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Hall of Famer [22127]
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The Day Ken Hatfield Was Announvced as Our New Coach
Jun 16, 2017, 2:58 PM
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Some of you may remember, for various reasons, the day Ken Hatfield was introduced as our new head coach. I will always remember that day for probably a reason no one else can share. As we were leaving church that Sunday, Dr. Edwards came over to me and said, "Joe, we are introducing Ken Hatfield as our new coach this afternoon at the stadium. Come over and join us". I thanked him for the invitation and told him I would be there.
At the appointed hour, my wife, daughter and I arrived at the stadium. I could not find Dr. Edwards and my name was not on the list of those invited to attend. We were now relegated to standing outside. In the group outside were several with signs protesting the ouster of Danny Ford. Just before the arrival of several cars bearing Hatfield and administrators, security personnel had everyone move to the same side of the entrance. Along with all of the brass it looked like there were cameramen from every TV station in the Southeast. It so happened I ended up surrounded by those holding the protest signs. On all of the TV 6:00 PM news, there I was in the middle of the protestors. At 6:30 PM, I started receiving calls from friends from all over the state. This kept up all during the evening and well into most of that Monday.
The next time I saw Dr. Edwards, I explained what had happened and why I was in the group of protestors. He apologized for forgetting to add my name to the list of the invited. We had a big laugh and continued to share this episode for many years.
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All-In [26331]
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I remember that day. He flew in from Arkansas and circled
Jun 16, 2017, 3:05 PM
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over Death Valley before he landed a few miles away.
It was the day the downward spiral started.
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Oculus Spirit [90819]
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ThX JoE for the reminder & your picketing & protesting!
Jun 16, 2017, 3:11 PM
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So, you were one of the first to know what was & would be happening to our program! Good 4 U Sir! Ha.
Oh, I heard that the Hatfields having a high class type breed of horses and their going to Church over in big Greenville (instead of in Clemson) turned some against them.
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110%er [6403]
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Re: ThX JoE for the reminder & your picketing & protesting!
Jun 16, 2017, 3:23 PM
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barrel racers
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CU Medallion [64589]
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Oculus Spirit [96848]
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Recruit [97]
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Re: For some reason that day reminds me of this song
Jun 16, 2017, 11:54 PM
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Yes, indeed. That song, just like the Hatfield era, sucks.
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Orange Blooded [3750]
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Re: For some reason that day reminds me of this song
Jun 17, 2017, 2:41 AM
[ in reply to For some reason that day reminds me of this song ] |
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No truer words have ever been spoken. It truly was the day that all the happy music inside most Clemson fan's souls died! +1TU
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Heisman Winner [140468]
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Something similar happeded to me at a rest area in the 90's.
Jun 16, 2017, 3:11 PM
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There was a raid, and I got caught up in a crowd of gentlemen, who I later found out were up to no good. TV was there, and I got calls for days.
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CU Guru [1806]
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was that rest area somewhere off I-95?
Jun 16, 2017, 4:29 PM
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I think I remember seeing you.
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CU Guru [1640]
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110%er [6403]
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Re: The Day Ken Hatfield Was Announvced as Our New Coach
Jun 16, 2017, 3:21 PM
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From that day Clemson Football wandered in the desert, like Moses, for 9,851 days until Dabo began the journey to the Promised Land, and we arrived on January 9th 2017.
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Oculus Spirit [82042]
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Didn't CU take a hit in the pre-season rankings
Jun 16, 2017, 3:22 PM
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after that announcement?
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Orange Blooded [4142]
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Re: The Day Ken Hatfield Was Announvced as Our New Coach
Jun 16, 2017, 3:41 PM
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Dr. Edwards was a cool guy and a great supporter of Clemson athletics . I'm sure he was disappointed at the way things went down.
Hatfield was a nice guy who had big shoes to fill . He just never integrated with the Clemson family or community . Recruiting suffered for years after that .
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All-TigerNet [10210]
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hope u did not curse that day***
Jun 16, 2017, 3:47 PM
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Orange Blooded [3812]
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Re: The Day Ken Hatfield Was Announvced as Our New Coach
Jun 16, 2017, 3:51 PM
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Well I wasn't there when they made the announcement of his hiring but I sure remember meeting him. We were in Knickerbockers on a Friday afternoon looking around and He walked in. He loudly announced he was there buying hats for some of his friends. He walked up beside me and I said good luck tomorrow Coach. He looked at me like I was crazy! He never said a word. Walked over paid for the hats and left. I walked over to pay for my hat and the guy at the register said "he sure was an a$$hole wasn't he?". I said yes and never liked him after that. Glad when he was gone!
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Asst Coach [731]
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Re: The Day Ken Hatfield Was Announvced as Our New Coach
Jun 16, 2017, 4:02 PM
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Had we been unified, he probably would have won here. Bobby Johnson (our DC at the time) told me that his biggest issue in recruiting was Clemson people telling recruits that they shouldn't go to Clemson.
He specifically mentioned Kenya Crooks who we wound up getting anyway as one that fans were really on not to sign with us. There was a lot of blame to go around for the mess we wallowed in for about twenty years or so.
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110%er [6403]
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Re: The Day Ken Hatfield Was Announvced as Our New Coach
Jun 16, 2017, 4:33 PM
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Max Lennon
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All-Pro [651]
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Re: The Day Ken Hatfield Was Announvced as Our New Coach
Jun 16, 2017, 9:07 PM
[ in reply to Re: The Day Ken Hatfield Was Announvced as Our New Coach ] |
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Agree there was a lot of blame to go around back then. I am not a Hatfield fan, but he was never given a chance. He had to fight with both arms tied behind his back.
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Orange Blooded [4976]
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Re: The Day Ken Hatfield Was Announvced as Our New Coach
Jun 16, 2017, 9:33 PM
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Kenny H had some people that never accepted him from day one, but to me his biggest downfall was that he didn't think of Clemson or the ACC as big time football. I don't think he respected the program DF built and went into the job with the intent of changing everything about the program and its culture.
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Head Coach [774]
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Let's just say you were there standing in for me
Jun 16, 2017, 4:12 PM
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Because I would have been there in that crowd had I been old enough
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All-In [48078]
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That is hilarious. ******
Jun 16, 2017, 9:43 PM
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Orange Blooded [2218]
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remember Arkansas fans glad to get rid of him***
Jun 16, 2017, 10:21 PM
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1st Rounder [628]
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Bobby Robinson
Jun 17, 2017, 1:09 AM
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Hated Danny Ford. Hated Clemson football. Brought in Tommy West to appease the Ford crowd and completed the ruination of a great program. The day he left was the rebirth of Clemson football.
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All-Pro [663]
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Re: The Day Ken Hatfield Was Announvced as Our New Coach
Jun 17, 2017, 1:52 AM
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I was among the minority not that sorry to see Ford go. His fullback-up-the-middle into a stacked box on third and long was really getting old. For those of you too young, think Spence and the bubble screen.
Ford had so little offensive imagination, he couldn't even recognize it others enough to hire a clever OC and turn him loose.
Try to picture my excitement when they hired the only coach in America even more conservative than Ford.
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Orange Blooded [3901]
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Re: The Day Ken Hatfield Was Announvced as Our New Coach
Jun 17, 2017, 2:59 AM
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Looking back you should have gladly been amongst the protesters.
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50
