A Tribute To the Late Bob Kelley, Mid-South Concerts And The Memphis Rock Scene

There's a new Facebook group out there and I think it's great! I thank Scott Schaeffer for creating it. Scott and I have never met before in person but we share a lot of common ground and interests.

We have known each other for about 10 years now on FB. Mainly, we have the Mid-South Coliseum in common. Years ago, he started the “Save The Mid-South Coliseum” FB page and I started the “Fans of the Mid-South Coliseum” FB page. I think the biggest thing that we all have in common in this new group is that we loved the Memphis rock music scene from the 70’s and 80’s and its history. We were all part of this one big mammoth rock scene that spread its wings throughout five states thanks to Memphis radio stations such Rock 103, our flagship rock station at the time. We were entertained by some of the biggest rock bands in the world during those years ushered in by them late Bob Kelley and Mid-South Concerts.


Memphis had a reputation among rock musicians and bands that we were loud and raucous. And it was true! We were also known for the home of Elvis and the Blues. I think every rock band or musician who made a stop in Memphis was intrigued by that. However, I didn’t know Mr. Kelley personally or even knew that he existed, but I do remember my first Mid-South Concerts rock show experience. I saw the Doobie Brothers at the Mid-South Coliseum (MSC) in the summer of 1977 with Henry Gross opening for them.

I attended many concerts at the MSC, the Memphis auditorium, the Mid-South fairgrounds and even some Memphis music halls or bars during a five year span (1977-1982) of my life from age 15-20 years-old (18 years-old was the drinking age back then) mainly during my teenage formative years. My last concert at the MSC was Rush in fall of 1982 during freshman year at Ole Miss.

For many of us, between going to school, working odd jobs around the house to earn money (For me: doing electrical work for my brother, hauling hay for local farmers and working at Sonic in Hernando Miss.) or allowances from our parents, we somehow managed to purchase a Mid-South Concert ticket to head out to a rock show with our friends. There was nothing like the thrill of the anticipation of a Mid-South Concert rock show coming up. We marked our calendars and we could not wait! We had no iPhones, smart TV’s or internet like we have these days. Then after the show was over with, we proudly wore our concert t-shirts to school like a badge of honor the next day and our ears rang for the next three days! Lol.

For most of us those who attended high school or even college, we became cultured in campus life and activities and etc. And for those of us who were lucky enough to be a part of the Memphis rock scene back in those days and who attended Mid-South Concerts, we were cultured in ways that many people on earth will never get to experience. And we will never forgot it for the rest of our lives either whether still have our old ticket stubs, old concerts t-shirts or by watching Youtube video footage of old concerts clips, looking at pics from concerts or reading old newspaper clips about the shows. They were some of the best times of our young lives. It was all good friends, good vibes and lots of partying.


Mainly, we have our best memories. And our best memories live on in our minds, hearts and souls and this what this page is about. Thank you, the late Bob Kelley and Mid-South Concerts and to the Memphis rock scene that still lives on forever which still exists that takes many shapes and forms these days. And mainly, thank you, Scott, my good FB friend!

My Indoctrination To The Ole Miss (Oxford, Miss) Preppy Scene In The Early 80's

 
There's been a lot of controversy at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) lately over its history, culture, traditions and heritage at the famous Southern public college with a certain group on campus i.e. the progressive extreme leftist liberal socialists wanting to always do away with more of the school's symbols and representations of its controvrsial past.

Ole Miss is located about 80 miles south of Memphis and you could say it's basically in the heart of the Deep South. The university has been known as the Ole Miss Rebels for years but in the last 40 years or so, a lot of the school's symbols representing of who they are or they were have been slowly eroding away.
First, it was the Rebel flag in which the university quit allowing cheerleaders to wave during football games in the early 80's. Then the  Rebel flag was banned altogether and then years later they changed the mascot from Col. Reb to eventually a silly looking Landshark. Then the univeristy took away the Dixie song that the Ole Miss Pride of the South marching band used to play at all sporting events. Also, the progressive extreme liberal socialists on campus banned the Mississippi state flag because it has a smaller rebel flag inside of it and now the now they are trying to move a Confederate statue off campus.

