DeAndre Hopkins Explains Why He Doesn’t Say 'Clemson' in Pre-Game Introductions

In Tuesday’s Hot Clicks: why DeAndre Hopkins shouts out his high school before primetime games, Iowa football’s bad social media policy and more.

This has clearly weighed on him for a while

Clemson’s Memorial Stadium sits just a literal stone’s throw away from a historic building called Fort Hill. The building, which is now a library and museum, was the former plantation home of John C. Calhoun, a former senator and vice president, and a staunch defender of slavery whose property was donated to build the college after his death. 

The school is named after Thomas Green Clemson, Calhoun’s son-in-law (and a former Confederate soldier), who inherited Calhoun’s plantation and designated the land to be used for an agricultural college in his will. But Calhoun’s name is still all over the campus, including on the Calhoun Honors College. 

A petition seeking to change the name of the college was signed by over 250 students in early 2019, but in the wake of the ongoing national discussion about racial injustice, a public petition has been circulating that has gained over 8,300 signatures. Former Clemson stars Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins lent their support to the cause.

Though this is the first time the former teammates have spoken out, it’s clear that the school’s honoring of Calhoun has weighed on Hopkins for quite some time, so much so that he declines to mention Clemson when introducing himself before primetime games. 

“I felt this oppressive figure during my time at Clemson and purposely do not mention the University’s name before NFL games because of it,” Hopkins wrote on Instagram.

(Hopkins instead mentions his former high school, D.W. Daniel.)

Hopkins also revealed last week that the reason he wears No. 10 is because he has a cousin who was sentenced to 10 years in jail for a petty drug charge. 

My big cousin from South Carolina did 10 years in jail for $600 worth of drugs, Let that sink in. That’s the real reason I wear number 10. Modern Day...

— Deandre Hopkins (@DeAndreHopkins) June 3, 2020

I’m glad Hopkins is speaking out about these issues and using his platform to make people aware of them. I remembered enough from history class to know that Calhoun was a bad guy (honestly, one look at a photo of the guy should be enough to know he was evil) but I had no idea that Clemson was built on his land and that the school named the honors program after him in 1981. That’s why it’s important for athletes to use their influence to enact change. 

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I don’t think the NFL would ever do this but I’m ready to be proven wrong

In no shape or form is this idea a way to permanently fix the social injustices against myself and the black people of America, but symbols in sports always show promise ESPECIALLY WHEN ITS BACKED BY THEIR LEAGUE...

We should have a #BLM sticker on our helmets in the @NFL

— Zach Banner (@ZBNFL) June 8, 2020

Iowa finally backtracked on this after it came to light

From @ScottDochterman's story below: Iowa players are allowed one pre-approved Tweet per month. During this unprecedented time of player activism on issues of race, this is a really bad look for Ferentz and that program. https://t.co/cTVASQAQec

— Lindsay Jones (@bylindsayhjones) June 8, 2020

Frank Gore still gets after it

37 years old and training like an undrafted rookie 😤 @frankgore

(via @kfvisuals) pic.twitter.com/wryrgPVik6

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) June 8, 2020

LeBron surprised a random Twitch streamer

When @KingJames jumps on your Twitch stream 🤯😭

(📹:@adinross)pic.twitter.com/JB1yB64bfH

— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) June 8, 2020

I hope Mike Trout rips a liner up the middle and runs to third base

They’ll be hotboxing those Disney World hotel rooms

Sources: The NBA and NBPA have agreed to conduct performance-enhancing drug testing during resumed 2019-20 season in Orlando — but tests for recreational drugs will remain suspended.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 8, 2020

Look on the bright side

Not sports

The American woman to walk in space became the first woman to reach the lowest known point in the ocean. ... California movie theaters could open by the end of this week.

Bootleg Burger King thread!

Pittsburgh Legends thread: The South Side Fake Burger King

In early 2014 patrons of a Burger King restaurant on Pittsburgh’s South Side began reporting suspicious food and behavior from employees. Internet sleuths and local reporters quickly descended on the scene pic.twitter.com/TIrAga8nfH

— chief justice keef (retired) (@ohip13) June 8, 2020

The accents make this 10 times better

We did something like this but I think it involved plastic bags and it didn't turn out this well

A good song

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