All-In [49613]
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Joined: 12/10/98
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The Valley is no country for hopeful men
Sep 27, 2016, 10:30 PM
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There's a scene from "Kill Bill:" Uma Thurman stands amid the blood-soaked carnage of what had been the Crazy 88s.
They were just a warmup. Her target, Lucy Liu, looks down at her with a sneer.
"You didn't think it was gonna be that easy, did you?"
For a minute, yeah, maybe Clemson thought that it would be. We'd slide and slice our way to the big showdown in Tallahassee just before Halloween.
Someone forgot to run the plot past Louisville. The Cards have a few rewrites they plan to introduce.
"You didn't think it was gonna be that easy, did you?"
You know, for a second there, yeah, we kinda did. We basked in off-season accolades, gobbled up press clippings like cupcakes, got complacent on expectations. It's natural, even expected. And, as FSU learned, it can be lethal.
Give the Cards one thing ... they want to be the best. They want to be us. And they aren't bringing hope to the Valley. They're bringing skill and swagger and talent. They don't hope they'll beat Clemson, they EXPECT to beat Clemson.
It's often been said getting to the top is a lot easier than staying here. And if we want to stay, if Clemson doesn't want to slip back down into someone's shadow, there's going to be blood in the Valley Saturday night.
Are you hoping that the Sons of Clemson will win Saturday? Are you hoping that our defense will be able to contain the Cardinal offense and it's legion of last-chance players?
That's nice ... take hope and go sit in the corner of the upper deck. Or stay at the tailgate and guard the beer. You won't want to be around when the sweat and entrails start to fly, when hope is challenged and heart is tested.
If you want to see Clemson take down the canaries, don't bring hope on Saturday. This is no country for hopeful men. This is going to be a night for men who specializing in breaking hope, not bringing it.
The world doesn't need a new Clemson. The one we've got is just fine, thanks. And the best way to make that clear is to step into a cool, clear evening at the top of the Hill, look down into the valley and remember what it took to enjoy that view.
Then make it clear ... PAINFULLY clear ... to the Cards why that isn't going to happen. Take the expectations of their team and fans and talking heads and crush them. Bring your voice, your energy, the full-throated roar to confound a team who thinks Syracuse was loud.
Louisville must leave that night with battered bodies, ringing ears and broken pride. And, as they ponder a night where their world was turned upside down, let them reflect:
They didn't really think if would be that easy, did they?
You know, for a second there, yeah, they kinda did.
Grab your popcorn, Tigers and get ready to get rowdy.
This is gonna be good.
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