THE
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MISSISSIPPIAN
Thursday, November 18, 2021
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Volume 110, No. 13
Ole Miss looks to finish out undefeated homestand this weekend
Ole Miss running back Snoop Conner rushes for a first down against Texas A&M on Saturday, Nov. 13.
RUBY DRAAYER
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The Ole Miss Rebels are sitting at 8-2 on the season, and looking for their first undefeated homestand this weekend since 1992. Vanderbilt comes to Oxford for the final home game of the season on Saturday but hasn’t shown to have the same offensive or defensive capabilities that last week’s A&M team had. The Commodores currently have a 2-8 record on the season, losing all six of their SEC conference games so far this season. This isn’t new. Vandy has struggled for years, not
winning an SEC game since 2019, including straight SEC road game losses since 2018. With a fresh set of coaches, the Commodores are still ranking last in the SEC in almost every category this season. After a huge win against a top ranked opponent, it is difficult to not overlook a much lesser opponent this week. With injuries on the line, freshman offensive lineman Eli Acker earned his first start of his Ole Miss career on Saturday, and helped the Rebels to the most rushing yards allowed against Texas A&M this season. During a press conference, he was asked on how to continue
to play the same way, despite a very statistically different team. “No, You’ve got to go out there like you’re playing first round draft picks every week,” Acker said. The Rebels are currently opening up as a 36.5 point favorite over the Commodores. While this seems like an obscene number for an SEC team, it gets even crazier after you realize what it will take to actually get there. Ole Miss has been unable to put more than 31 points on the board in over a month. While it is Vanderbilt, there is still the factor that they are an SEC team. Ole Miss
HG BIGGS / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
has been unable to win by 36 points or more against an SEC opponent since 2014. While this Rebel offense looked better against the Aggies than it has in a long time, finishing has still been an issue. Lane Kiffin has harped on the inability to actually score once the offense gets to the red zone. Against Texas A&M, Ole Miss marched down the field with little opposition, however, once they were inside the 15, they fell apart. If Ole Miss wants to be able to cover the spread, things will have to start clicking in order for them to find the back of the endzone. These past few weeks
while the offense struggled, the defense was the star of the show. In order to get this massive point win, the defense is going to need to play the same way that they played against Texas A&M. This will be the final game for so many key seniors and probably junior quarterback Matt Corral’s last game in Vaught-Hemingway. “We’re excited to be playing at home. To me it should be a challenge that A&M didn’t use a silent count. Should be a challenge to our fans to be louder,” Head Coach Lane Kiffin said. “Senior Day and probably the QB’s last day, hopefully we show up.”
Community speaks up about transportation hub STACEY SPIEHLER
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The public was given the floor to speak their piece regarding the Safe Ride Home Initiative during the Oxford Board of Aldermen meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 16. In previous meetings on the initiative, taxi and rideshare app drivers have expressed opposition, and this meeting
was no different. Jeremiah Wells, an Uber driver, is an Oxford resident of six years, who has “struggled through the pandemic just as the City of Oxford has,” and believes this ordinance is yet another curveball to the people in his industry. “I’ve not found one (passenger) in favor of it…” Wells continued his argument, saying that this proposal would encourage
students to act irresponsibly. “The culture of Oxford is totally wrapped around football and drinking,” said Wells. “How can you expect to be able to continue to provide the perfect opportunity for underage drinking and overdrinking, yet take away the opportunity for the students to get home safely after said
SEE TRANSPORTATION PAGE 2
PHOTO COURTESY: CITY OF OXFORD
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drinking?” Under the proposed ordinance, people will have access to taxis, designated drivers and rideshares, such as Uber and Lyft, in three centralized and well-surveilled locations just off the Square. Wells believes the walk may be too much for someone who is already impaired, or that coordinating the app with the transportation hub will be too difficult. “Somehow we have forgotten the Wheaton family who lost two children back in 2012. We forgot Amy Ewing, that Highway 6 is named after, not to mention the scores of
others killed in the area due to drunk driving that didn’t get the publicity that those cases did,” Wells said. “Please as a board, don’t give (drunk drivers) the keys.” Mayor Robyn Tannehill spoke after Wells, saying she could not let a few things go unaddressed. “To assume this board has forgotten about any of those people who have died due to drunk driving because we’re trying to figure out a way to get more students home safely is offensive,” Tannehill said. “I knew many of the people that you listed personally.” Wells had some words of
protest, and while Tannehill had to quash the interruption, she did address several more of his concerns. “The Oxford Police Department and the Associated Student Body came to us and asked why we let (the idea of a transportation hub) fall off. That’s why this has come back up,” Tannehill said. “Also, the app has ways to make this happen, and to assume we don’t know how to use the app is comical.” The next speaker was Bennett Matson, the chairman for the External Affairs Committee for ASB at the University of Mississippi. He
said he saw a huge opportunity to rectify students waiting or walking across the Oxford community to find an Uber. “We can instead make it easier, safer and more equitable,” Matson said. Matson continued by speaking about one of the proposed hubs being right by the parking garage. “There is no better thing to see, no better incentive, for a student to potentially put their keys away and to not get behind that wheel intoxicated, than to see a line of cars ready to pick them up,” Matson said. “That is, in my opinion, what this comes down to: a proactive
policy looking at the thing that we can make a proactive difference against.” ASB unanimously passed a resolution supporting this bill in October. “Students did not get involved with this during the summer because we did not know about it,” Matson said. “This is our opportunity for the student body to be heard, and this is the way for everyone to benefit.” The final vote on the ordinance as amended will be Dec. 7.
