Note: At the beginning of the podcast Buck says Episode 61, but rest assured it is Episode 62, you are at the right place. Numbers are hard.
TRC Unleashed welcomes 2014 with the first podcast of the year. Buck, Tbone and the Gman break down the Capital One Bowl, and talk about how the rivalry with Clemson* has reached all time highs in smack talk the last few days.
Click here or click the graphic to listen, and enjoy!
Admittedly, none of us at TRC are more than moderately adequate at what we do on this blog – writing, graphics, producing a podcast, etc. – but we do try to give our readers what they want. So, with that in mind, below is a more printable version of the “We Beat You” cartoon, with a PDF link so you can print if from your very own computer. (I did it and it looked fine, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will work for you, so good luck.)
If you get a chance to print it out, we’d love to see where you hang it – at home or in the office or maybe even somewhere around Clemson’s* campus – so send us a photo on Twitter at @rubrchickens or send us an email at rubberchickensblog@gmail.com. We’ll re-tweet them all.
Thanks, and again, good luck!
PDF: WeBeatYou Cartoon
At last night’s Orange Bowl, Clemson* escaped Ohio State and claimed the state of South Carolina’s first ever BCS bowl victory (SUCK IT WOFFORD!). After the game Twitter exploded with some amazing hot takes about the Clemson* program, many coming from “professionals” who cover the school every day and are paid to report on said program. Hot takes like this:
Eat it indeed. Others chose to be more verbose, albeit much less clear in exactly what they were trying to communicate:
When a posse of twitterati and I gently asked Mr. Thurn to explain himself, he kept asking us to dispute what he was saying when we didn’t exactly understand what he was saying. So, what Clemson* “has done nationally” will somehow vault them past South Carolina, but only once the streak ends, at a time which he does not identify? I guess he believes the two BCS bowl games (ahem, 70-33) and one ACC conference title have given them a national relevance we cannot match. Our five-game win streak and higher rankings while the Tigers are making bank “nationally” are conveniently not addressed.
But I digress.
To the point – arguments with angry Clemson* fans should be easier than we’re making them out to be, even in a medium of brevity such as Twitter. The game of football is designed to match two teams, play 60 minutes, and at the end determine a winner and loser. Most of the time the winner is considered the better team, but we do encounter upsets on occasion.
But upsets between the same two teams do not happen five times in a row, especially in games determined by double-digits. The team who wins five in a row by double digits is the better team, no matter the number of BCS games or conference championship (singular) the losing team can claim. The easiest way to win this argument is three words, or a variation of three words:
We beat you.
To illustrate, literally, I took a few minutes to mock up a hypothetical conversation between a South Carolina representative and a Clemson* representative. Feel free to print this out and hang it on your refrigerator, in your cube or office, or in the living space of a real live Clemson* fan to help them free up time to do more important things like trim their ear hair or pull their underwear out of their butt.
Enjoy.
Some short, quick, barely researched, not fully formed thoughts from South Carolina’s 34-24 victory over Wisconsin in the 2014 Capital One Bowl:
Final word. As I was finishing this piece I started to realize all the players and coaches I was leaving out, and how the accomplishments of this team and its seniors deserve more than what I have time to write. For all the Shaws, Clowneys and Ellingtons I mention, there are the Suttons, Quarles(es?) and Hamptons whom I don’t. For all the credit Steve Spurrier deserves, his staff of guys like Ward, Elliott and Mangus are second to none. We have tremendous individual talent on the field, on the sidelines and in the stands, but this program has become the epitome of TEAM. Everyone who has had a hand in our success deserves a handshake and a sincere thank you. This is indeed the Golden Age of Gamecock football.
11. A number with which all South Carolina fans should be quite familiar. For the third consecutive season the Gamecocks will finish with an 11-2 record and a top 10 finish. Our handful of seniors leave with a record of 42-11, easily the best four-year stretch in USC history.
Maybe you haven’t lost perspective during this run, but since I have I’ll remind everyone we only had ONE 10-win season in school history (1984) and ZERO top 10 finishes in school history before 2011. The record book continues to be re-written under Steve Spurrier.
Team Shaw. In retrospect, I’m not sure why I was ever worried we might lose to Wisconsin. There was no way number 14 in garnet was going to walk off that playing field in Orlando with a loss. Gman nailed it in a text to us shortly after the game yesterday – every time we think Connor Shaw can’t top his last feat, he somehow finds a way to amaze us in a new way.
