THE DAILY
MISSISSIPPIAN
Friday, September 12, 2014
T H E ST U D E N T N E W S PA P E R O F T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F M I S S I S S I P P I
Volume 103, No. 14
SERVING OLE MISS AND OXFORD SINCE 1911
‘It’s not a football story’ Safe Ride •
Teammate chronicles life and legacy of Chucky Mullins
CLARA TURNAGE
scturna1@go.olemiss.edu
There was a sudden hush. What had been a riotous clamor only moments before was suddenly severed and left little more than a whisper amongst the 40,000 watching. It was the moment no one wants to witness, the moment the fans realized one player wasn’t getting up. “There is a quiet sound in that stadium that is eerie,” said former head football coach Billy Brewer. “People are watching; people are looking. You can hear very little conversation. I’m sure there’s a lot of prayers being said.” The fifth defensive back, Chucky Mullins, would not be standing up, wiping the turf off his pants and walking away. On Oct. 28, 1989 Mullins destroyed four vertebrae in his back and was instantly paralyzed from the neck down. Brewer and his team didn’t know that. All they knew was one of their own was being carried away. “To have to, at halftime, tell a football team what I was told, that these are the circumstances: Right now Chucky has been airlifted to Memphis, and they’ll go from there,” Brewer said. “They were just stunned, heartbroken.” Though the game was won, something was lost on the field. Twenty-five years later, teammate and friend Jody Hill decided the story must be told, and today at 5 p.m., Hill will be at Square Books to sign and release his novel “38: The Chucky Mullins Effect.” Hill was in the same freshman class as Mullins and recalled what it was like to be around him. “We were freshmen together, so we came in together in the summer of ’88,” Hill said. “This isn’t a trite statement when I say this: Everyone that knew Chucky was his friend. That was because he
begins shuttle service LOGAN KIRKLAND
ltkirkla@go.olemiss.edu
File Photo THOMAS GRANING
Members of the football team touch the Chucky Mullins bust while taking the field before a game last season. befriended you. He reached out to you. He had that personality that just reached out and wanted to befriend whomever he met. I really mean it when I say he was everyone’s friend.” To Hill, Mullins was the friendly, warm player who just loved to smile. “Those are the things I remember: the laughter, the fun, that he was a friend,” Hill said. “He reached out across all kinds of lines. He was that kind of person.” It would not occur to him until far later that perhaps this smiling young man didn’t have the happy, privileged childhood they had all assumed. “All of us greenhorn freshmen, we didn’t know of any of the challenges he faced in life. We thought he must be a guy for which every-
Growing up Groving: continuing a family tradition Page 7
SEE MULLINS PAGE 16
File Photo OLE MISS ATHLETICS
Chucky Mullins prepares to lead Ole Miss onto the field. Standing next to him is head coach Billy Brewer.
Now I just want a commuter tag Shackelford ready and healthy Page 8 in his final season Page 12
New student transportation service Safe Ride launched last night. The service runs a shuttle to and from the Square Thursdays through Saturdays. Safe Ride stops include the areas at Martin/Stockard, Kincannon/Ridges intersection, Brown/Crosby intersection, Sorority Row by Phi Mu, Fraternity Row behind Sigma Chi, the parking lot behind Kappa Alpha Order and Phi Kappa Tau and University Trails. The buses will run on Thursdays and Fridays from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. and on Saturdays from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Safe Ride will not run during sorority recruitment weekend, Thanksgiving and final exam week. Gabriella Gonzaba, the president of Students for a Safe Ride, said students should be very involved with the organization. “We want to promote safety on our campus and in the Oxford community,” Gonzaba said Gonzaba said the Safe Ride buses will also help cut down on the amount of vehicles on the Square. Safe Ride has two 45-passenger-seat buses, one handicap-accessible van and a driver who is authorized to drive the buses. “We have a driver that’s
SEE SAFE RIDE PAGE 4
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OPINION
PAGE 2 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | 12 SEPTEMBER 2014 | OPINION
THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN EDITORIAL STAFF: LACEY RUSSELL editor-in-chief dmeditor@gmail.com SARAH PARRISH managing editor dmmanaging@gmail.com MACKENZIE HICKS copy chief thedmcopy@gmail.com LOGAN KIRKLAND MAGGIE MCDANIEL news editors thedmnews@gmail.com KYLIE MCFADDEN asst. news editor thedmnews@gmail.com THOMAS GRANING multimedia editor thedmmultimedia@gmail.com CLARA TURNAGE lifestyles editor thedmfeatures@gmail.com DYLAN RUBINO sports editor thedmsports@gmail.com SIERRA MANNIE opinion editor thedmopinion@gmail.com CADY HERRING photography editor thedmphotos@gmail.com
COLUMN
No pay for those who play
ELLEN WHITAKER ALLI MOORE MADDIE THEOBALD design editors
ADVERTISING STAFF: MATT ZELENIK advertising sales manager dmads@olemiss.edu EMILY FORSYTHE DAVID JONES JAMIE KENDRICK EVAN MILLER account executives MARA BENSING CONNOR HEGWOOD KIM SANNER creative designers
S. GALE DENLEY STUDENT MEDIA CENTER PATRICIA THOMPSON Director of Student Media and Daily Mississippian Faculty Adviser ROY FROSTENSON Assistant Director/Radio and Advertising MELANIE WADKINS Advertising Manager DEBRA NOVAK Creative Services Manager MARSHALL LOVE Daily Mississippian Distribution Manager THOMAS CHAPMAN Media Technology Manager JADE MAHARREY Administrative Assistant DARREL JORDAN Broadcast Chief Engineer
BRIAN SCOTT RIPPEE
bsrippee@go.olemiss.edu
As the perception of the NCAA student-athlete has begun to change in the eyes of sports fans, the number of NCAA violations against them for accepting improper benefits has also changed over the last thirty years — skyrocketed, even. Televising college athletics has bolstered its popularity and, naturally, has yielded a higher degree of competitiveness amongst those who stand to benefit from participating. College programs and boosters have caused the recruitment of prospects to become quite a T H E D A I LY
MISSISSIPPIAN The University of Mississippi S. Gale Denley Student Media Center 201 Bishop Hall Main Number: 662.915.5503 Email: dmeditor@gmail. com Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
crazy process. Offers of money, clothing, food, cars and many other luxuries have been offered to young adults coming out of high school, but the NCAA has strict rules and regulations on what a prospect can and cannot accept and has handed down harsh sanctions against those who violate these rules, the most significant coming against the SMU football program in 1982. After a thorough investigation, the NCAA handed down what became known as the “The Death Penalty,” and, true to its name, it marks the complete suspension of all activities for one calendar year. This is the only time the NCAA has handed down such a penalty, and SMU’s football program has not fully recovered to this day. This ordeal brought the issue of paying student-athletes into national limelight, and, in the past decade, there has been much discussion about allowing