Crime varies on campus, especially during football weekends
TORI ELLIS
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Each year, students on the University of Mississippi campus fall victim to a number of different crimes, including sexual assault, larceny, harassment and cyber-bullying. The University Police Department has been making efforts to keep its students safe, specifically during football weekends when large numbers of visitors are on campus. “At UPD, our workload seems to be driven by the population of the community rather than being seasonal, in the traditional sense,” said Daniel Sanford, who became UPD’s Chief of Police on Aug. 9. Sanford said UPD is busiest on football game days — when there’s thousands of extra visitors on campus — and has its slowest days in the summer when the student population is low. According to the UPD crime log from the past seven days, there have been multiple incidents reported, including four reports of harassment, five reports of larceny and five accounts of assault, with two being sexual. Though most people
are aware of the dangers of physical crimes, not all crimes fall into this category. UPD often receives reports of offenses such as cybercrime. Students are advised to never open attachments or files from email addresses that they do not recognize. “Be sure to look at the addresses closely to be sure the sender is not pretending to be someone you know,” Sanford said. “The sender may appear to be a representative of the university, but the actual email may be from gmail, hotmail or another provider that is not associated with the Ole Miss email system. This is often a sign of a phishing attempt, where the sender is attempting to steal your information.” One of the most common incidents of cyber crime is when victims receive emails with “job offers,” asking them to do menial tasks in exchange for payment by check. “The sender often requests that the victim send part of the money back via money order or gift card to cover some sort of fee, and the victim is told to keep the rest of the money. The check is inevitably fake, so the victim is then out the money and the bank fees, while the offender is in the clear with the money or gift
HG BIGGS / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Lt. Paul Sheppard discusses UPD’s duties prior to Ole Miss’s football game against Arkansas. card that the victim sends to them,” Sanford said. Sanford explained that UPD does its best to solve those types of crimes, but that it can be difficult because the offender is often in another country. In spite of this, UPD feels that it is important that students contact law enforcement in these instances because the event could be part of a larger picture that law enforcement may be trying to piece together. “Together these reports help us to see the scope of the offender’s actions and may allow us to leverage additional help, including
federal resources, when trying to identify and apprehend the offender,” Sanford said. As far as Thanksgiving break and the holidays go, Sanford encourages students to secure all of their belongings before departing for vacation. “Lock the doors of your apartment, lock the doors on your car and keep your valuable items out of sight. Most criminal acts are crimes of opportunity, so the harder you make it for an offender to carry out the act, the less likely you are to be victimized,” said Sanford. If anyone has questions or needs advice, they can speak
with an officer at any time by calling (662) 915-7234. The Everbridge app, which is available to the students, faculty and staff of the University of Mississippi, is also a resource that can provide you with additional tools to enhance your personal safety. Additional safety measures include crime prevention presentations, Rebel Patrol Safe Walks and emergency phone towers. Students and faculty may visit upd.olemiss. edu for additional information or by visiting UPD in person at Kinard Hall — Wing C, Floors 2 and 3 and Wing D, Floor 3.
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Study Abroad back in flight BRITTANY KOHNE
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After nearly two years since the start of COVID-19, the University of Mississippi Study Abroad program exceeded their pre-pandemic rates since the beginning of this school year. All in-person study abroad programs were cancelled in the summer of 2020, but many students continued to study abroad throughout the fall of 2020. Due to travel restrictions, there were fewer students sent, but interest continued to rise. COVID-19 has posed a number of challenges for students traveling abroad and because of the ongoing pandemic, students are subject to their host country’s rules and regulations. “There are certain countries who require that visitors download a health app in order to come to campus for class, visit restaurants and nightclubs, go to museums and travel on public transit,” Blair McElroy, Senior International Officer and Director of Study Abroad, said. McElroy said that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the
university recommends all international travelers get vaccinated before studying abroad. “Unvaccinated people not only endanger their own health, they endanger the local community in the host country who may not have easy access to vaccines like we do in the United States,” McElroy said. “We are so privileged to be able to FILE PHOTO: BILLY SCHUERMAN / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN protect ourselves and others and still travel internationally The number of students studying abroad has exceeded pre-pandemic rates in fall 2021. The program was by getting vaccinated against cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19. COVID-19, for free.” There are currently 34 people abroad this semester. In regards to COVID-19, biggest struggle she has faced pretty long and inconvenient Noah Hubbard, a senior Spain only required proof so far was making sure all her process having to travel that triple major in accounting, of vaccination, rather than paperwork for her visa was in far, but it’s necessary to study international studies and a negative COVID-19 test. order. Fortunately, Rychlak’s abroad.” Spanish, currently studies Hubbard said that Spain is passport was up to date due Although Rychlak is abroad in Bilbao, Spain. more lax than the United to recent travels. However, not going to study abroad Many of Hubbard’s States, as Spain only requires there had been back up at the until the spring, around 95 problems were getting into proof of vaccination. applicants will be traveling Passport Agency. Spain. Once he got there, In the spring of 2022, All students need to get a over winter break. however, life became easier. there are 94 applicants. While there are some student visa in order to travel Because the U.S. consulate Olivia Rychlak, a junior abroad for an extended period challenges students have to shifted to a mail system for international studies major, of time. The nearest consulate face in order to finally travel student visas, Hubbard faced will travel to Aix-en-Provence, to Oxford, Mississippi, is to their host country, the wait delays when he applied. and acquired documents are France this upcoming spring Atlanta, Georgia. “I had lots of extra delays semester. “Over Thanksgiving worth the amount of work. due to shipping,” Hubbard “Spain has been very Rychlak is part of the Croft break one of my days, while said. “I also got rejected twice Institute, where it is required I have family in town, I’ll be interesting for me so far. I am and had to apply a third time, for all members to take at least spending it going to Atlanta really glad I pushed myself which may have not happened one semester abroad. She is doing a visa interview process to study abroad even though had I had an appointment at currently studying French as where I have to provide getting the visa was really the consulate where I had all her language of choice. lots of documents printed tough and nerve wracking,” of my documents with me.” Rychlak said that the out,” Rychlak said. “It’s a Hubbard said.
