The hidden message in this shirt is getting a lot of attention. http://t.co/8Qqp72jOPRpic.twitter.com/Hdmr1cJNBn
— FOX8 WGHP (@myfox8) April 17, 2015
The hatred runs so deep between in-state college rivals Mississippi State and Ole Miss that the Bulldogs’ baseball team slapped an expletive on a flashy commemorative t-shirt in the attempt to blast their arch-enemy — forcing school officials to apologize.
“F—K The School Up North,” a phrase on the bottom of the Adidas warm-up tee reads in orange neon dots, in reference to the University of Mississippi.
Once word spread after the images went viral on social media, MSU officials were quick to disown the offensive garment.
(1/3)This afternoon it came to my attention that a shirt provided to our baseball team by adidas has an inappropriate phrase written on it …
— Scott Stricklin (@ScottStricklin) April 16, 2015
(2/3) … This is completely unacceptable and does not reflect the standards and values of Mississippi State University or its athletic dept …
— Scott Stricklin (@ScottStricklin) April 16, 2015
(3/3) … For anyone who was offended by this shirt, as I was, please accept our apologies and rest assured that this has been rectified.
— Scott Stricklin (@ScottStricklin) April 16, 2015
Adidas ultimately took the blame for the stunt later that night.
“We apologize to Mississippi State, their student-athletes, fans and alumni for this error,” Adidas said in a statement to the Clarion-Ledger newspaper.
“The Bulldogs’ baselayer graphic today featured old artwork that was never presented to the university. This graphic does not reflect our brand values nor those of Mississippi State. We take full responsibility for this error and wish Mississippi State the best of luck during Super Bulldog Weekend.”
Michael Ehrlich, the Adidas director of public relations in the United States, also issued a statement in penance, claiming that the graphic “featured old artwork that was never presented to the university.”
The University of Mississippi, which is also known as Ole Miss, is located 101 miles north of Starkville — the city Mississippi State University resides in.
Upon his arrival at MSU in 2008, head football coach Dan Mullen took a shot at UM and dubbed it “The School Up North.”
He vowed to never utter the name of their rivals again and to this day he still uses the term.
Other phrases on the t-shirt included “Hail State,” “Dudy Noble,” Starkvegas” and “Left Field Lounge.”
All of these baseball-related terms have been either coined by MSU fans or are used by the university to describe venues.
