State newspaper blames BRAWL on Gamecocks, witness says it was Clemson DE

It's a bizarre stretch, but David Cloninger, of The State newspaper, goes to weird lengths, in Sunday's

Tiger fans don't take losing to USC
very well. But Head Coach Steve Spurrier
has made beating Clemson a routine. 

paper, to try to blame the Gamecock's BRAWL with Clemson 10 years ago, on the Gamecocks.

Cloninger says Gamecock players: “watched SportsCenter, seeing a fight in an NBA game in Detroit the night before. 

Cloninger says: “the Gamecocks watched clip after clip of Pistons and Pacers players decking fans and each other.” and then Cloninger says Gamecock players: “talked about (the fight) at breakfast and on the bus to the game.”

As if this NBA fight had ANYTHING to do with what happened on the field at Clemson.

Cloninger also implicates the Gamecocks when he says: “All the Gamecocks were thinking how a promising season had suddenly turned sour.”

As if the gamecocks' disappointment would make them fight.

Eventually Cloninger, using witness testimony, said Gamecock lineman Jabari Levey said he saw Tigers defensive end Bobby Williamson tackle SC QB Syvelle Newton. 

Levey said “I saw Syvelle on the field and the guy aimed a kick to the helmet. He kicked him in the face,” Levey said. “I was like, ‘Oh my God,’ and I pushed him, said, ‘Hey man, back up, what you doing?’

And anyone watching that game a decade ago can also remember Williamson punching Newton in the face as Newton was under the pile, pinned to the ground and defenseless.

William's assault of Newton was the reason the brawl started. It was only shown once at the end of the broadcast. After that the speculation has been that both did it, but USC seems to be made more culpable by the media, especially The State. The State's has a hate-hate relationship with Lou Holtz, and The State has always used the brawl to try to damage the stature of Holtz.

The State also insinuated that the announcement by Holtz of his retirement in 2004, made USC players more apt to brawl. There was NO speculation as to why Clemson would want to fight.

USC was wrong, no question, to participate. But it is absurd to think an NBA fight or a season turned sour is why the brawl occurred. It was ignited by Bobby Williamson of Clemson who punched Syvelle Newton in the face when the kid was confined and could not defend himself. It was a low act, and should be reviewed and placed in a clip, because of its significance in the brawl.