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If Clemson loses to Virginia Tech by double digits Saturday, and then goes on to lose to Auburn in a bowl by double digits, I think it will mark the first time in college football history that a team defeated two opponents by double digits during the season and then went on to lose to those same two teams by double digits in the very same season.

Factinistas, get on your horses and help me verify this stat.

I don't even think the double digits part is necessary to make this a truly remarkable stat. Clemson beat Auburn and Virginia Tech this season by double digits. They could go on to lose to both of those two teams over the next six weeks.

How amazing would that be?

I'm All-in.

For those saying, "It won't happen, I am hearing differently," just check out this link to see where I am getting this information. And remember, unlike many journalists out there, I don't let simple things like "facts" affect my informed opinions.

Check out my next Columbia show (December 9th and 10th in the Vista) by clicking here.


The Famous "Y'all Win" Text Message

Thursday, November 24, 2011 0 comments
One of my former quarterbacks from when I coached is an avid Clemson fan. He loves to rub in anything he can about Clemson to any South Carolina fan. One of his favorite things to do he did to me a while back and I have to admit I find great humor in it.

He waits until about two hours after South Carolina has lost a game (like the Auburn game this year) and then he sends you a text message with two simple words, "Y'all Win?"

The simplistic elegance of this is wonderful. He knows the outcome has already been decided and he knows you know too, but he pretends for the time being to have "not gotten the score" and texts you with the question, "Y'all Win?" The beauty of this is that I know full well he checks the South Carolina scores on his iPhone and keeps up with the Gamecock games to the minute. So getting a text from him two hours after the game that says, "Y'all win?" is like him saying to me, "I know you guys lost, but I am willing to be a complete jack-leg just to make you laugh."

If you are reading this and judging him for his jerkiness, I suggest you try it the next time Clemson loses and test how good it makes you feel. Maybe after the ACC Championship game. Wait about an hour or two after the results are in and then text your best Clemson friend with two simple words... "Y'all Win?" Thank me later.


I recently wrote an article for GamecockCentral.com discussing whether or not I hated Clemson enough. During that article I explained how I gathered my research using the email-list I was a part of during football season that included South Carolina supporters and Clemson supporters. I quoted that email list's responses several times in that article. It can be found at GamecockCentral.com.

Below are numerous email responses that didn't make it into the final article but are still very entertaining. Think of this article sort of like the DVD-extras on a movie-dvd. These are the "deleted scenes" or "bonus features."

These emails are all valid comments made in the email thread. I did not embellish or make up any comments to make Clemson look bad. Anything that makes a team look bad was truthfully said via email by that Gamecock or Tiger supporter. All I did was pose questions to the group for the purpose of publishing my story. Below are comments that didn't make it into the story, but I thought were worth posting to my blog.

(Before getting lost in this long post make sure to check out the famous "Y'all Win?" Text Message article here too.)

Why do you hate Clemson (or Carolina) ?

From a Carolina Supporter:
I hate Clemson because they are orange and smell like a mixture of gun-powder and Redman spittoons.

From Carolina supporter:
My hatred of Clemson is based on three things:
1. Clemson fans I know that are complete jerks.
2. Clemson fans I don't know that are complete jerks.
3. Clemson fans that will be born in the future and grow up to be complete jerks.



Marty's question to the group:
So if someone is taught by their parents the same in-born hatred of Carolina (as you have been taught to hate Clemson), and goes through life never changing that opinion, and thinks of you as less of a person for your love of Carolina ---- which one of you is wrong?

And to a larger point -- does this mean that half the people in the world are indeed less of a person for liking the wrong team in the mix? Is it the Michigan fans or the Ohio State fans that are less of a person for liking their team? I have already concluded it's the Auburn fans that are less of a person in that one.