Mainly, it's obviously that the university has been catering to the minority populations on campus for awhile now or so and now it appears the school has put the LGBTQ+  community in the forefront too. Also, the extreme leftist liberal socialist professors have been cramming their liberal garbage and poisonous knowledge down the throats of the students in their classes and it appears to be happening at colleges all across the country these days. But unfortunately, Ole Miss is caught in the crosshairs of its past, present and future where the progressive extreme liberal socialists on campus are trying to whitewash the university's Southern history, traditions and heritage. However, since I was student there in the early 80's five years from 1982-1987, I was indoctrinated in the Ole Miss fraternity and "Preppy" scene early on. Our preppy history and culture should be honored and preserved too. The way we dressed and acted back in those days on campus, downtown Oxford or even on Bourbon Street, was who we were. We were Ole Miss. Being preppy was so much of the Ole Miss culture back then. And now it’s our history and a big part of the traditions and heritage of Ole Miss whether the school recognizes it or not. Our university cannot deny this fact and this history should not be excluded or failed to be recognized by the school either. It is just as much a part of the university’s history as African American or LGBTQ+ culture in my opinion. The Ole Miss preppy culture should be recognized and remembered by the university. Or even honored perhaps.

I remember one of my first overnight visits to the Ole Miss campus when I was a junior in high school in 1980, two of my classmates from Hernando, Miss., where roommates together. They had invited me down to spend a weekend with them in their dorm room.  We went to go see the cult classic hit movie, "Caddyshack" at the old Ritz theater in downtown Oxford.  The theater was filled with a bunch of older Ole Miss frat boys wearing khaki pants and white and blue button down shirts with penny loafers on.  Practically, during every scene of the movie, the theater was filled with roaring laughter.  This was when in my mind, I had been indoctrinated in to the Ole Miss preppy scene and I was determined after I graduated from high school that I was going to attend Ole Miss.  Being a part of that scene was one reason that I wanted to attend Ole Miss.  But there were others reasons too of course. My Hernando classmates said that National Lampoon's "Animal House," another classic cut movie starring John Belushi had been a big hit at the Ritz too and in college towns across the America a year or two earlier.


I found this YouTube video (right) of an interview with Lisa Birnbach, the author of “The Official Preppy Handbook” who visited Ole Miss in the early 80’s and she had written about our awesome college in her book. I think a lot of us who attended Ole Miss in the 70’s and 80’s were preppies and most of us still are at heart.  And most of us remember hanging out at "The Warehouse," and "The Gin,"  a couple of local bars, on Friday afternoons and nights with our frat brothers or sorority sisters and fellow preppies with standing room only where the beer and mixed drinks seemed to flow like water. Those were the days.

Let's Keep Building Ole Miss Up Rather Than Tearing Her Down By Taking Away Her Traditions And Heritage

The Lyceum

   I knew Willie Morris, Barry Hannah, Dr. Porter Fortune, Ron Shapiro and The Hoka. I knew the Rebel flag, the Rebels, Frat Row, the Dixie Song and Kentucky bourbon in my Coke on a Saturday football fall afternoon. I knew the Spirit of Ole Miss as I graced her hallways in The Lyceum on an early Spring morning or as I sat in a classroom at Bondurant Hall on a long, hot summer day. I knew the beat of her heart when I walked the Grove on a beautiful fall afternoon.

    And I can still hear her calling my name as I am one of thousands of students who knew and loved her as she was. Thirty three years later, it’s not a matter of how much money I have given her through the years. But it’s a matter of how much she has given me. She prepared me for the world, my career and how to be a family man. She made me into a productive and responsible citizen in my community.

My late mother and I in 1986 at Ole Miss

   
She has given me so much more than I could have ever given her. So the question is, “Would we recognize her today? No, I don’t think so. Has her spirit, heart and soul been destroyed? Yes, I think so. The liberals and socialists have crawled all over her like poisonous and diseased insects. So let’s keep building her up rather than tearing her down. Let’s keep her traditions and heritage alive so she will continue to have a positive impact on all of her student’s lives for future generations as she done for mine today. May God Bless Ole Miss and Hotty Toddy! (Pic below: My late mother and I in 1986).

College Town At Christmas: The Highs and Lows of 2019

    I have to admit that I have been struggling a bit lately on what to write about for this year's annual Christmas blog.  So finally it dawned on me this morning that I should write about the highs and lows of 2019. In other words, the good, the bad and the ugly

    In some ways, 2019 has been a great year for me but a lot of hard work.  My tag team partner in crime (lol) who is my wife, Patty, is a full-time housewife and takes excellent care of our home. She does the cooking, cleaning, laundry and mainly takes care of our beloved and very protective almost four year-old Australian Shepherd male dog named, "Jude." She also likes to workout at the gym, go out to eat at local restaurants, go to movies, works crossword puzzles, play computer spelling games, Facebook and watches jeopardy.  And me?  Ah, I just work all the time. (lol).  I am in my prime working years and saving for my retirement. Like they say, "Make hay while the sun is shining, right?" And that's basically all I am doing currently in my life these days. But I do still like to write some (when I get a chance), go the the gym some, ride my bicycle some, do yard work and fool around on the computer (Youtube, Blogger and Facebook) and use my iPhone for social media apps besides for work purposes  So here my list for 2019, the highs and the lows. 

