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Morris: Mocking USC doesn’t pay off for Rutgers
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Rutgers ruffled the wrong feathers Sunday before facing South Carolina in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Rutgers’ players mockingly sang what has become USC’s theme music during a season that has carried the Gamecocks to a top-10 national ranking and its first SEC tournament title.
“Teams are going down, down, down. Teams are going down, down, down.”
Little did Rutgers know, its words were music to the ears of coach Shelley Smith’s team.
“I think teams should realize by now, they shouldn’t make fun of us, shouldn’t laugh at us, shouldn’t joke about us because that just drives us even more,” said Blakely Mattern, USC’s outstanding defensive player. “We don’t say much to the other team. We don’t say anything. We take what they’re going to do and use it as motivation.
“Other teams can make fun of our songs, but they’re going down.”
Indeed, Rutgers went down, 1-0.
That came as no surprise to Smith, who has been impressed all season with the looseness of her team. Down one goal at halftime in the opening round of the SEC tournament, Smith was taken aback by what she found in the locker room.
“By the time we got in there, they were signing and dancing,” Smith said. “I said, ‘OK, they’re ready.’æ”
The genesis of this melodious madness came last spring when teammates Kayla Grimsley and Kortney Rhoades were sitting in a dormitory room before USC’s first game, presumably thinking of ways to lighten the atmosphere on the team.
The talented twosome — both at soccer and writing lyrics — took the words to the rap song “I’m So Paid” by Akon and reworked them to their version of “We’re So Fly” to highlight a characteristic of every member of the team.
At the next team meeting, Grimsley and Rhoades performed the song. Their teammates loved it, and began suggesting lyrics for another song. That came after USC clubbed Clemson 5-0, improved to 10-0 and climbed into the top 10 nationally.
“One day, we were just looking at each other and we were listening to this song,” Rhoades said. “We looked at each other and said, ‘This would be a really good song to do a remix to.’æ”
The song was “Down” by Jay Sean. Two reworked the lyrics to reflect how USC had been disrespected most of the season and ultimately would show its mettle on the soccer field.
“We were so underestimated. We were sick of hearing people rank us lower than we should be,” Rhoades said. “So, we said, alright we’re going to do it with our words right now. We’re going to make a song that mirrors our frustrations.”
So our confidence is high
Walking down the street to see our haters and wave goodbye
Don’t you ever have a doubt in me
Cuz next to me is my whole team
And honestly we’re gonna win the SEC!
Teams are going down, down, down, down, down
Down, Down
Teams are going down, down, down, down, down
Down, Down
Before long, every member knew every word, and they sang it before games, at halftime and after games. When USC won the SEC tournament, the team celebrated at midfield by singing and dancing.
As the team waited for the bus to the airport in Alabama, they danced in the parking lot, all the while singing, “Down, down, down.” They boarded the airplane and sang all the way home.
“I’m not saying anything, but I’m pretty sure the coaches were singing it as well,” Grimsley said. “They were feeling it, well, at least giving it a ‘uh-huh, uh-huh.’æ”
Having reached the NCAA Sweet 16, teammates are demaning a new song from Rhoades and Grimsley. The two hinted that another one might be in the works, but it can’t be released until the perfect time.
It is only a rumor that perfect time might be when USC reaches the Final Four.
Watch commentaries by Morris Mondays at 6 and 11 p.m. on ABC Columbia WOLO-TV
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