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Does loss to Maryland doom the rest of Clemson' season?
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Clemson’s Memorial Stadium is nicknamed “Death Valley,” and the moniker has never been more appropriate than Saturday.
Why?
The Tigers’ 2008 football season might’ve just breathed its last.
Oh, there are more games and there’ll be more wins, but probably not nearly enough to earn a spot in the ACC Championship Game — and certainly not enough to satisfy fans who, for years, have been calling for Tommy Bowden’s head.
As the seconds ticked away in a 20-17 loss to Maryland, the cacophony was incredible.
Had Bowden been Frankenstein’s monster, the bulk of those in attendance would’ve surely charged down the hill with torches and bloodhounds, never giving Howard’s Rock a second glance.
To be fair, a 3-2 overall record and 1-1 mark in league play doesn’t automatically disqualify Clemson from a trip to Jacksonville in December. In a mixed up world in which Oregon State can beat USC and Ole Miss upsets Florida in The Swamp, nothing is impossible.
But a Tigers turnaround is certainly improbable. For all the talk of getting back on track with victories over The Citadel, North Carolina State and South Carolina State, I’m not sure anyone truly believed it.
Beating two Football Championship Subdivision foes and a struggling ACC club didn’t make up for a blowout loss to Alabama — nor did it help Clemson regain the hype of being selected as league champions-in-waiting during the preseason.
Instead, in the Tigers’ first true test since the season opener, they failed.
The 193 combined first half rushing yards and two touchdowns from James Davis and C.J. Spiller were nice, as was a 17-6 lead at intermission.
When the third quarter started, however, the Terrapins adjusted and Clemson had no answer. Its offense was shut down and its defense couldn’t shut down Ralph Freidgen’s squad when it had to.
Let’s face it — this was a game Bowden and company needed badly before entering a stretch against Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Boston College and Florida State, with only one of those at Memorial Stadium.
And — this is not a punch line anymore — Duke comes to the friendly confines Nov. 15.
Then again, there wasn’t much friendly about Death Valley Saturday, especially when the clock hit double zeroes.
Saying the Clemson season might’ve died Sept. 27 is hyperbole, I admit. Teams don’t have to end the year with championships and perfection to consider a campaign a success.
Yet in the case of the Tigers, anything short of a league crown in ’08 is a bitter disappointment.
And frankly, disappointment is a feeling the Solid Orange faithful have become accustomed to.
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our "new" O-Line did pretty well and we tackled better FOR THE FIRST HALF.
The O-Line is evidently one-deep at every position, though and was worn out and bad tackling habits are hard to break. don't ruin that new DT from Daniel High. He' a good tackler.
We did our usual job of adjusting and Friedgen did what a real coach does at halftime.
maybe if we raised ticket and parking prices and gave TB a raise..??????
I agree with 33dtb. As it appears on the horizon, we could possibly be headed for the Humanitarian Bowl, Liberty Bowl or maybe No Bowl. The upcoming schedule has teams that have hired coaching staffs to turn their programs around and--they already have--what did we hire TB for? Clemson's future is almost assured to be "doormat of the ACC" with teams like Duke, North Carolina, and Georgia Tech with innovative and proven coaches.
Auburn's defensive coach said it in a nutshell last year..."if you script Clemson's first 15 plays from scrimmage, you have their number for the rest of the game." Wow! This guy knew what he was talking about!
What have you proven, TB??? Maybe, you can get the athletic director to fabricate another farce like last year's proposed hiring by Arkansas for you. I seriously doubt it as the SEC doesn't hire nags, they hire thoroughbreds. And, yes, isn't it about time for another raise for TB? Arkansas may be calling again--yeah, right!
Clemson will be doing good to win two games in the division. Man, what a dream season. If there ever was, it's time for t-b 2 g-o. Get someone who can actually coach an entire game. Same story every year. I wonder if he called the Frig and asked what his tendencies were for the game. Look at Nick, two years and he's got a young team that runs like a machine. Ten years and Clemson is no better than they were before tb arrived.