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COVID-19 vaccine approved for use in younger children, Oxford children begin getting shots
ILLUSTRATION: MICAH CRICK / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
MARY BOYTE
year old vaccinated like her fourteen year old brother,” Mason said. Mason said she is relieved to be able to vaccinate her daughter before the holiday season, instead of waiting until her 12th birthday in the spring. “She’ll be able to hang out with all her cousins — unmasked — for Thanksgiving,” she said. Mason acknowledged that this step forward is a relief to many parents who have experienced a “mental, emotional and physical” toll during the past two years. Another local mom, Kari Kohne Davis, said she is thrilled with the recent decision. Davis has a daughter who will be turning five this November. Davis emphasized the fact that children already have to get several vaccines, including Influenza and
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Children aged 5-11 in Oxford are receiving the COVID-19 vaccine after the Food and Drug Administration authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for emergency use in younger children. Previously, only those 12 years of age and older were eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Moderna and Johnson & Johnson remain available only for those 18 and older. Parents in Mississippi now have the opportunity to get their children vaccinated at county health departments. Jenna Lynn Mason, a mother of two in the Oxford area, said that she sees this access as a blessing. “With the uptick in child COVID cases, we’ve been anxious to get our eleven
Measles immunizations, in order to go to school. She hopes other parents will see these requirements as evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine is a good idea. “I understand parents’ fear of what this vaccination might do long term,” David said. “But studies have shown more bad things have happened to those who are unvaccinated.” Pfizer-BioNTech reported in late September that their vaccine yielded extremely positive results in a trial involving over 2,000 participants aged 5-11. The vaccine tested contained onethird of the dosage of those given to adults. The company then submitted the data to the FDA for consideration for emergency use. The FDA Vaccine and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee met Tuesday, Oct. 26, to decide
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whether or not Pfizer’s data proved that the vaccine is safe for children. They listened to and discussed presentations from the Centers for Disease Control. The final vote was overwhelmingly in favor of providing the vaccine to children. Out of 18 members, 17 voted in favor and one abstained. The CDC followed suit and officially recommended the Pzfizer vaccine on Tuesday, Nov. 2. On Oct. 20, President Joe Biden announced his plan to provide vaccines to children. If approved, the Biden administration vowed to start sending out vials as quickly as possible. The vaccines offered will contain a diluted dosage and will be given in two stages, three weeks apart. As of Wednesday, Nov. 17, 58.9% of people in the U.S. are fully vaccinated.
This number lags behind the estimated 90% needed for herd immunity. Many experts are hopeful that extending the opportunity to the approximately 28 million children aged 5-11 residing in the U.S. will help close the gap. According to the CDC, over 160 children aged 5-11 in the US have died from COVID-19 and nearly 2 million have been diagnosed with the virus. While these numbers are significantly less than those of adults, the data is extremely alarming to many. Recently, there has been much debate over the ethics of vaccinating young children. Whether or not parents choose to vaccinate their children against COVID-19, Pfizer’s approval for emergency use marks another step closer to reaching herd immunity.
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College GameDay rolls back into Oxford
Wesley Woodward sits on the shoulders of a friend, hoping to appear on ESPN GameDay, along with hundreds of others in the Grove on Saturday, Nov. 13.
A young fan cheers as Lane Kiffin is introduced on ESPN GameDay.
Ole Miss wide receiver Braylon Sanders leaps to receive a pass from quarterback Matt Corral. Photos by HG Biggs.
A fan dressed as Katy Perry from GameDay 2014 cheers as the game clock hits zero, and Ole Miss’s victory over Texas A&M is secured.
PAGE 6 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | 18 NOVEMBER 2021
College GameDay: an ever-giving luxury for Ole Miss and the Grove
CATHERINE JEFFERS
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For the second time ever, ESPN College GameDay arrived on campus in Oxford for an SEC West knockout game against the Ole Miss Rebels and Texas A&M Aggies. Excitement built throughout the week across campus, culminating in a full day of festivities and a huge Rebel victory. Donned in hard hats courtesy of The Home Depot, Ole Miss students lined the orange barricades behind the set, but it didn’t come easy. Despite Oxford temperatures dipping below freezing overnight, eager students still came out in bulk, camping overnight in the Grove just to get one of the best spots in the house. When the pit opened at 5:30 a.m. CST, hundreds of students rushed in to secure their spot, still having to wait until 8 a.m. CST for the events of the day to begin. One group of students who stood directly behind the set arrived in the Grove at 8 p.m. CST on Friday, refusing to sleep until the final whistle blew on Saturday night. “No sleep. All gas, no brakes,” one student shouted. They got their wish: a Rebel victory in an extraordinary fashion. One of the biggest parts of College GameDay is the signs and their creativity. Oxford certainly did not disappoint. Some favorites include:
Lane Kiffin as Thomas the Train, Tennessee game Keith Carter humor? Yup. comedy and a correct Ross Bjork got a lot of heat prediction of an Ole Miss this weekend, completing win, sign me up. the Rebel sweep over former Ole Miss employees: Jeffrey Vitter of Tulane (former chancellor), Hugh Freeze of Liberty (former head coach) and Ross Bjork of Texas A&M (former athletics director). A complete trifecta.
