The Day that Clemson BBall died – Protection racket {part 9}

May 23, 2023, 12:28 PM

Now, for ten years we've been on our own
And moss grows fat on a rollin' stone
But that's not how it used to be
When the jester sang for the king and queen
In a coat he borrowed from James Dean
And a voice that came from you and me ------ fr. “American Pie” (1971)

…. the protection racket that is the Brownell mob was in full force almost immediately after that 2014 game.

what you know / synopsis

What you know: A decade ago, in a season ending game and playing for an NCAAT bid, Clemson led Pitt by 5 points with 6 seconds left, only to somehow lose – the game and the NCAAT invite.

What you don’t know: We’d like to take the next step, but for ten years we’ve been on our own.

Synopsis: Flat Earth, fake Moon landing, Sasquatch, DannyRad, and Jester Keller.

culture of persona

What virtually all the Faithful miss in their comments is that with a 5-point lead and only 6 seconds left, it doesn’t matter what rationales one can divine. The rationales are innately only red herrings. That’s because 99.8+% of the other teams in that position already got it done, either through scheme, execution, or pure athletic will to win. 99.8+%. Sam Fetchero already folded whatever excuses one might offer right there into his calculations. If a team ends up on the wrong end of that number, no one else can be blamed but themselves. No one. And the buck should stop at the millionaireXXX Head Coach.

Further, it’s interesting to note how little has changed in the mantra of the protection racket since: like a cult droning the same monotonous insanity, day by day over the years. At one point, they even turn nasty by claiming the clock operators should be “fired”, all the while they blindly absolve Brownell of all.

These sorts of comments only evidence that the culture around Clemson basketball has slipped into some form of personality worship. The culture itself is both morally and physically sick.

*********

what Brownell took as a lesson

Weeks later and in May of 2014, AD Dan Radakovich had barely tied the bow on an announced $80 million upgrade to Littlejohn when, to top it off and regardless the stunning turn of events on the court, Brownell was being wrapped up in a shiny new 6-year, $10.6 million contract. Ol’ DannyRad sure knew how to spend money.

Brownell’s take on the contract proceedings? ''I'm very proud of what we got done this season,'' he told the AP. ''We'd certainly love to take the next step.''

I Shyatt you not.

*******

excerpts of insanity – a voice from you and me

The following comments are culled from 4 different websites, at least one being behind paywall. I don’t own the content, nor are the opinions expressed necessarily aligned with mine. I’m simply bringing them together under one headline, many years after the fact. Chances are, many of these people may no longer feel the same way. In only one case will the person’s handle be divulged. That person clearly deserves to own their comments. Starting with Gameday of March 8th, dates and times have been left on to show the actual progression of mindset and talking points over time.

03-07-2014, 11:40 AM
“Coach BB has done more with less than any coach on staff. Definitely need to lock him up and make sure Clemson is his home for a long time. He could be for basketball what Dabo is for football…”

Clemson media personality | 03-08-2014 5:15 pm ET
“For Clemson, it was no ordinary loss…. because of how the game was lost. The Panthers hit a controversial buzzer-beating jumper on a steal after the Tigers botched an inbounds play.”

longtime Brownell supporter | 03-08-2014, 06:36 PM
“I think Rod Hall missing those free throws really hurt. That would have put the game out of reach. I wish somebody would break down Rod's FT percentage for the first 35:00 and the final 5:00. I think the contrast would be striking. I think it has to do with how much and how hard he plays that he is just more fatigued.”

03-08-2014, 05:19 PM
“I was screaming "just throw the inbound pass deep"
Why didn't Brownell know to do that? Who inbounds deep under the other team’s basket????”

Clemson media personality | 03-08-2014, 05:14 PM
“Just throw the ball deep! For crying out loud!”

Clemson media personality | 03-08-2014, 05:10 PM
“How can you let that happen? Did he get it off in time?
03-08-2014, 05:11 PM
Are you kidding me? They call it good and we are going to overtime.
03-08-2014, 05:13 PM
XXXX is fired up. How do you blow a 5-point lead in 4.4 seconds?”

