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YOUR BALANCE
Who really remembers all the Ford years?
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Who really remembers all the Ford years?


Sep 24, 2014, 7:24 AM

I was attending Clemson when we won the national championship and attended games 4 years prior and ever since been a season ticket holder.
I think a lot of Danny Ford but he was not perfect. I remember a lot of people questioning his decision initially to play Homer Jordan (who had a tendency at first to fall when running). I remember people furious with our very predictable offense which often failed on third and short.
People are remembering the Ford years with Orange colored glasses. There were some good years, a few bad ones and 1 truly great one.

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Re: Are you referring to the numerous 3rd down and 12


Sep 24, 2014, 7:37 AM

to go fullback dives. I remember those and all of the people sitting around me complaining about it.

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Re: Are you referring to the numerous 3rd down and 12


Sep 24, 2014, 7:57 AM

Up the middle. Up the middle. Pass. Punt. And a little bit of option. But it worked for the most part.

I was a student 87-92 and remember being on the field and amazed at the slope/crown on the field to help with the "downhill" running.

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I thought the "slope" was to help with water drainage?***


Sep 24, 2014, 12:47 PM



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Re: I thought the "slope" was to help with water drainage?***


Sep 24, 2014, 1:05 PM

I seem to remember that shortly after CTB arrived he had them shave the crown. My understanding at the time that higher crowns gave option teams an advantage. Then again it could just be for quicker drainage.

Here is an old link that mentions the renovations when the crown was removed. Makes references to Ford using to his advantage.

http://www.thetigernews.com/printStory.php?aid=1274

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Re: I thought the "slope" was to help with water drainage?***


Sep 24, 2014, 1:08 PM [ in reply to I thought the "slope" was to help with water drainage?*** ]

I've always heard that the crown in DV was to help the running game. And to hurt a team coming in with a passing game b/c the QB passes would always be a little off target if they wasn't use to adjusting to the crown. And I believe it did do just that b/c a lot of passes were always threw a bit to high for receivers....

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The crown was there to help bad pitches on the option


Sep 24, 2014, 1:15 PM [ in reply to Re: Are you referring to the numerous 3rd down and 12 ]

roll out of bounds - at least that's what Frank Howard's ghost told me one time.

But it HAD to make passing more difficult - it was surprisingly steep.

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I doubt there's ever been a coach of the game that hasn't


Sep 24, 2014, 7:40 AM

been derided, debased and denigrated over bad losses....Even Frank Howard and Danny Ford had their detractors at times. So did the likes of Bear Bryant.

So, we're not unique in our meltdowns, and they'll continue as long as the game is played.

The important thing we have to remember is that we'll move on to the next great gridiron adventure, full of hopes and expectations, ready to cheer on our team despite the opponent.

That's what we do...and why we love the game!

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ALL coaches are idiots after a loss and they all know it....***


Sep 24, 2014, 7:53 AM



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So true...so true. It comes with the territory, and they


Sep 24, 2014, 8:44 AM

know it.

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Are your referring to the many times that he lost to a


Sep 24, 2014, 7:46 AM

Duke, GT or NC State when we were heavy favorites?


I agree with you. Danny did good things at Clemson and yes he put us on the map as a program, but to hear some of these people on this board talk, you would have thought Danny went 11-0 every year.

He also played in an ACC that didn't have FSU which began making its first run in the late 80's and early 90's.

To be honest (and I am going to get blasted for this), I think Dabo is on the right path much like Danny was. Good offense that can score points when needed and he has figured out that he better have a "lights out" defense.

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Re: Are your referring to the many times that he lost to a


Sep 24, 2014, 8:19 AM

YEP, coaches say the darndest things after a loss, every last one of them. Just checked around at coaches comments after a loss. And most of them try and play down a loss, well except for the coach in cootlumbia. A loss to him is, it everybody's fault except for his.

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THe ACC was pretty good back then. Maryland was very good.


Sep 24, 2014, 8:26 AM [ in reply to Are your referring to the many times that he lost to a ]

UNC was very good. GT and NC State. We were robbed of another ACC title in *^ I believe when MD ran a winning play after the 25 second clock ran out,the left guard jumped off sides, and the tight end dropped the pass....all on the same play that was ruled a touchdown. Then, we were banned by the ACC for three years and would have won another title during Danny's tenure, which is ironic, since UNC is flying banners for an ACC division title they shared while under probation from the ACC.

