How to Survive Ole Miss and Saints games

Barrett Ford

Paper #5: How To…

Growing up in Jackson, Mississippi there were two teams that I always pulled for: The New Orleans Saints and the Ole Miss Rebels. Since before I was born I had connections with these two teams. My parents had lived in New Orleans and had started getting season tickets before they moved to Jackson and continued buying season tickets after they moved away from New Orleans. They were also both Ole Miss alumni having gone to school at Medical Center in Jackson. The other Ole Miss connection I had was that most of the people that lived around us in Jackson were Ole Miss fans with a few Mississippi State fans mixed in. Needless, to say I have been to my fair share of football games at Ole Miss and in New Orleans. (For the Ole Miss side of things we will deal only with football games, since that is the sport I have seen the most there. Although, I have also been to my fair share of Ole Miss baseball and basketball games.) This essay will help to serve as a guide to anyone who might be planning to attend one of these two events. We will also discuss some of the important differences between Ole Miss and Saints games since there are obvious differences between going to an NFL game and a college football game.

The first and most important step to surviving at an Ole Miss or Saints game is to enjoy yourself when you’re not actually at the game. Oxford and New Orleans are very different places, but they are both great towns to have a good time in. New Orleans is widely known for its great food and partying; and Oxford is a small, picturesque college town that revolves around Ole Miss and its athletic events. The key is to take advantage of the fact that you are in these towns and to find something fun to do besides just going to the game. My personal suggestion is to make a weekend out of your trip to either Oxford or New Orleans because there is always something to do on Friday and Saturday night in both of these towns. In Oxford you have the option of going to a fraternity party, enjoying yourself at a bar or restaurant on the town square (more commonly referred to as The Square), or just hanging out with your friends or family. In New Orleans you can walk around the French Quarter and go to any number of the countless bars available or have a nice, sit-down dinner at one of the amazing restaurants around town. Whatever you do, just enjoy yourself in Oxford or New Orleans because the towns themselves are half the experience of going to an Ole Miss or Saints game.

Let’s be honest. A large part of the reason that the social scene surrounding football games in Oxford or New Orleans is so important is because the Saints and Ole Miss are so used to losing. And as a fan of these teams it is always important to keep one thing in mind: expect to lose. As soon as you walk into the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans or Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford a loss by your team is what you have to expect to see. Otherwise, you will only be disappointed. Don’t hang your head or have a bad attitude, but enjoy yourself despite your expectations. I know this may sound contradictory, but expecting to lose while having a positive attitude is essential. Because, even though there have been a few good seasons (the 2003 Ole Miss team or the 2006 Saints team for example) continuing to expect losing along with a positive outlook makes the few wins you do witness that much better.

Along with being a fan of any team comes pestering and annoying fans of rival teams. This especially holds true when a fan of losing teams because it makes your right to look down on or trash talk opposing fans that much more difficult. This is why it is key to go ahead and get it out of the way before the actual game starts because you probably won’t be able to do any verbal bashing after the game. To put it more simply: get your trash talking done before kickoff. At Ole Miss this especially holds true with LSU fans. Make sure to get all the yelling and arguing out of your system on Friday night and Saturday before the game, because Ole Miss hasn’t beaten LSU since 2001, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen anytime soon. Here’s another tip when dealing with LSU fans: the only thing worse than an LSU fan is an intoxicated LSU fan. When dealing with one, make sure to hold your ground and make it known that you are a proud Ole Miss fan. But, for your own safety don’t make any unnecessary advances towards a drunk LSU fan because, if provoked, they will fight you, and they’re probably going to bring a few friends with them.

In New Orleans, the fans that you will probably have the most encounters with are Atlanta Falcons fans. Atlanta-New Orleans has been a rivalry for a long time and for this reason Saints and Falcons fans don’t have much affection towards each other. As opposed to dealing with LSU fans in Oxford, there is a much better chance of the Saints actually beating the Falcons (in recent years anyway). From 2003-2007 the Saints own a six to three edge in head-to-head competition. This makes trash talking much easier and also allows for some verbal attacks after the game. However, Atlantans have a slight edge in fighting skill over New Orleanians, so the key is to outnumber them if a tussle does break out. My general suggestion is to avoid fighting wherever possible when dealing with Atlanta or LSU fans. Only use physical attacks if your own safety is on the line, remember that verbal attacks are always fair game, and hope to high heaven that your team can do some talking for you on the field come game time.

Other than the essential topics listed above, there a few, more minor things that must also be taken into account. Tailgating should be done before the games (and after if desired). Tailgating at Ole Miss is world-renowned and The Grove (the area where all the tailgating is done) is one of the places you must see before you die. Groving, as they call it, is an event, whether with family or college friends, and the food and fellowship is simply amazing. However, tailgating is underrated and also a lot of fun at Saints games, and most of is done in parking lots around the Superdome. There’s nothing more enjoyable than some Cajun food and beer before the game. And, speaking of beer, alcohol will almost surely be available to you at either Ole Miss or Saints tailgates. Just make sure you drink responsibly and don’t make a fool of yourself.

The last thing I will mention is the attire for the game. This is probably the most obvious difference between Ole Miss and Saints games. At an Ole Miss game, slacks and a button-down is essential for the guys while a tie or blazer is also an option. (I won’t even try to vouch for the ladies’ side of things.) This contrasts greatly to the attire worn at Saints games. I suggest a jersey of your favorite player and a Saints cap, along with a pair of jeans or khaki shorts, but it’s really up to you. In conclusion, Saints and Ole Miss games are a lot of fun and the key is to enjoy yourself, win or lose. If you follow the guidelines that I have given you above, there is now way that you will not do just that.