Town Self-proclaimed Holiday Monday
 

What for, you say? Well, the National College Football Championship game in Glendale, Arizona, what else!! Clemson vs. Bama, and most of the cars and houses and businesses are decked out in orange Clemson tiger paws. Clemson and Summerville, SC have had a very close relationship from when I can remember as a little girl. Summerville High School's coach (primarily, John McKissick who just retired in his late 80s) and Clemson's coaches have participated in a lot of player recruitment from this town, and a very large number of town children attend Clemson University. At first I scratched my head about why this close relationship exists. Then it came to me that long ago when Summerville was just a little one-horse town and its economy survived primarily on agriculture, Clemson was designated as South Carolina's agricultural college and every farm boy went to Clemson (the college was not co-ed then).

So, as I write this to you, dear husband (who also attended Clemson) is outside with neighbors discussing the upcoming game on Monday night, and my son (also a Clemson alumni) is in Greenville, SC for the night ready to catch a VIP charter flight at 5:00 a.m. tomorrow for the game in Glendale, Arizona. Clemson has not won the National Championship, I believe, since 1981, and this town will go wild if (or should I say when) Clemson wins this one. Go Clemson!!!

Dee
Summerville, SC

Dee, good luck. It will be a tough game. The Alabama defense is the best in the country. How do I know? My grandson is a freshman on the Mississippi State team. They just beat NC State in the Belk Bowl 51 to 28, but couldn't handle the Alabama defense. I will be watching.

Moonstruck, that's why Todd (my son) was hoping that Michigan would pull a rabbit out of the hat in their game with Bama so that the Clemson Tigers would be playing Michigan instead of Bama. Of course, that didn't happen--Michigan couldn't even get on the scoreboard the entire game. Still, Dabo has pushed these Clemson kids really hard this year with a perfect season and no losses. The odds in Vegas are 38.1 percent win for Clemson; generally, I like to support the underdog as it makes for a more exciting game.

Todd just e-mailed me from Arizona and said he is having a ball with some new people he has met (which probably means he has picked up some new clients--business and pleasure, what a combination).

Dee

Dee, at half time tied 14 all. I hated to see Clemson miss the field goal. It could have made the game winning difference later on. A very tight game. The two teams that are in the championship game deserved to be there.

Moonstruck, no doubt about that--well matched teams and is an exciting game.

Go Tigers!!

Dee

Just a great game all around. Even as a Big Ten grad and fan I have to say that Saban is the master.