The Highs:

1.) We traveled to Pensacola Beach twice again this year and stayed at our favorite hotel, Margaritaville Pensacola Beach Hotel.  We have stayed there at least eight times in the last six or seven years and always enjoy our time and money spent there.  The love the Gulf of Mexico, the view, the beach and the seafood. The only problem is that we never get to stay long enough because of the type of work I do.

2.) We were able to see the Blue Angels practice this year at the Naval Air Station at Pensacola.  Wow, what an awesome and incredible display of American's finest military jet aircraft and some of the world's best display of highly skilled pilots flying those jet aircraft! Exciting and exhillarating!

3.) Bowling Green and Southcentral is very ripe with a large amount economic growth and we are a growing community.  Apartment complexes, stores, restaurants and factories are popping up everywhere in this town and our surrounding communities. There's plenty of work here for me and our company to do and for everyone else also.  I had another successful year in my job at work. It just takes for someone to put forth a conscious effort and work hard if you want to make a decent living for yourself and your family in this college town where Western Kentucky University is located. You have to keep pushing yourself and be dedicated and committed.

4.) We had some home improvements done to our house this year that I am very proud of.  My house is the same age as me (57 years-old) but they don't build them like this anymore. It's a solid brick home and it's in good shape in a fairly decent neighborhood in Bowling Green and we want to keep it that way.

The Lows:

1.) My brother-in-law passed away in Memphis in this fall.  He had been married to my sister for almost 50 years.  He was a very intelligent and good guy and I loved him very much as my brother-in-law and friend.  He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him. My wife and I attended his funeral mass at Church of Nativity in Bartlett, Tenn.

2.) My beloved alma mater of the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Miss., or affectionately known as just "Ole Miss" has had major struggles these past few years.  There's many alumni, students, friends and parents such as myself who are upset that the extreme liberal leftists professors and administrators are destroying the college's traditions and heritage such as wanting to move the Confederate statue off campus. They also got rid of the Col Reb. as the mascot and quit playing the Dixie song at football games. They got rid of the Rebel flag years ago. Mainly, the took one of my former professor's name off the journalism building as he was accused of being a racists because he supposedly posted some pictures on Facebook about some things going on the downtown square late at night.  He had given the university five million dollars for the journalism school.  Needless to say, after they removed his name from the building, he took the money back and gave it another non-profit organization in Mississippi.  I don't blame him one bit for that.  We also have a Facebook group called "Make Ole Miss Great Again." (MOMGA) where all over 6,000 of us comment and discuss all of the issues and are trying to take action to try to fight the extreme liberal leftist activities on campus that are effecting destroying our university as we used to know it.

3.) The impeachment process of President Trump. It's a bunch of liberal Democrat bullshit and lies in my opinion.  And that's all that I going to say about that.

4.) And finally as we all just saw on the world news yesterday, a second lieutenant in the Saudi Arabian military who was involved in flight training at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Fla., shot and killed three people and wounded eight others.  This is very sad too me since Patty and I had just visited the base this past summer to see the Blue Angels practice.  Everyone was super nice and friendly and we also went inside and visited the Military Aircraft Museum and watched the IMAX movie about aircraft carriers. Security personnel only asked for was to see our driver license ID in order to get on base, other entry points and the museum. The Blue Angels practice was free along with entering the museum.  However, we did have to pay a small fee to see the IMAX movie.  Most likely after this deadly shooting, there will probably some additional security measures added.  At least I would hope.  All in all, it's a very sad and Patty and I send out prayers to the victims and the wounded and to their family and friends as well as all military personnel, base personnel and law and safety enforcement personnel. 

    For me, 2019, was not a bad year in all.  Like I said there were some highs and lows.  Everybody has highs and lows in their lives.  As we get older, we have to learn to take the good along with the bad.  We learn to work and provide for ourselves and our families.  And as human beings, we learn survival instincts in the modern world of machinery, cars, planes, chemicals, natural disasters, disastrous weather, drugs, crime and just pure evil in the world.  However, no matter how good things can get in life, people still resent other people because of race or skin color, financial envy, refugees, foreigners, atheists, gay people, religious, hypocrites, lazy people, drug addiction, alcoholism,
mental illness and homeless people. But there is hope and a bright inner light in the world.  And his name is Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins.  I am believer and I attend Catholic mass regularly.  However, I view myself as no better than any one else.  Because I believe as a Catholic, we all go to the same table for communion to partake in the body and blood of Jesus Christ whether rich or poor or black or white.  It's does not matter what your background is as long you believe and become a full fledge Catholic in communion with the church. (Note: converts like me require RCIA classes).  I may not like everyone at our church but at least I can look everyone in the eyes and know the real reason we are there together under the same roof.

