My South Carolina Gamecocks are doing awesome this year! And if it hadn’t been for that ridiculous Georgia game, where we should have won, did win if you want my thoughts on it, but our touchdown was stolen from us, we would be getting the recognition we deserve. I was talking to a Georgia fan this morning who made a smart elick comment about the Carolina/Vandy game not being on television this week and how we hadn’t really played any difficult teams yet. The conversation didn’t last long…just saying.
For true blue Carolina fans we have ridden the wave when it was good- Joe Morris- all black outfits- the theme song from 2001 A Space Odyssey, and the win over Georgia in 2000 I do believe was the victory that ended our 18 game winning streak…just saying again. We have ridden the waves of Sparky Woods, had a guy named Brad, can’t even remember his last name, the time was so short. Maybe it was Scott come to think of it. Then we had the infamous Lou Holtz, who held sports clinics for women…loved that! And now we have Mr. Steve Spurrier, who my dad just happened to run into the other day at his favorite men’s store in Columbia. Even though we haven’t had an amazing season in a really long time, we’ve got amazing fortitude, sticktoitiveness, and just plain grit.
The last few years have held more challenges than victories, but each year we don our garnet and black and put the past behind us and forge ahead to a new season. Love that about my Gamecocks. And am often grateful for that with life. How each new year brings about the ability to put the past behind us, move into a new vision for our future, and see what the new year has to offer.
We’re not far from a new year you know. Just a couple more months and we’ll be dusting off the sparklers, getting out the fireworks, and donning ridiculous hats to celebrate a new year. And some of us need it because this year has stunk. Some of us need it because this year has held some really bad decisions. Some of us need it because this year has held some pain, some bad choices, some heartache, that we’d otherwise rather forget. That to me is the beauty of a new year or a new football season. It holds new hope.
I remember day 365 of my first year of being divorced. I remember waking up that morning and beginning my usual routine of walking and praying and that morning I declared that marking time was over. That there would be no more firsts. No more first birthdays without being married, first valentines, first non-existent anniversaries. Marking time was over and tomorrow was a new year. You know, I never marked time again. “letting go of those things which were behind me I press on towards the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
Some of us have marked time long enough. We’ve got more slashes on our calendar than Jason from Friday the 13th has sequels! It’s time to move on. Let go. And head into a new year no longer marking our loses, but focusing on what is to come.
That’s the one thing I love about football. It doesn’t matter how bad the year before was, when that new season starts it is a clean slate. My Gamecock’s are kicking some booty, even though my Georgia friend claims we haven’t beat any real teams. Well, let me just say, Tennessee is on the plate for Saturday and I’m hearing a pitiful version of Rocky Top being consumed by some rowdy folks from South Carolina. My address may say Tennessee, but my heart bleeds garnet…Go Cocks! And Go You! It’s a brand new season. Let the last one go and move into what’s waiting for you. For us it’s some Volunteers! Never did like orange much anyway….just saying.
