Mississippi State won’t be able to host first two rounds of tournament

[lebronfan23]

NCAA extends policy against Confederate flag use

The NCAA will continue to prohibit championship events from being held in states where the Confederate flag is flown after it expanded its rules addressing the issue.

www.espn.com

 

[hoopsfan22]

Does this policy also mean that if Mississippi State is one of the 16 first round sites in the NCAA tourney they would not be allowed to host?

 

[TC22]

That’s the way I read it.

 

[MSSportsGuy]

I have not lived in Mississippi for many years but will provide some background and context for this without hopefully breaking rules about politics on the board.

In 2001 there was a referendum put before the voters to change the official state flag from it's then and still current image with another one. The voters wanted to keep the current flag by about 65% give or take. The NCAA made the decision the state couldn't host any predetermined events for championships but could continue to host if it was earned based on in season performance, such as hosting the first two rounds of the women's tournament but more importantly to most hosting baseball regionals. Given how everyone knew no place in Mississippi was ever going to host the opening rounds of the men's tournament or a college football national championship it was basically a non issue.

The desire for some to change the state flag never went away and the effort was gaining some momentum even before the current events in America. Now the NCAA is saying no championship events can take place in the state regardless of team performance until the flag is changed.

Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Southern Miss have all had very successful baseball programs and have hosted multiple regional championships over the years, Mississippi State having hosted multiple times due to their history and success. The women's team has hosted the open rounds a few times now and was in line to host again this year. Additionally, the tennis program at Mississippi State has hosted opening round matches before as their men's team has been pretty successful for the past few years. If the current flag remains in place then none of these events will take place there again based on the most recent decision by the NCAA.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

[]

Good for the NCAA to finally make this an issue.

 

[borninansonia]

African-Americans can easily force the issue of changing the flag. All they need do is not play for the Mississippi schools. The Mississippi teams will fall to the bottom of the SEC, probably won't even beat non-power 5 teams. The people of MS will quickly change the flag. [ ]

 

[01Neaggrad02]

I this the only school/state impacted?

 

[DEpup]

Does this policy also mean that if Mississippi State is one of the 16 first round sites in the NCAA tourney they would not be allowed to host?

Yes.

 

[DEpup]

I this the only school/state impacted?

This would be the only state because every other state has removed the confederate design from their state flag. South Carolina was the last state to remove the symbol after the 2015 mass shooting.

 

[Steelerone]

I have not lived in Mississippi for many years but will provide some background and context for this without hopefully breaking rules about politics on the board.

In 2001 there was a referendum put before the voters to change the official state flag from it's then and still current image with another one. The voters wanted to keep the current flag by about 65% give or take. The NCAA made the decision the state couldn't host any predetermined events for championships but could continue to host if it was earned based on in season performance, such as hosting the first two rounds of the women's tournament but more importantly to most hosting baseball regionals. Given how everyone knew no place in Mississippi was ever going to host the opening rounds of the men's tournament or a college football national championship it was basically a non issue.

The desire for some to change the state flag never went away and the effort was gaining some momentum even before the current events in America. Now the NCAA is saying no championship events can take place in the state regardless of team performance until the flag is changed.

Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Southern Miss have all had very successful baseball programs and have hosted multiple regional championships over the years, Mississippi State having hosted multiple times due to their history and success. The women's team has hosted the open rounds a few times now and was in line to host again this year. Additionally, the tennis program at Mississippi State has hosted opening round matches before as their men's team has been pretty successful for the past few years. If the current flag remains in place then none of these events will take place there again based on the most recent decision by the NCAA.

Thank you for that infor MsSportsGuy. I didn't grown up in Mississippi but my roots (Grandparents) are there and as a young man I was a fan of Johnny Vaught and the Mississippi football team. At that time they could not play out of the Southern area of the country because of segregation so, unfortunately, they never really got a chance to prove how good they were. Sorry that some things remain the same.

 

[kibblesnbits]

This would be the only state because every other state has removed the confederate design from their state flag. South Carolina was the last state to remove the symbol after the 2015 mass shooting.

