umjgheitma

October 8th, 2012 at 10:52 AM ^

but seriously they set this up for them to meet at the end of the tunnel and right in front of the band to only give them 30 seconds to hug before the band starts marching around them? 

jdon

October 8th, 2012 at 11:54 AM ^

these videos get me every time;  there is so much suffering in the world and we all have our daily struggles, but when you see a family member come out of nowhere and just how happy it makes everyone I am overcome with happiness for how amazing human beings really are...

 

 

superstringer

October 8th, 2012 at 12:09 PM ^

Obvously, for the family, its an unbelievable experience.

For South Carolina... hmmm... my reaction is a little different.  They were using the family as pawns for a moment for the fans, and then you get that handler at the end pushing them off the field, like, "OK we're done with you guys, get off the field."

To me, it's too easy -- USC (NTUSC) knows its going to be a blockbuster moment for the fans, so they use it for an easy fix, like instant happiness.  Then they move on.  Kind of makes me feel a little creepy, like, we'll use this family's emotions for our fix too, then can forget about them.

jdon

October 8th, 2012 at 12:15 PM ^

I am always the cynic.  But what is happening here is the USC is simply acquiescing their time in their stadium.  This doesn't make me a Gamecock fan but I do appreciate them letting the soldier surprise his family there.

sometimes you have to move past finding something wrong in every beautiful picture:  its a disease and it will eat you up from within. I know, I've been there.

As human beings we find what we are looking for and if you search for exploitation you may find it, even a cheapened version of it, but wouldn't you rather just focus on the good in this world?

jdon

 

Blueroller

October 8th, 2012 at 2:08 PM ^

Agree completely. I don't think there's anything cynical about it. I think it's great South Carolina honors a military family every week. A disproportionately high number of folks from SC serve in the military and it's part of their culture. For the crowd, it's a damn good thing when anything happens that reminds people of the war and those deployed to it.

Elise

October 8th, 2012 at 12:32 PM ^

Damn onions!  I don't really care if it was a marketing ploy... that family will always have that to look back on as a positive moment for them.  Props to SC for using their dead time that way.

AFWolverine

October 8th, 2012 at 2:55 PM ^

happened in a tiny local airport this April but it sure felt like we had 50,000 people cheering. These videos seriously never get old! No onions here, I'm just crying.

wolverine2010

October 8th, 2012 at 7:07 PM ^

When I was apart of the military appreciation day against Illinois a couple years ago. I got to stand on the 50 yard line under the banner when the guys ran out. Hearing over a 100,000 fans while on the feild was crazy.

StephenRKass

October 8th, 2012 at 10:41 PM ^

But I was wrong. Wonderful video, very glad you shared it, as I wouldn't have seen this otherwise.

Also, I will agree that there is such a thing as emotional manipulation. But I am completely fine with what USC did here. There are both a ton of soldiers from SC, and a bunch of military stationed in SC, so this makes a lot of sense to me.