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YOUR BALANCE
Clemson is Dominant - How to respond (long)
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Clemson is Dominant - How to respond (long)


Jan 6, 2019, 7:18 PM

I am a long Clemson Fan and 1980’s alumnus. Witnessing the fall of Clemson dominance under Hatfield, difficulties under Tommy West, plateauing under Tommy Bowden then the rise under Swinney, it is still difficult to realize Clemson Football has risen to the incredible level of domination we are currently experiencing. My favorite NFL team is vying for a top draft pick, my NBA team is vying for a lottery pick, my MLB team has the #1 pick in 2019 which tells you how much I don’t know how it feels to be on top. I still find reasons why we get lucky or we are not as good as people say, I am so skeptical. Georgia, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Auburn, LSU, Southern California, FSU, Florida, Tennessee, Texas are all looking up at Clemson with admiration and envy using our program as a bench mark for their programs.

I don’t know how to act or how to feel. Am I supposed to be arrogant and consider any attempt at another program besides Clemson and Alabama reaching our level of domination as feeble and fruitless. Am I supposed to be meek and communicate how we are not that dominant and we have been very fortunate and lucky in beating 19 of the last 20 top 25 teams. Am I supposed to find reasons that we will fail next year, we are cycling down or our level of dominance will not continue? At what point does confidence become arrogance? Does humility become an inferiority complex? Does pride and excitement in cheering for your team become overbearing to others?

There are 128 teams all looking up at Clemson. Watching Clemson it is amazing how bad everyone else has become, or is it that Clemson has just become a powerhouse of recruiting and performance. Wow. Hard to know how to respond. People who use to root for us from alternate fan bases now find any reason to dislike us. They accuse the program of cheating and drugs, they accuse a church of providing benefits to our players, they accuse our coach of using his faith to recruit players in a dishonest manner, they accuse the NCAA of favoring Clemson against lesser teams, they consider our fan base arrogant and unrealistic.

As we begin preparation for the NCAA Championship in the most influential and affluent sport in the US, I truly believe we have the foundational pieces to go toe to toe and defeat Alabama without falling back on hoping and wishing. I truly believe we have the athletes, experience, depth, and mental fortitude to win without relying on luck, playing our very best, winning the turnover battle or our opponents suffering a key injury. I really believe we are just as good if not better based on experience and talent. But how could the team I root for and identify with be this superior and dominant. I realize that is not the question.

Why am I not enjoying it all. Soak in the good times. Enjoy each victory. Don’t be bewildered by how we got here, enjoy where we are. If therefore we celebrate and someone else considers it arrogance, well I can’t control that. When I feel confident and if it makes others feel inferior, I can’t control how they feel. We have an incredibly gifted defensive line, a solid offensive line, a ridiculous quarterback, receivers and runningback. We also have an elite coach and person running the program that every fan base finds a reason to dislike.

He’s been called goofy, arrogant, silly, a car salesman, shallow, by not fitting into the perception individuals from other fan bases have for a coach. They want to find something to dislike and Dabo is one of the most visible aspects of the program that people fall back on. Watching the program rise has been truly a learning experience of integrity, honesty, having a clear vision, finding others with that same vision, employing qualified people, putting first things first, dreaming, taking risks. Dabo is who he was made to be without regard of what others try to say or do to influence his behavior and actions. He just does not care.

I personally dislike the New England Patriots with a passion, but even more I wish I grew up a fan because no one can take away what they have achieved. They will always be known for the domination. Their Super Bowls. Their great quarterback and coaching. I am envious and admire what they have done. My NFL team is always looking for the next Belichek and Brady. When it comes to Clemson, we are climbing to this level if not already there. We have a loud fanbase, we wear a loud color, we have a loud coach, our ability on the field makes for loud or big plays. We are in the face of others. I do empathize with others, I understand how it feels to want to experience this level of dominance, at the same time I need to enjoy the true separation between our program and others and do all I can to maintain that gap.

Thank You Clemson, Thank You Dabo, Thank You to the players for choosing Clemson, Thank You to the administration for making football a priority in defining Clemson. Thank You to the fans for making Death Valley the greatest stadium event in the nation. How Lucky are we as fans to root for this team, at this time, and experience a team, school and atmosphere that is not only unmatched today, but we can never be sure about tomorrow. Yell Loud. Enjoy the moment. Celebrate the Success. Love the players. Love the Coach. Love the School. We are sooo fortunate, some true sport’s fans live a lifetime without even sniffing this type of consistency in Being the Best. WOW!!

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Re: Clemson is Dominant - How to respond (long)


Jan 6, 2019, 7:48 PM

Your attitude is so right. JUST BE THANKFUL. Amen. Could not have said it better.

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Re: Clemson is Dominant - How to respond (long)


Jan 6, 2019, 8:20 PM

Well said. As Ive posted on here previously, I became a fan in the mid to late fifties . Saw my first game in late fifties., don’t actually remember the year. I do remember witnessing the game in Colimbia when the S.Carolina Frat boys were run off the field by Clemson students. Bought season tickets for first time in 1975. Haven’t bought tickets since 2001.
Still love my Tigers. Sitting through that 1975 season I don’t think I ever really dreamed big enough to think Clemson would ever have the prominence we see now. Enjoy the ride. Be gracious and humble. NEVER pull for chickens.

GO TIGERS

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how long did it take to type all that?***


Jan 6, 2019, 8:34 PM



military_donation.jpg flag link military_tech thumb_downthumb_up

bout an hour for the first draft***


Jan 6, 2019, 8:39 PM



badge-donor-05yr.jpg flag link military_tech thumb_downthumb_up

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