Sort of true. They've stopped using the Confederate battle flag, but Georgia's state flag is the first flag of the Confederacy, the stars and bars, with a crest added. Other southern flags are modeled after or include elements of less well known Confederate flags (e.g. battle flags of particular units from that state). It's easy for the NCAA and SEC (which also implemented a ban on championship events) to go after Mississippi because the money-makers, men's basketball and football, were never going to be held in Jackson, but neither one would even think about giving up Atlanta and Mercedes Benz Stadium's $$$ for an act of principle. Their moral standards are most definitely for sale.

 

[DEpup]

Sort of true. They've stopped using the Confederate battle flag, but Georgia's state flag is the first flag of the Confederacy, the stars and bars, with a crest added. Other southern flags are modeled after or include elements of less well known Confederate flags (e.g. battle flags of particular units from that state). It's easy for the NCAA and SEC (which also implemented a ban on championship events) to go after Mississippi because the money-makers, men's basketball and football, were never going to be held in Jackson, but neither one would even think about giving up Atlanta and Mercedes Benz Stadium's $$$ for an act of principle. Their moral standards are most definitely for sale.

So true. Georgia should also come under the rule too....

 

[visitingcock]

This would be the only state because every other state has removed the confederate design from their state flag. South Carolina was the last state to remove the symbol after the 2015 mass shooting.

Not exactly accurate as written, but I acknowledge the underlying truth. The stars and bars had never been a part of SC's State flag. In 2015, there was one Stars & Bars flag permitted on state property. That flag was located at the State Capitol building - which (perhaps interestingly) is the only state capitol that also has visible damage left by Union artillery.

I do not think the stars and bars ever flew over the state capitol until the 1950s/1960s as a response to pressures on the state to repeal Jim Crowe and segregation. Personally, I always thought it should have been placed on a portion of the capitol grounds along with a statue of MLK with a "we shall overcome" inscription.

You may not have meant to imply that it was a part of the state flag, just that it was a symbol tolerated/espoused by the state. My point (if I have one in this ramble) is that it, like most Southern State flags incorporating the battle flag, was not a historical symbol of the Civil War - it was a symbol of anti-civil rights. Hate not Heritage. By contrast, the Mississippi state flag was adopted in 1894

FWIW

If the state symbol insults a significant portion of the state's citizens, get rid of it. There goes NCAA baseball tourneys if not.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

This would be the only state because every other state has removed the confederate design from their state flag. South Carolina was the last state to remove the symbol after the 2015 mass shooting.

well the Georgia flag is quite literally the national flag of the confederacy with the Georgia seal in a corner and several other states have confederate themes, but Mississippi is the last to explicitly incorporate the battle flag.

I feel sorry for everyone in Mississippi who would love for the flag to come down. I know that the Univ of South Carolina and its coaches were for many years explicit about desiring an end to the confederate battle flag display that it in no way controlled, but sometimes you have to wait for people to die or fall out of influence to get things done.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Not exactly accurate as written, but I acknowledge the underlying truth. The stars and bars had never been a part of SC's State flag. In 2015, there was one Stars & Bars flag permitted on state property. That flag was located at the State Capitol building - which (perhaps interestingly) is the only state capitol that also has visible damage left by Union artillery.

I do not think the stars and bars ever flew over the state capitol until the 1950s/1960s as a response to pressures on the state to repeal Jim Crowe and segregation. Personally, I always thought it should have been placed on a portion of the capitol grounds along with a statue of MLK with a "we shall overcome" inscription.

You may not have meant to imply that it was a part of the state flag, just that it was a symbol tolerated/espoused by the state. My point (if I have one in this ramble) is that it, like most Southern State flags incorporating the battle flag, was not a historical symbol of the Civil War - it was a symbol of anti-civil rights. Hate not Heritage. By contrast, the Mississippi state flag was adopted in 1894

FWIW

If the state symbol insults a significant portion of the state's citizens, get rid of it. There goes NCAA baseball tourneys if not.

Pedantic, but :

confederate national flag (Stars and Bars)

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Army of Northern Virginia (Confederate battle flag):

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Georgia State Flag: