By Rita Howell, News Editor
Thank you, Ole Miss, for holding out on the clear plastic bag rule.
I just finished reading the 1,280-word story from The Panolian describing the implementation of the rule for the upcoming football season at Davis Wade Stadium.
For the uninformed, Mississippi State has joined other SEC schools (Alabama, Auburn, Florida, LSU, Texas A&M, Tennessee and South Carolina) in establishing a policy limiting the baggage that can be brought into a stadium by a football fan.
The rule, I understand, is similar to one established by the NFL for their games. It’s all about “safety” and transparency to discourage contraband items.
Fans are limited to wagging their stuff in a clear tote bag not to exceed 12”x6”x12.” Or they can use a gallon zip lock.
Oh, yeah. Ladies can bring a 4” by 6” clutch.
I know you guys are rolling your eyes.
What is the big deal?
For starters, I have a brand new football gameday purse. It is actually a tote-style shoulder bag, red pleather, with my monogram in blue. My colleague Michelle Buckner created it and she’ll make you one, too, but not if you’re a State fan, because you won’t need it now.
I need my football bag. And I need it to be stylish.
I need my bag to be big enough to hold my personal fan for hot games, and my handwarmers for the end-of-season nighttime nailbiters.
I have been known to cram in a blanket, and it also holds my football program. And the binoculars.
But the main reason I need a substantial bag is for halftime when I go to the concession stand and bring back two hotdogs and two drinks. My bag has to hold two hotdogs after I have dressed them and re-wrapped them. That leaves my hands free to hold two beverages.
Now why, you might ask, am I the one sent to forage for dinner? What is Rupert up to? Hmmmm. That is a good question.
If I am forced to give up my red purse next season, it’s going to be up to him to figure out how to carry two hotdogs and two drinks back to our seats while I’m enjoying the halftime show.