August 31, 2013- I cooked all afternoon Friday in preparation for our big day in Clemson on Saturday. We had waited for ten years for this day to come... the day that Georgia and Clemson would reunite. There has been trash talking for years over this game... I went expecting the same thing to happen... We left 12 hours before the game started... we wanted to make on time... as we headed up the road, I noticed the low tire pressure gauge was blinking. I told Mark... we pulled over... there was a gash in the tire... we ran to Walmart tire center... nice Carolina fan changed our tire... and we were off to Clemson... that was the worst part of the day! We had many good memories left to come.
I can't really name the number of times I have driven to Clemson on gameday... I have been to more games than I can remember, but this one will always rank in the top of my memories... As we got across I-85 toward Clemson we could tell there was a different feeling in the air... We looked up and saw the blimp... this was going to be a big game! Could Clemson win? We sure did hope so... but none of us really talked about the possibility... we knew every card had to be played just right!
I think they painted the water tower for the game! :)
Those orange Tiger Paws were everywhere... after the flat tire... we were running a little off schedule, but we decided we still wanted to ride by Game Day and see if it was busy or not... I mean there was still ten hours before kick-off... surely it wasn't crowded yet!
As we turned onto the highway, we knew it was going to be packed. People were walking on both sides of the road and there was traffic everywhere!
I love these Tiger Paws in the road...
This is game day about 10:15....
The band was performing and it was truly a sea of orange!
Go Tigers....
I included this picture because all good Clemson fans know you have to go by the Esso... this was one of the first games I didn't, but it was still fun riding by and thinking of all the fun times we had there.
Side story: When Jim moved here in first grade, one of his first friends was Price. Needless to say, they have been life-long friends since then. They may not see or talk to each other every day, but if either of them needed the other... he would be there. My favorite memories of Price and Jim were their late nights after being out in Augusta and coming home around two or three in the morning. They would crawl in the bed with Mama and Daddy and beg Mama to get up and fix them something to eat... and she would! They couldn't help but wake up the entire house because they were so loud. They sure did have a good time back in those days! I think everytime Price would get in trouble... he would blame it on Jim. The Mattisons would corrupt the McWhorters.... well... yesterday was no different! We corrupted the McWhorter tailgate with all our orange and purple!
As soon as we got to Clemson, the children were hungry... they are chowing down on sandwiches and boiled shrimp in this picture... they didn't care that they were eating off Georgia tableclothes... they all live in Georgia... they just don't pull for the team when they play Clemson.
One of my favorite things to do in the campsite was to look at the decorations. I thought this one was cute with the blow-up Tiger!
They are still eating...
Mark and Price discussing the game... Price is saying, "Mark... you know we are going to lose!". Mark is shocked... just teasing... both those men right there were pulling hard for their teams.
A part of me will always be a Georgia fan... I will pull for them the rest of the year... this little Hairy is part of that reason. I love that Billy is Hairy Dog... I love that he has more spirit and spunk than most for his team... I love that he is on that field representing LC!
This firetruck won most creative vehicle to tailgate in award. Funny thing... they had no tv and no radio. When the game started... they packed up and left!
After lunch, we decided we better head to town and check out the action.... Bobby McKinney and Don Wilson wouldn't think twice about putting children in the back of the truck and riding somewhere... Yesterday, to make more memories for these five... we did that! I trusted the driver... and I knew he was going to be in bumper to bumper traffic so he couldn't go fast!
At Game Day we saw all sorts of people... Ben wants a hair cut like this one... ummm... no!
Game Day craziness!
Georgia girls now... but born in South Carolina with a heart for Clemson... their daddies had a little something to do with that!
These two are dreaming of coming here one day. Let's hope they continue to study hard and their parents win the lottery to pay out of state tuition.
Ben's favorite car sticker of the day!
These two... what can I say... I have laughed and laughed at their stories of them being little and coming to Clemson with their parents... It's a wonder they were ever found after a game. I know their daddy was looking down yesterday and was so happy to see his four grandchildren at that game... his two children... and most of all... when the gameclock hit 00:0 and the score was in Clemson's favor!
Rachel getting in a little internet time...
This was the view from the beach area where Price and Denise were tailgating.
They posed for this picture...
Where there is water... they will swim... even though we didn't bring bathing suits... these babies didn't care... they swam in their clothes for a couple of hours and had a blast!
I made it in one picture for the day.... hot, sweaty, and anxious!
Brandtley taught Ben a few cheerleading moves! Maybe they could come and cheer at Clemson together!
How great would it be to listen to the game in a boat that close to the stadium... when I get rich... someone is going to change my sheets every day... and I am going to buy a boat to park outside the stadium to listen to the game!
Obviously, these two forgot their bathing suits too. I think they were Georgia fans.
More cheer moves....
Cheerleading or chicken fighting?
Pizza Dip inhaling!
Then there was rain... These two didn't care about rain... they found them a couple of friends and rolled around in the grass.
so, so happy!
He knew deep down who he needed to pull for! Just teasing... we took this for Billy!
Somebody got tickets to the game... I think Denise struggled too... She loves CJ Jones as her own! I meant to check and see if her undergarments were orange... I feel sure she was thrilled when he picked up that ball in the endzone.
And off they go again... in the back of a truck!
After swimming and ready to watch those Tigers whip up on the Dawgs...
We couldn't be happier about this~
or this....
and especially this!
It all made for one happy little boy! His tigers won!
And as those lights were shining last night.... our hearts were happy... for the memories of old times, the new memories, and the memories to come.
*I think I should have gotten some piece of jewelry... I mean... Clemson won...
This week I will be pulling for the Dawgs... I have a few ties to Carolina... but being a Georgia girl... I have to pull for them... but in the words of my daddy... "Georgia is probably gonna get beat this weekend too"... Oh No... that ain't good!
1 comment:
I just saw this post! I don't know how I missed it a couple of weeks ago! I'm glad Jack was able to go with ya'll, even though I was skeptical of all the "craziness" that would be down there, looked as if a great time was had by ALL!! I have lots of memories going to those games growing up! You could always count on Don and Patsy having a fabulous tailgate, along with the Faulkner's who didn't want you to go thirsty! I can only hope Jack's dreams come true and he's able to go there one day! If that's the case, my heart will be at a tug of war on Gameday....who to pull for? Clemson or USC? :) Maybe if the kids go there, we can have our "own tailgate" for them and their friends to come to and hang out! Would be great!
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