Clemson Urged To Scrap Historic Tradition As Former Tiger Outraged
· Yahoo Sports
Former Clemson offensive lineman and current ACC Network analyst Eric Mac Lain did not hold back in a blistering critique of the Tigers‘ program, calling for the immediate termination of one of Death Valley’s most sacred postgame customs.
Speaking on the most recent episode of the Gramlich and Mac Lain Podcast, Mac Lain voiced intense frustration with the current state of the Clemson offensive line before pivoting to a stance bound to spark fierce debate among alumni and supporters: ending the longstanding ritual of fans gathering at midfield after the final whistle.
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Frustration Over Opposing Takeovers
With Memorial Stadium no longer serving as the unbreachable fortress it once was, Mac Lain argued that the tradition now exposes the venue to humiliation from rival fan bases.
“We have got to get rid of meeting at The Paw — we have to stop,” Mac Lain said. “Because I don’t know if y’all noticed this, but we’ve lost a lot at home recently. And all that does is allow other fans to come on our field, eff up the Paw, take pictures, celebrate, do dumb stuff on our field, and that drives me crazy. I hate seeing that. I don’t know if you saw any videos, but it’s people everywhere. Going back to the South Carolina game where they’re literally ripping up parts of our grass and stuff.”
A Historic Custom Under Pressure
Gathering at The Paw is an institution dating back to legendary head coach Frank Howard. Win or lose, generations of Clemson faithful have walked down the hill and onto the grass to congregate around midfield, sing the alma mater, and interact with players and coaches.
However, recent seasons have seen an uptick in visiting teams celebrating on that same sod. Clemson dropped four games at home last season alone, and the trend reached an ugly peak Saturday night when No. 4 Miami rolled to a 41-13 victory, marking one of the worst home defeats in recent memory. As the game concluded, visiting Hurricanes supporters made their way onto Frank Howard Field to revel in the rout.
Protecting ‘A Sacred Space’
For Mac Lain, watching opposing fan bases treat Death Valley as a backdrop for victory celebrations has permanently eroded the value of maintaining the custom during hard times.
“Listen, shoulda beat you and it doesn’t happen, but we gotta cut that out. I’m so sick of that. I just want it done. We gotta cut it out. It’s an old tradition. Moving on from it. We don’t need to do it anymore. It’s a sacred space, and needs to be treated as such.”
While any effort to alter or eliminate Gathering at The Paw will meet stiff resistance from traditionalists, Mac Lain’s comments capture the growing irritation surrounding Clemson’s recent struggles at home.
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