    So this is my Christmas blog for 2019 "College Town At Christmas" in Bowling Green, Ky. I hope you enjoyed it.  If not, I'm sorry. But regardless, I pray for those who are suffering because of lack of shelter, food, medical care and for those who are addicted to drugs or alcohol.  And I pray for the darkness in the world.  For those people who hate our government and our president and want to destroy him.  And for those who hate Ole Miss for what it used to be and how they want to change it to a liberal cess pool, taking away everything for what it used to stand for, our traditions and heritage.  God Bless America and Merry Christmas! And Hotty Totty!

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Never Underestimate The Power of MOMGA

Never underestimate the power of "MOMGA," or "Making Ole Miss Great Again" Whether you believe it or not, we are an incredibly strong voice in the process of rebuilding Ole Miss (The University of Mississippi in Oxford, Miss.) to the awesome university that it deserves to be in order to preserve its traditions and heritage. Currently, we are fighting a tough battle against the liberal, radical leftists one battle after another whether it be Col. Reb, the Confederate statue or the Dixie song among other things. And now we are fighting dearly for

Me in the Summer of 1986 in Oxford

our new Ole Miss Chancellor, Dr. Boyce. It almost reminds of me of the Civil War and the scars that Ole Miss endured during that era. Our journey into this war all began for us from out of nowhere last fall when the "Dr. Meek and the Ole Miss Journalism School debacle" exploded on social media which created a firestorm locally, statewide and nationally getting our attention and it brought

Me in Fall of 1986 at Ole Miss

thousands of us long lost alumni back together into the fold. So here's the thing. You and I are part of history. We all have made an impact on Ole Miss and the Ole Miss community already for the better in this Facebook group in order to get our university, our beloved alma matter of Ole Miss back on track. I feel we are setting an example for other alumni and other universities across the nation in order for them to win back their universities too from the liberal, radical leftist professors, administrators and students at their institutions of higher learning. Never give up the good fight. The war will be won by us against the liberal, radical leftist at Ole Miss who are trying to destroy our beloved university. Go Rebels and Hotty Toddy!

Note: If you are an Ole Miss alumni, friend, supporter, fan, student, staff, retired staff or even an administrator or professor, please join us the MOMGA movement on Facebook.  Please do a Facebook search in the search bar for "Make Ole Miss Great Again." And please join us and help us fight against the liberal, leftist radicals who are trying to destroy Ole Miss! We would love to have you on our side!

America's Bud Light Cult Following: Frat Parties In The 80's, 2019 Super Bowl Ads And No Corn Syrup

    When Bud Light first hit the market in 1982 in its early days of introduction to the world,  I remember a lot of frat parties in the 80's at Ole Miss in Oxford, Miss., where the new fantastic and great tasting light beer was being served to guzzling college students playing beer games using a keg, a pump and a black hose with that little handheld flexible tap.

     According to USA Today, Budweiser's Bud Light is the number one selling beer in America these days with about 33 million barrels shipped a year. It's not just for your average, run of the mill for the beer guzzling frat boy anymore.  Oh no, it's much, much bigger than that.

    Just about everywhere you go nowadays-grocery stores, convenient stores, liquors stores, restaurants, bars, small sporting events and at the one of the biggest events in the world such as the NFL's Super Bowl with millions and millions of viewers watching on television.  And TV ads for the big event costs a sponsor such as Bud Light,  millions and millions of dollars for a 30 second spot.

 Bud Light was one of the major sponsor for this years Super Bowl in February with some memorable ads stressing the fact that they use "No Corn Syrup" in order to make their beer where some of the major other light beers do such as  "Miller Lite," and "Coors Light." Wow, earth shattering news, right! Lol.

 Also, Bud Light, the industry giant and leader, is the first to promote their new policy of labeling Bud Light boxes with nutrition and ingredient labels as a leader of the pack that shoots them even further into the stratosphere of the beer world. The nutritional labels are hard to miss: they are bold, black and white, and big. They're the same type of labels you see in other food categories.

   Most of us who watched the Super Bowl between the New England Patriots and the LA Rams, probably thought the game was pretty much a bore.  I did somewhat but what I remember about it the most was the Bud Light commercials.  I think the ads worked on me because now I know the beer has no corn syrup in it!

