Gamecock fans need to grow up!

I have said it before and I will say it again…Clemson fans are always 1 game away from their next winning streak and Gamecock fans are always 1 game away from their next losing streak.  I use this blog to have fun ripping those of orange ilk as you know, and I will continue that later this week.  But for now I want to go all “Dr. Phil” on us USC fans.  

South Carolina has one of the youngest teams in the nation this fall and we have played undeniably one of the toughest schedules.  A team with all-new linebackers and mostly new defensive backs has had to face 3 quarterbacks that are likely headed to the NFL.  And (GASP) we gave up more points than we wanted to and we have some weak spots!  Well HELLS BELLS!  What a Shock!  

Now I will admit that things are not perfect but COME ON!  USC fans should feel pretty good after going through such a stretch and emerging 3-1 and being ranked at least in the top 13.  But NOOOOOO, instead we are all swimming in some negative pool of bitter self-pity and scared to death of the rest of the season. 

Tell me one game on the remainder of the schedule that we cannot win.  If you’re being honest, you can’t.  If your first reaction to that was anything related to “well we could lose them too,” then you need to seriously ask yourself why you waste time being a fan.  OF COURSE we could still lose games.  We don’t get to play a bunch of high schools and 1 or 2 good teams at home.  You have to be in the ACC for that.  We’re in the Big Boy Conference, where you have to play tough road games, your players get hurt and nothing is ever easy.  

Yes, we lost to Jawja on the road after they had a must-win perfect game, and we made some crucial mistakes.  It happens and yes, the East is likely off the table now.  Yes, our orange neighbors beat said dawgs at home the week before while UGA was focused on us and the Klimpletons played a perfect game.  And yes, that meant that the Tiggers will likely be unbeaten when they come to Columbia in November.  

So the question is very simple:  Are we going to suck it up and win anyway, or continue to act like a bunch of petulant children who had a toy taken from them?  I hope the team views the rest of the season as an opportunity to go 13-1 because that could still happen.  If your first reaction to that sentence was anything close to “but we can’t win the East now so we won’t play but 13 games,” then see the above paragraph about asking yourself why you’re a fan.  

Personally, I think rather than sitting around in cringed fear waiting for a shoe to drop, how about instead we focus on beating Kentucky to prepare for our final three road games?  Because If we take the Droopy Dog approach moving forward and whine about every dadgum thing on earth, then congratulations, the negativity will be rewarded and we will get dinged at some point with more losses.  

How about growing up and rallying around the team?  Let’s get focused for once on the positives and admit to ourselves that Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mizzou, Miss. State, Florida, Coastal and Clemson  isn’t exactly murderers row.  I’ll even throw in one small acknowledgement for the haplessly negative who just have to hear it before they can stop wetting themselves:  yes, some of them are very good teams.  Feel better?  I hope so, but I also say that we’re better than all of them IF we play like we’re capable of playing. 

And that is why it is important to view the final 2/3 of the schedule as an OPPORTUNITY to go 11-1 as opposed to walking a land mine scared out of our minds of an INEVITABLE failure.  Mentality matters and we as fans aren’t doing our part to help this program.  And that’s a fact.   So stop it and get behind the team.  Or just go do something else.  Please.  

It’s a great time to be a Gamecock (or at least it SHOULD be)!