Best of Luck to all

[smu'06]

To all my old friends at PonyFans - Best of Luck on the 2002 Campaign. In some ways, I wish I had decided to attend SMU, though in many others, I found my right fit - the University of South Carolina. Part of it was distance, part of it was spirit, and part of it was the football team. Though I have recommended SMU to about 7 or 8 people, who are going to be seniors this year.

But to everyone - Good Luck - I hope Coach Bennett will bring Mustang Football back to where it should be.

If anyone wants this handle - please let me know and it is yours.

From the South Carolina message board, digitalroost.com:

Tell me this isn't a dream:
There is a collective holding of the breath when the pre-game clock approaches 6:00 minutes to game time. The Carolina band begins to form the tunnel, and everyone begins to rise from their seats. 80,000 have an ear tuned to the speakers awaiting the first note of 2001, and expectations rise:

The Gamecocks are about to take the field! Many eyes take surreptious looks at the big clock and the screen on the big North End Zone JumboTron.

Seconds peel away, 5:45, 5:44, 5:43,...The band is getting into position...The cheerleaders are doing flips in unison...more fans arise...5:25, 5:24, 5:23...The band is in position...You can see the team in the tunnel from where I sit, and they are jumping up and down with fists pumping...5:18, 5:17, 5:16...Now the crowd is jumping and the noise is deafening. You cup your hand to your ear hoping to hear the first note of 2001...5:12, 5:11, 5:10...Crowd noise is over the top you think, but you look down and see the cheerleaders going nuts and you see the first bit of smoke begin to rise in front of the SouthWest Tunnel and you see an entire team behind the smoke going nuts jumping up and down, fists thrusting into the air...5:05, 5:04, 5:03...you're standing on your seat now, not the floor of your aisle, crowd's going nuts...the whole stadium is jumping up and down...AND THEN...You hear it! The First Note of 2001!!!

...Crowd Erupts!...You look around, especially at the opponents bench, are they looking?...You cast a glance at the visitors section...Your hands hurt because of your clapping, and you're screaming "Goooo, Cocccckkkks" as loud as you can, and then the first crescendo is reached, and you think it can't get any louder than this in here... and now there's a huge plume of smoke, graying out the entire SouthWestEndzone, and the entire stadium is Rocking...And then the second crescendo is reached...and Good Lord...could it get any louder than this?...And then you look around and you see old men hollering their lungs out, spittle from the mouths of middle aged women, students going freaking nuts, and then the smoke on the field rises, the final crescendo is reached, the cannon goes off, and The Team comes streaming onto the field and 80,000 Gamecock fans welcome its heroes and the noise is so loud you look at your forearms once again, and sure enough, hairs have risen into goose bumps once again...and man, you know it will always happen, because, Damn! This is the Best Entrance in College Football--By Far!--and our Gamecocks are here...on the field now...and...

"We Will Win Today"!

All my best,
Adam (smu'06/usc'06)

[GrapevineMustang]

Good luck at SC, '06. Hope the '[deleted] have a great season (despite the whiny Lou Holtz), and that you enjoy your time in the SEC.

[Charleston Pony]

SMU '06: you really are a fanatic and should fit in well at USC. I've lived in Texas, Oklahoma, the Carolinas and the northeast and have family in Michigan so I've seen a lot of college football and experienced a lot of great rivalries (Texas/OU, UT/A$M, OU/OSU, OU/Neb, Duke/UNC, Mich/Ohio St, Mich/Mich St, etc...but can tell you the NONE are any more intense than USC/Clemson. People around here LIVE that rivalry year 'round and seem to count the days those two schools will compete again...at ANYTHING!

I read the other day that USC has capped their season ticket sales and understand that "new" full scholarship members of the Gamecock Club could not even get a full season ticket package. While I'm impressed by the support of USC and Clemson's fans for their football programs...I must say that was one of the great things about attending SMU. I never had a problem as a student getting a ticket to one of our games. Hope you are able to attend all the home games and make your share of memorable road trips with the Gamecocks.

I moved here with no allegiance to any SEC school and adopted USC as my local favorite...but my son starts his frosh year at Clemson next weekend...so that's going to have me confused as to who to pull for when those two schools square off. Good luck to you and thanks for your interest and support of SMU.

[NavyCrimson]

best of luck to ya & thanx for your continual support!!!!

[smu'06]

I was at a rush party talking about SMU - the brother who I was chatting with had also heavily considered y'all, but also choose USC.

By the way fantastic article on ESPN.com and if you want read the one on Coach Holtz - also fantastic.