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Re: Are your referring to the many times that he lost to a


Sep 24, 2014, 2:17 PM [ in reply to Are your referring to the many times that he lost to a ]

It's true that FSU wasn't in the ACC in the 80's, but it's also true that FSU only joined AFTER Danny had departed Clemson. Had a Danny Ford coached Clemson been in the ACC after FSU joined, they (FSU) would have not won all the ACC titles they did in the 90's as they would have done no better than split titles with Clemson. In the late 80's our personnel was every bit as good as FSU's. In the 90's, after Danny left, everything went down, including recruiting. It's only been in the Dabo years that we've started closing that gap,... closer yes, but not as close as we were tnen.

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Re: Who really remembers all the Ford years?


Sep 24, 2014, 7:50 AM

I agree! I think many on this board were in diapers or not even born during the Ford era. I was at Clemson for Ford's last five years (yep, I liked Clemson so much I stayed for an extra semester) and you are right. Our offense was run to set up the 8-10 passes a game we threw.

I think Ford deserves the notoriety because he put Clemson on the map at the time college football was becoming the television darling it is today and he had a knack of winning the big games. And I think he deserves every bit, but I think that his over shadowing of what Dabo is doing currently is unwarranted.

I truly believe when it is all said and done Dabo will be the best coach we have had and that takes nothing away from what Danny did; it only adds to it in my opinion.

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Re: Who really remembers all the Ford years?


Sep 24, 2014, 8:27 AM

I'm thinking that already, and I was in my mid 20's and early 30's of the Danny Ford Head Coaching years. Dabo FB is surely more exciting!!!


Message was edited by: allorangeallthetime52®


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Re: Who really remembers all the Ford years?


Sep 24, 2014, 7:56 AM

Except for 1981, we slipped up a couple of times during each season. Clemson lost games they shouldn't.

I loved the Danny years but the competition overall was weaker.

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It aint exactly murderers row now...***


Sep 24, 2014, 8:55 AM



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Re: Who really remembers all the Ford years?


Sep 24, 2014, 7:59 AM

Ford's teams were usually good for one inexplicable loss a season.....but his overall record speaks for itself. Dominated the chickens, won multiple ACC championships and a MNC. The man is a legend, period, and we were fortunate to have him at the helm. Those teams were TOUGH and they showed no quarter. Solid, Southern football......Clemson, under Danny Ford.

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Danny had one thing


Sep 24, 2014, 8:12 AM

that this coach can't pull off. He had an offensive line.

If i remember correctly his record with florida state was 2 and 2 or something like that.

Dabo is better at the mouth running and building expectations that will never come through under his leadership.

How long has it been since we beat the chickens---how long since we beat florida state. Get real. The choirboy is not the best coach in the ACC by far and is certainly not the best coach in this state.

We deserve the best. Blabo is full of BS. Mouth of the South.

Are you not tired of hauling all the clemson gear out, inviting friends over to watch Clemson on national TV and
having Blabo bring to the field a total embarrassing and
humiliating defeat. No just a regular defeat, but a bumbling, fumbling butt whipping. The offensive line is terrible and our quarterback constantly has to run for his life.

I'm sick of Blabo ball.

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"Quarterback constantly has to run for his life."


Sep 24, 2014, 8:17 AM

I thought I read that we were only sacked once against FSU?

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Aspiring member of the TigerNet Sewer Dwellers


Hey hey hey


Sep 24, 2014, 11:08 AM

We don't need facts brought into this, sir.

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Re: Danny had one thing


Sep 24, 2014, 8:18 AM [ in reply to Danny had one thing ]

If something made me that miserable, I'd stop doing it.
If someone on TV made me that miserable, I'd quit watching.

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He would just find something else...


Sep 24, 2014, 8:19 AM

to be miserable about.

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Aspiring member of the TigerNet Sewer Dwellers


Re: Danny had one thing


Sep 24, 2014, 8:19 AM [ in reply to Danny had one thing ]

Danny played the chickens when they were bad. FSU wasn't what they are now either.

Danny got us embarrassed on national TV with his foul mouth. I know you make think that is PC and stupid now but at the time it was embarrassing.

I will give that Dabo has said a thing or two that made me cringe but he was thrust into the HC job with no PR training or background. He is improving and I have little issue with his comments this year. Would you rather have the great Spurrier who throws fellow coaches and players under the bus with regularity?

