The Past
Circa 2017.
It was Thanksgiving night in Starkhell and D.K. Metcalf just scored on a 63-yard pass from Jordan Ta’amu to put the Rebels up 23-6. As impressive as the catch and score was, it would be greatly overshadowed by the moment that followed.
After scoring and dropping the ball in the end zone, Metcalf broke down to a crawl on his hands and knees and proceeded to mimic a dog urinating just outside the back of the end zone.
The Rebels were subsequently rewarded with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty but would go on to win the game 31-28.
Little did everyone know just how significant that act of stupidity would come to be.
The Past Repeats Itself
Fast-forward to 2019.
Ole Miss would pitter-patter its way through an Egg Bowl that saw neither team establish any type of dominance over the other. Despite a serious lack of offensive production, the Rebels trailed by only a single score late in the fourth quarter.
In a last minute substitution at quarterback, Matt Corral would come off the bench to drive Ole Miss the length of the field. A touchdown pass to Elijah Moore with four seconds remaining put Ole Miss within a point-after attempt of tying the score and sending it to overtime.
Cue act of stupidity, Part Two.
Predictably, the second act of stupidity would also result in a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. This time, however, the Rebels didn’t have a three-score lead to fall back on. The penalty would transform a game-tying point-after attempt into a 35-yard field goal try.
You know the rest.
The Sound and the Fury
In the immediate aftermath of Moore’s stunt, an explosion of choice words were vehemently bestowed upon thousands of television sets across the state. Ole Miss fans at the game could be seen covering their faces and shaking their heads in disappointment. Many simply gathered their things and left, disgusted with what they had just witnessed from those charged with representing their beloved alma mater.
One of the Ole Miss coaching staff muttered into his headset, “we all just got fired.” Prophetic words, to be sure.
After the missed extra-point, it got much worse.
Davis-Wade stadium was bedlam. A Mississippi State victory over their most hated rival was exciting enough, but watching Ole Miss snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory like they did was better than kissing your sister.
State fans quickly dubbed the embarrassment, “The Piss and the Miss.” – Surely a phrase that Rebel fans will hear more than a handful of times over the next 50 years or so.
On the Ole Miss side, fans were enraged. A flurry of F-bombs, mother-f-bombs, what-the-f-bombs and many other you-name-it-bombs were included in the ire of what was directed toward wives, kids, televisions, Moore, the coaches, the football program and just about anything else anyone watching the game could think of.
Remote controls were broken. Red solo cups were thrown. Beer was spilled.
The Aftermath
Needless to say, Rebel fans were immediately out for blood. Half of them were calling for Moore’s dismissal from the team and the other half were calling for the head coach’s job.
Social media outlets were on fire with talk of “The Piss and the Miss,” for what seemed like days on end. Replays of the debacle were put on a loop with ESPN and SEC Network. State fans were giddy just watching the mess unfold.
In an ironic twist of fate, the game in which Metcalf performed the original act ended up propelling Matt Luke into the head coaching seat with the Rebels. Two years later, the game in which Moore repeated the act would end up costing Luke the very same job. A win might have been enough to save him, but Moore virtually assured Luke’s demise with his sophomoric stunt.
Despite the controversy, the forever-loyal coach stood by his player and asked the fans to forgive Moore. After all, he was “just a kid,” he “let his emotions get the best of him,” and all that other stuff that everyone was tired of hearing. Unfortunately for Luke, the situation reeked of a lack of control and he simply couldn’t account for a repeat performance of what was such a profound embarrassment to the University.
A few days later, athletics director Keith Carter cleaned house.
Plagiarism Gets You Nowhere
Metcalf’s original outburst was classified by most as a mistake in judgement. After a tumultuous 2018 season and the crippling conclusion of the NCAA’s 5-year witch-hunt, courtesy of the guys across the field, it was something that Ole Miss fans could forgive. Especially since they were winning the game.
Even though Moore’s stunt was identical to Metcalf’s, the circumstances were entirely different. His behavior was premeditated, selfish and stupid. It was embarrassing, not just to the team, but to the University as a whole. It cost us the game.
Needless to say, Ole Miss fans were pissed, and who could blame them? The stunt wasn’t even original. He copied it from Metcalf (who copied it from Odell Beckham, Jr.).
