Mid-December Sunday Thoughts

Greetings. I hope everyone out there is getting ready for Christmas and the Holiday Season. I don't have too much to hit on today, so I'll try and keep this brief and on point.

Issue #1--Apathy towards this football team. I was lectured last week on the importance of winning 10 football games even if two of your losses involved getting your doors blown off in (what was basically) the ACC Championship game then getting rolled once again by the OBC in Columbia. While I understand winning 10 is better than winning 9 which is better than winning 8. Great insight, I know. What I am frustrated about is the general apathy shown in response for these losses. You cannot explain away these items. Until we get an overall attitude adjustment--yes fans must demand continued improvement--and get serious about winning football games (and that will require an adjustment in S&C similar to the one SCar made years ago) we'll get a season full of wins over powerhouses Wake Forest and Virginia, 10 wins, no ACC championship, and no win over the other in-state school. Clemson now has the pieces in place at a high enough level to breed athletic success. Now it is time for alumni, fans, boosters, etc...to demand this program take the next step.

Item #2 would be Texas. I am not a big Mack Brown guy so I really didn't care too much. Texas, since playing for a MNC a couple years ago, has been less than impressive. This should be unacceptable when you are Texas. They have money flowing everywhere in Austin, tradition, and recruit like gangbusters. Still, they are mediocre/just above average in the Big XII. The Longhorns needed to go in a new direction not because the overall Mack Brown era was poor but because things are stagnant within the Texas football program and needed to be shaken up a bit. We'll see how this plays out as it will be interesting.

Moving forward we'll shift our focus to Clemson's bowl opponent, Ohio State. This is a game that Clemson can win though the Tigers' defense will be challenged. Hopefully this group can avenge the disaster witnessed several years ago in the Orange Bowl.