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Ole Miss fans’ comparison of Freeze to people in the Bible confirms cult status

By Thomas K. Stark

Dec 31, 2014; Atlanta , GA, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Hugh Freeze greets fans prior to the game against the TCU Horned Frogs in the 2014 Peach Bowl at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Paul Abell/CFA Peach Bowl via USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2014; Atlanta , GA, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Hugh Freeze greets fans prior to the game against the TCU Horned Frogs in the 2014 Peach Bowl at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Paul Abell/CFA Peach Bowl via USA TODAY Sports /
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New evidence has appeared that seems to indicate there might actually be some truth to my tongue-in-cheek thesis that Ole Miss fans are a cult.  

Some of you may remember that I wrote this article a while back, where I highlighted the similarities between the Ole Miss fan base and a religious cult. Although many in Bear nation took it to heart, it was not really intended to be anything but a satire piece making fun of Ole Miss fans for their sometimes over-the-edge support of their head football coach.

I got a lot of reactions to the article, which ran the gamut from State fans who thought it was funny, all the way to Ole Miss fans who indignantly proclaimed that they were not a part of any cult, worshiped no one but the true God, and chastised me for even daring to make the comparison.

The article was intended to accomplish two things – one, get a lot of people to read it, and two, continue what I enjoy doing ever since I created the @dawgsmack Twitter account – make fun of Ole Miss.  It’s what rival schools do to one another, by the way.  And in those two areas, the article has been a smashing success.

Then along comes OMRebelNation.com with this article  that provides evidence that for some in Bear Nation, their devotion to Hugh Freeze really is “cult like”.  One can only hope that the writer of this piece was trying to be sarcastic and play upon the caricature that Hugh Freeze has created of himself.  I hope that is the case, because if the article is on the up and up, the writer is engaging in some disturbing hero worship.

It’s bad enough the writer compared Hugh Freeze to long-suffering Job in the Bible, but the comparison with Jesus and his death on the cross is sacrilege.  I’m sorry, but a coach making $4M a year having a run of bad luck with injuries and NCAA problems of his own making can hardly be compared on any level to the suffering of our Savior on the cross.  If you truly believe Freeze’s suffering approaches that of Christ on the cross, you, in fact, truly are part of a religious cult.

Here’s an excerpt from the article:

"God’s love does not equal prosperity. In fact, it’s the opposite.Moses wandered the desert for 40 years. David was chased into caves and his own son tried to kill him. Jesus died on a cross. The apostle Paul and the other apostles were beaten countless times and killed as martyrs or died in desolation.I’ve heard it said that those whom God loves the most, suffer.And there’s no better example of that in college football than Hugh Freeze and Ole Miss."

Here’s my short message to the “woe is us” Ole Miss crowd.  Injuries and academic casualties happen to everyone at one time or another.  Some years your team is fortunate and avoids devastating injuries.  Some years they don’t.  Ole Miss is having a bad year for injuries in 2016.  It happens to everyone sooner or later.  And it doesn’t matter how godly your coach happens to be.

The real lesson here is that before you go off and boldly predict your team is going to Atlanta and will compete for a spot in the national playoff, you should consider this:  Even the best of teams need a little luck in the injury department to have the kind of season they aspire to.  Always temper your bold expectations with the caveat that a few key injuries to the wrong people will tank even the most promising of seasons.

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