It's that time of year in South Carolina.
This is the week in South Carolina that everyone who was born in the Palmetto State waits for all year round. Not Thanksgiving. Not Black Friday. Not Even Leftover Sunday. No Saturday is the annual football game between Clemson and South Carolina. This game divides the state into hues of garnet and orange every year. No one is immune from it.
In many ways, this year's game is symbiotic of everything that is right and wrong in South Carolina right now. In theory, this should be one of the defining games in the history of the rivalry. Both teams are ranked in the top 20. Both teams are 9-2. It is one of those rare occasions when both teams have been good going into the game. Heck, many times, they have both in mediocre let alone good heading into this contest.
But there is a strain of bitterness to this game. The Gamecocks started the year with daydreams of a national title at best and a realistic shot at winning their division. The results while good have disappointed gone up in a mist of misery when quarterback Stephen Garcia was kicked off the team and running back Marcus Lattimore knee crumpled. In a normal world, 9-2 would be cause for joy in Columbia. This year, not so much because they didn't win their down division.
Over in Clemson, the expectations were different. Most fans expected a long season, but then an impressive 8-0 start had Clemson in the top-5. Better than anyone could have hoped for. But now they have dropped two of three and head to the USC game with a sense of dread. Another great season marred by missed opportunity.
And this mirrors our state. Boeing landed, TD Bank announced 1,400 jobs in the Upstate, Southwest Airlines began service, Greenville was ranked as one of the best places to live and work consistently, a wave of political revolution rolled into the state and so much more happened. If you read the press releases, you would think South Carolina was rolling.
But we are still marred by high unemployment, political scandals galore, the good' ol boy network in full force and just enough other shenanigans to keep us mired in the backwaters of success.
It's that time of year in South Carolina.
In many ways, this year's game is symbiotic of everything that is right and wrong in South Carolina right now. In theory, this should be one of the defining games in the history of the rivalry. Both teams are ranked in the top 20. Both teams are 9-2. It is one of those rare occasions when both teams have been good going into the game. Heck, many times, they have both in mediocre let alone good heading into this contest.
But there is a strain of bitterness to this game. The Gamecocks started the year with daydreams of a national title at best and a realistic shot at winning their division. The results while good have disappointed gone up in a mist of misery when quarterback Stephen Garcia was kicked off the team and running back Marcus Lattimore knee crumpled. In a normal world, 9-2 would be cause for joy in Columbia. This year, not so much because they didn't win their down division.
Over in Clemson, the expectations were different. Most fans expected a long season, but then an impressive 8-0 start had Clemson in the top-5. Better than anyone could have hoped for. But now they have dropped two of three and head to the USC game with a sense of dread. Another great season marred by missed opportunity.
And this mirrors our state. Boeing landed, TD Bank announced 1,400 jobs in the Upstate, Southwest Airlines began service, Greenville was ranked as one of the best places to live and work consistently, a wave of political revolution rolled into the state and so much more happened. If you read the press releases, you would think South Carolina was rolling.
But we are still marred by high unemployment, political scandals galore, the good' ol boy network in full force and just enough other shenanigans to keep us mired in the backwaters of success.
It's that time of year in South Carolina.
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