CLEMSON FOOTBALL

Not a Fraud: Colin Cowherd says ESPN hated Swinney diatribe after beating Bama
Swinney talks to the media after the National Championship.

Not a Fraud: Colin Cowherd says ESPN hated Swinney diatribe after beating Bama


by - Senior Writer -

Prior to Clemson’s victory over Alabama in the 2016 National Championship, national radio host Colin Cowherd didn’t mask his disdain for the Clemson program, saying the Tigers were a fraud and didn’t belong on the same field as the Crimson Tide. After Clemson won, head coach Dabo Swinney put Cowherd on blast. This past week, the two were able to laugh about the incident, with Swinney thanking Cowherd for the ammunition he needed to get his team fired up.

During Clemson football’s run to the national championship in the 2016-17 season, Cowherd went on his ESPN Radio show, The Herd, and talked about how he didn’t buy that the Tigers could win the national championship and he called them a fraud.

After Clemson defeated Alabama, 35-31, to win the national title, Swinney talked about it in the postgame press conference.

“You know, we wanted to play Alabama because now y'all got to change your stories, you got to change the narrative. You got to mix it up,” Swinney said after the game. “You know, the guy that called us a fraud ask Alabama if we're a fraud. Was his name Colin Cowherd? I have to ask you because I’ve never met him, don't know him. Ask Alabama if we're a fraud. Ask Ohio state if we're fraud. Ask Oklahoma if we're a fraud. The only fraud is that guy. Because he didn't do his homework. I hope y'all print that.”

On Cowherd’s podcast this week, Swinney revisited Cowherd’s comment and his own comments at the time.

“You know, I didn't even know who you were, to be honest with you. I really didn't. In fact, that's how I found out who you were, was somebody sent me your clip and I... listen, I'm thankful for you. Somebody sent me your clip,” Swinney said. “I think you called us a fraud or something. And I'm like, who the heck is this guy? I didn't know who it was, but I had a lot of fun with our team and it was great. It was one of those cool moments. And we were getting ready to play Alabama. And I don't know, somebody had gotten me this clip and I was like, this is perfect. Save that. And I'm like, who is this? And I don't do social media.

“I don't have all that stuff. I've never done that stuff. So I didn't really know, but I'm thankful for you because it was great. And it's one of those deals I say, ‘Hey boys, just get me to the press conference, just get me there. And we'll have some fun with this.’ So to be honest with you, I'd forgotten about it. And you know, you just won a national championship. You know, you got a lot going on and one of the players reminded me, ‘Hey, don't forget about that.' I'm like, 'Oh that's right. That's right.’ And so anyway, we had a little fun at your expense.”

Cowherd said he loved Swinney’s postgame comments.

“No, I love it. It's so funny. So Dabo, I come in and do about two hours of prep every morning,” Cowherd said. “So the game was over and we were all rooting for you. Because we were getting tired of Alabama. So you won. I went to bed because I have to get up early. So I didn't see the post game. So I come in for my prep and I sit there. Okay. So the prep starts about 5:50. 7:27, all the guys looked at me and they go, ‘Well, aren't you going to talk about what Dabo said?’ And I said, ‘Well, what the hell did Dabo say, what're you talking about?’ And they played it. And I went, ‘Guys, this is the lead of the show. What are we doing for two hours?’ And by the way, we loved it. I mean, I went on the air and I'm like, you know what? I own it.”

Cowherd went on to say that the powers at ESPN hated Swinney’s comments.

“I watched you twice early, because I love college football, and you struggled a little bit offensively. And I think it was, you couldn't put away NC State. And I said, 'How did these guys get here?' But it was classic,” Cowherd said. “I saw you early and I didn't catch you late. And boy, by the time you... that was a team that got much better in the last six weeks of the season. But you know, to be honest with you, we loved it. I had a ball with it and by the way, I used to work at ESPN. So I can tell you Dabo, they just hated you saying that on the air. They hated it.”

Ultimate Level LogoUpgrade Your Account

Unlock premium boards and exclusive features (e.g. ad-free) by upgrading your account today.

Upgrade Now
Comment on this story
Print   
Send Feedback to David Hood: Email | Comment
Former Clemson offensive lineman signs with Seahawks
Former Clemson offensive lineman signs with Seahawks
No. 3 Tigers set for midweek action
No. 3 Tigers set for midweek action
National bracket predictions, rankings for Clemson in NCAA Tournament
National bracket predictions, rankings for Clemson in NCAA Tournament
Clemson vaults into Top 5 after weekend wins at Duke
Clemson vaults into Top 5 after weekend wins at Duke
Post your comments!
Subject (Replies: 25) Author
spacer TNET: Not a Fraud: Colin Cowherd says ESPN hated Swinney diatribe after beating Bama
TigerNet News®
spacer Re: TNET: Not a Fraud: Colin Cowherd says ESPN hated Swinney diatribe after beating Bama
crawdad64
spacer LOL...ESPN hated it !!!!
BigCUFan®
spacer Cowherd meant ESPN hated it because it gave press to Cowherd
Caddie
spacer Re: TNET: Not a Fraud: Colin Cowherd says ESPN hated Swinney diatribe after beating Bama
westerntigerfan
spacer Of COURSE ESPN hated Dabo's comments. He was making
76er®
spacer ESPN is the real fraud***
Ucel74
spacer Re: TNET: Not a Fraud: Colin Cowherd says ESPN hated Swinney diatribe after beating Bama
Oculus
spacer Embarrassing Article for David Hood
deleted
spacer Re: Embarrassing Article for David Hood
CootSmackdown16®
spacer Re: Embarrassing Article for David Hood
deleted
spacer Great Pro Clemson Interview
pointcove
spacer Here’s my problem with your comments.
CootSmackdown16®
spacer Re: Here’s my problem with your comments.
deleted
spacer So now I’m a coot fan aside from all your other false accusations? OK
CootSmackdown16®
spacer Re: Embarrassing Article for David Hood
TigersTeeth
spacer Comes with the territory of having a guy who is also a fan
ClemsonPerson9
spacer Re: Embarrassing Article for David Hood
allorangeallthetime52®
spacer Re: Embarrassing Article for David Hood
CUAllTheWay
spacer No idea how great it is not to pay for ESPN
onetiredtiger
spacer Comments on Comments
SocMan2®
spacer Re: Comments on Comments
Dugatiger®
spacer Re: TNET: Not a Fraud: Colin Cowherd says ESPN hated Swinney diatribe after beating Bama
Tigerbalm1
spacer Re: TNET: Not a Fraud: Colin Cowherd says ESPN hated Swinney diatribe after beating Bama
CUAllTheWay
spacer Re: TNET: Not a Fraud: Colin Cowherd says ESPN hated Swinney diatribe after beating Bama
allorangeallthetime52®
spacer Re: TNET: Not a Fraud: Colin Cowherd says ESPN hated Swinney diatribe after beating Bama
pointcove