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Orange Blooded [3371]
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Coach Dabo Swinney
Oct 16, 2017, 6:47 PM
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Many years ago in a land far far away, a young HC came to a small university and won a national championship in 1981. And by 1987 the fans who had sung the praises of that coach for winning it's first national championship were complaining about his offense. It was heard by those same fans three up the middle in a cloud of dust. We need more, we need an exciting offense that throws the ball more. In 1987 the administration of that small college fired that coach, but the truth of the matter is that the administration would not have had the power to fire that coach if the fans were not grumbling. It only took from 1978 till 1987 for these fans to turn on the coach who had built this beaten down football program into one that was relevant nationally.
It took 36 years for this football program to become relevant again nationally. Believe me that is a very long time to wait for the team that you love to be a good team again.
Then along comes this young HC who toils for 9 years to build a program not just a team. The 8th year this young coach takes his team to the brink of winning the national championship and in the 9th he wins it all. All of the fans are so excited everyone singing the praises of that coach for winning it's second national championship. But just like in the past these fans begin to complain about the play calls, what the coach does in his time away from the team, the decisions of who plays, and even saying that he should fire some of his coaches after losing just one game.
Fans be very careful what you wish for you may just get what you want. You may get this young coach to leave but remember it might be many many years no many, many, many years to become relevant again if he leaves.
Moral of this story be thankful for what you have when you have a young coach wins a national championship, graduates his players, teaches them to great men in society (Deshaun Watson) and has the character to be a good sportsman when he looses.
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All-TigerNet [14090]
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pointing out mistakes isn't asking for a coach to get fired***
Oct 16, 2017, 6:53 PM
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Orange Blooded [3371]
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Re: pointing out mistakes isn't asking for a coach to get fired***
Oct 16, 2017, 6:56 PM
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Same pointing out that go Coach Ford fired!
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All-TigerNet [14090]
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he didn't get fired for the reasons you said he did***
Oct 16, 2017, 6:58 PM
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All-Pro [682]
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CU Guru [1845]
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All-In [40872]
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Sounds similar to Ford getting fired in 1990
Oct 16, 2017, 6:55 PM
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Who got fired in 1987?
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Orange Blooded [3371]
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Re: Sounds similar to Ford getting fired in 1990
Oct 16, 2017, 6:58 PM
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Sorry you're right he was fired in 1989.
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All-In [40872]
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No it was 1990, I remember exactly
Oct 16, 2017, 7:20 PM
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what I was doing when I heard
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Trainer [46]
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Re: Sounds similar to cell phones and the WWW
Oct 16, 2017, 8:35 PM
[ in reply to Re: Sounds similar to Ford getting fired in 1990 ] |
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You may also remember talking on your 1st cell phone, and blogging on your Myspace account on the world wide web back then. Some folks would bring their Fortran computer cards to show-off down at the ESSO Club late on a Thursday night. Those were some awesome times alright.
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All-TigerNet [14090]
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nobody was grumbling about Danny Ford at that time...
Oct 16, 2017, 6:58 PM
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Ford was a god to Clemson fans then. His disagreements with the AD and Prez, along with him blasting them publicly lead to his forced resignation. Nobody was complaining after the great season we had in 1989 after shutting down the highly touted Major Harris
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Orange Blooded [3371]
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Re: nobody was grumbling about Danny Ford at that time...
Oct 16, 2017, 7:00 PM
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You must have not been around in 1989 when everyone was complaining about the offense. And history will repeat itself if we can not learn from the past
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All-TigerNet [14090]
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I was around, and Dabo isn't battling with the AD and Prez...
Oct 16, 2017, 7:12 PM
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and doesn't have an issue of putting his foot in his mouth. So how can history repeat itself when Dabo is a completely different person from Danny. Ain't nobody calling for his job.
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Team Captain [492]
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Yes people were grumbling about Ford's Offense then
Oct 16, 2017, 7:20 PM
[ in reply to nobody was grumbling about Danny Ford at that time... ] |
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I was a student in the mid to late 80's and very much remember people grumbling about up the middle, up the middle, pass, punt. Ford was looked at as a God but folks were not happy about the offense.
Same as always, fans get spoiled. Folks were fired up in 86, 87 and 88 when Ford lost to NC State, I was there at each one. People forget that upsets happen, its part of the game. The best team does not always win.
