The Grandeur of Carolina Football and College Football

As a tour guide at the University of South Carolina, there is one stop I eagerly look forward to sharing with prospective students above the rest. It takes place besides Sumter Street and behind Longstreet Theatre where the occasional bus, truck, or a "Go Cocks!" chant from a passing student in a car forces me to raise my voice up to a yell. Considering the information I'm privileged to share, though, I really don't mind the minor inconvenience. Gazing down the divided road, split by a row of scenic palm trees, I'm able to point out the dominating upper deck of Williams-Brice Stadium off in the distance. While services offered by the career center, library, or academic advisers might pique the interest of the parents and a small portion of the true scholars in the group, the imposing stadium seems to always capture everybody's attention.

For the next few minutes, I'm able to discuss the pageantry of a Saturday in South Carolina framed within the context of the sensory overload you experience several times each fall. First off, and most intimidating, are the captivating sounds in the minutes leading up to the game. The Mighty Sound of the Southeast gets the process going with the brass and woodwind sounds expected in any college football environment. Next, the opponent is given a history lesson and their final warning of what is to come throughout "Welcome to Williams Brice". The crowd joins the symphony for the first time immediately following the video, as a loud "GAME" is echoed by an infinitesimally louder "COCKS!". When he's decided he's heard enough, the Head Ball Coach greets the crowd as a prelude to the 2001: A Space Odyssey theme. This familiar sound reverberates throughout every corner of the stadium indicating blastoff kickoff is right around the corner. Finally, the most iconic of the sounds begins with a piercing ring. For approximately the next minute and a half, Sandstorm sends the stadium into a frenzy to announce the game has begun, and when played following any South Carolina score for the rest of the game, it breathes even more life into the 80,000+ garnet and black clad fans.

Nearly all the sounds compliment picturesque sights in this spectacle of a pregame routine. The Carolina band forms the gates of the Horseshoe on the perfectly manicured, stadium grass. Videos of Gamecocks from past and present play on the "Beast Board" to remind opponents of the imminent battle. A notable alumnus, beloved athlete, or combination of the two gets his or her moment under a Carolina sky to lead the chant every native fan learns from birth. The powder from several fire extinguishers shrouds each player on the team for a brief second as they run out on the field for the start of the game. Finally, a seemingly rehearsed choreography of waving, white hand towels begins to cover every inch of the bleachers, hinting that surrender would be the opposing team's best bet.

As the game goes on, the tastes and smells of the student section begin to consume you. A neighbor to your right brings back a box of Bojangles' chicken and a buttery biscuit. To your left, three students fight over the last slice of a Little Caesar's pizza. A flask, previously hidden well enough to be sneaked into the stadium, clanks off the bleachers behind you, and while you might get a brief whiff of booze from the owner's breath, all you really crave is a bottle of cold water to save you from a long afternoon of tailgating and Columbia's daunting and famous heat. In front of you, a student sips a Coke hoping it provides herself temporary relief, and your mind momentarily wanders to wherever those polar bears in the commercials hang out and desperately longs for cooler temperatures.

While your emotional feelings might be dependent on the game's result each week, you'll physically feel certain things every time you step foot in Williams-Brice. Your towel's cotton will feel natural in your palm by the third time Sandstorm plays, but your dominant arm might become numb by then. The bleachers will shake beneath your feet after each Carolina first down. Beads of sweat will drip down your face for three and a half hours, even if the game doesn't get started until 7 PM. Your legs will become weary, and blisters, from either boat shoes or cowboy boots, will leave you longing for a brief time off your feet in the form of a timeout. In a loss, these factors could add up to hours of miserable complaining. However, if the Gamecocks manage to pick up a win, you don't mind them at all. In fact, you'll happily embrace them.

Why did I choose to write about my love affair with Williams-Brice Stadium? The sentiments and experiences I shared above exist on every campus with a powerhouse, college football program in the country, but each has its own unique culture and rituals. The tradition of these programs goes back over a century in some cases, and children grow up hearing stories of all the legends who have suited up to entertain past generations. The passion displayed by college football fans is insatiable, and their fervor can turn a mundane, February day into a national holiday when top ranked recruits pledge loyalty to establish a brighter future for their team. Lively stadium atmospheres full of fans who stand for nearly the whole game make it much more appealing to experience the action firsthand, rather than watch it all unfold nestled on your couch at home. Now in the second year of the playoff format, the fans' obsession is even more maniacal as more programs can hold onto their national championship aspirations into December and January. This leads to more intense schedule scrutiny, a deeper reading into the weekly rankings, and closer attention paid to practices in anticipation of next week's game. This energy needs to be recharged and conserved for three months and hopefully will be rewarded by fulfilling the dream of landing one of the bracket's four coveted slots.

College football might have the shortest season of any of the major sports in the United States, but its rabid fans make it one of the most fun. Luckily for us, that fun resumes this week with fall practices. A month from the today, the first games will arrive. Whether you prefer "Roll Tide" or "War Eagle", "Boomer Sooner" or "Hook 'Em Horns", "Geaux Tigers" or "Go Blue", enjoy your Saturdays this fall. Before you know it, another winter will have settled in, and another class of your favorite players will have moved on.

J. Nave