Jackson Free Press

I've seen a lot of comments of Facebook, Twitter and other social media or in just every day conversation of should Ole Miss fans root for Mississippi State in the College World Series?

One thing is for sure, the rest of the SEC is rooting for MSU to win a national championship. You will hear a loud and proud "SEC" chant breakout today if the Bulldogs beat Oregon State when the two teams meet today at 2 pm on ESPN.

SEC fans have pulled for the SEC team in the national championship game for football while the conference has won seven straight titles. SEC fans have rooted for Florida and Kentucky when they were playing for a national title in basketball.

South Carolina, LSU and Georgia have gotten love when playing for the title in previous College World Series. It stands to reason that the other 12 members not named Ole Miss will be rooting for the Bulldogs.

Which brings me back to my original question. Should Ole Miss fans root for Mississippi State?

I believe the Rebels fans out there should swallow their hatred of their arch-rival for just a bit. Ole Miss fans should root for Mississippi State to win the College World Series or at least until the Bulldogs get eliminated (knock on wood that they don't).

I will take it a step farther. As a state we should get behind this baseball team.

For the next few days, there shouldn't be Golden Eagles. There shouldn't be Tigers.

There shouldn't be Braves, or Delta Devils. No Statesmen/Fighting Okra, Choctaws, Majors Blazers, or anything mascot.

We should all be Bulldogs. If just for awhile.

When Millsaps was in the Division III College World Series, this year, we all should have been Majors. When Delta State was playing for a Division II national championship in football, in 2010, we all should have been Statesmen or at least Fighting Okra.

We all should have been Tigers last fall when Jackson State was playing in the SWAC Championship Game.

Anytime we have a school that can accomplish something special, we should put our allegiances aside for awhile and support one of our state schools.

I always support our schools when they are playing for something special. I rooted for all the schools mentioned above and Ole Miss this year in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.

It is a personal decision but I feel it is o.k. to let go of rooting for my school (if I had a school) when the school I root (theoretically) can't accomplish the same goal. I rooted for both MSU and Ole Miss in their bowl games last season.

I root for our schools to do well because it also spotlights our state for something positive. Even if you don't agree with college athletics, these young men are putting the best face forward for our state.

We should all be Bulldogs. We should all be Maroon and White.