REPRESEN TATI V E SPOTLI G HT
When did you become a Clemson fan? “I don’t ever remember not being a Clemson fan. Both of my parents went to Clemson, so I grew up always coming to the home games each fall.” Why did you get involved with IPTAY? “When I was an undergrad, I heard about the IPTAY Student Advisory Board. I knew I wanted to be involved with IPTAY as a student, so I interviewed for that at the end of my freshman year and was on ISAB for the next three years. Once I graduated, I wanted to keep my involvement beyond undergrad, so as I finished grad school here, I joined the IPTAY YA program because that was an easy way for me to transition into being involved with IPTAY, post-graduation.”
Scott Sampson
What is your favorite gameday tradition? “Hands down, it’s The Hill. To think that our players and coaches get on three buses, with a police escort from the locker room all the way around the stadium and to The Hill, with 80,000-plus fans waiting for that live video feed, is just anticipation building. Then Dabo and the players stand on The Hill, the band starts moving toward The Hill, playing “Tiger Rag,” with the cannon ready to shoot when the chorus starts; you can’t beat it. I get chills every time because I think, ‘Who else has an entrance involving buses, police escorts, a hill, a rock and a cannon? Uh, no one!’” Who is your all-time favorite student-athlete? “That’s tough, I grew up in middle school and high school watching Woody Dantzler, and he was a freak athlete. You’ve got Gaines Adams, Keith Adams, Rod Gardner. But when you have the athlete by the name of C.J. Spiller at your program (who should have been in New York for Heisman, by the way), that makes him my all-time favorite. No. 2 on our team now will have many votes in two years, I’m sure.” Who is your favorite Clemson coach? “For me, it’s Coach Swinney. I had the chance to meet with him three years ago when he agreed to speak to a group of guys one night. He hung out with us for over two hours. I know his story. I’ve seen it and heard it. I try to email or text him once a week during the fall before each game. He has been very genuine in any interaction I’ve ever had with him. My mom wrote him a letter when he got the job back in 2008 and people were wondering about his hire being a good decision, and he wrote her back. He’s top-notch, and I think his platform is awesome in college football and the change he brings here at Clemson is obvious.” What is one thing you always do when you come to Clemson? “Well, I work at Clemson and have for just over two years now so I can’t say I’ve really left. When we have home games, I like to go by the stadium on Friday night when the lights are on and it’s quiet, and just stand at The Hill for a few minutes. Clemson’s field is second to none, always looks awesome, and to see the stadium without people in it, knowing that within the next 12 hours, it will be packed with 80,000-plus, is a cool thing to take in for a few minutes.”
Scott and Coach Swinn ey in 2009 when after winnin g the Atlantic Division Title.
Current Hometown:
Seneca, SC
Years of Membership
9 Years
Why should someone who is not an IPTAY member join? “Support Clemson because Clemson was a place that left a lasting mark on your life the four to six years you were here. We want the best facilities, the best athletes, the best coaches and those things don’t just appear. Join IPTAY so you can be a part of that support system that Clemson Athletics relies on. If you expect players and coaches to be passionate on the field or court, then it’s two-fold.” — compiled by Victoria Reid
“The Hill ... I get chills every time because I think,
‘Who else has an entrance involving buses, police escorts, a hill, a rock and a cannon? Uh, no one!’” 18
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Orange: The Experience
(L to R): Scott (‘08), dad, Pete (‘77), mom, Lynn (‘78), brother’s girlfriend, Amber Rhody (senior at Clemson), and brother, Alan (‘12) at a family wedding.
(L to R): Will Krause (‘11), Scott, John Hoppe IV (‘11), Justin Lambert, (‘10) at a Clemson wedding.