My father’s coming down from Atlanta this weekend to see his first game in Tiger stadium. The last game we went to was the peach bowl when LSU played Clemson and he had a couple of questions I couldn't answer. So I'm hoping someone here can enlighten me. So I can enlighten him. 1) When the LSU defense makes a defensive stop on 4th down. The LSU band plays the "Chinese Bandits" theme. Why does the crowd bow, and where did that start. 2) Being from ATL he's a huge Ga Tech fan. He was talking about the Yellow Jackets going to "Death Valley" to play the Tigers. I about had a heart attack at the sacrilegious nature of this comment and asked him to never say this again. BUT it raises a good question what are the origins of the nickname "Death Valley" and which stadium is the "Real Death Valley”?? Thanks in advance Jason
1) the crowd bows to the defense as a way of saying thanks for getting the offense the ball back...don't know where it started though. 2) you know which "Death Valley" is the REAL "Death Valley"
I know, but that isn't a very good reason!! Maybe we can play Clemson for the title??? That would be alot more interesting than playing for a stupid boot no one cares about.
Hope this helps: Chinese Bandits was the nickname of one of the three units utilized in Paul Dietzel's three-platoon system that vaulted the Tigers to the 1958 national championship. That year, the first team was named the White Team, an offensive unit was named the Go Team, and a defensive unit was tabbed the Chinese Bandits. The White Team, naturally, wore white jerseys. The Go Team wore gold jerseys as the word "gold" was eventually shortened to "go". The name "Chinese Bandits" actually originated when Dietzel recalled a line from the old "Terry and The Pirates" comic strip referring to Chinese Bandits as the "most vicious people in the world." In their heyday, the Chinese Bandits were featured in Chinese masks in Life magazine. In 1980 the LSU band revived the Bandit tune played when the LSU defense stalls any opponent's drive This is from www.Nicksaban.net it has some other cool traditions listed . I hope we will be using this cheer alot Saturday!
But don't we "bow" to symbolize "bowing before greatness"?? ...and if I'm wrong, let me still think that I'm right, because bowing down to a shutting down the opposition on 3rd down, forcing a punt, is great to me. I'm kinda curious on the whole "Death Valley" ordeal. I guess the only way to clarify that is to trace back when each stadium first began being referred to as such... OR...like someone said, we should start a rivalry with Clemson every year--"The Battle for Death Valley"!
Those were good questions. And regarding the Death Valley thing, we offered to battle it out for the right to use the name with Clemson when we played them in the Peach Bowl in '95. The winner was going to take the name but Clemson baulked before the game and lucky for them because we beat them easily.
The Death Valley name for LSU comes from the 1958 season (or around that time) when LSU went on a big at home undefeated streak. I found it in the LSU football history book The Advocate put out a year or two ago.
sometime in the 50s. first called that by presbyterian college's head coach in 48. started getting used more and more in the 50s. http://clemsontigers.ocsn.com/sports/m-footbl/the-hill.html