student-athletes to be paid. If left up to me, student-athletes under no circumstances would ever be paid for playing a sport for their university. The most important reason why an NCAA student-athlete should not be paid for playing a sport lies in their title. An individual playing a sport at a university is labeled as a studentathlete, and the order of words in their title should match the order of their priorities at a university. The reason a person goes to college is to get an education. The job of the university is to give the person the best education possible. The NCAA sanctions amateur athletic events. The NCAA is not a professional organization — there are no agents permitted and no contracts given out. Students who attend universities do not get paid to get good grades, so why should athletes be paid to play a sport? Paying athletes
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creates an environment of unfair treatment towards some students over others. An argument for paying student-athletes is an argument for the augmentation of their privileges. Student-athletes do get paid: they get scholarships. People often forget that the young men and women they watch on the field are going to school on a discount, especially for sports like baseball, basketball and football, and most of these athletes are going to school for free. The average college four-year tuition in this country is $18,391 per year, and the average out-of-state tuition is $31,701 per year. That can reach over six figures taken in a four-year span. The people who argue that student-athletes should be paid for performance seem to be completely blind to the fact that athletes are taking thousands of dollars over a
SEE PAY PAGE 3
OPINION
OPINION | 12 SEPTEMBER 2014 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | PAGE 3
PAY
continued from page 2 four-year period to play a sport in addition to getting an education. The athletes at Vanderbilt are a perfect example. Most players on the football team are going to school for free and enjoying one of the finest educations offered in the country (not to mention that the tuition at Vanderbilt is outrageously expensive). These athletes are taking hundreds of thousands of dollars in tuition and getting a degree, and yet people still argue they should be paid for onfield performance. People argue that the majority of these athletes come from underprivileged backgrounds and are helpless when they arrive on campus, but these people do not realize the NCAA allows student-athletes to receive a weekly allowance that basically amounts to spending money for the athlete. I do understand the argument that the allowance given to athletes is not sufficient, but paying them for
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on-field performance, that would bring up the issue of having an agent. If one turns on SportsCenter during any sport’s offseason and follows contract talks of an athlete, they will see how ugly these arguments can get. There are over 300,000 NCAA student-athletes. Having contract negotiations with that many athletes would be completely disastrous. Paying for performance would also greatly alter the recruiting process. The NCAA recently altered football recruiting rules to set a maximum number of scholarships a program can give out per year. This rule was instituted to imitate professional football and not let the larger schools dominate recruiting. Paying athletes would completely ruin the effect of imitation in college football. One can look to the Southeastern Conference for a small example of this. Alabama’s success over the last five years has obviously brought in more revenue for their university. If Alabama was allowed to pay athletes to come play there, Alabama would
The Ragin’ Cajuns are heading our way Let’s show them how the Rebels play!
dominate football every year. They would keep bringing in the most revenue and have the most money to spend for new recruits. On the other end of the spectrum would be a school like Kentucky. Kentucky is a fine institution, but Kentucky has had little success in their football program. If paying athletes was legal, Kentucky would have a hard time being competitive with the athletes they would be able to get. This imbalance would lead to less competitive football, and, ultimately, conference officials would probably look to conference re-alignment to try to fix the lack of competitiveness. This concept is not solely tied to football. There would be imbalance in every sport in every conference in America. This would also lead to discussion of spending caps and would basically create a professional
sports system. In short, my reservations eventually lead back to the fact that college sports is amateur athletics. Professional sports organizations are the place for athletes to be paid to perform. College is a place where a young person can learn and play athletics to represent the school they are so proud to attend. If an athlete excels in his or her sport, then they can move on to the professional level and reap the benefits of their athletic ability. Paying college athletes would ultimately ruin what people love most about college athletics, which is playing for the pride of their school. A student-athlete’s ultimate goal should be to get a degree and become ready for the outside world. Brian Scott Rippee is a sophomore business major from Jackson.
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performance is certainly not the answer. Most of the additional money these athletes receive comes from either the NCAA or the athletic conference to which that school resides in. If the allowance money the athletes receive is not enough, the university should chip in a small additional sum of money to give these student-athletes a sufficient allowance. I also understand the complaints of critics about athletes not being allowed to sell autographs and memorabilia. Athletes most definitely should be able to sell their own property without having to answer to the NCAA. The people who argue for paying for performance should look more in the direction of raising the allowance of an athlete or allowing them to sell memorabilia rather than being paid to play a game. The term “pay for play” has been a popular term for referring to on-field performance. A lot of advocates for “pay for play” do not understand the other controversies that would cause. If athletes are paid for
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NEWS
PAGE 4 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | 12 SEPTEMBER 2014 | NEWS
Gameday parking and traffic
O
Photo By: THOMAS GRANING
xford parking and traffic officials have planned for Saturday’s football game. Shuttles will leave from Oxford Activity Center, Oxford Middle School and Oxford High School. Mike Harris, director of parking and transportation at The University Of Mis-
sissippi, said O.U.T. buses will begin running from the Jackson Avenue Center and Northwest Community College at 6 a.m. and will run until two hours after the game. The Jackson Avenue Center location provides a free service, but the shuttles at the other locations will cost $5 to ride
and should help provide an alternative to parking on campus. After the game there will be one-way traffic off campus only for one hour which also is a change from past years. There will also be an added presence of Oxford Police Department to patrol and direct traffic.
