- Thread starter
- #1
bchampy
New Member
Human Rights Petition: New Carolina/Clemson rivalry suggestion: "Clash of the Crescent" | Change.org
http://thoughtfulgamecock.wordpress.com/2011/06/22/a-proposal-for-the-carolinaclemson-rivalry/

http://thoughtfulgamecock.wordpress.com/2011/06/22/a-proposal-for-the-carolinaclemson-rivalry/
Those of us who have grown up in the state of South Carolina know the rivalry between the University of South Carolina Fighting Gamecocks and the Clemson Tigers for what it is: one of the most bitter, emotionally supercharged and longest-running rivalries in all of college sports. Those who have not been born into this war, even fans familiar with the college football landscape, are awestruck with the level of passion and intensity it inspires, often comparing it to the great rivalries from across the nation; Miami/Florida State, Texas/Oklahoma and the gold standard of college sports hatred, Alabama/Auburn. Yet, our annual in-state contest remains something of a secret to most of the nation, despite being the third-longest running rivalry in college football. Our big game doesn’t even have a proper name, allowing it to be eclipsed by contests with catchy handles like the Iron Bowl, The Red River Rivalry, and the Backyard Brawl. The Trophy for which we compete is shameful: 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. The last tradition of the rivalry that was unique and appealing ended half a century ago. I’m speaking of Big Thursday, an event that combined the biggest game of the year with the state fair, and was uniquely South Carolinian. One can only imagine a timeline in which Big Thurday was allowed to survive and thrive, perhaps to represent our state AT LEAST as well as the Egg Bowl does Mississippi, but alas, it was not meant to be.
A quick proposal summary:
The commission of two bronze palmetto tree statues, one located at Williams-Brice Stadium, and the other at Death Valley. Maybe ten to twelve feet high each, and identically cast. Each tree should have a spot on top where a scale crescent seen on the state flag, also bronze, could be affixed, and every year, Carolina and Clemson should play for that crescent.
