University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Fan Feature: Chad Dickens
8/5/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- September 12, 2015. M.M. Roberts Stadium. Hattiesburg, Miss. 2:30 p.m.
On a hot, September day, The Rock is filled with anticipation as the Golden Eagles take the field. College football is underway and at first, no one knew there were heroes in their midst. Along with the players, there was another group of men on the sideline, waiting for their cue to take the field and face the crowd. They were not athletes or coaches as one might expect. They were Marines on the cusp of being honored for their 25th anniversary celebration of their service during Operation Desert Storm. Among them was Chad Dickens, a long-time Golden Eagle fan who coordinated with his university to acknowledge his fellow Marines.
Chad grew up in Jackson and was raised by a devoted Golden Eagle fan: Charles Dickens, Class of 1956. In 1977, Chad experienced his first game day at the age of seven years old. From then on, he was hooked on Southern Miss and in love with his father's alma mater. For the next 39 years, Chad continued to support the Golden Eagles passionately while at home and even abroad during his deployment. He even watched the All-American Bowl in Brett Favre's final game for the Black and Gold at 3 a.m. in the morning while stationed in Japan.
Chad relishes the opportunity to talk about the Golden Eagles and his experience as a fan. As he talked, it was clear that family is what always made being a Golden Eagle fan so special. The closeness with his fellow fans is a huge part of this experience but the greatest memories come from time spent with his father and brother supporting their Golden Eagles.
Reflecting on his childhood as a fan, Chad described his family's routine saying, "We drove down from Jackson, every week. My grandparents lived near Hattiesburg, so we would spend the whole weekend and get to spend time with them." He elaborated on their game day traditions saying, "We would all come down and tailgate on the old intramural field. We always parked there and played pickup football, have lunch at the Kappa Sigma house tailgate, play some more, watch the game and then play again until the crowd cleared."
Chad loves being in Hattiesburg for game days and expounded on the experience saying, "Seeing how much we have grown, and seeing the same friends from over the years that we have tailgated with since childhood and still doing it now as an adult…There is nowhere else I would rather be on a Saturday, being surrounded by our great fans that have been there through thick and thin. I can remember from the 1970s, when dad got his first season tickets, and being there with those people (throughout the years) has been special. It's one of the best tailgating atmospheres you can experience."
On top of the home games, Chad also has a special affection for traveling on the road to support the Golden Eagles. He elaborated on the memories of road trips from his childhood to now by saying, "Those are special because I was still a kid and I was with my dad and brother. Dad and a couple of his business friends would plan it out and we would go. The overall experience is worth it, wins of course make it better, but win or lose I enjoy going on the road with my family. We always try to make a road trip somewhere every year."
As can be said for most Golden Eagle fans, it was difficult for Chad to pick just one game as his favorite of all-time. Instead, he provided a list of his Top Five games.
No. 5 - Southern Miss vs. Ole Miss in Jackson as the famous Sammy Winder leap won the 1980 game Southern Miss vs. Ole Miss in Jackson as the famous Sammy Winder leap won the 1980 game.
No. 4 – 1981 road-game against Florida State as the Golden Eagles won 58-14 and gave legendary Coach Bobby Bowden his most lopsided home loss with the Seminoles.
No. 3 – The recent series against Mississippi State. He explained saying, "Those two games were just special because it brought back a lot of memories from Jackson."
No. 2 – 2015 regular season finale at Louisiana Tech. Chad explained his pick saying, "My dad and I went together and the game was special because the team returned to the glory of old by winning the West Division Championship."
No. 1 – 1980 Independence Bowl against McNeese State. Chad explained his pick saying, "I have the most vivid memories of it. It was my first bowl game and was an exciting win. I was only 10 at the time and it was my first experience at a college game that I can really remember."
Among his favorite players of all-time, Chad listed Sammy Winder, Reggie Collier, Brett Favre, Derrick Nix and Hanford Dixon. He expanded on his choices saying, "Words can't really express what it is like to be a Golden Eagle fan. I grew up seeing so many great players who went on to bigger and better careers in the NFL. And with Brett going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year, I can say I saw his first game in college when he came in against Tulane. It just makes me incredibly proud thinking about it. Even though I was not a student, I have been a part of a tradition like this."
Chad is passionate about the Golden Eagles and understands the importance of supporting them. He shared his thoughts saying, "The team needs our support regardless of how the game is going. Those guys give up so much of their life for 3-4 years to play at Southern Miss and it is important that we fill up the stands so that we can prove that we have the support and appreciation for them to come play football for us. We have to uphold that tradition that we will play anyone anywhere and anytime. It's so true because we will give anyone a game and if we don't show our support in all situations then we are not true fans. Not just at homecoming or special events or reunions, but we need to be there every Saturday. We have to show these guys that we appreciate the sacrifices they are making for the University.
Speaking of sacrifices, Chad knows very deeply what it means to sacrifice. He joined the Marines during his junior year of high school in 1988. He delayed entry for a year and left for boot camp at Parris Island, S.C. in 1989. He commented on his service as a marine saying, "It was an honor and a pleasure to serve. I just carried on a family tradition of serving. My dad was in the Navy, my granddad served in the Army during the Korean War and my great uncle served under General Patton in WWII."
Chad's unit was honored during the second home game of 2015 at the end of the first quarter. As the action on the field paused, the heroes took the field and the crowd responded in a frenzy, cheering on the ones who fought for them. Chad shared what the moment felt like saying, "It was a very humbling experience because I'm with this incredible group of guys who will always be brothers to me. We were not expecting the crowd's response. It brought many of us to tears and makes me tear up just talking about it. Once we were brought on the field and the announcer mentioned the Mississippi Marines it got real loud and it did not stop until the last guy was introduced and we walked off the field and it went on for minutes after we walked off."
He reiterated his appreciation for that moment on the field saying, "It was a tremendous honor to be on the field and be received like that. I will never forget that as long as I live and I know the rest of the guys won't either."
Currently, Chad lives and works in Pensacola, Fla. Due to the distance and his work schedule, Chad is unable to make it to Hattiesburg as often as he wants to. However, even from afar, Chad Dickens is a special member of the Golden Eagle family and his passion for Southern Miss is undeniable.