SAFE RIDE
continued from page 1 secure to drive those kinds of vehicles; that was our main problem in the past,” Gonzaba said. “As the year goes on, we will see if we need to add some more.” Gonzaba said even though the organization is new, they are hoping to make all of the necessary changes and plans to make Safe Ride as efficient as possible. “We are working with other organizations on campus in the future for fundraising that involves keeping students safe,” Gonzaba said. Corbin Smith, a member of Safe Ride, said their key goal right now is to keep students safe and give them a safe way to get to and from campus. “We don’t promote drinking at all; it’s just a way we want you to be safe,” Smith said. “Walking back from the Square even when you’re sober is dangerous.”
Linda Spargo, faculty advisor of Students for a Safe Ride, said the organization is something she holds close to her heart. She said it’s important that students think about their behavior in Oxford and where in the city they are traveling. “I think this is a way to promote safety in an alternative choice from getting in your own car,” Spargo said. “The kids who are on the bus are not out there being in danger of being hit by somebody who is under the influence.” Spargo said that the university has been behind Safe Ride but emphasized that this is an organization that is student-led. Spargo said she knows these students want Safe Ride to be successful and is impressed with their passion. “It’s one of the most meaningful things I’ve ever been involved with,” Spargo said. “I really do put my head on the pillow at night and think lives are being saved.”
GRADUATE & PROFESSIONAL
SCHOOLS FAIR
Meet with representatives from medical schools, law schools, MBA programs, seminaries, and other masters programs from across the country.
2-4:30 pm • Monday, September 15 The Inn at Ole Miss
Schools that will be in attendance: Belhaven University Florida Coastal School of Law Howard University School of Law Indiana Tech Law School Kaplan Test Prep & Admissions Loyola University New Orleans LSU Law Center Mercer University School of Law Millsaps College Mississippi College Mississippi College School of Law Mississippi Rural Physicians Scholarship Program MSU College of Veterinary Medicine Penn State Law
Reformed Theological Seminary Regent University School of Law Richmont Graduate University Saint Louis University School of Law Samford University Savannah Law School SMU Cox School of Business SMU Dedman School of Law South Texas College of Law Tulane Tulane University Law School UAB School of Optometry UALR Bowen School of Law University of Alabama
University of Alabama at Birmingham University of Alabama School of Law & Business University of Houston School of Law University of Memphis University of Mississippi MBA Program University of Mississippi Medical Center University of Mississippi School of Education University of Mississippi School of Law University of Mississippi School of Nursing University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy University of Tennessee Health Science Center University of Tennessee School of Law University of Tennessee School of Pharmacy Western New England University School of Law
NEWS
NEWS | 12 SEPTEMBER 2014 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | PAGE 5
Gameday cell service expected to improve on campus FERDERICA COBB
fscobb@go.olemiss.edu
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This year The University of Mississippi can expect better cell phone service on home game days due to a new stateof-the-art CSpire Wi-Fi system on campus and in VaughtHemingway Stadium. The new system is expected to improve cell service quality largely due to the fact that many fans have iPhones with iMessage, according to Michael Thompson, senior associate athletics director for communications and marketing. iMessage users can send messages over Wi-Fi, freeing up cell tower energy and bandwidth. “Having Wi-Fi is going to pull some of the load from the towers in the stadium and in Oxford,” Thompson said. “Per-
sonally, we are hoping that the cell service is a lot better this year. We will not know exactly how much better until we get through a few games.” Cell reception has been noted to be of poorer quality during gamedays, both in the Grove and in the stadium, than on regular school days. Corbin Divinity, junior biology major, does not like the lack of cell service during gamedays. “The cellular service is an awful inconvenience at the university on gamedays, and I think it just might be due to so many people being there,” Divinity said. Thompson verified that the decrease in cell service quality is in fact due to the amount of cell traffic on game days. He estimates that on a typical school day there may be about
8,000 students on the Ole Miss campus at one time, considering the fact that some students attend classes on alternating days. Out of the 8,000, all of them are not using their phones simultaneously because they also have to focus on classes. However, on a typical game day, there is a significantly larger amount of people on campus, about 100,000 fans, Thompson estimated, and most of them will be using their cell phones in some manner. Thompson said the issue has a lot to do with millennials in particular because they use their devices in more ways than other fans. This includes checking social media apps such as Instagram and Snapchat as well as sharing videos, which takes up more band-
width. Normally, Vaught-Hemingway Stadium uses a distributed antenna system to provide cell phone service. Certain carriers use distributed antenna systems and others do not, creating a different experience for certain cell holders. Thompson said fans who have CSpire tend to have a higher satisfaction rate and better experience within the stadium. He said this also probably means CSpire has stronger towers around campus in the area. The new Wi-Fi service will be free for all fans during the first two home games, but for the rest of the games there will be a $4.99 charge per game for non-CSpire customers. Pierre Whiteside, a junior integrated marketing communications major, expressed his
discontent about the new service. “I personally feel like if they’re going to offer Wi-Fi, it should be free for everyone, not just CSpire customers,” Whiteside said. “Most people around here are with AT&T anyways, and it’s a larger company.” As for Margaret Collins, senior broadcast journalism major, she is all for the new Wi-Fi system. “I think it’s a great thing. I think we’ve needed it for a really long time; I know service reception has been really bad in there for quite some time,” Collins said. “But my only concern is that I hope the university has worked out all of the kinks that go with it because I know that we’ve had issues in the past with our Internet problems.”
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LIFESTYLES
PAGE 6 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | 12 SEPTEMBER 2014 | LIFESTYLES
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smaller versions of the fullsized potties that are handicap accessible. The potties are trailers that are positioned centrally to the Grove. Before the Hotty Toddy Potties came to the Grove, using the restroom on a gameday could be quite frustrating. Redmond describes that the public restrooms in buildings near the Grove were open; however, stalls were limited and lines would often be extravagant. The student body is also well-pleased with the potties. Senior marketing and corporate relations major Christina Windom appreciates the convenience of the potties. “It seems like there is never a line, like there is at the restrooms at the surrounding buildings.” Redmond is glad the university puts the potties to good use on gamedays. “Fans love the Hotty Toddy Potties,” Redmond said. “We have continued to receive great compliments on how neat they are and how good they smell. “When fans are satisfied, we are happy.”