Even though my mom didn’t let me watch Spongebob as a kid, I can still appreciate a good meme when I see it.
Another cartoon I couldn’t watch as a child, turned into a present-day meme. When College GameDay announced their trip to Oxford for the matchup between the Ole Miss Rebels and Texas A&M Aggies, rumors stirred. Who was the guest picker? Would Katy Perry herself grace the stage for the second time in the Grove? Was Morgan Freeman making a surprise appearance? Or would one of the Mannings be in the hot seat, maybe even Arch PHOTOS BY CATHERINE JEFFERS / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN himself? So many questions, but in Who doesn’t love a twist no one could have expected, While the “Red” take might not be the dig you science? I wonder if they’re Ole Miss Head Coach Lane Kiffin think it is, thank you kind a STEM major? graced the College GameDay set as stranger for still bringing the first-ever active coach to be the Taylor Swift to the College guest picker in the featured game. GameDay set.
Kiffin’s Saturday Selections featured some heavy-weight upsets and his classic comic relief. Oklahoma at Baylor: “Well, Knox gave me this one as the second biggest upset of the day. I’m going Baylor, the second biggest upset of the day,” Kiffin said. Coach knows how to pick them, as Baylor went out inspired, bringing home the 27-14 win against the No. 4 Sooners. TCU at Oklahoma State: “Tough place to play. Oklahoma State,” Kiffin said. Sheesh, and was he right. Oklahoma State lit a fire under the Horned Frogs, sending them home crying 63-17. Minnesota at Iowa: “Went to high school in Minnesota. Golden Gophers,” Kiffin said. So close, but yet so far. Your home team let you down Coach Kiffin, but they came close in the end. The Golden Gophers fell 22-27 to the Hawkeyes, bringing Kiffin’s record to 2 for 3 so far. Michigan at Penn State: “I did watch Penn State play earlier this year. Very tough, especially up there versus Auburn, but Michigan in a very tight game,” Kiffin said. Along with some praise from the great Coach Corso, Kiffin sure felt great after seeing his prediction reign true. Michigan defeated the Nittany Lions in a close one, 21-17. Purdue at Ohio State: “Too hard to go in there and win and pull the upset. Ohio State,” Kiffin said. Purdue couldn’t pull off its fourth upset against a ranked opponent this season, falling to the Buckeyes 59-31. Washington State at Oregon: “Yeah, I think Oregon’s just got too much firepower. Ducks,” Kiffin said. Right again! Kiffin sits at 5 for 6 after the Ducks beat the
Cougars 38-24. Georgia at Tennessee: “Kirby Smart called me this week. He said, ‘We’ve got to go play at Tennessee. What’s it like going into Neyland Stadium?’ I said, ‘It is a very dangerous place to play.’ But I will say this, in the biggest upset of the day, Tennessee Volunteers,” Kiffin said. Smart move, picking against everyone that sits above you in the SEC, but not so fast Coach Kiffin. Did you forget how talented Georgia’s defense is? Neyland was rowdy, getting ahead of Georgia in the first quarter, but it ended there. The Vols fell 41-17. Texas A&M at Ole Miss: “I thought when we worked the game tonight, we were excused from the pick. Chip Kelly texted me on the way up. He said, ‘You’re the first ever dual-threat coach. You picked, and now you coach tonight.’ I can’t pick against myself, Ole Miss Rebels,” Kiffin said. And boy, did your Rebels deliver. In the strongest defensive performance of the year, Ole Miss defeated the No. 11 Aggies, 29-19. Well, well, well Coach Kiffin, you might have yourself a career. If you ever want to join the DM Sports Desk for a weekly pick ‘em, let me know. Kiffin finished out at 6 for 8 on his Saturday Selections, a solid 75%. After picking against the Rebels in 2014, it seemed like Lee Corso learned his lesson. Coach Corso donned the powder blue helmet, sporting his signature wave when he picked the Rebels to upset Texas A&M at home. That brings Coach Corso to 1 for 2 in his College GameDay picks in Oxford for the featured game. While a dominant defense and Lane Kiffin as the guest picker weren’t in the bingo card for College GameDay in Oxford, you won’t hear any complaints from Rebel faithful. Specialty GameDay for the Egg Bowl, anyone?
