Baby Names, USC/Clemson

Here are some of the baby names The Wife has already said “no” to:

Levon Kirkland Horres
Michael Corleone Horres
Ryne Sandberg Horres
Winston Churchill Horres
Chris Gaynor Horres
Greg Lewis Horres
Charles Oakley Horres
Stonewall Jackson Horres
Doc Holliday Horres
Ric Flair Horres
Obi-Wan Horres
De’Andre Adams Horres
Horrez Horres (This one was Jeremy’s idea... I liked it, The Wife didn’t)
Santino Corleone Horres
Rossiter Chellis Horres
She also said “no” to the names Kevin (sorry KC and Sonny), Han, Chewbacca, and Albus.

We’re 99.9% sure on a middle and last name (well, 100% sure on the last name, 99.9% sure on the middle name). I will keep you updated on this important part of the baby process.

Today we will look at the '87 and '88 football games...

USC: November 21, 1987. This was one of the bigger match-ups between USC and Clemson (at least when it comes to national rankings). The Revolutionary War Heroes entered the game ranked #12 while the Tigers were ranked #8. The USC captains that year were Sterling Sharpe and Brad Edwards. Clemson’s defense that year included senior Michael Dean Perry, but it was the USC defense that stole the game with 3 interceptions. Tiger QB Rodney Williams left the field that night to the taunting chants of “Rod-ney, Rod-ney, Rod-ney” from the USC faithful. The Revolutionary War Heroes, in front of 75,043 fans (plus a national TV audience watching on ESPN) smacked the Tigers all over the field for a 20-7 win. (***Side note: I remember watching this game at the Freeman’s house [they lived down the street from us]. After this game, I never watched another Clemson game at their house. End Side note***). The Tigers would bounce back in the Citrus Bowl to hand Joe Pa and his Penn State team the worst bowl beating ever (at least at the time... not sure if that’s still true). The Tigers would end the season at 10-2 (6-1 in the ACC... ACC Champs) and would have a final AP ranking of #12. USC would travel to play at Miami (again on ESPN) the week after the Clemson game where they would fall to the #2 ranked Hurricanes 20-16. I remember this game because it was the first time I learned you can’t spell “THUG” without The “U”. For what it’s worth, I still think USC got cheated in this game. Anyway, the Revolutionary War Heroes would end their season with a Gator Bowl loss to LSU. The final record for the Revolutionary War Heroes in 1987 was 8-4 and they ended up ranked 15th in the final AP poll.

CLEMSON: November 19, 1988. The #15 Tigers were looking for revenge as they “welcomed” the #25 Revolutionary War Heroes to Death Valley. The game was played in front of 84,867 fans plus a regional TV audience. USC was coming off of a big win over Navy while Clemson had just won its 3rd straight ACC Championship with a win over Maryland. This would be the last time Clemson coach Danny Ford would face USC coach Joe Morrison (as Morrison would tragically die in the offseason). The captains for the Revolutionary War Heroes that year were Randy Harwell, Kevin Hendrix, and Robert Robinson. A little known fact is that Al Groh was the offensive coordinator for USC that season. It’s the only time in his college or pro coaching career that he coached on the offensive side of the ball. Clemson that season was loaded with talent on offense (Rodney Williams, Terry Allen, Gary Cooper...) and defense (Vance Hammond, Levon Kirkland, Donnell Woolford...). This would mark the first Clemson/Carolina game that Sonny would see as a student of Clemson (another little known fact... Clemson never lost to USC while Sonny was a student). Clemson controlled this game winning 29-10. Clemson QB Rodney Williams left the field for the last time as the Clemson QB to over 80,000 people chanting “RODNEY! RODNEY! RODNEY!” Clemson would end the season with a win over Oklahoma in the Citrus Bowl giving Rodney Williams the most wins in Clemson history for a QB and giving the Tigers a 10-2 final record and a final ranking of #9. USC would go on to lose to Indiana in the Liberty Bowl and end the season with an 8-4 record and unranked.

Winthrop Update:  The Eagles beat Wake Forest 83-74 last night to give Coach Randy Peele his 100th victory.  Winthrop will face Belmont today at 4:30pm.

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

First Sergeant Powhatan Beaty (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on September 29, 1864 at Chapins Farm, Virginia. His citation reads:

Took command of his company, all the officers having been killed or wounded, and gallantly led it.

First Lieutenant Raymond O. Beaudoin (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on April 6, 1945 at Hamelin, Germany. His citation reads:

He was leading the 2d Platoon of Company F over flat, open terrain to Hamelin, Germany, when the enemy went into action with machineguns and automatic weapons, laying down a devastating curtain of fire which pinned his unit to the ground. By rotating men in firing positions he made it possible for his entire platoon to dig in, defying all the while the murderous enemy fire to encourage his men and to distribute ammunition. He then dug in himself at the most advanced position, where he kept up a steady fire, killing 6 hostile soldiers, and directing his men in inflicting heavy casualties on the numerically superior opposing force. Despite these defensive measures, however, the position of the platoon became more precarious, for the enemy had brought up strong reinforcements and was preparing a counterattack. Three men, sent back at intervals to obtain ammunition and reinforcements, were killed by sniper fire. To relieve his command from the desperate situation, 1st Lt. Beaudoin decided to make a l-man attack on the most damaging enemy sniper nest 90 yards to the right flank, and thereby divert attention from the runner who would attempt to pierce the enemy's barrier of bullets and secure help. Crawling over completely exposed ground, he relentlessly advanced, undeterred by 8 rounds of bazooka fire which threw mud and stones over him or by rifle fire which ripped his uniform. Ten yards from the enemy position he stood up and charged. At point-blank range he shot and killed 2 occupants of the nest; a third, who tried to bayonet him, he overpowered and killed with the butt of his carbine; and the fourth adversary was cut down by the platoon's rifle fire as he attempted to flee. He continued his attack by running toward a dugout, but there he was struck and killed by a burst from a machinegun. By his intrepidity, great fighting skill, and supreme devotion to his responsibility for the well-being of his platoon, 1st Lt. Beaudoin single-handedly accomplished a mission that enabled a messenger to secure help which saved the stricken unit and made possible the decisive defeat of the German forces.

First Sergeant Clay Beauford (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions during the Winter of 1872-1873. His citation reads:

Gallant conduct during campaigns and engagements with Apaches.