PARTY IN THE 'SIP: Ole Miss, Oxford celebrates first baseball national championship
Ole Miss never loses a party and Oxford knows how to throw one. That combination came together on Wednesday as the city celebrated the baseball program’s first national championship.
Nearly 72 hours after Ole Miss clinched the national title inside Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb., the Rebels were rolling down Oxford’s historic downtown square in style inside a red double decker bus.
As confetti fell and music blared, the Ole Miss players were greeted by large crowds lined down the streets leading to Oxford-University Stadium.
Across town the rest of Rebel Nation lined up outside the stadium to get their seat for the party set to take place once the team arrived.
The crowd that attended the parade then descended upon O-U Stadium in a scene that might could only be comparable to a zombie movie.
Both atmospheres surpassed even the biggest of expectations Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco had.
“Maybe the best word is kind of overwhelming,” Bianco said. “I knew that Rebel Nation would show up in Omaha in droves and I never doubted it. But I didn’t know we’d have 20-plus thousand. Then you get back on Monday and that meany people in the Grove, the Walk of Champions. A lot of people at the Tupelo airport.
“I got nervous during the parade and I say, ‘My god, there’s 25,000 people here. There’s going to be nobody in the stadium.’ Then you get to the stadium and it’s packed. I don’t know where they all come from but it’s just been overwhelming in a good way. Very touching to see how much it’s meant to them.”
Once the team arrived at the stadium then the party really got started.
Each player was introduced, ending with Bianco who came out to a roar as he held up the National Championship trophy — the first one to ever grace Swayze Field.
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There were plenty of speakers ranging from Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves to Oxford Mayor Robyn Tannehill as well as Ole Miss athletics director Keith Carter and Ole Miss Chancellor Glenn Boyce.
Carter even had some fun with Tim Elko, who made the Ole Miss captain stand in front of home plate with the trophy and hold it in different poses.
“Now, which one do y’all prefer for the statue?” Carter said, referring to the long ongoing social media campaign to get a statue erected of Elko.
Bianco, Elko, Kevin Graham, Peyton Chatagnier and Justin Bench all spoke to the Ole Miss faithful.
Elko even uttered his catchphrase that caught fire and sparked the most memorable postseason run maybe in all of college baseball history.
“Just cool how many people came out and supported us,” Elko said. “Kind of like Omaha. Just had so many Ole Miss Rebels there, supporting us our entire journey. Just a really, really fun experience. Shout out to our fans.”
Related: LOOK: Ole Miss baseball celebrates national championship with parade, Swayze Field ceremony