2 8 6 7 9 1 2 5 5 4 3 9 3 6 7 2 7 9 1 8 1 5 4 3 6 2 8 4 8 7 9 6 3 5 1
THE BIG DEAL
pressure can be maintained; if not, the toilets will not fill with water. As workers are needed to maintain the potties, so are many supplies. Redmond says supplies all depend on each game; one potty, which is nine stalls, will typically unroll oneand-a-half cases to two cases of jumbo toilet paper. One game weekend will also consume about 300 gloves, as the custodial team is constantly cleaning and maintaining the potties to keep them sanitary. According to Redmond, the cleaning and stocking process for one potty takes about forty-five minutes. Once the festivities of gameday have drawn to a close, the potties are unhooked and transported back to Whirlpool Trails, where they will remain until the Thursday before the next home game. On each potty, there is a men’s side and a women’s side. The men’s side has two stalls, four urinals and a sink; on the other hand, the women’s side contains seven stalls and four sinks. The potties are also fully equipped with heating and air conditioning. There are also
4
Sights, smells and people can capture one’s attention on gameday, but nature’s call
fans. The potties are much more than simple porta-potties. Felisa Redmond, assistant superintendent in the custodial shop housed under the University Physical Plant, said the potties are essentially “restrooms on wheels.” Even though gamedays are on the weekend, several days must be set aside to prepare the potties for fans. While not in use, the potties are stored at Whirlpool Trails, a recreational trail in Oxford. On Thursday before a home game, a service station hooks the potties to a truck and takes them to their designated locations. Once there, they are hooked up to the water supply for the area. On the eve of gameday, the potties undergo a final inspection that involves cleaning by six custodial workers. During the grandeur of gameday, the custodial staff is in full swing. At each potty, there is a male and female worker for each respective side of the trailer that maintains it throughout the day. Every hour, the valve on the potty must be opened so the water
Sudoku #7 5 1 9 3 4 3 8 4 6 7 7 2 6 8 1 9 4 1 5 8 2 3 5 4 6 8 6 7 9 2 1 9 3 7 5 4 5 2 1 3 7 8 2 9
mrredd@go.olemiss.edu
in the Grove is readily recognized. Since 2001, the university has used Hotty Toddy Potties to provide convenient restroom facilities for gameday
6
MITCHELL REID
LIFESTYLES
LIFESTYLES | 12 SEPTEMBER 2014 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | PAGE 7
Growing up Groving: continuing a family tradition MAGGIE MCDANIEL
mhmcdani@o.olemiss.edu
On Oct. 11, 1975, the Ole Miss football team was 1-4. It was a less-than-impressive start to the season, but that didn’t matter at all to two-year-old Mary Phillips Neyman. That day was the beginning of what would grow into a life-long tradition – her first experience tailgating in the Grove and attending an Ole Miss football game. On that particular game day, her parents, Robert and Sara Margaret Johnson, were unable to find someone to watch their daughter while they went to the game. This left them no choice; they had to take young Neyman with them. As they journeyed north from Jackson, Mississippi, the Johnsons worried about taking their toddler to a football game. People could then drive their cars in the Grove and tailgate right out of the trunk. Neyman’s parents figured she would run off during tailgating or not be able to sit still during the fentire game. Once they got to Hemingway Stadium, the reality wasn’t what they expected. “I would not leave the game and wanted to sit right by my daddy,” Neyman recalled. “When he cheered, I cheered, and when he sat down, I sat down. I enjoyed it so much they kept taking me back.” Neyman’s father remembers his daughter’s first game just as vividly as when Ole Miss defeated Georgia with a comeback in the fourth quarter. He reminisced about how his daughter was just as happy as he was at that game, because they were staying at the same motel as the Georgia team, and they were sick of hearing them talk. As for Neyman’s mother, she was astonished that her daughter was so well-behaved during the football game. “When she went to the game she would never leave for any reason,” Neyman’s mother
said. “She sat there right by her daddy and did exactly what he did. I remember I looked at her and said, ‘Mary Phillips, don’t you want to go downstairs?’ and she said, ‘No.’” After that first Ole Miss game, Neymnan’s Saturdays consisted of red and navy smock dresses, college football, eating fried chicken out of the back of a tailgate and “Groving” with family and some of her closest family friends. Once Neyman’s little brother Bo came along two years after her first game, he joined the family on game days. Bo was a little more eager to run around and throw a football than to sit and watch the game. She didn’t mind because she loved having her brother there to run around with and look after. Neyman knew from day one that she was going to one day attend college at The University of Mississippi. Once she became a student, gamedays were no longer filled with looking after her little brother. They were now filled with new excitements, like attending as someone’s date. There was one game date she specifically remembered. In 1991 Ole Miss played Vanderbilt for Homecoming. Neyman, a sophomore at the time, was asked to go to the game as a junior boy’s date. The Rebels ended up losing 27-30 to Vandy that day, and her date was furious. To Neyman it didn’t matter, because she had a lot of fun with him and knew there was something different about him than her other dates. “We instantly connected, had a lot to talk about and we both loved Ole Miss football,” she said. “I told my best friend I had met the man I was going to marry.” Six years after watching Ole Miss lose to Vandy on Homecoming, she married the young man who took her as his date, Jody Neyman. Today, she lives in Hernando with her husband and two chil-
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dren, Sara Frances, 10, and Joseph, 5. Neyman and her husband are raising their children as Ole Miss fans and couldn’t see them doing anything else. The children are always anticipating gamedays and always make sure before heading to the Grove that they are wearing the right color. “They don’t know any different. When they hear we are going to the Grove, they say, ‘Oh great,’” Neyman said. “It is a natural part of their life. I think they think everybody goes to the Grove.” Neyman always looks forward to the first game of the season. For this Saturday, she’s prepared to walk around with her children as they look at all the elaborate tent decorations, mingle with family and friends and support the Ole Miss football team. “The first game feels like we are going back home,” she said. “Even though there have been so many changes, it just feels like the right thing to do. It just feels like I am going to something that is so familiar.”