Yesterday’s game was perhaps the best of his career, a tour de force performance that included 312 yards on 22 of 25 passing while accounting for five touchdowns – three passing, one rushing, and his first ever receiving touchdown.
The most remarkable stat? Shaw finished the season with 24 touchdown passes against only one interception. That is asinine. Also of note, yesterday’s game took him over 6,000 yards passing for his career (6,074), and he finished with 56 touchdowns against 16 interceptions.
Oh, one more thing – he finished 27-5 as a starter. The debate as to whether he is the best quarterback in Gamecock history is long over. We should probably be talking about where he ranks in terms of the best PLAYER in Gamecock history.
Stand of the game. After Wisconsin extended their lead to 17-13 via a bruising ground game to start the third quarter, Connor Shaw promptly made his only mistake of the game and fumbled on the first play of the next drive. Aided by a holding penalty, the Gamecock defense bowed up and eventually the Badgers missed a 42-yard field goal. The way Wisconsin was moving the football late in the first half and early in the second, a touchdown after the could’ve completely changed the complexion of the game
Play of the game. Following that missed field goal, USC quickly moved across midfield into Badger territory. Facing 3rd and 5 at the Wisconsin 42, the Gamecocks committed back-to-back false start penalties. An eight yard gain made it 4th and 7, and Steve Spurrier decided to go for it in no man’s land as opposed to risking a Tyler Hull punt (which is indeed risky).
Shaw floated a pass to Bruce Ellington near the left sideline that was behind him. Ellington reached up, tipped the ball, then spun around to make a spectacular catch and give the Gamecocks a much-needed first down. Two plays later Shaw hit Ellington for a 22-yard touchdown strike that put USC ahead to stay.
They’re not saying boo, they’re saying Bruuuuuuuuce. Ellington finished with six catches for 140 yards and two touchdowns in perhaps his final game at South Carolina. If you had told me six weeks ago Ellington might leave for the NFL I would’ve said you’re crazy. But really, Bruce has nothing left to prove in college, and another year will probably not improve his draft stock. The downside for him is the 2014 wide receiver class is very deep.
I have no idea if Bruce Ellington will be successful in the League, but I wouldn’t bet against him. As someone who panned his decision to play football in the first place, I’m in no position to make judgments about number 23.
The HBC. Steve Spurrier was as happy and proud as we’ve ever seen him at the trophy presentation yesterday. He was downright giddy, thanking the fans, proclaiming Connor Shaw the best quarterback in the country, and yes, taking the obligatory shot at Clemson*.
Long live the HBC.
Gimme gimme gimme. The Gamecocks forced three turnovers in the fourth quarter yesterday, matching the three they forced in the fourth quarter against Clemson in their last game. That’s finishing strong.
Clowney goin’. JD, it seems like yesterday I closed the door to my office in the middle of the day just to see you announce your college choice. Thank you for coming to South Carolina. It has been nothing but an absolute pleasure watching you play football here. I’m glad you didn’t pay attention to the media/haters as much as we did. Best of luck, your place in Gamecock history is secure.
Shaq attack. Shaq Roland (6-112) continues fulfill his promise, and if Bruce leaves like we believe he will, becomes the number one receiving target next year. Some of his catches are Alshon-esque, and if he can work hard in the offseason and stay on the straight and narrow, he’ll be an all-conference performer in 2014.
The Rocket. Mike Davis faltered down the stretch this season. Despite his protestations, it was obvious he was not healthy from the Missouri game on. His violent running style caught up with him, and I hope he starts to realize avoiding contact as opposed to taking it head on (literally) is going to extend his playing days.
Young bucks. For our young linebackers yesterday was a microcosm of the season. Early on they seemed a little lost and confused and were having a hard time shedding blocks. By the middle of the third quarter they were more confident and flying to the ball with abandon.
I feel like this season has gone as planned for the linebacking corps. We have seen them go from a group that was a weakness for much of this season, to a unit that should be a strength in 2014. And I know I’m not telling you anything you haven’t already heard, but Skai Moore has a chance to be the best linebacker we’ve had on campus in several years.
Knight moves. Not only does the three-point win over Central Florida look better after yesterday, keep in mind without a Mike Davis fumble deep in Knight territory, and a brutal secondary breakdown late in the game, we win that game by two scores or more.
