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The Kick from Dawg Legend "The Butler"

There were no pics of Kevin Butler in the database. So here's his kid and former Dawg, Drew Butler. - Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sport


Several here lamented Garrison Hearst's choice as the representative for the "Five Days before Kickoff" picture over legendary kicker Kevin Butler, but I had decided to write about his 60-yard kick well before five days before kickoff. We also recently lost another Dawg legend in Dan Magill, so reflecting on a legend seemed appropriate. What better way to remember a play involving a heavy foot than a song by Gordon Lightfoot? I wish I had some great story about how I chose to use "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," but the truth is that I'd listened to it before going to bed and the first line essentially wrote itself while I was trying to go to sleep because that's what my mind does instead of, you know, actually sleeping.

Moving right along...I used a variety of sources for this poem; I had no choice since I wouldn't actually be born for a couple more years after this play. (Interesting tidbit: I was born on Superbowl Sunday in 1986, when the Bears beat the Patriots. The kicker? Kevin Butler, of course--so he was literally the first Dawg I ever saw.) I also relied on T. Kyle's book, especially for the less glamorous early parts of the game that don't make most of the summaries. And then, of course, there's Larry Munson's call.


Without further ado and with apologies to Gordon Lightfoot:

Listen to the original.



Sing along to the special chiptune remix!

The Kick from Dawg Legend "The Butler"


The legend lives on from the railroad tracks on down

of the big game Dawgs played against Clemson.

The tracks' view was closed, Herschel gone to the pros;

last September's tie called for redemption.

With a load of screamin' crowd 82,000 times loud

than did Sanford Stadium sound empty,

the bad guys, it's true, were Dawgs' bone to be chewed

when the yells of November rang hefty.



The Cats were the pride of the ACC side

even though they were still on probation.

As big ballgames go, this was bigger than most:

Numbers 2 versus 20 with hatred.

The Butler had missed last season's game-winnin' kick

at game's end fully tied up with Clemson.

To ease last year's sting with Chapel Bell's ring

was a goal Dooley's Dawgs had been feelin'.



The O of the Tigers made short work of Dawgs' D

as their players broke into the endzone.

And every Dawg knew, as Coach Dooley did, too,

this could get bad with several more touchdowns.

The points came hard as the Bulldogs fought for yards

with two kicks from The Butler their sole scores.

When halftime came, it was 6 points gained

up against Tigers' 20-point outpour.



When second half came, those tough Dawgs came on back,

sayin', "Clemson, thank y'all for turnovers."

At third quarter's end, Clemson kicked it again,

and said, "Bulldogs, y'all's comeback is over."

But Butler came through, and his tyin' kick was true,

though the Bulldogs knew they'd need another.

As seconds ticked down in that heart of Athenstown

came the kick from from Dawg legend "The Butler."



Does anyone know how Dawgs' hearts even go

when a play turns the seconds to hours?

The watchers all say he'd have been good for trey

if he'd kicked from 10 more yards behind 'im.

The stadium rocked and the stadium swung;

in Sanford, it was worse than bonkers.

Grown men all cried, and not one was dry-eyed--

nor Dawg wives nor Dawg sons nor Dawg daughters.



Joy swept on through; stars fell from the sky

from figurative lightning and thunder.

A hurricane made from the game just played

bathed all of the Bulldogs in wonder.

And on field below, Dooley did know

that Dawgs would remember this moment.

And the Bulldog fans glowed from The Butler's great show

on the big stage 'gainst rival opponent.



Larry Munson said, "I can't believe what he did!"

as the clock ticked down last of the minute.

The Chapel Bell chimed a hundred-thousand times

for each mile he said Butler'd kicked it.

The legend lives on from the railroad tracks on down

of the big games Dawgs played against Clemson.

Sanford Stadium, it's said, never gives up for dead

on a new season's chance for redemption.




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via i.imgur.com

It's just 1 day 'til kickoff, y'all!

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