Carolina supporter's response:
Neither. It's called a rivalry. I actually think less of those Clemson fans (and Carolina fans for that matter) that pull for the other school when they're not playing each other. It's a rivalry - hate each other dangit. It's not right vs. wrong. It's sports. It's not abortion or atheism. We all have our opinions, our backgrounds, our allegiances. Each of us can pull for, or hate, whoever we want to and I reserve my right to hate Clemson and everything orange.

I hate Clemson

(Noteworthy: This person signs all their emails with "I hate Clemson" even if those emails are not about football.)

Marty's Follow-Up Question:
So what about Wingo's dad? He's a traitor?

Carolina supporter's response (same guy as response above):
Yes!

Another response from someone else in the email thread about Wingo's dad:
I'm fine with Scott Wingo playing for Carolina. Leggett didnt recruit him. What I'm not fine with is Wingo's mom being all "They wanted him" on a Nationally Televised Interview spitting in Clemson's face. Yes, we didnt want your son and he's a good player. Clemson probably made a mistake but don't be talking crap so you can get pats on the back at Fountain Inn Baptist Church and at your local Fatz Cafe on Half Off Wings Night.



New Question From Marty
Would you say it's reasonable to assume, that as a child, you also thought that anyone that disagreed with you for hating Clemson was somehow less of a person?"

Carolina supporter's response:
I've never found any good reason NOT to hate Clemson. Yes, certainly less of a person. Not just sports, though mainly sports. I did have friends growing up that hated Carolina and loved Clemson, and yes, I do think less of them for that fact alone.


Question From Marty:
Why do Clemson folks act like they have had TOTAL DOMINATION over the years when the truth of the matter is Clemson has really only won about 2 for every 1 of Carolina's wins. USC is 35% or so over the last 100 years. That's not total domination like UT has over Vanderbilt. Clemson does have the upper-hand historically, but not total domination.

Clemson fan's response:
I will not sugarcoat it. These past 2 butt kickings have been beyond awful and unbearable. It feels like it's been 10 years since Clemson beat South Carolina. There is no rationalizing out of this total suckfest. And if I am around in 40 years and South Carolina has gone on a 28-12 run and I am saying things like "well at least it hasn't been 29 out 30", just end it for me. I will clearly have lost it.



New Question From Marty:
Do you hate the FANS of the rival more than the actual TEAM/Players/Coaches/School etc...?

Carolina supporter's response:
Kind of a mixed reaction here. I hated Danny Ford. I hated Tommy. Dabo is just annoying. I've never hated a Clemson player I don't think. I loved Jad Dean. It's hard to "hate" a college kid who's just out there playing ball. So, I guess it's just the fans. And it's not personal, it's just sports. But the disdain is real. Really real.

Carolina supporter #2's Response to the Same question:
I hated Reggie Bush, Scam Newton and Matt Leinert - because they were tools and got away with murder and they were just smug.

I actually was happy for Gaines Adams getting a big pay day and I pulled for him in the NFL before he died. I'd like to think most Clemson fans felt the same about Kenny Mckinley when he turned pro - then were genuinely sad when he died. This is because I liked the actual players. I think that clemson fans also probably would pull for Lattimore in the NFL because he's just a good guy.

I'm also sure clemson fans hated Tanneyhill and rightly so.

Clemson supporter #2's response to the same question:
I've actually got a story where I was treated poorly by a Carolina fan who was just plain angry about the score. I didn't do anything to him, yet he thought I did and tried to have me arrested. It was other Carolina fans who talked to the cops and convinced them I didn't do anything wrong. True story. End of story was Fletcher Anderson kicking our 63rd point.


New Question From Marty:
When is your first memory of losing to either Carolina or Clemson?

Clemson supporter's response:
1992 was my first real memory of Clemson losing to USC. I was 11 years old & I didn't think it was possible before that. My world was shattered. Then my uncle shows up at Thanksgiving in the Taneyhill fake pony tail dirt-neck hat. We still aren't on speaking terms.

Marty's comment back to this response:
Just to be clear.... Taneyhill hair is bad... Watkins hair is good?