I really believe this team is going to respond well and finish strong. The next three games will not be close.
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Orange Blooded [2371]
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20 years earlier, they were grumbling about Frank Howard!
Oct 16, 2017, 7:33 PM
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I was a student in the late 60s and early 70s while Coach Howard was still there. That's when the "Chorus Line Offense" (1-2-3-kick, or up the middle, up the middle, pass, punt) was coined. I vividly remember Homecoming (Tigeramma) skits on this. It was shortly after that that Coach Howard retired, citing "health reasons"-- as he said, "the alumni are sick of me." They don't make 'em like Frank anymore!
How far we've come...
Thank God for Dabo, and Go Tigers!
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All-TigerNet [14090]
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Wasn't the same Howard had stopped winning, while Ford was still on top of his game***
Oct 16, 2017, 8:05 PM
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Orange Blooded [2371]
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Re: Wasn't the same Howard had stopped winning, while Ford was still on top of his game***
Oct 16, 2017, 8:14 PM
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Very true. Danny's problem was he got too involved in University politics. He did great things for Clemson, setting the stage for where we are today.
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All-TigerNet [14090]
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would add Howard set it up for Ford, as Ford set it up for Dabo...
Oct 16, 2017, 8:25 PM
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Some down periods along the way but the foundation was set to insure a future return to success
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Orange Blooded [2371]
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Re: would add Howard set it up for Ford, as Ford set it up for Dabo...
Oct 16, 2017, 8:34 PM
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Attended my first Clemson game when I was 7 years old in 1956... over 60 years ago. I met Coach Howard in the lobby of Fike Fieldhouse, in front of the Orange Bowl trophy. He asked if I was going to come play football for him, and I said I hoped so. I played middle guard (today, Nose Tackle) in high school at 167 lbs... can you imagine? How about playing across the line from Harry O and Wayne Mass???? Fortunately, my survival instincts overruled my desire to play football!
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All-In [29810]
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Something I didn't fully appreciate then was Rodney's...
Oct 16, 2017, 9:15 PM
[ in reply to Yes people were grumbling about Ford's Offense then ] |
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resilience. Maybe the DE's are just more beastly now, but Rodney took hit after hit after hit running the option and I don't remember him ever being hurt once. Lucky that he wasn't injured, but he must have had some painful post games on occasion.
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All-In [29810]
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Those NC state games were baffling...
Oct 16, 2017, 9:19 PM
[ in reply to Yes people were grumbling about Ford's Offense then ] |
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Met an NC state grad who was an olineman years later, and asked him if the did anything different for us. He said not really - they just had our number. I'll never forget being down 30-0 at halftime to them when we were like 6-0 and they were like 3-3. I think we set an NCAA record for passes in a half after halftime, with like 50 or something.
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All-In [43992]
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That, plus Clemson being under investigation by the NCAA
Oct 16, 2017, 9:27 PM
[ in reply to nobody was grumbling about Danny Ford at that time... ] |
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Again.
And we were ultimately put on probation again. Danny's public comments were just the straw that broke the camel's back.
He was a great coach, we all love him, and appreciate what he did for Clemson...but like it or not, he was in charge when we got in trouble with the NCAA on multiple occasions. That alone was reason enough to get rid of him, winning seasons or not.
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All-In [29810]
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Back when the NCAA had teeth and corruption was ...
Oct 16, 2017, 9:38 PM
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rampant. SMU death penalty, Oklahoma, Chicken Steroids, etc. Sports Illustrated even had an article saying Oklahoma's Athletic parking lot looked like a Southeby's Auction Yard. Switzer commented "The best athletes in the world don't just drop out of the sky and land in Norman. We have to lure them here." Someone asked him what he told Billy Simms that convinced him for his senior year - Switzer said "Here's $1500" What a time.
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Walk-On [142]
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Re: Coach Dabo Swinney
Oct 16, 2017, 7:02 PM
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amen, who here among us could do a better job , not just winning games but making better men and a better program.my dad who just passed at age 97 took me to my 1st game 60 years ago and I've been a tiger ever since]thru good time and bad.Dabo is the best thing to ever happen to Clemp.
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Letterman [258]
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Re: Coach Dabo Swinney
Oct 16, 2017, 7:04 PM
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I agree, reading this board sometimes is great because there are so many people who understand football and have outstanding observations. But then there are the clowns who nitpick everything and are unhappy with everything.