03-08-2014, 05:13 PM
“Bad call {shot clock}, but can't let that happen.”

Clemson media personality | March 8, 2014 5:00 pm ET
“When the controversial call went against Clemson to send the game to overtime coach Brownell didn’t like the look in the eyes of his players.”

Clemson media personality | March 8, 2014 5:14 pm ET
“In hindsight, McDaniels, who led Clemson with 24 points, felt they should have thrown the ball the length of the court… with hopes of running the time off.

His head coach, however, did not see it that way. ‘It is the next thought and we talked about it,’ Brownell said. ‘If you throw it deep there is still enough time in my mind with 2.4 seconds that you can throw it somewhere down there near the free throw line or past half court, but if the ball gets intercepted by one of their guys, in two and a half seconds one of their guys can catch it, dribble in and get a 30-foot three to beat you.

‘If it is under two seconds or a second and a half we are probably going to look to throw long at some point or at least have an option. I felt like we could get the ball in bounds and I guess we didn’t. It is one I have not experienced.’ ”

website commenter, now banned, LOL | 03-08-2014, 10:46 PM
“…at some point the program, players and coaches, have to win big games and close games and stop giving these games away with missed FT, bad coaching decisions, and bad coaching on what should be a simple inbounds play… you can't have losses like that… I don't think BB or Clemson helped themselves today with that choke job they did.

This could have been one of those type games to turn your program around and have recruits wanting to come and play for you.”

Clemson media personality | 03-08-2014, 05:32 PM
“Was Clemson screwed by ACC officials? {Here’s a} Still shot of the final play of regulation, courtesy of a Twitter follower.”

03-08-2014, 05:38 PM
Previous post: Was Clemson screwed by ACC officials?
“Clemson screwed Clemson”

03-08-2014, 07:00 PM
“I have to question why the ball was not thrown down the court; by the time possession would have been gained there would have been no chance for a shot… especially not one under the basket for Pitt.”

Clemson media personality | 03-08-2014, 07:25 PM
“Horrible decision not to throw the ball down the court.”

Clemson media personality | Saturday, March 8, 2014, 7:49 PM
“A judgment call by an official and one-tenth of second cost Clemson Saturday afternoon. Clinging to a five-point lead in the final seconds of regulation, the Tigers allowed Lamar Patterson to hit a clutch 3-pointer with three seconds remaining and a disputed jumper as the clock ran out…

‘This is a painful loss to experience,’ Clemson head coach Brad Brownell said. ‘This is one that will be with me for a while. This is disappointing because we played well enough to win, but obviously that will be overshadowed because of the last 15 seconds. This is hard to get over...’

He then said he thought the Tigers could get ball inbounds and force Pitt to foul. ‘I really thought we could get the ball inbounds. I guess we didn’t.’ he said. ‘I guess it went off K.J.’s leg. It was an unlucky bounce. They got it and made the shot. And the officials didn’t really give an explanation. They said it was unbelievably close. So, whatever.’ ”

03-08-2014, 09:58 PM
“On that inbounds play, Clemson had a two-point lead. A high lob to the top of the key at OUR BASKET end, similar to the Grant Hill pass to Laettner to beat Kentucky, or the Brice Drew Valpo Miracle, was all that was required to seal victory. Hell, even the pass to Tate George would have won it for us. Pitt only needed two points to tie the game. I'm very disappointed they were given the opportunity. The pass never should have landed short of the half court line.”

