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About that Saturday

Oct 4, 2022, 3:39 PM

A two-part post. The first, sentimental. The second, more of observations about attending the game Saturday. Skip to the bottom if you ain't about the feels today. I posted here instead of Mange because this audience is better.

I hadn't been to a home game since 2019, but more importantly, I hadn't been to a game with my dad in five years. Auburn 2017, to be exact, because that was his last game. He's still sharp as can be mentally, but physically, going to games like he used to is a struggle; he couldn't justify paying for the IPTAY/seats/parking anymore and I just couldn't make it to games like I used to now that I'm in Charleston. He's in his late 70s.

It dawned on me in my early 20s that going to a game was really about going with Dad. College was the first time I went to games and sat elsewhere, and while I loved the student section, it just wasn't the same not having him sitting by me and discussing the action.

When our extended family ticket group had to start splitting up, I made sure I was still with him. My wife always knew to let us sit by each other.

We sat through some dogs together all my life. 1995 vs. UVA in the cold rain. 2003 vs. UGA in the 143 degree heat. 2006 vs. South Carolina when Jad went complete Shankapotamus on us.

And some incredible ones. Those ones in the 80s when I was just a little boy and loved going to Clemson more than Christmas morning. Our first bowl game together, the 1993 Peach Bowl vs. Kentucky. That 2004 brawl vs. SC when Dad almost beat the #### out of two drunk Gamecock young punks who tried to start something at our tailgate. The 2006 GT game when we thought Clemson had finally turned the corner (lol).

The most fun I had with him at a game was 2016 vs. the Coots. Just watching Deshaun and the boys rip our rival to pieces and he and I both knowing there was something special about this team.

When we watch the games from afar, we always call each other at halftime to celebrate how well we're doing or to remind ourselves how much better coaches we are if Dabo would just pick up the phone and ask...

Our large family Clemson game outings dwindled over the years for a variety of reasons. I found myself back "home" again with him, though, and the nostalgia flooded back. It hit him, too, I think, as he shared a lot of stories from his Clemson days. I pumped the brakes on my drinking since I was driving us back that night. It wasn't quite the same as a lot of characters from the past were missing, but again, when it comes to Clemson games, he's the one who matters the most.

It took a little longer to walk to the stadium than usual as he uses a cane now, just like his father did when navigating the stairs to the seats in Death Valley. Dad didn't stand for the game like he used to; I did that on my own while he watched a lot of the action on Clemson's new giant HD TV they got on sale at Costco.

But he stood for the 4th quarter and yelled as loud as he could when we were on defense.

At the end, when we watched the fans congregate at the Paw, we put our arms around each other's shoulders and sang the alma mater. I think that was my favorite moment. Nah, I know it was.

We're going to try to get back for a game this year. But I can't shake that thought in my mind. That question of how many of these do we have left. It's something I've done with him since I myself had trouble walking to the stadium and up and down the steps.

It's a part of my life that I've never fathomed--until recently--could come to an end in the near future, but I felt that during the alma mater. Maybe that's why this particular game is going to move to the top of the list.

OKAY, OBSERVATIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO SKIPPED THE FEELS PART

-I learned about Bresee's status from a drunk college chick in the Port-a-John line. I had been talking to a drunk college kid who was really nice and wanted to talk football, but he repeated himself three or four times on each point.
"Bryanssszzzaout," she interrupted us.
"What?" I asked.
"BRYAN'S. ZZZAOUT."
"Who is Bryan?"
"Bry-an!"
I stared at her.
"Breeeezy!"
"Oh. Bryan Bresee. He's out?"
"I got analert on muh phone."
We didn't believe her and ignored her. She was not attractive. No pigs.

-Maybe I'm getting old or maybe it's because I pulled back on my drinking for this one, but holy Jeebus, the debauchery seemed worse than usual. Even for a night game. Does this mean... on other occasions... I'm the problem?

-Four bros arrived early to their tailgate spot and invented some game involving a rubber chair leg stop and cases of beer. I think you had to bounce the rubber into a hole in the box like it was cornhole. It spanned the length of a parking spot and one part of the game involved players repeatedly earning the rights to wear a tiger tail. It looked fun.

-To the large tent of drunken adults behind the WEZ blaring Mexican club music and dancing, you're simultaneously awful but also pretty awesome.

-Didn't see any fights but a few folks flirted with it. One young Clemson fan kept pointing to his crotch for some obnoxious Pack fans while waiting in the bathroom line and told em to suck on it.

-What the hell happened to Peppinos? First, how do we continue to run out of pepperoni pizza before kickoff? Are entire families of 10 rushing into Death Valley two hours before kickoff to treat it like a CiCi's buffet before everyone else can get to the pepperoni?

"Hell, baby, let's hurry up and get in there so I can get dem kids those $8.00 slices of pepperoni fore all dem drunk frat boys get there."

Next, Peppinos. I've had quite my share of savory, delicious Peppinos while sitting in a late-night catatonic state downtown. W T F are they serving in the stadium. The cheese slice I ordered was cold. The cheese resembled that corn starch gooey #### you used to make in your elementary science class but it wasn't blue. I could have patched a tire with the crust. I half expected tigermanac to pop up wearing a flat-brimmed hat and a Trevor jersey and tell me how good it is because it's like what they make back in Detroit or something.

