South Carolina Recruiting Bowl

What you see here is what I like to call Fake Hype. Clemson is very good at fake hype. They brainwash their freshman into thinking God himself couldn't make a creation to top their campus (did I mention it is an exact replica of Auburn's campus?). Have you ever heard a Clemson alumn ever say anything about their school that didn't use absolute terms in describing the greatness that they [wrongfully] think it is?

That's where this picture comes in. This is the "lifesize" heisman poster put out by Clemson before the beginning of the season. The only problem is that not-unlike Clemson's view of itself, this poster is larger than life. The poster is 6 feet tall, which is taller than even brand new cleats and sole inserts could make C.J. Spiller. Just check his stats and look at the poster next to Clemson coach/insurance salesman, Dabo Sweeney. In case you didn't know Dabo is just a phoenetic spelling for what his relatives used to call him when he was a youngin'. Slightly smarter people would have enunciated Dabo into Dat Bo...or Dat Boy...or finally...That Boy.

If you can't tell yet, there is a special kind of hatred reserved for Dat Boy and his team (mainly his team and its fans). The only problem is that we play them after getting beat on by the SEC for a whole season (where we usually become bowl eligible early and then go cold during the home stretch), while Clemson gets to beat up on the likes of Wake Forest, Duke, North Carolina, NC State, and Virginia to build their false sense of confidence going into the finale.

Granted, Spiller did have a great game or two on offense this season (one game where he ran, threw, and received a touchdown in the same game). But, his main damage has come on special teams this year. Therefore, he can be negated and they can be beaten; just ask Maryland...who lost to William and Mary but beat Clemson.

So what happens tomorrow during this game? No one knows with these two teams. There have been too many blowouts, too many head-scratchers, and too victories for the the kings of Fake Hype. At some point if I am going to claim all of the hype is fake, the Gamecocks are going to have to expose the fraud. The Gamecocks are going to have to kick away from Spiller, shut him down on the run, shut him down in the slot, and thoroughly pound his defense to keep him off the field. The game is in Columbia at noon, so in order to enjoy the rest of the day, the Gamecocks are going to have to send the Tigers back to the cow pastures with the hype, hopes, and self image shattered. I want and expect nothing less.

Go Gamecocks!