Ole Miss Lives On Forever

Ole Miss is a place. It’s a place that lives on in our hearts and minds whether we are 18 years-old or 94 years-old. It does not matter if you live in Nantucket, Mass., or Bowling Green, Ky., some of us attended school there and some of us did not. Nevertheless, Ole Miss is the place that you see in your mind when you close your eyes and meditate upon her. When I shut my eyes, I can see myself standing in The Grove or The Circle looking at the front of The Lyceum at a moment’s notice. I can still hear the Ole Miss choir standing on the staircase of The Lyceum during my freshman year back in December of 1982 singing Christmas carols to the administration and staff on the last day of school before the holiday break or in Fulton Chapel singing the Ole Miss Mater Song during an Award ceremony in the early Spring. No, we could never be mad at Ole Miss for what she stands for and what she means to us. She lives on forever and our love for will never end.  No one can ever kill our love for her or take away our memories. We will all die one day but she will live on forever creating new memories in the hearts and minds of new students and people from other places from far away and in-between. Hotty Toddy!

College Town At Christmas, 2018: Looking Back At My 30 Years Of Living In Bowling Green, Ky.

    I remember years ago when I first moved to Kentucky in 1987, I used to get homesick for down South.  I missed my native city of Memphis, Tenn., and North Mississippi, the place where I spent my teenage years.  I used to miss my friends and family also.

    It's also where graduated from high school and went to college.  I was a Southern Boy and I am still am.  But things have changed tremendously back home.  To be honest, I can't keep up with it hardly anymore.  It's all becoming a blur now it seems.  Our memories do seem to slip as we get older they say.

   

Patty and I before a Christmas party in 1992

However, by fate, I met a lady through the Roman Catholic Church in Oxford, Miss., while I was college student at the time at the University of Mississippi, (Ole Miss) in the 80's. And then after we where married and our son was born, we eventually ended up in Bowling Green, Ky., home of Western Kentucky University.  WKU is where my wife went to college back in the 70's when she lived in her hometown of Russellville, Ky., which is 30 miles west of Bowling Green.  She said she had always loved Bowling Green and thought it would be a nice to live one day and to raise a family.  And indeed, Bowling Green or "BG" as it is affectionally known to us and its loyal citizens, has a been a great place for us to live, work and raise our son for these last 30 years.  Our son, Galen Jr. or "Tony" as he affectionally known to us and all of his family and friends, is a graduate of WKU and now lives and works in Nashville, which is 60 miles south of Bowling Green.

Our little family, 1988. Patty, Tony, Santa and me.

During this Christmas season, I have been reflecting a lot on my life and my life of living in Bowling Green all these years.  No, I have not made a big impact on the city by running for political office and serving as a leader making important decisions that ultimately effect its citizens or businesses in one form or fashion.  Nor have I been a major player in the Bowling Green business community making tons of money by managing a factory, a store or being a private business owner along with being a member of the local chamber of commerce.  Nor I have I been a professional such as a doctor, lawyer, a counselor and priest or a pastor by having a direct impact on its citizens and families on a personal level.  However, I have been a productive citizen, a homeowner and a taxpayer and staying out of trouble for the most part all these last 30 years of living here.  Yeah, I have ruffled a few feathers here and there regarding some of my strong letters to the editor in our local newspaper or stating my assertive opinions on the local morning AM talk radio program in the past.  But for the most part, I've had a good run in Bowling Green and I hope to have another 30 years! Being a writer, an observer of life and a sales and service professional all these years, I have met many fine people in this city and from the surrounding towns and counties alike.  Like everywhere else in the world, there's a story on every corner in Bowling Green and Southcentral Kentucky. I have found this to be extremely true.  And I don't have to look very far either.  There's a lot of interesting people who live here. I have always been like a sponge through the years, absorbing everything I can about its people, its places and its culture.  It's only natural for me to be curious and to ask questions regarding people and their lives. And it's also the way that I was trained in journalism school while I was at Ole Miss.  Basically,  to ask questions and write stories along with taking pictures. ( I like making short videos these days too).

