Received a number of e-mails and tweets over the last few weeks alerting me to this proposal for the Clemson-Carolina football rivalry.
First off, let me say that I don't think the problem with the rivalry is: the wrong name assigned to it; the wrong trophy associated with it; the date it's played; or whatever.
You want this game to matter to people outside the state of South Carolina? The solution is simple: Get both teams to start winning at a high level on a consistent basis.
You know the drill with regard to this year's matchup. It's just the fifth time in the history of the rivalry that both teams enter the game ranked. So there's no mystery at all that people elsewhere don't really consider this rivalry among the more distinguished hate fests.
The aforementioned proposal says this about the Hardee's Trophy that's given to the winner of the game:
The Hardees Trophy, an appallingly commercial award that is steeped in no tradition and says nothing about the State of South Carolina or the passion with which we approach our teams.
Completely agree.
Here's the proposal:
I propose the commission of two bronze palmetto tree statues, one to be located at Williams-Brice Stadum, and the other at Death Valley. Each tree should be around ten feet tall, and identically cast. Each tree should have a spot on top where a scale crescent moon, also bronze, could be affixed; and every year, Carolina and Clemson should play for that moon.
Not a bad idea ... and definitely a better idea than the Hardee's Trophy. But I'm not sure it's the best idea. I just picture it being a tad hokey to envision coaches and players say they're "playing for the moon" heading into the game.
I thought a little about this last night. And even though I'm not passionate at all about giving this rivalry a slogan or an adequate trophy or whatever, I suspect the following idea might apply the right touch:
(And apologies if someone else has already thought of this unbeknownst to me.)
Winner of the game gets the Palmetto flag of their color raised to the top of the Statehouse, where it would fly for a year.
So if Clemson were to win, Tigers fans would be able to drive through the capital city and see an orange Palmetto flag atop the dome. And Gamecock fans would get a garnet Palmetto flag if their team won.
Fans of the winning team would swell with pride as they looked up to the sky. Fans of the losing team would experience some serious heartburn. Perfect.
This rivalry is about bragging rights for an entire year, and what better way to encapsulate those bragging rights than fans of either side being able to point to the top of their Statehouse and brag about their flag reigning supreme for the entire year?
After so much strife and division about that "other" flag, some positive attention could be drawn to the Statehouse dome when national networks descend on the Palmetto State to cover the teams.
Just a thought.
LW
Thanks for taking a look at our rivalry proposal over at Thoughtful Gamecock, and finding it worthy of comment. I have said since the inception of this idea that if the only thing that came of it was the end of the Hardee's Trophy, then we would have done our part to improve the rivalry.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I respectfully submit that program success is not the only thing that captures the imagination of a national audience, nor is it the most important thing. Were this true, NBC wouldn't bother airing the Army/Navy game, and interest in the Notre Dame/Southern Cal game would have ended as well.
What captures the imagination of the public at large would seem to me to be a funky hook, sometimes visual, sometimes a catchphrase that is easily memorable and reveals the character of the rivalry.
We believe that we have presented such an idea, but begrudge no-one who may disagree. Thank you again for making comment on the subject. You have long held the respect of Thoughtful Gamecock, and it's really nice to be able to interact with you on this topic. Thanks again!