We are the champions

Wow! Not even close. That was the best three and a half hours of being a Clemson fan. I loved when Greg Buckner dunked to beat mighty UNC in the ACC championship. I loved when Tyler Colvin hit a walk-off grand slam to send the Tigers to Omaha. I loved Clemson finally beating FSU in ’06 to end their terrible dominance over the Tigers. I loved the Catch II and pulling victory from defeat from the hated Gamecocks. But, nothing is close to the second half on Dec. 3rd, 2011.

I’ve always said, why can’t just one time everything come together for Clemson? Why can’t we have that one game where the O, D and special teams play well? One time you catch some breaks and just dominate an opponent in a huge game. Well, I got my wish in the biggest game this program has had in thirty years. What a time to rise up! In retrospect, we can all admit we were (hopefully were) a choke program. We didn’t want to admit we were snake bitten, but every time we had a chance for greatness, Clemson football fell on its face. Proof of this is in my reaction on Sammy’s huge TD catch to put the Tigers up 14 Saturday night. I didn’t cheer because I was too busy searching the field for the penalty flag. Too many times the huge play that would have made the difference have been foiled by a flag. Then Andre goes off the left side. I was sure it would get called back or reviewed. I didn’t cheer and then it finally hit me, this team may actually win a championship! A friend asked me, “What is wrong?” I replied, “It is just surreal!” She then said, “Who says surreal while wasted at a football game?” I guess this guy does.

It was surreal because I have been a Clemson fan since about 1986. I really became a huge fan in 1996 when I fell in love with the toughness of the Rick Barnes basketball teams and especially loved the clutch play of Greg Buckner. Greg was a 6’3 small forward always finding a way to out-tough and outsmart much bigger front line players. Anyway, his whole four years were fun, but still painful. They went to four tourneys and even a sweet sixteen, but every loss was brutal and usually due to poor FT shooting. His senior year they lost to Duke three times by a combined eight points.

Then when I started my freshman year at Clemson I went from huge fan to bleeding orange. Now the pain went to watching a football program always on the cusp of turning the corner. Charlie Whitehurst’s senior year is a glaring example. Four losses all year by a combined 14 points including two overtime defeats at home!!! How brutal!! So, forgive me if I was waiting for the other shoe to drop Saturday. Thankfully our players are too young and cocky to remember or care about these demons. That’s why I kept telling a buddy of mine who refers to CU not as Clemson Univ. but as Choke Univ. that it wasn’t the Univ. that was choking but Tommy Bowden, and to an extent, Oliver Purnell. Jack Leggett’s baseball teams are usually very clutch. And now, Dabo’s teams are starting to step up in big spots.

So, my point is, there is a reason why this was so shocking. It hasn’t happened for 30 years. Granted from ’92 to ’02 no one was stopping the train that was FSU football. But for the last eight years we watched the Noles plummet, and who stepped into that power vacuum? The unstoppable forces known as Maryland football, Wake football, Georgia Tech and BC football all added ACC or divisional crowns. Infuriating and embarrassing when you consider the recruiting classes, the facilities, the passion of the fan base, and the tradition of those programs. I always said during the Bowden era that I don’t expect to win the ACC every year. But, I do expect to win the Atlantic division every other year and win the ACC every four years. Maybe those are lofty goals, but unless FSU gets back on track, then is asking Clemson to beat out Wake, Maryland, NC St., FSU and BC every other year too much to ask? I sure as hell hope not. Right now, Dabo has reached my goals. I know that is all he is worried about; he has a sign in his office- Shaun’s goals: Div. every two, ACC crown every four. ACC Crown! How good is that to say?! Enjoy Tiger fans. They won’t come every year, but hopefully we won’t have to wait another 30.