Happy New Year and here’s to a productive offseason! Go Cocks!
TRC Unleashed returns after a four-week hiatus to discuss the Capital One Bowl and have a recruiting conversation with Michael Carvell from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Also on the show:
As a bonus, if you hang around after a short music interlude at the end you’ll hear more intro bloopers.
Click here or click the graphic to listen, and Happy New Year!
So you’ve waited. Too, too long now.
That special Tiger fan in your life is expecting something from you this Christmas, but your complex love/hate relationship has caused you to procrastinate until only a scant few shopping days are left.
Don’t despair, gentle reader; we here at TRC are ready to help with a last minute gift guide. All of these gifts were hand selected by our staff to reflect the precise feelings you want to communicate to your Clemson* frenemy.
Behold:
– Six Pack of Coors, with one beer removed. Tell your friend that this is a “Five Pack,” the drink of the victorious. Quickly add that they can expect the sixth one next year.
– $12.00 gift card to Dollar General. Better than an actual gift, because it allows the recipient to select correct size and color variation (Orange/White, White/Orange, or Purple/White) in the awkward poly-blend Tiger sweatshirt of their dreams.
– Cornhole Boards. THE tailgating gift dujour. Instead of tiger paws, etc., go with a goat or cow design. Animal should be facing away from the viewer, hole strategically placed. Use your imagination here, folks, but know that your Clemson friend will enjoy it for years to come!
– Esssential Manners for Men, by Mssr. Peter Post. Since the Tiger faithful are so classy. A Clemson Man needs no introduction, right?
– USB Flash Drive containing only this Vine on loop. If only the stability ball were orange and/or had a photoshopped Dabo face on it. /sad clown noise.
– A towel bar.
– Only Yesterday, An Informal History of the 1920’s in America by Professor Frederic Lewis Allen. This is a can’t-miss gift, as all Tiger fans are obsessed with history these days. Also, that era had some dominant Tiger football!
– This plate, because it makes so much sense:
– $5 Dollar Foot Long Sandwich from Subway. While there, point out all the pictures of Jared as he five bombs them.
– A glove. Just one. Trust us, they will understand.
– An Xbox One. Well, the box from the one you got your kids, anyway. Give them the box, watch the glow of their expectant and hopeful eyes. Then, as they open it and discover you’ve filled it with coal, yell “ITS A CLEMSONING CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Since the Fivepeat became a reality, many Clemson* fans have sucked it up and admitted the obvious: that they were beaten, again, by the better team. There are certainly some reasonable and rational Clemson* folks out there who understand that college football success is mainly about blocking and tackling better than, and holding onto that funny shaped object more than, the other guy. The other stuff that folks talk and write about, for the most part, is just noise.
Well, the noises coming out of many orange and purple types since the game has been pretty humorous, and in some respects a little bit sad. Admittedly, I remember similar garbage being spewed by many of our fans over the years when we got our arses handed to us in November. In essence, the losers of the game want to make themselves feel better about their deficiencies by making excuses and/or disparaging the opponent.
The list goes a little something like this:
Well, let’s just knock these out one by one…
The fact is: we blocked, tackled and protected the ball better than Clemson* did. That won us this game and the previous four.
Enjoy the victory and the Fivepeat. Ignore the noise, because that’s all it is.
In TRC Unleashed Episode 60 we get to keep our sign-off, give you an extra long intro (because THE TODD, duh) and we:
It’s another happy podcast, so click here or click the graphic, and ENJOY!
Some short, quick, barely researched, not fully formed thoughts from South Carolina’s 31-17 victory (our FIFTH STRAIGHT) over Clemson* on Saturday night:
Five will get you ten (wins). It just keeps getting better. The first win got the monkey off our back. The second and third wins accomplished something we had not done since 1968-1970, and the fourth matched a streak from 1951-1954. I’ve followed this rivalry since about 1980, and I never thought I’d see five in a row in favor of the Gamecocks. But here we are, completely in the heads of everyone who wears orange and purple, and believing six, seven and eight is not outside the realm of possibility.
You’ve been able to see it in their faces late in the fourth quarter of the last three USC wins especially – “when is this going to end?”
