10/5/17

My fingers type from Anderson, South Carolina about 10 miles from Memorial Stadium on the campus of Clemson U. Currently my position is in place for the second leg of my 2017 College Football Pilgrimage. If you have not done so and if your time permits, the previous story ‘Jordan-Hale Stadium & Pat Dye Field’ describes the ‘Celebration of Pigskin’ on the campus of Auburn University. With another ‘Child’ added to my list, Memorial Stadium is next.

Free time today permitted me to visit the Anderson County Museum. Recently, I have become a fan of ‘Mysteries at the Museum’ on the Travel Channel. Since my College Football Pilgrimage plays out like a mystery for the Unknown awaits me, a visit to a Museum might unlock a few mysteries of its own. Learning something new daily is vital to one’s progress. The day one stops making progress will be the day the ‘Dirt Throwin’ will begin.

I learned many things on my tour. Three things will be shared.

Anderson County has a Hot Air Balloon Tradition

The very first electrical transmission line was constructed in Anderson, SC.

Many Human Hand Hours were involved in the ‘Work of Love’ for this QUILT.

HISTORY OF MEMORIAL STADIUM & FRANK HOWARD FIELD

My standard format is to begin with a brief history of the Stadium. When I wrote my LSU Tiger Stadium Story that is archived in the Pilgrimage Section on our Homepage, the two Death Valleys crossed paths. History supports Memorial Stadium to be the original Death Valley. Let the tale begin with the history of Clemson Football Fields.

Sam Blackman, Clemson Athletic Communications @ clemsontigers.com writes, “The first intercollegiate athletic contest at Clemson occurred on April 24, 1896, when Clemson played Furman in a baseball game in front of what was then called the “Main Building”, which is now Tillman Hall.

It was a beautiful spring day 118 years ago with temperatures in the high 70s, that are so typical in the Clemson area.  With the playing of this baseball game, the Clemson athletic program was born.

Very few details of this game exist; however, it is known that Clemson lost the game 20-13.

The field in front of the “Main Building” served as home of Clemson’s early football, baseball, track and even basketball teams. It was named in honor of Randolph T. V. Bowman (August 1, 1875-April 14, 1899).

He was an instructor in forge and foundry at Clemson from February 1895 to April 1899, just after the college opened in 1889.  Bowman was best known for his association with college athletics, serving as the first baseball coach and one of the first assistant football coaches.

Bowman was credited with clearing parts of the area in front of the “Main Building” (Tillman Hall) and making it suitable to play baseball and other sports.  Bowman, who served as the first baseball coach, died at the young age of 23 in 1899.  The college was devastated and saddened by this loss.

It was decided shortly after his death to name the area in front of Tillman Hall, Bowman Field in 1899 in his honor.  In a resolution, signed by Walter Merritt Riggs, Shack Shealy and J.F. Sullivan dated April 20, 1899, representing the football Association of Clemson College, it petitioned the President of Clemson College, Henry Hartzog to bestow, officially upon the new drill and athletic field, the name of Bowman Field.  Apparently he agreed, and it has been known as Bowman Field ever since.

Clemson’s first home football game was played on this field on October 20, 1898.  Clemson defeated Bingham 55-0 as W.C. Forsythe kicked every PAT (11).  Bowman was an assistant coach for Clemson and even helped referee the game”. PIC OF FOOTBALL PLAYED AT BOWMAN”S FIELD

Riggs Field-Historic Riggs Field was the first official football field for Clemson. Wikipedia writes, “It is named after Walter Riggs, the former coach of the football team and president of Clemson (1910–1924). Riggs Field is the fifth oldest collegiate athletic facility in the nation.

As first laid out in 1915, the football field, surrounded by a cinder track was at the east end of Riggs Field, tennis courts were in the center section, and the baseball diamond was at the west end of the space. A new baseball field was later laid out on an area of campus separate from the previous sports complex, and expanded tennis facilities replaced the former diamond. Riggs Field now generally only refers to the eastern portion where the football team played until 1941. The cinder track was eliminated during the remodeling as a soccer venue. It is now referred to as “Historic Riggs Field.

On October 2, 1915, The Gala Day was declared for the dedication of the new athletic grounds. Riggs Field was dedicated prior to the football game with Davidson College. A parade to the field formed in front of the main building at 3 p.m. led, in this order, by the Cadet Band, speakers, Athletic Council, Alumni, faculty, and the Corps of Cadets. “Upon entering Riggs Field, the body took a ‘C’ formation and poured forth a thrilling volume of patriotic Tiger yells and songs.” Presentation of the field to the Corps of Cadets by Dr. Walter Merritt Riggs followed. Prof. J. W. Gantt, President of the Athletic Association, introduced Dr. Riggs as “the man who has done more for the athletics at Clemson and probably more for Southern athletics than any other man.”

Prof. Gantt introduces Mr. H. C. Tillman, Class of 1903 and President of the Clemson Alumni Association, who then christens the new playing field. Stated Tillman, “Students who have been and are to be, no matter how much we love other things, we love our athletic field best.

Therefore, this field should be named for him who has done most for our athletics. Dr. Riggs is not only the father of athletics at Clemson but has coached our teams.