-Speaking of Trevor jerseys, saw a grown man wearing a half Clemson, half Jags Trevor jersey. Maybe it was laundry day.

-While waiting to get to my seat behind the mob in the concourse with my cold slice of cardboard + man spunk, an NC State fan (looked to be a college kid whose browser history probably just consists of furry cosplay stuff) walked up to me. He had on a puffy vest kind of like what Marty McFly wore. Same color.

Him: "Hey, can I ask you something? Does it suck to spend that much money on clothes that are orange?"
I stared at him for a moment then said, "Do you usually walk up to random strangers and make comments about what they're wearing?"
Him, with a herp derp laugh: "Well, yeah, cause it's fun."
Me: "That's pretty sad."
Him, looking back at his two friends: "Well, you're the first Clemson fan who showed us any respect tonight."
Then I pulled out my blade that security didn't find on the way into the gate, held it up to his jugular, looked him square in the eyes, and said...
"Maybe you should try not walking up to random strangers and saying #### about their clothes."

It happened like that, except without the knife part. But I probably could have stabbed him to death with the Peppinos crust.

-The new HD giant TV is pretty #### cool. Seeing the stats on there all game is pretty neat. But, um... maybe turn the music down just a hair? Get off my lawn.

-That's one of the most electric night crowds I've witnessed in Death Valley, but you know what? A lot of past ones felt like it was just for special occasions. I know this was one, but it just feels... normal. I can't really describe why that's important, but it just felt expected for the place to be awesome, and it was.

-Hats off to whoever has put together the atmosphere at our stadium now. Absolutely the best I've ever seen it.

-On the other side of me was a college kid or recent grad. Real nice guy and enjoyed talking the game with him. Next to him were two loud, drunk NC State women. They liked to cheer wildly for the Pack even when the play wasn't that great. They called their QB a ####### idiot multiple times. And one woman kept turning to college kid and me to debate football and bad calls and babble about some other nonsense.

We didn't acknowledge her one time, but she kept trying.

-Finally, this #### never gets old and gives me goosebumps every time after the third quarter. To go along with it, I attached a second video as a quick summary of the difference between two rival programs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jq_VDWrGYJo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO-goDVmdf4

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My parents finally broke down and bought season tix, UR 3 rows from the top, when I started in '75. Before, they bought tix for games since they married, esp GT and UGA. Soon after, my Clemson grad Dad retired due to continued heart trouble and new diagnosis of Parkinson's. But starting then, for years, they'd go to the modest house they built in Connestee Falls near Brevard, from RH on Friday, a great direction to drive in/out on gameday. At some point, his younger brother and my aunt joined their weekends, and drove their conversion van (!).

I used their tix sometimes as his health declined. After he died, I went to many games, but only took my Mom once to a game, a dreary and cold GT game. She hated GT the most, due to the no home/home deal. After she died, I gave up their seats even though I was getting the mail at that point. I would have kept them, but my Dad would not have, so there. That uncle died a few yrs ago, and that aunt this summer.

I've tailgated with the same guys I went through school with in RH, one from elementary, all from Jr High through NWHS and Clemson, since graduating in '79. One of that group, a roommate one yr in Johnstone, died recently. He was the guy who didn't go into game due to bad hips, and watched our stuff.

It's hard to get down there from scenic Botetourt County VA, a whole weekend unless you're henry®, but these days it's tough for him too. Enjoyed the same-day to WF. Planning on Miami with CU grad daughter, who's been going with me since early elementary school. She says this is the longest time since she's been to Clemson for a game since 4th grade. Thanks, pandemic.

My grandmother in Bowersville GA never went to college, she did piece work on a sewing machine. The next 3 generations are Clemson Grads who've loved to go to the Valley, and put in the work to get there.

Message was edited by: NoIntroduction®

About that Saturday

Point for Dad and Manacpawski's flat billed hat reference***

That SCar video....was produced...by SCar??

Ima tell you this...just savor it. APM never thought about

Two things...

Clemson does a GREAT job with media these days, BUT

LOL. I thought Clemson started the 4 fingers we have

i remember 4 fingering about 50 some years ago***

I think it started with Pell.***

Further Googling, Bama did it in the 60's so I am sure Pell

I believe Dabo introduced it when he got hired.***

it started long ago, and I agree, it's stupid.

You serious right now, Willis ? Did it in ‘79 at my first

It's not really just a Clemson thing...

good stuff

You’re very wise to recognize how special those times

This post got me hard.

kms now identifies as male?***

well that makes two of us.***

Point for Shankapotamus

It was hard to determine...

Definitely Bowden***

TLDR

I have not been in the stadium since pre Covid and it was

here's the new video, if you missed it

Re: About that Saturday

Tiger Paw in the sky is what i am waiting on.

Re: Tiger Paw in the sky is what i am waiting on.

tl/dr pont***

well, mine turned out almost as long.

took my dad to that championship game in Cali

Re: About that Saturday

Good post, dawg.

Great post

Hay, could you like

My son and I have been going to games for five or six years.

Sorry I mist the chance to meet you at WF. One of the

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