Ole Miss Lingo: Part 1

Have you ever heard of someone say Hotty Toddy and wonder what they meant? There are several words and phrases with specific meaning to Oxford and Ole Miss. Here are a few phrases well-known in the Ole Miss and Oxford community, but there are much more than what is included on this list.

• Velvet Ditch – Dating back to the 1950’s, this is a phrase used to described Oxford; meaning it’s a place that is “easy to fall into and hard to crawl out of.” From the beautiful university campus with red-brick buildings to the vibrant downtown area full of local shops and restaurants, many people quickly fall in love with Oxford and never want to leave.The phrase has made its way onto t-shirts in multiple stores, and it was featured in an article from the Huffington Post.

• Hotty Toddy – This is a way to say hello to fellow Ole Miss fans no matter where you are. It can also mean “goodbye,” “good luck,” “good game,” “we’re better than y’all,” or “I hope y’all lose.” If you are wearing Ole Miss most people will scream Hotty Toddy and you respond with the same thing back. People are definitely not shy about being an Ole Miss Rebel. |

• The Grove- During the week, this is a beautiful grassy area in the center of the Ole Miss campus where students can hangout and study. On football weekends, The Grove is transformed to a place where Ole Miss fans tailgate before, during, and after football games. Tents cover the 10-acre grass area – setup starts late Friday night, and you’d better be ready to claim your spot! This isn’t your normal tailgating situation. The Grove at Ole Miss has been ranked #1 for the best college tailgating in the country. It’s a must-do experience…add it to bucket list!

• The Square- This is Oxford’s downtown area. There are boutiques, hotels, restaurants, bars, and more. It is the heart of the town. Whether you’re a parent wanting to take your child to get some frozen yogurt or a college student looking to explore the energetic nightlife with your friends, you can find everything you need on the Square.

• Chicken on a Stick- This is a popular post-bar/ late night snack available at the The Chevron gas station on the corner of Lamar Blvd and University Ave, just south of the Square. It’s essentially a big chicken tender on a stick; and it is delicious.

• The Walk of Champions – This is a brick walkway that goes through the middle of The Grove. Every Saturday of home football games, the players and coaches walk through the Grove on this walkway and say hello to all the fans on their way to the stadium.

• Lock the Vaught - The Ole Miss football stadium, Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, is named after coach Johnny Vaught and Judge William Hemingway. At the beginning of each home game, all the students lock arms with the people beside them and sway back and forth as the football team runs out. This is what everyone calls “Lock the Vaught.”

• Swayze Beer Showers - Swayze is the Ole Miss baseball field. When one of the Ole Miss players hits a home run, the students in the outfield throw their beers in the air as a form of celebration.

• 662 & 38655 – These numbers represent the 3-digit area code and 5-digit zip code associated with Oxford. College kids and locals love representing our town by wearing shirts and hats donned with these digits.

• Chucky Mullins – Chucky Mullins wore the number 38 jersey for the Rebels in the late ‘80s, and he was known by his teammates as a genuine and courageous guy with a heart for the game and for others. During the 1989 Homecoming game against Vanderbilt, he was hit and left paralyzed below the neck. He continued to fight against his circumstances and later came back to school to finish his degree. He passed away in 1991 from a pulmonary embolism at the age of 21. Ole Miss honored Mullins by retiring his jersey and establishing the “Chucky Mullins Memorial Courage Award.” This award is given to the player who best embodies Chucky Mullins’ character, and the selected player wears jersey number 38 for the football season.