03-08-2014, 10:15 PM
“We had to leave with about 6 minutes left to get to a family reunion, in the car before the in-bounds, Tim Bourrett was saying to throw it deep... I was shocked we didn't do that.”

longtime Brownell Jester | 03-09-2014, 01:01 AM
“Some of you need to stop looking for ways to bash our team. They played their butts off today. They weren't perfect, and no, they shouldn't have even given Pitt a chance to tie the game. But that was an absolutely horrible call by the refs to count that basket. The ball was clearly touching the Pitt player's fingertips when the red light came on and the clock said 0.0. No matter what led to that shot - no matter how much some of you want to criticize Clemson - that shot should NOT have counted!”

longtime Brownell supporter | 03-09-2014, 07:45 AM.
“We missed some free throws, made some lazy passes, but bottom line, YOU CHUCK THE BALL TO MID COURT ON THE IN-BOUNDS or beyond if you are 3 seconds into the count!!! SO DISAPPOINTED”

longtime Brownell supporter | 03-09-2014, 07:54 AM
Previous post: Horrible decision not to throw the ball down the court.
“Huge mental collapse right there!!!!!”

03-09-2014, 08:21 AM
“No doubt-horrible execution on our part. That being said--is anyone really surprised at the official's call. I was screaming all game at tv for the officials to tell {Pitt Coach} Dixon to shut up. I fully expected one of the officials to pull up a chair and sit on the Pitt bench--thought many calls were influenced by Dixon intimidating officials.”

03-09-2014, 11:47 AM
“What happens when you try to throw it to mid court and it gets intercepted? With the time left they could take 2-3 dribbles and shoot, which would have gotten them to the 3 pt line. Also, if we throw the ball the length of the court, ala Laettner, and the ball does not get touched, they get the ball under our basket with a chance to call a timeout and set up a play to win the game.

There are dangers to throwing it down court too. Not saying it would have been the wrong play but there are some risks to doing it.”

03-09-2014, 01:03 PM
“I fail to understand the play that was called. The situation was basically like ‘taking a knee’ in football. Brownell, instead, chose to throw a pass on his own 20 yd line. This was a failure in coaching, plain and simple. The play call should have been ‘2 players with the intention of chasing it down no matter what.’…Don't get me wrong, I like Brownell. He will take this experience and not repeat the mistake.”

longtime Brownell supporter | 03-09-2014, 01:09 PM
“But again, I understand trying to get the ball in there too...as I said, 9 out of 10 you’re going to get fouled immediately. Watch the last 40 seconds of any tight basketball game… However, players should be able to think use their instincts in the moment at this level.”

longtime Brownell supporter | 03-09-2014, 01:50 PM
“Let me be perfectly clear on one thing. I am highly disappointed. Bottom line, it should NEVER have come down to that play. That aspect infuriates me more than the inbounds we are discussing.”

longtime Brownell supporter | 03-09-2014, 03:08 PM
“I kept hearing part of the problem was the discrepancy between the clock above the backboard and the clock on the tv. Is there not some kind of protocol that one clock should take precedent? I would think that would be one of the first things they would have thought about with the advent of putting the clock on tv and above the backboard.

Hindsight is 20/20. Brownell appears to have made a mistake, but how many wins do you think this team would have had without him? With who is coming back, next year could be a very exciting team.”

longtime Brownell supporter | 03-09-2014, 06:31 PM
Previous post: “Perhaps, through this particular failure, BB will change his thinking a bit regarding how to close out a game with 2.9 seconds remaining.”

“And that is the gazillion dollar chess match move/question in tourney play. The play he called should have worked. We shouldn't have turned the ball over.”

Clemson media personality | 03-10-2014, 03:00 PM
“Clemson head coach Brad Brownell said he did speak with the league officials about what happened on the last-second basket by Pitt that was counted when replays showed the ball had not left the Pitt's player's hand when the light went off.

‘I don't know anything beyond that,’ {Brownell} said. ‘I have certainly talked with the league office. I expressed my thoughts on the issue and what I saw.’

Let's just say Brownell was not very happy with how things were handled by lead official Les Jones on Saturday.”

03-10-2014, 04:23 PM
“Let’s hope BB gets support from the AD and President

They all should be on the phone telling the ACC how they feel about it and what it probably cost Clemson and the ACC in one less team in the NCAAs.”

