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All-In [25284]
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The day the culture changed. December 31, 2012
Jan 11, 2017, 5:06 PM
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I remember sitting in the Georgia Dome waiting for the Catanzaro kick vs LSU just knowing he was going to make it. When it sailed through it was pure jubilation. The Clemson fans there went crazy. Wow we actually did it, we actually beat big bad LSU. \
Remember the year previously we had just been smothered by WVU. we were not supposed to be on that level. We were an improved program but still ultimately a finesse team who folds under the pressure. But that day Tahj Boyd and Nuk Hopkins decided that the culture at Clemson was going to change, that we were going to become the team that guts it out and is at the level of the physical teams.
We had lows after that game of course but I still think that game changed Dabo's Clemson and showed where we were headed. And that's why Boulware's post-game speech is so true. We are not here today if not for Boyd and Hopkins and that drive vs LSU. I really do believe that.
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110%er [9115]
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You could also look at the bigger picture and say.......
Jan 11, 2017, 5:15 PM
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that the culture changed was the day Tommy Bowden was fired and DS was named interim coach.
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All-In [25284]
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we weren't sure though
Jan 11, 2017, 5:17 PM
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after that game was the first time I remember feeling a true sense of Clemson football belonging
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All-TigerNet [14233]
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I still remember Dabo in his first game as head coach
Jan 11, 2017, 5:26 PM
[ in reply to You could also look at the bigger picture and say....... ] |
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screaming at the punter for walking back to the sideline. Made him run back on to the field and sprint back to the sideline while screaming at him the whole time.
I knew then things were going to change.
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CU Guru [1571]
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Re: I still remember Dabo in his first game as head coach
Jan 11, 2017, 6:04 PM
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My Mom was so mad after the game against Wake she moved up her knee replacement surgery
to Wednesday after the Wake loss from the time she previously scheduled after the UuSC game.
Then came the news of a coaching change and it was to late for her to change plans again so
she went forward with the surgery. That left me with the rest of the season with Dad and I.
I thought at the time Dabo could not be any worse than what we had. CU lost the GT game but it was a different team. I could not tell you specifically what changed but the team was different.
Every week they got crisper, WR's ran cleaner routes. Then came the "Slurrier" game in the rain
and The Tigers played so well A USuC player quit at halftime. So many highs from a humble
beginning and even I believe the "Best Is Yet To Come." Dabo has brought the fun back to Clemson
Football.
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Team Captain [453]
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Or you could say
Jan 11, 2017, 6:23 PM
[ in reply to You could also look at the bigger picture and say....... ] |
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It changed direction when Tommy West was fired and Tommy Bowden was hired.
I'm by no means suggesting that Tommy Bowden could have achieved what Dabo did, but he did reverse our fortunes at a time when we were doing nothing but going backwards.
After the firing of Ford, Hatfield took a team that always had the talent to play for a title and turned it into a fringe top-25 program in 4 years. Tommy West then picked up from there and in his 5 seasons, turned Clemson into a sub .500 team that remained un-ranked in final polls for the duration of his tenure.
Bowden took that team and did change the culture, and returned Clemson to a fringe top-25 program but could never get much further than that. He clearly was left at the helm for at least one year too many. However he was able to recruit at a significantly higher level than any of his post-Ford predecessors.
What Dabo has accomplished is nearly unprecedented, but I do think that Bowden had a hand in the transition and did help to put Clemson back on the football map, a place we had clearly vacated during the West era.
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All-TigerNet [11860]
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Remember when people said Daddy Bowden was sending
Jan 12, 2017, 2:35 PM
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the kids he didnt want to Clemson and we were so stoked to get FSU rejects lol
God we were hopeless idiots
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All-In [25284]
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you're right
Jan 12, 2017, 2:38 PM
[ in reply to Or you could say ] |
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people forget that Bowden took over a 3-8 program with facilities that were ages behind
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Team Captain [456]
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Honestly, I think the same thing all the time
Jan 11, 2017, 5:16 PM
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That was the first step up the ladder. Just think, since then we've beaten (Fl. St, Oklahoma (x2), Georgia, Ohio st. (x2), Auburn, and Alabama.
Here's to many more! Go tigers!
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Scout Team [198]
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Re: The day the culture changed. December 31, 2012
Jan 11, 2017, 5:23 PM
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Let's not forget about that hook and ladder play with Brandon Ford and the 4th and 16.
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All-In [25284]
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oh yes that was great***
Jan 11, 2017, 5:51 PM
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CU Guru [1366]
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Re: The day the culture changed. December 31, 2012
Jan 11, 2017, 6:11 PM
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I agree100% and have made that same comment several times. I think that was the turning point! Boyd and Hopkins set the table.
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All-TigerNet [14488]
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I remember watching dozens of Clemson fans file out
Jan 11, 2017, 6:18 PM
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After we settled for the 1st FG in the 4th quarter. I made sure to give every single one of them an earfull as they walked down the stairs....couldn't believe so many were giving up with the win still within reach
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All-In [25284]
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wow! see they were expecting another
Jan 12, 2017, 2:27 PM
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close but no cigar game
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Orange Blooded [3563]
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Re: The day the culture changed. December 31, 2012
Jan 11, 2017, 6:26 PM
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Shoutout to Malliciah Goodman for having a monster performance that night.
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