Kicking The Clemson Addiction
posted by Scott Hood, Monday, July 14, 2008
Which segues us nicely right to the Clemson Tigers.
Scanning the message boards and listening to sports talk radio the last few weeks, I see and hear a large number of South Carolina fans (or at least they claim to be) needlessly fretting over the fact many people have a fairly high opinion of the Tigers this season.
Many of these same USC fans are so distraught about Clemson that you can actually see their tears soaking through the computer.
What these people need to do is calm down. The Gamecocks will get their shot at the Tigers in November.
But until then, the reality is, good or bad, Clemson should be a good football team this season. Many so-called experts rate them the favorite to win the ACC championship.
But I knew Clemson would be the media favorite the moment RB James Davis announced he would return to school rather than foregoing his final season of eligibility for the NFL Draft.
Davis and C.J. Spiller should be a dynamite backfield combination. Cullen Harper is a pretty good quarterback (that raises a question, whatever happened to Willy Korn being the ‘savior’ of the Clemson program?).
Based on what I’ve read, the Tigers’ defense should be pretty good, too. The Achilles heels could be (USC fans, you’ve heard this one before) the offensive line, and possibly linebacker.
Besides having some good players, there’s another reason Clemson should have a successful year – a soft schedule.
Yes, the ACC is poor. We all know that. But is it really Clemson’s fault that over half the teams in the league would gladly trade a 0-12 football season for a national championship in basketball?
If you’re really looking for a culprit, blame the voters in the national polls (including the coaches) or most of the ACC for not caring enough about football.
Unfortunately, a lopsided victory over a vastly inferior opponent is greeted far more kindly by voters than a one-point loss to a Top 10 team.
That’s why Ohio State, a good program in an exceptionally pathetic conference, has made it to the BCS championship game the last two years only to be belted by more tested and superior SEC squad.
Crap happens when you face a real team.
Here’s a guarantee – when Clemson starts rising higher up the polls, its soft schedule will become a hot topic of debate on ESPN and on the internet.
Clemson is also in prime position to capture the ACC title because of the decline and fall of Florida State and Miami. Frankly, there’s no excuse for any of the Big 3 programs in the Sunshine State struggling, but somehow the Seminoles and Hurricanes have found the formula for inept football.
Again, can you really blame Clemson for the fact that the spineless Florida State administration refuses to fire Bobby Bowden despite FSU’s mediocrity the past few years?
FSU has been one of the most poorly coached teams in the country for several seasons, and we’ll be treated to more of the same comedy routine in 2008. Hey, what do you expect for $2 million-plus annually? Some real coaching? Forget it.
That clap of thunder you just heard was Florida fans laughing their butts off. As far as Gator fans are concerned, Bobby Bowden is the gift that keeps on giving.
Speaking of gifts, you can be assured Tommy Bowden will again purchase a very nice Christmas present for his father in December. Thanks, Dad.
If you’re a Gamecock fan and you really dislike Clemson, you can take solace in the fact ESPN’s Ivan Maisel rated the Tigers the third most overrated program behind Miami (a good choice) and Texas A&M.
You can also raise a toast to Maisel naming Williams-Brice Stadium the most underrated college football facility in the nation, as well as the SEC the most ‘underrated’ conference in the country.
For those of us who follow the SEC on a daily basis, we know how ferocious of a football league it is. The depth of the league is unparalleled elsewhere. Most leagues - Big 10, Pac-10 and ACC – have two or three good teams and the rest are patsies.
In my opinion, the only league that approaches the SEC in terms of quality depth is the Big 12, and even in that comparison there’s a wide gulf.
Here’s the kicker about Clemson – the SEC bookends nicely on its schedule. The Tigers open against Alabama before finishing with USC on Nov. 29.
If I know Alabama coaches, players and fans well enough, and I’ve been around a few in my career, they expect to win that game in the Georgia Dome on Aug. 30. Crimson Tide fans simply can’t fathom losing to a program like Clemson.
Alabama fans will insist they’re not paying Nick Saban about $4 million per year to lose to Clemson.
Finally, there’s one more reason to quit worrying about Clemson - the culture at USC is changing.
This year marks the 17th season USC has participated in SEC football. Steve Spurrier’s No. 1 goal every season is to win the conference championship. He doesn’t start worrying about Clemson until the week of the game.
That’s his philosophy and he’s unlikely to change at this stage of his career.
Now, does he have a greater appreciation of the USC-Clemson rivalry after three seasons? Yes. He understands that game is very important psychologically to Gamecock fans.
Athletic Director Eric Hyman’s stated goal for every Gamecock athletic program is to battle for the SEC championship. Except, of course, men’s soccer, which is part of Conference USA.
If you still believe beating Clemson is Job No. 1 for Spurrier or any other USC coach, then I hate to say it but there’s a serious disconnect between yourself and the USC administration.
Clemson will always remain USC’s No. 1 rival.
But there are other big games along the way, too.
Right now, Spurrier is concerned about preparing his team well enough to beat N.C. State on Augh. 28.
And that’s the way it should be.
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In a recent “Funky Winkerbean” comic strip, one of the main characters is aghast when he learns the primary uniform color for his little league baseball teams will be. . .orange.
