Tag: military appreciation day

Bart Boatwright’s Second Military Appreciation Day Photo Gallery

Saturday afternoon was another special Military Appreciation Day in Death Valley as the Tigers defeated Louisville. Check out some more great pictures from the Military Appreciation Day win in Death Valley in Bart Boatwright’s second Photo Gallery.

Saturday afternoon was another special Military Appreciation Day in Death Valley as the Tigers defeated Louisville.

Check out some more great pictures from the Military Appreciation Day win in Death Valley in Bart Boatwright’s second Photo Gallery.

Bart Boatwright’s Photo Gallery: Military Appreciation Day

Nobody does Military Appreciation Day better than Clemson. Saturday afternoon in Death Valley the Tigers honored the military and defeated Louisville 31-16. Check out some great pictures from the special afternoon in Bart Boatwright’s Photo Gallery.

Nobody does Military Appreciation Day better than Clemson.  Saturday afternoon in Death Valley the Tigers honored the military and defeated Louisville 31-16.

Check out some great pictures from the special afternoon in Bart Boatwright’s Photo Gallery.

Incredible moment as family surprised by return of their military father

There was an incredible moment after the first quarter of Saturday’s Military Appreciation Day game at Death Valley, as a dad surprised his family as he comes home from serving overseas. Check out the special moment below as Captain Nathaniel Horton …

There was an incredible moment after the first quarter of Saturday’s Military Appreciation Day game at Death Valley, as a dad surprised his family as he comes home from serving overseas.

Check out the special moment below as Captain Nathaniel Horton returned to his family from a deployment in the Middle East:

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. Visit Dear Old Clemson to find out how you can help!

Saturday a ‘dream come true’ for Simpson

While Saturdays in the Valley are always special for both fans and players alike, running down the hill took on a whole new meaning for Clemson’s Trenton Simpson this weekend. With Clemson playing tribute to both active-duty and retired military …

While Saturdays in the Valley are always special for both fans and players alike, running down the hill took on a whole new meaning for Clemson’s Trenton Simpson this weekend.

With Clemson playing tribute to both active-duty and retired military personnel for its annual Military Appreciation Day on Saturday, Simpson was given the honor of running the American Flag down the hill while also getting to share that moment with someone very special: his father, Commander Sergeant Major, Timothy Simpson.

“It meant a lot to me because my dad’s been in the military my whole life and he’s sacrificed so much time away from me and my family, so for him to be represented, it meant the world to me. I just know how hard it’s been and how hard he goes to provide for me and my family, so it’s just a blessing. I was so proud when they offered me to run down the hill with the flag… I was like, ‘Yeah, like I’m all in, I want to do it,’ because my dad didn’t know about it, so I know he was so excited to see me carry it down the hill.”

For his coach Brent Venables, there is no one more deserving of the honor and opportunity than Simpson and his family.

“That was super cool,” the defensive coordinator said. “Tim’s an amazing veteran, an amazing leader, an amazing example as a father, he’s all class… Trenton’s just a beautiful soul. Between Tim and Ms. Dionna, they’ve just done an awesome job raising him and to see him and know that was a dream for him, what an honor.”

“There’s no one that would respect the opportunity to run down the hill with that flag more than Trenton Simpson and what it means to so many people,” Venables said. “Super cool to see that for Trenton, Tim, Dionna and their families. Just a great representative of what it means, the military heritage here at Clemson, what it means to so many people.”

In Clemson’s dominating 44-7 win over the UConn Huskies on Military Appreciation Day, Simpson accounted for three tackles in addition to being one of six Tiger’s on the defensive side to record a sack.

Clemson Variety & Frame is doing their part to help bring you some classic new barware and help one of the local businesses that helps make Clemson special.

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Bart Boatwright’s Photo Gallery: Clemson 44, UConn 7

Nobody does Military Appreciation Day like Clemson. Saturday the Tigers defeated UConn and celebrated another special day in the real Death Valley. Check out some great pictures from the Clemson’s win and Military Appreciation Day in Bart …

Nobody does Military Appreciation Day like Clemson.  Saturday the Tigers defeated UConn and celebrated another special day in the real Death Valley.

Check out some great pictures from the Clemson’s win and Military Appreciation Day in Bart Boatwright’s Photo Gallery.

Another ‘special’ Military Appreciation Day for Swinney

Each season, there is a certain game that Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney circles on his team’s schedule as one he looks forward to for a special reason – not because of the opponent, but because of what the particular day represents. That annual …

Each season, there is a certain game that Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney circles on his team’s schedule as one he looks forward to for a special reason – not because of the opponent, but because of what the particular day represents.