Courtesy MARY PHILLIPS NEYMAN
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LIFESTYLES
PAGE 8 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | 12 SEPTEMBER 2014 | LIFESTYLES
COLUMN
I wanted to believe in you. I really did. Now I just want a commuter tag. MALLORY SIMERVILLE
mksimerv@go.olemiss.edu
I returned to campus this year in pursuit of a new degree and a new outlook. I decided to ditch my car and take the bus. I was sick of searching for parking spots. I wanted to sit on a bus, in the air conditioning, and be dropped off right in front of my class. I wanted to believe in the bus. I wanted to ride the bus. Photo by CADY HERRING But this is what I experiDesigners Toyosi Sanni, Laolu Sanni and Bryan Nkemdiche pose for a photo Saturday. enced. The buses are supposed to loop every five minutes, but I sit at a “park and ride” bus stop for 25 minutes most afternoons when I leave campus, especially right at lunch
moting public transportation. Oxford is perfect for it. It’s small, the buses can easily get through town and people want to ride them. And maybe all the issues are simply kinks of the new school year - at least I hope so. But if you are going to limit commuter passes, and push “park and ride” passes, make it worth our while. Prove to the students that it IS easier to jump on the bus from the South lot or Jackson Avenue Center. I am discouraged from taking the bus because I can’t even fit on it by the time it reaches my house on the yellow line in the morning. Promoting a public transportation culture isn’t easy to begin with, but the promotion was successful. I believed in the buses. I wanted to park and then ride. And then I parked and I waited. And I jumped on the bus and I couldn’t bend my elbows. The transportation system is all talk and no action – so now I am buying a bike. Stay tuned for my next piece on how Oxford needs more bike lanes.
time. Lots of park, little ride. The bus pulls in front of my house on Jackson Ave. near the new Starbucks, but every morning, it’s already full. So I wait. A bus pulls up; I cannot board because the driver is on her break. Two buses show up at the same spot at the same time, and if you miss the buses on the loop, I wait another 20 minutes. Every day, I am late for class and work and sweaty, frustrated more by the bus than when I tried to Commuter Park. This is not meant to be a list of complaints. This is instead a call to action. I truly want to ride the bus. I agree with what the University is doing - pro-
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Mallory Simerville is an integrated marketing communications graduate student. Follow her on twitter @helloitalkalot.
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GAME DAY PREVIEW | 12 SEPTEMBER 2014 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | PAGE 9
OLE MISS FOOTBALL preview
louisiana-lafayette 2014
Relentless.
I
t starts with a breath. The breath, followed by a snap. The snap, followed by a rush. On Saturday the sleepy pulse of VaughtHemingway Stadium will surge back to life. Members of Rebel Nation young and old, near and far will congregate in seas of red and navy at the state’s flagship university. They all come for the same reason. To watch the first home game of the 2014 season. But for many fans, Ole Miss football isn’t just a game. It’s a tradition with roots deeper than the gridiron grass. It’s an experience unlike any other, and yet it’s all too familiar. It’s like coming home.
The 115 men who make up the Ole Miss football team know this. This is their sport. This is their house. Day in and day out they’ve sacrificed. They’ve prepared so no one can take what is theirs. No one can replace their heart. The Rebels are all in. Only those who are willing to risk going too far will find out how far they are able to go. You have to want it as bad as you want to breathe. “Never quit.” To be average is not an option. To be mediocre is not an option. Be fearless. Be phenomenal. These are the keys to victory. Great moments are born from great opportunity. Rebel Nation, this is your time.
Are you ready?
SPORTS
PAGE 10 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | 12 SEPTEMBER 2014 | GAMEDAY PREVIEW
Four Downs: Louisiana-Lafayette
Featuring DM sports editor Dylan Rubino (@drubino11) and sports writer Cody Thomason (@thecodythomason).
Ole Miss has struggled against the run so far this season. Louisiana-Lafayette averages 213 rushing yards per game. How can the Rebels contain ULL’s rushing attack? Dylan- It all starts up front with the front seven. The defense needs to get consistent pressure in the backfield, and the defensive line needs to stuff the running lanes and force the Ragin’ Cajuns to beat Ole Miss passing the ball, where the defense leads the country in passes defended. Ole Miss has struggled so far against two good running backs in their first two games and now faces a quarterback in senior Terrance Broadway who is a dual threat. Both of ULL’s top running backs have rushed for over 100 yards so far this season, so the Rebel defense will have their hands full. Cody- The defensive line has to do a better job against the run. The Rebels have plenty of quick defensive linemen that can rush the passer, but they need their larger lineman, such as junior Woody Hamilton, sophomore Robert Nkemdiche, senior Bryon Bennett and sophomore Fadol Brown to step up in run support for the smaller players. In addition, the linebackers have played well so far but can still do a better job of stopping the running back from getting past the second level.
Which wide receiver will have the best day for Ole Miss?
What area would you like to see improve this week?
Dylan- The current trend has been in the favor of junior Cody Core, and I don’t see it stopping this week. Core, not sophomore Laquon Treadwell, leads the team in receiving 195 receiving yards and three twouchdowns so far in the first two games. Teams are so honed in on stopping Treadwell that it opens up others for catches, and Core has made the most of it. Core has the size, speed and athletic ability to make big plays in the passing game, and that will continue for the rest of the season.
Dylan- I would like to see more success in the running game. It has been running back by committee so far for the offense. You saw flashes of success in the run game last week against Vanderbilt. Juniors Jaylen Walton and I’Tavius Mathers started off as the leaders on the depth chart, but guys like freshman Jordan Wilkins, sophomore Mark Dodson and freshman Eugene Brazley have made big runs as well. More consistent yards at running back is key for the Rebels success and hopefully we will see that Saturday.
Cody- I think we could see a big day from sophomore Quincy Adeboyejo. Adeboyejo is a guy that will see time with the starters and, should the game get lopsided, would still see time with the reserves. He’s a big target in the slot and should get some favorable match-ups during this week’s game. He’s been good so far this season, so I think he’ll continue to post better numbers as the coaches’ confidence in him grows.
Cody-The offensive line play. There’s definitely talent in the group playing, but they’ve had plenty of struggles with false starts and missed assignments. If the offensive line can improve, then all other facets of the offense will improve as well. The running game would certainly improve if the line blocked better in front of them, and more time for Bo Wallace would certainly not hurt.
