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All-In [32653]
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My Miami thoughts - or - There is NOTHING like the Clemson
Jan 1, 2016, 12:23 PM
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Family.
In the car - headed home - wanted to get some thoughts out there before the images fade & blend in with my dull, foggy-headed remnants of last night's celebrating.
Thursday, as the day broke warm & breezy and with endless blue skies, my wife & I had no idea what an amazing day lay in front of us. Funny how you just never know when things you will never forget are waiting on you right around the next corner.
Had to pick up a parking pass at the Stubhub last minute location and there were Clemson people everywhere. And 2 Sooner fans. I couldn't tell if it was just me being excited for GAMEDAY or if there really was something in the air even as we went through the drudgery of the administrative details of getting a parking space. (Stubhub does a great job with their last minute deal - convenient, friendly folks, free ORANGE sunglasses, etc.). In hindsight - electricity was in the air - at 10am - at a community center - well removed from the stadium.
Tailgate by 11. Found a spot under a tree that gave us a respite from the pounding south Florida sun. The breeze was constant and sometimes cool but at other times it had a warmth to it that made it seem like we were in a convection oven with the temp set on 100.
Was calm & quiet - peaceful.
By noon - it was a high definition show of epic proportions that only the Clemson Family can put on. It was a Clemson home game ..... 700 miles from our tiny corner of God's Country.
We were all friends & family - there were no strangers - even the Okie's were welcomed and enveloped in the spirit of Clemson.
We had 2 guys in Sooner maroon that parked beside us. Turns out he was a photographer for a smaller paper in the middle of nowhere, Oklahoma. They were in a new Jeep that was Oklahoma colors and fully decked out. They were asked by the parking guy if they wanted to be directed around to the "Oklahoma" side of the parking lots and the guy laughed out loud and said "Are you kidding ? Who wouldn't want to be in the middle of all THIS" as he waved his hand out at the sea of orange and Paws and tents & well - you know - that scene that is all Clemson at every home game.
I'm not sure if it was because of the weather or the fact that it was New Year's Eve or that we were in the rarified air of being one of the last 4 fan bases who's team was still playing games that mattered - or a combination of all of it - but the next 3 hours was a PARTY. It was a family reunion but felt more like best friends for life meeting for the first time in 20 years and the conversation is easy and simple, as if it had never stopped. With complete strangers.
And it continued in the stadium.
50,000 Tiger faithful in a stadium that holds 67,000. And it was LOUD - the whole game. 1st down to their tries for the extra point. IT WAS LOUD !!!
And it was FUN .... even trailing at the half. It was fun - being there, witnessing first hand this day that will be talked about for generations. CLEMSON in a college football playoff game for the first time ever. What a day.
We stayed for the trophy presentation and I don't think a single Tiger fan left. We were there and we were there for one purpose - to encourage our guys to be their best.
There was orange EVERYWHERE - top decks, endzones .... EVERYWHERE - 20 minutes after the game ended.
And it was LOUD !!
I have never heard the Alma Mater sung louder or with as much pride & passion as I heard last night. And there were LOTS of watery eyes every where I looked.
On the way out of the stadium there were cheers back and forth - CLEMSON - TIGERS and ORANGE - WHITE. It was eerily similar to coming out of the real Orange Bowl 34 years ago.
We went the long way around the outside of the stadium. Lots of hugging & picture taking and cheering & high-fiving any and every body.
We passed the Oklahoma team exit - where the buses were to get the team out of there. There were a lot of Oklahoma folks there - pressing up against the crowd barriers between them and their guys. Was impressed by the numbers they had there to support their guys and tell them "Next year !!"
We finally got to the car and popped a cold bottle of bubbly that we shared with anyone who wanted some.
And the night, that started as the day, will forever be etched in my memory as a priceless reminder of how thankful & blessed I am to be a part of the Clemson Family.
Thank you Lord and my Dad. Thank you.
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Orange Blooded [2504]
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Thanks for sharing those thoughts!!
Jan 1, 2016, 12:31 PM
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Clemson nation everywhere had watery eyes!
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All-Pro [666]
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Re: My Miami thoughts - or - There is NOTHING like the Clemson
Jan 1, 2016, 12:32 PM
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Thanks Rocky, that almost made me feel like I was there! What an awesome time to be part of the Clemson family!
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CU Medallion [55418]
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Re: My Miami thoughts - or - There is NOTHING like the Clemson
Jan 2, 2016, 7:52 PM
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Does anyone know where will all the Tiger fans be gathering in cootlumbia for the ones that can't afford to go and see it happen in person. I think that it would be special to just be around other Clemson fans when it happens!!!!
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Orange Blooded [4036]
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Re: My Miami thoughts - or - There is NOTHING like the Clemson
Jan 1, 2016, 12:37 PM
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Amazing write-up. Thank you for including your humble Tnetters in your experience.
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Team Captain [492]
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Re: My Miami thoughts - or - There is NOTHING like the Clemson
Jan 1, 2016, 2:21 PM
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Great article. We stayed in parking lot with friends til cops ran us out
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All-In [32653]
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Us, too. Did not want it to end.***
Jan 1, 2016, 2:26 PM
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Legend [17626]
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CU Guru [1277]
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thank you for sharing my Tiger brother
Jan 2, 2016, 2:30 AM
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I almost felt like I was there
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All-In [39020]
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Heading down I-95, I thought
Jan 2, 2016, 2:51 AM
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"Well, Oklahoma fans wouldn't be on 95, so this is probably not representative."
In the hotel, I thought, "Well, maybe the OU fans are staying closer." (We stayed in Ft. Pierce)
Walking through the parking lot, I thought, "Oklahoma fans must be on the other side of the stadium."
Watching the stadium fill up, I finally realized that we turned Miami into Death Valley South. This WAS a home game. Extremely proud of the Clemson family.
Everybody going to the party have a real good time. Dance in the desert and blow up the Crimson Tide.
Go Tigers!
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110%er [8866]
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Re: Heading down I-95, I thought
Jan 2, 2016, 4:08 AM
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I so want to go bad, if I could get some decent tickets in the lower bowl. I have lung issues and leukemia and climbing the upper decks have passed me by
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All-In [39020]
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Sun Life had escalators to the 200 and 300 levels...
Jan 2, 2016, 4:09 AM
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Really saved my grandfather's knees. Might want to check to see if Glendale has the same.
Sorry to hear about your condition. Stay strong.
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Legend [17626]
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Same here.
Jan 2, 2016, 8:00 PM
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Heading down 95 I thought, most of them will be flying.
At the hotel I thought, most of them are staying elswhere.
Driving into the stadium I thought, this is like a home game.
When I got into the stadium I thought, this IS a home game.
Most fun I've had in a long time.
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