Me, Jude, our Australian Shepherd, and Patty with Santa in 2016

    So as I reflect back on my past Christmases of living here, BG has been very good to me and my little family.  For the most part, it is a safe place to live because we have an excellent police force as well as a great county sheriff's department and a wonderful Kentucky State Police force.  Also, the WKU police force is great too. Although, we are not natives to this town, BG has been accepting of us and thousands of others who come from all over the United States and from around the world.  We have a large Bosnian community and a growing Burmese and Congo African community too.  And like most places in the South, we have a large Hispanic community too.  WKU brings in students from all over Kentucky, the South, and other parts of the US.  And the university has its fair share of international students too.  So I feel very fortunate and blessed to live in Bowling Green.  God has been good to me all these years and I have received many special blessings by living here.  We have a wonderful church which is Holy Spirit Catholic Church and I have fairly good health, a good job, a good home, a good neighborhood and most importantly, a wonderful wife and son.  So if you live in Bowling Green, be thankful this Christmas season and for what this city does for us, its citizens.  We have good streets and roads and excellent schools.  We also have a good medical community too. 

      Mainly, we are a very blessed community especially during Christmastime.  Go outside and feel the Christmas spirit in the air.  And drive downtown, and see the Christmas lights on the square or eat at one our many fine restaurants.  Eat, drink and be merry! Be cheerful and jolly also! (But don't drink and drive. Get a Uber. Or the BGPD will get you!)  Yes, we are very blessed this Christmas season in Bowling Green and I thank God for that.  Merry Christmas and God Bless!

  

I Remember Fox News Anchor Shepard Smith Well While At Ole Miss In The Early 80's

    I recently read a wire article by The Washington Post that was published last month in our local newspaper (Bowling Green Daily, Ky., News). The article was about Fox News anchor Shepard Smith, 54, and his long career in television although he is openly gay on a network that espouses Christian conservative values.  After all these years, I'm still intrigued that I know Shep personally and about his humongous success at a major television network that is watched throughout the world.  Although, I am not a fan of Shep's, nonetheless I am happy for him and his success in broadcast journalism.

A frat pic of Shep in the 1983 Ole Miss annual

     I think most of us who he knew Shep while attending the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) in Oxford, Miss., in the early 80's are proud of his major success in the big city of New York along with his incredible world-wide fame and his long career in broadcast journalism with a reported net worth of $20 million and making a $10 million a year.  I sent him a long e-mail once probably in the late 90's congratulated him on his new position and some other things and all he was wrote back was two words-"Hotty Toddy!" Lol.

     Smith joined the network in 1996 when it was founded and just came out of the closet of being gay several years ago.  I think a lot of people suspected it a long time ago. I had no idea he was gay while in college.  I figure it's his life, let him do what he wants to do.  It's his choice of lifestyle. Also, he was even married a while to a woman after he left Ole Miss when he began working in his broadcast career in Florida and California and then eventually landed at Fox in NYC.  He has no children though. I remember Shep who was from Holly Springs, Miss., as always friendly and smiled. He always spoke to me when we crossed each other's paths on campus or while we were in journalism classes together at Farley Hall.  He always wore an Izod golf shirt with the alligator emblem on it, blue jeans and Nike tennis shoes.  He was a tall, skinny young fellow then with dark brown hair and thick eyebrows.  We went through orientation together and went to some of those initial frat parties geared towards the incoming freshmen during those three hot and muggy days in the Summer of 1982 in the "Mississippi Deep South."  I was amazed how Shep knew my name even before I officially introduced myself to him.  He acted like he had known me my whole life.

Our freshmen pics in the 1983 Ole Miss annual (Shep on far left and me on far right)

Sigma Pi Frat at Ole Miss, Homecoming, Fall of 1982 (me holding the beer can)

     I also took a broadcast journalism class under his late mentor and professor at Ole Miss, Dr. Jim Pratt.  And I was Dr. Pratt's work-study student in the Summer of 1983. Dr. Pratt didn't feel he needed a work-study student
and I don't think he was too happy with me that summer either. Regardless, I made it through that rough period with him and I was given a certificated for being a "Tel-Ole-Miss Pioneer" when the summer terms were over with.  I helped out and worked at Ole Miss' first journalism television studio which was brand new then.  I saw Shep in action one time after anchored the college news program.  He had blue jeans on with a shirt, tie and a blue blazer coat on. He was upset about something because the broadcast did not go quite the way he wanted it to and he slung his tie and coat off after it was over with.  Apparently, he took his broadcast journalism very seriously even back then and had a bit of a temper too.

My freshman year frat pic, Fall 1982, Sigma Pi

      We had both joined fraternities (we were not in the same fraternity) and even dated the same sorority girl once momentarily also.  I was jealous of him and I couldn't believe she had a date with him earlier in the evening prior to her date with me later on during Homecoming night. However, nothing came of it and it wouldn't have mattered anyway as we all know now.