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a little correction for you.... Danny coached against FSU


Sep 24, 2014, 1:45 PM

twice.
1988 and 1989
1-1 record...a 3 point loss and an 11 point win.
and FSU was 11-1 and 10-2 those 2 years.

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Danny had more than 1 thing


Sep 24, 2014, 8:20 AM [ in reply to Danny had one thing ]

A very good defense, best in the nation some years! Now we have gone to a more offensive sided team but our defense this year is very good, it is unfortunate we could not finish off the game at Georgia or FSU.

Love Dabo and his passion, but really cannot compare what he is doing now to what the landscape of college football was in the late 70's thru the late 80's.

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Re: Danny had more than 1 thing


Sep 24, 2014, 9:09 AM

GUESS A LOT OF YOU GOOBERS FORGET THE "CLEMSONING" COACH FORD DID WHEN HE WAS THERE. EVERY YEAR EXCEPT ONE WE LOST TO A TEAM WE SHOULD NOT. AND YES I WAS AND AM A HUGE DANNY FAN THAT WAS AT EVERY ONE OF HIS GAMES. BUT FACTS ARE FACTS.

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Re: Says dumbfck!!!


Sep 24, 2014, 8:30 AM [ in reply to Danny had one thing ]

HB

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Many people are sick of you Dumbo


Sep 24, 2014, 9:03 AM [ in reply to Danny had one thing ]

Your post sounds just like the trailer trash calling the Coot propaganda shows here in Cooterville--using the same terms to degrade Dabo because they can't stand Clemson winning anything.

Did you haul your bird stuff out to pull against the Tigers vs Auburn, LSU, UGA, Ohio State over the last several years. I am so sorry we busted your avian heart.

GO TIGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Message was edited by: AThomas®


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Re: Danny had one thing


Sep 24, 2014, 9:06 AM [ in reply to Danny had one thing ]

WHERE DO WE FIND YOU GOOBERS. TRULY MIND BLOWING.

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I see Dum #### is back


Sep 24, 2014, 11:11 AM [ in reply to Danny had one thing ]

Surprised you get internet access at your trailer park in Cootlumbia

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No body is forcing you to be a Clemson fan, have cook outs invite your


Sep 25, 2014, 3:02 PM [ in reply to Danny had one thing ]

friends over or drag out all of your Clemson. In fact Clemson could really do without fair weathers fans.

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Re: Who really remembers all the Ford years?


Sep 24, 2014, 8:16 AM

I was there for some of the most frustrating seasons. The year before NC was particularly trying. Danny was clearly on a "warm" seat going into 81.
I recall often times Maryland broke our hearts. And no one forgets the Peach Bowl as Singletary-led Baylor crushed us. Notre Dame beat us in South Bend.
As I think about it, after beating OSU in the Gator, we had mediocre success until 81. About all we could boast was that we kept George Rodgers and Hershel from scoring.
It's all cyclical, and our program is clearly in an up cycle. Enjoy the ride. Beat the Heels.

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I believe Notre Dame beat as home the year before. Didn't


Sep 24, 2014, 8:21 AM

we beat them in South Bend? I was there and I thought we won but that was a long time ago!

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Yes we juan in South Bend. Billy Lott was QB.***


Sep 24, 2014, 8:28 AM



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Aspiring member of the TigerNet Sewer Dwellers


Re: I believe Notre Dame beat as home the year before. Didn't


Sep 24, 2014, 9:02 AM [ in reply to I believe Notre Dame beat as home the year before. Didn't ]

ND beat Charley Pell, not Ford

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ND beat us at Clemson in 1977...we beat them in S Bend in


Sep 24, 2014, 9:16 AM [ in reply to I believe Notre Dame beat as home the year before. Didn't ]

1979...I attended both...had em beat (I thought) in '77 but a pretty good QB (Joe Montana I think was his name) took over in the 4th qtr and they went ahead to barely beat us

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Re: Who really remembers all the Ford years?


Sep 24, 2014, 8:39 AM

I wasn't a Clemson follower during most of the Ford years (parents were from out of state, neither of them followed college football; I had to discover it on my own) so most of what I know about it is secondhand. I do know that in 1991, "up the middle, up the middle, up the middle, punt!" was one of Tiger Band's favorite derisive cheers, though, and it wasn't because of Ken Hatfield. So I know Danny Ford had his share of critics.

He did however put us on the national map with some very solid teams, though, something no coach had ever been able to do before. I think that's ultimately his legacy and why he is so revered.