Other Generally Funny Comments Made in the Email Thread

From Clemson Guy: (after the NC State game)
South Carolina will pillage Clemson. I will be there to witness.

From Clemson Guy:
Clemson also lost to Cremins in bball tonight. Dumpster fire on all fronts. Btw I am on the way to Clemson and am going to egg the ever living crap out of Tajh's house.






After the NC State Loss from a Clemson guy:
Here’s what’s going to happen:

USC’s front will DESTROY our OL, absolutely destroy. You’ll be able to drop everyone else back and do enough to disrupt routes. Taj will try to make something happen but be over aggressive and have 3 Ints (maybe one for 6)

Shaw will rush the ball for 106 yards and a score (see Maryland) he’ll also have two score’s through the air, One to Ace on a deep ball and one in the corner to Jeffrey.

The Blythewood kid will rush the ball 22 times for 125 and a score.

Final will be 28-3.

I am very confident in the coaches from the other side formulating a game plan (and working successfully) and have no confidence in our coaches formulating a game plan (see GT (Steele), see Maryland (Steele), See Wake (Steele, Morris), See NC State (Dabo (if you can call him a coach) (Morris) (this is one game I’ll give steele a pass bc our offense sucked a nasty one).

After this…Jonathon Bullard commits to USC. Marshall goes to ND. Gurley commits to GA. We go home to prepare for the ACC championship…get manhandled by VT…Dabo looks confused. And we go to Nashville for the Music City Bowl…




From a Carolina Guy:
I’ve thought about doing this on every South Carolina game where the line is less than a touchdown. I’ve never gambled money on a game and I have no idea how to do it (perhaps one of you could send a tutorial).

But I’ve often thought – hey, this is a game that I really want to win. I’ll bet 50 bucks that we won’t win, and if I’m right – at least I make some money – and if I’m wrong the gamecocks win and I’m glad to see that 50 bucks leave. The classic ‘hedge your bets’ scenario. Am I the only one?



From a Carolina Guy the Sunday after the NC State game:
So, this church my wife and I have been going to has a pastor who is a Clemson fan. Every week since football season started he has said something in his sermon about Clemson winning (and usually something about Carolina losing or almost losing), which I think is kind of annoying, but not a big deal. We were out of town the weekend of the GT game, so I don't know what he had to say about that. Yesterday, he got up and gave his sermon and didn't say anything at all about the game. I wanted to go up during the "response time" and tell him that he was remiss in not doing so, but I decided to stick with communion. But if you are going to talk smack to your congregation (which might just alienate half of them), you've got to be fair about it, don't you?




My response (Marty's response) to the question asked of the group, "Who makes a better Civil War General, Spurrier, Dabo, or Saban?"

Spurrier on why his troops lost the battle:
"We're just not that good a troop right now. We make stupid mistakes. Guess I gotta do a better job trainin' 'em up."

Dabo on why his troops lost the battle:
"Must not have been God's plan for us to win this bleeping thing... bleep! Whooooaaa!! I love my troops and I'll fight for 'em till they all are dead. Amen. (wipes a tear.)"

Sabon on why his troops lost the battle:
"Don't bleepin' talk to me right now, I got some butts to cut."


From a Carolina Guy:
My sister-in-law went to Clemson and graduated in 09. We try not to talk about her much. She and her boyfriend came over to our house for dinner last night along with the rest of my wife's family. He had on a Clemson hat when he walked in the door and immediately realized his mistake and threw it in the corner. As I was turning out the lights later I noticed he'd left it in the corner. I shot him a text that I'll give the hat quarter until sundown today. If it's still in my house at that time I'm going to burn it in my front yard. I don't even want it seen in my trash. Yes, I secretly hope he forgets it today.

I hate Clemson.


To all the Clemson fans that keep telling me that you guys never bad-mouth your own here is one response in the email thread after the Georgia Tech loss.
From Clemson supporter in email:
Steele sucks & I hate him. He will never beat Georgia Tech as long as he coaches.



