Eye of the Tiger

In 2013, I made my first trip to Clemson for a football weekend and was thoroughly impressed. I’ve been itching to make a “Douglas MacArthur return” ever since, and this past weekend I finally got the chance with my high school crew from Seneca Valley, Class of ’81. Ironically, we rented a lake house in the town of Seneca, South Carolina — about 15 miles from Clemson University. No affiliation with our high school.

View from our crib on Lake Keowee

What many would have expected to be an epic matchup at the beginning of the season, Clemson was hosting arch-rival Florida State in the ACC. Week one saw Florida State knock off Alabama, and Clemson barely losing to LSU. Both teams looked vastly improved from the previous season and were expected to contend for a College Football Playoff spot. Unfortunately, neither team’s season went as planned — both now sit below .500 with coaches squarely on the perennial hot seat.

We all arrived at the lake house at various times on Thursday, retold old stories, made new ones, and pre-gamed for the rest of the weekend. Friday afternoon, we headed to the legendary Esso Club right next to Clemson University. The Esso Club was originally an Esso gas station from 1933 to 1972 and has since become the go-to spot on GameDay weekend for some righteous chow and libations. We spent close to six hours there, enjoying the food, shelling out some benjamins, and making instant buddies.

The guests that wouldn't leave!

On game day, two of our crew had to bow out for reasons almost as important as tailgating with me: the birth of a grandson and a niece’s wedding. That left five of us tailgating with an old friend, Mike Fee, and his crew, almost right next to the stadium. Mike is a close personal friend of Dabo Swinney, so I warned the crew to go easy on him! Coors Banquets, Yuenglings, and Jersey Mike’s sandwiches were on the menu. We met plenty of other fans, shared laughs, and soaked in the electric atmosphere that only Tiger faithful can bring.

TL- R - Mike Fee, cheer squad, Nose bleed seats and the crew with our three hosts!

Clemson's Memorial Stadium is also known as Death Valley, and a night game in Death valley is one of the most unique events in college football. Memorial Stadium opened in 1942 as a tribute to the school’s fallen alumni and was largely built by students, players, and local labor. The stadium’s famous rock arrived in 1966 when alumnus Samuel Jones sent Coach Frank Howard a piece of white flint from Death Valley, California. Originally used as a doorstop, it became a symbol of Clemson pride after Howard challenged his players to give “110%” before touching it. Since 1967, the Tigers have rubbed Howard’s Rock and charged down The Hill before every home game—a spectacle Brent Musburger dubbed “the most exciting 25 seconds in college football.”

Once inside the stadium, high atop our perch we witnessed the ritual. The sequence starts with the players boarding buses at one end of the stadium, circling to the other end, lining up, and then slapping/rubbing Howard’s Rock before sprinting down the hill onto the field. It’s one of the premier opening spectacles in college football — all college football fans need to experience this.

At the beginning of the season, Clemson QB Cade Klubnik was being touted as a serious Heisman contender. Florida State’s QB Tommy Castellanos is a highly athletic transfer from Boston College. As mentioned, things didn’t go as expected for either team or their starting QBs. But on this night, Clemson, led by Klubnik and a staunch defense, controlled the game from kickoff to the final whistle, winning 24-10. Both teams now have 4-5 records and can still make a bowl game — but the playoffs are out of reach.

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Around the Country

Big 12 – In the ABC game of the week, the Cougars of BYU, led by the Bachmeier Bros, traveled to Lubbock, TX, to battle the Texas Tech Red Raiders. BYU was favored but got run out of oil country as TTU throttled the Cougs 28-7. These teams could meet again in the Big 12 Championship next month.

Big Ten – Indiana pulled off an unreal comeback in Happy Valley, scoring a game-winning touchdown after a drive that featured two of the season’s best catches. This was Indiana’s first real test of the year, and they showed grit by stealing this one from the jaws of defeat.

SEC – Texas A&M dominated Missouri in Columbia, MO, 38-17. A&M remains the last undefeated team in D1A and looks very much for real. They still have to face Texas in the final game of the regular season.

Group of Five – Tulane knocked off GOF frontrunner Memphis, throwing the playoff picture for the Group of Five into chaos.

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Bieber Award – Many of us across the country have been affected by the ridiculous 40-plus-day government shutdown. I myself have been narrowly escaping the FAA shutdown gauntlet the past few weeks, logging nine flights in just two weeks. However, the pain and suffering that the average American has endured pales in comparison to what we YouTube TV subscribers are going through.

For over two weeks now, YouTube TV and The Walt Disney Company have been locked in a carriage contract dispute, resulting in Disney pulling all of its channels from the platform — including ESPN and ABC. The fallout? More than 50% of college football games, as well as College GameDay, are now unwatchable.

Can you imagine the torment of knowing these games are being played while you’re left staring at a blank screen? It’s akin to prisoners on Alcatraz gazing across the bay at the glittering lights of San Francisco, knowing they could never join the party.

As someone who’s negotiated carriage contracts with service providers, I can tell you there’s plenty of ego and clout to go around between Google (which owns YouTube TV) and Disney. But regardless of who’s at fault, the result is the same: you’re ruining the few sacred college football Saturdays we have left.

So, gentlemen, along with your Emmys and other prestigious awards, you can proudly add a statue of a pants-sagging Justin Bieber to your collections.

Ginger -  Every now and then, college football reminds us it’s about more than just the scoreboard or the spread. Case in point: when Texas Tech team barber Ivan Ortiz’s wife, Maddie, was badly injured by a drunk driver, both Red Raider and BYU fans put rivalries on ice and wallets in motion. The GoFundMe goal started at $25K but rocketed past $150K after word spread — even catching the attention of College GameDay when they rolled into Lubbock. It was a genuine sportsmanship moment: two fan bases known for their passion showing that kindness and compassion still cut across the field.Although BYU had their arses thumped on the gridiron, they can be proud of being this week’s Ginger nominee!

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Next up, I’ll be driving to Tuscaloosa next Saturday to watch the Crimson Tide take on my Oklahoma Sooners. I’ll be decked out in Oklahoma crimson — hopefully I won’t get beat up since it’s close enough to Bama’s Crimson! Come see me at the legendary B.U.T.T. Tailgate in front of Russel Hall if you dare.

Happy tailgating!