If you watched the Mississippi State/Alabama game this past Saturday – or have seen any of our games on television – you will be familiar with our cowbells.

Not only can you hear them throughout the game, the commentators always have plenty to say about them.

(Our bells were loud enough on television this past weekend that my better half even commented on them – which he never does. I don’t even hear them coming through. Haha. Of note, for those of you who aren’t aware, my love and our wonderful Mom and Pop are all Alabama fans – so it was house divided weekend. 😉 )

While I understand that to non-Bulldogs it is hard to appreciate the cowbell, I would simply say that every school has their own unique thing that the rest of us often don’t quite get (but it’s one of the great things about college sports, especially in the SEC).

I feel led to explain the significance of our personal cowbells because there was a huge kerfluffle Monday when a fan from the other team somehow ended up with Kamario Taylor’s mom’s cowbell – thinking it was a joke – but it wasn’t. It actually was hers and had been gifted to her.

The man and his daughter posted pictures with it and she asked for it back, saying it was a gift. The man then laughed and demanded a signed jersey. This set off a whole thing – oh, yes – and he later said it was a misunderstanding. Of course, she just told him to keep it after the confusion.

I’m not weighing in on that – as it reached most every sports outlet in Mississippi yesterday. Rather, I wanted to share why we care so much about *our* cowbells – when you see them everywhere in Starkville.

(There is even a Facebook page devoted to helping return lost cowbells to their people.)

There are cowbell rules: you have to be gifted your first cowbell. It’s bad luck to buy it.

Also, while many of us have a collection, there is usually one that is your game bell – and it has lots of meaning and memories.

(Some people even put all their gameday stickers on their cowbells to remember each special day.)

As for me, yes, I have a fantastic collection of cowbells I love, mostly gifts from my amazing better half including a National Championship Baseball handle bell – and (really dear to my heart) a pirate sword handle bell that was already under our Christmas tree for me from my husband the day Coach Leach passed away so Courtney gave it to me early. ❤

I also have an Egg Bowl bell I drove over to Starkville just to be sure I got (as they were limited edition):

However, *my* bell – that travels everywhere with me – is a little pink children’s bell:

On the day my Bulldogs would win the National Championship in Baseball in 2021, Bug and I needed to run to Starkville for me to take care of some things for school.

As it happened, I ran into Campus Bookstore and saw this one remaining pink little cowbell that fit my hand perfectly as I can’t really carry a full sized one with my RA and CRPS hands (they hurt constantly).

I brought her home in time to watch my Bullies win the Natty with my better half that night (she was good luck ❤ ) – and since then, she has been with me, ringing at every game at home, at Mom and Pop’s, in Starkville, and even in the hospital (yes, really).

She is *my* cowbell – and, from getting her on Natty day to her seeing me through sepsis to Marty and McGee in Starkville to laughing at the lake with Mom, Pop, and GJ to my favorite days at home with my love, she is full of joyful memories and I am deeply attached to her.

We Bulldogs love our bells.

We know the rest of y’all don’t quite understand.

But we do sell earplugs at Davis Wade. 😉

Be well, everybody. Take care of yourselves and each other.

Grace and Blessings.