Many Greenwood-area Ole Miss fans are saddened and shocked at the firing of Rebel head coach David Cutcliffe.
Of the 10 supporters contacted by the Greenwood Commonwealth, eight were disappointed with the decision to fire Cutcliffe, whose teams went 8-4, 7-5, 7-4, 7-6 and 10-3 prior to this season, which ended at 4-7. Four of those teams went to bowl games and won three times - beating heavyweights Oklahoma and Nebraska in the process.
"I am surprised. I didn't think it would come to this," said Greenwood attorney Don Brock Jr. "I am going to miss Coach Cutcliffe because he was a good coach and a good man.
"But the school is in good hands with (athletic director) Pete Boone and (chancellor) Robert Khayat. They will act quickly and in the best interest of the program."
Pillow Academy head coach football Riley Myers, a former standout wide receiver at Ole Miss and the team's co-captain in 1971, is outraged with the administration's decision.
"It is ridiculous to have a coach of his caliber and throw him away. You're not going to find a better coach," Myers said. "This was a power move by Pete Boone. I get to say that because I went to school and played football with Pete Boone."
Greenwood businessman Bill Malouf, a former quarterback at Ole Miss in the early 1970s, wasn't happy with the firing either.
"I admired the man. He was a man of integrity and character and tried to recruit those kinds of players," said Malouf, who some times attends the same church in Oxford as Cutcliffe. "I think there was a personality conflict between Cutcliffe and Pete Boone."
Cunliffe McBee IV of Minter City was puzzled when he first heard the news.
"I don't understand it, because I don't know what more they want from a coach," he said.
Greenwood insurance agent Robert Pannell wasn't surprised or upset by the decision not to keep Cutcliffe, but he does think Cutcliffe should have been given another year.
"I have been one of those fans at games who yelled at Cutcliffe about some of his decision making, but we did probably jump the gun by firing him," Pannell explained.
Johnny Nichols, father of Rebel senior kicker Jonathan Nichols, didn't want to make any specific comments, but he did say he thought Cutcliffe was a good coach and that his son enjoyed playing for him.