On the topic of 30 Conference Championships AND 30 Losses to Clemson or vice versa.

From a Clemson supporter:

Best possible scenario for USC is for Clemson to be 0-12 every year. And vice versa. This cannot be disputed. That's not hate, that's just logic. That being said, there has never once been a second of my life that I did not hate with every fiber of my being the Raging Toilet Bowl Fire that is the University of South Carolina.


From Carolina supporter:
If we curb stomp Clemson and so does everyone else every year we get our pick of the best recruits in the state rather than split an already small state with another competitive school. So, it's not just hating Clemson, I mean that's part of it, but it's wanting there to be only one real choice to stay in state and play major college football... if in fact the ACC is "major."

From a Carolina Supporter:
If Clemson lost every game ever played from now till the end of time - All would be well. I will probably never go back up to Clemson for a game because I get physically Ill - I just do - I hate that place. While I wouldn't want to harm anyone - I wouldn't mind if that whole place burned to the ground.

From Carolina supporter discussing whether or not he wants Clemson to beat NC State and be ranked fifth playing USC:
Nope. Best thing is for Clemson to lose Saturday. And then lose to USC. And then lose in the ACC Championship game. And then to lose bowl game. And then to go 0-12. And then repeat this process for fifty years!

From a Clemson supporter before The Citadel game:
I don't care what USC is ranked when we play. Tomorrow, I want The Citadel to walk into that pathetic excuse of an adandoned crack whorehouse of a stadium, score 70, leave the entire football team in stretchers, then go into the stands and begin pillaging the fans.


From a Clemson Supporter during the second quarter of the NC State game:
My son is wearing a clemson shirt. He is still in diapers. Somehow the diaper didn't stop him from exploding his boopy all over his shirt. Maybe he understands what is happening to the Tigers right now. I am taking a picture of this and sending it to Steele.



From Clemson supporter near the end of the NC State game:
Anyone that thinks Clemson has any shot whatsoever against South Carolina is a raging idiot. I have never be more sure of anything. But the San Fran Bowl opponent better watch out.

Feel free to continue the discussion below!

Go Cocks!

This is my weekly Big-Play Breakdown for GamecockCentral.com for the Tennessee game. (Click here to read it on their website.)



Nothing more to this post!

If Notre Dame has the luck of the Irish, then the Gamecocks have the fate of Odysseus. Often while traveling I will get asked, "Isn't pulling for the Gamecocks sad?" I always respond the same way. "No! Pulling for the Gamecocks is not sad, it's tragic."

There's a huge difference.

You see, pulling for Rutgers or Tulane is sad. The Gamecocks, on the other hand, always make their heroic rise to good fortune and give everyone hope that something great will happen. Then those same hopes and dreams are dashed by some cosmic outer force that is seemingly uncontrollable.

This year that would be the loss of Stephen Garcia, the loss of Kyle Nunn, and most devastating of all, the injury to Marcus Lattimore. Their response to that "fate," if you will, will determine their success or failure. In the past, they have usually brought about their own downfall. But this year's team is different.

What Homer would call fate, and what the Gamecock fans would call the chicken curse, this year's team calls bull malarkey!

The 2011 Gamecocks have quietly worked their way back into the top 10 in the polls after an early fall from grace delivered by their Achilles' heel, Auburn. No national media outlet has given these Gamecocks a chance. They have all ignored the fact that Arkansas was lucky to beat Vanderbilt and Ole Miss in back-to-back weeks, and in their usual biased, ridiculously incompetent ways, have all picked Arkansas to roll past the Gamecocks with ease.

To read the rest of this article click the image below or click here.



Go to GamecockCentral.com to read the rest of this article.



This is my weekly Big-Play Breakdown for GamecockCentral.com for the Tennessee game. (Click here to read it on their website.)






Nothing more to this post!


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