Reflector sports editor R.J. Morgan is rating the road trip experiences for all away games this season in hopes of providing readers with a reference point for future trips. Trips will be graded on a 10-point scale in 10 categories and then given a cumulative score.
This week … Ole Miss.
1. Ease of Travel-Learning the drive from Starkville to Oxford is one that is practically considered a right of passage for college students at both universities. There are several ways to get to Ozford, but the shortest and easiest way is to head west on U.S. Highway 82 until you reach Eupora, then head north until you get to Lamar Boulevard which will lead you straight to The Square. The roads are decent, but decidedly two-laned, though the meandering journey through rural Mississippi with town squares and cotton fields speckling the road sides is enjoyable, at least to me. (9 points)
2. Parking-The downside to Ole Miss’s tight-knit campus is that the parking areas are relegated to the outer shell of the area. We found free parking by the baseball field and took it, though apparently it was on the opposite end of the fabled “Grove” than our friends. Quite a hike. (7 points)
3. Game Day Atmosphere-Say what you will about Rebels and rivalries, but relaxing in The Grove on a fall Saturday and fellowshipping with family and friends is a nice tradition that our own campus could use more of. Granted The Junction is a nice tailgating area, but until the sheer volume of people and aesthetic effort are matched in Starkville, it will always be second to The Grove. The rest of Ole Miss’ campus is beautiful, full of majectic oaks and magnolias. There are more buildings in a smaller area, which gives it the feel of a small village. Also, the new civil rights monument on campus featuring a life-size statue of James Meredith is a great design and adds to the historic atmosphere. (10 points)
4. Stadium-Vaught-Hemmingway Stadium is a decent place to watch a ball game, though the student section is located in the end zone which makes it difficult to determine down and distances without craning your neck. The recent additions, though, make the stadium the largest in Mississippi and on game day it is covered in a sea of red. Also, an extra point for the cool public address guy that basically yodels “Ole Miss” when the Rebels get a first down. Nice. (8 points)
5. Fan Knowledge-On cue, 60,000 Ole Miss faithful will start chanting that awful mockery of misshapen sylables they call “Hotty Toddy.” The song-if you can call is that, since it has no real lyrics or meaning-is annoying. But the fact that everyone knows it and knows when to yell it is a great testament to fan knowledge. (8 points)
6. Friendliness of Fans-I have several close friends who subscribe to Rebel Nation, but for the most part their fans are arrogant and intolerable. On one trip to Oxford they stole the Mississippi State tire cover off my truck… and I wasn’t even there to see them play MSU! But then again, they will give out food to just about anyone who stops by their assorted tents, so I guess that makes up for some of it. Maybe. (6 points)
7. Concessions-Most of the concessions are the same run of the mill stuff that all the ballparks have, but one thing that sets Vaught-Hemmingway above the rest of the competition is the Corky’s barbeque vendor. I now require pork nachos to enjoy a football game anywhere. They are that good. They should be required at all SEC stadiums, in my opinion. If you’ve never had them, get them. Period. (10 points)
8. Band-The Pride of the South Band is a storied Southern tradition. I have told many people over the years that when the Ole Miss band plays Dixie during their pregame show and the entire crowd solemnly nods their pom-poms in unison it makes Mississippi almost cool. I stand by that statement. (10 points)
9. Local Scene-Oxford is a small town in the middle of nowhere, but The Square offers some decent bar selections for those with the money to enjoy them. Other than that, the best bet for anyone looking for entertainment is to find a house party and crash it. (7 points)
10. Wildcard-Maybe it’s just the intensity of the rivalry or the stately Southern tradition that I find indentifiable. Either way, Oxford is a trip worth making for anyone looking for a great football experience. (7 points)
Score-82