Ole Miss Needs To Get In Front Of The Eight Ball And Extinguish The Public Relations Disaster And Media Fires Over Former Football Coach Hugh Freeze Abrupt Resignation

   

We're all worthwhile fallible human beings. Although, I have been living away from Mississippi for 30 years now, I try to keep up with my Mississippi friends and my Alma Mater at Ole Miss mainly on social media these days. I am still a fan of Ole Miss football somewhat and I try to keep up with the program through the media and watch the games on television while living in Kentucky for all these years. I depend on the media to tell me what's happening with the program whether it be television, radio or social media. Being a former journalist and currently a blogger, I try to see the issues in an unbiased and objective fashion. It's what I learned in journalism school at Ole Miss in the early 80's. However, because I have to depend on the media these days to get my information of what's happening, a lot of times I will get the biased opinions. I feel sorry for

Coach Freeze and his family as well as the Ole Miss community, alumni and the major Ole Miss football donors and supporters. But obviously this is a major, big, world-wide news story and it's not going away anytime soon. Yes, the Christian element is there and a lot of people are bashing him over it including other Christians. But the university has to deal with this public relations disaster, get in front of it and try to get it under control so it will die down. Also Coach Freeze will have too somehow also. He will have to face the media again eventually. Whether the whole truth comes out of what's been going on for sure, I don't know. You have good journalists and bad journalist out there. By the time this thing is over with, I don't think it's going to be pretty either way. We all need to keep praying for Coach Freeze and his family. And also for the Ole Miss and its football program including team, coaches and players.

Until Hell Freezes Over, Hugh Freeze Will Likely Never Be Ole Miss' Football Coach Again

 I've been listening to the Sirius Radio College Sports Nation Channel 84 while working in the truck all day today. I've been hearing lots of ins and outs and insight from different radio hosts and callers regarding the big college sports news story about Ole Miss Football Coach Hugh Freeze's abrupt resignation last night. His character has come into question and now all of his years of coaching at Ole Miss are in question too by the university and the public. This mammoth news story has gone viral and world-wide.
At first when I heard the news last night that he has resigned from his position of head football coach at Ole Miss, I thought maybe Coach

Freeze was calling escort services and massage parlors for his players or new recruits. Now, I'm starting to believe Coach Freeze might have sex addiction issues. Since he makes five million dollars a year as a head coach, I'm sure he could afford to easily feed his sex addiction with those types of services. Money was not an issue apparently. By all means according to media accounts including his own Twitter account, Coach Freeze appeared to be a good Christian man, a good husband and a good father. However, I hate to see a man of his stature fall from a grace in such a public way. With all this happening with Coach Freeze and Ole Miss currently in the midst of a media firestorm and a shark news feeding frenzy, now I am thinking "Was it worth all this negative attention and bad publicity for Ole Miss to have a Sugar Bowl victory and two wins against Alabama under Coach Freeze?" Hindsight is 20/20 and only time will tell.  But from what I am hearing today on the satellite radio channel, it appears it's not going to take very long for us to find out.

About The New Willie Morris Biography: "Willie: The Life of Willie Morris By Teresa Nicholas"

"I received from Amazon, the new biography of Willie Morris, the late Mississippi author and our former writer-in-residence at Ole Miss while I was in college there from 82-87. I am looking forward to reading it and I'll probably write a review for my blog regarding the book. I realize after being away from Ole Miss (even though I have returned many times for visits) and Oxford, Miss., for almost 30 years now that I was just simply a fan like a lot of admirers were back then. And sometimes fans go out of their way to do unusual things to try to obtain the admiration of their favorite celebrity, author, sports figure or musicians. Some are not so gracious but Willie was gracious and personable. He remembered your name and treated you like a friend."-Galen A. Smith Sr.

Chancellor Dr. Dan Jones Is The Best Man For The Job At Ole Miss

"I have been thinking about the firing of Chancellor Dan Jones at Ole Miss recently. Yes, none of us probably like the new Black Bear mascot that replaced Colonel Reb or whatever Dr. Jones else has done to remove symbols of the old South or the ugly past of stale old racism at the university. However, for those who spent four or five years of our young lives at the university that helped mold us on who we are today to live in this modern high-tech and volatile world, I think deep down inside, we want what's best for Ole Miss and we want to see her keep moving forward to continue to be a world-class institution of higher learning no matter what a person's skin color, religion or sexual orientation is. So with that being said, it appears to me that Dr. Jones is the best man for the job from his past performance."-Galen A Smith Sr

