Good Read! "So, Mr. Ard and Tiger Nation, remember the old saying as you slowly begin to forget about what happened to you last month: The truth may hurt, but it is still the truth. Whether or not you choose to recognize it is the biggest challenge you continue to face.
Before We Head Off to Tampa, Let’s Look Back One More Time at the 2012 Clemson Game
This week, Tiger Illustrated’s Chris Ard made the following statement in an article on his website: “Three weeks later, it’s still hard for Clemson to cleanse the memory of what happened against South Carolina.” The article contained the usual “they didn’t beat us we beat ourselves” rhetoric that continues to underscore the delusional thinking coming from the Clemson camp during their four-year walk through the football wilderness. Since Mr. Ard and company failed to recognize a couple of critical points from that game I feel that it is my duty to point them out in an attempt to allow the Tiger faithful to have a more reasonable grasp of their plight.
1. Dabo threw in the towel with the game still somewhat in doubt. With about three minutes to go in the game and down by 10 points, Dabo inexplicably punted the ball back to the Gamecocks. Yes it was fourth and long, but at that point Clemson had been dominated in time of possession in the second half to the tune of twenty minutes to seven. If Clemson had any chance to rally, it had to be on that drive, but Dabo chose to send out the punter. You could hear a smattering of boos from the Tiger fans and more importantly, you could see the stadium rapidly emptying out, but everyone throughout the Palmetto State seems willing to give Dabo a pass on this questionable decision. Really? Did he actually decide that losing by 10 and guaranteeing a fourth straight loss to Carolina was preferable to trying to rally his team and possibly losing by 17 in the process? In a word, yes. It has become glaringly apparent to anyone outside of Clemson that Dabo is all about Dabo, and while he may try to emulate the barbs and one-liners thrown at him by Steve Spurrier, he comes across as immature and too emotional to make logical decisions at critical times. In my almost 50 years of following this rivalry I have never seen a more self-serving decision made by a coach from either team. For those who truly want to believe that Clemson beat themselves, they should first consider that Clemson (or any team for that matter) is not going to win if their coach is not willing to try to score touchdowns. Ouch.
2. D.J. Swearinger planned his hit on Andre Ellington and his teammates knew it was going to happen. The vicious hit on Andre Ellington by Swearinger revealed something about the current state of the rivalry and the general lack of repsect the present-day Gamecock players have toward their in-state rivals. Two things seem obvious about the hit: 1) Swearinger had planned in advance to blast a Tiger player and make a statement by striking his “Jungle Boi” pose, and 2) He had gone so far as to tell his teammates he was going to do it. How do we know this? Because a replay of the hit shows that as many as 4 or more Gamecocks immediately joined Swearinger and surrounded Andre Ellington, begging the question that if they did not know it was going to happen in advance how were they prepared to so quickly (and spontaneously) join in the taunting? Most Clemson fans, and even a few Gamecock fans considered this play to be cheap and low-class and chose to direct their focus on this one play, but D.J. Swearinger, who left Death Valley 4-0 in his career versus the Tigers was telling the Palmetto State in no uncertain terms that it is the Gamecocks who now dominate their rival. Furthermore, the Gamecock defenders were certain that even though they clung to a slim 3 point lead, Clemson was not going to score another point on them, therefore risking the 15 yards and giving up critical field position in order to make their statement. What happened next? A Brison Williams interception. Game, set, match. When D.J. struck his pose it seemed as if he was doing it on behalf of all Gamecocks, and what added insult to injury for Clemson was how the Tiger players responded (see below).
3. The Clemson players did not even try to defend Ellington after the Swearinger hit, something the Gamecock players were counting on. Lost in the alleged “controversy” of the Swearinger hit was the fact that after seeing their teammate get blown up and having their hated rival taunt him, not a single Clemson player made an effort to defend Andre Ellington. The Tigers were “disrespected” on that play- heck, their manhood was challenged yet Clemson collectively chose to do absolutely nothing about it. This is emblematic of the recent versions of the Clemson Tigers- they are all hype, all talk and all bluster but when faced with a more physical team they retreat. For years Clemson has been talking tough and playing soft- coming out with great emotion and then becoming passive when faced with adversity. By now virtually every member of the Gamecock football team has witnessed the “shrinking violet and orange” Tigers, and they knew they could muscle up on the Tigers with no fear of retribution. The fact that Clemson players were standing idly by while a teammate was being taunted by the Gamecocks should be causing alarm throughout the Clemson program, but it is not. But hey Tigers, don’t listen to Gamecock fans- what do we know, we have only spent the last 21 seasons getting mentally and physically tougher just so we can hang with the major college football competition we have to play as a regular part of our conference schedule.
