Agreed
Since Saturday’s loss, I’ve been thinking of just how to write what I wanted to write about why it’s time to part ways with Bowden. The situation has become more political, or perhaps more emotional than rational. LawtonFunk wrote to us before the game that he was “getting that Tommy West feeling [he] had back in 1997.” After the game I realized exactly what he meant. It’s just that instead of Tommy West, I’d use the name Larry Shyatt (just because I’m a little younger and wasn’t paying any attention during the Tommy West years). It usually felt like Shyatt’s teams could win any game. But deep down you just knew that they probably wouldn’t win the big ones, and you would never let yourself get too excited because you knew it wouldn’t be rewarded.
We’re in a similar era now. Nothing short of a miracle is going to bring back the faith and hope that most fans once had in Bowden. The only thing we can do now is make a change. And I know what change we have to make:
Barack Obama for Clemson Head Football Coach!
If you think I’m being facetious, let me tell you that I am, but only a little.
Let me also add that I think the Clemson beat writers, at least from what I have seen, have been doing a pretty good job in this situation. In particular, Larry Williams’ Trouble In Tigertown post from last night lays out thoughts very parallel to my own. This part about the little problems that continually recur is worth repeating:
For the 30th time in the last few years (slight exaggeration there), they saw a touchdown called back because of a penalty. They saw a litany of other mistakes cost their team the game…
Saturday was simply the latest in a long line of games in which critical errors — some would say boneheaded errors — sealed the Tigers’ demise. The fumbled punt by Jacoby Ford. The lost lateral on the screen pass. Not enough men on the line of scrimmage. The late hit by Xavier Dye…
Remember the 10-9 loss to Georgia Tech in 2005, when a touchdown was called back because the Tigers didn’t have enough men on the line of scrimmage?…
How about the 13-12 loss to Maryland in 2006? Remember that touchdown that was called back because — stop us if you’ve heard this one before — not enough men were on the field on a 4-yard touchdown run by James Davis?
The remainder, here, I’m just using as a space to kinda think out loud.
Perhaps the play calling isn’t so much the problem. Maybe it is just the execution. That seems a logical conclusion of “we’re getting into the endzone but the plays are called back.” That doesn’t necessarily get Spence off the hook. I might criticize him for having what I might call a zero-contingency game plan. I mean that his plan doesn’t account for anything major going wrong, so that once something goes wrong the whole plan is shot. Maybe a 1 or 2 contingency game plan isn’t possible. But the big question that everyone has to be thinking, is that with all the talent that the team has, why are we even playing decent teams close?
That’s enough for now. I have to go to work.
Many things are not working (now or in the past 9 years).
* Poor game planning and preparation.
* Poor execution of the game plan and adjustments.
* Mental errors are a sympton of a lack of discipline and intensity in practice.
* No consequence for the players who do not execute.
* Too much concern for the players egos/feelings.
* Not enough passion for winning.
* Lack of accountability from the leadership (coaches).
* Loyalty based on player stature, not performance.
The announcer on Sat mentioned that Spence was more concerned with “spreading the ball” among playmakers rather than calling the play that would generate the most production. If that was even a consideration, why would you admit it to the media? Maybe that’s why we are so darn predictive.
Hey, TB is a stand-up guy, but if I saw the list of issues above in my personal business, I would not hesitate to change leadership. I always thought the end game would be to promote TB to AD and give the reigns to Dabo. Unfortunately for TB, time has run out…
Overreacting soccer analogies that actually makes sense for the state of Clemson Football…
Clemson Football – Dangerous like a toothless tigress, pacy like a Fiat Punto with flat tyres, strong-willed and powerful like a stoned earthworm.
Best Press Conference – Klaus Augenthaler’s 42-second monologue. The Wolfsburg manager asked himself four short questions, answered curtly and then wandered off. A few weeks later, he got fired. Would be interesting to see almost anyone on the Clemson coaching staff do this…
Forward Planning – “We now have a team for the next two, three years” – Uli Hoeness, August 2006.
“It’s obvious that this team will be completely rebuilt” – Uli Hoeness, May 2007. What are the odds this is going to be said at the end of the season?
Most interesting explanation for crap performances – “We need more arseholes” – Mark van Bommel after Bayern’s 3-0 capitulation in Nürnberg. We need someone with balls…
Reason for most (un)expected performance – “We don’t come here shitting ourselves. I’ve had a look before” – Jürgen Klopp, Mainz manager, before his side’s 4-0 defeat in Munich. Unlike Mainz, Maryland seems to beat us…
Best Ambition – “We want to be champions, too. We just don’t know in which century” – Thomas von Heesen, Bielefeld manager. He resigned after seven games without a win in February. At least he resigned…
Best joke – “Total domination” – slogan on Schalke’s pre-season training shirts. Didn’t Clemson have something like that?
Most appropriate question – With Bayern 2-0 down at Schalke after 45 minutes, Felix Magath shouted at his players: “There is no effort and no tactical discipline.” Mark van Bommel shouted back: “Tactics? What tactics?” I really wonder if players have asked this question privately.
Most unlikely sound-bite from a German manager – “Tactics are something for bad players” – Felix Magath. Unlike Rob Spence, from whom this sound bite is actually rather likely…
What TDP should have said of TB – “When somebody thinks they should get Shevchenko money, they have to play like Shevchenko” – Bayern vice-president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge on turning down Pizarro’s demand of 4.2m salary after tax. too bad he didn’t