Our rivalry is tame by comparisonBy Ken Burger (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Thursday, November 27, 2008
The Post and Courier Outside of the Palmetto State, seldom if ever does the Carolina-Clemson game make much difference outside the state lines. The South Carolina-Clemson football rivalry is a good one. I've been around it all my life and people in the Palmetto State have a lot of fun fussing over the Gamecocks and the Tigers. But, by comparison, it's a rather tame, respectable event. Other games around the country are more intense because, quite frankly, they mean more. Some say the Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn is the most hate-filled, intrastate game and they might be right. There is absolutely no love lost between those two schools and it plays out in the daily life of Alabamans. Then there's the Ohio State-Michigan conflict, where people can get downright nasty about the Buckeyes and the Wolverines. There are a lot of these college rivalries around the country and each has its own special meaning to those involved. The ones that get the most attention, of course, are the ones that tend to have consequence. Unfortunately, seldom, if ever, does the Carolina- Clemson game make much difference outside the state lines. About respect But that's OK. It's our rivalry game and we don't care much what other people think about it. It would be nice if someday the Gamecocks and the Tigers were battling it out for a BCS bowl or a shot at the national title, but that hasn't happened and really isn't likely. So, while people dress up in their team colors and tell off-color jokes about the other school, the venom is usually more about whether the barbecue sauce is vinegar or mustard base at the pig- picking before the game. When it comes to such rivalries, those who have been a part of other hard-scrabble games put this one in perspective. 'In the Alabama-Auburn rivalry, the fans are that way, they really dislike each other,' Clemson interim coach Dabo Swinney, who spent 13 years at Alabama as a player and coach. 'But in this game, for the players, it's more of a respect. 'Both sides want to win very bad. And there have been some years when there's been some personality conflicts and some issues that somehow arise. But I would say, for the most part, those kids respect our team and our kids respect them. A lot of them know each other. 'They got some good folks down there. I wish them well in every game except this one.' Social calendar Which is kind of the way the whole state feels about his game. There are always the hard-core fans who hate everything about the other school and hope and pray they lose every game. But for the most part, we're civil. South Carolina and Clemson fans are friends and neighbors who enjoy some light-hearted ribbing from the other side. Quite frankly, since the Tigers have dominated this series (64-37-4), there's not much the Gamecocks can say except wait until next year, which has become their mantra. But the series occupies a comfortable place in our life, mainly because it's a part of the South Carolina social calendar. As for what makes it unique, even Swinney had to think hard to find an answer. 'They're very similar,' the Clemson coach said, searching his mind for a good comeback. 'Very passionate fan bases. It's a 365-day-a-year deal. The losers are usually miserable. 'So I guess the thing that makes it unique is that they are in different conferences. That's it. The ACC vs. the SEC. There you go. I stumbled upon it.' Reach Ken Burger at kburger@postandcourier.com. |
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Comments
This article has 11 comment(s)
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Posted by charlestonhome on November 27, 2008 at 1:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
We are truly a State with blessedly nice folks that pull together to do what's best for our state teams. Its always about balance in our state, you know like...Culture vs. Agriculture. Hell, USC even lets Clemson win nearly 65% of the time so that they have something to talk about in the upstate because, well, quite frankly.....there ain't anything else for em to talk about up there in Cow Country.......USC - always doing the right thing for our state. Go Cocks!!!
Posted by theballsiam on November 27, 2008 at 5:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Ken Burger probably thinks the rivalry between UGAy and GT is bigger. The fact is, no one really gives a sh*t about state rivalries unless they have ties to that state and its colleges. I don't really give a damn about Bama vs Auburn and they don't care about us either. It works both ways.
Posted by lowcountrydawg on November 27, 2008 at 6:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Being from GA, I do appreciate UGA/Tech. However, ask any Georgia Fan who is the bigger rival, and easily, it UF.
Clemson-Carolina not a big rivalry? See 2004's game when the fight broke out. Just because these two teams may not be at the top and this does not have national implications, does not mean this game is not big to the people in this state...
...it's HUGE!!!!!
Posted by dbeast420 on November 27, 2008 at 6:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Posted by charlestonhome on November 27, 2008 at 1:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hell, USC even lets Clemson win nearly 65% of the time so that they have something to talk about in the upstate because, well, quite frankly.....there ain't anything else for em to talk about up there in Cow Country.......USC - always doing the right thing for our state. Go Cocks!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I believe you're just slightly mistaken about that.......
Clemson has let Carolina win 35% of the time ;)
GO TIGERS!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by facman on November 27, 2008 at 7:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Burger needs to change his name to "stick". He can really stir it up. Being an Allendale boy, he knows how nasty we Palmetto fans can get. He is right, this is a state that loves its schools, all one of them, CLEMSON. So, there gamesnot nation. Teehee.
Posted by theronce on November 27, 2008 at 8:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I can do without the hate.
Posted by jimmy1370 on November 27, 2008 at 8:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
theronce, don't think of it as hate. It's more like extreme dislike!!
Posted by agoodsongmaker on November 27, 2008 at 10:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
HEADLINES!!!
BURGER ADMITS TO STUMBLING & FINDING TRUTH - BY ACCIDENT!
A rumor, well known for years in the Lame State of Burger’s mind has just emerged as a Freudian Slip of gargantuan proportions. Having subjected the public thru numerous articles of professor-ish instructions on what we should know and/or believe or illuminations on what we don’t know or believe, we have discovered thru his latest dissertation that which we thought we knew or believe but didn’t know or believe Burger did – at least until now – BURGER’S GRASP ON TRUTH IS FICTION STUMBLING ON FACT! ! ! I know they got awards for this and this award winning journalist [author of 123 published copies of his book (thank you P & C employees for the pay roll deducted purchase that guaranteed your retirement here)], will find a way to win, unlike the SC chicks and CLMSN kittens we so love. Keep going Burger! Reality’s just a stumble a way!
Posted by youmanyo on November 27, 2008 at 10:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You should hate Clemson after all the beat downs over the years they have given you, if we were owned by our rival like you guys are I would hate them to. Hey guess what school is rated top 20?
http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreview...
Go Tigers ! 11 out of 13
Posted by wonderdog on November 27, 2008 at 11:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
No one outside the state of SC cares who wins the Clemson v. South Carolina game unless it has top 20 impact, and that rarely happens. I doubt that Burger thinks the Georgia v. Georgia Tech game is a big deal outside that state; I don't know any other Georgia grads who think of it as "the big game".
People who think their in-state rivalries are the biggest and best in the country need to get out more.
Posted by tallblonde on November 30, 2008 at 10:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
wonderdog - My Beloved Georgia Dawgs v Georgia Tech game certainly isn't a big deal......especially this year....truly.....I promise....just pretend it never happened.... :)