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Darn confetti
Jan 10, 2017, 11:02 AM
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Trying to finish up press conferences and pack and get back home, but a few quick thoughts:
Nikki was down on the field, on the sidelines, when her school won the National Championship. It was the first of her lifetime, and when I finally made my way to the grass she saw me and she was balling. I gotta admit, seeing her so emotional - well, let's just say the confetti got in my eyes and caused an irritation.
As I wandered around this incredible celebration, I kept running into the guys who made this kind of moment possible. Brentson A. Buckner was almost in tears, and said, "I can't believe I just saw Clemson win the National Championship." Seeing that big warrior that emotional - well, confetti again.
Then I saw Brandon Thompson and Jacoby Ford and Andre Branch, and I made sure they knew I thought they were just as responsible for that celebration as anyone else. Those guys laid the foundation.
And then there was my buddy, former Clemson player Henry Guess, who is without a doubt one of the world's nicest people. I saw Henry doing a little jig and waving a National Championship towel, and well, confetti.
As a sportswriter, I am supposed to keep out of the fray, to catalog and appraise and keep an even temperament. But it's hard - in many ways, I work with these people, work with these players, and to see them finally let loose in all that joy. Well, confetti.
I told people before the game that I didn't have a doubt Clemson would win the game, and that I would see them in the confetti. I was right because what you saw was a team that loved each other, had an incredible will to win and left everything out there on that field.
And then I saw Christie Clary leaning over the railing. That is Jay Guillermo's mom, and I don't think people realize what these parents go through with their kids. To see her so emotional, knowing her son won a title on the last snap of his Clemson career....well, confetti.
I finally ran back into Nikki Hood, and she was still very emotional, and we headed into the locker room area. There were ran into Kathleen Swinney, who gave us both hugs and cried, and well, confetti. Once we finished writing, we got on the elevator to head out of the stadium and we were on there with Yahoo writer Pat Forde. He looked at us, smiled, and said, "I imagine this is quite a night for you guys."
You have no idea, Pat. No idea. And those aren't tears. It's that darn confetti
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