Wade Sims, a dedicated Mississippi State fan, is being recognized as a potential ultimate sports fan.
His fandom began after a short encounter with former MSU football coach Jackie Sherrill.
Sims has been involved with various MSU programs, including working as a team manager and mascot.
Sims considers MSU’s 2021 baseball national championship his most memorable moment as a fan.
STARKVILLE — Zac Selmon ran through his usual thank yous while introducing Brian O’Connor as the new Mississippi State baseball coach on the stage at Dudy Noble Field.
The athletics director started with Neil Price, the radio voice for football, men’s basketball and baseball who was emceeing the event, then with legendary retired baseball coach Ron Polk, followed by university president Mark Keenum. Next, Selmon mentioned Wade Sims, the only fan to get a personal shoutout during the speech.
“People like Wade Sims, along with parents Brian and Donna, don’t miss a single event. Where’s Wade at tonight?” Selmon said, followed by an applause from the crowd. “You got a fan club, Wade.”
Sims, a month later in an interview with The Clarion Ledger, said he did something in that moment he never does. He cried.
“I really did not expect it,” Sims said. “Nobody expected it really.”
While Sims isn’t a player, coach or administrator at Mississippi State, he’s held to the same royalty. Fans know him. So do the players and coaches. Everywhere Mississippi State goes, Sims follows. He’s worked for multiple programs — including at one point being one of MSU’s mascots — and rarely misses any games for football, basketball and baseball.
Sims, 36, was born with a rare brain disorder.
“He’s had so many great experiences,” Donna Sims, Wade’s mother, said. “Even though we haven’t always won, I think he’s definitely winning.”
Jackie Sherrill sparked Wade Sims as Mississippi State superfan
Wade didn’t like going to sports events at a young age. He hated the loud crowd noises. That changed when two players for the Jackson Generals, a former minor league baseball team, spoke with him at a camp in 1997. Suddenly, he wanted to attend games.
Two years later, Jackie Sherrill, the Mississippi State football coach from 1991-2003, was speaking at an event in Jackson. Wade attended with his dad, Brian. Afterward, Wade asked Sherrill for a photo, but the three of them realized none of them had a camera. Instead, Sherrill leaned over to Brian and told him to call him. He wanted Wade to ride the team bus during the season. It was a brief interaction, but Brian called a few days later and Sherrill stayed true to his word.
Wade’s connection with Mississippi State took off from there.
Wade traveled with the football team, even sometimes flying with them for road games and standing on the sidelines. When he enrolled as a student in 2012, he became a manager for the men’s and women’s basketball teams, working for coaches like Rick Stansbury and Vic Schaefer. Wade was also “Bully,” Mississippi State’s mascot, for four years.
Wade’s involvement with MSU didn’t end after he graduated either, but wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for the invitation from Sherrill.
“That relationship was unbelievable,” Donna said. “He came to Wade’s birthday parties, he gave him all kinds of gifts … It was quite something. He is a special man.”
Wade Sims’ current role with Mississippi State
Wade graduated from Mississippi State in 2015, and started working with the football equipment staff in 2016, where he still works today. In 2018, his parents moved from Madison to Starkville so they could live with him because Wade is not fully independent. They live near campus so Wade can walk to work.
Wade attends every football game because of his job, but also the home basketball and baseball games. He also travels to some road basketball and baseball games — including postseason tournaments plus other sports like softball, soccer, volleyball and tennis when there’s time. The Sims estimate Wade’s attended over 2,000 Mississippi State sporting events.
In 2022, football coach Mike Leach surprised Wade with a game ball after a 56-7 win against East Tennessee State. It wound up being Leach’s last game at Davis Wade Stadium before he died one month later. The ball sits on the dresser in Wade’s bedroom, which is decorated floor to ceiling in Mississippi State memorabilia. Wade also has a signed game ball from Sherrill when MSU beat Alabama in 1996, and there are two equipment rooms on campus — one for football and one for basketball — that are named after Wade.
When the Bulldogs fired baseball coach Chris Lemonis in April, he made sure to call Wade a few days later to thank him for supporting the team, even though Wade didn’t directly work with baseball. Wade frequently stands outside the player’s entrance to Dudy Noble Field after the games and dishes out high-fives to players.
“It was awesome to hear that from him,” Wade said.
MORE: Omaha bar where Brian O’Connor worked changing to Mississippi State hangout for College World Series
Wade travelled to Tallahassee, Florida, to watch MSU baseball in the NCAA tournament in May. He then raced back to Starkville after the Bulldogs were eliminated by Florida State to greet the team when they arrived.
While standing outside the stadium, Wade ran into Brian O’Connor, who was hired as the new coach less than 24 hours prior. He got a picture with O’Connor and some of the new assistant coaches.
“Mississippi State is one of the most welcoming places,” Brian Sims said.
Name: Wade Sims
Hometown/residence: Starkville, Mississippi
Team: Mississippi State
Years of fandom: 36
How it started: Meeting Jackie Sherrill
How it’s going: “It’s awesome. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Has it caused you to miss any major life events? No
Most memorable moment as a fan of Mississippi State (and why)? 2021 baseball national championship. It’s the only team national championship in school history — regardless of sport. Wade was given a custom national championship ring from the team.
Most forgettable moment as a fan of Mississippi State (and why)? Any time Mississippi State loses against “that other team from the other city,” Ole Miss.
Any regrets? No