Mar 23, 2025; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Chris Beard reacts during the first half in the second round of the NCAA Tournament against the Iowa State Cyclones at Fiserv Forum. Mar 23, 2025; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Chris Beard reacts during the first half in the second round of the NCAA Tournament against the Iowa State Cyclones at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
By Sam Neumann on

Just like Ryan Day wanted to know where Lou Holtz was, Chris Beard wanted to know where Tim Doyle was.

The Ole Miss head men’s basketball coach had the CBS analyst on his mind ever since Doyle called the Rebels a “fraud” and promised they couldn’t make a run in the NCAA Tournament.

“I think Ole Miss is a fraud,” Doyle said on Selection Sunday. “We were debating if San Diego State or North Carolina were going to get in — they both get in. Whoever wins that game is beating Ole Miss. Ole Miss gets a lot of love because they played in a great conference. They had a lot of opportunities and stuff. Eyeball test with Ole Miss — that is a fraud at No. 6.”

Naturally, Ole Miss took that as a challenge. The Rebels went on to beat North Carolina 71-64, holding onto an 18-point halftime lead and pushing their lead to as many as 22 in the second half, only for the Tar Heels’ comeback to fall short.

Doyle’s comments made their way back to Beard, who made sure to work them into an answer following the win.

“I didn’t see anything about our team today that looked like there was any fraud in our program,” the Rebels second-year head coach said. “I saw a team that had a good season in the SEC [that] just beat North Carolina in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.”

After Beard — and Ole Miss — fired back, Doyle doubled down.

“I mean, second half, they did start to fall apart,” Doyle said. “They were up 22 points, and they were on cruise control. But, hats off, golf clap (Doyle then golf claps). You know, in sports, Chris Beard gets paid $5 million a year to coach Ole Miss. You’re welcome, Coach Beard. Did I give you all the motivation that you need? Last year, I made $86.5k, OK? You’re making $5 million a year, and you’re taking my word as my motivation? Good, whatever motivates these kids.

“Now, they were better than North Carolina who made 14 3’s against San Diego State. But today, they only made five. You know, some would say, North Carolina may be the biggest fraud ever to make the NCAA Tournament. So, technically, is this one fraud team beating another? … It’s for you to think about, OK? Now, Ole Miss, you go out and beat Iowa State, who’s waiting for you. You go out and beat Iowa State that’s one of the best defensive teams in the country. You go beat Iowa State team that can spread you out; now, all of a sudden, you have a fan for life.”

If Ole Miss beat Iowa State, Doyle promised he’d go down to a football game in Oxford, Mississippi, and sit in the dunk tank.

“So, let’s hold the horses,” he added. “Congratulations. You won a game against a team that let’s just say it, should not have been in the tournament; I think everybody agrees upon that. You were life and death to hold on in the last few minutes.”

Well, Ole Miss beat Iowa State 91-78.

The Rebels proved Doyle wrong — again.

And Beard wanted him to hear about it — again.

“Where’s Tim Doyle?” he asked.

Getting ready to book a plane ticket to Oxford this fall, it would seem.

About Sam Neumann

Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.

View all posts by Sam Neumann