Which segues us nicely right to the Clemson Tigers.
Scanning the message boards and listening to sports talk radio the last few weeks, I see and hear a large number of South Carolina fans (or at least they claim to be) needlessly fretting over the fact many people have a fairly high opinion of the Tigers this season.
Many of these same USC fans are so distraught about Clemson that you can actually see their tears soaking through the computer.
What these people need to do is calm down. The Gamecocks will get their shot at the Tigers in November.
But until then, the reality is, good or bad, Clemson should be a good football team this season. Many so-called experts rate them the favorite to win the ACC championship.
But I knew Clemson would be the media favorite the moment RB James Davis announced he would return to school rather than foregoing his final season of eligibility for the NFL Draft.
Davis and C.J. Spiller should be a dynamite backfield combination. Cullen Harper is a pretty good quarterback (that raises a question, whatever happened to Willy Korn being the ‘savior’ of the Clemson program?).
Based on what I’ve read, the Tigers’ defense should be pretty good, too. The Achilles heels could be (USC fans, you’ve heard this one before) the offensive line, and possibly linebacker.
Besides having some good players, there’s another reason Clemson should have a successful year – a soft schedule.
Yes, the ACC is poor. We all know that. But is it really Clemson’s fault that over half the teams in the league would gladly trade a 0-12 football season for a national championship in basketball?
If you’re really looking for a culprit, blame the voters in the national polls (including the coaches) or most of the ACC for not caring enough about football.
Unfortunately, a lopsided victory over a vastly inferior opponent is greeted far more kindly by voters than a one-point loss to a Top 10 team.
That’s why Ohio State, a good program in an exceptionally pathetic conference, has made it to the BCS championship game the last two years only to be belted by more tested and superior SEC squad.
Crap happens when you face a real team.
Here’s a guarantee – when Clemson starts rising higher up the polls, its soft schedule will become a hot topic of debate on ESPN and on the internet.
Clemson is also in prime position to capture the ACC title because of the decline and fall of Florida State and Miami. Frankly, there’s no excuse for any of the Big 3 programs in the Sunshine State struggling, but somehow the Seminoles and Hurricanes have found the formula for inept football.
Again, can you really blame Clemson for the fact that the spineless Florida State administration refuses to fire Bobby Bowden despite FSU’s mediocrity the past few years?
FSU has been one of the most poorly coached teams in the country for several seasons, and we’ll be treated to more of the same comedy routine in 2008. Hey, what do you expect for $2 million-plus annually? Some real coaching? Forget it.
That clap of thunder you just heard was Florida fans laughing their butts off. As far as Gator fans are concerned, Bobby Bowden is the gift that keeps on giving.
Speaking of gifts, you can be assured Tommy Bowden will again purchase a very nice Christmas present for his father in December. Thanks, Dad.
If you’re a Gamecock fan and you really dislike Clemson, you can take solace in the fact ESPN’s Ivan Maisel rated the Tigers the third most overrated program behind Miami (a good choice) and Texas A&M.
You can also raise a toast to Maisel naming Williams-Brice Stadium the most underrated college football facility in the nation, as well as the SEC the most ‘underrated’ conference in the country.
For those of us who follow the SEC on a daily basis, we know how ferocious of a football league it is. The depth of the league is unparalleled elsewhere. Most leagues - Big 10, Pac-10 and ACC – have two or three good teams and the rest are patsies.
In my opinion, the only league that approaches the SEC in terms of quality depth is the Big 12, and even in that comparison there’s a wide gulf.
Here’s the kicker about Clemson – the SEC bookends nicely on its schedule. The Tigers open against Alabama before finishing with USC on Nov. 29.
If I know Alabama coaches, players and fans well enough, and I’ve been around a few in my career, they expect to win that game in the Georgia Dome on Aug. 30. Crimson Tide fans simply can’t fathom losing to a program like Clemson.
Alabama fans will insist they’re not paying Nick Saban about $4 million per year to lose to Clemson.
Finally, there’s one more reason to quit worrying about Clemson - the culture at USC is changing.
This year marks the 17th season USC has participated in SEC football. Steve Spurrier’s No. 1 goal every season is to win the conference championship. He doesn’t start worrying about Clemson until the week of the game.
That’s his philosophy and he’s unlikely to change at this stage of his career.
Now, does he have a greater appreciation of the USC-Clemson rivalry after three seasons? Yes. He understands that game is very important psychologically to Gamecock fans.
Athletic Director Eric Hyman’s stated goal for every Gamecock athletic program is to battle for the SEC championship. Except, of course, men’s soccer, which is part of Conference USA.
If you still believe beating Clemson is Job No. 1 for Spurrier or any other USC coach, then I hate to say it but there’s a serious disconnect between yourself and the USC administration.
Clemson will always remain USC’s No. 1 rival.
But there are other big games along the way, too.
Right now, Spurrier is concerned about preparing his team well enough to beat N.C. State on Augh. 28.
And that’s the way it should be.
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Scott Hood. Since February of 2005, Scott has covered the South Carolina football, men's basketball and baseball programs for GamecockCentral. He may be reached by email at scottblog(at)gamecockcentral.com. Replace (at) with @.