Betta fish replaces spirit stick, rallying cry
Sure, the Gamecocks owned a 27-11 record heading into their late April weekend series at Auburn. Yes, they had weathered a disastrous 1-5 start in SEC play and had picked up their first conference sweep the previous weekend against Mississippi State.
However, for all their ups and downs to that point in the season, this Gamecock squad lacked something that the two previous championship teams possessed.
An identity.
The 2010 Gamecock had the "Avatar Spirit Stick," a magical garnet and black fungo bat that could seize control of a game at the most crucial moment. The 2011 team flew through the College World Series with the rallying cry "BATTLE." The 2012 Gamecocks needed an anchor, something they could claim as their own, something that they could lean on in times of duress.
Obviously, they needed a betta fish.
LB Dantzler's pet fish, Reptar, made the trip to the plains of Auburn when Dantzler couldn't find a fish-sitter for the weekend. The tiny pet watched the games from a Tupperware container in the Gamecock bullpen. USC scored 12 runs on Friday and 11 on Sunday. They swept the Tigers, scoring 28 runs in three games. The legend was born: #FearTheFish.
The Gamecocks won eight of their next nine contests, scoring double-digit runs in a home game against Alabama and a road contest versus Arkansas. Midweek games, which had been a thorn in South Carolina's side throughout the season, ceased to be an issue. USC won their next two against Davidson and Furman. When USC Upstate threatened to upset the Gamecocks at home, Reptar flexed his fins and brought rain to Columbia, canceling the game.
"Fear the Fish" merchandise popped up throughout the state. Players and fans alike began placing their hands perpendicular atop their foreheads after clutch base hits, imitating the fin of USC's new mascot. More importantly, the Gamecocks now had their ace in the hole, the water-breathing four-leafed clover they could count on in crunch time.
Just like the Gamecocks, Reptar overcame plenty of adversity. While South Carolina endured another 0-2 finish at the SEC tournament, weather delays throughout the NCAA tournament and three elimination games in 36 hours in Omaha, the Palmetto State's most famous fish survived multiple scares as well. Batting practice home runs nearly smashed his bullpen container. Road trips tested his mettle and minor bumps in the road threatened his very existence. He emerged unscathed from the 1,200-mile trip to the College World Series on the team's equipment bus.
Pretty impressive for a fish that, according to Dantzler, came with a one-week warranty.
Reptar was not supposed to live long enough to see the College World Series. Then again, many said the same thing about South Carolina. Neither was considered strong enough to make the trek to Omaha until they actually arrived.
Despite all his struggles, the little betta fish just kept swimming.
And despite all of their struggles, the team he inspired just kept winning.