Clemson media personality | 03-09-2014, 08:34 AM
“… have been told that there was disagreement between the officials on whether the shot was made in time. One official was very firm that the shot was good while another did not believe it was good. In the end the official that did not think it was good did not win the debate.”

03-09-2014, 10:07 AM
“This just confirms that this trio of ACC refs didn't have the backbone to make the right call and instead used a "time discrepancy" as a scapegoat to extend the game into overtime.”

longtime Brownell Jester | 03-09-2014, 10:16 PM
“I'm so tired of reading this from our fans. Of course, we shouldn't have been in that situation, but for the purposes of debating this controversial season-changing shot, what we should have done prior to that is irrelevant. And counting that shot as good was a horrible decision. Blatantly wrong, despite clear evidence that time ran out while the ball was still in the shooter's hands.”

03-09-2014, 10:53 AM
“Had we done the *smart* thing and throw the ball to at least midcourt, this would have never been in the hands of the officials. We were the victim not of the officials, but our own stupidity.”

longtime Brownell Jester | 03-10-2014, 01:49 PM
“I definitely understand running a usual inbounds play to get it in. Completing an inbounds pass to a guy closer to the in-bounder is much easier than a long pass down the court. We had gotten the ball in previously against Pitt, so why not try again? The sequence that happened after we inbounded it was highly unlikely. The fact that it happened the way it did shouldn't make what we did a bad decision. It was simply a bad outcome.

But I disagree that it was a {coaching} miss. It wasn't what I would have done, but it wasn't an incorrect decision in my book. I agree that our players need to take responsibility for the outcome, despite the fact that the officials blew it. As others have said, if we had made free throws down the stretch, we wouldn't have been in a position to get screwed by the officials.”

longtime Brownell supporter | 03-10-2014, 07:44 PM
“Should ‘we’ have been in the position to even be discussing the #### in-bounds pass? Hell no. But THAT doesn't discount a sh#tty game changing call for the love of God people!!!

Doesn't change anything but recognize it!!”

Clemson media personality | 03-10-2014, 08:09 PM
“…Tigers suffered a heartbreaker at the end of the Pittsburgh game Saturday afternoon...

…Clemson was unable to get the freeze frame working on the equipment required by the league so the officials went to look at the television shots. After the overtime was underway Clemson figured out how to get the freeze frame working, but at that point obviously it was too late.

…Clemson filed some complaints with the league office about how the game ended.

Obviously, it never should have gotten to that point. If the Tigers hit free throws down the stretch, don’t leave the Pittsburgh player wide open for a three, and design the appropriate call on the inbounds play it never would have come to that last second shot. Since it did however, it was a huge call as it likely killed Clemson’s shot at March Madness.”

longtime Brownell supporter | 03-11-2014, 07:05 PM
“…quick question...these are Clemson {staff} running this "new required clock" and not league officials? If that's the case they should all be fired”

longtime Brownell Jester | 03-11-2014, 07:05 PM
Previous post: “If that's the case they should all be fired”

“Agree 100%! “

Clemson media personality | Monday, March 17, 2014, 3:55 PM
“…The Clemson basketball team accepted a bid to compete in the 2014 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) Sunday… The Tigers were hurt by controversial calls in the regular season finale against Pitt and at the end of the Duke game, and Brownell said that while his team can’t play the ‘what if’ game with a tournament game looming, he does think his team would have been in contention for a NCAA Tournament berth. ‘We’ve been wondering that for a couple of days,’ he said.“

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The Day that Clemson BBall died – Protection racket {part 9}

Re: The Day that Clemson BBall died – Protection racket {part 9}

they're still saying the same things***

Re: The Day that Clemson BBall died – Protection racket {part 9}

they're still saying the same things***

Re: The Day that Clemson BBall died – Protection racket {part 9}

they're still saying the same things***

LOL

Re: The Day that Clemson BBall died – Protection racket {part 9}

So keep sucking with Brownell is your answer?***

Re: The Day that Clemson BBall died – Protection racket {part 9}

James Joyce's Ulysses:

James Joyce had a more interesting person to write about

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