Rebels Watching Miss State Go Through the Five Stages of Grief

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Sep 3, 2016; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs wide receiver Fred Ross (8) and linebacker J.T. Gray (12) talk with head coach Dan Mullen during the second quarter of the game at Davis Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Miss State has come to the harsh reality that their successful years on the football field have come to an end. It’s dead. It is hard for someone to watch something they love die. So now the Miss State fans are going through the Five Stages of Grief.

R. I. P. Mississippi State Football Relevancy, Nov. 28, 2013-Sept. 3, 2016

My fellow Ole Miss Rebels, today is a day that we must show kindness and patience. Whenever someone goes through a death they can be a little difficult to deal with. Our friends in Starkville have gone through such a death. On Saturday, Miss State Football Relevancy died. Their run of successful seasons is no more. The days of finding themselves hanging around the ranked elite has passed away. Subsequently, it was replaced by an inferior product.

Miss State has been in existence for a long time. But their recent success has been the fodder for message boards and social media fights. Coach Dan Mullen has had his fans believing that he was a miracle worker. That he had the ability to take less talented players and make them into champions. But the game Saturday afternoon against the University of South Alabama ended that notion. It ended when they found a way to lose to a team from Alabama that wasn’t the Crimson Tide or Auburn. It was an embarrassing 21-20 loss to a Sun Belt team.

When your relevant football team dies, it is traumatic. However, Ole Miss fans, if we are patient we can help them work through their loss. Right now they are going through what Elisabeth Kubler-Ross called the Five Stages of Grief. It is the five emotions experienced by those who lose someone or something they love.

They may not admit it to you, but their fans are truly suffering with the reality of the loss of relevancy. So, beware of their moods. They will cuss and fuss. They will make outrageous claims about cults and tell-all books. But it’s not them, it’s the pain talking. If you just read their social media posts you can tell which stage they are on. Let me help you decipher.

Nov 1, 2014; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs fans ring their cowbells during the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Davis Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Denial

This stage was most likely experienced during the game against the University of South Alabama on Saturday afternoon. When the Bulldogs went into halftime leading 17-0 there were little concerns. Nick Fitzgerald did not look great in his two series. Damian Williams looked marginal but really had no deep ball. There was still no running game and the defensive backs looked shaky. However, they were leading by 17, what bad could happen?

Though they saw the glaring weaknesses, they didn’t want to believe a loss could happen to them. They continued to believe that Dan Mullen was the best developer of talent in college football. A reputation built on the ability of one special quarterback named Dak Prescott and nothing else. But they would not accept the fact that the lack of talent on the field would catch up with them. It’s classic denial.

They denied as South Alabama clawed all the way back to take a 21-20 lead. But the denial did not stop there. As the Bulldogs drove down the field, the were sure that some way they would find a victory. You could see it on their faces as that football flew in the air and clanged off the goal post when State missed the potential game winning kick. Relevancy died that day.

Most have moved passed this stage of grief. But there are a few who still think it will be alright. Just be patient with them. They will come around soon.

Sep 26, 2015; Auburn, AL, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Dan Mullen questions the officials as he walks onto the field following a play under review against the Auburn Tigers during the first quarter at Jordan Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Anger

Now, admittedly this will be a difficult one to diagnose in a Miss State fan. They appear to be angry all the time. However, this anger is a little different. They are not only mad at us as they normally are, but they are mad at everyone.

Bulldog fans are mad at Dan Mullen for wearing short pants during the game. They are mad at him appearing to smile after the missed field goal. Even though Fitzgerald played poorly, they are upset that Mullen didn’t put him back in during the second half. Some were upset at the students for not showing up in big numbers. They were upset with the SEC for making it a 11:00 a.m. game. Theses guys are angry.

But in what had to be the most interesting display in anger, one Bulldog fan managed to blame Ole Miss for all the losses by SEC teams this weekend. So, they lose and it was somehow our fault. Be prepared to hear a lot of “cheater”, “probation” and “death penalty” talk this week. It’s all they have left. They are mad.

Anger is a release of pain for them. They don’t know what to do so they lash out irrationally. State fans, take a deep breath and repeat after me: It’s not my fault.

Sep 3, 2016; Starkville, MS, USA; South Alabama Jaguars quarterback Dallas Davis (11) makes a pass during the fourth quarter of the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium. South Alabama won 21-20. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Bargaining

The relevancy of the Mississippi State football program has died. But there are many fans who have moved to this stage of grief, bargaining. This is where a person begs for a higher power to end their suffering by promising to be a better person.

Miss State fans have been begging for a higher power to step in for a while. They have been begging for the NCAA to come in and punish Ole Miss. Then maybe their hurt and pain won’t be so bad. Maybe their ineptitude won’t be so glaring. The Bulldog fans want the NCAA to do what they know they could never do now, defeat the Rebels.

They get on their knees every night and call the NCAA violations 1-800 number. Then with tears in their eyes beg for the NCAA to make everything right. It’s a sad display. Bargaining is done when one feels like they have ran out of options. Miss State has no options. They are headed back to the SEC West basement.

Sep 3, 2016; Starkville, MS, USA; South Alabama Jaguars tight end Gerald Everett (12) attempts to control the ball as he is defended by Mississippi State Bulldogs defensive back Brandon Bryant (1) at Davis Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Depression

While looking at some of the Miss State message boards you will see many of their fans are at this stage. After this loss to South Alabama many Bulldog fans said they were not going to another game this year.

Several fans have suggested that the administration start searching for a new coach. They believe the coach they called a motivator and developer now has worn out his welcome. That trust they had in him has evaporated. Some have called Dan Mullen the worst thing a Southerner could call you. They said he was too “Hollywood”. They even suggested that instead of running marathons he should have been recruiting.

Bulldog fans now realize that while they were watching the Ole Miss program like a hawk, Mullen has been selling them lies about how good their team really was. Now they are depressed. They have given up on football. Some have been burning their jerseys. It’s sad. But it’s a good sign. The grief is almost over.

Dec 30, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; The Mississippi State Bulldogs pose for a picture with the Belk Bowl trophy after defeating the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the 2015 Belk Bowl at Bank of America Stadium. The Bulldogs defeated the Wolfpack 51-28. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Acceptance

The sun has come up. The birds are singing. Faux reporters are writing books. It will be okay. Acceptance is a wonderful thing. The one thing that is forgotten about the Bulldog legacy is the fact that they are use to being irrelevant.

Soon they will accept their fate. That two week period at number one will be a pleasant, distant memory. The Bulldogs will go back to accepting the fact that a 6-6 season for them is good. Now that they won’t have to worry about lofty expectations. They can focus on exacting revenge on these pesky non-Power 5 teams (watch out UMass).

There are benefits to accepting mediocrity. There is no pressure to beat any good teams this year. Furthermore, Shreveport is lovely in late December. Plus, now you can keep getting those two star players that Mullen is great at molding into stars.

See, though you are no longer relevant in football there are still things you can be proud of.