South Carolina Fans Are Savvier Than We Thought

With offense to none (and you can’t get offended, because I just said “no offense”), the University of South Carolina isn’t quite what comes to mind when you think of academic hotbeds.

However, maybe we need to give credit where credit is due.

If you missed it, the unheralded Gamecocks got 30 points from Devan Downey and pulled off a stirring upset of soon-to-be-no-longer #1 ranked Kentucky 68-62 at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia last night.

It was a great game. Downey went nuts on the suddenly porous Wildcat defense and fended off a strong 2nd half push from Kentucky super-freshmen John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins.

Once the final horn went off, it was bedlam. As expected (and well-deserved), the “Garnet Army,” the student section at South Carolina, stormed the floor. They overwhelmed the court within about 20 seconds – it was an amazingly swift and decisive court storm. Within less than a minute, there was no breathing room.

The one tiny problem with what happened involves a $5,000 fine that the SEC levies on schools whose fans decide to rush the floor.

Paging Dr. Buzzkill…to SEC country..

Anyway, most schools chalk that fine up as a write-off. When your team pulls off an upset, especially one of the magnitude that the Gamecocks did last night, the exposure you get on SportsCenter and other sports shows around the country more than makes up for some piddly five-large.

However, South Carolina students proved beyond any shadow of a doubt that they know the rules…and they wanted to help out.

According to a report, as students and other Gamecock fans exited the floor and arena after the celebration, they sought out South Carolina AD Eric Hyman and handed him handfuls of $1 bills.

They were giving the school the money to pay the fine.

Their excitement is justified. Last night’s win was the first for the program over a #1 team in the school’s basketball history. I’m sure the South Carolina would have been more than pleased to pick up that $5,000.

Now, because they’re fans are boisterous AND awesome, they won’t have to.