Speaking of Being Classy Fans to Our Visitors...Let me say

Oct 17, 2010, 7:19 PM

again that I was classy before the Texas Å & M game 5 years ago while with my 12 year old nephew when we passed a middle age couple with their teenage son behind the historic John C. Calhoun home on the narrow old sidewalk leading to his private outside office.

The couple and I greeted each, started chatting...and I mentioned that Clemson and Texas A & M had alot in common...from putting out the most officers in WW2 except for West Point...having instate rivals that disliked us alot...being military schools from the outset...having an esprit-de-corp spirit...both being A & M type schools...etc.

Well, guess what! About two weeks later I read where the Chancellor (equal to Clemson's President) of Texas A & M had written to our President Baker exclaiming how courteous and friendly our fans were..mentioning several examples of friendship...(one being a senior citizen he had met who was with his 10 year old grandson; ME!)...and if he was to choose another college to pull for, it would be Clemson...and that he would love to come back...and would tell all his Texas friends about us, our fans, our school, our comparable history and our hospitality. Wow, that hit home!

So, you never know who you are being kind to or being rude to when you confront a visiting football (or other sport) fan.

In fact, after the disappointing loss to Miami I took the opportunity 3 or 4 times to tell a passing Hurricane fan "Nice Game" or "Good Team"...and one or two of them were disbelieving I said that...stuttered..and then said "THANK YOU".

Yep, I'm too nice for sure...and at 69 1/2 years old a wimp I guess...but I remember things yelled at me at Chapel Hill back in the 80's by their female students...or at USC when I attended the last big Thursday game in 1959 as a freshman Rat...or at Georgia in mid 70's when they called my Grandmother a name. Yes, every college has rude fans...even Clemson...but it's a losing proposition in the end.

So, I repeat that endearing phrase that makes us special..."Dear Ole Clemson...where the Blue Ridge yawns it's greatness...where the Tigers play". We are a great school, with great history, with great people, with great & loyal fans. Let's keep it that way, forever...win or lose.

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Speaking of Being Classy Fans to Our Visitors...Let me say

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