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OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — After all that, it’s a bear. It has been more than a decade since the University of Mississippi began stripping away its images of the Old South. Confederate battle flags — the “Stars and Bars” — were first to go. Next was mascot “Colonel Reb,” the goateed Southern planter who cheered on the Rebels from the sidelines since 1979. After seven years and plenty of bickering, his successor was named Thursday: “Rebel Black Bear” won 62 percent of the vote in a final poll of students and will become the new face of the school’s athletic programs. Tradition dies hard in Oxford, where tens of thousands of fans turn out in ties and sundresses on fall Saturdays for elaborate tailgate parties in “The Grove” before football games. An unofficial motto is: “We may lose a game, but we never lose a party.” Picking a replacement became a matter of statewide import and the subject of online pranks, like the suggestion of a “rebel” from the Star Wars movies: Admiral Ackbar. In the end, the smiling black bear won out, defeating two other nominations: the “Rebel Land Shark,” based on the “fins up” hand motion started by late Rebel football player Tony Fein; and the “Hotty Toddy,” a gray creature that aimed to personify a school cheer. “I know there was a lot of people emotionally invested in Colonel Reb and everybody might not completely agree with the bear, but I think everyone can be proud of how our students went about the process,” said Sparky Reardon, the university’s dean of students. Margaret Ann Porter, a co-chairman of the student mascot selection committee, said the bear was recommended because it had a Mississippi connection, would appeal to children and would be unique to the Southeastern Conference. Ty New, the other committee chairman, said everyone in the university’s community — including faculty, students, alumni and season ticketholders — had a say.And the winner is the ole miss rebel black bear - China Rfid Smart Cards - China Rfid Smart Tags We are high quality suppliers, our products such as China Rfid Smart Cards , China Rfid Smart Tags for oversee buyer. To know more, please visits Clamshell Card.
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