A Game that Will Be in the Back of Our Mine for a Long Time

The setting was perfect, the stands were packed, and the players were ready. Over 10,000 people drove to Oxford from all across to hopefully cheer the Rebels to a College World Series birth. But there was no ESPN, the sports network was busy covering the OSU-USC game that took extra hours to complete. Finally, as the game went into the fourth inning Ole Miss appeared on the screen. The game was up and down emotionally. Eric Fowler retired several batters in a row and the Rebels were beginning to put runners on the bases. But when it came down to it, the Rebels could just not get it done. With two outs and two runners on and three time All-American Stephen Head at the plate, Rebel Nation was praying hard for just a base hit. Head thinking home-run struck out on a breaking ball. All Rebel fans were emotionally drained at this point. The Rebel team was faced with the reallization they were not going to Omaha. Honestly I believed we would make it all along. The two teams that played in Oxford last weekend, both belong in the National Championship game. I am not blaming this loss on anyone at all, but I really question why Ole Miss and Texas faced off in the Super Regional. I also question the home team rule. What is the point in being a higher seed and hosting, if in the third game you have to flip a coin to decide your fate. At any rate, whats done is done. We have to pick up and move on. I don't want to read on the message boards about how this is just "typical Ole Miss, can't win in big situations." I do not buy that kind of talk. The day will come, I just hope I am around to see it. The Longhorn DH basically sums it up in this quote,

"Win or lose, this was an awesome experience. Aside from a few hecklers who were probably drunk, the Ole Miss fans were great and the atmosphere was electric. Ole Miss was the best team we have faced this year - this series could have gone either way and neither team would have had anything to hang their heads about. I was on the edge of my seat for 27 innings. Ole Miss recruited me pretty hard and after this weekend I now know that this place would have been a great choice. I think Texas and Ole Miss will meet again in the near future, probably in the CWS. My hat is off to them and everyone at Ole Miss. Great Southern hospitality. This was a memorable experience to all of us on the Texas team."