I Owe Ole Miss Coach Mike Bianco A Lifelong Apology & Eternal Thanks
The 2022 National Champion Ole Miss Rebels get their rings at Halftime of the Alabama/Ole Miss football game in Oxford on Saturday! Belief, a documentary about the championship run debuted last night on the Ole Miss Baseball YouTube channel and was instantly a huge emotional hit.
After a 7-14 start in SEC play, Ole Miss snuck into the 64th spot in the NCAA Tournament in June and rode it all the way to their 1st national championship in school history in Omaha. It was without a doubt one of my favorite sports memories as a fan of my lifetime and no Rebel fan will ever forget it. I am literally smiling ear to ear as I type this reminiscing about Omaha.
As Captain Tim Elko said, "Don't Let the Rebs Get Hot!"
Before all of that magic happened, the Rebels were 1-8 in SEC play after getting swept by Tennessee and Alabama at home. And I made a mistake as a fan that will literally haunt me until my dying day when I wrote a blog on here that it was time for the Mike Bianco era to end.
Looking back on it now, I am beyond ashamed of myself. The man is a living legend that built the Ole Miss program from the ground floor for over 20 years. There was barely a baseball program before he took over in 2000. And now Swayze Field is one of the best atmospheres in the nation year after year.
Check out this stretch the last 5 years:
2018 SEC Tourney Title
2019 Lost to Ark in Super Regional
2020 16-1 (Covid Ended Season)
2021 Lost to Arizona in Super Regional
2022 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
How the hell is it even possible to say something so stupid on my part?!?!?
I have ALWAYS been a Bianco supporter too even when there was tons of heat on him the last few years. But there's no denying what happened.... I lost my cool and snapped after the Bama sweep like a complete buffoon and as we all clearly found out, that is why the man whose baseball career ended at 14 years old as a fat kid in right field clearly does not know much about baseball.
Mike Bianco and his family went through pure hell last season because of idiots like myself. I like all of his sons (Micheal, Drew & Ben) too and am apologizing to them as well. I am sick to my stomach even typing this to be honest. I am close friends with multiple players (ESP Tim Elko & Kevin Graham) on the team and nothing made me happier than seeing them win the title.
Looking back on it now, what is even more impressive than the title for Coach Bianco is the way he handled all of the heat. After winning the championship, he did not say one word to all of the fans who had wanted him out. He conducted himself with pure class at a time when anger would have been more than justified. I can only imagine what I would have said if I had been in his shoes after being disrespected that much.
Coach Bianco,
Ole Miss fans are lucky as hell to have you as coach of the Ole Miss Rebels for life. I am going to regret that blog til the day I die and thank you for everything you have done and will continue to do for Ole Miss Baseball. NO ONE has earned this championship more after 20 years. I owe you an apology and eternal thanks for the rest of my days. Honestly the Ole Miss title even helped lead to my 3 year extension at Barstool too and for that I am beyond grateful.
Yet I am still completely ashamed of myself.....
But at least the shame is a first world problem because the OLE MISS REBELS ARE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!
HOTTY TODDY!