Dabo, Clemson welcomed to SC State House

Of course Dabo Swinney opened with a joke.

The coach of the national champion Clemson football team stood in front of the South Carolina Joint Legislative Session for an annual Clemson Day, ready to marvel at what an odd place for the first college graduate in his family to find himself. Before that, he had to make an observation.

“I bet you thought you’d never introduce a Dabo up here,” Swinney said. “First time for everything.”

Swinney brought his trademark, near-evangelistic style to the State House Tuesday, earning several standing ovations. A video was played, starting with wide receiver Mike Williams carrying a South Carolina defender into the end zone, with the music of Kanye West blaring though the room.

Swinney spoke of the value of education, the unity that can come from football, the importance of love and gave a piece of advice to the politicians in attendance.

He had the members of the joint session reaching their arms toward the ceiling, delivering the lesson of giving just a little bit extra, one he gave after losing a national title last year.

“I challenge you all, with the incredible task that you have been elected to perform,” Swinney said. “So I would ask you to raise your hand if you love the state of South Carolina.

“Now do this for me, raise it as high as you can raise it. Do y’all see that? OK, you can put them down now, but that’s what it takes for us to have the best state, it takes everybody. It takes that little, instead of here, it takes that little extra. It’s that little extra that it’s going to take for every single one of you to be the best representative, to be the best senator, to represent the people who elected you to do your job. That little extra to get along with that person that you don’t really get along with, but you’ve got to find some common ground for the better of this state.”

Swinney brushed off the idea that he’d ever try his hand at politics. He also jokingly asked that a new sign to announce the state as the home of the 2016 National Champions be put on the front of the State House.

This story was originally published March 1, 2017 at 6:05 AM with the headline "Dabo, Clemson welcomed to SC State House."