Sizing Him Up
Elijah Moore came to Ole Miss out of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. He was a prized 4-star receiver recruit and was the second highest rated signee in the 2018 class behind only quarterback Matt Corral. Rivals and 24/7 Sports had Moore ranked as the 33rd and 38th best receiver in the country, respectively. He chose the Rebels over many other offers, notably Georgia and Mississippi State.
After playing behind two other larger-than-life Rebel receivers, 2019 NFL draft picks A.J. Brown and D.K. Metcalf), Moore appeared to be the next in line to become Ole Miss’ showcase receiver. After leading the Rebels in receiving through the RichRod “run at all cost” experiment, new head coach Lane Kiffin was able to make Moore the focal point of an offense that would go on to light up scoreboards across the SEC. As the All-American accolades began to flow his way, it was clear that all of his hard work had finally paid off. He was set to realize every players’ dream of playing in the NFL.
For the record, no one has ever questioned Moore’s physical talent or athletic ability. In fact, his character was not even in question until he pulled that ridiculous stunt in Stankville. As my mother used to tell me all the time, “one bad decision can ruin your life.” – Fortunately for Moore, a bad decision didn’t ruin his.
Moving On Up
The NFL draft has now come and gone. With it, we saw Moore come off the board early in the second round, going to the New York Jets. He was the highest pick selected from the list of Ole Miss players available and deservedly so. The poor decision he made way back when doesn’t seem to have affected his status with the NFL at all. He is going to make millions as an NFL wide receiver and has many people to thank for his success.
Matt Luke should probably be the first in that line. If he had dismissed Moore and used him as an example to the other players, there’s no telling what would have happened to him. It’s entirely possible that Moore could have found himself ostracized from football altogether. I wonder if Moore realizes just how close he came to that?
Lane Kiffin would be a close second. If ever a coach had reason to come in and clean house, it was him. Who better to start with than the very player who selfishly put his own interests above those of the team?
Credit should also not be lost on a forgiving Ole Miss fan base. Despite deeply embarrassing the university and causing a loss against a rival SEC opponent, the fans forgave and re-embraced Moore as an important member of the Ole Miss football family. His hard work and commitment to the football team were evident in his play on the field and fans were very appreciative of his efforts.
The Bill Comes Due
After his stunt in the Egg Bowl, many coaches and football pundits opined that Moore should be removed from football altogether.
Initially, these sentiments seemed a bit harsh, but the aftermath set off by his selfish act was immense. Coaches were fired, their wives and kids uprooted as they looked for new employment. Non-coaching staff members were let go. A humiliating loss to a rival team and the embarrassment cast upon the university are not things that were taken lightly.
No one is saying that he was entirely responsible for all of these things, of course, but his actions certainly set in motion a chain of events that led to it all. Someone had to account for what this had become and he was a prime candidate to take the fall.
So the question of the day remains. Does Moore owe Ole Miss something “extra” to atone for the grief that his actions caused as a player for our dear alma mater?
Hell Yes! Damn Right he does!
Our Terms
What Moore owes us is what all Ole Miss’ football fans want the most.
Success.
Call it touchdowns, work-ethic, big contracts, more touchdowns, miracle-catches, visibility, character, more touchdowns and most of all, more touchdowns. All of the things that scream “success.” That’s what he owes us and that is what the fans want out of him in exchange for taking him back, embracing him as an Ole Miss Rebel and holding onto him as a part of our family.
We want him to represent us by showing the world what a kid from Ole Miss with a little chip on his shoulder can do. Open up that proverbial can of whoop-ass on the NFL like you did last year on all those SEC defenses.
When Monday Night Football beckons, smile for the camera and say that you went to Ole Miss. Come back for home games and tell the TV sideline reporter what an awesome experience it was. Hit us up on social media. Tag us. Tweet about us. Score early and often. Work hard. Be a good citizen. Make them say your name over and over. “Elijah Moore from Ole Miss.” Make them say it again and again and again.
So go on now, Mr. Moore. Go be successful.
We bid you farewell and wish you only the best of what life has to offer.
…and for God’s sake, come up with your own touchdown celebration!