It is not alone for gratitude, but for a sense of love and esteem that we name this field. May it bring victory to the Tigers’ lair, and may it be represented by the honor and spirit Dr. Riggs has always shown. In the name of all students and lovers of Clemson, I christen this Field Riggs Field. “Clemson and Davidson play to a 6-6 tie”.

Clemson Memorial Stadium-clemsontigers.com pens the following, “Clemson Memorial Stadium has been held in high esteem for many years. Whether it be players from the 1940s and 1950s, opposing players from the 1970s and 1980s, or even professional players in the 1990s, the ambiance of this special setting is what college football is all about.

The facility’s mystique is derived from its many traditions, which date to its opening in 1942, the legendary games and players, and Clemson’s corresponding rate of success. Clemson has won 227 games in 63 years there and has won over 71 percent of the contests (227-88-7). Thirty-nine times since 1983, a crowd has exceeded 80,000.

The stadium has definitely been good to the Tigers, but the stadium was constructed against the advice of at least one Clemson coach. Just before Head Coach Jess Neely left for Rice after the 1939 season, he gave Clemson a message. “Don’t ever let them talk you into building a big stadium,” he said. “Put about 10,000 seats behind the YMCA. That’s all you’ll ever need.”

Instead of following Coach Neely’s advice, however, Clemson officials decided to build the new stadium in a valley on the western part of campus. The place would take some clearing-there were many trees, but luckily there were no hedges. The crews went to work, clearing, cutting, pouring, and forming. Finally on September 19, 1942, Memorial Stadium opened with Clemson thrashing Presbyterian by a score of 32-13. Those 20,000 seats installed for Opening Day would soon grow; and grow and grow.

When the original part of the stadium was built in the early 40’s, much of the work was done by scholarship athletes, including many football players. The first staking out of the stadium was done by two members of the football team, A.N. Cameron and Hugh Webb. Webb returned to Clemson years later to be an architecture professor, and Cameron went on to become a civil engineer in Louisiana.

The building of the stadium did not proceed without problems. One day during the clearing of the land, one young player proudly announced that he was not allergic to poison oak. He then commenced to attack the poison oak with a swing blade, throwing the plants to and fro. The next day, the boy was swollen twice his size and was hospitalized.

There are many other stories about the stadium, including one that Frank Howard put a chew of tobacco in each corner as the concrete poured. Howard said that the seeding of the grass caused a few problems. “About 40 people and I laid sod on the field,” he said. “After three weeks, on July 15, we had only gotten halfway through.”

“I told them that it had taken us three weeks to get that far, and I would give them three more week’s pay for however long it took. I also told them we would have 50 gallons of ice cream when we got through. After that it took them three days to do the rest of the field. Then we sat down in the middle of the field and ate up that whole 50 gallons.”

Howard said that on the day of the first game in the stadium, “the gates were hung at 1:00 and we played at 2:00.” But that would be all of the construction for a while”.

Wikipedia.org writes, “In 1958, 18,000 sideline seats were added and in 1960, 5,658 west end zone seats were added in response to increasing attendance. PIC IS 1963

1965 PIC

The original cedar wood seating was replaced in 1972 by aluminum seats. As attendance continued to skyrocket, an upper deck was added to each side of the stadium.

The south upper deck (Top Deck South) was added in 1978 The north upper deck (Top Deck North) was added in 1983. This put the total capacity over 80,000, which made it one of the largest on campus stadiums in the United States.PIC The most recent expansion started in 2004 and continued through 2009. The first phase of the “WestZone” project closed in the west endzone of Death Valley, added new luxury box and club seating, and completely renovated the locker rooms.

The second phase, which was completed prior to the 2009 football season, brought all football offices and team meeting rooms to the WestZone from the McFadden Building and also added dedicated football training and strength conditioning facilities. The stadium’s maximum capacity is 81,500 but has seated crowds as large as 86,092. Currently, the stadium is the largest in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Clemsontiger.com reports, “The effect spiraling inflation has had in this century can be dramatically seen in the differences in stadium construction. The original part of the stadium was built at a cost of $125,000 or at $6.25 a seat. The newest upper deck was finished in 1983 at a cost of $13.5 million, or $866 a seat”.

WHY IS IT CALLED DEATH VALLEY?

First, it sits in a valley and the University Cemetery once overlooked the field before the construction of the upper decks. ESPN writes, “Death Valley is thought to have been so named because there rests a cemetery on the hill where the press box now sits. However, the phrase was first coined by Lonnie McMillian, a former Presbyterian head coach. Prior to a game, he told writers that his team was going to play Clemson at “Death Valley” seeing as though his teams always got killed there”.

Clemson Head Football Coach Frank Howard started to use the nickname ‘Death Valley’ in the 1950’s.

FRANK HOWARD’S FIELD & HOWARD’S ROCK

According to Wikipedia the story of Howard’s Rock is, “In the early 1960s, the rock was given to then head coach Frank Howard by a friend, Samuel Columbus Jones (Clemson Class of 1919). It was presented to Howard by Jones, saying “Here’s a rock from Death Valley, California, to Death Valley, South Carolina.” Howard didn’t think anything else about the rock and it was used as a door stop in his office for several years.

