Was any of you in attendance for the USC/CLEM game "the Brawl"

Hatred, pure unadultered hatred.

"if you've got hate in your heart, let it out"
Clayton Bigsby

I was at the 2004 game. Hate to admit it, but I left about 2 minutes before it started. I was walking past the East end zone (the rock side) and heard the fans screaming. It wasn't like normal cheering -- more like a collective "ooohh." People started climbing up the fence to see inside. Couldn't figure out what was going on.

I still didn't find out there had been a brawl until my wife -- who was watching on TV -- called to ask if I had seen it.

The stage was set for the brawl well before the game started. When Clemson ran down the hill, some of our players -- notably Demetris Summers and Syvelle Newton -- stood at the bottom of the hill and taunted the Clemson players as they came down -- partially blocking their way. I turned to my buddy and said there was going to be a fight if this keeps up.

From then on, it was obvious the coaches had lost the team. We fumbled the opening kick off. Clemson quickly took it in. We had no game plan. Holtz kept trying to run this ridiculous 1950's looking power running game. Clemson kept stuffing it and we kept falling farther behind --yet made no attempt at throwing the ball or otherwise adjusting the game plan. You could see the complete lack of discipline on our side as the players were completely frustrated with the lack of effort from the coaches.

The actual spark of the fight was just as CockInYourEar describes it.

It was the lowest point for our program since Fat Brad's last year. All the hope and excitement after the back to back Outback Bowl wins had died a slow death. Lou's wife was ill with cancer and he pretty much ignored the team. He delegated it to Skip, but at the same time, he kept interfering with Skip's offense just enough to screw it up. Plus, Lou had a terrible time recruiting. We had high ranked classes on paper -- but loaded up on head cases, non-qualifiers, overrated JUCO's and thugs. Our enrolled rosters were never as good -- and we had a ton of attrition and other discipline problems.

The upside was that it directly led to Spurrier. In fact, Spurrier and Holtz became close friends because Spurrier helped Lou's wife get treatment at Shands (UF Medical School). Lou was a big part of persuading Spurrier to take the job at USC.

Actually it was matthew thomas at WR that got up and gave a pat to the clemson db after a failed 4th down conversion. I was watching on tv and thought for a second "what good sportsmanship".....

Then he sprinted back to the line of scrimage where the fight erupted over Newton, who got hurt on the play.

part of the reason it got so bad was that the offenses and defenses were switching after the failed conversion, so when a scuffle broke lose at the line of scrimmage over Newton, all hell broke lose.

I was ten feet from it at times, you could even see me on the replay a couple of times before it moved down towards the endzone when Moe was stomped.

I can tell you there would some wicked punches thrown and connected in that brawl, and even wickeder kicks.

I stood by Holtz at the podium a few days later when he resigned, and later Spurrier walked in and took the job and we moved from the letterman lounge to the Zone ... and all between the news everyone was still talking about the brawl.