It’s ridiculously hot out, and yet there he stands in a blazer, pants and sweat-drenched dress shirt. Atop his platform, his eyes scan the field as he tries to anticipate what must be said next. When it's time, he howls into the mic as needed, giving energy to every chant like it's his first.
This is the South Carolina Mic Man, the most supportive fan in Williams-Brice Stadium — and the fan that receives the most scrutiny. In good times, his words are embraced and followed like those from God, but in bad times, his optimism and hope are critiqued and insulted.
As sports fans, it often just feels natural to take out our frustration from the game on those surrounding us. When the opposing team busts off a huge play, many fans first reaction is to start screaming at and pleading with the referees for a flag. Should we do this? Probably not. It does no good to blame anyone for what’s happening on the field. Especially not our own Mic Man.
It is true that the occasional chant that flows from his mouth is a “high school chant” that probably shouldn’t be used unless under the Friday night lights. It is true that the constant words of encouragement when all you want to do is strangle your own players can be slightly annoying. But let's cut the man some slack. He’s trying harder than any of us to be the the ideal fan.
You’ll never hear a single word slip from his mouth that is negative towards the Gamecocks. On top of that, he seems to know every chant in the book. He knows when to say certain chants to bring the student section alive. He knows when to say certain chants to bring the whole stadium alive. His importance can be summed up in one 30-second time frame from the last Kentucky vs. South Carolina football game. Nearing the end of the game, with seemingly no hope left for victory and the volume in the stadium seemingly clicked on mute, our mic man began one last "Game ... cocks!" chant that brought the seemingly dead crowd alive one more time.
We should be proud of our Carolina Mic Man. We should be proud to know that the man representing and leading our student section will always be fully behind our team, and always portraying our student section in a positive and passionate light. So the next time you go to hate on him for doing just so, try to catch yourself before you criticize. Disappointed as you may be with the way the game is going, try to follow his lead. Root for the Gamecocks until the very final whistle, through the good and bad.