We did it. For the first time in 40 years, the Carolina Gamecocks beat the Clemson Tigers two years in a row. This is obviously a very big deal, and since it is not too far past Thanksgiving, it is only appropriate for all Carolina fans to be grateful and give thanks for the incredible season our football team has had this year.
To be able to beat Alabama, beat Clemson, beat Florida and go on to compete in the SEC Championship all in the same year is huge. Being a strong winning team hasn’t always looked this easy. Many freshmen at the University of South Carolina are only vaguely aware of the struggles the Gamecocks have faced on the football field in the past. This team has put up a good fight for years and has not always been lucky enough to come out of the season with such a large number of victories.
The Class of 2014 should feel blessed to have missed many of those tough times at home and away and needs to set examples for fans of the future. To be a great fan, a student must request a ticket to as many games possible and earn as many loyalty points as possible. Students should want to cheer loudly and stay in the stands until the very end of the game, no matter if the Gamecocks are winning by four touchdowns or being completely trampled by the opposition. Fans must realize that every game matters and more importantly, every win matters. Not to beat a dead horse (or dead tiger if you prefer), but while this has been one of the Gamecocks’ best football seasons, the student section’s sportsmanship and enthusiasm for each game has been severely lacking.
While we want Gamecock fans to take deep pride in every victory, they should also talk less trash. We’re talking to you, Student Government. Please refrain from writing any letters to Clemson University bragging about our win. It is inevitable that Clemson will beat us sometime in the future, and when they do it’s best if we don’t give them something extra to laugh about.