So, Mr. Ard and Tiger Nation, remember the old saying as you slowly begin to forget about what happened to you last month: The truth may hurt, but it is still the truth. Whether or not you choose to recognize it is the biggest challenge you continue to face.
http://www.instantradiorivals.com/20...-clemson-game/
Before We Head Off to Tampa, Let’s Look Back One More Time at the 2012 Clemson Game
This week, Tiger Illustrated’s Chris Ard made the following statement in an article on his website: “Three weeks later, it’s still hard for Clemson to cleanse the memory of what happened against South Carolina.” The article contained the usual “they didn’t beat us we beat ourselves” rhetoric that continues to underscore the delusional thinking coming from the Clemson camp during their four-year walk through the football wilderness. Since Mr. Ard and company failed to recognize a couple of critical points from that game I feel that it is my duty to point them out in an attempt to allow the Tiger faithful to have a more reasonable grasp of their plight.
1. Dabo threw in the towel with the game still somewhat in doubt. With about three minutes to go in the game and down by 10 points, Dabo inexplicably punted the ball back to the Gamecocks. Yes it was fourth and long, but at that point Clemson had been dominated in time of possession in the second half to the tune of twenty minutes to seven. If Clemson had any chance to rally, it had to be on that drive, but Dabo chose to send out the punter. You could hear a smattering of boos from the Tiger fans and more importantly, you could see the stadium rapidly emptying out, but everyone throughout the Palmetto State seems willing to give Dabo a pass on this questionable decision. Really? Did he actually decide that losing by 10 and guaranteeing a fourth straight loss to Carolina was preferable to trying to rally his team and possibly losing by 17 in the process? In a word, yes. It has become glaringly apparent to anyone outside of Clemson that Dabo is all about Dabo, and while he may try to emulate the barbs and one-liners thrown at him by Steve Spurrier, he comes across as immature and too emotional to make logical decisions at critical times. In my almost 50 years of following this rivalry I have never seen a more self-serving decision made by a coach from either team. For those who truly want to believe that Clemson beat themselves, they should first consider that Clemson (or any team for that matter) is not going to win if their coach is not willing to try to score touchdowns. Ouch.
2. D.J. Swearinger planned his hit on Andre Ellington and his teammates knew it was going to happen. The vicious hit on Andre Ellington by Swearinger revealed something about the current state of the rivalry and the general lack of repsect the present-day Gamecock players have toward their in-state rivals. Two things seem obvious about the hit: 1) Swearinger had planned in advance to blast a Tiger player and make a statement by striking his “Jungle Boi” pose, and 2) He had gone so far as to tell his teammates he was going to do it. How do we know this? Because a replay of the hit shows that as many as 4 or more Gamecocks immediately joined Swearinger and surrounded Andre Ellington, begging the question that if they did not know it was going to happen in advance how were they prepared to so quickly (and spontaneously) join in the taunting? Most Clemson fans, and even a few Gamecock fans considered this play to be cheap and low-class and chose to direct their focus on this one play, but D.J. Swearinger, who left Death Valley 4-0 in his career versus the Tigers was telling the Palmetto State in no uncertain terms that it is the Gamecocks who now dominate their rival. Furthermore, the Gamecock defenders were certain that even though they clung to a slim 3 point lead, Clemson was not going to score another point on them, therefore risking the 15 yards and giving up critical field position in order to make their statement. What happened next? A Brison Williams interception. Game, set, match. When D.J. struck his pose it seemed as if he was doing it on behalf of all Gamecocks, and what added insult to injury for Clemson was how the Tiger players responded (see below).
3. The Clemson players did not even try to defend Ellington after the Swearinger hit, something the Gamecock players were counting on. Lost in the alleged “controversy” of the Swearinger hit was the fact that after seeing their teammate get blown up and having their hated rival taunt him, not a single Clemson player made an effort to defend Andre Ellington. The Tigers were “disrespected” on that play- heck, their manhood was challenged yet Clemson collectively chose to do absolutely nothing about it. This is emblematic of the recent versions of the Clemson Tigers- they are all hype, all talk and all bluster but when faced with a more physical team they retreat. For years Clemson has been talking tough and playing soft- coming out with great emotion and then becoming passive when faced with adversity. By now virtually every member of the Gamecock football team has witnessed the “shrinking violet and orange” Tigers, and they knew they could muscle up on the Tigers with no fear of retribution. The fact that Clemson players were standing idly by while a teammate was being taunted by the Gamecocks should be causing alarm throughout the Clemson program, but it is not. But hey Tigers, don’t listen to Gamecock fans- what do we know, we have only spent the last 21 seasons getting mentally and physically tougher just so we can hang with the major college football competition we have to play as a regular part of our conference schedule.
So, Mr. Ard and Tiger Nation, remember the old saying as you slowly begin to forget about what happened to you last month: The truth may hurt, but it is still the truth. Whether or not you choose to recognize it is the biggest challenge you continue to face.
http://www.instantradiorivals.com/20...-clemson-game/
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