OXFORD – The unstated reality about spring soccer scrimmages is that they’re normally fairly boring. Ole Miss is making an attempt to alter that.
Spring video games like Ole Miss’ Grove Bowl on Saturday at 4 p.m. aren’t essentially dangerous. Solely the true cynics would argue that having an excuse to observe faculty soccer in April is a nasty factor. It is much less that Spring Video games are dangerous than that they act as a weird funhouse mirrored model of school soccer, with the stakes eliminated and the start virtually at all times extra participating than the tip.
These are glorified practices in any case. Followers do not actually have a cause to decide on the purple crew over the blue crew except they’ve a cherished one on the sphere. It is onerous to determine whether or not to cheer or get indignant after an enormous landing or gross sales. It is cool to get a preview of what your crew would possibly appear like this fall, however the packages are normally so milquetoast within the spring video games that coaches would possibly as properly use Madden NFL 2001 sport books.
Nevertheless, that is not the ambiance Ole Miss and coach Lane Kiffin are selling.
Kiffin, his employees and a few of his gamers are promising a “Social gathering In The ‘Sip” this weekend. Not a superb crowd. A celebration.
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Kiffin tweeted that he had some “loopy issues deliberate”. Included within the group? Kiffin will kick out the primary discipline of the Ole Miss baseball sport, which is scheduled to begin on Saturday lunchtime. Then he’ll host his personal coach’s softball sport at 3:40 a.m. at Vaught Hemingway Stadium. The primary 1,000 college students attending will obtain a free t-shirt and college students are invited to register for a discipline purpose kicking competitors. There was proof of a dunk tank, however particulars are sparse.
Ole Miss even posted a video on Wednesday of gamers turning the crew’s assembly room right into a literal dance membership with bouncers and flashing lights.
“I feel our social media folks made it look like I knew or that it was my concept,” Kiffin mentioned on Tuesday. “I am going to in all probability discover out higher. If it seems to be the largest celebration, I would in all probability higher discover out what to do about it.”
If Ole Miss is trying to flip the Grove Bowl into a celebration, he is doing the proper factor by specializing in the fan expertise. Spring Video games must focus much less on the scrimmage itself and extra on the spectacle.
In a manner, Spring Video games are what faculty soccer groups are the closest to having occasions like NBA and MLB All-Star Video games. Followers aren’t within the outcomes of those video games; they tune in to the looseness. Put together for slam dunk competitions and residential run derbies and have the possibility to see superstars having enjoyable whereas performing like youngsters as an alternative of getting misplaced within the seriousness and severity of the competitors.
That is why issues like dunk tanks and coaches softball video games are an enormous step ahead. However why no more? Why not do the Ole Miss Expertise Problem Friday evening?
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Tackle the offensive in opposition to the protection in relay races and punt-pass-kick competitions. Discover out which linemen are finest at catching punts. Take a web page from the NFL’s Professional Bowl playbook and arrange a dodgeball sport. Or make it a water balloon struggle. Or a excessive stakes sport with freeze tag. Actually do every thing you’ll be able to to make sure that the gamers have enjoyable and that the followers get an opportunity to see it.
Maintain a draft on the finish of Friday evening. Convey again two legends of Ole Miss and have them draw the groups for Saturday’s sport. Stream and host it dwell in Vaught-Hemingway or on the pitch.
Go even additional with the Saturday Fan Expertise. There is not any cause why Kiffin should not be miced all through the sport. No less than he ought to have a megaphone. At most he ought to do a continuing shade remark of the scrimmage like a marriage DJ. Coordinators normally run Spring Video games anyway. Why not make Kiffin grasp of ceremonies?
From there, do what you’ll be able to to get the followers concerned. Perhaps allow them to use their telephones to vote on sport calls. Perhaps you allow them to make choices about fourth descent. Maybe you give them prop bets equivalent to which gamers will win probably the most yards or take advantage of tackles, and who will flip in probably the most right bingo card will win prizes.
There is not any cause groups cannot flip Spring Video games into Spring Carnival. Make the soccer sport the principle occasion, however give followers extra cause to take a weekend journey to Oxford than simply the possibility to observe second string assault coaching versus second string protection.
Kiffin and Firm promise a celebration. There is not any cause why Oxford of all locations cannot ship.
Contact Nick Suss at 601-408-2674 or [email protected]. Observe @nicksuss on Twitter.