Stupid First Down Cheer “Under Review”

A decade ago, then-South Carolina sports information director Kerry Tharp casually observed that “one day we’ll all be working for Will Folks.”

It turns out the legendary sports PR genius may have been onto something, as our founding editor (and former Gamecock Athletics intern) is suddenly exerting profound influence on the University’s football operations.

At the conclusion of last year’s disappointing 6-6 season, we published a widely-read article that outlined ten ways to fix South Carolina football.

One of our recommendations was that the Gamecock Athletic Department terminate its “minimally adequate” practice of encouraging the crowd to celebrate first downs.

According to the NCAA rulebook, first downs occur whenever an offense gains ten yards within four plays – a common occurrence among successful Division I-A offenses.

Touchdowns, on the other hand, take place when an offense is able to consistently move the football down the field and take it across the goal line – something which hardly ever happens for the home team at Williams-Brice stadium, even with a so-called offensive genius calling the plays.

Anyway, from our original story:

This is college football, people. First downs are supposed to happen, and the fact that the public address announcer at Williams-Brice Stadium makes such a big deal when the Gamecocks actually get one is kind of embarrassing. So here’s a thought – the next time the home team gets a first down and you hear the idiot in the press box yell out “That’s another Carolina – (and you’re supposed to yell back “first down!”) how about yell “shut up!” and insist on a touchdown instead.

Ten months later, after several references to the perpetuation of this mediocrity-affirming “tradition” (in what is shaping up to be another mediocrity-affirming football season for the Shamecocks), our argument is apparently beginning to catch on.

In fact, several highly-placed sources at the University have informed FITSNews that our recommendation to eliminate the celebration of first downs is receiving “serious consideration” from some of the school’s highest officials, including University President Harris Pastides, Athletic Director Eric Hyman and head football coach Steve Spurrier.

“The problem is that first downs are all we have to celebrate,” our source lamented.

That’s it … exactly.

Hopefully, South Carolina will be able to put up a few touchdowns tonight against Wofford, but in the meantime we continue to urge all Gamecock fans to yell “shut up” whenever they are exhorted by some faceless announcer to celebrate something that should be a routine occurrence.

Also stay tuned later tonight for a recap of the game …