That annual date on Clemson’s football calendar is Military Appreciation Day, which has been a tradition for nearly three decades at a university that’s deeply rooted in the subject.

This year’s Military Appreciation Day was held in conjunction with the Tigers’ 44-7 win over UConn on Saturday at Death Valley, where Clemson paid tribute to the active-duty and retired military with several presentations throughout the day and wore all-purple uniforms in tribute.

“Fun day to be a part of with Military Appreciation,” Swinney said after the game. “Special. Hopefully everyone enjoyed all that went into it. There’s a lot of people that worked really hard to make this a great day.”

During pregame, South Carolina families of Fallen Soldiers were introduced on the field and joined Tiger Band for the patriotic portion of their pregame show. The Special Forces Association parachuted an American Flag and the Clemson Flag, and all veterans and active-duty military members were recognized from their seats at halftime. A fallen soldier tribute took place with the soldier cross and a 21-gun salute in the east end zone, ending with the playing of “Taps.”

The in-game military recognitions included Clemson’s Hero of the Game — William Lipscomb Kinard, a 98-year-old World War II hero.

Kinard was honored during a timeout, and Swinney stepped away from his team to shake hands with Kinard and take a photo with him.

“Meeting that guy that was 98 – I mean, unbelievable. Just incredible,” Swinney said. “So many great and wonderful people in our military. Men and women that make a lot of sacrifices, and just to be a part of this every year is something that I really look forward to. I really do.”

Making the game even more special for Swinney was the attendance of his former high school basketball coach, a Vietnam veteran.

“He’s definitely one of the reasons that I think I was able to have some toughness and have some belief as I moved on from high school for sure,” Swinney said.

Clemson Variety & Frame is doing their part to help bring you some classic new barware and help one of the local businesses that helps make Clemson special.

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A special kind of perfection on the line Saturday for Clemson

Clemson’s threads will have a different look to them this weekend. When the Tigers square off against UConn on Saturday at Memorial Stadium, they’ll be wearing their all-purple uniforms for the first time this season. It will also be the only time …

Clemson’s threads will have a different look to them this weekend.

When the Tigers square off against UConn on Saturday at Memorial Stadium, they’ll be wearing their all-purple uniforms for the first time this season. It will also be the only time the Tigers break them out.

“Coming to Clemson, we don’t get that many opportunities to switch things up,” freshman receiver Beaux Collins said. “So being able to wear the purple, it’s really exciting. I love the purple unis. They look sweet.”

The occasion? Military Appreciation Day, which has been a tradition for nearly three decades at a university that’s deeply rooted in the subject.

Founded in 1889, Clemson, known then as Clemson Agricultural College, was originally a military school based on the belief that a military environment produced the highest academic excellence. According to the school, more than 10,000 alums have served in the military beginning with the first graduating class in 1896. Even as the school transitioned to a co-ed civilian institution in 1955, its military heritage has remained.

The history of Military Appreciation Day dates back to 1994 when Clemson had a special flyover before its home game against Georgia Tech that season. That will make Saturday’s game the 28th consecutive celebration of the military at Clemson, which happens every November or when the Tigers host a team with its own military heritage.

It will also be the 13th time coaching the Tigers on Military Appreciation Day for Dabo Swinney. Clemson is unbeaten on the special day with Swinney at the helm, and the Tigers would like to keep it that way.

“I just really think it’s a great day. It’s amazing,” Swinney said. “It’s sacrifice that people in the military have to make to serve others. When you really think about that, it gives you a perspective that I think we all should have and an appreciation of the opportunities and privileges that we get to be a part of college football.”

The last time Clemson lost on Military Appreciation Day was 2007 against Virginia Tech, two seasons before Swinney became the head coach permanently. He spent the second half of the 2008 season as the interim coach following Tommy Bowden’s resignation, but Clemson had already played its Military Appreciation Day game by then.

The Tigers have rarely been beaten on Military Appreciation Day. They’re 23-4 in the previous 27 such games.

“I take a lot of pride in the traditions here at Clemson,” Swinney said. “‘First of all, we play at Memorial Stadium, and we have this unbelievable scroll. And the military heritage at this university is something that everybody takes a lot of pride in. It means a lot. It runs really deep. We have lots of players on this team who have family scattered all throughout the military. It’s just one of the things that I have really embraced since I came to Clemson.”

Clemson Variety & Frame is doing their part to help bring you some classic new barware and help one of the local businesses that helps make Clemson special.

Order your Nick’s barware and do your part to help.  #SaveNicks