miss or State fans I know that want a series to happen. The reasons have been reiterated on this site and others time and again and aren't worth getting into again.

If only Magee and other USM-canned-rhetoric regurgitators would take the same hint.

It's the dead horse that keeps on giving

Apparently, last week's pointless, deceased equestrian kicking article from The Sun Herald's editorial board about how Ole Miss and Mississippi State. Now, they've come back with this one with even more pandering... this time making sure they've made their points perfect clear.

Quite frankly, it's pathetic when you have to include a sentence like this:

First and foremost, this is not a charitable crusade on behalf of Southern Miss. Indeed, if the best interests of USM were our primary concern, then we would probably be lobbying for Southern Miss’ entry into the SEC, a move that would have far greater benefits for the Golden Eagles than simply playing two in-state SEC opponents.

Southern Miss in the SEC? Now that's high comedy. Their stadium holds a little more than 1,000 more fans than Vanderbilt's does and they don't bring up the conference GPA like the Commodores do. There's absolutely no conceivable rationale to even suggesting that except to throw fuel on a fire that exactly ONE fanbase has any desire to stoke.

There is absolutely nothing to gain for Ole Miss and Mississippi State to subsidize USM's football program. The article says "...it has been 19 years since MSU played USM in football and 25 years since Ole Miss did. That is ridiculous." To which I say, "No, that's business." The Rebel and Bulldog fanbases are just not interested in seeing that game. That's who the respective administrations are interesting in pleasing... not a small but vocal group of USM fans convinced they're being wronged.

Then there's this:

Tens of thousands of fans — and their money — would flow across the state … and stay in the state. It would be to the economic advantage of stores and restaurants and hotels throughout Mississippi. And it would boost tax receipts in the cities and counties where those businesses are located.

That, sports fans, is clearly a legitimate concern for the governor and the Legislature, and that is why we encourage the Legislature to mandate that these games be scheduled as soon as possible.

Where to even begin with this statement? First, how many hotel room reservations will be lost because people would make the road trip that morning and leave after the game? Not to mention the dinners people wouldn't be eating in the towns as people would hit McDonalds or Taco Bell on the way out of town. Then there's the lost alcohol sales as people would curtail their drinking so they could make the trip.

And, like I said before, Mississippi has enough actual problems to deal with - teen pregnancy, childhood obesity, education - that the governor and the Legislature should not spend one nanosecond concerned with who plays who in football. To make the suggestion not once but twice is utterly ridiculous and shows a real lack of understanding of priorities. In fact, it's downright embarrassing.

Scheduling high profile out of state games like Texas Tech and Wake Forest and Texas is a much shrewder business decision than babysitting Southern Miss. College football is big business in Mississippi and if you can't run with the bigger dogs, than get out of the way and stop begging for a bone.

Because you really can't ever beat a dead horse enough

In what basically reads like a Southern Miss fan message board post, The Sun Herald editorial board proposes the novel concept that Ole Miss and Mississippi State should be ashamed of themselves for not subsidizing the Southern Miss football program. Even the headline - "It's what the people want" - shows the delusion has permeated the media. What "people" did they talk to? Southern Miss fans obviously. I know of very few Ole Miss or Mississippi State fans that want anything to do with the Southern Miss football program.

It's a lose-lose situation for either in-state SEC school. A win is a win over a CUSA school, a loss would be absolutely disastrous for recruiting and message board reading. With Nutt at the helm and the recent influx of talent to the Rebel program, I don't think a loss would be a realistic possibility, but the risk - however minimal - outweighs the benefits, which are basically non-existent.

Sure USM would look better than most or all of our 2009 OOC opponents, but this year is something of an aberration regarding scheduling. With upcoming games against BCS opponents as well as Tulane - which offers the best regional road trip - there's nothing appealing about such a series. Who wants to go spend a day in Hattiesburg?

I'm a big proponent of the baseball and current basketball series. One of the most exciting basketball games I've ever attended 113-107 2OT game in late 1995. The neutral site locations for the games certainly add some excitement to the series, but basketball and baseball are completely different animals than football, particularly in Mississippi.

Then there's this:

Gov. Haley Barbour and the Legislature should serve notice that Ole Miss, Southern and State will compete annually in major college sports. Because it is in the economic interest of taxpayers. Because it would be public policy that would bolster pride in the state’s athletic community.

Yep, that sounds about right. Mississippi has solved all its other problems and economic woes. It's time for federally-mandated football games. Bravo.

And, for your viewing pleasure, here's a completely uninformative blog entry from the SEC football mecca of Seattle. Ole Miss is listed as a possible team "from a BCS Conference who traditionally doesn't sit atop their conference (that could) have a great season and shake things up like Texas Tech did last year or like Kansas the year before."

Basic recap:
- Rebels have good QB with cool name
- Snead is getting unwarranted Heisman hype
- OMGWTFBBQ! Jevan Snead is white
- Picture of Jevan Snead and his whiteness
- Rundown of favorable schedule

Enjoy.