The Jackson Free Press Awards

Recently, the Jackson Free Press announced its "Best of Jackson Awards" and many of my favorites won first place. Best Wok, the best place for Chinese food in Jackson, Fenians took just about every bar award and Toni and Dave picked up sexiest bartender and best bartender, respectively. I am very happy that fellow Jacksonians have recognized the best of the best around here, but of course, I have a bone to pick with the Jackson Free Press. Colonel Reb won "Best Mascot" and instantly, JFP gets on the defensive. Dr. S, the seldom heard from and pretty mundane "sports writer" and I say that with heavy quotes, attributed Colonel Reb's success at winning "Best Mascot" to the fact that either 1) Richard Barret, the locally known white supremacist and supporter of segregationist ideas must have hacked the voting or, 2) JFP readers have a "sick sense of humor." Could a third option be that Jackson has plenty of Ole Miss fans? Ole Miss and its fans have gone round and round about Colonel Reb with no decent results, save for just getting rid of Colonel Reb at games. Ole Miss still markets Colonel Reb on merchandise and fans still appreciate Colonel Reb representing the school. I have plenty of issues about what exactly Ole Miss wants to stand for, however I have to believe that the reason Colonel Reb was voted "Best Mascot" has nothing to do with 1) a racist 'hacking' the Jackson Free Press voting server, or 2) the Jackson Free Press readers just wanting to mess with the voting. The real reason Colonel Reb won is because Ole Miss fans love Ole Miss, come hell or highwater. The Jackson Free Press just needs to suck it up and realize that not every Ole Miss fan is a rabid racist by supporting Colonel Reb.