One of the benefits that come from winning a major championship in sports is getting to visit the White House.

The last time a Clemson team got that opportunity came in 1982, when the Tigers visited the White House after winning the 1981 National Championship. The team presented then President Ronald Reagan with a Clemson T-shirt and a Clemson cowboy hat, which back in those days was very common for a Clemson man to wear.

The 2016 Tigers will be the first Clemson team since then to have an opportunity to visit the White House after they beat Alabama in the College Football Playoff Championship Game on Jan. 9 to win the program’s first national championship in 35 years.

Clemson has not announced when it will visit the White House, but one former Tiger is anxious to experience it.

“I’m definitely looking forward to it,” former linebacker Ben Boulware said to the media, including News 5 while in North Charleston last Saturday signing autographs at the Fan Zone Shop. “That will be a cool experience.”

Of course the question is how many of his teammates will want to join him? A few members of the New England Patriots, who beat Atlanta in Super Bowl LI earlier this month, have already said they will not visit the White House this year because they don’t agree with the policies of new President Donald Trump.

So how does Boulware feel about that?

“I’m not going to get into the politics and all of that stuff, but getting to visit the White House will be awesome,” he said.

Boulware would not say if any of his teammates would join him or not in Washington, D.C. when that time comes. He only hopes they would because it is not an experience that comes around every day.

“I hope so,” he said. “I’m not going to get into politics, I’m sure a lot of them will love to get the opportunity to go to the White House regardless of who the President is. I’m sure a lot of them will go. Who knows? We will see.”

Boulware is currently training for the NFL Scouting Combine in Pensacola, Fla. The combine will begin next Tuesday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. Boulware is one of a record nine former Tigers who will compete in the week-long event.

Former quarterback Deshaun Watson, running back Wayne Gallman, wide receivers Mike Williams and Artavis Scott, tight end Jordan Leggett, defensive tackle Carlos Watkins, cornerback Cordrea Tankersley and safety Jadar Johnson will also be competing in the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine.

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