Monday October 05, 2009

Maryland Review

Maryland Review
There is nothing that helps me get my priorities in order like a Clemson football loss. Unfortunately, I have had three Sunday’s to do that so far this season. I get to church more frequently after a Clemson football loss. I am sure many of you would agree on how sad that commentary is. I become a better family man on Sunday’s after a Clemson football loss too. It’s funny how my yard and house climb the priority list also. And yes, today I will work out because my fitness becomes a bigger priority after a Clemson football loss.

In the past I have been accused of being a sunshine pumper and an apologist. No more. Not on this Monday. When you lose to the worst team in the ACC, good news is hard to invent.

Saturday was inexcusable. Clemson was beaten by an inferior football team Saturday and there is no excuse for it.

That loss was devastating. There are other words to describe it. Embarrassing. Humiliating. Unacceptable.

I am a fan of Dabo Swinney but even Dabo has been using the line from the movie “Jerry McGuire’ that says, “They don’t call it show friends. They call it show business.”

I am not sure of the answers because to be honest, I don’t know all of the problems. I have heard a lot of theories. Dabo is too inexperienced to be the head coach. Billy Napier is too inexperienced to be the offensive coordinator. Jeff Scott is too inexperienced to be the wide receiver coach. There is too much inexperience on the offensive side of the football. There is too many cook’s in the kitchen on offense. Brad Scott’s offensive linemen have not produced for years. The evaluations in recruiting have been an issue. Clemson is snake bit. Terry Don Phillips should not have hired Dabo. There was no real coaching search. Barker and the board don’t understand the commitment it takes to be successful in athletics. The athletic director and president are not “All In.”

I have heard all of the theories and I really don’t know which are a higher priority but I do know something is wrong. How is this football team 2-3? How could this happen? Freakin Maryland beat us? This has to be a bad dream.

At one time Dabo said Clemson football was not broken and did not need a tune up. Instead, he said we just needed to rotate the tires and change the oil. Well, it is broken now. I am not saying we need to sell the car but a complete engine rebuild is needed.

This offense is pathetic. When someone finds out the identity of this offense then please let me know.

I don’t know if the problems are in the offensive line, the wide receivers, the coaches or the players. I do know that it is broken.

And I don’t think the defense gets a pass either. This defense has not been able to shut down the opponent when it has to. I see high profile defensive players that look pretty in uniform but I don’t see productivity.

Clemson cannot win close games but let’s be honest, Saturday’s game should not have been close. Clemson should have won that game by two or three touchdowns.

After some losses in the past, I could rationalize the fact that the Tigers were still in the ACC race or in the division race. In fact, that is still the case today. Wake Forest beat NC State and Boston College upset Florida State Saturday. But is it enough to be the best of a bunch of bad teams?

The Atlantic Division is a joke. Florida State is in shambles and the rest of the division is not much better.

The truth hurts and the truth is Clemson has not been a power in football in 20 years. It has been 20 years of mediocrity.

There used to be a time where it was easy to be a Clemson fan. Now being a Clemson fan means you have had to endure with 20 years of bad football. It has been years of infighting. It has been bad bowl trips and bad losses.

I hate being a doom and gloom guy but Saturday was unacceptable.

This past summer I came to the realization that part of Clemson’s issues over the past 20 years is the fact that we have accepted mediocrity. I can’t accept it any longer.

At this point I don’t think firing Dabo is the right thing but some changes have to be made and it has to be on offense. I could be wrong about another issue but I don’t think head coaches should call plays or have a say in play calling. I think there is enough going on through the week and in a game that the head coach should leave the play calling to the coordinators. Head coaches need to manage the game not the individual plays. Hire people to do a job and let them do it.

As fans we don’t know everything about the program. But we all can tell something is wrong. I have said that I can’t play a guitar but I know when I listen I can tell who can and who can’t. I can watch other offenses and see who has an identity.

With an open date coming up we all can now step on our bottom lips for two weeks. I don’t even know if a convincing win against Wake Forest will help our feelings. The ineptness is hard to stomach.

I look forward to better Mondays and feeling better about this program. I am hopeful that this season and this program can be turned around in a hurry. But at least my yard looks better this week.

The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency

Prayer List
We have started a prayer list on the blog. Here are the guidelines:
*If you are offended by prayer or prayer lists then I apologize in advance. The blog is free and the prayer list will be on the bottom of the page so you don’t have to read it.
*If you would like to add someone to the list please e-mail me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com
*If you want the reason for the prayer to be added to the name please specify in your e-mails.
*Please let me know when it is appropriate to take the person off of the prayer list

Those who need our prayers include:
Finn Brookover, Larry in Naples, FL, RTG-Pawsitive Tiger, Mary-Louise Pawlowski (John's daughter), Jo Ann Bachman, Frank Taylor, Kenneth Bryant, Pruitt Martin, Got igers and his family, David Rowland, Leonard Gillespie and his family, Jim S, Christine Hepfer, Daniel Rosborough, Amy Murphey, Jack Huffman, Nancy Winkler, Dr. Nancy Strom Morgan, John Reeve, Eileen Woodrum, Ethel Southard, Vinnie Brock, Jean-Pierre Bailey, Kaitlyn L, Delores Weaver, Eric Boessneck, John Bowers, Jimmy Ness, Susan Miller, Joyce Harley, Steve Proveaux, John Petrey, Chalmers Carr, Drayton Melton, Jeffrey Greene, the Hutto family, Sherl Drawdy, Caleb Kennedy, Ann Fallaw, Bob Pollock, Teresa O'Connor, Matt Jacobs.