Tuesday December 23, 2008

Expectations: Football vs Basketball

Expectations: Football vs Basketball
Oliver Purnell has done some unbelievable things in his five and a half seasons in Tigertown and one of the biggest is changing the expectations of the program.

On my morning radio talk show this morning the discussion turned to long term and short-term expectations for Clemson basketball under Purnell. I found it fascinating that callers on my show that are not Clemson fans have the idea that Tiger football fans are always too optimistic in their expectations but have a different point of view when it comes to Clemson basketball.

Two callers this morning tried to convince me that Clemson football fans talked about a national championship in August. Maybe I just missed it but I did not hear that talk. I remember most Clemson fans, including myself, were talking ACC title but did not talk national title. We all felt Clemson was the best team in the ACC and the time had come for a conference title or at least a conference title game appearance. The Tigers were a pre-season top ten team and I can agree that this season was one of the biggest disappointments in Clemson football history.

As a side note, I would point out the 1984 team was ranked as high as number two in the country and ended the season at 7-4. To me that was a bigger disappointment because the record was similar but the ranking was higher.

But the idea that Clemson football fans have unrealistic expectations is valid by some standards. However, I think most schools’ fans have a higher image of their programs than the general public so this is not uncommon.

The fascinating part of this topic comes from outsiders’ point of view of the Clemson basketball program compared to Tiger fans expectations.

Today my last two callers chimed in on the subject. One was a Florida fan and the other was an FSU football fan and a Duke basketball fan. These callers disagreed with my statement that Clemson basketball should not have national championship aspirations. The two outsiders made a case that Purnell is building the program and no one thought Florida or UConn would ever compete at that type of level before Billy Donovan and Bill Calhoun accomplished it at their schools.

After the show I wondered why we get overrated in football but underrated in basketball. Maybe it is because we have had more success in football. Maybe it is because Clemson basketball history has been so bad that the fan base has been scarred.

In yesterday’s blog I made a case that 10-6 or 9-7 can be done in conference this year for this team. I received some e-mails saying I was being too cautious and this team will only be heavy underdogs at North Carolina and at Wake Forest. The e-mailers made valid points.

Clemson’s road schedule includes games at North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Boston College, Virginia, Georgia Tech, Florida State and Wake Forest.

I think even the most optimistic Tiger fan will concede losses at number-one North Carolina and number-six Wake Forest but anyone want to tell me how Clemson has no chance in Blacksburg, Boston, Charlottesville, Atlanta or Tallahassee? I have not been overly impressed with any of those five. Also remember the Tigers have already beaten Miami in Coral Gables. Is 4-4 totally unreasonable? 5-3?

Home games this year in the ACC come against NC State, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Duke, Florida State, Maryland, Virginia Tech and Virginia.

Wake and Duke will be ranked when they visit Littlejohn but at this point I don’t see the other six having big years. Is it unrealistic to think Clemson can go 6-2 at home? 7-1? 8-0?

Clemson football fans seem to think the Tigers are the superior program to Georgia Tech but the Yellow Jackets have been a thorn in the Tigers’ paws in recent years. When the football schedule comes out each year I wonder how many Tiger fans automatically count Maryland as a win? How about Wake?

Basketball fans in Tigertown take a guarded approach when it comes to predicting the future outcomes. In basketball the best team does not win as often as football. Things happen in basketball that makes it easier for upsets. However, I have seen Virginia play this season and am not scared. Virginia Tech or Georgia Tech impress any viewers on the hardwood this season?

Looking back at it, maybe we should have downplayed expectations because some of Bowden’s teams underachieved. This is Purnell’s sixth team and someone please tell me a season where his teams have underachieved.

So why don’t we have unrealistic expectations of Purnell and this basketball program?

If Purnell continues to build this program there will come a point in time where Clemson basketball fan turns into Clemson football fan. There will be a point where we will be disappointed in “just 20 wins” or “just making it to the ACC semifinals.”

Maybe that is the biggest compliment we can pay Purnell. Maybe the idea of Clemson being disappointed in a loss in Durham will happen in some minds at some time. I know the Tigers have only won four times in Durham but at this rate there will be a point where it will become expected by a certain segment of Tiger fans to win in Cameron.

In football we look at recruiting rankings and we think Clemson continues to put out NFL talent each year but the Tigers are not near the top of the league in recent years in producing NFL talent. However, as Clemson fans we always seem to think we are ultra-talented every year. When was the last time Tiger fans thought Clemson’s basketball talent at top 25 levels? Sure the perception of the ACC is different in football but in my opinion the bottom half of the league has not been too good in basketball lately. In fact, you can make an argument that the ACC is deeper in football this year than it is in basketball.

If Dabo's boys open the ACC season next year by having their second largest margin of victory on the road in the ACC, what would happen to expectations?

Perceptions take a long time to change. Will we see Clemson basketball fans change their perceptions and expectations to match the Clemson football fans anytime soon?

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