Thoughts on our Rivalry and being a Gamecock

[Orangecheer]

Originally Posted by WeHailTheeCarolina

The Last Week of November

Being the son of two USC grads, Saturdays in the fall as a young one included a trip down to Williams Brice Stadium to watch the Gamecocks play. However, in my younger years these games ended in a loss many more times than a victory. Season tickets have been in my family almost as long as my parents have been alive. I remember (barely) walking out of the gates of the Brice after witnessing Spurrier beat us 63-7 in 1995. I’ve been to Rocky Top four times and between the hedges twice, only to walk out of each a loser - all six times. I sat through the 21 game losing streak, I remember watching Rod Gardner’s push-off in 2000 that led to a heartbreaking loss against Clemson, and I wept after Pinnock’s fumble against Georgia in ’02. And just for the record, when you’re playing against the #2 team in the nation on national television, do not attempt to dive into the endzone. Simply power through the would-be-tackler into the endzone for the tying score.

However, being a Gamecock has also provided me with some awesome times. I went to the Outback Bowl and saw us beat Ohio State for the second year in a row on a last second field goal. The comeback against Alabama in 2001 was one of the best games I’ve ever attended (the best being at Georgia this season), and I was there for “The Fade” against Mississippi State. In 2005, when Spurrier beat the Gators, I thought the place was going to erupt. I’m proud to bleed garnet and black, and, despite our mediocre history, I am always the one “waiting ‘til next year,” and realize a new chapter is being written.

As a freshman at the University of South Carolina, I must say one of the best aspects (aside from great professors, an awesome college atmosphere, and – among many other things – Five Points) is living my life a safe distance from the orange-clad people in the foothills of South Carolina. Living in Greenville, South Carolina for 9 years and attending the school that sends the most students to Clemson on an annual basis is no easy task for a Gamecock. Seven out of the nine years at school in Greenville was spent taking crap from “taters” for over 360 days after a defeat by my Gamecocks.

While I was raised knowing there was only one thing in this world I was allowed to hate, my true hatred for Clemson began at a specific time, on a specific date, at a specific place. It was a cold November night in 2003. After a few hours of tailgating with my family and some family friends, we headed into the stadium. Our Gamecocks were 5-6, but just had a solid performance against the Florida Gators the week prior to the game. Hope was present, but so was history. The one thing that stands out in my mind most about that game was not even part of the game itself. During the warm-ups for the 101st edition of the Palmetto Bowl, my Gamecocks simply went through the motions. Stretching, practicing blocking, and passing was basically all that took place on our side of the fifty yard line. Everyone in the stands attention was turned to the other half of the field, where the Tigers brought more emotion on the field than I have ever seen during a pregame. Being excited and getting pumped up would be a vast understatement in the actions of Clemson during warm-ups. The swagger that the Tigers brought in the stadium was enough to knock our players out of their cleats. We laughed watching the students try to insult the Clemson players. They simply looked at them as if to say “Do you know what this paw means on my helmet? It means I own you.”

The massacre that would follow is tough to describe. No person involved in the rivalry had ever seen a beating like this. We (Gamecock Nation) were at a loss for words. It wasn’t that Clemson was far superior to our team; it was the fact that they (the coaches, players, and fans) HATE us and expect to win the state championship. The taters are fully aware of the fact that they own us. Not a week goes by (even at USC) when a tater will fail to remind me of the score that night.

Since that night, and the years that followed it, I have hated the orange and purple. Everything about Clemson seems to piss me off. From car stickers (yep, we’ve all seen them “Rivalry? More like a domination”), to shirts (“The more things change the more they stay the same – insert score here), to billboards calling out our student athletes, to the hill and the rock - everything Clemson does makes me sick. The fans that don’t attend or never attended CU disgust me when they talk smack (as a student at USC, I don’t even give them any value anymore.) But, the most frustrating thing is not being able to say anything back. Clemson has the swagger and emotion it takes to beat us year in and year out. And since the game in 1970, we have lost everything that would relate to confidence in this rivalry.

I am still proud to be a Cock, and I always will be. I’ve lived through the worst stretch in our history, and the future still looks bright for this program. As a fan and a student I long for the feeling that the game in 2006 gave all of Gamecock Nation. The second after Dean’s kick sailed to the left, I recall feeling like the happiest person on the planet. I am positive that the rest of our fans felt the same way I did. While I can only remember two wins vs. the Tigers, both of those days will never be forgotten.

As the days shorten and the leaves change, it brings the state of South Carolina back to this point. The 107th game in the series will be played in Columbia on Saturday. I hope, as we all do, that our Gamecocks will come out onto that field with the emotion and swagger that has long been desired by our fanbase. In my opinion, the game will be decided even before the kickoff takes place. Here’s to hoping our Cocks kick some Tiger ass. Maybe this team will be the one to start the change that is needed in this rivalry (for our sake.) Regardless, I’ll be there cheering against those mangy orange bags of vomit, and hoping for a turn of the tide in the Palmetto Bowl.
GO COCKS

BAD PARENTING LEADS TO MISGUIDED CHILDREN

[kre25]

Originally Posted by WeHailTheeCarolina

. The one thing that stands out in my mind most about that game was not even part of the game itself. During the warm-ups for the 101st edition of the Palmetto Bowl, my Gamecocks simply went through the motions. Stretching, practicing blocking, and passing was basically all that took place on our side of the fifty yard line.

