Sorry...I had to

'Twas the month before Christmas and all through the town,
Not a Tigerfan was stirring, not one could be found.

Christmas was coming, but no one could care,
The stench of defeat stillhung in the air.

Coach Bowden was tossing, sleepless in bed,
While visions of Gamecocks still danced in his head.

He was wearing his cap, which read, "Go Crimson Tide!"
And trying to forget how his season had died.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
He sprang from the bedto see what was the matter.

He stood at the window, his lower lip quivered,
The lesson was hard theOl' Ball Coach delivered.

The moon on the breast of the Death Valley grass,
Showed Gamecockfootprints from the game that had passed.

When, what did he see while adjusting his hat,
But a great Cock-a-boose,pulled by ragged, orange cats.

With a cool-handed driver, not a sweat did he break,
Bowden knew in amoment, it must be St. Blake.

The cats were so tired, they pulled with a strain,
So Blake beat themand shouted, and called them by name.

Now, Proctor! Now, CJ! Now, Reggie and James!
On, Stuckey! On, Adams!On, Gaddis and Duane!

We'll ride through the Valley again 'fore I'm done,
And rub that oldrock one more time, just for fun.

As the footballs within the wild "Cock and Fire" fly,
Dumbfounding the DB's, as they watch them go by,

Around and around, the poor Tigers flew,
With a Cock-a-boose full of Gamecocks, and Blake Mitchell too!

Then the Gamecocks stood guard o'er the Tigers out back,
As they paintedpoor Tommy's house garnet and black.

As Bowden drew in his hand, and was turning around,
The Ghost of SteveSpurrier was seen floating down.

He was dressed all in fur from his toes to his chin,
He had made a newcoat from some old Tiger skins.

Several more Tigers, he had flung on his back,
Jacoby, Jad Dean andDavis, in fact.

His eyes - how they twinkled! His countenance - how merry!
He was thinking of the team his young Gamecocks had buried.

Then suddenly above the Great Spectre appeared,
The names of all thecoaches he had whipped through the years.

The victory torches still smoldered beneath,
And the smoke it encircledhis head like a wreath.

But Tommy stood blank-faced, his stomach still queasy,
He knew that nextyear was not going to be easy.

He was sad and disgruntled, a mere shell of a man,
And Steve laughedwhen he saw him, and thought of HIS FANS.

They stood face to face, Bowden wanted to run.
He could hear the themesong from 2001.

The Ghost spoke not a word, but went straight to his plan,
LeavingTanneyhill bobbleheads for all those at hand.

And raising his visor in salute as on cue,
He said, "See ya next year!",and he faded from view.

Blake sprang to the Cock-a-boose, to the cats said, "Let's go!",
TheTigers all cried saying, "No, Blake, please no!"

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove through the gate,
"Happy Christmasto all, 31 - 28!"

GO COCKS!!!!