They trot out tired old scores and records – “my grandkids’ grandkids will never see this rivalry even tied!” They trot those out because they’re all the Clemsonites have left. And I think they’re finally beginning to realize we really don’t care about the all-time record, or a blowout that took place more than ten years ago. And it’s killing them.
Until they can break this streak, nothing else really matters. Amen? Can I get a high five?
Team Shaw. You know how we feel about Connor Shaw, so we won’t go into that again. But last night’s performance was indicative of what he means to us. He was sharp throwing the ball early, but when the run game kept getting continuously stuffed, Steve Spurrier called his number on the ground 22 times (including a couple of kneel downs) and #14 responded with nearly 100 yards. He simply did what he had to do to get us the win, something he did 17 times against no losses at Williams-Brice Stadium. If you know anything about the history of South Carolina, that’s a remarkable number. But Shaw has been a remarkable player, as Coach Spurrier summed up nicely.
“Connor Shaw, ah man, the best quarterback in school history,” Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier said. “He’s probably the difference maker completely for us.”
The HBC. At one point when Pharoh Cooper was stuffed on a run from the wildcat formation, I tweeted this:
Silly me, little did I know the Head Ball Coach had been setting up the dagger all night:
Given the game situation and the magnitude of the game, I can’t think of a better play call in the Spurrier era. The only thing that even comes to mind is the Newton-Boyd-McKinley-Newton play against Kentucky in 2006, but that was a game between two pretty average teams. Last night’s call was simply brilliant.
Spurrier’s simple on-field post-game responses to ESPN were also a thing of beauty, as well as his taking a moment to pose for a “five” photo.
Orange turnover. I hope Brison Williams, Chaz Sutton and Kaiwan Lewis all got game balls last night. Williams’ interception kept Clemson from taking an early lead and the momentum. Sutton’s play was arguably the play of the game, as the Tigers were driving for the potential tying touchdown when he simply took the ball from Tajh Boyd. Finally, Kaiwan Lewis forced the second fumble of the night from Clemson punt returner Adam Humphries which led to the final score of the night, giving the Gamecocks a much-needed two-score advantage.
Shaq attack. Shaq Roland keeps getting closer to being our go-to guy. He only had three catches for 40 yards last night, with one for a touchdown. He had one long catch taken from him after a review (a rip-off IMO) and had another great catch nullified by a defensive pass interference call that gave the Gamecocks a first down. Here’s hoping by this time next year we’ll be talking about him in the same breath as guys like Rice and Jeffery.
Wild Wild East. Congrats to Missouri, they certainly earned the division title. Wishing them good luck next weekend.
Bowling. As of this writing the new BCS standings are not out, and we’ll have to wait until some conference championship games are played next weekend before we know where we are headed. The most likely destinations look like the Capital One or the Outback, with the Cotton and Chick-fil-a still possibilities. I know there are some who are not in favor of the Cotton, but unless it’s a personal thing (would travel to Florida but not Dallas) I’m not sure what the objection would be. A match-up against 11-1 Baylor on January 3 would be a fantastic showcase for our program. I’m not sure another trip to Orlando or Tampa against a plodding Big 10 team really gets the blood pumping any more.
“This is not Clemson football.” That’s a quote from Sammy Watkins, which is surprising because he’s been around long enough to know this most certainly IS Clemson football:
Look, the Tigers played a damn good game last night, probably the best of the last five against us. Their defensive front seven stopped us like no defense has done all year. But you are only rarely going to win a football game when you turn the ball over SIX times in a game.
To those Clemson fans who claim they “gave” the game to us, let me tell you a little something about football – turnovers, like those who commit them or force them, are part of the game. You have players who make plays and players who make mistakes. The last few years Clemson has made a lot more mistakes than us, and has had players make fewer plays than us.
Wide receiver throws an interception? How about not have your wide receiver throwing passes when you’re moving the ball fine without any trickery.
Punt returner fumbles? How about put a guy back there you can depend on.
Quarterback gets stripped? How about credit the guy on the other team making a great play and blame your quarterback for not doing a better job of protecting the ball.
Punt returner gets stripped? Maybe you should have learned your lesson and put somebody else back there after his first fumble.
Quarterback throws two more interceptions? Well, that’s just Tajh Boyd against South Carolina for you.
All those things are part of the game and help determine which team is better than the other. And all those things are why Clemson has now lost five games in a row to South Carolina.
Go Cocks!
The Rubber Chickens Blog 