My family and I were at the game (as MD fans) - we sweated our way through the first half - Clemson was tough! Not sure what Freidgen told those boys at half time-but they surely took it to heart!
I have to make a comment regarding the Clemson fans who sat directly behind us - my husband, our 12 year old daughter and myself. As the Clemson fans do/did we stood up to watch a play - we had a blanket on the bleacher (they were wet from the rain) as we sat down the gentleman (?) pulled the blanket out from under my daughter - on purpose! I have NEVER heard such language - I politely turned around and said - our daughter is 12 - could you toned that down just a bit? I wont repeat here what his reply back to me was. It was the most miserable game I have ever attended - due to those two gentleman - who were approximately 45 - 50 years old. Whatever happened to good sportsmanship?
I have NO problem with being a "die-hard" fan - and I am sure there are some in MD that behave in the same manner. But to mean to a child? I can honestly say that I hope that NO Maryland fan has ever treated a Clemson fan in the manner we were treated. The Maryland college "kids" that sat in front of us I have to admit were very well behaved - I even commented to my husband that I noticed that each time they went to the concession stand to get drinks/food - they took their empties with them to dispose of properly - the gentleman behind us left all their trash!
We will be traveling to Maryland next year with Clemson fans - I will make sure to specify to the ticket office to seat us as far away as possible from the Clemson seats.
In the meantime I will fly my Maryland Terps flag proudly in Sandy Springs!!!!
in response to 33dtb
Don't forget building better facilities! Maybe we should have invested in something other than a place to drink, coddle recruits and wow big donors!
That west end is going to look pretty foolish when it's half full next season.
I don't care about state of the art facilities, concessions or tailgating.
Bowden's SOLE prupose as a head coach is to win football games. Not recruit. Or build facilities.
He's built a decent program. Now, time to go.
in response to dahonig
Chief Link, last try.
Do something or I will have to call someone who will do something...take it how you want to.
Last time I checked, Clemson receives a fair share of taxpayer monies...where is the open container policy, disorderly conduct, public drunk?
The Maryland fans comment is not unusual. Some of us family men have had serious problems...with drunk fans.
My apologies to sandy springs...should have found some of us p.bulldogs in the crowd...a lesson would have been taught.
I was an Iptay member at the Champion Level and season ticket holder for several years - I quit BEFORE the seat equity plan due to every year in several places throughout the stadium I and my children were always within earshot of some drunk or drunks who always thought they knew more than the coaches and that everyone around them wanted to hear their drunken profane rant. So I made the decision not to waste har earned moey to subject my children to such a specticle.
The biggest farce of all is all the State Troopers, Local Police and Deputies on scene - everyone drinking but never will you see a sobriety check point set up even though they have to see the drunks all over the place.
I guess the big business of Football takes priority of getting drunks off the road. The Troppers simply look the other way.
Anyone who thinks that Clemson will take the chance of upsetting donors by curbing the drunks is dreaming.
in response to UseCommonSense
I think it was ML KING, who said something about staying silent so evil can take its course...maybe you don't have good common sense...
in response to UseCommonSense
Actually it was NOT the first game I have attended. And I don't live in a dreamland - and NOT a "bible thumper" but proper behavior is proper behavior . . .there were bad calls for both MD and Clemson - but MD fans didn't yell "you f'ing cheaters" or you MFers or FU #8. These two gentlemen - and I use that term loosely - were NOT drunk - just jerks.
I did wonder why they slid out of the stadium VERY quietly at the two minute warning.
Such die hard fans would have had their tickets earlier and wouldnt have to sit with the opposing team!!!!
You should have pointed those jerks out to one of those troopers, deputies, or local polce officers that foldman says just sits around and doesn't do anything. I'm sure they would have gladly put them in a place where they would not have to worry about making drunken filthy comments in front of a twelve year old. Decent people have the right to go to a game and not have to listen to all of that filth.
in response to dahonig
You have a right to be upset. I personally believe USC & Clemson both have too many fans that go overboard. However, I'm sure all schools have a few they're not proud of. The worse school I've encountered as far as how they treat the opposing team in S.C. is The Citadel. You lose respect for schools because of it's fans and that's a shame.
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