Why is ole miss changing their mascot

To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Chancellor Jeff Vitter announced the move in a letter to university stakeholders, according to the report. The landshark received 81 percent of the vote in a student referendum last Friday. The athletics department will design, develop, and launch the landshark mascot, with an anticipated unveiling before the season, and Rebel the Bear is retired effective immediately. I want to state unequivocally that we are — and always will be — the Ole Miss Rebels.

And I am asking all Rebels to unite around our new Landshark mascot. For the second time in less than a decade, Ole Miss has a new official mascot. Landshark Tony draws its inspiration from the Rebels' so-called "Landshark Defense," with Ole Miss players often forming their hands in the shape of a shark fin in front of their helmets following big plays.

The shark mascot also took the name "Tony" from the late Ole Miss linebacker Tony Fein, an Iraq War veteran who was the first to make the "landshark" gesture in The Landshark Tony mascot will wear the same No. Colonel Reb stopped appearing on the Ole Miss sidelines in , after the school made a conscious effort to move away from symbols related to the Civil War.

The Black Bear mascot first appeared in following a vote by students, but had been universally unpopular with much of the Ole Miss fan base before being "retired" last year. The Esports program at Ole Miss values that sort of inclusivity and diversity that decisions like this are intended to support. Of the nearly members of the organization, the Esports club consists of members of many different races, religions, sexuality and ethnicities.

However, they could be better, Brack admits. The varsity Esports team, Brack says, is predominately white but consisting of a variety of different sexualities. Brack himself is the only African American on the executive council and one of just a few African Americans in the entire organization.

Brack says he was surprised and pleased by the number of positive messages the organization has received from people reaching out on social media or in person.

Yet, he admits the overwhelming reaction has been incredibly negative—something they all anticipated when coming to this decision.

Regardless of the response and backlash, the Ole Miss Esports team is moving forward with its decision, and it seems like it's calling for others to take notice.

Projecting the Ole Miss Baseball Lineup. Y ou can join The Grove Report community by clicking "Follow" on the top righthand corner of the page.