What it means to be a Gamecock fan:

Courtesy of Eric Sullivan

Let me start in 1986. I was 5 years old. My dad turned on the game (which we only got to watch once or twice a year) and I saw a larger than life individual. Sterling Sharpe. I remember him catching these impossible throws, and my dad getting all excited. That day, my love was born.

Now I quickly realized that our goal every year was a bowl. Going 6-5 was everything to us. Make it to a bowl, and break the curse. See, we had never won a bowl game at that time, and it was the first step to breaking the “chicken curse”. The years went on, and so did the losses. It didn’t matter, we always stuck by them.

Then came the 1995 Carquest bowl. We win! We beat WVU to claim our first ever bowl victory. What a day. The curse was over. Sadly, that was not the case. Brad Scott lost control of the program, and we soon went 1-10. It was as bad as it’s ever been.

Leslie via Flickr

Hope

One day when I was coming home from work, listening to sports radio, I heard the news. We had hired Lou Holtz. Man, what a feeling. It was like a dream. The school meant business. It was time for a change. After an 0-11 season, things started to change. We broke a 0-21 slump with a win over NMSU. We followed it up the next week by breaking an 18 game SEC losing streak, as we beat UGA.

Yet, Holtz, in the end, lost control of the program. Enter, the HBC. It was surreal when Spurrier signed the contract. This was it. We were ready. Spurrier came in as showed that there could be real success at South Carolina. 3 straight 11 win seasons proved that we could compete. Spurrier on the end, lost his love for the game.

The darkness is back. Enter Muschamp. While I was livid for this hiring, and his tenure did not end well, I finally understood. Hiring him was the right call. No one wanted this job. Following a legend at a school with our history, just wasn’t attractive. Muschamp came in and stabilized the program, he just couldn’t get over the hump. He still produced NFL talent, and was always up for a fight. It just wasn’t meant to be.

Courtesy of Emily Anderson

Hope Renewed

Enter, Shane Beamer. His excitement and love of THIS program was what this school always needed. His energy and enthusiasm for what he does, is as good as any in the country. Having a guy that believes in this school, was new and refreshing. He needed his first year with a bowl victory. In the preseason, Mark Stoops took a shot at Beamer and his dancing, and stupid sunglasses.

The trip to Kentucky. I was there, live. The Gamecocks went into Kentucky and won. This was the day I started to believe. We’re years behind other programs in recruiting, but it didn’t seem to matter. We ended the year with back to back top 10 teams. This is a classic implosion for the program. I’ve seen it all to often. I was ready.

Then, something happened, something was different. We took out a HEAVILY favored Tennessee team. It was unreal. However, the next week, we were on the road. Our rival, 7 straight losses. They were on a unreal home winning streak as well. We always lose to Clemson, so get ready, right? Wrong. Something was different. The energy was electric as the Gamecocks went into Clemson, broke the streak, and came out on top. I couldn’t believe it.

Recruiting in 2024 is amazing. Top 5. Beamer is here, and we believe. There’s a new feeling in Columbia, and let me tell you, I’m here for it. U.S.C. Go Cocks!