Ive got to say, yesterday was a bit of a low for me as a 2nd generation alumni, booster and 30+ year South Carolina fan. Not necessarily because of the game (although it was horrible at best) but because of what I dealt with and experienced in the stadium.
A little back story...I invited a good friend (who is a Clemson fan) to the game and he politely declined because in not so many words said he would most likely get in a fight due to obnoxious Carolina fans. I told him non-sense and that he would be just fine; regardless he still declined.
Fast forward to the game...I ended up taking another couple friend of mine who are also Clemson fans to the game. As we are walking into the game I had a "fan" and supposed student walk up to my friend and scream some things (which I wont get into) directly into his ear. My friend politely gave him the thumbs up while I ended up getting into an verbal altercation with him and his buddy (I told my buddy to stay out of this one, and he did). For those of you who know me, you know that I am one of the lest likely people to get into altercations but he crossed a line and that I couldn't ignore. Had the person who I originally invited went with me we would have in all likelihood ended up in jail. The moment passed and we went on to our seats.
Next up, I sit down and not 10 minutes after we sit down an older woman (65 years plus) sitting directly behind me, my wife and friends "quietly" (not really) tells her friend that she would rather eat her tickets before giving it to Clemson fans and that "real Carolina fans" would never give their tickets to opposing fans, etc. My wife who had had enough turned around and ended up getting into a verbal altercation with her and after much debate we agreed to disagree.
Fast forward to the start of the 2nd quarter, not 2 rows in front of me a group of 4 Carolina fans decided to be those fans to stand the entire time in front of a family of 4 Carolina fans with 2 young kids. After the dad asked him to sit down and with no luck, the dad asks again and then words and fingers started flying in front of the young girls.
Next I witness a student section start throwing bottles and I had had enough.
Now I know all teams have "bad fans" and most fans behave themselves but yesterday was really disappointing as an alumni. I have visited many opposing teams venues (Clemson, Auburn, LSU, Florida and Georgia to name a few), bowl games and a ton of Carolina home games and I can honestly say I have NEVER had a bad experience with an opposing teams fanbase, only my own sadly. I have many heard stories about "bad fans" and when I experienced altercations I always chalked it up to "bad fans" (for Carolina and other teams) and really not thought much of it. After yesterday and the conversation I had with the original person I was going to take to the game; it got me to thinking, is the Carolina fan base just really that bad?
It's one thing to make a stadium a "hostile" environment to play in, which I am all for. Cheer and scream for your team all you want, hate your rival if you want (I certainly do) and boo them if you wish, but show some class in doing it. I think Carolina fans have to realize that for the most part, successful schools (Clemson, Georgia, Bama etc.) are not "threatened" or "scared" of us when we play them because for the most part they have not had any reason to, which in my opinion, is why I feel I have had good experiences with them. Carolina fans on the other hand are frustrated due to our overall lack of success and in turn have to run our mouths to try and compensate.
For the record, I consider the banter that goes on on this website and most other forums quite entertaining and in good fun...for the most part. If you are a student of Carolina or a fan, I would ask that you do all you an to make Williams Brice as loud as possible and to make it as hard for opposing teams as possible, but show some class.
I am sure some of you will disagree with me and thats fine, but thats my opinion and after last night I felt the need to get it off my chest.
Congrats tigers on the win. You were the better team. I will be wearing my turnover chain next Saturday...
Ok, rant over
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