Palmetto Proving Grounds

Trooper Del really was a "message board legend", with no pejorative connoation intended. I am 99.9% sure he sent gay porn to the office of a (or at least one) particularly annoying Clemtard fan back in the Scout days. His hatred of Clemson was really something to marvel at, and his caustic wit was always on display. Sadly, I suspect his heart may have given out on him, based on several of his posts about his health (gastric bypass and struggles before and afterward). Regardless, godspeed to a great Gamecock.

Yes, he did.

I think that was ultimately the straw that broke the camel's back for him at Scout. The sale of Rusty's website to the current ownership was conditioned upon Trooper Del being banned from the network. How many people have accomplished that level of tater terrorization?

He was on The Order of the Spur for a long time after that. Most people have never even heard of that site before. It's a little niche website for refugees of the Rusty the Rooster Scout site collapse about 5-6 years back. He and I had some nasty political debates on that board. He fought dirty, no doubt --- was always humorous when it was directed at taters, for whom he had a deep and abiding contempt.

RIP

RIP Trooper!!

Ah, this saddens me to no end. I signed up to TBS today just to post this. Troop and I went back more than 20 years to dial-up BBS and the old AOL boards that Rusty ran. We migrated to various other incarnations of private boards and the Insiders, which was a forerunner of Scout. Will and I managed to have Internet personas that delighted in just abjectly pissing people off. I don't think I have ever encountered anyone who aggravated me anymore than TD could. That did not extend to Will personally though. We had other alts that were exactly the opposite. I wish I had gotten more time to spend with him other than the few tailgates he came to over the years. One season he had heard that a friend of mine's wife had received a bad diagnosis. He game me his two tix for that Georgia game. The team fell short on the field that day but I have never forgotten his generosity. In the end Will and I share several loves: food, South American brothels, and all things Gamecock. The next time I am in Chicago I'll drop by the Riviera and order a Will Special. I'll order their best IPA to wash it down with and raise that glass with a health Carolina and a health Will Philpot.

If someone ever writes the book about the USC Internet (and it could be good) Trooper Del deserves his own chapter.

RIP Trooperdel

I haven't been on TBS since Saturday and this was the last thing I expected to see on the board today. Wow. I first ran into him in 2002 or 2003 on the old Scout board.

Prayers sent...Rest In Peace

Who knew Troop was such a renaissance man

Has anyone found a copy of his obituary. I would love to read it. I remember the first time he and I had a discussion about our beloved Gamecocks on the other message boards. He was the one who told me about this board. RIP!

From his sister:

(Please share with others.)
Visitation: 1:30-2:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10 at First ARP Church Gastonia NC