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I started attending games in 80 or 81 and the thing that


Sep 24, 2014, 8:55 AM

made the biggest impression on me was how much complaining and whining people in the stands did whenever Clemson had the ball. "Big surprise Danny, up the middle again, you miserable idiot!" etc

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#ACCFTS


Remember them vividly


Sep 24, 2014, 8:59 AM

I loved Coach Ford......having said that, I think Dabo will retire as the greatest coach we ever have had. First of all, other than in '81, we lost games virtually every year we had no business losing, especially to MD and Duke one year. We had great OL play but times were different back then and schemes were completely different and Ford's defenses were the best athletes on the team. Our O was almost incapable of coming back if we were trailing because teams knew what we could and could not do on O. Dabo has better character and culture overall in the program I believe, as well. I do not think we have ever recruited this well or have had this much talent on both sides of the ball as we do now. Ford did not tolerate knuckleheads like some we had in the 90's and early 2000's but Dabo is running a clean program with a ton of character and great accountability that is the best we have had in those areas, I believe. Combined with the talent he has brought in, I think he is going to be the coach of the best teams we ever have had. I would not trade him for another coach in the nation.

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I do. When I finally got out of school in August of 1983,


Sep 24, 2014, 9:10 AM

may parents gave me season tickets to the 1983 season. I did not miss a home game until 1992. Danny had some great teams. Dabo has had and will continue to have great teams also. Clemson's recruiting has not been this good since the class that signed in February 1989.

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Wining a school's first nation championship


Sep 24, 2014, 10:22 AM

has a way of insulating a man from a lot of chit. We always seemed to lose a game to an inferior team.

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I remember....


Sep 24, 2014, 10:31 AM

and like you, I was a student in 1981 and a long time season ticket holder.
Yes, there were complaints about that boring offense. There were complaints about the occasional ### loss. However there was never a complaint about being soft. Teams were scared of us. And if it was a big game, you could almost guarantee a win.

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Re: I remember....


Sep 24, 2014, 10:51 AM

So true. I knew Ford a little during those years and he was tough. His players were really afraid of him and he did not tolerate mental mistakes. Biggest difference between him and Dabo is Morris. I don't think Danny could have taken some of his game plans.

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quite true..danny's offense was "don't fumble"


Sep 24, 2014, 11:10 AM

i love the guy and credit him with teaching me the most important element of football, "control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, and you win the game".

but if danny went to halftime with a 10-pt lead, he wouldn't throw a pass the second half..he never threw on first down..his clock management was frequently awful..in the 1988 fsu game in dv, when the noles lined up to punt late in the fourth quarter, there were lots of people shouting, "it's a fake!"..fsu played for national championships, and punting then would have put that in serious doubt..point being, it was predictable, but danny acted like it was a shocking call.

anyway, not meant to denigrate danny at all..just agreement with the op that danny made some bone-headed mistakes..oh, '83 grad..only missed two home games in danny's tenure.


Message was edited by: jackorange®


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GoTiguhs!!


Might be orange tinted, but I remember we traveled down to


Sep 24, 2014, 1:06 PM

FSU right before they joined the conference. We sent out 3 or 4 captains for the coin toss...they rushed out 12 or 15 and we answered right back with the entire team, then they did as well.
Then we commenced to kick their ####.

I remember Coach falling right in a little sideline brawl in front of our student section down at the end of our bench....against Maryland I think it was.

I remember us waxing Boomer Esiason & company and claiming the real ACC title Maryland was gonna be awarded when we were on probation.

I remember stuffing Ga on our 2 or 3 yard line and forcing Dooley to kick a field goal to tie....spineless coach from across the border.

I do remember those , and a hundred more good ones....the bad ones....Not so much.

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I do. This year is shaping up to be just like the 2 seasons


Sep 24, 2014, 1:30 PM

following the NC. We failed in our 2 big challenges early in the season (UGA and Flutie-full BC) and then coasted after that.

Probation took it's toll in the mid-80's, but his last 3 years, DF was 30-6. DF did manage to lose a game to an inferior opponent each of those seasons.

People miss Danny because he was on the verge of creating a juggernaut when he was fired - possibly starting a run similar to FSU in the early '90s.

DF defenses were usually awesome and the offenses job was mostly to "not screw it up".

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I remember losing that game in '81


Sep 24, 2014, 1:34 PM

No.
No, I don't.

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who can remember the 80's


Sep 25, 2014, 3:03 AM

what is the question ?

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null


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