Before an away game, it’s tradition for Clemson fans gather their $2 bills and stamp them with orange tiger paws to “flood the city.” Saturday night, two days before the big game, my parents and I sat in a bar full of Clemson fans in Tampa, Florida. Excitement was already in the air as everyone was dressed in their orange and purple outfits. Our waiter came over and the first thing he showed us was the $2 bill he received as a tip. He was so proud of it. It was at this moment I knew the “Clemson spirit” was contagious and being spread through the city of Tampa.
As the weekend went on, Clemson excitement was in the air. Everywhere we went Clemson fans talked to us as if we were their next door neighbors and the Cadence Count cheer was heard in the streets, restaurants, and hotels. We shared the season highlights with the locals and got them excited about the game.
My parents and one of their friends, all Clemson alums, took me under their wing this weekend. In four days we drove over 2,000 miles, stayed in 3 different hotels, and spend countless hours supporting the Clemson Tigers. Every minute in Tampa made those last few seconds of the game that much more enjoyable. I took my $2 bill everywhere. To me, it represented my trip. It proved how much I love my school and how badly I wanted to be there to support them. To the locals, it represented the dedication of Clemson fans.
Growing up in Greenville, South Carolina I have always heard about Clemson’s “glory days” under Danny Ford. I’ve heard how important that one national championship was to the university and the fans. Last night, as I sat in Raymond James stadium with 6 seconds left on the clock, I realized why a national championship title is so important. Over the years, I have supported the tigers in the sun, rain, and snow. I’ve spent so many hours tailgating and traveling and I’m only a freshman. My dad has been doing this twice as long as me and the people before him have been doing it for decades. When they scored that last touchdown, securing a win against Alabama, it didn’t matter how much money we had spent or how many hours we had traveled. Every Clemson fan in the stadium knew our boys deserved it. The screams lasted for an hour and every fan celebrated with the team from their seat.
Our team made history Monday night and Ben Boulware said it best when he said to “wear that Paw with pride.”
I’m proud to be a Clemson tiger and will continue to spread $2 bills across the nation.