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Walk-On [102]
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Re: Coach Dabo Swinney
Oct 16, 2017, 7:24 PM
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I vividly remember all the harsh comments about Coach Ford and our offense after the Duke game in 1989 and also after the NC State game in 1988. Folks loved Coach Ford but they also loved to complain about him also.
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Legend [17522]
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Waterboy - nice parable
Oct 16, 2017, 7:31 PM
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Stretched the facts a little perhaps. And yes Ford's O could be boring but Ford did not need to run up the score. His Defenses were even better than BV's which is saying a lot because BV is currently our top coach. But in fairness to BV and our current players, scoring was just not as prevalent in the Ford era, but no doubt a Ford team could shut an opponent down completely for series after series.
As for Ford being let go, it involved football dorms and other sundries, and it was personal between Ford and the university president. And the Board correctly, and out of necessity, sided in favor of the president.
So I enjoyed your parable, and get it, but it may just be doing a little bit of revisionist history. In fact, the year Ford was canned many fans including me were expecting our best team since the natl championship team and a good run at another ring. What happened next was the Ken Hatfield Show, bad memories and an immediate decline. If my memory is correct, Clemson went to Tampa at year end for the Citrus Bowl where we were beat about 33-0 by Cal Bears and a polish-named QB with a lightning bolt ear ring. Ahhh the memories ... Were you around back then? How are old were you?
Dabo will stay in Clemson as long as he wins and enjoys it - hopefully a long time! And the best time to win another championship is on the heels of one. Will last year be remembered as the year Deshaun took us to the promised land or the start of the Dabo championship era. Hopefully both. Go Tigers!
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Scout Team [190]
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Re: Coach Dabo Swinney
Oct 16, 2017, 7:35 PM
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Where were you waterboy in 1989/1990 to be so ignorantly oblivious as to why Danny Ford was forced to resign. It had NOTHING to do with fan complaints, it was a University President/Head Coach clash! Were you at the Columbia alumni meeting in Columbia SC at which Danny Ford challenged directly the Administration to build dorms for the football players? His address at this meeting was the impetus to make him resign. Do you know where the football teams were housed at the time? Do you know the position of the NCAA on dorms for football players in 1989/1990? Look forward to your reply.....
Message was edited by: holtatl®
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All-In [27366]
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There were death threats made against the administration
Oct 16, 2017, 8:43 PM
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when Ford got fired and there were almost riots in the streets. Yes, there were some fans grumbling about his conservative bland offense, just like some Alabama fans of late have complained about Saban for similar reasons, especially last January. But most fans were very upset.
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All-In [29810]
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Trainer [48]
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Re: Coach Dabo Swinney
Oct 16, 2017, 8:50 PM
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Even the best make mistakes... and he made one. No one is calling for his job, but at the very least he needs to acknowledge that Bryant should've been pulled earlier. No acceptable excuse can be given except that he wasn't doing his job very well that night (just like the rest of the staff and team). Just own it.... anything else is bull$h!t!!
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MVP [543]
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Re: Coach Dabo Swinney
Oct 16, 2017, 8:54 PM
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Dani is our guy He has lost 3 games in 3 years. That is a great coach in my book.
Look at the program now. Every college in the country wants what we have.
Keep coaching st Clemson Coach !
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All-In [29810]
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It was quite a time.... crowds marching on Pres Max Lennon's
Oct 16, 2017, 8:58 PM
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house in protest of Ford's firing. Bottom line was Ford got a little to "driven" should we say about winning in football. As he said himself, "I don't remember every win but I sure remember every loss." The new admin under Lennon could have cared less. Max also wanted to double the size of the school (from 16k to 33k )and turn us into a research institution if I remember correctly. Anyway, it was an oil and water mix. Bad. There was a rumored slapping incident by Ford vs. the Board and lots of other juicy stuff. But it did show that to have success like we are having now, EVERYONE has to be on the same page. It's not just a matter of having a good coach or not, though Dabo has turned out to be fantastic for the university IMO. And 35 years is one hell of a long wait btw.
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Orange Blooded [4359]
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I don’t know what’s worse...you not knowing what year Ford
Oct 16, 2017, 10:40 PM
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got fired or all the people that gave you a thumbs up that also do not have a clue.
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