Today is solely about giving thanks to our baseball team.
There are so many reasons to say thank you. For more than seven months, this student body has rejoiced in your successes. We’ve bragged about our university to our friends. We’ve worn our garnet and black national title gear almost everywhere.
It has been a point of pride to say we attend the University of South Carolina. But what you’ve done is so much more than just up school spirit.
Economically, you’ve contributed thousands upon thousands of dollars to the local economy. Businesses all over the state have profited from merchandise sales, and so has the university. In a rough economic climate, this has been a financial blessing.
You’ve capitalized on the successes off the field. Coach Ray Tanner and the team have spoken to children, raised tens of thousands of dollars for charity, embraced the values of teamwork and praised this fine university and state every step of the way. You accepted the title with great humility. This team was full of champions in every sense of the word. That’s something to celebrate.
Baseball is a wonderful sport at USC, and because of the national title, we expect a significant uptick in students who enjoy this great pastime. We expect the same sort of dedication and loyalty that USC students gave the football team this fall to be given to the baseball team, too.
We’re all hoping for another great season. If there’s anything better than one national title, it’s two. But regardless of whether you win a single game this next season, today we humbly say thank you for the last one.
When the first pitch of the 2011 campaign is hurled at Carolina Stadium this afternoon, we’ll be right there.