Have we had the toast argument yet?

I've never heard of it on either site

It's a divisive issue about Alma Mater etiquette. Should toasting be reserved for alumni and students or should anyone be allowed to do it?

If you spend money on the program in any way, do what the frick you want.

I never went to USC (might make it one day) but I've been going to all the home games since I was seven years old. I'd like for some punk arse student trying to tell me what I can and can't do.

Who gives a shite?

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I'd like for some punk arse student trying to tell me what I can and can't do.

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I generally prefer all grain wheat over white or sourdough.

Funny ... but this brings back a lot of memories.

This debate has been going-on for as long as I can remember. I remember it being an issue when Coach Bass was here. It became a big issue when Coach Dietzel was here, along with him changing the fight song of course.

It was probably an issue before I was born. It'll be an issue after I die and after everyone here is dead.

IMHO it's no big deal. The more the merrier from my perspective.

Listen, lend me your ear for a second if you will.

Ever ask yourself why we've been mediocre as a program for most of our existence? It wasn't because we didn't have good fan support - we've always had good fan support. It was because we didn't have money. We've always had money, a strong booster club and enough wealthy boosters to make us better than we were.

The reason we've always been mediocre is attributable to one undeniable cause. That being the fricking academic snobs. I've always hated academic snobs. When I came out of Carolina it was a big deal. The Vietnam War was just getting cranked-up, only about 10 percent of my generation in the country was earning a college degree back then. I paid $15.00 per semester hour for the right to attend classes. I worked 30 hours a week buffing floors to pay for it along with what I had saved-up during high school working summer jobs - somehow I made it thanks to help from my older brothers and my Mom and Dad. But I hated the rich frick kids who were there for the party, and I wasn't crazy about the influx of Jerseyites who came down just to get their skin and then left, never to be heard from again.

Our program, our institution, was always fighting internally. Always a ton of turmoil going-on within. It especially got bad under Holderman, but truth be known, and I've done some research on this, we never had really great leadership at the top, all-inclusive leadership, until John Palms came along. He's the one that changed things.

We have some of the wealthiest alumni, biggest name alumni, in the country. Yet, until Palms came along the true big name people from Carolina stayed away ... why? Because they were leaders and they recognized we were leaderless - for decades. Then along came Palms and he started bringing us all together. Getting big donations. Getting people happy to be involved.

We're seeing the fruits of Palms' labor today. Enjoying said fruits actually.

Today it is nothing to see one of our alumni drop $25 million in our lap. Or see Spurrier in a luxury booth in Omaha clapping when we win the CWS. Or see Frank Martin at Spring games or sitting next to me during Regional baseball play. Tanner sitting in the stands at the softball game last night. Dawn Staley catching footballs during the Spring game.

This all used to be unheard of around here as the academic snobs constantly clashed with alumni and non-alumni alike. Holderman was always showing favorable preference to academia - but so had so many of our leaders, BoTs included, prior to Holderman.

Today we're far more of a family. Today we all pull together. That's made a major difference. I credit Mike Mungo and Dr Floyd for some of that as well.

My point to all of this? Those fans out there who were not fortunate enough to earn a degree from Carolina for whatever reason ... many of them love the program and the institution as much or far moreso than many alumni. They deserve to toast the program as much as anyone. Many of them have worked hard in factories and fields and other blue collar jobs just so that they might one day pay for their children to attend Carolina.

We've evolved over the decades and honestly, my favorite fans to sit next to at games are the ones who have worked hard for their seats, have been fans their whole lives and have always loved the Gamecocks ... regardless of their academic qualifications. Same holds true for who I drink with. And that brings me to the toast again.

Hell yes, when it comes to the Gamecocks, the more the merrier. I see little kids toasting, old ladies toasting, people in wheel chairs toasting ... it's great. I hope one day to look into the stands and see every single person in the stands toasting our Gamecocks for winning the National Championship. I really do.

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I thought you meant actual toast

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Wouldn't even be an argument.

French Toast> everything

How cool would it be if we all held up actual toast during the toast.

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I never went to USC (might make it one day) but I've been going to all the home games since I was seven years old. I'd like for some punk arse student trying to tell me what I can and can't do.

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I don't have an issue with it. I know plenty of people that grew up as Gamecock fans but decided to go to one of smaller schools in the state for whatever reason and it's a toast to Carolina, there is no reason why anyone who associates with us can't do it, and I don't see how people would find it offensive otherwise.

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is a song/toast to their school

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I mean yeah, it's supposed to be only for alumni/students, but people who have been Gamecock fans their whole lives call USC their school as well.

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I am a little annoyed about the "fortunate enough to earn a degree" thing

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I think rooster just has some pent up anger against people who value education and had more opportunities to succeed while in school.

It's his opinion but I agree that the "fortunate enough to earn a degree" quote is bullshite. If someone couldn't pay for school, maybe they should have studied more to earn scholarships. If they are too dumb to pass their classes and fail out, tough shite. Point is, no one deserves a degree, you have to earn it. It's an accomplishment to graduate that not everyone will experience. Such is life.