In September 1966, while cleaning out his office, Howard noticed the rock and told IPTAY executive director Gene Willimon, “Take this rock and throw it over the fence or out in the ditch…do something with it, but get it out of my office.”

Willimon had the rock placed on a pedestal at the top of the east endzone hill that the team ran down to enter the field for games. On September 24, 1966, the first time Clemson players ran by the rock, they beat conference rival Virginia, 40-35. Howard, seizing on the motivational potential of “The Rock”, told his players, “Give me 110% or keep your filthy hands off of my rock.” The team started rubbing the Rock for the first game of 1967, in which they beat ACC foe Wake Forest, 23-6.

It is now a tradition for the Clemson Ranger Club to “protect” the Rock during the 24 hours preceding the Clemson-South Carolina game, when held in Death Valley. ROTC cadets keep a steady drum cadence around the Rock prior to the game, which can be heard across the campus. Part of the tradition began after unknown parties vandalized the Rock prior to the 1992 Carolina-Clemson game”.

The naming of the Frank Howard Field occurred when rules forced Frank Howard to gracefully exit the Clemson Athletic Department. Wikipedia writes, “Fresh out of college, Howard landed at Clemson, where he was a line tutor under Coach Jess Neely. “At least that was my title,” Howard recalled. “Actually, I also coached track, recruited players, and had charge of football equipment. In my spare time I cut grass, lined tennis courts, and operated the canteen while the regular man was out to lunch.” Howard was track coach from 1931 to 1939, and served as baseball coach in 1943, where his 12-3 record is still among Clemson’s best percentages.

Howard coached the Clemson Tigers for 30 years, amassing the 15th most wins of any college football coach. He led Clemson to ten bowl games, an undefeated season in 1948, and several top-20 rankings during his tenure as head coach. During his stay at Clemson, Howard also oversaw the athletic department, ticket sales, and was an assistant coach for the baseball team. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, the South Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and the Clemson Ring of Honor. On November 16, 1974, the grass playing surface in Clemson Memorial Stadium was dedicated as Frank Howard Field.

 FRIDAY 10/6/17-RITUAL DAY

Anderson, SC is about an eleven country mile drive to Memorial Stadium. When the road narrows to two lanes is the junction that is of concern for ‘Battle Day’. With a lower volume of vehicles on the road, my drive to find a parking space was about 25 minutes. Across the street from the Stadium is what I found. The Unknown is what intrigues my Pilgrimages for I am a ‘Stranger in a Strange Land’.

To secure my spot, a fee had to be pre-paid into a machine. Only quarters, dollar coins, paper 1 dollars, and credit cards were accepted. Since the first three were not in my pocket, a credit card was inserted. After following the directions, my transaction was denied. Two more attempts were made with the same results. Next to my vehicle, a man appears on the back of the pick-up truck.

After explaining to him my predicament, he said the same thing had happened to him and his guests. He was retrieving some items for he was ‘showing them around’. After some small talk, we introduced ourselves to each other and I explained that I was on the second leg of my College Football Pilgrimage. To help with my predicament, Terry had some paper ones for my $5 bill. He reminded me of a Las Vegas slot machine. He informed me that all he could pay back for one spin of $5 was four dollars. He was the house with house rules and a deal was struck.

We continued our talk and then it struck me as Terry told his tales of playing the role as a host. He had traveled from Columbia, SC and was a huge Clemson Fan. Not only did he tour his guests around the area, he found the time to guide me. I nicknamed him Terry the Tour Guide, and for his time with me he earned a dollar. In the pic L-R is Terry, Lacie, Joye, Darryl

After Terry and his guests pulled off, another vehicle pulled in. A single male exited the car and made his way to pay at the machine. Before he started the process, I told him about the credit card malfunction. He thanked me and a conversation began. His shirt was a polo shirt with a letter ‘F’ embroidered on it. After asking him the meaning, he said it stood for Furman and his specialty was coaching basketball. His visit brought him to Clemson to hone his basketball teaching skills.

We then talked ‘College Basketball Hoops’ another Passion of mine until it was time for him to depart. However, before leaving he snapped my first pic with the Stadium obstructed in the background. I thank him as I did Terry and the others for their hospitality. Some may call it Chance or a Coincidence. Let me KNOW what you think. Furman University played in the first collegiate sporting event on the campus of Clemson in 1896. It was a baseball game on a field that would also host the first college football game on campus. I thanked the Spirits of Furman U for recognizing my Pilgrimage as the moment ended.

My self-guided tour continued. With my first unobstructed view of Memorial Stadium, it was time for another photo opp. An official looking rep of the University as on cue came driving by on one of the many carts that roamed the campus. My hand and a SMILE flagged him down. Within moments, we were acting as ‘olde friends’. This is the photo my ‘olde friend’ took of me.

In brief TIME, my Pilgrimage was explained, and my ‘olde friend’ asked me about my Aliquippa shirt. He said he was familiar with Aliquippa, Pa for he was a graduate of Youngstown State University. The two towns are about 50 miles apart. After explaining his Track background at YSU, his adventures led him to Clemson. His name is Shawn Cobey.

