The Clemson Tigers are the gold standard when it comes to traditions across the ACC. While there are other programs in the conference, as well as across the southeast who can certainly hold their own, Clemson is simply a cut above the rest. There are reasons for this, but along with the pageantry comes a winning tradition. Football is the revenue driver in college sports, and Clemson is elite at it.
With Traditions Week coming to a close here across the FanSided NCAA Division, now is a better time than ever to share what makes the best Clemson customs so great. More importantly, we can also look at a pair of hated rivals whose traditions leave us scratching our heads. And to tie a bow on this article, we will also look at a tradition that, deep down, Clemson fans would most certainly appreciate.
Let's start with the three Clemson traditions we love before diving into three other ones from rivals.
Rubbing Howard's Rock helped for Clemson's modern football identity
Without question, the best tradition Clemson has going for it is rubbing Howard's Rock. It is where this website gets its name from. The tradition stems back to a rock a friend of Frank Howard gave him over half a century ago. It was plucked out of Death Valley, California. One day, the rock was placed atop a pedestal at the top of The Hill. Players and coaches rub it for good luck ahead of every game.
It is the necessary tone-setter to transform Memorial Stadium into Death Valley. After every player and coach rubs the rock, they then sprint down The Hill and onto the field of play. The rock has seen everything, but mostly winning football for Clemson over the last 60 years. What makes this the best tradition Clemson has is that it sets up everything else to follow. The Rock is Clemson's cornerstone.
It is wild how one rock went from being an eyesore in Howard's office, to becoming a unifying symbol.
Running down The Hill gets everyone out of their seats in Death Valley
Right after the players and coaches rub Howard's rock, they sprint down The Hill and into Death Valley. It is the most iconic tradition Clemson has. Formulated almost out of necessity, this tradition went from merely being the easiest path from the fieldhouse to the field of play, to being the most exciting 25 seconds in college football. Running down The Hill hits both in person, and on television.
It is the connective tissue that brings it all together for Clemson. The perfect transition from rubbing the rock to being in Death Valley is one that gets fans pouncing out of their seats. There are other traditions sort of like this across major college football, but this one cuts through in a way that is purely and authentically Clemson. Running down The Hill helps build up the home-field advantage.
This tradition might not be for everyone, but it is without question one of the coolest Clemson has.
Gathering at The Paw is what brings the Clemson fan base all together
Gathering at The Paw is another uniquely Clemson tradition, but one that has experienced a great deal of scrutiny over the years, too. It first came into being during the middle of World War II. Frank Howard asked all the players, fans, and coaches to come together at The Paw at the 50-yard line to sing the alma mater. In the day and age where field storming is increasingly questioned, this works.
However, there have been a few adjustments to Clemson fans gathering at The Paw. They must now do it after the alma mater has been sung, allowing enough time for the visiting players and officials to exit the field safely. After that, any Clemson fan who wants to be on the field is not only allowed, but expected to be there, win or lose. It is a tradition that helps tie one generation to the next one coming.
Sadly, because of player safety concerns, this tradition may be heading toward extinction here soon.
"Sandstorm" has made South Carolina home games even more annoying
South Carolina's relatively new tradition of blasting Darude's "Sandstorm" constantly makes visiting Williams-Brice Stadium such a joyless slog. It is a bunch of roosters crowing to the cacophony of an overhyped techno song in the hottest place on the planet. Add in South Carolina fans slinging their presumably soaked towels around their heads like the Imitation Steelers make this tradition so lame.
Not to praise South Carolina in any way, but their traditions of the 2001: A Space Odyssey entrance, the Cockaboose Railroad, and Sir Big Spur are all far better than "Sandstorm". Frankly, it is this song that reminds everyone who views South Carolina as a rival in some capacities how annoying this fan base can really be. This is proof that new is not always better. Some ideas are just bad to begin with.
For anyone who does not sport garnet, the first few echoing keys from this song have created PTSD.
Georgia Tech's obsession with Georgia is the epitome of little brother
Admittedly, this is not really a specific tradition, but rather the state of things when it comes to the Ramblin' Wreck of Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets have a rivalry in ACC play with Clemson, but they spend most of their time fuming over the Georgia Bulldogs, who never think about them... There are little brother complexes all across college athletics, but Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate is so exhausting.
The fact Georgia Tech would rather see Georgia lose than the Yellow Jackets win plays a huge part in why one is a perennial national title contender, and the other is not. Palmetto kind of feels like this too, but at least South Carolina does not make hating on Clemson its entire identity. When it comes to the bees, absolutely loathing Georgia this much is not the bees' knees; it is quite pathetic, to be honest...
Georgia living rent free inside Georgia Tech's head plays a part in Clemson's rivalry only being so-so.
Florida State's Osceola and Renegade helped set the Seminoles apart
While South Carolina's weekly spiritual awakening with "Sandstorm" makes us all wish we were deaf, and Georgia Tech's unhealthy obsession with Georgia is so cringeworthy, we do need to tip our caps to what the Florida State Seminoles do with Osceola and Renegade. The Seminole leader Osceola comes onto the field at Doak Campbell atop Renegade before hurling his burning spear into midfield.
Although the War Chant and the Tomahawk Chop tend to rub some people the wrong way for many different reasons, the pre-game spectacle of Osceola and Renegade cuts through for the Seminoles. With the Seminole Tribe of Florida officially sanctioning this FSU tradition, it is never going to go away. Forever unconquered, as they say. Regardless, sometimes you just have to appreciate cool concepts.
Florida State is not the oldest football program to be had, but winning is also part of the 'Noles fabric.
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