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CFB pick ‘em: Week 12 THE DM SPORTS DESK thedmsports@gmail.com
Vanderbilt at No. 10 Ole Miss: Catherine Jeffers Final Score Prediction: Ole Miss 49, Vanderbilt 10 Back to basics this week. On paper, on film, through word of mouth, any way, shape or form, we are the clear front runners in this game. Vanderbilt is a meager 0-6 in conference play and 2-8 overall, beating Colorado State and UConn. The Rebels are coming off of a huge victory over Texas A&M where they did not trail for a single snap. The true test of this game will not be the Commodores, it will be the Rebels’ own mentality. The fate of this game is solely in the hands of Ole Miss. When the next game up is the Egg Bowl, it can be hard to have sole focus on the current week, especially against a lowly Vanderbilt team. If Lane Kiffin isn’t just talking the talk, he’s getting his guys’ mindset straight — there’s still a game before Mississippi State and it needs to be won. If Matt Corral can stay cool, calm and collected (not under physical pressure, just mental) and keep his accuracy in check, it will be an easy win for the Rebels. If Ole Miss can get out to an early lead and maintain it, I’m hoping to see Corral get some much deserved rest and give some of the younger kids a few snaps. After his few plays in the Auburn
game, I think I like what I see from Luke Altmyer and seeing him get time in (what looks to be) his future role, will only boost his and Rebel Nation’s confidence. Ole Miss in a big one on Senior Night. No. 7 Michigan State at No. 5 Ohio State: Ruby Draayer Final Score Prediction: Ohio State 35, Michigan State 28 This will be a freaking fantastic game. I am a little hesitant to pick who I think will walk away with the win in this matchup. Michigan State has been given a gift in Kenneth Walker III. He has proved his ability throughout this season, including a marquee win against Michigan a few weeks ago. While his chances to win the Heisman is slim, being able to get a win over another Top 5 Heisman contender will be huge. Walker has 17 of his own rushing touchdowns so far this season, so if Michigan State wants a chance to win this game, they’re going to need to create space for Walker to do his thing. The downside is that playing at Ohio State is not easy. The Buckeye fan base does not play around, and this being a very competitive Top 10 matchup will mean that all 104,944 seats will be full at the Horseshoe. CJ Stroud has stepped into the spotlight as the next dominant Ohio State quarterback and has taken this team into his
own hands despite only being a freshman. After Justin Fields left and was drafted, there was a lot of uncertainty about whether or not Ohio State would continue its dominance. Other than an early loss to Oregon this year, it looks as though all signs are pointing to yes. This one goes to the Buckeyes, but only because they’re at home. No. 21 Arkansas at No. 2 Alabama: Aidan Gallardo Final Score Prediction: Alabama 42, Arkansas 30 This is one of the more intriguing matchups as we approach the last few weeks of the college football season. Ever since their win against Texas A&M in week four, Arkansas has kind of fallen off the map. Their only SEC victories have been come-from-behind victories against the bottom of the SEC West, Mississippi State and LSU. Other than that, Arkansas has sort of lost the firepower that they possessed at the beginning of the season. Don’t get me wrong, Arkansas has no problem with putting up points. The problem is that they’re very inconsistent, especially on offense. One week, they put up 31 points and the next week, they post 16. Their defense has been good at times. Arkansas has one of the best defenses in the country on third downs and if it can keep that same energy come Saturday, this game could get a lot more interesting. But that’s a tall order, considering
ILLUSTRATION: VANESSA CLARK / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
their opponent is the second-best team in the country. As for Alabama, other than their loss to Texas A&M a few weeks ago, they have absolutely dominated their opponents week after week. Although LSU did keep it relatively close two weeks ago when they lost by six, the Crimson Tide defense has been stellar. Alabama held Tennessee, one of the highest-scoring offenses in the SEC, to 24 points. The week before, they allowed only nine points to Mississippi State. And if you do manage to score points against Alabama’s defense, good luck trying to stop their offense.
Alabama ranks first in the SEC in terms of points per game at 44.60. Bryce Young, Alabama’s quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate, has been playing lights out all season. Last week against New Mexico State, Young threw for 270 yards and five touchdowns. Even though it was New Mexico State, those are still very impressive numbers. As long as Arkansas can keep it close, they’ll have a chance. But, if Alabama has another one of those games where they get out to a 14-0 start in a blink of an eye, the Razorbacks will be lucky to be within double digits.
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PAGE 8 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | 18 NOVEMBER 2021
Coach Yo has made her mark on Rebel basketball CATHERINE JEFFERS
thedmsports@gmail.com
After going 0–16 in SEC play during the 2019–2020 season, the only way was up for the Ole Miss Women’s basketball team and head coach Yolett McPheeMcCuin. Coach Yo — as she’s more commonly known by her friends and supporters — took Oxford, Mississippi, and the Southeastern Conference (SEC) by storm in 2018. Coach Yo became the Rebel’s ninth head coach in April of 2018 following a rough season for the Rebels — who went 1–15 in SEC play. While her energy is undeniable on the court, Coach Yo’s passion for the game and her support of women in sports is even more evident on her Twitter page. With over 47,000 tweets and 21,900 Twitter followers, Coach Yo’s presence on the social media platform can be deemed inspiring and entertaining. Yo’s bio on Twitter features the hashtag her team lives by — #NoCeilings. “(No ceilings) fully encompasses exactly what she came here to do,” said John McBride, junior guard for the men’s basketball team. “She wants to continually raise the standards and culture of Ole Miss Women’s basketball to meet that of an elite women’s basketball team.” Coach Yo took over a struggling Ole Miss team who were unanimously picked to finish last in the 2018–2019 SEC polls. Despite the doubters and tough roster conditions she inherited, Coach Yo was able to lead the Rebels to three conference wins in her first season, two more than the previous season. “(Coach Yo) kind of took over some really tough circumstances,” Athletic Director Keith Carter said. “She had to go out and really just fill her roster. In that first year, she brought some junior college players and some transfers, and maybe it wasn’t quite the culture she needed but she