With Alabama coming to Oxford just three weeks from Saturday, how will the team stay motivated and not look ahead three weeks from now? Dylan- It’s hard not to look ahead at Alabama. Hugh Freeze needs to make it clear to his team that if you look ahead to an opponent early, you will stumble along in the process. When Alabama comes to town, it will arguably be the biggest game of the season, yes, but the excitement and jitters can wait. You have to take it one week at a time and focus on who’s on your schedule and not look ahead. It may be hard, but it must be done. Cody- When Ole Miss plays Alabama in their fifth game of the season, there’s a good chance both teams could be undefeated and with that comes the possibility of College GameDay making its first trip to Oxford. This would surely be one of the biggest moments of the season, but that can’t happen if Ole Miss doesn’t take care of business against Louisiana-Lafayette and Memphis. Looking too far ahead on your schedule can make a team very susceptible to an upset loss; you have to keep the team prepared for each opponent and ensure they are as prepared as they can be.
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2014 R E B E L
FOOTBALL Schedule
SPORTS
GAMEDAY PREVIEW | 12 SEPTEMBER 2014 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | PAGE 11
AUG 28
SEP 06
WEAR RED
WEAR RED
vs. Boise State
at Vanderbilt
SEP 13
SEP 27
OCT 04
OCT 11
OCT 18
Layfayette
WEAR RED
WEAR NAVY
WEAR NAVY
WEAR NAVY
Louisiana-
MEMPHIS
ALABAMA
at TEXAS A&M
appa K WEAR NAVY
OCT 25
NOV 01
NOV 08
at LSU
AUBURN
PRESBYTERIAN at ARKANSAS
WEAR RED
WEAR RED
WEAR RED
NOV 22 WEAR NAVY
TENNESSEE (HC)
NOV 29 MSU
WEAR NAVY
our s Rebs
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SPORTS
PAGE 12 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | 12 SEPTEMBER 2014 | GAMEDAY PREVIEW
Shackelford ready and healthy in his final season
DYLAN RUBINO
thedmsports@gmail.com
A lot has happened to Detarrian Shackelford in his sixyear career at Ole Miss. A strong freshman campaign in 2009, where he played in 11 games and had a total of 20 tackles, two tackles for a loss and one interception returned for a touchdown earned him a spot on the SEC All-Freshman team. Shackelford took a big leap in 2010, where he played in all 12 games and recorded 48 total tackles. His career took a drastic turn in 2011, however, when he tore his right ACL in spring practice, which caused him to redshirt and miss the entire season. He may have not been on the field in 2011, but he was still a vocal leader for the team and was awarded the Chucky Mullins Courage Award in 2011. Shackelford would also miss the 2012 season due to offseason surgery to his right ACL.
After the devastating injury, he came back stronger than ever in 2013, where he played in every game at linebacker and defensive end and had 44 total tackles for the season. There seem to be no setbacks for Shackelford this season, as he said that this is the healthiest he has felt in a while. “I feel good,” he said. “All the ups and the downs, where I’ve been at in this league, I’m very blessed to be in the posiPhoto By: CADY HERRING tion I’m in now. My body feels Deterrian Shackelford celebrates during a trophy presentation after the Chick-fil-A Kickoff game in Atlanta Aug, 28.. about as good as a sixth-year senior body could feel.” see one person making all guy,” Shackelford said about tential, but potential hasn’t Shackelford has seen a lot the plays, but you see other Hilton. “He’s a baller. You been done yet,” Shackelford of defenses over his six years people making plays as well. can’t measure his size. He’s said. “You have to remember in Oxford. How the defense That’s always a great sign. We got the heart of a lion. I really that it is only potential, and has played so far in the first can take a step into being one love the way he plays from me you have to go out there every two games of this season has of the best. We have to con- seeing him grow from where day during practice and work encouraged him, but he also tinue to work every day.” he’s at to now being a junior on it. Every Saturday you have knows there is room for imOne player who has really and playing lights out like he to prove yourself. I feel like provement. that’s an important thing for grabbed Shackelford’s atten- does.” “We play hard, play to the tion on defense is junior deShackelford believes that this team because complacensnap,” Shackelford said. “We fensive back Mike Hilton. the 2014 defense has the po- cy is everywhere. At the end of still have things that we can “When I first came in, I used tential to be the best since the day, I feel like we can have correct, but I feel like we’re to call him rookie all the time. he’s been here. a very good defense.” playing as a unit. You don’t I came in, and he was a little “I feel like we have the po-
Hugh Freeze faces familiar opponent in UL-Lafayette DYLAN RUBINO
thedmsports@gmail.com
Hugh Freeze readies the football team before the game against Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday.
No tent? No problem!
All members of the Ole Miss family are welcome at the 2nd annual
Photo By: THOMAS GRANING
In his only season as head coach at Arkansas State in 2011, Hugh Freeze led the Red Wolves to a 10-3 overall record, going 8-0 in Sun Belt conference play. His success in one season as head coach in Jonesboro led him to take the Ole Miss head coaching job before Arkansas State’s bowl game.
On November 12th, 2011, Louisiana-Lafayette traveled to Jonesboro and Freeze’s team picked up the win 30-21. That season, Louisiana-Lafayette finished with a 9-4 overall record, going 6-2 in Sun Belt play. In his weekly press conference Monday, Freeze talked about the Ragin’ Cajuns and
SEE FREEZE PAGE 14
Saturday, Oct. 13 Louisiana-Lafayette Kickoff: 3:00 pm
Hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be served four hours before kickoff. Tent will be set up in the grass along the Union Plaza.
#EverybodysTent Hotty
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GAMEDAY PREVIEW | 12 SEPTEMBER 2014 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | PAGE 13
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SPORTS
PAGE 14 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | 12 SEPTEMBER 2014 | GAMEDAY PREVIEW
Cody Core: the core of the wide receivers
FREEZE
DYLAN RUBINO
thedmsports@gmail.com
continued from page 12
Photo By: THOMAS GRANING
Wide receiver Cody Core scores a touchdown past Vanderbilt safety Andrew Williamson during the first half of the game in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday. Logan ahead of him, adding a veteran presence at the wide receiver position. Core learned a lot from playing with them. “Beginning as a true freshman, I learned to watch Donte (Moncrief), and I watched film on Donte a lot,” Core said. “I listened to him as a leader and took steps after him. He’s told me to look at the film and find something you can do to improve each day.” When teams game plan for Ole Miss and the passing game, most teams try to shut down Laquon Treadwell. When that happens, players like Core receive man-toman coverage or one-on-one coverage from safeties. The attention Treadwell draws from opposing
defenses has given Core and other receivers the opportunity to blossom. “We just have to be alert at all times. We never know when they put the shell on him,” Core said. “When they put the shell on him, and they play man. We just got to compete and take over.” Now that Treadwell is the number one receiver and has moved from the slot to outside, Core has replaced him as the slot receiver. Having the size of Core at slot receiver provides favorable matchups for the offense. Core didn’t plan on playing in the slot, but he’s making the most of his opportunities there. “I wouldn’t say I was planning
on playing the slot this year,” Core said. “I just kept on working hard. I really didn’t focus on the slot. I was looking at the outside where Donte played a lot. That was it.” Core’s strong performances in these first two games may also be a product of the chemistry he and starting senior quarterback Bo Wallace have had since the offseason. Wallace has been in high praise of Core since fall camp, and Core noticed the connection between the two has improved. “We’ve worked very hard all summer,” Core said. “Now, we’re connecting. I’ve got my timing with him much better, so we’ll see.
