I've long been a supporter of Coach Bowden.

Oct 7, 2007, 9:23 AM

When the dust clears, and the passage of time allows us to have a little perspective on the Coach Bowden Era at Clemson, I hope that most fans will realize that we do owe him a debt of gratitude. Even when times are "good" in Tigertown, it's hard to remember just how far our program had fallen by '98 - through the Hatfield years and on through Coach West.

Coach Bowden has done an amazing, AMAZING job of returning us to a level of national discussion. In 1998, there's no way we'd have College Gameday at Clemson, or multiple years of first-round NFL draft choices. The talent level is better than it's been in 15 years. The facilities have finally been ushered into the Modern Era. And we have signature wins against top-tier opponents and one #### of a fine memory of a Peach Bowl stomping of the Volunteers.

And by all accounts, we seem to run our program the "right way" - with a minimum amount of noise and clutter about the quality and character of our kids. As an alumnus twice over, that's very important to me. I'm a Clemson man first, and a Clemson football fan a very close second.

For all of these reasons, I have supported Coach Bowden vocally for the past nine seasons. I'm not embarassed to admit it, and I still think it was well-deserved. I think he has done amazing, amazing things with a program that had fallen way, way farther than we, as fans, care to admit (or remember).

So yes, I think we owe him a debt of gratitude, even though that opinion is surely an unpopular one on this painful Sunday morning.

But that's looking at his role in the history of Clemson football. It's looking to the past. This morning, I look at that talent, and those facilities, and the renewed national exposure, and the more appropriate question is "Can this Coach be the man to take us to the next level?" And, unfortunately, it just doesn't appear that the answer is yes.

I won't slam Coach Bowden. Because he's done a LOT for my alma mater. Because he's run a program the right way. Because he's accomplished a heck of a lot more than his two predecessors combined. Heck, you could make an argument that he's the third most successful coach we've ever had.

Have no doubt - Coach Tommy Bowden righted the ship that is Clemson Football and made it seaworthy again. But he's not the right man to be the Captain anymore.

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I've long been a supporter of Coach Bowden.

Great post, well said***

Thats all good, but football is a business and don't be

Upgrades were not a given. He gave them the reason***

Re: I've long been a supporter of Coach Bowden.

You and I share them same feelings about TB. Well written***

I am DEEPLY saddened. Great post.***

Re: I remain a supportive of TB. It will be a lot easier to

Right on....great post... can't argue with it.***

I fully concur - thanks for writing what many feel ***

Good post. Through all my frustration, this sums up how...

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