Shawn’s hospitality to a stranger from Aliquippa reflected the reputation of the ‘Hospitality of Clemson University’. The following brief bio is taken from clemsontigers.com, “Shawn Cobey is in his ninth season as a member of the Tiger track & field staff in 2017-18. He was an assistant coach from 2009-12 before spending the fall semester of 2012 as operations manager for the program. He served as the program’s interim director of track & field for the 2013 indoor and outdoor seasons.

With Cobey as interim director, Clemson finished off the four-year sweep of ACC championships in women’s indoor and outdoor track & field. The women’s team had eight straight NCAA top-20 finishes, including top-five efforts in 2012 and top-10 results in 2013.

Cobey was retained by newly appointed head coach Mark Elliott in the summer of 2013 as the program’s director of operations. He is responsible for all administrative functions for the program and is an integral part of Elliott’s staff. He helped the Tiger women to ACC Indoor and Outdoor Championships in 2015. His program produced 17 first-team All-Americans in 2013.

Cobey compiled an impressive coaching résumé at Youngstown State. He coached the Penguin throwers to great individual success from 2003-09, serving the last three years as the program’s recruiting coordinator. Cobey coached 105 all-conference performers as an assistant coach at Youngstown State, which included 32 conference champions. Cobey had nine Horizon League champions and 20 all-conference performers in 2009 alone.

Prior to his time as an assistant coach at Youngstown State, Cobey was head coach of his alma mater, Canfield High School, for two years. Canfield won two conference championships under Cobey’s watch.

Cobey was a six-time all-conference thrower at Youngstown State, including a two-time conference champion. He ranks among the school’s top 10 performers in the indoor and outdoor shot put, weight throw, discus and hammer throw. He earned a bachelor’s degree in education in 2001. He earned a master’s degree in education leadership and administration in 2004.

Cobey, 37, is married to the former Ashleigh Evatt. The couple has a son, Thomas.”

Shawn was very generous with his TIME for his connection with YSU jolted my thoughts of two renowned graduates from YSU. Both are acclaimed musicians and my path had crossed with each. Ralph Lalama a childhood friend of mine is currently rated as the #1 Jazz Saxophone Player in New York City. His music endeavors engulfs New York City including a standing engagement at the Village Vanguard on Monday nights with the Vanguard Village All-Star Band and as a local University Music Professor.

The other is David Perrico a Trumpet Player, Arranger and Conductor that currently plays in Las Vegas, NV. Like Ralph, David too has many music endeavors in Las Vegas. One is a standing engagement at ‘Cleopatra’s Barge’ in Caesar’s Palace. His band is called the Pop Strings Orchestra. It is a 15 piece ensemble with a male, female vocalist plus String Section with other horns and instruments. With Perrico’s eye & ear for talent, ‘World Class’ musicians perform on the stage.

After a trip down memory lane, TIME with Shawn was up and I thanked him for sharing his with me. As I continued my ‘Ritual’, a pause for reflection was included. I reflected on my relationship about the ‘3 of Us’. Almost 4 years ago after returning to my ‘Fishbowl’ in Henderson, NV a suburb of Las Vegas, from my 2013 College Football Pilgrimage, I was struck by a ‘Bizarre Epiphany’. Unbeknownst to me at the TIME, a Queen named Voodoo Vixen cast her spell on me. She used her power as a Goddess plus her SMILE, eyes, and handshake to inflict this ‘Spell’ on me.

This ‘Spell’ brought out the writer in me. Though our physical relationship has remained limited, Queen Voodoo Vixen became my ‘Pen is Pal’, which then led to other creations including this website and our Facebook page. After fleeing Las Vegas in the summer of 2016, QVV now resides in Nashville. However, my written words continue to her.

The term ‘degrees of separation’ enter our writing. It was Queen Voodoo Vixen who sent me off with an unused ticket to the T-Mobile Grand Opening in April 2016 after declining my offer. My solo journey resulted in the story titled ‘T-Mobile Grand Opening’ found in the Pilgrimage & Inspiration sections on our homepage. It was there that I was baptized by the ‘Jazz Infusion’ of today’s pop sounds by David Perrico and The Pop Strings Orchestra playing on an outside stage before the Grand Opening. As a ‘Fan of Good Music’, my senses were captivated by the performances of these musicians.

The Female String Section was a welcomed addition to a Jazz Infusion Pop Sound. Though they played mostly in anonymity, it was done with Great Passion. The two that caught my attention was a Violin Player and a Cello Player. At shows end, info was exchanged with David Perrico. He and his Minstrels were locals. It was then, that I became a disciple of the Minstrels. After witnessing numerous Festivals, their ‘Blessings’ inspired me to pen my first musical story complete with live music videos. It can be found in the Inspiration section on our homepage titled, ‘David Perrico & His Minstrels’.