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needed bodies, and so she did that and then didn’t go real well, didn’t win a lot of games.” Although Coach Yo was able to wrangle in a few new players for her Rebel team, the wins did not come as often as she would have liked. The Rebels went 9–22 and were outscored by their opponents 2,083–1,832 during the 2018–2019 season. The 2019–2020 season proved to be just as difficult, with the Rebels never winning a conference matchup and finishing the season at 7–23. Throughout Coach Yo’s second year as the Rebel’s head coach, her team averaged 56.6 points per game, a major factor in their lack of offensive success. Throughout the off-season, HG BIGGS / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN Coach Yo was determined to secure some major players, Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin is introduced with the Ole Miss Women’s Basketball team at Square Jam on including someone who could Oct. 22. ignite her offense, and a leader on and off the court. The 2020–2021 team In April 2020, Coach Yo place for Ole Miss women’s a young woman under her and 69.6 PPG, a announced a huge “get” from basketball. Returning players she has made me feel at home. averaged the University of Maryland. such as Mimi Reid finally had Time is what is needed to build significant improvement from Shakira Austin, a six-foot-five teammates secured in place a relationship and we have done the previous year. The success forward, would be using her to become a unit and prove that through the highs and lows of the women’s basketball team final two years of eligibility at their worth and talent to the leading up to my upcoming this year — despite a less-thansenior season.” adequate run the previous year Ole Miss. Along with Austin, basketball community. “The difference between this Reid’s leadership on and — has increased the energy Ole Miss Women’s Basketball signed Tiya Douglas, a transfer team and past teams was the off the court and a hyper- around Ole Miss and caught focused offense led the Rebels national attention. from Trinity Valley Community chemistry,” Reid said. The team was able to bond, to their first winning season Coach Yo gained thousands College, and four freshmen to obtain the No. 1 signing class in partly thanks to COVID-19, as it since 2016–2017. During the of Twitter followers after her the SEC heading into the 2020– gave them ample time to get to 2020–2021 regular season, the team’s accomplishments in the know one another. Rebels swept conference foe, WNIT and continues to utilize 2021 season. “I honestly think COVID had Kentucky 72–60 and 73–69. her popular Twitter presence. In her first press conference “(Coach Yo) is still building. before the beginning of the a lot to do with it as well. We In their 12 point defeat of the were on numerous zoom calls Wildcats, Austin came away Her energy is just tangible and 2020–2021 season, Coach Yo voiced her excitement for throughout the week and we with 21 points, and Reid earned contagious, which is awesome. And so I think women’s her upcoming team and her had a chance to get to know one four assists for the Rebels. another through a screen before Coach Yo’s leadership was basketball is here to stay and do expectations. “We were able to get them we met in person,” Reid said. tested after the Rebels made it some really good things,” Carter here because they wanted to “Not being able to be around to the WNIT tournament, only said. Following their most be different, they wanted to anybody but your teammates for their head coach to sit out bring their winning attitude,” forced you to get to know one for the first three games due successful postseason run since Coach Yo said during a press another deeper than on the to COVID-19 protocol. Despite 2006–2007, Coach Yo has a conference on Oct. 15, 2020. surface. We were all we had this, the Rebels ran through stacked 2021–2022 roster, “Everybody that we have in Oxford for a long time and their first four opponents of including Tennessee transfer committed is from a winning our ‘bubble’ we created helped the WNIT, advancing to the Destiny Salary and East high school or college program everybody step outside their championship game against Carolina transfer Lashonda Monk. as a transfer, so that’s something comfort zone. We as players Rice. “The game plan going into You can feel Coach Yo’s that they expect. It’s been a took the culture Coach Yo and transition for the returners, not her staff envisioned for us into the WNIT was nothing new, but excitement for her own team, our own hands and created it.” everybody had to step up and and all of Ole Miss Athletics, a bad one.” Reid met Coach Yo after her hold their own,” Reid said. “It through her Twitter. She Leading up to the 2020– voices her 2021 season, it seemed as if freshman year where she sat out forced the team and I to mature continuously and the voices and leaders excitement for the new players everything was falling into due to an injury. “Coach Yo means a lot of the team to speak up and she brings in and her current to me,” Reid said. “I am the lead. Winning the first three players, all while supporting only player on the roster that games without Coach Yo was other varsity sports at the stayed at Ole Miss to play for a stepping stone for the team University of Mississippi. Coach Yo after a coaching because it showed us that we With Mimi Reid and Shakira change my freshman year. Not have to go win the games, not Austin returning for their final being recruited by her or even the coaches. She will provide us season under their leader Coach knowing one another caused us the tools, but it is up to us to go Yo, along with four new signees, to take a chance on one another. win and help continue to take there truly are #NoCeilings for When somebody takes a chance steps forward. We are always Ole Miss Women’s Basketball on you, that is a sign of respect. continuing to write our story this season. I have grown from a teenager to the way we want it.”
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THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | 18 NOVEMBER 2021 | PAGE 9
Ole Miss Soccer season comes to an early end CATHERINE JEFFERS
thedmsports@gmail.com
The Ole Miss Women’s Soccer season came to a close in a heartbreaking first round loss in the NCAA Championship on Friday, Nov. 12. An 89th minute goal from Saint Louis sealed the Billikens a huge 2-1 upset against the Rebels at home. The Billikens got on the board first in the 23rd minute, getting behind the Rebel defenders and slotting the ball between the legs of goalkeeper Ashley Orkus. Without batting an eye, the Rebels found the equalizer from the restart as Mo O’Connor dribbled through multiple Billikens and found the top of the net. A tight battle ensued for the remainder of the game until Hannah Friedrich hit the game winner in the 89th minute for the Billikens, ending the Rebels’ season prematurely.