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If you had to take one guess on who leads the Rebels in receiving yards, who would you think it is? It’s not sophomore Laquon Treadwell, the number one receiver on the depth chart. He’s third on the team with 136 receiving yards on 11 catches with one touchdown. It’s not sophomore tight end Evan Engram, who is second with 11 catches for 153 yards. Give up? The receiving core revolves around junior Cody Core, who leads the team with eight catches for 195 yards and three touchdowns so far this season. One of the questions heading into the season was the depth at wide receiver, but the 6-foot-3, 196-pound receiver out of Auburn, Alabama, has been the top deep threat for the Rebels, averaging 24.4 yards per reception. The emergence of Core is not something his coaches are surprised about. Head coach Hugh Freeze said Core has been a great player since he came to Oxford in 2012 but was always stuck behind the depth chart against veteran receivers. The 2014 season has provided a chance for Core to break out, and teams have now taken notice. “It’s his first chance and first opportunity. He didn’t all of the sudden become talented,” Freeze said. “It’s time for a kid in the program to step up now and have his chance, and he’s used that.” Freeze added Core didn’t see much playing time early in his career because of former receivers Donte Moncrief and Ja-Mes
. M D e h t . d M D Re a e h t e . M D Sh a r e h t e l c Re cy
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their program from his experience at Arkansas State. “I’m very familiar with what they do having played in that conference with them. Their quarterback is very talented, and they have talent around him with receivers and running backs and offensive line,” Freeze said. “They are very balanced, and they do a lot of the same stuff we do. We should be able to give our defense a good look. They are a good football team, no question. Louisiana-Lafayette owns a 1-1 overall record. Their most recent game resulted in a loss to Louisiana Tech 48-20. Even with the recent loss, Freeze believes Louisiana-Lafayette will be motivated and ready come Saturday. “They didn’t play their best the other night,” Freeze said. “They turned it over and put them in bad spots, but I know we’ll get their best, and just a couple a years ago they either beat Florida or had them to the wire. From being in that conference, I know how it is for this kids to get a chance to play in these arenas and games. I know Marl (Hudspeth) will have them ready and it’ll be a good game.” Freeze had high praise for the Ragin’ Cajuns starting quarterback Terrance Broadway. “Offensively, they are very similar to us,” Freeze said. “Their quarterback is very athletic, he gets rid of the ball on time and he’s dangerous in the zone-read game. He’s a senior, he’s been in all of the battles. He certainly has had great success. He’ll be all about coming here to play and he’s a really solid player.” Broadway has 387 passing yards for the season with four touchdowns and three interceptions in his first two games. Broadway has also rushed for 120 yards, picking up one touchdown. Freeze would go on to talk about no matter who the Rebels play on their schedule, each week is a tough matchup and winning games in college football is no easy task. “I tell people this all the time. It’s very difficult to win a football game at this level,” Freeze said. “I don’t care who you’re playing. Most of the time its very difficult. The plan has to be good, your kids have to execute it and you have to take care of the ball and do the little things right. It’s in very few games that all of that is done. Last week was one of those weeks where it was • REduce pretty good. We have enough REuse talent to where some• of those REcycle games can maybe be•like that. It won’t happen many times.”
SPORTS
GAMEDAY PREVIEW | 12 SEPTEMBER 2014 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | PAGE 15
Matt Luke sees improvement in his offensive line DYLAN RUBINO
thedmsports@gmail.com
The Ole Miss offensive line looked shaky in their season opener against Boise State. False starts, holding penalties and communication issues were the many problems the line faced against the strong Boise front. Against Vanderbilt, the offensive line played much better. The penalties were cut down, the quarterbacks who played had more time to throw and there were more holes in the running game. Offensive line coach Matt Luke looks for improvement on a weekly basis, and that’s what he saw against Vanderbilt as compared to Boise State. “There was some improvement from week one to week two, and I want to continue to see improvement as we go forward,” Luke said. “I think that’s the key. Any teams that are good are the teams that keep on improving, especially up front.” The first game against Boise State showed inconsistencies at the center position, but Luke sees improvement in junior Ben Still, sophomore
Robert Conyers and junior Aaron Morris at the center position and has instilled faith in them. “The snaps that fall under Ben Still, Robert Conyers and even Aaron Morris coming from injury, the reps they are getting are invaluable because you can’t teach experience,” Luke said. “The more they get of that the better they are going to get. Our goal is to keep playing better every week.” Short yard situations and red zone play has also been inconsistent not only on the offensive line but also in the offense overall. Luke saw improvement there, which helped the offense produce 41 points against Vanderbilt. “I think we did a nice job on short yardage and got the short yards,” Luke said. “Obviously Jeremy (Liggins) Photo By: THOMAS GRANING helps out with that; he fits it Matt Luke calls in the offensive line during the first half of the game in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday. up there and pounds it. You always have to be better beWhen you think of a great istry from his offensive line ing in that direction. As long cause in the red-zone some- offensive line, you think of against Vanderbilt, and he as we can keep on showing times you have to be hard- power, strength, toughness saw changes there also. the improvement that we’ve nosed and run it in, and if and things of that nature. “I think it was better. I think shown from game one to game they load it up in the box, we What truly makes an offen- we took a big step in that di- two to game three, and just feel good about throwing it sive line great is the continu- rection,” he said. “We’re not continue to have the mindset up to Laquon (Treadwell). It’s ity and chemistry of the unit where we want to be yet, and of getting better every week, I going to be one of those two and how they work together. we probably will never get think that’s the way we have things.” Luke wanted more chem- there, but we’ll keep work- to approach it.”
