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Hugh Freeze Pens Apology Letter To Ole Miss Community
Former Ole Miss HC Hugh Freeze. Photo by Steven Gagliano
On July 20th, Ole Miss AD Ross Bjork and Chancellor Jeffrey Vitter faced the media to announce the resignation of former head coach Hugh Freeze after finding a “concerning pattern” of behavior that was uncovered during an internal investigation into his phone records.
Since that day, Freeze has remained relatively quiet, but that silence was broken Saturday as he released a formal letter to RebelGrove.com‘s Neal McCready, apologizing to the Ole Miss community.
Freeze’s letter can be read below:
While I realize a statement from me could be met with criticism and more negative attention, I believe I owe the Ole Miss family an apology for the pain and disappointment I’ve caused them. With this being an open week for the football team, and with the NCAA hearing behind us, this seemed to be the right time for me to speak from my heart.
As you know, in July of this year Ross Bjork asked me about a concerning number discovered in my phone records. In the days that followed, I shared with him the truth about my past, ultimately resulting in my resignation. It’s a truth I’d already shared with my wife, Jill, and with two of my closest friends months earlier.
While some of the things being reported about the matter are inaccurate, or in some cases completely false, it’s much more important for me to tell you that what I did was wrong, and there’s no justification for me making the selfish decisions that I knowingly made. I know I’ve hurt many people, especially those in the Ole Miss family, and I am asking you to forgive me for what I’ve done. I miss being a part of Ole Miss but will be pulling for our team every Saturday this season. To my faith family, I ask for your forgiveness and appreciate your prayers as well.
I have experienced unbelievable grace from above, from friends, and especially from Jill. Her strength and love through this storm have been incredible. Neither she nor our girls ever asked to live their lives in the public eye, but they have handled this with grace and dignity.
Words cannot express our gratitude for the outpouring of prayers, love, and forgiveness we have received from many of you. We have some incredible memories to hold onto from our time at Ole Miss, and want to thank you for blessing us over the last 5 years. While I realize there’s no good answer for the pain I’ve caused, I hope you can forgive me.
Sincerely,
Hugh Freeze
For questions or comments email HottyToddynews@gmail.com.
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Sylvia Williams
September 23, 2017 at 9:27 pm
Dear Hugh Freeze,
To say I was not disappointed in your actions that resulted in your exit as Ole Miss’s coach, would be a lie. I do not know you or your family personally but I love Ole Miss and Oxford as a native Mississippian. You appeared to a public looking in a devoted family man, who loved Ole Miss and the Oxford community. I doubt your mistakes have changed any of these things. Prayers for you and your family
Loretta
September 24, 2017 at 9:18 am
This is just another Hugh Freeze con job.
Oxford is going to suffer because of Hugh Freeze. Crowds will be smaller, resulting in lower revenue for restaurants, gas stations, hotel, and many other local merchants.
Ole Miss is going to suffer because of Hugh Freeze. He has renewed the perception of Ole Miss as a cheating school. What is the value of a reputation? Whatever it is, our reputation has been severely hurt.
Hugh Freeze: Your words are hollow. No one trusts you. If you want to prove you are sorry, return the money you stole.
Joseph
September 24, 2017 at 6:04 pm
Loretta
What you say has a lot of merit. I would add though that the NCAA problems go much deeper than Freeze. The corruption in the athletic department is wide and deep. Bjork is up to his a– in all this.
It’s good that Freeze is gone, but unless they run bjork out of town, they are really not serious about cleaning things up