The Devil Made Him Do It? Pastor Exposes Himself To 15 year-old Girl

     This recent particular Bowling Green (Ky) Daily News police story posted below reminds me of the time when I was a senior at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) in Oxford, Miss., in the Spring of 1987 and I was working at the JD Williams Library as a student worker in the Acquisitions Department for a locally known gay man. But I wasn't gay, I was married and I still am heterosexual and married after 28 years. However, I was getting ready to walk out of the lobby of the building to go to lunch when a female student comes running down the stairs of "The Stacks" (upper level floors with shelves and shelves of books) as it was known, screaming bloody murder.  As it turns out, the sexual pervert was an older man from a surrounding town, who exposed himself to the student on the 4th level.  He ran downstairs and then ran out the front door as fast as he could.  I commence to chase him out onto the front lawn and down through the business school and on out in front of Kincannon Hall, about a 1/4 mile away.  During the chase, several other Ole Miss male students started chasing him also.  Finally, the man stopped because he realized he was out numbered.  Soon after, the UPD, (University Police Department) showed up and placed him under arrest.  The next day, I was quoted in our student newspaper, (The Daily Mississippian) about the incident.

JD Williams Library

     But the recent exposing incident that happened in Russellville, Ky., a small town, 30 miles of west of  Bowling Green, strikes me as being odd for a couple of different reasons.  For one thing, he was a pastor for God's sake! Don't tell me, the Devil made him do it, right?  Also, didn't he realize that the department store had cameras everywhere?  And the pastor had his seven year-old son with him that day. What a dumb ass!  But he was mainly a dumb ass for what he did in the first place.  This guy needs to get on his knees and repent while begging for forgiveness.  Then he needs to seek some serious counseling for his sick perversion.  If you're going to be a pastor in the public eye even if it is in a small town, you better walk the walk right especially if you're going to talk the talk.

Pastor charged with indecent exposure

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Posted: Thursday, February 27, 2014 10:42 am

By the Daily News | 0 comments

Russellville, Ky.

A Russellville pastor is charged with indecent exposure after a woman reported that a man exposed himself to her juvenile daughter while the two were shopping in Burke’s Outlet on Feb. 13.

The girl told police that the man had a small child with him and possibly left the area in a van, according to a release from Russellville police.

Pastor Kevin Lohse

Police obtained video surveillance from the store and posted a still image from the video to the department’s Facebook page. The photos quickly resulted in more than 600 shares and led to the accused perpetrator turning himself in to police, according to the release.

Kevin Lohse, acting pastor at Woodlawn Baptist Church, admitted to investigators that he was the man in the video and that he had his 7-year-old son with him that day.

Lohse can be seen on the video manipulating his zipper to expose himself to the juvenile, who was shopping in the juniors’ section of the store, according to the release.

Police charged Lohse on Wednesday with indecent exposure. He was in the Logan County Detention Center and posted a $2,500 bond.

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Posted in Police news on Thursday, February 27, 2014 10:42 am.

I Remember North Mississippi's Wall Doxey State Park Quite Fondly

     I remember growing up in Memphis, Tenn., in the 1960's and 1970's and how my father used to take my brothers and me camping at Wall Doxey State Park just outside of Holly Springs, Miss., on Highway 7 heading towards Oxford, Miss.  Usually, it would be a short weekend trip and he would pull our camping trailer to the park and we would always have the best time that I remember.  We would fish, swim and even rent the paddle boats they used to offer. I have very fond memories of my weekend there as a kid.

   The park is named after Wall Doxey, a former U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from Mississippi. With camping areas, rental cabins, walking trails, a large playground, and camp pavilions, the area offers a welcome opportunity to the weekend camper. A narrow levee surrounds a third of the spring-fed lake which, in its shallows, has cypresses and dense vegetation.  I have been meaning to stop by there for years on my home from Oxford after visiting some friends during our ever so often trips down South from Bowling Green.  Finally, this past weekend we did we did stop and I'm glad I did.  I probably haven't been there since my days as a college student at Ole Miss in the early 80's.  I remember we even had one of our Spring fraternity formals there.  Or at least, I remember some of it. I also remember that I once drove out to Wall Doxey to get away from campus on a beautiful Spring day. I was inspired to write a poem about the park while sitting at a picnic table. I still have a copy of it.

  The park is beautiful as ever.  However, I was a little sad to see that they do not allow swimming anymore and the snack bar/concessions areas are closed.  The man at the guard shack claims that they quit allowing swimming because of insurance purposes.  I asked him if some people had drown recently or something like that.  But he just said "No, it because of insurance purposes."   It was nice to pay Wall Doxey a visit again.  But again, I was left with a little uneasy, haunting feeling about the place that perhaps some people have drowned in the lake recently is the reason that quit allowing swimming.  I suppose it's just my gut, intuition feeling.  I can't help it. Maybe I'm wrong.