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It wouldn’t be college football season without Paul Finebaum ruffling some feathers — and this time, Clemson fans were once again in his crosshairs.
During a recent episode of The Paul Finebaum Show, a Clemson fan named Jerry from Tennessee called in with a lighthearted invitation for Finebaum and longtime ESPN analyst Lee Corso to attend Clemson’s season opener against LSU at Memorial Stadium on August 30. But what started as a cordial invite quickly turned into yet another jab from Finebaum at the Tigers — and not the ones from Baton Rouge.
Jerry offered a challenge wrapped in southern charm: “Come to Death Valley, Paul,” he said, referencing Clemson’s famed Memorial Stadium. “We’ll show you where the real Death Valley is.”
Finebaum, never one to back down from a SEC-ACC rivalry debate, immediately fired back.
“I can settle that for you right now, Jerry,” Finebaum quipped. “It’s in Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge.”
He didn’t stop there.
“You Clemsonites are hanging on to some antiquated ideas,” Finebaum continued. “You’ve got the Rock, you’ve got the stadium deal, and you’ve got the hard-to-find city that you live in.”
Paul Finebaum broadcasts on ESPN during SEC media day at the Wynfrey Hotel.Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports
The comments sparked laughs and frustration alike, especially with the primetime Clemson-LSU showdown looming. The debate over the “real Death Valley” nickname has simmered for decades. Clemson’s stadium earned the moniker in the 1940s after Presbyterian coach Lonnie McMillian famously said teams went to “die” there. LSU, on the other hand, first embraced “Deaf Valley” in the 1950s, later morphing into “Death Valley” in the 1980s as its nighttime mystique grew.
The Tigers of Clemson and LSU will settle things — at least on the field — under the lights at Memorial Stadium on Aug. 30. ESPN has slated the game for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff on ABC as part of its opening-week tripleheader, which also includes Tennessee vs. Syracuse and Alabama vs. Florida State.
It marks the first on-campus meeting between the two programs, who have faced off four times in bowl games. LSU leads the all-time series 3–1, including the 2020 national championship victory over Clemson. Dabo Swinney’s Tigers, however, edged out No. 7 LSU in a thrilling 2012 Chick-fil-A Bowl — a 25-24 statement win that helped launch Clemson’s decade of dominance.
Both teams are ranked in the Top 10 in multiple preseason polls and enter the season with national title aspirations. It’s a home opener that feels like a playoff preview — and the “Death Valley” bragging rights are just extra seasoning.
Whether or not Finebaum accepts Jerry’s invitation remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: Memorial Stadium will be loud, hostile, and unapologetically ready to show why this Death Valley has earned its reputation — no matter what the SEC Network’s most polarizing voice has to say.
Continue reading...
During a recent episode of The Paul Finebaum Show, a Clemson fan named Jerry from Tennessee called in with a lighthearted invitation for Finebaum and longtime ESPN analyst Lee Corso to attend Clemson’s season opener against LSU at Memorial Stadium on August 30. But what started as a cordial invite quickly turned into yet another jab from Finebaum at the Tigers — and not the ones from Baton Rouge.
Jerry offered a challenge wrapped in southern charm: “Come to Death Valley, Paul,” he said, referencing Clemson’s famed Memorial Stadium. “We’ll show you where the real Death Valley is.”
Finebaum, never one to back down from a SEC-ACC rivalry debate, immediately fired back.
“I can settle that for you right now, Jerry,” Finebaum quipped. “It’s in Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge.”
He didn’t stop there.
“You Clemsonites are hanging on to some antiquated ideas,” Finebaum continued. “You’ve got the Rock, you’ve got the stadium deal, and you’ve got the hard-to-find city that you live in.”
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Paul Finebaum broadcasts on ESPN during SEC media day at the Wynfrey Hotel.Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports
The comments sparked laughs and frustration alike, especially with the primetime Clemson-LSU showdown looming. The debate over the “real Death Valley” nickname has simmered for decades. Clemson’s stadium earned the moniker in the 1940s after Presbyterian coach Lonnie McMillian famously said teams went to “die” there. LSU, on the other hand, first embraced “Deaf Valley” in the 1950s, later morphing into “Death Valley” in the 1980s as its nighttime mystique grew.
The Tigers of Clemson and LSU will settle things — at least on the field — under the lights at Memorial Stadium on Aug. 30. ESPN has slated the game for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff on ABC as part of its opening-week tripleheader, which also includes Tennessee vs. Syracuse and Alabama vs. Florida State.
It marks the first on-campus meeting between the two programs, who have faced off four times in bowl games. LSU leads the all-time series 3–1, including the 2020 national championship victory over Clemson. Dabo Swinney’s Tigers, however, edged out No. 7 LSU in a thrilling 2012 Chick-fil-A Bowl — a 25-24 statement win that helped launch Clemson’s decade of dominance.
Both teams are ranked in the Top 10 in multiple preseason polls and enter the season with national title aspirations. It’s a home opener that feels like a playoff preview — and the “Death Valley” bragging rights are just extra seasoning.
Whether or not Finebaum accepts Jerry’s invitation remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: Memorial Stadium will be loud, hostile, and unapologetically ready to show why this Death Valley has earned its reputation — no matter what the SEC Network’s most polarizing voice has to say.
Continue reading...