With another unused ticket by Queen Voodoo Vixen for a Night of Sting with the Minstrels, the stage was set for a meeting. It was mid-September 2016 months after my initial baptism by the Minstrels. Opportunity granted my official meeting with the Cello Player. After ‘Stinging’ me with her ‘Cello Handshake’ plus her SMILE and gaze, she too as a Goddess cast a ‘Spell’ upon me. While reliving the moment that night at the Dream Home, I had a KNOWING according to Buddha. A ‘Phenomenon’ struck me that night. A little research confirmed my KNOWING.

This Cellist has many aliases that she plays and goes by. The one that grabbed my attention was ‘Vampyre Sonata’. Using the same protocols as QVV, her name became Queen Vampyre Sonata. A deal was struck between her and I before the start of my 2016 College Football Pilgrimage. She granted permission for my writings from Texas. One letter led to another, which begat another. Each Queen knew about the other Queen.

QVV has been a steady character in my published writings since 2014 beginning on Facebook, She too has many aliases. QVS has also become a character in my writings since my ‘Kyle Field Story & Thanksgiving Day’ archived in the Pilgrimage section. After writing my first novel this summer, QVV extended her wishes to share it with Queen Vampyre Sonata.

With QVV Blessings, a different ending minus a ‘Dance of Seduction’ was sent to QVS. Each accepted my novels as a ‘gift’. From that novel became the ‘3 of Us’ and a ‘Bizarre Phenomenal Relationship’. Instead of writing individual letters to each, both of them are now sent my writings and email packages simultaneously as my ‘Pen is Pals’. They have given me permission to use their images for Inspiration and Stimulation for my writings. For that I am extremely Grateful.

Now back to Ritual Day, Death Valley is nestled in a valley with limited structures near it, unlike Auburn and other universities that have built structures near their Stadiums. The basketball arena is across from the Stadium. To the naked eye, my first view sees more parking lots than buildings. However, the backside has to be examined during my walk. First stop after some more ‘Clemson Hospitality’ was a visit to the ticket office for info about parking for the Battle.

Not only were my questions answered, a Fan Guide was given to me to assist in my quest for Battle Day parking. As usual with most Stadiums, gates were either locked or visible security sat. The outside structure fell in line with other Stadiums I have visited.

Limited engravings and plaques were employed unlike others that wear the colors and ornaments of a peacock. Since each is my child, outside dress is their own personal choice. Tiger Walk view day before Battle.

A view from the cemetery looking down on Death Valley.

HOWARD’S ROCK

As my senses were enjoying the moment in this area, an ESPN cameraman was also taking some photos. Names were not exchanged, but talk was. In a short TIME, his PASSION for shooting college sports sounded like music to my ears. His favorite College Football Stadiums were shared with me along with tales of the ‘College Football Faithful’. Before we departed, I thank him for increasing my future list of College Football Stadiums for a Pilgrimage. Two different Tiger Statues in two different locations.

ANOTHER VIEW OF MEMORIAL STADIUM

AS IN AUBURN AND OTHER STADIUMS, ABOUT 50 YARDS WAS MY REACH OF THE TURF.

BATTLE DAY-10/7/17

A local Battle kick-off time of 12pm demanded an early start. The 12pm kick-off is better than the 11am kick-offs that I experienced in Texas in what I called ‘Breakfast Battles’. Today’s Battle would be a ‘Brunch Battle’. My vehicle left shortly after 7am for the drive to Death Valley. Early arrival is always part of my agenda, especially to secure close parking to the Stadium.

Driving to a Battle before the sun rises is not a natural event, but many do it all over our country for the ‘Celebration of Pigskin’. Traffic was lighter than anticipated all the way to Death Valley. Yesterday, while leaving, my compass directed me on a road called Old Stadium Road by a sign that said public parking. After I flagged them down from my car, two female angels in a mobile cart explained the parking procedures in this area. I thanked them for the info.

During my planning for Battle Day, this area was not on the map supplied by the ticket office. The proximity to the Death Valley was closer than the paid parking on the map. My first instinct after turning on Old Stadium Road was to turn into the Golf Course to check on parking. My ‘Gut & Radar’ said to drive nearer to Memorial Stadium. As usual my ‘Gut & Radar’ was correct that resulted in a Great Free Parking Space much closer to the Stadium.

After parking the car in more darkness that light for 7:30am showed the time, I stepped out of the car to evaluate the spot. Walking up the road was a male Clemson Cheer Squad Member. The lack of light prevented my camera of taking my first pic. Instead, small talk of my Pilgrimage was exchanged including the distance to the Stadium. A 10-15 minute stroll was required depending on one’s urgency. I thanked him for his TIME and retreated to the car to sit and rest my eyes until 8am.

Light at 8am had taken over the dark. The skies were cloudy and a slight rain began to fall. There were two things that I did not do. One, the weather forecast was not part of my Battle plan. Two, my rain gear though placed by the front door, remained at my campsite in Anderson, instead of my trunk.

As others walked by me, most were dressed in similar fashion as I. Others were prepared for the weather. It was time to address Battle Day and the ‘Celebration of Pigskin’. While organizing my gear, a Clemson fan approached the vehicle. In no TIME, conversation joined us. Then my first pic was taken.