When will Gamecock fans stop using the "Our Team doesn't play hard vs Clemson" speak?

That is getting as old as the "We play in the SEC" stuff!!

There are only 2 Teams on the Field when Clemson and SC play, the better Team usually Wins in our Series!!!

Please let me be there when you SC fans tell your Team that they don't play hard!!

[NOBAMA]

Originally Posted by Orangecheer

BAD PARENTING LEADS TO MISGUIDED CHILDREN

Originally Posted by kre25

When will Gamecock fans stop using the "Our Team doesn't play hard vs Clemson" speak?

That is getting as old as the "We play in the SEC" stuff!!

There are only 2 Teams on the Field when Clemson and SC play, the better Team usually Wins in our Series!!!

Please let me be there when you SC fans tell your Team that they don't play hard!!

I have noticed that it is usually the fans of the opposing teams who are worried that populate Cockytalk the week before the game. I do understand that there are many Clemson Fans that are here all year & that play nice. However there are many more that just signed up this week who just want to pick a fight & talk some trash. We do have a place for that without you breaking into every meaningful thread we have here. We do like to talk to each other about everything Carolina here on CT & do not need your corruption of our topics, please take it to the Smack forum or just go play at CUtigers.

[WeHailTheeCarolina]

Originally Posted by kre25

Please let me be there when you SC fans tell your Team that they don't play hard!!

Well, seeing as former players supposedly read this board... I think I just did.

Wow I had a good thing going before these animals showed up.

[WeHailTheeCarolina]

Originally Posted by Orangecheer

BAD PARENTING LEADS TO MISGUIDED CHILDREN

Why on earth would you copy my whole entire post just to say this? And, that is definitely not the case.

[Halltj2]

Originally Posted by kre25

When will Gamecock fans stop using the "Our Team doesn't play hard vs Clemson" speak?

Tomorrow and

Hopefully I won't hear:

1. 63-17
2. You're playing in your championship game
3. CJ was hurt
4. You own the rivalry
5. We were resting for the ACC championship game

[thecoard]

I couldn't be happier to be a part of the greatest fanbase in the nation. I'm not expecting to be able to talk for a week after the game, but Yabba Dabba Douche WILL hear my voice.

[kre25]

[quote=WeHailTheeCarolina;1997497]Well, seeing as former players supposedly read this board... I think I just did./quote]

To their Face?

Internet Tough Guy

Look you had an excellent post that really lets people into the psychi
of a SC fan but some of the same old tired excuses get really old!!

I guess some of that just gets ingrained into you after a while!!

Again Excellent Post, except for the excuses!!

Case in point, It's never that Clemson just has a better Team!!!

"It wasn’t that Clemson was far superior to our team"

The final score was
63-17

[kre25]

Originally Posted by Halltj2

Tomorrow and

Hopefully I won't hear:

1. 63-17
2. You're playing in your championship game
3. CJ was hurt
4. You own the rivalry
5. We were resting for the ACC championship game

You will not hear that from me!!

If SC Wins, I will simply say that the better Team on the Field Saturday Won!!!

Either that or

"The Refs Cheated"
You forgot One!!!

[WeHailTheeCarolina]

Originally Posted by kre25

To their Face?

Internet Tough Guy

Look you had an excellent post that really lets people into the psychi
of a SC fan but some of the same old tired excuses get really old!!

I guess some of that just gets ingrained into you after a while!!

Again Excellent Post, except for the excuses!!

Case in point, It's never that Clemson just has a better Team!!!

"It wasn’t that Clemson was far superior to our team"

The final score was
63-17

Well, this is as close to the "face" of the 2003 team that I will ever get.

Clemson's team was better, I NEVER said they weren't. You should probably stop twisting my words. They were still the team that lost to UGA 30-0 and a 5-7 Wake Forest team 45-17. You may have forgotten. It wasn't like we were going up against a "far superior" (that's what I said) team and knowing we were going to lose.

However, I know this is just my opinion on why the rivalry is so one-sided. If you think that Clemson has had the far superior team (seeing as you translate the term "far superior" to mean "better") 28 more times in this rivarly, then more power to you. I don't believe it, and I never will.

[kre25]

Originally Posted by WeHailTheeCarolina

However, I know this is just my opinion on why the rivalry is so one-sided.

I don't believe it, and I never will.

You are correct Clemson has been The better Team on the day of the game 28 more times!! 1 game at a time!!

It seems to be a trend seeing as how Clemson has won 10 of 12!!

I guess you have to see it the way you do being a SC fan!!

[MBGCock]

It's not much of one.

[kre25]

Originally Posted by MBGCock

It's not much of one.

Oh I think it is still a tremendous Rivalry!!

Clemson just Wins allot more games in the Series!!

[Halltj2]

Originally Posted by Halltj2

Tomorrow and

Hopefully I won't hear:

1. 63-17
2. You're playing in your championship game
3. CJ was hurt
4. You own the rivalry
5. We were resting for the ACC championship game

I win. We win. GAMECOCKS win.