What a night for sports. The SEC had some of the best football games this season with Ole Miss’ incredible come from behind win over top ranked Alabama 23 – 17, Mississippi State mauling sixth ranked Texas A&M, Florida edging Tennessee in a snoozer by a point, Auburn’s manhandling of LSU 41 – 7, and South Carolina’s shocking defeat at the hands of lowly Kentucky 45 – 38. Couple that with a record breaking 18-inning major league playoff game, and I could hardly move from the couch. It certainly helped that I could turn off the Wolfpack game after the first quarter.
What got me most is the Ole Miss win and the ensuing swarming of midfield. The students took to the goal posts in much the same way that the Wolfpack Faithful did after beating Florida State over a decade ago. I’m not sure what changed in our culture, but between Florida State and Clemson, we had the most SEC-ready atmospheres in the ACC (I know I know, that’s not saying much).
The goal posts went down in Oxford last night and they were broken apart and sent to the four corners of the not-so-sleepy college town. One student even brought a piece of the goal post home.
Goal post made it home pic.twitter.com/EbimQguVEU
— Buckner Corso (@BucknerCorso) October 5, 2014
That’s nice. The cops stopped us about the Waffle House after a 17 – 7 whooping of FSU in 2002 (or was that the 1998 win. It’s all hazy it’s been so long). The key here is: the cops stopped us at the Waffle House.
Instead, let’s see how the Ole Miss administration handled this issue. On Twitter, Athletics Director Ross Bjork had this to say:
@BucknerCorso Save me & @CoachHughFreeze a piece……..
— Ross Bjork (@RossBjorkAD) October 5, 2014
WOW! In that moment, Ole Miss’ best win in its history, the AD became nothing more than a fan. He wants a piece of the goal post too! If you think that’s just being cute, check out his follow up:
@BucknerCorso @CoachHughFreeze Be careful cutting it or we can help you be safe and cut it up for you…..
— Ross Bjork (@RossBjorkAD) October 5, 2014
He offers to help cut it up. Amazing. Realizing that Ole Miss will have to replace some stadium hardware, Bjork again opined in a miraculous way:
Everyone in this picture should send donation to http://t.co/iGAqjYmHr4. All donations accepted for the post & fine! pic.twitter.com/Tjk0J7oXUR
— Ross Bjork (@RossBjorkAD) October 5, 2014
All together, I love that the Administration at Ole Miss wants the students and fans to savor the moment. There were no Herculean efforts by authorities to stop anyone. There were no threats of scholarship revocation or fines for the participants in the frenzy. At that one moment, after a fantastic win, Administration, fans, and students were all the same. Proud. Excited. Jubilant.
Even after our 17-16 win over Florida State in 2012, one of our biggest moments, we all paraded around Jake as he, shirtlessly, serenaded a pole in the stadium (note: not a goalpost). One of the most noticeable things about this photo, besides Jake’s wonderful physique? Event Staff right there ready to take him down.
What harm was Jake causing anyone? None. He was simply celebrating like the rest of us… just elevated.
Had we beat Florida State a week ago, the would-be best win in NC State history, we would’ve been tazed on the bottom row for even thinking about entering the field.
I know things changed in 2003 after the shooting. It must be noted, as it has many times before, both shooter and victim had zero ties to the university. It wasn’t a student, fan, alumnus, parent, faculty, or staff who took part on either end. Then came the restrictions. 5-hours in the tailgate lots. I remember going out the night before to cook a pig and staying till Sunday as a student. It’s a shame, really.
What Debbie Yow must do, sooner rather than later, is open up the lots on Friday night. Restore our football culture. Give us back what is, perhaps, the best part about Saturdays in Raleigh. The result on the football field for the better part of forever has been tepid at best. Although we have faith in Coach Doeren and his staff to right the ship, yesterday was a major setback. Who wants to go tailgate for Boston College? If you would let me cook a pig again, I’d be out there Friday night. Stay for the whole game. Continue the party well into Sunday morning, win or lose. I’m betting the ADs office will have zero issues with passes out of the stadium at halftime if we were given back that opportunity.
What we saw in Oxford last night was how Raleigh used to be. Because of actions that none of us did, that has been ripped from us by a previous Athletics Department and unchanged under the current. I know the ADs office is afraid of lawsuits and injuries. There will be growing pains, Debbie, but practice makes perfect. Give us the shot.
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