CRCR in Boulder City, NV roasts their coffee beans with the same Passion that I seek in coffee beans. After exposing me to their coffee beans and indoctrinating me in the ways of cold-brew coffee, CRCR coffee beans travel with me. For those of you not familiar with the world’s favorite brewing option for coffee, one should do a little research. Even if you prefer a ‘hot brew’, a less acidity cup of coffee can be heated in a microwave oven. If you are an avid coffee drinker and not drinking fresh burred coffee beans at home, taste is not high on your list. Plus, one controls the strength of each cup brewed. Save your money and brew at home.

As our conversation continued, more was revealed. The fan’s granddaughter had attended the Battle with him. With excitement, he told me tales that his granddaughter’s Passion for Clemson Football rivaled his when he was her age. For many seasons he was a season ticket holder, but TIME only permitted an occasional Battle. It was easy to sense that the lack of ‘Live Battles’ did not diminish his Passion for Clemson Football. His name was Sammy.

When our TIME was up, it was a signal to begin my tour of nearby campsites while making my way to Death Valley. It was about 8:20am. With a clear plastic approved Clemson stadium bag draped over my shoulder, there would be no need to return to my car for final Battle preparations. The light rain had stopped. However, the thickening dark clouds remained. Rain was not a stranger to me during my Pilgrimages for it rained Battle Day at Neyland Stadium. One can access my Neyland Stadium story in 2015 in the Pilgrimage or College section on our homepage.

Traffic and other activities were on the up-tick as my stroll commenced. Tents were popping up in lots as more fans pulled in. The smell of cooked food started to enter my olfactory nerves, causing extra saliva in my mouth. My hunger was limited, but the smells were enticing.

My path weaved the parking lots as my way was made to the Stadium. According to the parking map, motor-homes and large cooking rigs were limited to other sites near and far from the Stadium. Mostly in these lots, tents and standard fare of campsites were the norm. Small and large barbecue grills cooked the food. Other Clemson Faithful brought prepared meals. Each individual campsite displayed a large abundance of food and drink. It was early, but the Clemson Faithful was increasing. Extra Tigers were ready.

The male Clemson Cheer Member was correct in his assessment. In no TIME, my steps had me in the shadows of Death Valley. More info about the ‘Rituals’ of Battle Day was sought. Mobile carts are plentiful and a great source for information based on ‘Ritual Day’. After flagging one down, an abundance of ‘Ritual’ info was shared by the male driver. My thanks were extended and off I strolled into the forests of tents, cars, trucks, and a few small trailers. It was then a KNOWING appeared along with more sunlight.

Relying on my memory of past College Football Pilgrimages, I could not recall the same or similar scene that the Clemson Faithful had created at their campsites and for the ‘Celebration of Pigskin’. I was being Blest by the ‘Clemson Family’. My senses celebrated with the extremely large contingent of children. Their ages ranged from months old to their senior years. SMILES and laughter filled my stroll as though Disneyland set up shop for today’s Battle outside the Stadium.

My stroll re-walked my ‘Ritual Day’. Past the cemetery I walked, thinking about the name of Death Valley.

The crowd around Howard’s Rock endzone was buzzing. The police officer informed me of the Band March starting at 11am. After exchanging small chatter, I thanked him for his TIME.

The 10am Tiger Walk was approaching. Following my compass, my view was selected. The Tiger Walk is composed of walking thru a very large parking lot now turned campsites. It appeared to be a walk of about the length of a few football fields.

A small pep band played from above the entrance to Battle Rooms. The crowd cheered and exchanged skin with coaches and players as they walked by. Members of the Pep Squads had positioned themselves in front of me and my great view for pics. As on cue, with the Head Football Coach in sight for a pic, the arms of the Pep Squad went up leaving the next pics.

When the Tiger Walk ended, my strolling continued as my senses searched for the unusual campsites. My ventures led me to cross the street to the motor-home parking, but the wait time to cross exceeded my expectations and off to another direction my feet went. The unusual then caught up with me. Though not large in size, it packed a big wallop. I then sought the owner.

Al Wilson then introduced himself to me and welcomed me as a member of the Clemson Family. Small talk of my Pilgrimage was exchanged along with my admiration of his ‘Rig’. He explained that he custom built it himself after a suggestion from his son. Al gave me a tour of his ‘Rig’ and his ‘Handicraft Talents’ including beer taps for 4 different types of draft. Since it was an early Battle, the very large cooking grill was left inside for a possible use after the Battle.

Al also informed me that the ‘Rig’ was also used for special events for his company Tri-State Pump & Control. Next is a short bio about Al Wilson, taken from their website. “Al incorporated Tri-State Pump & Control in 1994. His role as President involves guiding company growth by finding employees with high character and a willingness for daily engagement and fostering an atmosphere where those people can mature and learn how to provide excellent customer experiences. Al has a BA and MA from Furman University.

He spent 9 years as a high school teacher, administrator and coach, before leaving the educational field to pursue a career in entrepreneurship. It was his interest in golf and irrigation that led him down the path to TSP. In his free time, he enjoys fishing or spending time with family and friends on the lakes of Upstate South Carolina. Al and his wife, Janet, have two children and five grandchildren”. Next is a pic with Al.

