Ole Miss took part in the NCAA tournament a week ago in a momentary turmoil at the Ole Miss Dugout Club.
When the rebels saw their names flash on ESPN TV as the third seed in the Coral Gables area, they shouted, hugged, and their cell phones exploded in text, turning anxiety into an opportunity. Opponents and Brackets, the last large teams on the field, simply followed the chance to continue playing baseball.
But as the turmoil subsided, the actual company of the rebel forces launched a sort of ghost of Mike Bianco’s past.
Olemis ran through South Florida, undefeated, surpassing second-seeded Arizona 22-6, winning the Coral Gables Regional, and advancing to the best of the three Super Regionals at the 11th National Seed Southern Miss. Winner to advance to the College World Series.
The biggest hurdles to Bianco’s complex and complete coaching resume are ahead, but many ointments have been applied to other parts over the past few days.
If Oremis did not participate in the NCAA tournament, Bianco’s job was at best at extreme risk, grouping roads in the region, including Miami and Arizona.
The rebels were 0-7 by advancing from the roads of Bianco’s 17 postseason and 22 overall season regions before the explosion of this catharsis in the Wildcats. His team must take the chance of stability and break through that series of defeats to continue the wonderful story of adversity with the team that was No. 1 in the nation in early March and No. 7-14 in the SEC at the end of April. I had to. Ruin the 6th National Seed Hurricane Party, a show in the most dominant region of the country.
Ole Miss won only one winner’s bracket on a regional road when he lost to Horned Frogs twice in a row against TCU in 2012, but now it’s twice and there is a regional title associated with it. ..
Both Arizona and Miami symbolized post-season defeats from the past. Wildcats eliminated Olemis in three games at the Tucson Super Regional a year ago, and Miami won two consecutive wins at the 2006 Oxford Super Regional to end the rebel season. The most relevant stats for the College World Series and those who want to change from Bianco.
Miami also knocked off Olemis in the 2008 Coral Gables Regional Final, closing off the rebel team that was second in the early season and stepping into the postseason as the third seed in Miami.
Symmetry. A perfect circle in a sense.
Now the road leads to the Hattiesburg and Swing series on this redemption tour. Did Bianco do enough to get off the hot seat? I don’t have the answer, but Bath in the second College World Series erases the conversation and embarks on the normality of a healthy program in all respects except the usual Omaha travel plans.
And, of course, given this vehicle on which the rebels are riding, it’s Southern Mississippi. Defeated LSU, knocked off what was another devil’s set, and set up a match for all Mississippi of two teams that normally play twice, meet at Oxford Regional a year ago each year, than players. Compete for perception.
The Golden Eagles are talented and tenacious, winning three straight wins at LSU, including two at LSU, to meet Olemis. Pet Taylor Park is a twice-yearly hostile environment for the rebels, and this weekend will be an unfiltered bedlam.
The Rebels are one of the best comeback stories in the country, with aggressive stars, a core group of first-year weapons, established intimacy, and hay toss on local roads and wins in various ways. I found a recipe that I was confident about doing.
Ole Miss has come a long way, but hurdles within the state determine the level of success. It’s already important, but if the rebels aren’t the dogs piled up on the Pine Belt in a few days, emptiness is involved.
The last ghost. It is a golden eagle.
