Editor’s Note: This story is one of a series of stories written by The Daily Mississippian staff in celebration of April Fool’s day.
Contention. Outcry. Indecision. For as long as many Ole Miss fans can remember, there has been debate about what the official mascot of the University of Mississippi should be. From the controversial Colonel Reb to the universally disliked black bear named “Rebel” — and even a weird point in time where a Landshark was the mascot — Ole Miss has lacked a consensus on exactly who or what should represent the university on football and baseball fields, basketball courts and golf pitches alike.
For a long time, the debate was between those three figures. However, a fourth mascot has come out of the woodwork and garnered almost unanimous support from students and fans alike: the Red Solo Cup. On Friday, March 29, Ole Miss Athletics announced that the Red Solo Cup will become the official and only mascot for the university’s athletic teams.
Fans are calling the cup “Reddy,” and it made its first appearance at an Ole Miss Baseball game on March 30 during a beautiful Saturday afternoon game. Before the game, solo cups from all over the country – including representatives from the yellow, green and blue varieties – came to Oxford to compete for the chance to enter their name into the mascot debate. In a footrace that came down to the wire, Reddy came out on top.
After winning the race, Reddy was excited to meet his new friends and fans.
“I love Ole Miss, I love Oxford, I love Mississippi,” Reddy said. “I feel like I’m the best cup for the job, as my red hue exactly matches the Ole Miss red. With that being said, I am very confused why my yellow and green counterparts showed up, as their colors have absolutely nothing to do with this university.”
Reddy’s resilience and love for Ole Miss led a majority of fans — especially those in Greek life— to fall in love with their new plastic pal. After years of uncertainty, it seems Ole Miss has finally found a mascot that everyone can get behind.