After receiving more Blessings from Al and his family, my strolling continued with an increased awareness. It was children, children, and more children. Clemson Football had marketed their brand to reach ‘Clemson Family’. Evidence pointed everywhere that ‘Clemson Family’ had the highest priority in the scheme of Clemson Football. Baptize the young ones early and they become Faithful Clemson Family for LIFE.

My conversations with the Clemson Family confirmed this, especially for the Day Battles. More parents, grandparents, and others bring children to the Day Battles than Night Battles. Plus, with the weekend being Homecoming, more emphasis was placed on the Clemson Family.

To be honest with you, I have no idea on the percentage of Football Faithful that stroll the campsites as I do. If one has not ever done so, to partake fully in the ‘Celebration of Pigskin’, one should do so. 11am was approaching. It was TIME for the Band March. With TIME running out till kick-off at noon, my Chance for a pic with members of the Dance or Pep Squads was growing slimmer. Chance SMILED on me.

The Clemson Marching Band as advertised came parading down the street led by their Alumni Band for a Homecoming March. The SMILES on their faces told the story of the Clemson Family.

2017 EDITION OF THE CLEMSON MARCHING BAND

After the March, TIME said go find your seat. This is my first pic near my seat.

My choice of Battle Ticket is determined by proximity to the field and price. If the two match, my ASS has a paid seat. During some Battles, my ASS may roam. For other Battles, my ASS remains near my seat, except for a break. After grabbing some food and water, roaming was not on the menu today. PICS of CONCOURSE

My seat was in close view of Howard’s Rock and the ‘Run Down the Hill’. Plus, it was near the field, and the children young and old were quickly filling up Death Valley. The wall was five rows from my seat. First pic from my seat.

Twenty minutes prior to kick-off the Marching Band takes Frank’s Howard Field.

When the Clemson Marching Band began the playing of the alma mater, all inside Death Valley stood. Some kept their hats on, and others like me, took theirs off. Singing by the Clemson Family blended into the music. But one stood out among the rest as though directed for my listening pleasures. It brought back memories from my Commonwealth Stadium Pilgrimage; archived in the Pilgrimage and College Sports/Football sections on our homepage.

A personal tour was arranged by Forces for the Project Manager of the 125 million dollar renovation of the Stadium to guide me around. In addition, during Pre-Battle Rituals, a U of Kentucky alum sang two extremely beautiful renditions of ‘My Old Kentucky Home’ & the Star Spangled Banner within my ear shot.

When the alma mater completed, the Star Spangled Banner was equally sung by this UNKNOWN person. After the performance was over, I walked up to this member of the Clemson Family and extended my hand thanking him for his superior performance. With a SMILE on his face, he slipped his hand into mine accepting my thanks. Within moments, we were acting as ‘olde faithful friends. His name was Kirby Winsted.

Kirby had an interesting tale. He was currently working as the Bereavement Coordinator for Heartland located in Myrtle Beach. Prior to moving away from the area, Kirby would grace the crowds at Death Valley and the basketball arena with his vocal blessings of the Star Spangled Banner. If Death Valley or the basketball arena is ever in need of him, my ears vouch that Kirby still ‘HAS IT’.

In our brief exchange, Kirby was informed of my Pilgrimage. He suggested that I blend in with the others in my Aliquippa gear to get a better view as he re-phrased Brett Musburger. ‘Howard’s Rock Run Down the Hill is among the most exciting 20 seconds in sports’. To get a better view, I followed Kirby’s suggestion.

Brett Musberger must have timed himself walking down the hill, for most including the coaches, the downhill run after Rubbing Howard’s Rock was less than 10 seconds.

Clemson Family at Homecoming

The next pic has its own story. It is about cross-state rivals and love. The female sitting next to me, dressed in her ‘Holy Jeans’ reminded me of the selfie of Queen Voodoo Vixen dressed in her ‘Holy Jeans’. As a ‘Faithful Gamecock Fan’, she agreed to attend the Clemson Homecoming Game with as she described ‘Her Boyfriend’ and his family. When asked about her colors she was wearing, a grin while biting her teeth appeared. For this game only to blend in, Clemson colors were her choice. Only TIME will tell how their story plays out. Christian was his name. Wearing ‘Holy Jeans’ and Clemson colors was Breelyn.

Asking others to take my pics sometimes evolves into a tale. This female in the next pic traveled a long distance to take my first pic at my seat. In a way, she reminded me of Queen Vampyre Sonata displaying her ‘Charms’. Whether she brought her ‘Charms’ with her from her home state or whether she acquired them during her stay at Clemson and or both, only she would KNOW. But they were very effective causing my tongue to confuse Auburn with Clemson.

When asked how she ended up at Clemson, her blood relative an uncle had graduated from Clemson. During her first visit, Clemson embraced her and anointed her as Family. The Clemson Spell was cast. Her major is Architect. With her ‘Charms’ as tools, the Artist in her will guide her in the Drawings of her DREAMS. Molly sits next to Bridgette her mom. The apple does not fall from the tree. Molly came all the way from Maine to take my picture.

