There was a time from the late 70's (Fuller era) thru the early 90's (Ford departure & Hatfield hire) when Clemson was vilified by our opponents and glorified by our followers. Clemson routinely thumped our competition thru the Ford era. We were merciless and vicious hitters. We won all the big games. Rival schools and media whined and moaned that Clemson cheated, recruited thugs, and ate 'roids for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They reasoned that we must - we were just unacceptably dominant.
By all non-Clemson opponents, we were hated. We were also respected. By AP and UPI pollsters. By recruits. We were feared by our competition. Lawrence Taylor was once asked, as a NY Giant star, had he ever been intimidated? He said once. As a freshman at UNC, on a road trip to Clemson, when the Tigers ran down the Hill and the crowd erupted.
For too many now, the Tiger Net board has become the haven of the whiners and the moaners. They say the SEC cheats, and the SEC players are thugs. They hate it when ESPN and other media states the obvious - the best of the SEC owns the rest of the country for now ... for now. The same charges that were leveled at Clemson back in the glory days.
I am first and foremost a Tiger. And I am also a sportsman who gives credit where credit is due. Hats off to the SEC. If we beat LSU, we will receive the credit we will have earned. To the victor goes the spoils. Accept it. Man up. And win baby! Go Tigers!
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