The loss brings Molly Martin and Channing Foster to the end of their dominant Ole Miss soccer careers. The two fifth-year seniors accounted for 63 goals and 25 assists over their tenure at Ole Miss. The Rebels finished their 2021 season 12-6-3 overall and 6-3-1 in SEC play, finishing third in the regular season. The Rebels shocked the soccer world, defeating then undefeated No. 5 LSU 2-0 at home as well as their first ever victory in Gainesville, defeating University of Florida 1-0. Rebel Nation had their eye on Ole Miss soccer to try and make a deep run into the tournament, similar to their dominant NCAA Championship showing in the spring of 2020. They defeated Bowling Green and University of Southern California in back-to-back games in penalty kicks before falling to Duke in the Sweet 16 1-0.
“Heartbroken for our team but what a ride. 15 months, 40 games, 2 NCAA bids, a Sweet 16, and a third place finish in the SEC. I couldn’t ask for any more from this team. You guys gave us everything you had for all of it,” Head Coach Matt Mott tweeted following the Rebel loss. Ole Miss Soccer will return to the pitch in 2022 for Matt Mott’s 12th season as the Rebel head coach. Mott brought in a dominant signing class of six new Rebels on National Signing Day, including Oxford native Grace Freeman. Rebel great Channing HG BIGGS / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN Foster will head to Chicago where she was drafted to the Ole Miss midfielder Haleigh Stackpole takes control of the ball in a Red Stars as the 32nd overall match against Middle Tennesse on Aug. 26. pick.
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PAGE 10 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | 18 NOVEMBER 2021
Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak drop new album
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thedm features@gmail.com
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Peter Hernadez and Bryan Paak Anderson, professionally known as Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, finally dropped their highly anticipated collaboration project, “An Evening With Silk Sonic” last Friday. The nine track album is packed with the duo’s lyrical genius and marvelous voices, paired with vibrant drum beats that put the fun and joy of Motown into 21st century pop music. Hernandez, known prior for his crooning love ballads like “Grenade” and “Talking to the Moon,” caught the attention of many TikTok users with his newfound attitude on the fifth track of the album, “Smokin’ Out the Window.” Both Hernadez and Anderson hash out lyrics that describe a less than ideal situation about a girl that they thought belonged to only them. “She got me smokin’ out the window, singin’ how could she do this to me?” Hernandez and Anderson both sing. While I can’t emphasize how much I love the song, I simply can’t write this review without acknowledging the music video for this song as well. Its video counterpart adds to the pure joy that this duo brought onto their album. The video is complete with ‘70s style sets, background dancers with cigarettes in hand and Anderson being as goofy as he’s known to be. It’s simply perfection. “Not to be dramatic, but I wanna die,” Anderson sings as he falls on the floor in the music video. Another top hit on the album that seems to take a different tone is the album’s first single, “Leave the Door Open.” Hernandez and Anderson take a nearly opposite approach here from their other single, with serenading lyrics about begging a girl to come over. Despite some of the lyrics bordering on silly when I first listened to
PHOTO COURTESY: YOUTUBE
them, I enjoyed this particular song because of the modern feel it had while still maintaining the fun of the album. “What you doin’? Where you at? Oh, you got plans? Don’t say that,” Anderson sings while opening the song with his signature drum beats. This is also another single with a fabulous music video, taking place in a simple ’70s style studio, with Hernandez and Anderson positioned at instruments among about six others. The music video matches the tone of the song perfectly, with the catchy beats, Anderson’s hilariously teasing lyrics and Herandez’s signature voice. One can’t help but sing along. “I ain’t playin’ no games, every word that I say is comin’ straight from the heart,” Hernadez sings. While I knew I was going to love this project since I first caught wind of it, the album’s fourth track, “After Last Night,” was one that impressed me the most. The instrumental arrangements are not only beautiful, but indicative of someone who really did their homework when researching
the ‘70s and the Motown era. “Wishin’ on a shootin’ star, say a prayer for me / And hope it comes true” Anderson bellows in the first verse. The track also features artists by the name of Thundercat and Bootsy Collins. The latter is mentioned on the cover art as the “guest host” and serves as somewhat of a narrator for the whole album. However, he really gets to shine on this track with his own verses. “Now, I don’t know what you did when you did what you did / But you did it, girl / See, normally I don’t stutter, but you d-d-d-d-do it to me,” Collins sings. Overall, I cannot recommend this album enough. Despite the rumors of the two artists being rivals, this is a match made in heaven in the truest definition. Many reviews I’ve read say that Hernadez has a knack for capturing nostalgia in the best way — and I couldn’t agree more. And with someone like Anderson at his side, he truly could do no wrong. Go give this album a listen and watch the videos too. You won’t regret a second of it.
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THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | 18 NOVEMBER 2021 | PAGE 11
OPINION Leave Brandon out of this LONDYN LORENZ
thedmopinion@gmail.com
You hear it everywhere: at Ole Miss football games, at antivaccine mandate campaigns, on the news, on Twitter or anywhere else you go. “Let’s go, Brandon!” Some of you may be wondering who Brandon is and why so many people are cheering for him across the country, but even those who are saying it likely don’t even know, they only know the meaning behind it. The phrase was taken from a NASCAR post-race interview at Talladega Superspeedway with NASCAR Xfinity Series winner, Brandon Brown. In the background, the Alabama crowd erupted with chants of “F--- Joe Biden!” which the interviewer claimed to be “Let’s
go, Brandon!” Thus, a political frenzy was born. The phrase spread across the country, going from Facebook to any conversation between two Biden haters to Congresswoman Lauren Bobert’s dress at an event at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. While the phrase has transcended its sporty (if you consider NASCAR a sport) origins, it is still prevalent at sporting events and is constantly doing something conservatives claim to hate: bringing politics into sports. Sports and politics have a long and intertwined history, but the debate over their relationship began after NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick knelt during the National Anthem in September 2016. Kaepernick’s action, which was in protest of oppression against Black Americans, kickstarted a discussion over how athletes
should respect the United States and whether politics should have a place in sports at all. Typically, Democrats supported Kaepernick and other athletes’ protests against injustice while Republicans rallied against political movements during sporting events, which were supposed to be their apolitical respite. It seems, however, that the tides are turning and that conservatives want politics in sports more than ever before. Every time a Patriot yells “Let’s go, Brandon!” they are shouting a sportsderived slogan with political implications. Furthermore, I hear it shouted in the Grove, in the Vaught and many other sporting events on campus, so it feels like politics have found their true home in sports. To be honest, I don’t care if you want to shout it or not.