THE BATTLE

According to experts, Clemson was a 20 plus point favorite over Wake Forest. The beauty of College Sports, regardless of point spreads and other factors, the Passion of the Battle is rarely influenced. College Gladiators usually come prepared to play with maximum effort. As in LIFE, doing one’s ‘Very Best’ is all one should expect of oneself. Regardless of the Battle’s outcome, when the Battle is over and TIME permits, each Gladiator should ask one question. Did I perform at my ‘Very Best’ today? If the answer is YES, the final Battle score is only a team result.

Clemson jumped out to an early lead in a Battle filled with heavy, hard collisions from both teams. Wake Forest had early chances to convert field goals to cut into the lead, but missed them both. Let the video tell the story.

My overall summation is that Clemson was the superior team with more superior talent. If a team of lesser talent expects to beat Clemson, it will have to perform almost flawlessly in all aspects of the Battle. Plus, Clemson would have to contribute with self-inflicted wounds. The crowd noise was on par for the tempo of the Battle. Death Valley holds the verified record of being the loudest sound recorded in a Stadium. In 2007 in a game against Boston College, the decibels roared at 133. Tinnitus or the ‘ringing of the ears’ begins the threshold for permanent hearing loss at 127 decibels. A few times during the Battle the crowd noise reached slightly above 100 decibels according to the video boards rankling my ‘gooseflesh’. GAME PICS

As the clock ticked down to end the Battle, my camera captured this pic

Then the seconds appeared on the clock

Earlier during the morning when obtaining ‘Ritual’ info, my ears welcomed the next ‘Ritual’. Clemson Football invites the Clemson Family to join in the ‘Celebration of Pigskin’ on Frank Howard’s Field after the Battle ends. Most Stadiums frown upon or prevent their Football Faithful from walking on the Battlefield unless the Faithful storms the field after a ‘Great Victory’. As I stood in line as in Disneyland, my vision was filled with children of all ages participating in the ‘Celebration of Pigskin’.

As my shoes strolled on Frank Howard’s Field, Dreams do come true. The reason that my pic of Frank Howard Field did not materialize on Friday’s ‘Ritual Day’ was that Death Valley had a surprise gift for me. Standing on the Battlefield increased the magnitude of Death Valley. To be able to trace the footsteps of the Giants and the Regulars that battled on the field could be considered by some to be a Blessing.

For others it is TIME to celebrate with the Clemson Family. The theme of Clemson Family rang loud and true during my TIME in Death Valley. I witnessed generations of the Clemson Family in the ‘Celebration of Pigskin’ with future generations in the planning stages. Most of all, I also got a pic with double results. It is a pic on Frank Howard’s Field at Memorial Stadium aka Death Valley with a local beauty named Meaghan.

As I was exiting the Battlefield, a voice asking ‘are you from Aliquippa’ called out. I turned my head and with a big Smile on his face, a member of the Clemson Family repeated his question. It was the first Aliquippa acknowledgement of the day and another Blessing. During our TIME talking like ‘old friends, this Clemson Faithful explained his journey from the Mon Valley near Pittsburgh to Clemson. His name was William.

On my way back to my campsite, my stop included a chat with a father and son of the Wake Forest Faithful. The older brother/son played center for the Deacons. We talked about the Battle and the missed opportunities early in the Battle by the Gladiators of Wake Forest. The father also commented on my Aliquippa gear for he too was familiar with the region. Chalk up another Blessing. Meet Ken & Matt, Wake Forest Faithful.

The trip to my campsite was filled with the same vision as I walked to the Stadium earlier in the morning. Clemson Families remained to celebrate more. While organizing for my trip back to Anderson, a couple pushing a stroller walked by. I flagged them down for the next pic. This Clemson Young Faithful had just been to his first ‘Celebration of Pigskin’ at Death Valley. A new generation had just been baptized. His name was Raymond.

Just as I am about to enter my car, a familiar figure was approaching. He was the person that greeted me this morning, the Auburn Male Pep Squad Member. Small talk about my Battle Day joined in our conversation. It centered around Clemson Family and how Clemson Football embraces, nurtures, and cultivates this Clemson Family Passion. Both of us were in agreement that this is what makes Clemson Football Special. His name was Josh the Ambassador with Dreams of majoring in Engineering. With his skills acquired as a Pep Squad Member, research predicts Josh will build ‘Great Dreams’.

As my tale closes, I write the finishing touches from Athens, Georgia. Sanford Stadium on 10/13-14/17 is the last leg of my 2017 College Football Pilgrimage. When completed so will be the first leg of my College Football Pilgrimages that began in 1970. After driving in a misty, wet climate for about 2 hours, a safe trip concluded on Monday 10/9/17 to my campsite.

For their part in this year’s Pilgrimage permitting usage of their pics for Inspiration & Stimulation, my lines of communication have remained open with QVV & QVS. Regular texts with pics and ARTWORK are sent to them with updates. Plus, my thanks for them agreeing to be my Pen is Pals and the ‘3 of Us’ are always included.

Remember, DREAMS are both meant to be Dreamt and to be PLAYED IN. Feel free to tell others about our Insanity at playinyourdreams.com.

Fox/Feather