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PAGE 16 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | 12 SEPTEMBER 2014 | GAMEDAY PREVIEW
MULLINS
continued from page 1
Courtesy JODY HILL
Mullins is being honored with the renaming of Coliseum Drive. The new name of the road, which connects Highway 6 with campus, is “Roy Lee ‘Chucky’ Mullins Drive.” A dedication ceremony will take place at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26 , at the Robert C. Khayat Law Center.
“He moved the world from his motionless state. Without lifting a finger, he sculpted beauty into people’s lives.” Jody Hill
By the next weekend, at the LSU home game, the community had gathered an unreal amount of money. “It was something like a hundred and fifty or a hundred and seventy five thousand dollars in there,” Brewer said. The support didn’t end there, however; over the course of the next few weeks, the amount had grown to more than $500,000. “It was unbelievable,” Brewer said. “I’m really proud of my school, The University of Mississippi.” Brewer told the story of a very special visitor Mullins had. “I remember like it was today, going and getting him just a little bit aware that he was going to have a very special visitor. ‘Who is that, coach?’ he said. I said, ‘I can’t tell you.’” To Mullins’ surprise, George H. W. Bush entered his room in the hospital. The story of a young man who wouldn’t quit had reached far beyond the fanfare of football; the whole country was now looking to the young man who always smiled. What they found was an inspiration. That inspiration is what Hill wanted to translate into
his novel. “The book originally was titled ’38: The Chucky Mullins Story’ because that’s what I wanted to tell, Chucky Mullins’ story,” Hill said. “What I wasn’t prepared for was the far-reaching effect he had on average, everyday people. It’s not a football story; it transcends that. It’s not an Ole Miss story; it transcends that. “What I wasn’t prepared for was the effect on people just dealing with the challenges of life, people wrestling with grief and their own disabilities. I continued to have people come into my life who were affected forever by this guy who gave them hope and inspiration and joy. It’s truly an inspirational story.” The title transitioned from “The Chucky Mullins Story” to “The Chucky Mullins Effect” because that’s what Mullins did. He didn’t see people, he touched them. Jody Hill felt compelled to share that effect and encouragement. “There was a hunger to share him more with the world because I don’t think people fully realized what kind of person he was,” Hill said. “I wanted people to see him.” Mullins influenced the lives of countless people, but Hill wants to help him reach even more. “Chucky was an inspiration. A lot of people didn’t know that, people that didn’t get to meet him,” said Susan Vance, long time friend of the Hill family and owner of My Favorite Shoes on the Square. “Jody (Hill) said that all you had to do was get around Chucky, and he had a smile all the time, and he was just a big encouragement. That’s what we all should be. “To see a man who was paralyzed and lived for 18 months but had a positive attitude, I mean, do we have anything to complain about?” Square Books is proud to host such novels, those which affect and intrigue their sphere of influence. “A lot of people in this community are interested, and a lot of people were affected by it,” said Richard Howorth, owner and proprietor of Square Books. “Our bookstore’s primary purpose is to serve the community, and we’re happy to help host it.” In his own life, Hill said Mullins was a contributing factor to his decision to become a minister. “He moved the world from his motionless state. Without lifting a finger, he sculpted beauty into people’s lives,” Hill said. “He inspired me not only to make a living in this world but to change the world for the better. I think God was working through that.” This is the change that Chucky Mullins brings about in people. This is the Chucky Mullins effect.
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Jody Hill
thing has worked out perfectly. He was just so happy,” Hill said. “Once you delve into the journey and all of the challenges that he faced, you understand. Life slammed a lot of doors in his face, but he kept on knocking. Every time the world frowned upon him, he met it back with a smile.” Mullins was raised in a singleparent home until the age of 13 when his mother died and he went into foster care. After a short amount of time, the Phillips family took him in. Even in sports, where Mullins was most passionate, he was not uncommonly gifted. “He wasn’t the best athlete on the team, he just fought for everything he had,” Hill said. “He got the most out of what he did have. Isn’t it inspiring to us? He had every reason to just take those setbacks and be frustrated. There was just something in that guy.” “It’s that infectious smile that you always see,” Brewer said. “No matter what, he had it. I guess you call it the ‘It.’ He had ‘It,’ and that was his trademark.” When the game was over, the players didn’t go celebrate their victory. “Most all of the kids took off to Memphis, coaches, trainers, everyone,” Brewer said. “It was some real difficult times, I’ll tell you that, for everybody.” Brewer said the players all had similar feelings the next few weeks. “Everyone just wanted to know why. Why did it happen to Chucky?” The only person who didn’t ask why was Mullins. “An easy question to ask with all of these hardships is ‘why?’ If there has ever been a person who had earned the right to ask that question it was Chucky Mullins,” Hill said. “Instead of asking why, he asked ‘What am I going to do? How am I going to respond?’ He didn’t let the whys consume him.” The infectious smile he was famous for didn’t fade with the adversity he faced. Though Mullins was put through an unimaginable hardship, he didn’t lose his personality, his love of joy. “It was like it never happened,” Brewer said. “That’s how he handled it. I mean it’s unbelievable. I never saw the kid cry. He never looked at me and said, ‘Why me, Coach? Why would this happen to me?’” “My friend Tom Luke, he was the quarterback, and he’s on the
team now as a coach, he worded it well when we were talking. He said, ‘If it wasn’t for that chair when we saw him, you wouldn’t know anything was wrong,’” Hill said. “He didn’t let the downtimes dictate his life. He chose to respond with life and joy, and I think that’s the beauty of it. It’s not that he didn’t have down moments; he chose not to let them rule him.” In response to the tragedy, Oxford and the university responded above and beyond what was expected of them. “Kentucky Fried Chicken buckets were gotten by the fraternities, and they passed them up and down the roads,” Brewer said. “Children, teenagers, pennies, dimes, nickels, quarters, five dollar bills, hundred dollar bills, checks, everything but their credit cards in there.”
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