Welcome to fall in the south. There is perhaps no greater thing for the greater majority of people here than College Football. it's on just about every channel. Fans are covered in paint, gear, and the finest team spirit items they can find. Here the women dress up in dresses with their favorite team's Logo on them, and I dont mean just any old dress, i mean attractive well thought out, and well made dresses. Fellas wear jerseys, t-shirts, or even no shirt at all and paint themselves from dang near head to toe with the colors of their favorite teams, and some even have letters spelled out on their chests and backs.
Here in Columbia, i can remember as a 7th grader, being asked on one of my first buss rides to school after the move down here was i a gamecock or a tiger. I had no idea what they meant. I didnt quite get it, so after some explanation by the guys and girls around me i had to choose. Right there and right then. I had no idea which to choose of course, and it was even worse cause i've never really cared for sports. Sure back "home" in Virginia I played Soccer.. but when mentioning soccer here I was greeted with strange looks. Oh the joys of being 13 and transplanted from the Metro DC area to what i viewed as my own personal southern hell of hickville where there was nothing to do, and no one i knew. Back to having to choose.... I think, and i truely mean this that I think i choose Gamecock. Honestly though, im not 100% sure on that. Either way, the future played out that indeed i was a going to become a Gamecock... even if I hadnt chosen that back then on that morning ride to school.
Fast forward to 1993.. I applied at many many colleges, and was somehow accepted to many of those i applied at. I was fortunate enough to get Acceptance Letters from : Francis Marion University, Embry Riddle University, The Citadel, and The University of South Carolina. Anyone who knows me, by now, knows the path i chose. I decided to stay at home, buy a car, and go to USC. I had made this decision for a few reasons. 1, a new car, 2 a girl, 3, i was still angry at the bullshit my commander in ROTC pulled over kissing ass and promotions, and 4, i was young and dumb. (While the prior has changed, sometimes i wonder if the latter still persists. ) So in fall of 1994, i started my life as a Gamecock. It took me damn near 15 years to finish my degree. I worked full time throughout my college career. I supported my mother thru a divorce, i got married, i worked 2 jobs at times, so yea needless to say, my life was complex, and my college career. Bottom line is I did complete it. However my gamecock career didnt end there. In 08 i was hired by the USC School of Medicine. Thus becoming an alum of both USC and the School of medicine. I've told you all this because it shows how deep the blood runs in the south. Folks fight, as Carolina and Clemson proved during the last game of Lou Holtz's coaching career.
There is nothing quite like the feeling of a college town on game day. When i say game day in the south it is largely referring to Football. However lately the Gamecocks have had this apply to our incredible Baseball team as well. The smells and sounds you hear while tailgating, or being in the stadium during the game, it is truly electric. You can see it in the air, the energy, the hopes, and excitement. Not to mention the pain, and sorrow when your team is not able to win that game. Odd how even the most anti sports fan can convert on a game day in a town. Especially if that team won. When your team takes the field and your in that stadium, it is incredible. I recommend everyone to see at least one game in person.
Today is of course a game day here in the south, and everyone everywhere are sporting their teams colors. for those of you who care less, forgive us crazy fans. Sometimes our idiocy is due to too much alcohol, sometimes its just too much passion because we spent so much money in tuition for so many years. Others have their passion and pride because while they've never been able to go to the school, they have pulled for them all their lives because of many reasons, family, friends, or even a bus ride to middle school...
GOOOOOOOOOOO COCKS!!!
Here in Columbia, i can remember as a 7th grader, being asked on one of my first buss rides to school after the move down here was i a gamecock or a tiger. I had no idea what they meant. I didnt quite get it, so after some explanation by the guys and girls around me i had to choose. Right there and right then. I had no idea which to choose of course, and it was even worse cause i've never really cared for sports. Sure back "home" in Virginia I played Soccer.. but when mentioning soccer here I was greeted with strange looks. Oh the joys of being 13 and transplanted from the Metro DC area to what i viewed as my own personal southern hell of hickville where there was nothing to do, and no one i knew. Back to having to choose.... I think, and i truely mean this that I think i choose Gamecock. Honestly though, im not 100% sure on that. Either way, the future played out that indeed i was a going to become a Gamecock... even if I hadnt chosen that back then on that morning ride to school.
Fast forward to 1993.. I applied at many many colleges, and was somehow accepted to many of those i applied at. I was fortunate enough to get Acceptance Letters from : Francis Marion University, Embry Riddle University, The Citadel, and The University of South Carolina. Anyone who knows me, by now, knows the path i chose. I decided to stay at home, buy a car, and go to USC. I had made this decision for a few reasons. 1, a new car, 2 a girl, 3, i was still angry at the bullshit my commander in ROTC pulled over kissing ass and promotions, and 4, i was young and dumb. (While the prior has changed, sometimes i wonder if the latter still persists. ) So in fall of 1994, i started my life as a Gamecock. It took me damn near 15 years to finish my degree. I worked full time throughout my college career. I supported my mother thru a divorce, i got married, i worked 2 jobs at times, so yea needless to say, my life was complex, and my college career. Bottom line is I did complete it. However my gamecock career didnt end there. In 08 i was hired by the USC School of Medicine. Thus becoming an alum of both USC and the School of medicine. I've told you all this because it shows how deep the blood runs in the south. Folks fight, as Carolina and Clemson proved during the last game of Lou Holtz's coaching career.
There is nothing quite like the feeling of a college town on game day. When i say game day in the south it is largely referring to Football. However lately the Gamecocks have had this apply to our incredible Baseball team as well. The smells and sounds you hear while tailgating, or being in the stadium during the game, it is truly electric. You can see it in the air, the energy, the hopes, and excitement. Not to mention the pain, and sorrow when your team is not able to win that game. Odd how even the most anti sports fan can convert on a game day in a town. Especially if that team won. When your team takes the field and your in that stadium, it is incredible. I recommend everyone to see at least one game in person.
Today is of course a game day here in the south, and everyone everywhere are sporting their teams colors. for those of you who care less, forgive us crazy fans. Sometimes our idiocy is due to too much alcohol, sometimes its just too much passion because we spent so much money in tuition for so many years. Others have their passion and pride because while they've never been able to go to the school, they have pulled for them all their lives because of many reasons, family, friends, or even a bus ride to middle school...
GOOOOOOOOOOO COCKS!!!
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