I don’t think any liberals are getting “further triggered” like Don Jr. says they are, they’re likely just laughing about conservatives doing exactly what they claim to hate. For those of you who believe L.G.B. to be a comment about media coverup, using it to say the NBC correspondent intentionally covered up complaints against the president, why don’t you just say that with your chest rather than using a coded message? No one who hears your chants registers that as the message, they only hear you complaining about the president with likely little to no action to follow. The First Amendment, which every American claims to hold dear, allows Americans to voice their concerns with the president, the media or anything else a person wants to complain about, so why take the coward’s
way out and say a phrase that means absolutely nothing to its intended audience? It is comical to see Bidenhaters groan while players use their political voice during a game and then unite politics and sports themselves during the following four quarters. Say it, don’t say it — I couldn’t care less. Just make a final decision on if you want sports in politics or if you don’t, and then act accordingly. If I have to hear a bunch of drunk college kids yell “Let’s go, Brandon!” during a football game so the players can use their First Amendment rights with no qualms, then I’ll happily do so. Londyn Lorenz is the opinion editor majoring in Arabic and international studies from Perryville, Missouri.
Barstool’s misogyny has no place at Ole Miss KATHERINE BROTEN
thedmopinion@gmail.com
A scroll through the Instagram account @ olemisschicks provides more or less exactly what you would expect from an account of that name: recycled memes and Tiktoks about football or finals week. Their Instagram bio states that they are a direct affiliate of Barstool Sports but not affiliated with the University of Mississippi. On Oct. 1, they posted a video of a man with glasses and a scruffy beard lamenting his love for our university with the caption “So when are you coming to Oxford, @stoolpresidente?” This man, reverently nicknamed El Presidente by his legions of online fans, is the founder of Barstool Sports, Dave Portnoy. Portnoy started Barstool Sports in 2003 as a free, black-and-white gambling and fantasy sports newspaper in Boston. Today, Barstool is a
vast content-creating company spanning multiple platforms, with their main Instagram account boasting 12.3 million followers and the company being recently valued at $450 million. Portnoy’s strange and cult-like following takes an increasingly disturbing shape the more you examine it. Almost exactly one month after @olemisschicks extended an invite to Portnoy, allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse erupted around the magic man who built the company up from nothing. At least two women have come forward to accuse Portnoy of violent sexual behavior and exploitation. Using a pseudonym, the first claims she and Portnoy began to have consensual sex when he started to film her without her permission and continued to have sex with her after she pleaded with him to stop. The woman, using the pseudonym Madison, was 20 years old when the alleged encounter
took place. Portnoy was 43. In the same explosive report from Insider, another woman, using the name Alison, alleged that a similar pattern of violence and exploitation occurred during a sexual encounter with Portnoy. She described feeling “very preyed on” and described Portnoy as “really aggressive,” behavior which she claims triggered vivid suicidal actions and hospitalization following the event. The alleged misconduct occurred just weeks after “Allison’s” high school graduation. She was 19. While Portnoy took to Twitter immediately after the report surfaced to decry it as a libelous hit piece, his history of behavior and vitriol towards women certainly does not help his case. Since 2016, female reporters and sports journalists have been sounding the alarms about Barstool and its legion of followers’ sexist online harassment and behavior. As early as 2010, Portnoy wrote in a blog post “Even though I never
condone rape, if you’re a size 6 and you’re wearing skinny jeans you kind of deserve to be raped, right?” Knowing this, it’s no surprise to look through @olemisschicks’ Instagram and see such gutwrenchingly misogynistic posts like a picture of a sign that reads “Nick Saban can’t handle Ole Miss’s D but his daughter can.” Even if the account is ostensibly run by women, they are actively fostering and condoning an environment where rape, sexual assault and harassment and good old-fashioned sexism are ignored, defended and played off as a joke. Barstool and Dave Portnoy aren’t going anywhere, but the women at
@olemisschicks can end their affiliation with the company and its bigoted founder. To the women at @olemisschicks: there is no excuse, no wavering left for you to do. This is a binary decision. You either endorse Portnoy and every single one of his abominable statements and actions towards women, or you admit that you were wrong to associate with the company and move on. I sincerely hope it’s not a difficult choice to make.
Katherine Broten is a junior majoring in economics and public policy leadership from Farmington, New Mexico.
Opinion Policies: Columns do not represent the views of The University of Mississippi or The Daily Mississippian. The Daily Mississippian welcomes letters to the editor, which should be emailed to thedmopinion@gmail.com. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. They may be edited for clarity, brevity and libel. Thirdparty letters and those with pseudonyms or no name will not be published. Letters are limited to one per individual per month. Letters should include contact information, including relationship to the university, if applicable.
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